Welcome to the latest issue of Write for You News & Notes with some words of wisdom on writing, business, and life. If you'd like to share any books or favorite links with our readers, send us an email. And remember -- on paper or on-line, when you need words that work for you, I can write for you! Nancy Passow
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Change is Inevitable . . . Except from Vending Machines
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Those of you who know me, know that I don't take well to change. Which means I've been more than a little crazed these past few months because there has been lots of change. In addition to my new car (which I still love and which you can read about in the January newsletter), I now have a new computer, new router, and (soon) new printer. So we're not just talking change, we're talking lots of new technology.
My past PC was five years old (not old by my standards, ancient by my techie friends' standards) and was purchased when Dell said it was the last chance to get a PC with Windows XP. Now I'm concerned that soon there won't be any PC's with Windows 7 and I know I don't want Windows 8 (unless I someday get a tablet), plus Dell was having a big sale on a Vostro. Although I'm still getting used to Windows 7 (not as awful as I thought it would be) and to new versions of Firefox and Thunderbird, I am liking the new PC. It is fast! In the midst of moving things to the new PC and getting ready to completely change over, our 5-year old router died. So I bought a new one and set it up. Next step is to set up the new wireless printer/scanner.
There are days when nothing seems right because everything is different. And there are days when I barely notice the change. Hopefully that will soon be the "new" norm.
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Using MS Word to Write Your Blogs
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Recently I learned a wonderful, new trick (well, new to me) for composing blogs. Within MS Word, there is a blog post template that allows you to publish right to your blog host. It works especially well with WordPress and, according to Microsoft, will work with other blog hosts (I haven't been able to get it to connect with Google's Blogger, my blog host, yet). In MS Word 10, click on the File tab, click on New, and then, click on the second template, Blog Post. The first thing that will come up is a little box that allows you to register a blog account. And then start writing. You can enter the title, enter headings, use all of the formatting that you're used to in Word. When you're done, hit Publish. And just like that, your blog will be posted. Pretty cool! Now, having just told you how to do this, please read my latest blog post before you go out and add blogs to your WordPress site. And let me also send a "shout-out" to Jimi Mikusi, owner of The Small Biz Cloud Company, and presenter of the workshop "Taking Control of Your Website as a Marketing Tool, Learn 5 Power Tool/Tips", where I learned this great tip. |
E-mail Marketing for YOU!
|  Are you interested in trying e-mail marketing? I can help you -- whether it's set-up, writing the content, or managing the entire process. I'll even remember to pay the monthly bill for you. I can set up your contact lists, help you choose a template (and customize it with your logo and website colors), and develop your e-mail schedule. To learn more, click here. Why use Constant Contact? They take care of the details -- managing your contact list, making sure you meet anti-spam regulations, tracking users -- these are just a few of the reasons. Give me a call or send me an e-mail so we can talk about how e-mail marketing can help your business! |
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phone: 201-541-9702 (o)
phone: 201-362-3404 (m)
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Book of the Month ... Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking
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| Susan Cain has written a book for me. (I've taken the Myers-Briggs test multiple times -- yes, I'm an introvert masquerading as an extrovert.) It's a fascinating look at how we became focused on the "Extrovert Ideal" (or how extroversion became the cultural ideal.) Susan tells us about very successful introverts -- sometimes people we'd never think were introverts, including Albert Einstein, Steven Spielberg, and Warren Buffett.
The book starts with a Manifesto for Introverts (just inside the front cover), with ten entries. The first is "There's a word for 'people who are in their heads too much': thinkers." Number six is "One genuine new relationship is worth a fistful of business cards." Number seven is "It's OK to cross the street to avoid small talk."
The book's website, "The Power of Introverts", includes bonus materials, resources, and other information. Whether you're an introvert trying to make it in an extrovert world or an extrovert wondering how to connect with a colleague, friend, lover, or customer who's an introvert, you'll find answers in this book.
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| Quote of the Month | |
"Live in each season as it passes; breathe in the air, drink the drink, taste the fruit." Henry David Thoreau
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