I’ve never been a person who gathers up things that are “fun” and puts them in a blog post.

But now I’m wondering, why not? There is so much positive to partake of right before our eyes on a regular basis. Isn’t some of it blog-worthy?

Let’s try it for a few weeks and see. Cuz that’s how I roll.

Who Needs a Good Laugh?

Let’s start with the artistically absurd. Want to see what my husband and daughter were watching on the Internet while I was in NYC last weekend? It’s a show performed in 1996 that merges Star Wars and Les Miserables.

The fun part, for my family, is that my husband is a big SW fan and he produced Les Mis at Wilsonville High School last year. Our daughter, Samantha, played one of several Little Cosettes. She was singing this in the backseat of the car when they picked me up at the airport. If you watch long enough you will see Han Solo singing a tune to “Greased Lightning,” as well!

P.S. If you are drinking something, you might want to take pause because this is pretty funny. At least, it cracked me up.

Celebrate People Who Are Thoughtful & Kind

Something caught my eye on Twitter a week or so before the Writer’s Digest Conference. The fine folks at WD were buzzing that the somewhat controversial Mr. Barry Eisler would be speaking at the conference. Someone in the ethers piped up and said, “And Christina Katz will be there too, right?” And that just made my day. I have nothing against Barry Eisler, of course. As it turns out, he may ruffle feathers online and in the news, but in person he is completely unassuming and friendly.

But back to the guy who wanted to make sure I was still coming. Turns out his name is Karl Sprague and you can learn all about him in his blog. I appreciated that Karl posted this poem by James Michener on his “about” page.

Karl says, I strive to be what James Michener described as a “Master in the Art of Living.”

Master in the Art of Living

A master in the art of living

draws no sharp distinction

between his work and his play,

his labor and his leisure,

his mind and his body,

his education and his recreation.

He hardly knows which is which.

He simply pursues his vision

of excellence through whatever

he is doing and leaves

others to determine

whether he is working or playing.

To himself, he always seems

to be doing both.

-       James A. Michener
I think you can learn a lot about a person quickly by noticing what they appreciate. In this case, I think we can learn a lot about what Karl is all about because he is so generous in sharing his appreciation. I guess what I’m trying to say is, if you want people to get to know you and enjoy knowing you, share a little more with us about what you appreciate and we’ll pay closer attention.

Make Good Things Happen

Okay, forget “fun” for a sec. I knew there was one more point I wanted to make at the end of my talk on Micro-publishing at the Writer’s Digest Conference. And this is it. Bottom line is this: you are either one of us: a person who makes good things happen. Or you are one of the others: a draining, whining, what-have-you-done-for-me-lately energy vampire.

Now, obviously, it’s not nearly this black and white. But honestly, sometimes, for me, it is. I can spot a person who has decided that I owe them a favor a mile away. I can see them coming at me before they are even coming at me. This is probably because I could not always tell and have been duped several times. I was so busy being generous with absolutely everyone that I was not using good discretion. My bad. I had to go back and analyze the difference between genuinely delightful people and those who put on that front so they can advance their own agenda. And I get it now. I’m not likely to forget either. (I have a lot to say on the topic of practicing good professional boundaries in The Writer’s Workout, specifically chapters 115, 297, 334 and 359.)

So, back to Karl’s blog. I love this post Karl wrote about his experience from the 2011 Writer’s Digest Conference where he describes in detail, nay, even analyzes the friendly leadership qualities of a person he’d met at the conference. That person is George Davis. I’d noticed him online as a positive force to be reckoned with last year and I was not even at the conference. I didn’t get to spend much time with George this year. But that’s not the point. I can tell that he and Karl and Barry are going to go far. Why? Because they are people who make good things happen. And if you focus on nothing else in your writing career, making good things happen would be enough. Because it all comes around eventually. And those who give the most good, reap the greatest rewards, each and every day.

Happy weekend, everyone!

1. All writers are publishers now. If you are an author, tap into your backlist now. If you are an aspiring author, plan on it before, during, and after you are published.

2. Publishers are leveraging their backlists to the hilt. Watch for it, authors, if you have not seen it already. Check your contracts to make sure you get paid what you are due. If your publishers are not leveraging your best work, you should be.

3. Indie publishing is over. It was over last year. See #1 if you are unclear. In a world where publishing exists on such a long spectrum, there is no longer any room for black and white thinking.

4. It’s still great to be a published author. However, you want to understand the differences between old-world traditionally published and new world traditionally published before you start climbing this particularly steep mountain. Get informed before you get your hopes up.

5. Not only has publishing changed; the entire economy has changed. We are now living in a new gig economy. This is great news for writers. This is by far the best news on this entire list.

6. You probably still need an agent. Publishing industry contracts are more complicated and rights-grabbing than ever. But don’t be surprised if your publisher is less flexible to your agent’s requests more than they would have been in the past. Hopefully this will change as more authors leave publishers and refuse to grant all rights. Bestselling authors, we’re counting on you!

7. Just because publishing has evolved so dramatically does not mean you don’t still need skills. You need more skills than ever. Learn them from reputable individuals, who are genuinely interested in helping you cultivate and grow your unique strengths. But don’t be in an unholy rush. It won’t help you learn any faster.

8. Consider each dollar you invest in your career the equivalent of a vote. As always, you need to steadily invest in your writing career if you want it to grow. But in an economy like this one where most budgets are tight, it’s important to invest according to your values. Each dollar you spend is a vote of support. Support the folks who have earned your respect and take your eyeballs away from folks you do not or no longer trust.

9. Blogging is a tool, not a career choice. I’d rather see you become an expert in something specific and blog in an effort to support your mission than spend all your money trying to learn and leverage “insider blogging secrets” that put you right back where you are now a year from now. And always have your own home base online before you call another blog your home away from home.

10. Think ebook. Used to be, most writers first big goal used to be working their way up to a traditionally published book deal. Today, the first big finish line has become a successful ebook. This means learning the skills you need to have to write an ebook that will sell itself (not as easy as it sounds) so you can compete in the new economy.

And if your ebooks are not up to professional snuff, you’d better take ‘em down and take ‘em down fast. You’re best career move is to get them up to snuff before you re-post them. Otherwise your reputation is going to suffer in comparison to all the quality content that is coming down the pipe in 2012.

Need help navigating all the changes in the publishing industry?

Check out my new book, The Writer’s Workout, for an idea for every day of the upcoming Leap Year.

Has this post or any of my past work been helpful to you? Thanks for letting me know in the comments!

Borders has sold me a lot of books over the years. But not as many as they used to lately.

Apparently I am not the only wayward customer.

I was especially enamored by their huge store on Michigan Avenue, right next to the Water Tower in downtown Chicago.

This was when I was a city girl. You know, back in the day.

I don’t remember what year the superstore opened. It wasn’t always there. Not when I arrived in 1988.

But once it did open, I hung out there an awful lot. Wandering the shelves. Cruising for books that called out to me.

This reminds me that it was in Borders on Michigan Avenue where I got the job lead from one of the cashiers that finally sprung me from the city I had lived in for nine years.

I went from Michigan Avenue, where I worked in the John Hancock Building, to the Sangre De Christo mountains of New Mexico on a train, taking only what I could carry.

But that’s another story for another day.

During the times I spent in Borders cruising books I was mostly dying to leave that city. My God, I was desperate to get out of there. Do you know that feeling? When it’s way past time to move on and you are still right where you don’t want to be? That was me then.

Borders was a respite—an escape from a place where I didn’t really want to be living and hadn’t wanted to be living for years.

But back to the books. There were books. There were lots of books—tons of them—spread out over multiple floors. I don’t remember if it was two floors or three. At that time in my life, I spent an awful lot of time in the basement of Borders where all of the self-help, creativity, and spirituality books were.

I would walk out of those revolving doors (I think it was revolving doors) with a stack of books, spending like $50-$75 bucks at a time.

I had a ton of astrology books back then. Like a whole shelf full. Today, only a few of my favorites are still with me. I have saved the best of my best and given away, donated, or traded in the rest.

Today, I spend what I used to spend at Borders at Amazon almost each month, probably not quite.

The closest bookstore is Borders at about twenty minutes away without traffic. I have never been as enamored with it as I was with that one on Michigan Avenue.

I think that Michigan Avenue store was special. It had an energy about it. A kind of magic.

Or maybe the magic was in me. I’m not sure. An awful lot of longing went on in me in that store and what I was longing for then…was really the life I have today.

Thanks, Borders. You did me a whole lot of good at a time when I really needed you.

Regardless what anyone says about you. You were good to me. And I appreciate it.

Do you have any Borders memories? What do you want to say to Borders? Good or bad, share your thoughts and ping this post if you want to share.

~ Photo by monsieur paradis

I’ve got news…

Personal Essays That Get Published: Level 2 is here! Woo-hoo!

It’s been a long time coming but I have finally talked Abigail Green into offering a Level two for her Personal Essays That Get Published Class. The description is posted and the first one is slated to launch November 3rd. Details here.

Thing is, you can’t take the advanced level unless you’ve taken the level one class. I know a lot of my readers have already taken it but, if you haven’t yet, and you want to take level two, you can sign up for Personal Essays That Get Published, which begins September 8th. More here.

Check out what Abby’s students have to say about the class and you’ll see why I nagged her into teaching a second class.

Also, check out her post, “Confessions of a Belated Writing Instructor” if you want to see her strut her stuff.

• • •

Discover Your Specialty & Launch Your Platform Scholarship Deadline Extended!

I can’t remember the last time I put my e-mail on auto-responder. But I sucked it up and did it. I have heard this crazy rumor that it’s actually a good idea to take a break from being on your machine 24-7 and spend some time in nature with people you love.

Interesting idea, huh?

I stink at unplugging. So let’s just say I’ll do the best I can. And then I’ll report back and let you know how it went.

But not in real time because I’ll be (pretending, at least) that I’m unplugged.

Therefore, I’m extending the deadline for the lucky ducks applying for The Writer Mama Platform Development Scholarship. The new deadline is Sunday, August 22nd. I will alert those who have already applied.

In the meantime, if you have not yet applied, you can learn all about it, here. You are encouraged to apply!

• • •

What About The Writer Mama Back-To-School Giveaway?

I have been asked about The Writer Mama Back-t0-School Giveaway…will it be returning this year?

Sadly, the answer is no. My schedule simply won’t allow it. I’m sure that Judy Miller and I made it seem effortless last year (ha-ha), but it’s actually a ton of work with countless logistics to coordinate. So, with deep regret, I’m skipping it this year.

Not sure yet what the future will hold.  I don’t want to rule it out for next year because, let’s face it, it’s too much fun!

• • •

September Appearances:

Rose City Romance Writers, September 11th from 11:00-12:30, PCC Sylvania Campus. I’ll present “Get Known Before The Book Deal, An Author Platform Checklist.” More here.

The Northwest Author Series Presents Nicole Rubel
Hosted By Christina Katz
September 19th at 3:30 p.m.
Tickets at the door: $5/$3 for students & seniors
At the Wilsonville Library in the Oak Room
More here

• • •

Christina, Are You Going To Tell Us More About This Book Or What?

I’m keeping the new book under wraps until January 2011. After all, it’s not coming out for a long while yet. Not until Fall 2011.

The way I see it, I have two choices: I can either talk about it or I can write it.

This is something I learned in graduate school. If you really want to dissipate a great idea, tell everyone you know. By the time you are done, you will have nothing left to say.

So, I say nothing. Except when pressed.

Then I make vague, hedging comments. Shuffle my feet. Look down. Hem. Haw. Change the subject.

This doesn’t seem to satisfy anyone BUT I will spill the beans — and all of them — after the New Year.

And then I’ll probably talk about it non-stop until it comes out.

Thanks for understanding that I need to conserve my energy to write the best book I can while continuing to do all the things I already do.

Now I’m off to pack! Keep the ethers buzzing while I’m gone!

Many writers, including myself, have been looking ahead to 2010 and realizing just how much things have changed…and not changed.

One way to get ready to angle your career for the future is to look at the past. And if you are interested in doing this, I can recommend two great resources:

Special 90th Anniversary Issue of Writer’s Digest: Wow. It’s pretty amazing to think about a magazine being in business for 90 years. Think of all the technological advances that this company has witnessed in almost a century of helping inform and inspire writers. I love the round up of author quotes and just the dedication to diverse, detailed advice for writers. Hats off to editor Jessica Strawser and the whole gang (Zac, Brian, Kelly, Scott, Melissa…everyone) for an amazing and groundbreaking year. And I also enjoyed being able to read this retrospective in contrast with another Writer’s Digest Magazine that is on stands now… (or order here)

The other Writer’s Digest issue that I think is really cool lately, is The Writer’s Digest Writer’s Yearbook 2010. (In the spirit of full disclosure, I’m in this one, my platform article from earlier this year is reprinted in there, in case you missed it in the May issue.) But besides my own published writing (which I can never read without grimacing and squirming, anyway) what I find really interesting about this issue is the way it so perfectly encapsulates what has been going on throughout 2009 for writers due to massive system change in the industry. So, if you haven’t been keeping up with all of that, or keeping up as much as you would have liked, I’d just go ahead and pick up one of these special issues and read it with a cup of strong coffee. Because the news isn’t all bad; it’s just changing. And that’s a good thing. Cuz change is good. (The image of the cover isn’t available yet. No doubt because it just came out and will be on stands until Feburary 14th. So you’ve got plenty of time. You can even add it to your Xmas gift if you like.)

And speaking of the future. I’m going back there in January, when I will be a panelist at Digital Book World. I’ll tell you what, I am so excited about the education I am going to get at this conference. Isn’t ongoing professional development one of the best parts of being in business for yourself? I think so.

I cannot wait. If you’d like to learn more about Digital Book World, just click on the badge below: