Linda McHenry

Blog

  • Get it Write December 2019 is now available

    You can get a sneak preview of my newsletter, Get it Write, by clicking this link: https://mailchi.mp/534090fb3342/linda-mchenrys-get-it-write-december-2019

    If you ever miss a copy of either of my newsletters, just visit the Newsletters link in the link bar at the top of any page in the website.

     

     

  • My Take on the BEST Writing Tool

    I attended the New England Crime Bake last month for the second year in a row. Once again, I came home with the BEST advice and innumerable insights that have helped me immeasurably with my writing.

    This year, one of the panelists at a workshop I attended, a multi-published author, mentioned that she uses Scrivener to write her books and wouldn’t consider writing a book using any other tools/software. I checked the software out, was impressed, and downloaded the free trial.

    What appealed to me about the software was its claims that I could not only write my book in the software, I could also keep all my research notes, photos, resources, resource URLs, etc. in the same program AND refer to them while I was writing. Here’s why this appealed to me, and why I didn’t hesitate to spend the very reasonable $49 fee for a license to the product (which I can download on multiple devices):

    • I’d been writing my books (and all my works in progress) in Microsoft Word
    • I’d been keeping all my story notes, research, resources, images, URLs, etc. in Microsoft OneNote
    • I had to keep 2 programs open all the time when I was writing (or plotting, or researching), and switch back and forth between them (when traveling, or working on my laptop, this proved to be a difficult task–especially with respect to way saved my files in the cloud and had my syncing between devices set up)

    There was a little learning curve once I started using Scrivener, but that was shortened immensely by the fact that I read the entire manual while I had the program open before I began doing anything with it. (I didn’t bother reading the fourth section of the manual Final Phases, until after I’d been using the software for a while.)

    I absolutely ADORE Scrivener. One of my favorite things about it is I can write each scene separately. Sure, if I want to write each chapter with all its scenes intact, I can do that, too. But if something comes to me and I just want to write, I have that flexibility. All the scenes, chapters, folders, etc. are kept in a Binder that shows in a navigation pane. I can move anything around by simply clicking and dragging.

    For those of you who HAVE to outline and write in order, Scrivener lets you do that. For those of you who write organically, you can just write scenes and then stitch them together later. And for those of you like me, who outline AND write organically depending upon the moment … and the characters it’s wonderful.

    You can use Scrivener with Microsoft and Mac, and you can easily export the files of your choice into any of the following formats: DOC, DOCX, PDF, RTF, TXT, ODT, HTML, XHTML, PS, EPUB, MOBI, MMD, FODT, OPML, and TEX.

    Do any of you use it? If so, tell me what you do and don’t like about it? If you don’t use it, check it out!

    Here’s the link for Scriveners for Windows, and here’s the link for Scrivener for Mac OS, and here’s the link for Scrivener for iOS.

     

     

  • 10 Toughest State Laws re: Texting and Driving

    Texting is a form of risky, or distracted driving. Experts say that when you’re sending or receiving a text, the average length of time your eyes are off the road is 5 seconds.

    Five seconds doesn’t sound like a long time. And maybe it isn’t. But taking your eyes off the road for 5 seconds while you text is the equivalent of driving your car at 55 mph, the entire length of a football field … blindfolded!

    The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has a webpage devoted to Risky Driving, just in case you’re interested in statistics about any of the following activities: distracted driving, drowsy driving, speeding, seat belt use, or driving while under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

    Here’s a link to a recent article that lists the 10 states with the toughest texting while driving laws: https://bit.ly/38BqlNg

     

  • Seeking Your Advice…

    If you have 3 to 5 minutes to spare, I’d love for you to answer a 10-question survey about the products and services you’d like to see me provide.

    Here’s the link on Survey Monkey: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/WCXQCL3

    Thanks!

     

     

     

  • What Motivates You?

    What Motivates You?

    I’ve always been fascinated by what makes people do what they do and say what they say. What motivates them. How and why they respond to others. It’s a really important trait to have as a writer of fiction … and as a salesperson or teacher.

    Nothing is more surprising than when a quiet, normally reticent person suddenly decides to open up and share a dirty joke … or when a blabbermouth sits through an interaction quietly and can’t find the words to describe it. Introverts aren’t shy, and sociable people aren’t always extraverts.

    Because I’m loud, talkative, and outgoing I’ve always been described as extraverted. On the other hand, my boyfriend–who’s soft-spoken and prefers to listen than speak–has always been described as introverted.

    You know what? Everyone has us backwards. Let me tell you why…

    I love being alone. Not every moment of every day, but I’d much rather spend time by myself than in a noisy room filled with people. I was never a party person, not even as a teenager. For the past 8 years, I’ve worked from home and spend 8 to 10 hours of every weekday with just the dogs and cat for company. When I’m really tired or upset, I do an excellent hermit imitation.

    But being alone is something my boyfriend tolerates. He doesn’t actively look forward to it the way I do. He’s not addicted to crowds and noise, as many extraverts are, but when he’s down he wants spend time with other people–they cheer him up and give him the opportunity to NOT focus on himself and his worries.

    The biggest difference between extraverts and introverts is the manner in which they gather strength. Extraverts direct their attention outward, toward other people and things. By comparison, introverts prefer to aim their focus inward, on thoughts and ideas.

    Other differences include:

    • Extraverts love external activity. They prefer interacting with others, and doing. Introverts often find themselves over-stimulated when in the company of crowds. They’d much rather avoid sensory overload and simply be.
    • Extraverts often view introverts as self-centered and submissive while introverts tend to see extraverts as superficial and aggressive.

    If a person is accessible and easily understood, and prefers handling a project that’s broad in scope rather than deep, he or she is probably an extravert. However, if a person is questioning and seeking to understand, and prefers a complex project rather than a far-reaching one, he or she is probably an introvert.

    It’s typical for a person to have characteristics of both extraversion and introversion, but most of us fall on one side of the line that divides the two. Which are you? Are you and your spouse or partner both the same, or different? What about your kids, your boss, your coworkers–are they extraverts or introverts?