“Stop Waiting to be Asked and Start Creating,” says Jeff Goins, author of “You are a Writer: Start Acting Like One

This week I read the e-book “You are a Writer (So Start Acting Like One)” by Jeff Goins. Jeff has an ability to break down into simple (though not easy) steps how to be a writer.

Jeff guides you to become who you are – a writer – by giving concrete, doable, tried-and-true advice on . . .

• How to choose words that affirm your talent,
• How to find and write according to your voice, and
• How to build a platform, brand, and channels of connection.

And finally, Jeff shows you how to get published. Yes, he does.

Two things in this book made an impact on me.

1. Write for yourself. Jeff encourages every writer to find his/her own voice because the world needs to hear what each one has to say. Stop waiting to be picked and start writing.
2. Stop wasting creative energy on frivolous things. I can either use my energy to create or react. Reacting is when I over-engage in social media. Creating is when I take purposeful steps to write until finished.

Stop being paralyzed and stop playing it safe. Do the actions suggested in this book. Be persistent. If you do these things, you will get better at writing and marketing. You will get noticed. Your words will make a difference.

After all, you are a writer. Your audience needs to hear what you have to write. There is enough room for all of us writers to succeed. So go ahead and write already!

Go to Jeff’s website, GoinsWriter.com, to learn more about the craft of writing. Other places you can find Jeff: Twitter • Facebook • You Tube.

As soon as Jeff’s book is for sale, I will link the title of the book to the book site.

Your Turn . . . I’ve often read we should write for others. However, Jeff says we should write for ourselves. How do you write? Why?

Other Reviews of this E-Book . . . So you can get a fuller picture of how helpful this book really is!

• Book Review: You are a Writer (so start acting like one)
• How Jeff Goins Kicked This Writer’s Butt
• I’m Writing a Book
• “You are a Writer” Book Review

NOTE: I was one of 100 bloggers who received an advance copy of Jeff’s book on writing. I was not paid to write this review. And all opinions are my own.

10 Read Aloud Questions & Answers

Lori is an awesome cook & baker.

My friend, Lori, is a reader-extraordinaire! She is also the kind of friend who oozes comfort, shares thought-filled replies, and encourages conversations about God, learning, creativity, and family. Lori enjoys needlecrafts. She has been a stay-at-mom, homeschool mom, and reading mom for 20+ years.

I asked Lori some questions about her out-loud reading times with her family. Read on and then share which answers inspired or helped you in your reading adventures.

1. What are the ages of your children?

• 24, 22, 21, 19, 16, and 13, and baby due in August 2012 (4 girls, 2 boys, pre-born child is a boy)

2. Do you have a particular goal you hope to achieve by reading out loud? If yes, how do you know when you’ve achieved it?

• Closeness with children. They like it!

3. At what age did you start reading out loud to your children? At what age did you stop?

• Since toddlers (maybe infants). Haven’t stopped yet.

4. Do your adult children enjoy reading out loud? 

• My adult children read aloud with each other, with friends, and with me (except for the two boys).

5. What tips do you have so that adults can enjoy reading out loud? Or is reading aloud not best suited for adults? 

• I like to read aloud, but don’t follow well when being read to. I think it depends on a person’s learning style, but also it is a developed skill.

6. What are some tips for adults regarding picking books for reading out loud?

• Just find something of common interest.

7. List your favourite, all-time read aloud books in the following genres:

Drama

• Seven Daughters and Seven Sons
• Shadow Spinner

Biography

• Teresa of Calcutta
• Eric Lidell
• Little Britches

Historical Fiction

• The Golden Goblet
• Master Cornhill
• The Journeyman
• Caddie Woodlawn

Poetry

• Henry Behn
• A Child’s Anthology of Poetry
• Classic Poetry: An Illustrated Collection
• Wings from the Wind

8. What are your favourite read aloud authors?

• Louise May Alcott
• Susan Fletcher
• Madeleine L’Engle
• C.S. Lewis
• M.I McAllister
• L.M. Montgomery
• Trenton Lee Stewart
• Rosemary Sutcliff
• Walter Wangerin
• P.G. Wodehouse

9. What 3 books would you recommend all adults read out loud with someone?

1. The Castle Corona
2. The Lion, The Witch , And The Wardrobe
3. Bible (great to read aloud, alone, or in your head)

10. Anything else you want to mention? One thing I didn’t mention as a standby read aloud book would be a good children’s illustrated Bible story collection. I have several that are falling apart from use and am looking forward to a new one! I think I want to get “The Jesus Storybook Bible: Every Story Whispers His Name” by Sally Lloyd Jones. 

Your Turn . . . What is your best read aloud tip? . . . Do you have a reading question for Lori?

Related Posts . . .

• 10 Read Out Loud Tips for More Enjoyment
• 13 Benefits of Reading
• Why We Gave Up Reading This Book

THANKS, Lori, for doing this interview.

4 “Secrets” to Energize & Motivate

 This Book, Fish! A Remarkable Way to Boost Morale and improve Results, shares four secrets to revitalizing any workplace. These secrets also translate well into improving one’s personal life.  

I call the following concepts secrets because while they are simple concepts, they seem to have escaped the notice and implementation of many people.

These 4 secrets may seem obvious. But implementing them forms the foundation for a successful, productive, and more enjoyable work- and personal-life.

• Choose your attitude.
• Play.
• Make their day.
• Be present.

I read this book while in college and recently came across my notes. Below are my thoughts on these four secrets.

1. “Choose your attitude” is the first secret. Simply put this means people have a choice about how they will think and act in the workplace. In the Forward Ken Blanchard states, “75% of our time is spent doing work-related activities” (9-10). So why not choose to have a good attitude about it?

According to the authors, the benefit of choosing to love our work extends beyond being happy at work. It also means “we can catch our limit of happiness, meaning, and fulfilment every day, [every where]”(9). The practices of the other secrets are also needed to fully experience a transformed work and life experience, but it all starts with our attitude.

Choosing to have a good attitude is what made a difference for me at one of my former jobs. After reading this book, I decided to consciously enjoy each aspect of my job. I realized that while the job itself wasn’t important, each person I came into contact with was important.

I decided to stop playing victim to my insecurities and doubts about my job performance. I took to heart verses from Joshua about being strong, courageous, and not dismayed. This attitude choosing worked!

One night  my boss, Pete, told me he had been watching me with the customers and said he was very pleased with my interaction. Pete went on to say, “I think you should do an in-service training on this!” I was the last hired, had never been in that type of job before, and had not attended any training seminars. The difference, I believe, had been my attitude.

2. The second secret has to do with “Play.” Blanchard says that working in a playful atmosphere “will prevent [employee] burnout and keep the job excitement alive” (10). Lonnie, a person in the book, adds several other benefits: low turnover, camaraderie amongst work mates, personal and team pride (64).

Several characters in the book noted that any job could be boring. Besides choosing a positive attitude it is necessary to do the work in an interesting manner. Lonnie tells Mary Jane, “We discovered we could be serious about business and still have fun with the way we conducted business…having a good time, but doing it in a respectful manner” (63).

I am not naturally a “playful” type of person. So, I have difficulty with putting this into practice or even seeing what I could do to be “respectfully” playful. The one thing I tried to do was not be so serious and uptight about my job performance.

3. The third secret centers on “Make their day.” Lonnie says this involves making great memories for the customer (66). The Make Their Day Team took this one step further by giving specific examples of customer service to make customers feel important. These examples include the following . . .

• Have the customer be part of the feedback process.
• Set up the environment to make it easier for the customer.
• Have the workers exhibit efficiency and a caring attitude.
• Find ways to play along side the customer.
• Make great service a priority of the company.

I personally tried to extend great service to each customer. I looked them in the eye and really listened after I asked if there is anything else I may help them with. When I was on the floor, I “played” by helping customers find the necessary product to make the end result something “they” were pleased with. Evidently my approach was working since my boss commented on it.

4. The final secret is “Be present.” In Mary Jane’s journal these ideas were presented as no daydreaming, or doing unnecessary things, and being on the look out for interacting with the customers (70-71). It is easy in any job to get distracted, so having this reminder to stay focused on the present was a needed one.

Sometimes I had trouble (and still do) with looking for ways to interact with customers. If I was involved with a project. I tend to be task-oriented and like to finish the task before moving on to another task or interacting with people. Evidently when I am in task-mode, I get a look that says, “I am busy. Don’t talk to me.” This is not a good look when you are supposed to be also doing customer service.

I’d like to reread this book. I want to see if/how I could implement these 4 secrets in my current place of employment. I especially would like ideas on how to “Make their day” and on “Play.” Any suggestions?

Your Turn . . . 

1. Have you read this book? If yes, what were your take-away points?
2. What secrets were easy?
3. Which ones were harder to implement?
4. Do you have another example for how one (or more) of the secrets can be carried out?

Related Posts . . . 

• 12 Motivating Ideas to Goal Achievement
• Are Thoughts Getting in the Way of Goal Achievement?
• The Missing Ingredient in Most Goals (written by Michael Hyatt)

Con La Lengua Afuera: a Story and a T/F Quiz

“Gray hairs are signs of wisdom if you hold your tongue,

speak and they are but hairs, as in the young,” Rabindranath Tagore.

TRISH (black shirt, white capris) AND I (blue shirt, grey capris) ARE HELPING THIS MAORI CLAN WELCOME THE "DIGNITARIES" IN OUR MIDST. Or maybe we were being fierce to scare away the enemy. We are doing this at the end of their haka (Maori dance) by bulging our eyes and sticking out our tongues.

Middle school girls liked to tease each other when I was young. We all wore the same uniform (Ponce, Puerto Rico private school) so our clothing wasn’t fodder for teasing.

However if you wore glasses or braces, if you were nerdy, or if you were uncoordinated – you were a target for teasing. I was all of the above.

The biggest tease of all though – which even had its own song – was if you liked a boy or if a boy liked you. The offending girl would be circled by the singing-teasing girls.

The song was in Spanish and I learned it 30 years ago. Yes, I sometimes joined in. I resembled the young in the quote above. I don’t remember the words. It was something like our “K-I-S-S-I-N-G First Comes Love, Then Comes Marriage,” etc song.

The only fragment I remember is “con la lengua afuera” (with the tongue hanging out).

The tongue has many uses depending on the species. It appears that in all species it is a type of sense organ and can indicate health. There are many quotes and Scripture which points to how the tongue is used (with words) indicates the character or emotional health of a person.

It is obvious that when I used my middle school tongue as an instrument of teasing, I was not exhibiting moral behaviour. I cared more about fitting in than about doing/saying the right thing, the wise thing.

Today my head is filled with gray hair. I like to think it is associated with wisdom. Today I care more about doing/saying the right thing. So while I may use my middle-aged tongue in a silly way like at this haka, I am committed to using it to bring encouragement, truth, and humour to all people I encounter.

NOTE: Periodically I will post photos from my New Zealand Trip, March, 2011. This is photo 1.

Your Turn . . . Are the hairs on your head “gray” with wisdom or just hair?

So in honour of the tongue, here is a True/False Quiz.

1. T/F.  To determine if someone is having a stroke, ask the person to “stick” out their tongue. If the tongue is “crooked,” if it goes to one side or the other, that is an indication of a stroke.

2. T/F.  A regular part of the dental exam includes the dentist checking your tongue for oral cancer. S/he is looking for lumps, masses, changes in color or texture, and swelling.

3. T/F.  Lizards stick out their tongue in order to better see their prey.

4. T/F.  A crocodile cannot stick out its tongue.

5. T/F.  The Maori people (New Zealanders) stick out their tongues during a haka dance of which there are many types.

Answers are after the jump. Click on “More.”

7 Ways You Can Make Me Stay Longer At Your Blog

I am always on the look out for ways to make my blog better for the reader and easier for me to do. Therefore I am always on the look out for new ideas. I Gotta Create is hosting a Bloggy Tips 101 Linky Party. Her top 3 tips are (1) Put your name on your blog. (2) Turn off word verification. (3) Upload the right size photos. Go here to read her why and how.

What would you add? Go here to link up your tip(s) post.

Last February (2011) my goal was to read 100 blogs. I wanted to see what I could learn and I wanted to  leave comments.

I find that I tend to read quickly. I understand that is how most of us read when on the Internet. Below are 7 ways you can make me stay longer at your blog.

1. Home button. Put a home button on your blog. Makes it soooo much easier to get back to your first page. Often I will want to explore your blog further, so make it easier on us readers by installing this.
2. Search box. Same thing as #1. Sometimes I go back to your blog because I read a post there and I didn’t bookmark it. If you have a search function, it is quite easy to find it. Or if I read about a topic on your site and want to see if you have anything else on this same topic, the search box is vital.
3. Playlist. I don’t like going to sites that have a playlist for three reasons. (1) I like it quiet when I read. (2) I usually have multiple pages open at the same time and it is disturbing to hear music from multiple sites. And if multiple sites are open, it is hard for me to find which one has the music playing. (3) If I am in the mood for music, I have my own music playing. So again I will have music from multiple sources.
4. Black background. I find it hard to read pages and pages of white type on black background.  When I come to a blog like that, I rarely read it.
5. rss versus email subscription. I like being able to subscribe to your blog through the rss feed. I like the idea of being able to see all the blogs I subscribe to on my Google reader. I don’t like the only option being an email subscription. I already get too many emails. If that is my only choice, I rarely subscribe.
6. About Me page. I always check this when I get to a new blog. It helps me decide if this is a blog I want to pursue further. It is helpful if there is a picture of you there. One reason I read blogs is for community or a sense of connection (many of you said the same thing). Having a photo and well written About Me page helps with that.
7. Related posts. I like it when the writer will suggest related posts (from their own archives). That way I can keep reading about the topic without a lot of work on my part. This is especially helpful if you don’t have categories at your blog.

Your Turn . . . What would you add to this list?

Related Posts   . . .  Top Two Things I’ve Learned About Blogging

7 Things to NOT Have on Your Blog written by Mom Crunch. Mom’s #1 & #2 are the same as my #3 & 4. Go to her site to read the other 5. In a word each they are about: Stealing, Sidebar, Spelling, Swearing, and Schedule.

8 Ways to Engage Visitors Longer on Your Blog This post has ideas I didn’t include on my list.

NOTE: This is an updated post from February 2011.

Fall Into Reading 2011 Wrap Up

Fall is over and so is the Fall Into Reading Challenge 2011. I intended to read 10 books in the 4 categories of Autobiography/Biography, Children, Growth and Holiday Inspired. I read 6 of the books.

Below is my wrap up from this challenge that Callapidder Days hosted.

1.  Did you finish reading all the books on your fall reading list? If not, why not?

Autobiography/Biography Books. 1/2

• Mother Teresa’s Secret Fire by Joseph Langford.  I am half way through the book written about Mother Teresa. I hate to say this, but I cannot stay engaged with the story.
• The Hiding Place by Corrie ten Boom. This was as inspiring as I remembered. Now I want to find the movie and watch it.

Children’s Books. 1/2

• Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O’Dell. I enjoyed this book. It is similar to My Side of the Mountain. The main character is resourceful,strong and independent and happens to be female. Now I want to read Robinson Crusoe.
• The Tale of Despereaux by Kate DiCamillo. Did not start this book.

Growth Books 2/4

• Mindlessness by Ellen J. Langer. I am reading this with these folks. I want to reread this book again and take notes. It has some very good points.
• Only Nuns Change Habits Overnight by Karen Scalf Linamen. Did not start it.
• What Women Fear: Walking in faith That Transforms by Angie Smith. I am reading this book with these ladies. I want to reread this book with a group of CNC ladies with a study guide I have written.
• Whole Prayer: Speaking and Listening to God by Walter Wangerin Jr. Did not start it.

Holiday Inspired Books. 2/2

• 101 Ways to Have a Christian Christmas by Brenda Verner. Didn’t really get much out of this book.
• The Legend of Sleepy Hollow by Washington Irving (Free Kindle Book). Enjoyed this book very much.

2.  Did you stick to your original goals or did you change your list as you went along?  I originally had a list of 7 books to read from my own book shelves. I added one more and after reading some of the other lists, I added 2 books (which I read). But I see that I was more ambitious than I had time for. Unfortunately I had several books going at the same time. I see that was a distraction for me. And I think hindered me in accomplishing my reading goals.

3.  What was your favorite book that you read this fall?

Favourite book is hard to pick. The Hiding Place was inspirational. What Women Fear will be great book to reread and discuss with others.

Least favorite? Why? 101 Ways to Have a Christian Christmas by Brenda Verner.  It was my least favourite because I didn’t come across many new ideas to try (maybe 2).

4.  Did you discover a new author or genre this fall? Did you love them? Not love them? Nope. Most likely because I didn’t put a lot of time into this challenge.

5.  Did you learn something new because of Fall Into Reading 2011 – something about reading, about yourself, or about a topic you read about? I miss reading just because. For the past several decades I’ve read for information or growth (for homeschooling or for work). Reading The Legend of Sleepy Hollow and The Island of the Blue Dolphins was fun reading. I felt a little guilty spending time on just fun reading.

6.  What was your favorite thing about the challenge? My favourite thing is that it gave me “permission” to read some books just for fun and to read books from my own bookshelves. I don’t think I would have read them were it not for this challenge.

I look forward to the next reading challenge. Maybe I’ll even be more adventuresome with my choices. Here’s a HUGE thanks to Callapidder Days for this reading challenge.

Wheat-free, Egg-free, Dairy-free Recipe/Tips Website (updated links, info, & photo)

Elizabeth enjoying a DELICIOUS gluten-, dairy-, and egg-free meal.

There are many such websites out there, but I’d like to recommend: Surprisingly Thankful (food blog) by Elizabeth. She’s a newbie to blogland as her start-up was this January 3rd (2008).

Elizabeth says, “I cook weird and often surprisingly good recipes because of my food allergies. I am a little restricted in what I can eat: no cow dairy, chicken eggs or gluten (which is in wheat). Being allergic to “all things American” has forced me to be creative in another avenue of my life.”

The recipes on her food blog run from  . . .  smoothies,

• to salad dressing
• to themed months (like recipes inspired by Monks).
• Check out this garlic chicken pizza. 
• The sweet potato soup also sounds delish.

Elizabeth has tips on how to clean your blender -the easy way and how to make home-made “soy sauce substitute.”  There are sections on food reviews, Getting Started, and (of course) DESSERT. She suggests 2 cookbooks that support the wheat-free, egg-free, dairy-free lifestyle.

Elizabeth’s art blog is just as amazing.  Weird and Surprisingly Good is about the art secrets, trials, and triumphs Elizabeth experiences as a practicing visual artist. She has a strong interest in braille, reading, juggling, and labyrinths, and is the creator of cactus lights. 

So stop by Elizabeth’s place (food blog, art blog, or website) and give her a hello by leaving a comment or two. I know I will frequent her blog.

How Good Books Aid in a Child’s Growth

In October I attended a baby shower. Shula gave this awesome devotional. 

I love the sweetness of a great story. 

• I love the triumph of Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel,
• the friendship of Charlotte’s Web,
• the emotion of Where the Red Fern Grows,
• and the whimsy of Jemima Puddle-Duck or Peter Rabbit.

I must confess, I recently was up until 3 in the morning finishing the 7^th Harry Potter book.

Erich Fromm, in his book, The Art of Loving, speaks of a child’s basic need for milk and honey. 

“Milk is the symbol of the care a child receives for his physical needs, for his person. Honey symbolizes the sweetness of life, that special quality that gives the sparkle within a person” (Hunt, 25).

Good books are rich in honey! What makes a good book?

“Stories that make for wonder. Stories that stir one within with an understanding of the true nature of courage, of love, of beauty” (Hunt, 26).

Choice literature engages the imagination. In experiencing a life beyond our boundaries, we come away changed. Consequently, fine literature can impart a sweet wisdom to us.

C.S. Lewis was greatly influenced by the author, George MacDonald. Lewis felt that MacDonald’s works had “baptized” or “redeemed” his imagination (Guroian, 160). An enlarged imagination helped him comprehend God’s handiwork and love, aiding him in his faith.

Steve Jobs’ biography is slated to be released in a few days. Before he died, he was asked why he had authorized it to be written and he replied, “I wanted my kids to know me” (Cooper).

God, the greatest author of all the ages, has written a story. He has written the Bible that we might know Him – it is one of the ways that He has revealed Himself to mankind.

Within Scripture, God often employs stories and parables to help us see greater truths.

• King David was confronted of his sin with Bathsheba through a story of a poor man and his dear lamb (NIV, 2 Sam. 12).
• We are convicted to extend our compassion to others through the parable of “The Good Samaritan” (NIV, Luke 10: 25-37).

God is an author without equal. In Hebrews His Son, Jesus, is called the “author of our salvation”  and throughout Scriptures there is reference to those who believe having their names “written in the Lamb’s book of life” (NIV, Rev. 21:27).

Additionally, “all the days ordained for (us) were written in (His) book before one of them came to be” (NIV, Ps. 139:16).

In light of this divine writer of our days, author of our salvation, and keeper of the Lamb’s book of life, it is amazing how we struggle against His will. I think it is fitting that we put our full trust in Him and relinquish our will to His. Let Him be the grand author of our lives’ adventures.

I believe that a life penned by His kind intentions will be far richer that we can imagine.

Today we welcome and celebrate a new story – that of Baby Bethany. The Great Author has already appointed her days. Filling her life with good literature and, more importantly, God’s word will pass on rich blessing to her.

There is one more bit of honey that can be added to her life and that is family storytelling.

• In your family, recount stories of the special day Bethany, Emily, and Casey were born.
• Tell about your early courtship and marriage. Repeat these stories often.
• Also, speak of how you became a Believer.
• And, most importantly tell of God’s faithfulness in your life. Share stories of how His hand has led you through difficult times, protected you from harm, and has changed your life.

Scripture urges us to “taste and see” that the Lord is good (NIV, Ps. 34:8).  The Lord is the honey of life and He enriches our lives with sweet stories.

Related Post . . . 3 Encouragements I Needed When My Children Were Young (a baby shower devotional)

___________________________________________

Works Cited . . .

Cooper, Charles, “Biographer: Why Jobs finally opened up”. CBS News online.

Guroian, Vigen, Tending the Heart of Virtue. London: Oxford UP, 1998. Print.

Hunt, Gladys, Honey for a Child’s Heart.  Michigan: Zondervan Books, 1989. Print.

The NIV Study Bible.

Fall Into Reading 2011

My Summer Bucket List included “Reading 2 Books Just for Fun.” I read The Pilgrim’s Progress and The Hunger Games just for fun. And on a more serious note I read Why You Do The Things You Do and One Thousand Gifts: A Dare to Live Fully Right Where You Are. It was fun to accomplish this solitary reading goal.

It is also fun to accomplish a goal with a group. Sometimes I even get more done with a group. Callapidder Days is hosting a group goal: a Fall reading challenge. I checked out my bulging bookshelves at home and compiled a list mainly from my home library. I plan to read the below list of 10 books during the next 3 months of this challenge.

Have some books you want to read? Why don’t you join us? Katrina has very gentle guidelines about the challenge here. You make up your own list (long or short) of books and decide if you finish them all or not. You can even change your mind and add more books. There is no way to lose. The challenge goes from September 23-December 21, 2011.

Autobiography/Biography Books. 1/2

• Mother Teresa’s Secret Fire by Joseph Langford
• The Hiding Place by Corrie ten Boom. This was as inspiring as I remembered. Now I want to find the movie and watch it.

Children’s Books. 1/2

• Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O’Dell. I enjoyed this book. It is similar to My Side of the Mountain. The main character is resourceful,strong and independent and happens to be female. Now I want to read Robinson Crusoe.
• The Tale of Despereaux by Kate DiCamillo

Growth Books 2/4

• Mindlessness by Ellen J. Langer. I am reading this with these folks. I want to reread this book again and take notes. It has some very good points.
• Only Nuns Change Habits Overnight by Karen Scalf Linamen
• What Women Fear: Walking in faith That Transforms by Angie Smith. I am reading this book with these ladies. I want to reread this book with a group of CNC ladies with a study guide I have written.
• Whole Prayer: Speaking and Listening to God by Walter Wangerin Jr.

Holiday Inspired Books. 2/2

• 101 Ways to Have a Christian Christmas by Brenda Verner. Didn’t really get much out of this book.
• The Legend of Sleepy Hollow by Washington Irving (Free Kindle Book). Enjoyed this book very much.

Your Turn . . .  Share what books are on your Fall 2011 list.

Related Posts

1. 10 Read Out Loud Tips for More Enjoyment
2. 13 Benefits of Reading
3. 13 Resources for Chronic Pain: Books & Websites
4. 21 Things I Learned by Reading Individual Bible Books in One Sitting
5. A Grown Up Book Report on The 21 Balloons
6. How 20 Wishes List from Fictional Book Helps Me Live Today

Including a Direct Link in Your Comments

It's easy to include a direct link in your comments.

Sometimes you want to include a direct link in your comments. Maybe it’s a link to a post you’ve written, a book, or a webpage with pertinent information. I recently learned how to do this.

Go here to read the instructions. Sometimes I am a little slow understanding techie directions. So I practised in my own comments on my blog. That way I could easily delete those comments that didn’t turn out correctly. Now I am a pro (as long as I can look up the code).

Below is the code for when you understand what to do.

<a href=”the URL of your blog post goes here”>what you want the link to say goes here</a>

Thanks to RevGalBlogPals for their tutorial.