I’m super excited about this new WordPress feature that helps me help you with your writing before you publish that blog post to the world!
If you’ve been reluctant to blog because you need help minding your p’s and q’s, need someone to make sure you’ve dotted your i’s and crossed your t’s, or would like feedback on whether an image works with your text or not, connect with me by twitter or email today about how we can work together in person or online.
Whether you’re working on personal projects or for your business or career, let’s discuss today how we can improve your writing, your blogging, and your confidence!
We know the hardest part of blogging is actually writing posts. And most blogging software, and even word processors, do little to help writers write. Today at WordPress.com we’re proud to announce a new kind of feature, aimed at helping the writing process, called Writing Helper. It’s a new box that appears underneath the edit box on the Add a Post Screen … Read More
I’ve been keeping so busy with Ojai WordFest readings and writing workshops! Here’s an update on how it’s all going and what’s to come including information on Danika Dinsmore’s “Poetry BootCamps” scheduled for tomorrow, Saturday, from 9-noon and 2-5pm. I strongly recommend that you attend one or both–they are not just for poets but for anyone who wants a jump start on creativity and some tricks for when the muse steps out of the room!
Ojai WordFest Update! I won the Ojai WordFest slam on Wednesday with my team mate Danika Dinsmore hot on my heals! The event was lots of fun and newby host Georgia Menides did great (with a little tutoring on hosting from Danika and I!) Georgia’s a natural at hosting and I hope she does more. Last night’s Living Room Style Open Mic reading at Big Buddha Lounge also went really well. Danika and I co-hosted it and we had nearly 2 dozen people in at … Read More
Last week’s book launch events went well! Next I have three poetry readings coming up this week where I’ll be sharing work from my new poetry collection and older work as well.
Wednesday, March 23 at 6pm I will be competing in the Ojai WordFest East vs West Poetry Slam at Bart’s Books, 302 W. Matilija Street. Also on the “West” coast team is Danika Dinsmore and Sequoia Hamilton. Individuals will also have a chance to compete; show up early to sign up. FREE!
Thursday, March 24, at 7pm join Danika Dinsmore and I for the living room style open mic which culminates our day long writing adventure “Message in a Bottle.” (Learn more about “Message in a Bottle” and register here: http://ocean2ojai.eventbrite.com/) We’re hosting our living room style open mic at Big Buddha Lounge 530 Ventura Ave, Oak View. A living room style open mic means we will be sitting in a circle and sharing poems. Danika and I met at the Taos Poetry Circus where every afternoon poets gathered in a circle outside Cafe Taza to read work together. On Wednesday, we will also have the opportunity to go on stage and perform with a dj. FREE!
Friday March 25, I am scheduled to read between 8:30 and 9pm in the Ojai WordFest Well Red book launch event at Los Caporales Restaurant & Tequila Bar, 307 E Ojai Ave. I am scheduled to read between 8:30 and 9pm. FREE!
Tomorrow’s the big day–my new poetry collection comes in! Here’s the schedule for my events in March 2011. I hope to see you at a reading, workshop or book fair! (more…)
I’m excited about next Tuesday! My new poetry collection will be here just in time for my 7:30pm featured reading 3/15 at the Artists Union Gallery, 330 So. California St, Ventura. Read more about my new poetry collection and other March 2011 book launch events below–including a St Pat’s Day Party Thursday at El Jardin Courtyard!
Please join me Tuesday March 15, 2011 at 7:30pm in the Artists Union Gallery for the first reading from my new poetry collection Middle of the Night Poems From Daughter to Mother :: Mother to Son (en theos press 2011). This is the paperback book edition of the chapbook I produced for the 2010 Women’s Conference. Pictured is a broadside that was published in ArtLife Limited Editions in November 2003; it’s also on the inside cover … Read More
Writing instructors Gwendolyn Alley of Ventura, California and Danika Dinsmore of Vancouver, British Columbia join forces Thursday, March 24 to offer a unique writing workshop that engages the senses and ignites the imagination. Message in a Bottle: Ocean to Ojai – Waves, Wines, Words, an event during Ojai’s WordFest, will take its participants on a journey that begins by the ocean near the Channel Islands Visitors Center and continues at a small family owned working ranch and winery.
Using their 40+ years of combined teaching experience, Alley and Dinsmore will draw on the exterior world of the senses to connect writers to the page. The scenery, the company, the spirit of adventure, the food, and the wine will be interwoven with thought-provoking writing prompts and conversation. (more…)
Last Sunday, we drove my 90 year old father-in-law Ralph up to the 5,000′ pass at Pine Mountain in the Los Padres National Forest to see all the fresh snow, which fell unusually low for our area the previous day–snow actually dusted the streets of Ojai Valley as well as the San Fernando Valley. Then on our way to Boccalli’s for dinner, we swung by Robert Peake’s place in Ojai and he and I exchanged our new poetry books. Robert’s book is part of … Read More
Now that I’m back from Egypt and about recovered from jet lag, I plan to get back on track blogging regularly, including a post about the writing workshop I taught while on a Nile Cruise!
You can read more about my trip to Egypt over at Art Predator where I will be posting pictures and stories about my adventure as soon as possible!
After celebrating my birthday with the pyramids and doing two rituals with my mother’s ashes, plus visiting a lot of Temples and more, I returned from Egypt last night and I spent most of today sleeping it off… As you may have noticed, I wasn’t able to blog or get online like I had hoped while I was in Egypt. I do plan to do some blogging about my Egypt experience so stay tuned for blog posts as soon as I am more recovered from jet lag, plus a … Read More
Is one of your New Year’s Resolutions to explore social media and learn what it can do for you?
Yesterday I had two meetings with two very different people about how to use various social media platforms for business and pleasure.
Both are comfortable with facebook and understand the basics of how to use it for themselves. One had a twitter account but didn’t do much with it beyond broadcasting links to products (which is basically kind of spammy) and the other thought it was only a place where people posted about what they had for lunch. Both were curious about blogging and whether it might be a worthwhile endeavor.
Our sessions were incredibly productive, satisfying, and rewarding for them and for myself. One person I knew quite well already and we were able to jump right in while with the other person we spent some time getting to know each other to learn how social media might be useful and how we might work together. Both learned quite a bit more about facebook, twitter, and blogging.
Whenever I talk about blogging, I talk about WordPress. While there are many different platforms out there, and sometimes people who I talk to already are on one of them.
But I’m convinced WordPress is the best blogging platform out there whether you’re looking for something that’s free or you’re going to host a blog or website yourself. The result is that both are very interesting in learning the basics of blogging. Since so much of it is introductory, it makes sense to offer another class on blogging using WordPress. Watch for more news on that soon.
Here are reviews by Frankie Drayus and Danika Dinsmore of my new poetry collection, middle of the night poems from daughter to mother :: mother to son (en theos press). A few more signed and numbered limited edition (108) chapbooks are available from me or from the publisher; regular paperback books will be available on my birthday January 11, 2011 and at readings now being scheduled for winter, spring, and summer.
In her review of middle of the night poems from daughter to mother :: mother to son (en theos press), Frankie Drayus writes: In these poems there is a deep connection to all five senses and how they figure into daily life; what we eat, see, touch, hear, and smell while going about our daily tasks are overlooked by most and captured as significant pleasures by Gwen, who lives with her body open to the sensual. These are humble poems, in that the w … Read More
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middle of the night
The Write Alley Head Coach Gwendolyn Alley released a special limited edition poetry collection "middle of the night poems from daughter to mother :: mother to son" in time for her participation as a speaker at the 2010 Women's Conference in Long Beach CA; the paperback edition was released March 15, 2011 and is available in print and ebook from en theos press http://www.entheospress.com, from amazon.com, and in Ventura County bookstores. Go to the publications page for more details!
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Gwendolyn Alley aka Art Predator
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