great (digital) family read

Today I'm thrilled to share with you one of my client's publications, Midwestern Family magazine. This month MWF decided to try something new: publishing a digital issue. (Print copies can be found at local Barnes & Noble stores or by subscribing via the company website.)

If you live in the Central Illinois area and are looking for ways to keep your family occupied this summer, check out this issue! And if you live too far make a trip, there's still lots of useful info in here. Learn why kids and music seem to click, grab a new recipe to try out, and discover how to entice your little ones into eating their fruits and veggies.

Oh, and by the way, two of these articles are penned by me. But that aside, it's still a great read. Check it out!

super tips for creating blog content

A fellow solopreneur in my awesome local Facebook (local) entrepreneur group shared this article from The Inspired Marketer today. It's got some fabulous ideas for creating content when you're struggling to write come up with a topic. This piece also reassures us it's ok NOT to post original content all the time. Some places to look for topic inspiration include:

• tv
• movies
• celebrities
• superheroes (yes! see my last post)
• successes/failures
• memories

For the complete list, plus a nifty visual chart, check out Easy Content Ideas for the Online Entrepreneur.

Hope everyone has a great week...happy Monday!

the office

It's time to get personal.

I've decided to share with you, dear followers, a look at my workspace. I'm doing this for no other reason than to attempt to humanize myself. After all, the Internets is a wide, wide world. And sometimes it's nice to put a face--or a desk?--with a name. So behold, my home office!

I should probably post a pic of my desk away from home (or rather one of the many tables) at The Coffeehouse and Deli, where I often camp out to work in peace or to meet clients. Maybe next time I'm there I'll snap a picture and post it. Until then, though, here's where I spend most of my working time.

And like every writer, I've got a muse: Wonder Woman (and her sidekick, the Little Jazz Man). Recently I had to tape her left leg to the top of my all-purpose-stuff-holder as she kept toppling off. Now she's fairly stable, and ready to whip out her magic lasso at any given moment.

I've showed you mine--now show me yours! What's your workspace like?

to guest (post) or not to guest (post)...

Like many folks, I follow a lot of blogs these days. One of my favs sits at the top of my bookmarked blogs list: ProBlogger. I've gained so many useful tips from this source. Today's article talks about the benefits of guest posting on other blogs--and challenges reasons for resistance.

I haven't yet put myself out there as a guest poster, but I'm now considering it. After all, you receive credit for your post. A link to your website or blog is usually included. You get to share your expertise and (hopefully) help others. You're putting your name out there. So why not go for it, especially if you'll be writing about a subject you enjoy?
 
If you haven't seen it already, go ahead and check out Why You Should Start Guest Posting...Today.

And while we're on the subject, I'd love to hear your experience/thoughts. Have you guest posted before? How did it work out for you? Do you invite others to post on your blog?