Writers Unbound

I go back and forth every day about the pros and cons of running my own business versus working for someone else’s bottom line.

Now, I do realize that this Work At Home freedom is very much sought after by many people, and I’d be mistaken to not appreciate it. But, at the same time, there are some things I miss about past jobs.

I read about one freelancer who went to work for only one company, which seems like a near-perfect balance. But, I do find myself avoiding jobs that are “full time” (even if they are telecommutes) because I think I like the “newness” of my varied projects. I tend to have a short attention span, and this feeds right into that.

So, I’m doing a pros and cons to help me get a grip on my recent feelings of burnout.

PROS:

• Freedom. All sorts of freedom
• Always beginning a new job, a new subject 
• Pursuing my writing dreams
• Working for my own bottom line, not someone else’s
• Setting my own hours
• Setting my own rates (to a point, not including magazines)
• Being able to work when inspiration hits
• Being more available to my family

CONS:

• Added responsibility
• Always being “on”
• No set vacation days
• No set end time
• Beating the pavement for jobs
• Getting stiffed!

I know the vast majority of writers out there are hobbyists. Do you all think I’m crazy and looking a gift horse in the mouth? And for those that work as writers full time or freelance full time— have you ever wavered? 

Sorry readers, we’re going to have to go with short n sweet today…

I have a sick cat that needs to go to the vet ASAP, an overdue project, a plumber coming out to possibly replace our water heater, and a potential client meeting this afternoon. How crazy is that? How much work do you think I’ll get done today? Who wants to see me cry?

What’s keeping you from writing? Just know that you are not alone!

Novelists, how many times have you hesitated in selecting the next word, the next turn of phrase? Don’t worry- this is a good thing!

Portions of my work in progress take place in Mexico, and although the English language has three times the vocabulary as the Spanish language, I’ve found that some of the character’s sentiments simply cannot be expressed in English. I’ve counted on the surrounding dialogue and context to clue in my non-Spanish speaking readers, and my reading group has been receptive so far.

A reading group is, of course, one of the best ways to deal with word selection. Having a trusted group of individuals to give feedback is tantamount. If you’re too shy or simply lacking in time, try out a virtual writing group! 

Another option when dealing with word selection is to read major works by famous authors for clues. This would be a very academic undertaking, but the results are worth the effort.

For example, I would recommend Henry James’ The Turn of the Screw for word selection hints. In this book, the main character (the Governess) is constantly concerned with her word selection when telling her ghostly tale. In fact, the story has been said to be a story about reading and interpretation of prose. Of course, this is an aspect of the novel I would have missed if I had not studied it (hard) years ago as an undergrad, so be sure to not only read the book, but also some critical essays on the book for hints like this.

Is word selection as important as characterization or plot in your novel? I think so. I strive for a whole package in what I write and what I read. What’s your opinion?

word selection, novels, fiction writing

In the interest of fairness to all my readers (yes, I am a freelancer, but yes I will try to diversify more!) I’d like to impart some advice to emerging/wannabe poets.

In college I read for a literary journal, and although I judged in Long Fiction, I often did backup for Poetry, so please keep in mind the following is based on solely that (with a smattering of backgroud from an undergrad degree in English).

1. Read the journal first. You’d never guess how many inappropriate, too edgy, too ….whatever….. submissions we received. I know it can get expensive, but I’d recommend reading more than one copy. Perhaps you could put a day aside to set up camp in the library, instead of purchasing your own copies.
2. Make the first poem the best. Although we were instructed to read all the submissions, it was difficult to give the 2nd, 3rd, 4th poems a fair read if the first one left a bad taste.
3. Let it sit. And then let it sit again. Get some distance from your poems. I have 3 or 4 pieces that I’ve been working on for months. They get filed away, and then I drown myself in “good” poetry before I reread them. After filling my head with decent poetry, I can then go back and read my own pieces, and more readily notice glaring differences. 
4. Follow the directions! I know, you see this specific piece of advice on every “How To Get Published” column, but seriously, it needs to be said.
5. Don’t.Stop.Submitting. Whatever you do, keep going. It’s ambition that’s going to get you published.

Best of luck!

poetry, getting published

I used to be a work-at-home-mom, meaning my children were in house with me as I tried to write. After I took my freelancing business to the next level, I realized it was imperative that I got some quiet time. So I sent my 4 year old to preschool three times per week, and as my older child is in 2nd grade, I eagerly anticipated my quiet writing/business time.

Well, the dog blew that.

The dog drives me nuts every day. Behaviors like chasing phantom squirrels, demanding treats, and attempting to mate with the cats have all forced me to incorporate some creative solutions to selfishly guard my writing time.

So, without further ado, obvious and not-so-obvious things you may need in your writing space.

The obvious:

• Calendar
• Scrap paper- Except you may want to save trees and jot down idea on your computer. There is a desktop notepaper widget for those who have Vista.
• Calculator- Mostly a need of freelancers, but I can see some use for other writers, too.
• MP3 player- Even my kids’ cheapo $40 MP3 player comes with a voice recorder that you can use for interviews! 
• Snacks and a big ol’ glass of water- The less you get out of your seat, the less likely you are to get off track.
• Phone/cell phone- See above.

And the not so obvious, for those with challenges like mine:

• Treadmill: I have a treadmill in my office as a matter of space issues, but I adore getting on it and thinking.
• Dog whistle: For the barking, whining menace at my feet.
• Cat treats: To throw across the room when the cats attempt to lay on my keyboard.
• Child gate: Keeps your office free of dogs, cats and toddlers.

Little by little I have managed to keep my butt-in-chair hours growing! 

writing challenges

My novel is …crazy. It really is. It has the first chapter. And of course, that first chapter is near perfection. Then it has this medium sized middle. The problem is, the middle is allll out of order. And then I just wrote the end!

Now, I’m sure you can tell by the general subject matter of WritersUnbound that I tend to know the freelancing side of things better. Sigh. ‘Tis true. I work for a regional publication, and I freelance mostly as a biz-tech writer. So, these things I know. However, how do you learn something more? By doing it, of course!

But that doesn’t mean that I don’t need some direction in the midst of this rough draft. Here are the sources I turn to when things get all crazy. Like this morning.

• How To Write Your Novel in 100 Days: Ok, don’t write it off because of the average title. This is not an average article, course or post. This is pure inspiration. Written from the POV of a Peace Corps worker reaching out to other Corps volunteers with a tale to tell, this is as simple as three paragraphs a day to read with one short TO DO. It really works. If you are really serious about writing your novel, you must at least read the story about Sinclair Lewis on the front page. 
• About.com Guide To Fiction Writing. Yes, I work at About.com, and yes, that’s how I found this page- but this is not a personal plug! This page and the writer have some excellent tips and ideas, in addition to a great forum.
• How To Write Your Novel and Still Have Time For Sex. Really, do I need to say more? You know you’re going to click on this!

Happy “novelling”!

novels, write your book, goals

Bear with me as I think out loud.

I recently made my 2008 Goals for my business, which can be viewed here.

I have every intention of following through on every last one of these goals. I am a very ambitious and goal-oriented person, and have no doubt that the majority of these will be crossed off by September (when I am tentatively scheduled to begin my Master’s in Professional Writing at MSU).

Upon looking at my goals, or if you don’t, either way, please note that I’ve diversified, instead of ‘niched.’ (Is that a word?) I include goals for all kinds of writing that I’m good at (and no goals for writing that I’m NOT good at!) This brings me into three or four different fields and types of freelancing.

I hear a lot about “diversifying” when it comes to retirement portfolios/stocks/etc, the theory being that if the bottom falls out of one market, you’re covered with another. Sort of like the “don’t put all your eggs in one basket” theory.

Honestly, I’m not sure I want to niche. This goes along with my thinking on getting out of freelancing- it would take a lot for one employer to have me all the time. A lot of this has to do with the fact that I am easily bored, I believe. I need a lot of challenges and a lot of stimulation to be happy. Working for one employer, unless it was absolutely my perfect dream job, would probably take a toll on me. Working in one lone field or niche would probably get to me eventually, too.

I am continuing to think on this subject, as I know the benefits of working a niche, too.

freelance, niche

This morning I watched a CNN report on barrel pricing hitting $100 a piece and thought how nice it was that I don’t have to drive to my cube job anymore! When I do have to drive somewhere, for example to client meetings, interviews, etc, I get to keep tabs of my mileage and deduct it from taxes. In the same vein, last night I spent over an hour of my Verizon minutes on a conference call….but I get to deduct it! Yet another bonus of freelancing!

This got me thinking about writer’s rates, and I wanted to pass on this useful resource that I found over at FreelanceSwitch. This rate calculator allows you to plug in your budget, the number of hours you work, the number of hours you can actually bill for, and comes back with your minimum hourly charge and your ideal hourly charge. Cha-ching! I found out that what I was billing was about right.

Here are some ways I’ve worked to set my rates. These methods have worked for me, but perhaps you have some additional suggestions for newbie freelancers out there?

• Since I used to work full time as an Editor, and also as a Marketing Writer, I knew I wanted to make at least what I made in the cube zone.

• However, one also needs to consider the fact that freelancers pay for their own health insurance, equipment and retirement (among other things). So you’d increase your hourly rate. 

• But, working from home also means that I save money. For one, my gas and auto use are reduced, as I mentioned above. If you’re a working parent, you may find childcare costs reduced, too. Office wardrobe is another consideration.

• Another tactic I used when considering my rates was the income goals I set. For example, let’s say I want to make $2000 a month. I am offered a project that I know will take a week. Since this project will take 1/4 of my available work time, in theory I should be able to charge 1/4 of my goal- or $500 for a one week project.

As you can see, setting your rate goals isn’t an exact science. I did a lot of this kind of figuring and flip flopping before I found my happy medium. You may have to put 6 months into freelancing before you find yours!

PS: I have heard some of the 451 blogs are having comment issues. If your comment gets eaten, I very much apologize!

freelance rates, rate calculators

Sometimes it’s easy to figure out what kind of story/poetry/essay will win a writing contest. It may be simply a matter of checking out past winners and generalizing their characteristics. One can then write a entry with a better chance of winning.

Seems that’s what a 6 year old from Garland, Texas and her mother did. The girl wrote an entry for a contest in which the prize was 4 tickets to a Hannah Montana concert. (For those without daughters under 14: Hannah Montana is the fictional alter ego of singer Miley Cyrus, the daughter of Billy Ray Cyrus, and is currently one of Disney’s #1 profit makers).

The little girl’s essay obviously had all it takes to win the prize: a sad story, angst, heartbreak, etc. Turns out, the essay was completely made up. False as false can be. The tale actually included the death of a fake father in Iraq! (Is the real father somewhere saying OUCH?)

The worst part is, the mom was the motivation behind the essay. She encouraged the child to do anything to win the tickets! Seems she didn’t follow the whole James Frey debacle, huh?

The sponsoring organization promptly took the prize away, and the mother has been roundly criticized in the media and blogosphere.

As a sidenote, I love the fact that there are writing contests for kids, and ones with prizes big enough for kids to want to hone their writing skills. I won several local writing contests as a kid myself, and it is definitely a grand encouragement. 

Lesson for writers: non fiction means non fiction.

Lesson for parents: Children learn by your actions, not your words.

Lesson for kids: Miley Cyrus/Hannah Montana tickets are better earned by completing old-fashioned yard work! If you want to write, make sure you’re doing it for the right reasons.

writing contest, hannah montana, miley cyrus, concert contests

WELCOME BACK and Happy New Year! I am well rested and ready to offer you the best blogging year I’ve got in me. Let’s get to work! Ok, I’ll admit that the “top 5 genres” is subjective, but whether you’re a freelancer, biz-tech writer, blogger, novelist, or poet I’ve got something for you today!

Freelancers: Now is the time to find out the editorial schedule of your targeted magazine for the following year! Editorial calendars basically tell you what topics the magazine has planned for the year. Many will also indicate the amount of lead time needed for each issue. You can then tailor your pitch to fit their needs. So, how exactly do you find the editorial calendar? 

The easiest way is to subscribe to a service such as CyberAlert or MediaCalendars. Designed and aimed at PR professionals, these subscription-based services offer a searchable database of thousands of publication’s editorial calendars. Of course, I said it’s the easiestway- it’s not necessarily the cheapest. For example, a subscription for CyberAlert costs $499.

Don’t want to invest $500? I don’t blame you. Another way to find editorial calendars is the old fashioned way- search their website. If you can’t find the info on the writers page, be sure to check the advertising page.

Biztech Writers: Tired of trolling the same old places for jobs? Yes, it sure is convenient, but how about creating your own list of weekly job board bookmarks to check? Advantages include:

• Job searching on your own schedule
• That whole “early bird gets the worm” adage means that your resume and email are in front of the hiring manager’s eyes before he is buried under an avalanche of queries.
• Keeping your bookmarks up to date means that you’ll build a series of multiple leads that are tailored to your preferred job boards. 

Ready to go? Start building your list by checking out my list of 20 Links to Find Your Next Job. (Full disclosure: this link is to my guide site at About.com.)

Continue building your list by bookmarking every job board you happen upon. Soon you’ll have a huge list (like me! 85 and counting!) 

Poets: Do I ever have a great resource for you! Check out this listing of over 25 poetry contests with deadlines coming up soon. (Hurry, some require submission as soon as January 15- how’s that for motivation?)

Novelists: I’d never wish writer’s block on anyone- the frustration level is outright horrific. However, if you suffer from this infliction, there’s a multitude of resources out there. Here’s one of my faves.

Bloggers: How do you get great blogging jobs? Have a great blog! Aren’t bloggers lucky in that we don’t have the chicken and the egg issue that freelancers have? (How do I get clips, no one will hire me without clips!) Just about any literate individual with an internet connection can start a blog.

Now, that doesn’t mean it will be great, or that it will get traffic. Luckily, I can help you with one of those. Submitting your blog to directories is one way to increase the flow. Here’s a couple to try out:

• RSSFeedSubmission.com keeps a huge list of directories.
• Search Engine Watch offers these step by step tips on blog submission.
• Give Best Web Directories a try.

Thanks for reading!

writing tips, writing resources, freelance, poets, poetry, blogs, novels, business writer