I have been wandering around the great wide web for the past two months with many questions rolling around in my head – the most predominant one being “what the heck am I supposed to be doing here?”

The term ‘author’s platform’ is a new one for me.  What is it and how does it work?  Now, I am still far from being a ‘linking guru’ but I do believe I’m getting there!  It takes a lot of trial and error to find out on your own how things work, my husband not being much help when he doesn’t even know how to attach pictures to an email.   I wish I tried wordpress in the very beginning though.  Lots of unnecessary $$$ spent on hosting and websites and templates and the like…  

WordPress takes a few days of perusing and experimenting, but essentially it’s like a MAC.  It just WORKS  It’s true there are a lot of items in the menus, and a lot of menus in the Dashboard – it can be daunting but just click on one thing at a time, see what you’ve done, and never stray too far from your original goal – FOCUS – and you’ll see a website come together slowly but surely.  It’s kind of like writing a book!

Until next time

Ten more days until the event.  It’s my first marathon and I’m not sure what to expect.  I picture twenty writers in a too-small room,  the sweltering heat of mid-summer congesting the air, the tapping of laptop keys and heavy breathing as words become pages and pages become chapters.   The pressure to write a novel in three days – I’m not sure I can do that!   I’m also not sure I can write anything with anyone else around.  I hesitate at the slightest interruption, a ringing phone, a bird hitting the window, an email coming through.   I am distracted by oncoming bad weather knowing I have to bring in all the chair cushions before they get soaked.  My dog needs attention, I have to make more hummingbird food.  The ultimate focus breaker is my husband walking through the door.   All writing ceases.  I can no longer concentrate on anything serious any longer.  Not that my husband is a funny guy, (and he really is) or he talks my ear off when I’m busy – he’s actually very considerate and quiet as a mouse, only occasionally complaining that he’s lonely.

Train of thought is a funny thing.  Once I’m in the depths of thought it’s all good.  Getting into that state is the hard part.   I’ve found Ommwriter to be a wonderful aid  and I will be using it at the marathon – with earphones.   So, pardon me if I look like I’m ignoring you, but I’m picturing ALL the writers in that room trying to block each other out!  Ironic, but how else can one produce?  Facebook has been fun leading up to this marathon and I’ve met so many awesome, funny, helpful people who write, concentrate, finish novels and publish them too!  I can’t imagine being in their company and blocking them out for three days.

I hope I can write a page or two.

It’s so late, just back from a refreshing swim so I’m not tired yet!