NEW YEAR REFLECTION (10): Celebrate Your Victory!

After long and hard work to pursue our goal or reach one step of our goals at the time, we deserve to celebrate it. Celebration doesn't mean we have to spend a lot of money for foods, drinks, etc but even with a small tea party with our team/friends/family is a great way to celebrate. We celebrate it because we respect our hard work we have done and as a reflection of grateful feeling we give to ourselves, to our team/friends/family who have worked together or supported us, especially if we believe that every step we reach, it's because of God's help.

Today I celebrate ONE YEAR of ENTHUSIASM!!! One year journey of Enthusiasm!!! No special food, no special wine and no special guest I invite. But this post is as a SPECIAL CELEBRATION of it so I might write little bit longer than I used to.

(Thank you to Jawaban.com for designing this wonderful picture)
Today I feel grateful because I believe everything might happen because of God's purpose that I still don't know what exactly of the end. But since I looked back again when the first time I had desire to write this novel till publication and marketing process, I had seen and felt God's companion. Although Enthusiasm isn't a best seller of self-published book but as a winning book is a marvelous! A marvelous book doesn't have to be a best seller but more than that, it will show how a book itself has a power to influence its readers. That is the most important, then to be a best seller will be a great bonus to increase more its value and esteem!

In this special day, I would like to thank everybody/every reader who has given great interest to read ENTHUSIASM!!! Enthusiasm has been so wonderful and influenced positively almost its readers. I have gotten so many praises from them that Enthusiasm has opened their mind, given inspiration and motivation to reach more their dreams. Since then, I think I knew why HE wanted me to write this novel, even when I got pro and contra from some reviewers who said this book is kind of a memoir book or something like that. They are right, but I reserve it in the novel style and follow the novel writing rules. Whatever they mention, I still call Enthusiasm is as a novel (non fiction literary--I pick these words myself so please, don't judge me, he he . . .) and that was why Enthusiasm deserves a winning book in category of Novel although we know the definition of a Novel is a fiction literary but I'm its author, I could write its style whatever I wanted to. Well . . . so I used to mention a special genre of this book is as an Inspirational Novel (because it has inspired many readers, he he . . .). Am I wrong? Well, if I'm wrong, then you may mention it as an Inspirational Book (ha ha ha!!!)

Although it has aged one year already, Enthusiasm still has long journey. I'm excited waiting for publication in Indonesia. How Indonesia readers will respond it, what kind of marketing the publisher will use, how many books will be sold, etc, etc. Whatever they will be, I hope the publisher will do the best as they can. I'm here and would be ready for any interview if possibly taken, by radio, television, talk show, seminar using long distance online communication tool. If you are from an art or a writing organization/foundation/forum, etc, and would be interested to host an event, be free to contact me at anytime you want or contact my publisher (it will be announced when it's published).

(Note for 2 pictures above: Enthusiasm attended in a School Reunion event and was given to school library, SMPN 7 Surabaya, Indonesia, a Junior High school I went)

Other things that aren't less interesting are the reviews I got during post publication (after Feb 24, 2010). Although it has been published, Enthusiasm still got many great reviews from writing workshop members. I'll copy and paste some of them as the expression of its ONE YEAR celebration!!! (and of course I don't write them all completely because they are long-long reviews)

July 3, Preface: perfect! . . . This is a wonderful story and I will enjoy reading it and be honored if you would like my review. (Preface and Chapter 1)

July 7, Again - this is a very nice story and I'm enjoying the positive energy about the family . . . Also you are excellent at creating dialogue. Something I very much envy. (Chapter 2)

July 22, This is so enjoyable to read! I love how you write with so much dialogue. It feels very real. I have difficulty using dialogue in my writing, so reading yours is very helpful! (Chapter 3)

July 24, I'm back for more . . . enjoying your story very much. I have to say, this content is great, but last chapter's writing seemed better/easier to understand. I hope you are ok with this comment. The story itself is very enjoyable! Keep up your good work! (Chapter 4)

August 17, The structure of the paragraphs and descriptions is very good! Easier to follow for me . . . Love Van Morrison too! (Chapter 5)

January 7, Good work! I enjoyed this short story of non-fiction (in which I don't read much of). I thought that your character (Ibu?) was quite cute and very realistic. Are you really that way? Anyway the characters were good, and the story was well detailed. Of course this was only one chapter of seven that I got to read, but I think that you deserved the five stars for it being "well crafted". (Chapter 7)

And several days ago I got a message from a reader in Indonesia who won my book in a writing contest hosted by KabarIndonesia.com. When she had been enjoying reading my book, and then had to go to other city for other business for several weeks, she forgot to bring my book that was on her bed so she asked other family member to send it via mail. I think this is a cute real story and more than that I appreciate for any interest she has given. Thank you, Nina!!! (*)

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NEW YEAR REFLECTION (9): Enhance Your Knowledge

My little daughter told me she wanted to be a song writer, an art and music teacher. I responded her that she had to be able to play at least an instrument. Since that time she played keyboard more frequently than before and planned to take special music class when she is in the 3rd grade at her school.

What do you want to be in the next several years? Whatever you want to be, enhancing your knowledge is a must but sometimes you don't need to spend a lot of money for that. For an example: if you would like to improve your writing project, you might be interested to join in the writing community instead of a writing class that will take you more time and cost. In the writing community used to take lower cost and you will get many reviews for your writing project.

Well, talking about improving your skill in the writing field, I have an information that might be useful for Indonesians. PMOH (Pelatihan Menulis Online HOKI), an online writing course still open registration until February 19, 2011 at 12 midnight (Western Indonesia Standard Time). PMOH in this third year has opened two classes: General Class (15 weeks) and Fiction Class (6 weeks).

Since two last years, PMOH has graduated the students from General Class. They are from Senior High School student, college students, translator, teacher, housewives, government employee, private employees, entrepreneurs, editor, photographer, etc as you see the slideshow below (several of them are PMOH mentors).

For more information about PMOH, visit this link or you can send your questions via email to redaksi@kabarindonesia.com with the subject name: PMOH.

You also may forward this information to your Indonesian friends and family who have interest in improving their writing skill wherever they live.

Thank you for reading and forward this message. Have a great day, everyone!

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NEW YEAR REFLECTION (8): Take A Break

I have been so busy since I decided to write my book, Enthusiasm, two years ago, and last June 2010 finally an Indonesian publisher was interested to published it for 2011 publication. I pleased them with a condition I would love to translate it in Indonesian by myself. They were OK for that. After we made a contract, I started to work in the middle of July and finished in January 31, 2011. At the same time in the end of 2010, I also had to prepare for the third year for online writing course that will start soon in the end of this month.

Those activities took lots of works, attention and commitment besides my own routin activities to work and take care of my family and house. I worked hard to make those happen, my book and online writing course. Those are TWO of my FOUR GOALS in my list this year I have to fulfill. Thanks God, I have done 100% of my first project and now I still need to finish around 10% left of my progress before two classes (General class and Fiction class) start.

What will I do after that? I have been planning to take several weeks of break before I start the third project. I will read several e-books and books and other resources that will make my mind relax and enhance my knowledge in writing and english. But actually I had taken many times of a small break during the time of doing my projects. I used to play, watch, dance and read together with my little daughter, going to Girl Scouts meeting, accompanying my little daughter to sell GS cookies, going to church, cook some foods and make a cake to celebrate birthday of any family members, etc. And today is my birthday, and yesterday I celebrated of five years of my blogging activity, and next two weeks I would celebrate of one year of "Enthusiasm". Three celebrations in a month. What a great month! So today I try to relax my mind and had enjoyed my special morning.

In this my special day, I would like to thank my family and friends who have wished me "Happy Birthday". I've received birthday cards, an e-card, birthday wishes messages from FB and SMS. Thank you so much and please, accept a vitual white rose as my appreciation to say "Thank you."

Talking about taking a break, there are many ways of it including working less hours each day, not working at weekends, having a morning off work, attending some training or a seminar, taking a holiday, making time for your interests and pastimes, exercising, having a weekend away, reading a good book, going for a walk, doing some voluntary work and spending time with your friends and family.

What benefits will we get by taking a break? According to this writer, Liz Makin, she explaines some benefits:
1. Recharge your batteries. Taking a break will help you to rest, relax, recharge your batteries and feel refreshed. This will enable you to come back to your business raring to go and re-energised;
2. Time to think. Spending time away from your business doing something completely different will give your mind the space to be creative. Often the best ideas for your business occur when you are away from your business and have the time to think;
3. Rejuvenate your passion. When you are working too much, you can lose your passion for the business because you forget what is important to you. Taking a break will enable you to refocus on why you are running your business and to rejuvenate your passion;
4. Increase productivity and effectiveness. Taking regular breaks from work will increase your productivity and effectiveness when you are working; You will find that you manage your time better and make better use of your time in your business;
5. Reduce stress levels. Spending all your time at work is very stressful so reducing your hours at work and doing something different will help with your stress management and enable you to better cope with stressful situations;
6. Better health and well being. Getting balance in your life by working less and taking regular breaks will help improve your general health and well being;
7. Improve communication. When you are working too much, your communication with others can suffer and you may upset your team, staff, customers and contacts. Working less will enable you to focus on good communication in your business;
8. Increase resilience and ability to cope. It is very easy to get things out of perspective when you are working too much. Building in regular breaks from your business will improve your resilience and ability to cope when you are at work;
9. Improve decision making. When you are working long hours and are tired your decision making can suffer. Taking breaks to make sure you are refreshed and not tired will improve your decision making ability;
10. Consider your business strategy. Having some time away from your business enables you to step back and have a fresh look at your business strategy and what you want to achieve for your business. (*)

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