Contributed by Cynthia Lovel
I like to write. I might even go so far as to say that writing is the one thing in the world that I really enjoy doing. Eating chocolate doesn’t even come close! To sit at my desk or in my comfy chair with my dogs asleep at my feet, while I ponder future events and imagine where we as the human race might end up. It is a perfect way to spend a morning. My problem is that I want other people to read what I have written, and finding a way for that to happen isn’t as easy as it sounds.
Traditional publishing requires more work than writing the book or short story, and it isn’t fun work. It’s a pain. The required steps are designed to discourage, to weed out the weak-willed, and to protect those in charge from having to read anything except the very few manuscripts that meet their requirements. Blah!
So I turned to the web. Many excellent writers have published their work online through eBooks and writers’ websites and blogs. This is a much more productive area for me. To begin with, I am back to doing work that I enjoy (writing), rather than spending hours doing something I do not enjoy (trying to catch the over-worked eye of a potential agent or publisher). I like eBooks. I read eBooks exclusively now and I am proud to offer my writing in this format.
So the next most logical step for me is to create a website for myself to market my work. I did some basic investigation and found that of all the many website development tools out there (And there are many!), WordPress seems like the best option for me. Decision made, I quickly realized that I have neither the time nor the desire to learn all of the ins and outs of building an attractive and useful website.
And then luck lent me a hand: There is a two-day (Friday & Saturday) WordPress workshop being offered by a couple of Alaska locals who really know their stuff. On October 14th and 15th, 2016, I will finally learn the basics of designing, publishing, updating and troubleshooting my very own website. If like me, you want to put your work (art, furniture building, photography, whatever) out to the public without the hassle and expense of dealing with intermediaries, then this workshop may be just what you are looking for.
So join me this October 14th and 15th for some serious hands-on training that will move all of us more gracefully into the future. WordPress