: About Me

Thanks for stopping by my Helium site!

I've enjoyed writing since I was a kid; my diaries go all the way back to 2nd grade. As an adult, I've taken creative writing and journaling classes, and I've joined writing groups to keep me motivated. I've been published in 4 Chicken Soup for the Soul titles: Teens Talk Getting in to College, Teens Talk Middle School, College Chronicles, and Thanks, Dad. I also have an essay in the anthology, My First Year in the Classroom. Email me or visit my blog (http://tinahaapala.blogspot.com) for more information about any of my work.

Besides the blog about MY writing, I also have a blog about YOURS, that is, if you're one of those writers who constantly finds themselves avoiding their writing for one reason or another. ExcuseEditor.com cuts out the excuses and pastes together inspiration to keep you writing. Hope you visit!(http://www.excuseeditor.com)

Like many writers, books are my passion. I take part in a book discussion group that leads me to go outside of my comfort zone at times, usually with inspiring results.

I try to stay healthy, too. I'm a frequent gym visitor, especially for classes like Yoga and Zumba. You can also find me shimmying in belly dance classes and workshops. I'm not a health nut, but I am concerned with finding the appropriate balance in life, and food and exercise are a big part of that.

I have a B.S. in Human Communication, so the interactions between people are interesting to me. Communication takes many forms- essay, story, film, play, poetry, talking over coffee, instant messaging...just to name a few. All of these fascinate me, because they are the only ways we have to share experiences, to try and let others know how we feel.

I have worked in inventory management, sales and marketing, customer service, substitute teaching and hospitality. In addition to writing, I currently work as a marketing specialist and help other writers with their marketing efforts.

Enjoy your Helium visit-hope it raises your awareness and lifts your spirit!

Arts & Humanities > Marketing & Selling Writing How to have a successful agent meeting at your next writer's conference

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 5 Hints for Agent Meeting Survival Writing, as much as we love the creative part of it, becomes a business when we decide to become published authors. This becomes very clear when attending a writer's conference. The agent (or editor, or publisher) meeting is one of the staples of these conferences. If you decide to become a salesperson for your writing work (which is a necessity) by attending one of these meetings, here are a few things to keep in mind. Don't Let Your Elevator Speech Get Stuck Between Floors  You have 10-15 minutes to pitch your work. This is not the time to be...

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