Write 20 Titles, Choose One

Well, well, I'm having a heck of a time getting my paragraphs correctly formatted here on this blog, so I am typing directly into this page to see if that works. Usually I write in Word then copy and paste it here. But rats, something is amiss.

While the copy looks good in preview, it looks terrible in "publish." Long spaces appear at will.

Hey, you're writers, so I figured you'd understand. I got a new (used) computer and something is screwy. It has Apache Word Processor that I have never used. Do you know about that?

I love you for showing up. I had been neglecting this site, but in seeing you here, I am encouraged. Whoa! Thanks.

I've been focusing on another blog. It has posts on writing, chickens, travel, blogging, and then I found an amazing tidbit I had never heard before. 747 is an angel number.  I was using 747 the number of the Boeing jet, meaning fast, however, I found that it means I am on the right track. Oh joy.

My other webpage is http://www.plottwist747.com

Do a little click. I'll do a little happy dance.

 Here is what I started out to write about on this blog, so here it is.

Do You Need Help With Titles?

God almighty, I can effort, stew, mull-over, change a title fifty million times. I did that with my book that is now being cast in stone. After many title possibilities, I went back to one I used in a journal long ago, The Frog's Song. (The frog calls the rain that settles the dust for our journey.) 

Okay, what do you think of this: I watched #Marie Forleo this morning talking about writing copy. She said to write your title 20-30 times before publishing. Whew!

So I thought about the last post on this blog, "How Do We Change Our Beliefs?"And wondered, is that the best possible title?

Maybe I should have thought of more...some possibilities are...

Who's the Winner Here?
Beliefs
Changing Beliefs
What Makes You Think that?
Believe (Been done) Believe Again.
Believe in the Possibilities
Suddenly_________ (What?)
A Thump on the Head
I Don't Need A Water Purifier, but I Need This...
I Have a Problem.
Have You Ever Done This?
Oh oh, I need five more...
Help!

I know blogging is important, and everyone and their dog is doing it, so with all the noise floating around, how can we make our voices heard?

Let's begin with the title. How shall I title this post?


1. Ramblings
2. Titles
3.Writing Titles
4. Help
5. Blog Titles
6. Getting Heard
7. One Among the Crowd

I'm getting desperate.
8. Everyone and Their Dog is Blogging 
9.Writing Copy
10. One Among Many
Now I'm wondering, What do people want?
11. Writing Titles
12. Help with Titles
13. How-to Write a Title
14.Why Are Titles So Damn Important?
15.Why Do We Swear When We Are Frustrated?
16. How Do You Choose Title?
17. Do You Have a Secret Title Formula?
18. The Secret Title Formula
19. Write 20 Titles, Choose One
20. Are You A Good Title Writer?

How about a follow?
A comment?


 

"How Do We Change Our Beliefs?

Last Saturday as my youngest daughter and I were driving away from Chevy's Mexican Restaurant in Portland Oregon I asked, How do we change our beliefs?"

“I have a problem believing my book will sell, “ I continued, maneuvering the Prius onto an already full freeway. “We have a guardian at the door of our subconscious, and when we say something like, “I’m going to sell a million books,” the guardian throws it out.

“The voice in our head says, ‘What makes you think that? You’ve never sold many before.’

 “Every time we try to get past the guardian, he counters our request.

“You can’t do that. You don’t have a great following. Your platform sucks, people don’t need and don’t want another book. Besides people don’t read books anymore. And they have better things to do with their money.”

What an obnoxious guardian.

I know the first line of receiving is believing that it’s possible. But, we ask, “How do we believe in the face of conflicting evidence?”

.

Wise daughter countered: “Maybe you should treat the Guardian like a water purifying system salesman.

“’I don’t want a water purifier,’ you say.”

“Just let me show you this one.”

“I don’t need a purifying system. “

“’Oh, you’ll like this one, and I need the experience explaining it. It’s only take a minute.’”,

“I don’t have a minute.’”

“’Okay, half a minute.’”

“Don't take no for an answer,” she says.

“Wow, what a concept, that just might work.”

Beat the Guardian at his own game.

We started laughing and remembering another time at a Chevy’s restaurant. We were in Rancho Santa Fe, California.

Yes, I know much is accomplished with a glad heart, and not having a charge on a request makes it easy to receive. When we  really really really want something, the Guardian comes out dressed in full battle regalia.

That day in Rancho Santa Fe, having completed our meal, and with glad hearts, we sat looking out a restaurant window talking about manifesting. Daughter dear had been testing the concept of manifesting, that is putting out a request, meditating on it, then waiting for it to show up. She had asked to see a purple bear.

Within a day she saw a purple bear sticker on the bumper of a car.

“Chances are,” I said, (I sound like the Guardian here), “we couldn’t manifest a train here for there are no tracks.

Not a minute later, a big truck stopped for a traffic light and was sitting right outside our window. A huge tan tarp covered the back portion of the truck. The tarp was taunt, and neatly ratcheted.

 On the side of that tarp written in big capital letters was one word: “TRANE.”

That bowled us over, and it has given us a glad heart and a giggle every time we think of it.

Believe in Possibilities.

P.S. Regarding Salespeople:

The ones that attempt to sell you inferior merchandise, at an exorbitant price, something you don’t need and didn’t want are con-artists.

A  true salesperson will assist you in the purchase of something you do want, or maybe give you reasons why you ought to have it, and push you a little for as a buyer we can always put off a purchase.  “Tomorrow,” we say, and we leave without the very thing we were looking for. We lost, and so did the salesperson.

Think of it this way: You want a car, you need a car, and you are looking for a car. The salesperson wants you to buy from him—since he is in a competitive market, and relying on commissions to pay the bills.

You trust him or her. She is nice; she negotiates a good deal for you, so you buy.

A year later you are still driving your car, it’s in good condition, and you’ve had no trouble with it, but the salesperson, who depended on your commissions to pay the bills, has spent the money and has nothing from your deal to show for it—except still being alive.

Who’s the winner here?