G = Gather

A to Z Blog Challenge: Day Seven

GATHER

 

I was very tempted to chose the word "gelato" for the letter "g" but decided to go with "gather" instead and how it relates to gathering information or resources.

 

When writing nonfiction it only makes sense that I tend to gather more information than I do for my fiction work. So I'm going to share some of the places I like to visit for gathering facts (day 6 word), like a squirrel gathering nuts, before I begin to write.

1. My first stop is the library. I go online and reserve as many books as I can find and have them delivered to the branch closest to where I live. Then I anxiously await their delivery. Because they're coming from various other libraries this takes days so it helps to plan ahead. Once my books start arriving I wait for them to gather on the reserve shelf so I only have to make one or two trips to pick them up.

 

2. While I'm waiting for my library books to arrive I continue my search on the Internet for various other sources. I may need to buy some books from Amazon but I always stick to buying used copies for just a few pennies and shipping. I'm going to mark them up anyway. Now I wait for them to be delivered which is usually just a few days.

 

3. In the meantime, I gather information from the Internet including YouTube, Facebook, websites, etc.. My favorite resource is Google Books. I can search inside books and magazines and even sometimes a news article using a keyword. I can gather all kinds of facts this way without ever leaving the house!

 

4. I look for museums and exhibits that I can visit where I can gather more information. I always call ahead to see if there's a particular person who is an expert that I can meet with and I find out what the person's availability is.

 

5. I gather a list of possible primary sources so I can conduct phone interviews, arrange a meeting with them in person, or converse through email. When I attend writer conferences or events I always visit the displays or booths to see if there are any organizations in attendance that I might be able to assist me in gathering materials or finding experts on a particular subject.

6. When I finally have everything gathered, organized, and reviewed I can start writing and this is where the gelato comes in!

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Linda Bozzo has published more than 50 nonfiction books for the school and library market. For more information about Linda and her books, you can visit her website.

 

Copyright 2015 Linda Bozzo

F = Fact for Day Six Blog Challenge



A to Z Blog Challenge: Day Six

 

FACT

 

 

As a nonfiction author what better word for the letter "F" than "fact" for today's challenge. I talked a lot last week to students about the difference between fiction and nonfiction and using reliable sources to find facts. I also shared with them how I often write nonfiction that evolves (Day 5's word!) into fiction stories using exaggeration and imagination. The picture book I'm working on now is a fictionalized story based on a true fact. When brainstorming new ideas think about using a fact to create fun fiction!

 

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Linda Bozzo has published more than 50 nonfiction books for the school and library market. For more information about Linda and her books, you can visit her website.

 

Copyright 2015 Linda Bozzo

E = Evolve in Today's A to Z Challenge

A to Z Blog Challenge: Day 5



EVOLVE

 

e-volve: to change slowly, sometimes over many years.

 

Just as our stories evolve over time (sometimes over many years) so do we as writers. To pull out a story after it's been put away for a while and see it in a new light is a good sign that you've evolved as a writer. "Slowly" describes how most of my ideas and stories come to fruition. So slowly that sometimes it can be painful but that's what makes the finished product that much more rewarding. As I've evolved as a writer I've learned not to rush the process. Okay, so someone had to tell me this and it took me some time to put it into practice, but it was a great lesson. As far as evolving as a writer . . I don't think I'll ever be done.

 

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Linda Bozzo has published more than 50 nonfiction books for the school and library market. For more information about Linda and her books, you can visit her website. 

Copyright 2015 Linda Bozzo

C = Challenge + D = DANCE

A to Z Blog Challenge: Days Three and Four

CHALLENGE

A challenge, to me, often means stepping out of my box and trying something new or something I perceive as being difficult. It could be pulling out something old and challenging myself to take a look at it with fresh eyes. It could mean trying a new genre of writing. I think to grow as a writer you have to continually challenge yourself. This doesn't mean you have to be successful in every new challenge but I think it helps you to better understand what your strengths and weaknesses are. To be an author is a challenge and I often remind myself that if writing wasn't a challenge the work wouldn't be so rewarding!

DANCE

 

During my author presentations I show children this picture from my first dance recital. I think it's important for them to look at what their passions are and I explain how my dance has influenced the stories I write. It's the passion I've had longer than any other in my life. When I write about dance I can write from my heart.

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Linda Bozzo has published more than 50 nonfiction books for the school and library market. For more information about Linda and her books, you can visit her website.

Copyright 2015 Linda Bozzo

B = Book

A to Z Blog Challenge: Day Two

BOOK



 

 

 

BOOKS: Love to read AND write them

BOOK LIST: Mine is VERY long

BOOKMARKS: Have dozens

BOOKED: A writing retreat

BOOKWORM: I am

BOOK CLUB: Belong to one

FAVORITE BOOK: Charlotte's Web

CHAPTER BOOK: Writing one

PICTURE BOOKS: LOVE them!

LIBRARY BOOK: Plenty checked out

BOOKSHELVES: A must have

BOOK FAIRS: Rock!

BOOK SALE: Must go to

BOOKSTORE: Favorite place to browse

eBOOK: Great for vacation

BOOK DRESS: Have one!

 

 

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Linda Bozzo has published over 50 nonfiction books for the school and library market. For more information about Linda and her books, you can visit her website.

Copyright 2015 Linda Bozzo

A = ACTION

This is the first time I'm participating in the A to Z blog Challenge. The goal is to blog every day for the month of April, except for Sundays which will result in 26 days of blogging, using 26 letters, for 26 posts. I've decided to break the rules right from the start. I'm not choosing a theme. I have a hard time deciding what to blog about which often results in not blogging. Instead of choosing a theme, I'm using my children's dictionary to randomly choose a word to blog about each day.



ACTION

 

I normally like to set goals for the year. But this year I decided I was going to try something different. My goal for 2015 is to take at least one ACTION every weekday that will help further my writing career. Each day I take special note and ask myself what my ACTION will be for the day. At the end of the day I ask myself if I have taken an ACTION that directly relates to writing. I've also resolved to take less ACTION because sometimes less is more. I'm  taking LESS ACTION when it comes to tasks that eat up time that could be used for my ACTION tasks. This includes less Facebook time, less time entering contests, and less webinars, just to name a few. What I hope to gain is more writing time (which includes blogging), more research time for new projects, and more time being happy because I'm doing what I love to do! At the end of the year I'm going to look back at my ACTION list to analyze my results. After just three months of ACTION I've already experienced great success with this method and I'm looking forward to what I can accomplish in the upcoming months. I hope you'll follow along.



Embrace Winter

 
 
 

I'll admit that when I hear a snowstorm is coming, I don't run out and fill my car with gas or race to the grocery store. Instead, I get all of my writing tools in order and anxiously await being stuck inside with my muse. You may even hear me shout, "YAY!"

 

 

While I've found bad weather can result in productive writing days, too many of these days can be frustrating. Not all of my writing process happens here at my desk. 

 

 

I NEED to go to the library to do research or to pick up the stack of books that I've placed on hold. Not being able to do research can hold up a project which can be an even bigger problem if that project has a deadline.

 

 

Not being able to meet with fellow writers is especially frustrating when you're in need of feedback or you're looking forward to brainstorming on a manuscript. Even more important, you miss the support of others.

 

 

RESEARCH

I've found some ways to stay productive even when Mother Nature gets in the way.

There are many picture books that are read aloud on YouTube, so if it's a mentor text that's holding you up, do a search and chances are the author, a teacher, or a librarian has made a video. This was especially helpful when I recently wrote a new manuscript and found out there was already a book similar to what I wrote. I was able to find out exactly how similar it was by viewing it on YouTube. I also use Google Book Search a lot. It can be very helpful with research and keeping me moving forward with a project until I can get to the bookstore or the library.

 

 

 

WRITE-IN

If bad weather is getting in your way of meeting with fellow writing buddies, we can always find each other online. But we know when we meet in person it results in a pretty darn productive day. Consider scheduling a write-in. Plan on being online at a certain time of the day, say from 9 a.m. until noon, which could be the time and day you all normally meet. Everyone writes or brainstorms from 9 a.m. until 9:45 a.m. at which time everyone checks in with each other and shares what they've accomplished. You have 15 minutes to read and comment on each other's work. Then the cycle begins again at 10 a.m. and continues until noon.

 

REWARD

Make a deal with yourself. Promise to stay off of social media for a set amount of time and write, research, accomplish something on your to-do list. When you've completed what you've set out to do, reward yourself. It might be a special snack or drink, or it could be phone call to catch up with a friend, or I like to reward myself with reading time used strictly for enjoyment.

 

 

 

With each day that passes I know that warm sunny days are drawing nearer. But with that comes less writing time. Things like gardening, beach days, picnics, softball games, and barbeques fill the calendar. I look forward to spring but embrace what winter has to offer and right now that seems to lots of time to write!