TWITTER IS KIND OF COOL

Twitter is an interesting mini-blog phenomena that probably has too much commercial traffic but every once in awhile... If you have followed me for any length of time, you know that I really believe that books find me, not the other way around. It happened again yesterday, but on Twitter of all things.

Here's something else you have heard me say, if you are an aspiring author: the number one prerequisite to good writing is good reading. Yesterday , I had a nice direct message from a published author who decided to join the 1400 other wonderful souls who follow me on Twitter. For some reason and really, I cannot explain this, I decided to click on his website link and then took an additional step by looking at one of his books on Amazon. Now, the attraction comes because he has spent a considerable amount of time sailing solo in the South Pacific. This is a recurring dream of mine and even though I know nothing about sailing, I hold out hope in an alternate universe or my next life...or something.

Amazon gave me the opportunity to read the first chapter without committing and I was hooked. Dannie C. Hill has the soul of a poet and it shows in the lyrical quality of his writing. While his book, "In Search of a Soul" is an adventure set on the high seas, he compliments his reader's intelligence with a wonderful command and use of vocabulary aimed higher than the normal grade 8 literacy level. Yes, I know, followers will have heard me say repeatedly, if you are creating a non-fiction book, aim the language at about a grade 8 reading level. Here's the thing though, when you need some inspiration (which is always) read something or someone who has a grasp of real literature and allow your creative and inspiration quotient to rise with the experience. This is what will make your non-fiction effort float above the mediocrity that is so often found.

I rarely direct you to the work of someone else, but this time I need to, for two reasons:

1. Dannie's writing will not only take you on an incredible adventure with his story telling powers and wonderful language and cadence, it will inspire you to reach a little deeper to uncover and reveal your own creative spirit
2. Once you give into that creativity, your own writing will benefit from the ability to offer a connection to your own readers that will give them real value and set you up to write more.

Here's one more reason to start reading Dannie's work right away - sooner or later he will realize that he is not charging nearly enough for his efforts and his prices will rise dramatically.

Great read, great inspiration on many levels. Good authors really are a gift to the world. Become one yourself.

and, by the way, I have decided to forgo any affiliation fees on this - I'm just a fan Dannie.