It's been a busy three weeks for me. The plant had shutdown on December 17 and restarted on January 2. For the next days after, I stood guard over the production automation and assisted with several other projects. The plant's running reasonably well and I'm tired. It's going to be a welcome respite for the next two days as I take my restdays.
My job this end of year was to program the automation for one of our processes. I also assisted with the commissioning of several other projects whenever needed. This is something I enjoy doing and it's got me wondering if I should stay in this field or continue taking on writing.
I started programming PLCs (Programmable Logic Controllers) in 1986 when I worked for an instrumentation contractor. When I joined my present company, I learned how to program HMIs (Human Machine Interface) as well. In case you're curious, PLCs are used to control processes (open/close valves, start/stop motors, control temperature/pressure/flow, etc.) while HMI are computers that are connected to PLCs and used by operators to operate the process. In the past, buttons, knobs, and lights were used by operators to control the process but now it's all done with computers.
Programming is a thinking man's job and involves quite a bit of imagination. I don't work with code but it's a specialized programming language called Ladder Programming. In my case, it involves some visualization for me to imagine how things are going to work. Most times I get it right, sometimes I don't. When I don't get what I want to happen, I keep at it until I get it. 'Hope that makes sense to my readers.
Anyway, I've been programming non-stop since December 17 and it's now January 11. Everything's working but I still need to make a few tweaks and add some features to make the programs easy and safe to use. I really enjoy programming because I get a kick out of seeing my creations work, especially when they work well.
Writing, on the other hand, is something new. I can't say I'm good at it though some people's comments have been very encouraging. Sales on my books have been slow but, as Mark Coker (Smashwords.com) says, "some books take time to break out." Some may never break out but that's only if you're a terrible writer. A well written book, however, may take months to years before sales pick up.
I guess writing is similar to programming in that it takes imagination and skill. Pour some effort and dedication into doing it and you'll be rewarded. The reward in programming is the satisfaction of seeing the program run error-free. In writing, the reward is seeing the book in print — or in the 'net, as the case may be.
Showing posts with label writing. Show all posts
Showing posts with label writing. Show all posts
Friday, January 11, 2013
Monday, February 20, 2012
Trying to Work from Home
I'm on a one-day vacation right now. I always put my vacations on Mondays or Fridays so I can have an extended weekend. I also took this opportunity to find out if I could make a living out of working from home.
I've taken a part-time job writing short (150, 200, and 300 word) articles. I'm supposed to write 10 articles per day from Monday to Friday. It's been almost two weeks since but I haven't been able to meet my quota. I tried to see if I could finish at least 10 in one whole day so I had a go at it last Saturday. I wasn't successful. I only got five articles in.
What are the issues?
We have one computer at home. My kids sometimes need to do some research for their homework and they also like to play computer games or watch movies. It's a constant competition for computer time. As the father, I've laid down the law. "When I'm at home, I get to use the computer. If you have some research, I'll let you use it but, otherwise, it's mine to use." The DVDs have started to gather dust since I said that.
Major issue for me was the article topics. They're not really topics but keywords. I choose a keyword from a database and write an article using that keyword in the article. It's not a problem if the keyword was for a topic I'm familiar with. Most of the time, I need to do some research before I write anything. That slows me down considerably.
I also have a bad streak of perfectionist in me. I tend to write, stop, consider, delete and start over. While that means that I turn out well-written articles, it also means it takes me a long time to finish. I've read that the proper way to write is to keep going, not minding spelling or grammar or flow of ideas. When you finish, that's when you go back and edit. I've been trying to do that but the old habits are a little deeply engraved. I've had some success though I still tend to stop for a bit.
Lastly, since I'm at home, I'm expected to help around the house. I've spun-dried five loads of clothes and hung them out to dry. I've had to refill the water dispenser, drive my wife to the highway, and refill the water container in the bathroom. I'm not counting the interruption for lunch. Also, when my wife wants to tell me something, I have to stop and listen...and reply.
I'm going to stop here and think of solutions for awhile. Dinner's calling.
I've taken a part-time job writing short (150, 200, and 300 word) articles. I'm supposed to write 10 articles per day from Monday to Friday. It's been almost two weeks since but I haven't been able to meet my quota. I tried to see if I could finish at least 10 in one whole day so I had a go at it last Saturday. I wasn't successful. I only got five articles in.
What are the issues?
We have one computer at home. My kids sometimes need to do some research for their homework and they also like to play computer games or watch movies. It's a constant competition for computer time. As the father, I've laid down the law. "When I'm at home, I get to use the computer. If you have some research, I'll let you use it but, otherwise, it's mine to use." The DVDs have started to gather dust since I said that.
Major issue for me was the article topics. They're not really topics but keywords. I choose a keyword from a database and write an article using that keyword in the article. It's not a problem if the keyword was for a topic I'm familiar with. Most of the time, I need to do some research before I write anything. That slows me down considerably.
I also have a bad streak of perfectionist in me. I tend to write, stop, consider, delete and start over. While that means that I turn out well-written articles, it also means it takes me a long time to finish. I've read that the proper way to write is to keep going, not minding spelling or grammar or flow of ideas. When you finish, that's when you go back and edit. I've been trying to do that but the old habits are a little deeply engraved. I've had some success though I still tend to stop for a bit.
Lastly, since I'm at home, I'm expected to help around the house. I've spun-dried five loads of clothes and hung them out to dry. I've had to refill the water dispenser, drive my wife to the highway, and refill the water container in the bathroom. I'm not counting the interruption for lunch. Also, when my wife wants to tell me something, I have to stop and listen...and reply.
I'm going to stop here and think of solutions for awhile. Dinner's calling.
Monday, November 28, 2011
Writer's Block
As I typed the title, I stopped to think about what to actually write. Oops! A touch of writer's block just occurred!
I've always been a thinker. I usually spend time thinking about what to write before I actually set it down on paper (or the screen, as the case may be). From what I read about writer's block, that's the prime reason for getting it. I'm not saying that you shouldn't write a sensible article or blog post but the trick is to keep typing and fix it later. Perfectionists like me don't like to do that.
Being a perfectionist, however, doesn't mean that you need to do it right the first time. One aspect of being a perfectionist is to keep finding something to fix or correct until you can't find one anymore. There's always something to improve.
I started a blog once. I meant it more as a journal than anything. I found that writing came easy when you're just relating something that happened. You have an experience, type it in, edit and post. It was simple and quick. I had it for about three years. Then I discovered Facebook and started writing stories in my Notes almost every night. It got to the point where I practically abandoned my blog. In a flash of impulse, I decided to delete that blog (something I regret now) and start another about writing.
This type of blog is a little more difficult, especially since I'm just starting. I have to come up with a topic and type up the draft. Then I have to go back over it to improve it for readability, to add or remove things, search for errors in spelling and punctuation. Unfortunately, my tendency is to go back over it before I finish it. That's one of the causes of writer's block in my case. The chain of thought is broken and I have to reacquire it in order to get back on track.
One other reason for getting writer's block is the obsession with accuracy. What did that person say exactly? How does that thing work, exactly? When did that happen, exactly? Everytime I encounter something that I just need to know, I stop and research. Sometimes, the research takes some time and by then, I'm either not in the mood or other.
I'm going to challenge myself this time. I'm going to write little posts at least every week (hey, I have other things to do, you know). Keep writing whatever comes to mind and keep going without stopping. When I decide that I'm finished, I'll go back over the post to edit it before publishing it. They say, if I keep doing it this way, I'll be more productive and...happy. Productivity = happiness I guess.
I've always been a thinker. I usually spend time thinking about what to write before I actually set it down on paper (or the screen, as the case may be). From what I read about writer's block, that's the prime reason for getting it. I'm not saying that you shouldn't write a sensible article or blog post but the trick is to keep typing and fix it later. Perfectionists like me don't like to do that.
Being a perfectionist, however, doesn't mean that you need to do it right the first time. One aspect of being a perfectionist is to keep finding something to fix or correct until you can't find one anymore. There's always something to improve.
I started a blog once. I meant it more as a journal than anything. I found that writing came easy when you're just relating something that happened. You have an experience, type it in, edit and post. It was simple and quick. I had it for about three years. Then I discovered Facebook and started writing stories in my Notes almost every night. It got to the point where I practically abandoned my blog. In a flash of impulse, I decided to delete that blog (something I regret now) and start another about writing.
This type of blog is a little more difficult, especially since I'm just starting. I have to come up with a topic and type up the draft. Then I have to go back over it to improve it for readability, to add or remove things, search for errors in spelling and punctuation. Unfortunately, my tendency is to go back over it before I finish it. That's one of the causes of writer's block in my case. The chain of thought is broken and I have to reacquire it in order to get back on track.
One other reason for getting writer's block is the obsession with accuracy. What did that person say exactly? How does that thing work, exactly? When did that happen, exactly? Everytime I encounter something that I just need to know, I stop and research. Sometimes, the research takes some time and by then, I'm either not in the mood or other.
I'm going to challenge myself this time. I'm going to write little posts at least every week (hey, I have other things to do, you know). Keep writing whatever comes to mind and keep going without stopping. When I decide that I'm finished, I'll go back over the post to edit it before publishing it. They say, if I keep doing it this way, I'll be more productive and...happy. Productivity = happiness I guess.
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
Publish in Print or on the 'Net? Part 3
Just a little history of sorts.
One day I was watching my daughter using a website called Facebook and was intrigued by the thought that she could maintain contact with not just her present classmates but old ones as well. She was also regularly chatting with our relatives and friends in other provinces in the Philippines and also in the US. I decided I would try this for myself.
While exploring the features of this new trend, I found something called Notes. It was being used by a few of my friends to share quotations from famous and not-so-famous people. I didn't want to be a copycat so I thought I'd share stories instead. I decided I would write about my travels to the few countries I'd been to. I didn't really care much about whether people would enjoy them. I just wanted to write.
Several notes later, I began to have a small group of followers, people who read the stories and commented or liked them.This little band grew to 18 whom my wife jokingly referred to as my "fan club." Encouraged, I began writing in more detail. I cut the stories into little parts since I couldn't write all day or night. After writing one part, the comments would say, "Can't wait for Part 5," or something similar. It was very rewarding. Then a chance conversation at the canteen at work jolted me.
There were six of us at the table and the conversation turned to Facebook. I discovered that all five people at the table were following my stories. They had not posted any comments or even clicked the "like" button. Soon, it became evident that quite a number of people on my friends list were reading my notes and were enjoying them. A germ of an idea began to form.
I only have three international trips under my belt so when those stories ended, I started writing experiences from my local travels. One story, a ghost story, garnered the most number of comments and that germ began multiplying and infecting my entire being. When the series ended, I copied everything into a file and began rewriting. I was going to write a book version.
My first attempt at getting published was by mailing my manuscripts to print publishers. In the Philippines, the choices are very limited. Most of them only worked with text books, some specialized in Christian or Catholic books, while others only took self-help, poetry, inspirational in addition to text books. Hardly anyone wanted non-fiction which was the genre where my book fit into. I was also spending too much money sending my 120+ pages, double-spaced, single-sided manuscripts to publishers. I tried to find solace in stories of authors who had to make 20 or more submissions before being accepted.
I also made inquiries to subsidized publishers. These are print-book publishers who will take your book and publish it but you will have to pay for the proofreading/editing, the making of the cover, and the printing. It's sort of half-way between using a regular publisher and self-publishing. The only problem was that I couldn't afford their prices the least of which would have cost me over six months salary.
So, I began considering self-publishing. I started checking around for requirements to register as a business and gathered names of printing companies as well as asking for names of budding artists who could do my cover. My English is not bad but I was seriously thinking of hiring someone to proofread my book. I was getting ready to print two copies of my manuscripts and downloaded application forms for copyright and the ISBN. In the back of my mind was the thought that I might be putting my family's meager's resources in jeopardy for a dream that might not pay for food on the table. Then, a post on Facebook changed everything.
Next in the series: http://ericmarcelo-indieauthor.blogspot.com/2011/09/publish-in-print-or-on-net-part-4.html
One day I was watching my daughter using a website called Facebook and was intrigued by the thought that she could maintain contact with not just her present classmates but old ones as well. She was also regularly chatting with our relatives and friends in other provinces in the Philippines and also in the US. I decided I would try this for myself.
While exploring the features of this new trend, I found something called Notes. It was being used by a few of my friends to share quotations from famous and not-so-famous people. I didn't want to be a copycat so I thought I'd share stories instead. I decided I would write about my travels to the few countries I'd been to. I didn't really care much about whether people would enjoy them. I just wanted to write.
Several notes later, I began to have a small group of followers, people who read the stories and commented or liked them.This little band grew to 18 whom my wife jokingly referred to as my "fan club." Encouraged, I began writing in more detail. I cut the stories into little parts since I couldn't write all day or night. After writing one part, the comments would say, "Can't wait for Part 5," or something similar. It was very rewarding. Then a chance conversation at the canteen at work jolted me.
There were six of us at the table and the conversation turned to Facebook. I discovered that all five people at the table were following my stories. They had not posted any comments or even clicked the "like" button. Soon, it became evident that quite a number of people on my friends list were reading my notes and were enjoying them. A germ of an idea began to form.
I only have three international trips under my belt so when those stories ended, I started writing experiences from my local travels. One story, a ghost story, garnered the most number of comments and that germ began multiplying and infecting my entire being. When the series ended, I copied everything into a file and began rewriting. I was going to write a book version.
My first attempt at getting published was by mailing my manuscripts to print publishers. In the Philippines, the choices are very limited. Most of them only worked with text books, some specialized in Christian or Catholic books, while others only took self-help, poetry, inspirational in addition to text books. Hardly anyone wanted non-fiction which was the genre where my book fit into. I was also spending too much money sending my 120+ pages, double-spaced, single-sided manuscripts to publishers. I tried to find solace in stories of authors who had to make 20 or more submissions before being accepted.
I also made inquiries to subsidized publishers. These are print-book publishers who will take your book and publish it but you will have to pay for the proofreading/editing, the making of the cover, and the printing. It's sort of half-way between using a regular publisher and self-publishing. The only problem was that I couldn't afford their prices the least of which would have cost me over six months salary.
So, I began considering self-publishing. I started checking around for requirements to register as a business and gathered names of printing companies as well as asking for names of budding artists who could do my cover. My English is not bad but I was seriously thinking of hiring someone to proofread my book. I was getting ready to print two copies of my manuscripts and downloaded application forms for copyright and the ISBN. In the back of my mind was the thought that I might be putting my family's meager's resources in jeopardy for a dream that might not pay for food on the table. Then, a post on Facebook changed everything.
Next in the series: http://ericmarcelo-indieauthor.blogspot.com/2011/09/publish-in-print-or-on-net-part-4.html
Sunday, August 28, 2011
Publish in Print or on the 'Net? Part 2
Publishing via the 'Net
We've touched on the expensive way of getting published so now we'll get into the cheapest or “freeiest” (I know, there's no such word) method of publishing.
The World Wide Web offers budding authors a chance to get their works published and possibly reach more people than is possible with print books and there are several ways of going about it. Let's explore them:
a.) Make your own website - This is probably the most expensive way to get published on the 'net. You purchase a site or pay to obtain the rights to a site and write your books/articles there. One advantage of getting a website is the freedom to design the site as you want it. As with a book's cover, how you design your website may influence if people will visit or pass it by.
You can write your book so that anyone can read them for free or you can offer people a short glimpse into your books and have them buy the whole book if they find it interesting enough. There are also other ways to make money from these sites other than selling. If your site draws in a lot of visitors, you can have businesses advertise on your site and you can earn from either the mere posting of the ad or get a small cut whenever someone clicks on an ad. Some people have earned enough from blogs that they can afford to leave their regular jobs. Be warned, however, these people are usually the exceptions. There are lots of bloggers out there and quite a number are interested in making money out of their postings.
b.) Create a blog - There are lots of blog sites where you can post your stories or whatevers for anyone to read. If you're only interested in sharing your work and not in earning from them, this is probably the best way to go. If you're still interested in earning a little off the side, you can put advertisements on your blog. You can get Google Adsense to put ads in your site and pay you a small (and I mean "small") fee whenever someone clicks on an ad. As the site owner, you dictate where these ads appear. You can put them where they don't interfere with your writings or you can put them where they can easily draw the visitor's attention.
c.) Contribute articles to a webzine - This is a magazine on the web. One advantage of contributing to a webzine is that you have ready access to their readers. This is where I first got published...sort of. An editor asked for people who wanted to provide answers or insights to certain matters and I responded. I did this several times before the editor moved on to other things. Seeing my comments on the web and print version was a very satisfying experience.
eBook Publishing
There's one other method of getting your book to readers that I'd like to share and it's ebook publishing. An ebook publisher is similar to a regular publisher except that they will produce an ebook out of your piece instead of a print book. An ebook can be read on a computer or electronic reader like the Kindle, the Apple iPad or other similar tablet computer. Potentially, an ebook has a larger reach than a print book because millions of people access the internet at any given time whereas maybe a few tens or hundred thousands of people are inside bookstores at the same time.
There are two types of ebook publishers: full service publishers and you, the independent publisher (aka: indie publisher).
A full service publisher will proofread and edit your book, create an electronic cover and format it for reading on a number of readers. They'll also take care of distribution. Since they provide some service, ebook publishers tend to give smaller royalties though it's still more substantial than print book publishers, in the order of about 50%.
Now we're into what I call ebook self-publishing. Similar to self-publishing print books, you do everything or you hire someone to proofread and format the book and design the cover. The only advantage to doing it yourself is that it's free. Lots of authors do this and if you're a good enough English writer, a fair graphic artist and knowledgeable with formatting, this is the preferred way to publish.
A word about formatting. There are several formats out there that are designed to work with specific readers. A .doc file works with MS Word though this is not the preferred reader for ebooks. There's pdf for Adobe Reader (or any other pdf reading software), txt for Notepad, epub for the Apple iPad, and a few more.
Once you've gone through your book with a fine toothed comb, acquired or created a satisfactory cover and formatted your book, you're ready to distribute. This is done by submitting your ebook to a distributor.
Next in the series: http://ericmarcelo-indieauthor.blogspot.com/2011/08/publish-in-print-or-on-net-part-3.html
We've touched on the expensive way of getting published so now we'll get into the cheapest or “freeiest” (I know, there's no such word) method of publishing.
The World Wide Web offers budding authors a chance to get their works published and possibly reach more people than is possible with print books and there are several ways of going about it. Let's explore them:
a.) Make your own website - This is probably the most expensive way to get published on the 'net. You purchase a site or pay to obtain the rights to a site and write your books/articles there. One advantage of getting a website is the freedom to design the site as you want it. As with a book's cover, how you design your website may influence if people will visit or pass it by.
You can write your book so that anyone can read them for free or you can offer people a short glimpse into your books and have them buy the whole book if they find it interesting enough. There are also other ways to make money from these sites other than selling. If your site draws in a lot of visitors, you can have businesses advertise on your site and you can earn from either the mere posting of the ad or get a small cut whenever someone clicks on an ad. Some people have earned enough from blogs that they can afford to leave their regular jobs. Be warned, however, these people are usually the exceptions. There are lots of bloggers out there and quite a number are interested in making money out of their postings.
b.) Create a blog - There are lots of blog sites where you can post your stories or whatevers for anyone to read. If you're only interested in sharing your work and not in earning from them, this is probably the best way to go. If you're still interested in earning a little off the side, you can put advertisements on your blog. You can get Google Adsense to put ads in your site and pay you a small (and I mean "small") fee whenever someone clicks on an ad. As the site owner, you dictate where these ads appear. You can put them where they don't interfere with your writings or you can put them where they can easily draw the visitor's attention.
c.) Contribute articles to a webzine - This is a magazine on the web. One advantage of contributing to a webzine is that you have ready access to their readers. This is where I first got published...sort of. An editor asked for people who wanted to provide answers or insights to certain matters and I responded. I did this several times before the editor moved on to other things. Seeing my comments on the web and print version was a very satisfying experience.
eBook Publishing
There's one other method of getting your book to readers that I'd like to share and it's ebook publishing. An ebook publisher is similar to a regular publisher except that they will produce an ebook out of your piece instead of a print book. An ebook can be read on a computer or electronic reader like the Kindle, the Apple iPad or other similar tablet computer. Potentially, an ebook has a larger reach than a print book because millions of people access the internet at any given time whereas maybe a few tens or hundred thousands of people are inside bookstores at the same time.
There are two types of ebook publishers: full service publishers and you, the independent publisher (aka: indie publisher).
A full service publisher will proofread and edit your book, create an electronic cover and format it for reading on a number of readers. They'll also take care of distribution. Since they provide some service, ebook publishers tend to give smaller royalties though it's still more substantial than print book publishers, in the order of about 50%.
Now we're into what I call ebook self-publishing. Similar to self-publishing print books, you do everything or you hire someone to proofread and format the book and design the cover. The only advantage to doing it yourself is that it's free. Lots of authors do this and if you're a good enough English writer, a fair graphic artist and knowledgeable with formatting, this is the preferred way to publish.
A word about formatting. There are several formats out there that are designed to work with specific readers. A .doc file works with MS Word though this is not the preferred reader for ebooks. There's pdf for Adobe Reader (or any other pdf reading software), txt for Notepad, epub for the Apple iPad, and a few more.
Once you've gone through your book with a fine toothed comb, acquired or created a satisfactory cover and formatted your book, you're ready to distribute. This is done by submitting your ebook to a distributor.
Next in the series: http://ericmarcelo-indieauthor.blogspot.com/2011/08/publish-in-print-or-on-net-part-3.html
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