Coming Back With A Fresh Mind

April 22, 2019 Rachel4 Comments

Happy Monday, everyone! I feel like it’s been a little while since I’ve posted on here. I skipped two days last week, which is totally unlike me. I usually have my blog posts done in advance, but I got behind due to writing. I was also busy with my Dad’s birthday, Easter, and other things. I’ve been exhausted and blogging definitely got pushed to the back burner.

It’s weird because I haven’t missed a day of blogging in three years. Still, I’d rather post useful content than post just for the sake of posting. I’m coming back for a fresh mind now, so I thought I’d give a quick (which will most likely turn into a long) update.

Coming Back With A Fresh Mind | Creative Writing | Blogging | RachelPoli.com

Writing

Sunday Morning: A Collection of 52 Flash Fiction

First things first, writing has been kind of crazy lately. I’ve been working on a lot of different projects and officially know what the self-publishing process is like. My debut book, Sunday Morning: A Collection of 52 Flash Fiction is now available on Amazon. It comes out tomorrow, April 23, but you can still pre-order it right now. I’m still working on a few things – such as getting the paperback set up as well as getting the book out there on other platforms. It’s a work in progress, a learning curve, but hey – it’s on Amazon. I did it. So, if you’ve enjoyed my Short Story Sunday feature on the blog, then please grab a copy of Sunday Morning.

Crossroads

I’ve been working on my next Wattpad novella – which has turned into a novel. Which will most likely have a sequel. It was not supposed to be this way. Still, I’m enjoying myself as I write it. I have a long road of editing ahead of me, but that’s okay. I’ve been keeping notes and ideas for when that time comes.

I’ve been using this story as my project for Camp NaNoWriMo and the 85K90 Writing Challenge. As I write this post, I’m sitting at 45,717 words for Camp NaNoWriMo. So, I only have 4,283 words left to right to reach 50K. I’m hoping to do that today once my blogging is done for the day.

I’ve also been using this story to catch up with the 85K90 Writing Challenge. I edited for a good chunk of the “writing” months so I’m using April’s “finish” month to reach the 85K word goal. Right now I have 77,033 words. I need another 7,967 words to complete the writing part of the challenge. If I reach 50K for Camp NaNo today, that’ll knock down 4-5,000 words and I should be able to finish the challenge tomorrow.

George Florence & The Perfect Alibi

I’m getting closer to completing this one. I have a publication goal in mind for 2020, though that’s all I’m going to say for now. I’m still working on it, it’s still happening. It’ll be here soon, I promise.

I don’t have too much else to say about it. I’m in the final self-editing stages. Then it’s off to an editor, which I’m currently shopping around for.

Blogging

Posts

I need to sit down and look at my planner again and really get my posts in order again. I’ve gotten behind in getting them set up in advance. I have plenty of ideas but I haven’t sat down to work on posts in a while. This is definitely on my to-do list for the week.

Admin & Maintenance

I’ve been wanting to go through my old posts for a while now. I need to upgrade most of the pages on this site and there are some new things I want to do with the blog. I’ve had the business plan for WordPress for over a year now and I’m just rediscovering plugins. I didn’t realize the many different things I could do with my blog and also how fancy I could make it look.

I’ve had something in mind for a while and I found a way to do it through my blog without creating a brand new website. If I can, I’ll definitely work on that so I only have to maintain this blog and have everything in one place. It’ll make it easier for all of us.

There are also a lot of simple upgrades I want to do for the blog as well. Of course, this is something I’ll be working on throughout the summer (at least, my goal is to have this all done by September). I won’t sit down and do it all at once – no one wants the blog to change overnight. These changes will be slow and subtle. Well, some may not be as subtle.

Still, I’m looking forward to it. I’ve finally found a way to do all these things I’ve been wanting to do for a while! I feel like I’m creating a brand new blog and it’s a good feeling.

That’s It For Now

I was super busy and totally overwhelmed last week with the launch of Sunday Morning and everything else going on. When I tried to get any work done, nothing happened, but I did brainstorm. Now I’m back and feel ready to continue as well as implement my new ideas and plans.

I hope you enjoyed this story! Let me know in the comments below. If you liked this post, please share it around.

You’re Invited To A Blog Party [March 2019]

March 19, 2019March 18, 2019 Rachel9 Comments

March is coming to a close. I’ve decided to throw another blog party for a few reasons:

We’re so close to Spring!
I meant to do this blog party at the beginning of the month and forgot to write it in my planner.
…That’s all my reasons. Other than to spread some more blogging love!

In the comments below…

Introduce yourself and your blog name.
Share one thing you love to do in the spring.
Link to one (1) blog post of yours – this can be your latest post, your favorite one, most popular, whatever. Just link to one and people can explore the rest of your blog from there.

After you comment…

Please be sure to check out blog posts from others. This is a way for all us to gain more exposure and meet new people. Please don’t just drop your link below and leave. Share the kindness and check out some other blogs.
Also, please feel free to respond to people in the comments and start conversations. Also, check back on the post periodically to see if anyone has responded to your own comment.
Share this post around especially if you know any blogging friends who could use more exposure – the more the merrier!

I’ll do my best to check out each and every one of your blogs for the day. Of course, while I’ll leave the comments open, I most likely won’t be checking blogs after this day is over (due to time and other obligations). So get them in now!

Remember… one blog post and check out other blogs from people you don’t know. This is all about connecting.

Have fun!

Happy connecting! Please share this post around for a chance for others to connect.

2019 Guest Post Dates Are Open!

December 17, 2018 Rachel3 Comments

We’re in the final stretch of 2018! I thought I’d send out a reminder that the 2019 guest post dates are open!

2019 Guest Posts dates are open | blogging | creative writing | guest post | RachelPoli.com

If you’d like your article to be featured on the blog and share something witty with my readers, then please check out the Guest Post Opportunities page. That’s where you’ll find all the information you need to know along with contact information.

2019 Updates

I certainly want to feature more guest posters in 2019, but since I’m planning on adding more and new content to this blog, I have to draw a line something. This new schedule is a work in progress, so we’ll see how it goes.

In 2019, I’ll be hosting two different kinds of guest posts. This means there will be two guest features a month, one for each type of guest post.

General Posts

One type of guest post is the general type of post. This blog is about reading, writing, and blogging. New features and content will be added to the blog next year, but I’m going to keep the guest posts to the topic of creative writing, reading, etc. For now, at least. But this will keep things simpler for me while I get into a new groove with the blog.

Writing Fears

The other type of guest post is themed around writing fears and how to overcome them. I’m bringing Inspiration Station back – which is a feature I’ve had, took away, brought back in a new light, and took away again. Now I’m bringing it back for a third time and turning it into something new again. Hopefully, if this works out well, I’ll continue it in 2020 for a new theme and so on.

Overall

Each type of guest post will be featured once a month (so 24 guest posts all together throughout the year) and these dates are first-come first-serve. So, if you want to be part of this, then check out the Guest Post Opportunities page, read the guidelines, and reach out!

I look forward to hearing from you all!

I’d love to have you on my blog. Any questions, ask away in the comments below. If you liked this post, please share it around.

Blog Party Celebration

September 3, 2018September 3, 2018 Rachel32 Comments

A week ago, I posted a blog party invite as a heads-up to today. My birthday just passed and I’ve also reached 5,000 followers on the blog (which is now over 5,200 followers, which is unbelievable to me). So I decided to do a blog party to share the love and to connect with you all on a greater level!

Keep in mind, this is the first time I’ve done this. If all goes well and people respond to it well, I’d like to do this more often. I have a plan at least. We’ll see how it goes though.

But without further ado, here are the “rules,” so to speak:

In the comments below…

Introduce yourself and your blog name.
Share an interesting fact about yourself.
Link to one (1) blog post of yours – this can be your latest post, your favorite one, most popular, whatever. Just link to one and people can explore the rest of your blog from there.
Please be sure to check out blog posts from others. This is a way for all us to gain more exposure and meet new people. Please don’t just drop your link below and leave. Share the kindness and check out some other blogs as others will check out your blog.
Also, please feel free to respond to people in the comments and start conversations. By this, also check back on the post periodically to see if anyone has responded to your own comment.
Share this post around especially if you know any blogging friends who could use more exposure – the more the merrier!

And that’s about it. I’ll do my best to check out each and every one of your blogs for the day. Of course, while I’ll leave the comments open, I most likely won’t be checking blogs after this day is over. So get them in now!

Remember… one blog post and check out other blogs from people you don’t know. This is all about connecting.

Also, please feel free to mention in the comments what you think of this idea as a whole. Should I do more in the future? I guess we’ll see how many responses there are.

Again, thank you so much for 5,000 follows! I can’t believe my blog has come so far and that people care what I have to say. I’ve met so many wonderful people – bloggers, writers, gamers, friends – and I couldn’t be more proud. Thank you all so much.

Now let’s blog hop!

Happy connecting! Please share this post around for a chance for others to connect.

Birthday Invitation [Blog Party]

August 27, 2018August 26, 2018 Rachel10 Comments

Guess What?

I’ve decided to do something a little different on this blog. Hopefully this will become a regular thing every couple of months, but we’ll see how it goes.

I was trying to come up with a good enough reason to try this out and then decided – why not do it for my birthday? I’ll be a quarter of a century old on September 1 and have decided to throw myself a virtual “birthday party” on Monday, September 3.

Then something really cool happened on the blog. I hit 5,000 followers and it’s actually a decent amount over 5,000 at this point. Wow! So, this is in celebration for reaching 5,000 followers as well as thank you to all you lovely people who actually read this blog and care about what I have to say.

This blog party is first and foremost a way to give back to you guys and to gain more of a community. For you guys to share your blogs and engage with other bloggers. Find like-minded people and make new friends.

(Virtual friends. No one wants to actually socialize. We’re on the Internet for a reason.)

Please note, this is the first time I’m throwing a blog or link party. I’m kind of making this up as I go along and am just keeping my fingers crossed that it’s successful and it allows people to engage in a respectful and nice manner.

I know most people post blog parties and just go for it. I’m posting an “invitation” a week early because I want to get the word out there and… also, I’m still trying to figure out some rules and regulations. (It’ll still be a fun party, I promise.)

Check out the invitation below, send it to any blogger friends you know, and save the date!

In the meantime, if you have an questions, ask away in the comments. If you have any ideas or tips for me, let me know in the comments below. If you liked this post, please share it around.

July 2018 Wrap Up

July 30, 2018July 16, 2018 Rachel7 Comments

July 2018 Wrap Up | creative writing | blogging | reading | RachelPoli.com

Reading

Since it’s the summer I’ve been reviewing books twice a week on Tuesdays and Saturdays. As always, you can check out my Reading List to see which books I’ve read and reviewed this month. You can also check out my Goodreads to keep up with what I’m currently reading… if I remember to update it.

Writing

My writing projects have been steadily going this month. With the help of Camp NaNoWriMo I’ve gotten in plenty hours of editing.

I’ve edited George Florence & The Perfect Alibi which brought me back to square one for the novel. I have to do yet another rewrite. So we’ll see how that goes.

I’ve also been editing my project for Patreon. This is exclusive for my patrons for now. My patrons get exclusive looks into my process and sneak peeks of the project. When it’s out in the world, patrons will get special goodies as a thank you for their support. If you would like to support me and my writing and see what this project is all about early, please check out my Patreon here.

Blogging

My blog posts have kind of taken a back seat since I’ve been working on a lot of maintenance and admin stuff for the blog. However, since I was on vacation last week, I ended up getting a little ahead in my posts again in preparation for being away. So, I’m slowly catching up with that.

Overall

July was a crazy month. More so because of real life. It was overwhelming at times but I powered through. Now onto August!

Posts to Remember

1. July & August 2018 Writing Submissions
2. 5 Elements of a Scene
3. 8 Types of Scenes

How did July treat you? Let me know in the comments below! If you liked this post, please share it around.

Wrap Up: June 2018

June 28, 2018June 27, 2018 Rachel15 Comments

Reading

I got slightly ahead with my reading, so I was proud of myself for that. I feel like I’ve been in a little bit of a slump for a while. My Reading List has been updated as is my Goodreads, so feel free to check those out to keep up with what I’m currently reading and reviewing.

Writing

I got behind on my writing again. I’m so happy Camp NaNo is right around the corner because I definitely need that extra push to get going.

I was supposed to write Brave and continue editing/rewriting George Florence & The Perfect Alibi. I started off strong at the beginning of the month, but the past couple of weeks have been crazy in real life and my writing just kind of tapered off.

Blogging

My posts have been plentiful and ahead of schedule, though there’s a lot of maintenance work I should have done and just didn’t. So there’s that.

Overall

June had a lot of “in real life” stuff going on, but I got the bare minimum done of what I needed to do work-wise. June had a lot of family and friend days, which is perfectly fine with me. Though the month definitely went too fast.

Posts To Remember

1. Should Book Bloggers Post “Bad” Book Reviews?
2. June & July 2018 Writing Submissions
3. A Reading Routine

How did June treat you? Let me know in the comments below! If you liked this post, please share it around.

Privacy Policy Updates

June 6, 2018June 3, 2018 Rachel4 Comments

We interrupt this blogging program to give you a quick update…

A new regulation based in the EU was passed called General Data Protection Regulations, or GDPR. Even though I’m not based in the EU, this effects me because I may collection data from people who are based in the EU.

Due to this, I’ve added some slight changes to the blog in order to be compliant to the new law. It’s nothing major, but it just covers some basic questions people may have and also covers myself as well your private information.

Cookies

Now when you come onto my blog, there may be a banner that appears at the bottom of the screen. This is informing you that my blog uses cookies. Cookies are small pieces of data that’s stored on your computer/browser.

Cookies are used automatically but you are able to opt out of them on your internet browser’s settings. Just keep in mind that cookies are needed for some things to function properly on this website.

Privacy Policy

This is something that’s been long overdue. I’ve known for a while I should put a privacy policy on my blog and got around to it. Now that the GDPR is in effect (the deadline to be compliant was May 25, 2018), I got my butt into gear and finally added one.

A privacy policy is what it sounds like. It discloses all the ways my blog gathers and uses your private data as you explore and use my blog. It’s set in place to explain to you your rights and to protect your information.

Some of this private data is collected automatically and some I collect based on your consent – for example, if you sign up for my newsletter, you’re allowing me to have your name and email address.

For more information on this and any other disclaimers such as affiliate link usage and more, please read my Privacy Policy here. If you have any questions, you can contact me or ask in the comments below.

Just please keep in mind that this is a learning curve for me as well. I am not a lawyer or legal consultant of any kind and cannot give legal advice. Thanks!

We now return you to your regular programming. See you tomorrow!

Thanks for reading! Let me know your thoughts in the comments below. If you liked this post, please share it around.

Wrap Up: May 2018

May 31, 2018May 23, 2018 Rachel18 Comments

Reading

I read 4 mystery books this month in honor of Mystery Month. You can check out my Reading List to see which books I read and reviewed. I also got a bit ahead in reading books for June.

Writing

Honestly, I didn’t get as much writing done this month as I had planned to. While I was outlining Brave for Wattpad back in April, I was super excited to write it. Then when it came time to actually write it, I didn’t have much motivation. I’m going to see what I can do with it though and hope I can still publish it when I said I would.

I’m still retyping/rewriting the next draft of George Florence. I thought it’d be fairly quick, but I’ve been editing my edits as I go along as well as adding in more description and such. Plus, I changed the way the victim dies, so… that kind of changed pretty much the whole story. Again.

Progress is progress though, I won’t complain.

Blogging

I’ve gotten all of June planned and most of the blog posts written. I’m hoping to finish that up soon so I can start looking ahead into July.

Overall

May went by too quick. It wasn’t until May 15 that I realized I only had half the month left to finish my stuff and I had barely started any of my writing at that point. It wasn’t a bad month though, I’ll take it. Like I said, I’m still making progress.

Posts to Remember

1. 12 Types of Mystery Genres
2. 12 Ways to Kill off Your Fictional Characters
3. How To Research Properly for Your Mystery Novel

How did May treat you? Let me know in the comments below! If you liked this post, please share it around.

May 2018 Goals

May 1, 2018April 30, 2018 Rachel16 Comments

2018 May Goals | Creative Writing | Blogging | RachelPoli.com

Reading

I plan on reading four mystery novels for Mystery Month! There will be more information on that later, but there will be four mystery book reviews this month.

Writing

May is going to be another busy writing month. I’ll be working on multiple projects again.

1. Write Brave – This is my next Wattpad project. I outlined the novel last month and now I’ll begin writing the first draft.

2. Rewrite George Florence – I edited the second draft of the first book of my mystery novel series last month. I changed a lot in the story (the main death, actually) so I have a lot of rewriting to do. The good news is, after about 7 years working on this book, I finally figured out a title!

3. Write Perplexed – I’ll be writing another mystery short story for this collection.

I’ve done pretty well try to make it so each month I have an edited, outline, and/or writing project, but this month is all about writing. We’ll see how it goes.

Blogging

Blogging will resume as normal. It’s Mystery Month, but as I said, there will be a post on that in a couple days. I’ll be finishing up my May posts and then begin planning for June.

What are your plans for May? Let me know in the comments below! If you liked this post, please share it around.