Poetry on Instagram

I decided to start posting some of my poetry on Instagram. Instead of taking a picture of a page of one of my books I thought it'd be better to create an image that will have my poem on it along with a small emoticon or image where there is no text. 

I have posted five poems so far and will try to post more as the days go by. 

I am using my phone to do this and so far every image I created fits into an Instagram post without having anything cut off.

What I want to try doing next is to create an image on my computer that will have one of my photos I took as the background and then the poem text on it. The challenge will be making the text easily visible if the background is busy. And I also have to figure out how to size the image so it fits into an Instagram post and the text or an important part of the photo doesn't get cut off. 

I also want to try to create an image that has text over some kind of background instead of it being on just a solid background as I've been doing now. My photo editing has that option. It will be fun to play around with different background and effects. 

A New Book: Seasonal Memories

I haven't written any new limericks for my second limerick book but I got an idea for another book. The title will be Seasonal Memories. It will be solely a poetry book. There will be four sections, one for each season. The poems will have nature mixed in with memories of the past or something that previously happened. I am aiming for ten poems per section but may end up having more. I already have some poems written in each section and may edit them as I go over them later. 

Ten of the poems that I already wrote were all written on January 26th, 2021. I did not expect to write anything, especially since I had just gotten into bed. But an idea for a poem came to me and when I was done, more followed. I guess I was hit with inspiration. Had it not been after midnight, me being tired, or writing on my iPhone in the dark, I could've probably written more poems. But I will gladly take those ten. 

Started a New Limerick Book Manuscript

I started a new limerick book manuscript. Have written two poems so far. I hope that I will be inspired to write more limericks soon and that this manuscript will continue to evolve into a book. Once done, this will be my second limerick book so far. 

Perhaps I shouldn't just wait for inspiration to hit me but should just open up the Word doc and write. Inspiration can come when you set out to write or when you open up that blank page. Sometimes waiting for inspiration to hit you on its own can mean not writing anything for a long time. And I do not want that to happen.

Haven't Done Creative Writing in a While

I haven't been writing poetry, lyrics, or any other creative writing in a long time. And I don't even know why. It's not just about waiting for inspiration to hit or lines to come to me. It's about sitting down, opening that Word document or taking out that piece of paper, and writing. And I don't do that. Just waiting for inspiration to come may never result in anything new being brought to life and that is not good.

I wanted to start working on my 13th book but it will never come to life if I don't sit down and write. Maybe if I figure out the topic of the book instead of it being a random collection of writings that it will help me to get into it, get things rolling, start writing again. 

I Finally Published My Limerick Book Scenes from a Quirky Life

Yesterday, I finally published my limerick book Scenes from a Quirky Life.

My next step is to get distribution for the book so it becomes available online on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and other online retailers.

I also have to order a proof copy of the book before I can approve the book for distribution.

Hopefully, there will not be anything in need of fixing and I will be good to go.

But if I do find something in need of fixing, I will have to republish the book and buy another proof copy before I will be able to approve the book.

Fingers crossed that will not happen!

Twelve Limericks Left to Write...

I have twelve limericks left to write for my first limerick book Scenes from a Quirky Life. I am not really feeling inspired right now. Maybe just opening the manuscript and trying to write one will bring forth the inspiration. I don't know. But I can't seem to bring myself to do that.

I could've had them written already and started on the editing process. But it is just not happening. Since there is no publication deadline, at least not officially as I am publishing the book myself, it is okay I guess that it is at a standstill right now. It will happen when it will happen...

Still, I have to try and push myself to do it. I don't want this hanging over my head... I want the book done and published soon. 

Will Be Publishing My First Limerick Book

Thanks to my friend Regis Auffray who got me into limericks I will be publishing my first ever limerick book. The title will be Scenes from a Quirky Life. My book will have four limericks per page and will be around 50 pages. That makes for about 160 limericks. Not bad for a first limerick book in my opinion. 

I have less than 36 limericks left to write for the book and then it's on to proofing and editing. Once this book is published, which I am very excited about, I will have a total of twelve published books under my belt, in addition to the two poetry anthologies I published.

I don't know yet when I will publish this book but I hope to get it out this year.

Where Are My November Earnings?

I previously contacted Virily about my November earnings not showing up. I did not get a reply from them to any of my inquiries. I tried contacting them again today but received an error message when submitting the form on their website. I tried doing it more than once and got the same result each time. I am assuming the form never went through.

If the reason why I do not see any earnings for November in my dashboard is because I did not earn over 200 virils that month, though I believe I did, they should at least reply to me, letting me know that is the case. Not responding to my inquiries is very unprofessional.

Earnings for other months show up but not those for February. I am assuming that it takes a while for February earnings to show up and that is why I do not see them yet. I do have a feeling that perhaps they will not show up just like the November ones., but that remains to be seen.

Another Earnings Site Might Be No More

I used to write for a site called Niume. The minimum to get paid there was only $10. Earnings there for me were slow. I managed to get to about $7. I was excited about finally reaching $10 and getting paid for the first time. Then the site decided to discontinue its earnings program so I never got to the minimum. On  top of that the site chose to shut down and of course the earnings I did accumulate were never paid me. Maybe it was because I never reached the minimum but something tells me I wouldn't have gotten paid either way. 

Bubblews was also another site I used to write for. I actually reached the minimum a number of times  there and had gotten paid each time, except once. Then the site went downhill and closed its doors and whatever earnings I had - they were below the minimum - vanished with the site.

Now there is Virily - a site that seems to be going down the same path. Minimum there to get paid is $10. I am about three bucks away from reaching it. However, virils (the points earned there) and the $ equivalent earnings are not updating. And the site is not responding to my inquiry about it. Others  are facing the same issues with no response either. Looks like the site will be no more as well as the earnings I worked hard to get. 

A Must-Have Inspirational Book: Life Lessons: Everything You Ever Wished You Had Learned in Kindergarten by Donnalynn Civello

I don't usually buy self-help books. And I don't really read them either. But when I saw Jeannie Mai (from The Real) talk about one of these books on Instagram something drew me to it and I wanted to check the book out. 

My first thought was to see if my local library (or any other branches) had this book. Unfortunately, it was not available there. Neither was it available at another library system in NYC. This meant that if I wanted to read this book I had no choice but to buy it. I didn't want to spend a lot of money on this book and hoped it wasn't expensive. I looked for it on Amazon and turned out it wasn't expensive at all. It was even on sale and had free shipping. So, I instantly got a copy and even later got a copy for my mom. 

The book that I got is called Life Lessons: Everything You Ever Wished You Had Learned in Kindergarten by Donnalynn Civello. It's a self-book that I believe is worth to have on hand. It's not the kind of book that you read, forget about, and never re-read again. It's a book that you return to time and time again. That's why I am glad it wasn't available at the library as now I have it in my home and can turn to it whenever I need to, whether it'd be to read a certain chapter or page, or to read it in its entirety.

Life Lessons: Everything You Ever Wished You Had Learned in Kindergarten is an eye-opening, educational, and inspirational book. It teaches us things about life, helping us understand why things happen the way they do. And it lets us know that we are not victims of our own lives. Everything that happens in our lives on a daily basis doesn't happen to punish us. It happens for a reason and it does to teach us something in life - whether it'd be one lesson or many lessons - and to help us improve and become better versions of ourselves. 

Life is full of ups and downs. When you learn how to deal with them in a more successful and positive way you will be able to adjust them to your own advantage that will benefit you rather than harm you and do it in a way that can prove to be effortless. 

Also, everything happens in its own time. And when it does that's when it was meant to happen. So, if something you want to materialize right now doesn't that doesn't mean it will never happen. It just means it's not time for it yet. It will come to fruition at a later time.

While reading Life Lessons: Everything You Ever Wished You Had Learned in Kindergarten, there were things in the book that I already knew and understood but there were things in there that I wasn't aware of. They were eye-opening to me and I will try put these things to use in my own life. Maybe coming across this book wasn't an accident. Perhaps it was meant to happen. And maybe it will help improve and change my life for the better. 

There are a lot of life lessons in Life Lessons: Everything You Ever Wished You Had Learned in Kindergarten and I think that everyone can benefit from this book in some way. Many questions you've wanted answers to will be answered. 

If you have not heard of this book my suggestion is to check it out. The book is affordable and you have nothing to lose by getting a copy. I think Amazon is the best place to get it. Click on the link below to look at the book and perhaps buy a copy.  

Life Lessons: Everything You Ever Wished You Had Learned in Kindergarten by Donnalynn Civello