Writers Unbound

I’ve been doing a lot of mental meandering lately. I just found out that I’m pregnant with our third child - which delights me - but as I’ve mentioned elsewhere, the initial finding out always makes me stop and think.

The 3 Rules

As far as writing goes, I realize that it’s easy to pile on ideas and methods and to lose the basic truths of both writing integrity and freelance success. I have three rules that are my basics:
1. Create.
2. Refill.
3. Offer.

How are those for some intangible verbs? Now, freelancers, go forth: create! refill! offer!
Blank faces look back at me. “Huh?”

Let me ’splain. No, is too much. Let me sum up.
1. Create = write a lot.
2. Refill = read, listen, experience, do, interact a lot.
3. Submit, apply, query, submit, apply, query, submit, apply, query, submit, apply, query. Repeat.

Rules and/or Methods?

The trick is how to get those three rules happening in your life on a consistent basis. They must be part of life, constantly. They can’t be quirks or sometimes-events or okay-if-I-have-time items. They have to happen like breathing and sleeping and eating happen. Without fail. As if your life depends on it, because as a freelance writer, your life does depend on your success at living those three little verbs.
The methods can change, and should change, with the flow of life, with personality, with seasons. The mistake we make as freelancers is to get so caught up in adhering to our methods that we don’t see when it fails to work for us. Hang on to the rules for dear life, but let your methods flex with the days. The one that works for you at this time might not work a year from now, or even a month from now.

A Quiet Revolution

I would like to see a quiet revolution in the world of writers. I would like to see an end to jokes like this one:
I’m not offended. I laugh, because I know the feeling. You do, too, probably. But why do we let that sort of hopeless, wasted, unproductive ritual become a way of life?
I’m not sure why, but I think much of our problems come from failing to recognize and adhere to the fundamentals of writing. I’m not talking about using terminal commas or proper hyphenation. I’m talking about the truth that

“…everything in life is writable about if you have the outgoing guts to do it, and the imagination to improvise. The worst enemy to creativity is self-doubt.” ~Sylvia Plath

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The basics are writing (creation), living, reading, doing, being (refilling yourself), and then offering what you have created, over and over and over and over again. It’s all part of the process. And it’s a good process.

Make it a good day.

Benjamin Franklin deserves the admiration of freelance writers everywhere. Get that picture of him flying the kite with the key during a storm out of your head. Yes, he did that, but that’s just one of many things.
Summary:

• Born Jan 17, 1706, the tenth son of Josiah and Abiah. Okay, so Ben can’t take much credit here, but let’s keep going.
• After a brief sojourn in school (which Ben loved), and a couple of years employed in his father’s business (soapmaking), Josiah apprenticed him to his older brother James, a printer. Ben loved to read but Josiah couldn’t afford to keep him in school (there wasn’t that much money in soapmaking). Ben also loved the sea and wanted to be a sailor, which his father did not think was a good idea.
• All “the little money that came into my hands was ever laid out in books,” says Ben. He liked Pilgrim’s Progress, R. Burton’s Historical Collections, Plutarch’s Lives, and De Foe’s Essay on Projects.
• Ben’s apprenticeship in the printing business gave him greater access to books; at first he was able to borrow from the booksellers, and then a frequent customer of James’ printing-house allowed Ben access to his library.
• The breadth of his reading thus expanded to include poetry, Ben decided to try writing his own. “They were wretched stuff,” he said, later, and his father discouraged the attempts, “So I escaped being a poet, most probably a very bad one.”
• Prose writing is different, something that “has been of great use to me in the course of my life, and was a principal means of my advancement.” (Someday we will all be saying that, as we sign book covers for the miles-long line at the major bookstore…).
• Three experiences helped Ben to develop his writing ability. He only had one year in school, remember? First, he began debating with a friend, via letters, on “the propriety of educating the female sex in learning.” (Ben took the side with the ladies, just so you know.) Ben’s father happened to find and read his letters, and gave him some constructive criticism, which caused Ben to grow “more attentive to the matter in writing, and determined to endeavor an improvement.” Next, Ben came across the third volume of the Spectator. He was entranced with the writing, which he thought excellent, and attempted rewriting it from memory, translating it into verse and then back into prose again, to learn the style and gain a broader vocabulary. Finally, he found an English grammar with an explanation of dispute in the Socratic method, and afterward bought Xenophon’s Memorable Things of Socrates. His style of argument changed dramatically from this influence: as he says, I “dropt my abrupt contradiction and positive argumentation, and put on the humble inquirer and doubter.”
• In 1723, having learned the trade, run the paper in his brother’s absence, and finding that his brother did not appreciate his skill, Ben ran away to Philadelphia. He found work as an apprentice printer, and within a few years had borrowed money and set himself up in the printing business. By 1730, he was married and running a print shop and book store.
• In 1729, he bought a newspaper, the Pennsylvania Gazette, which he both wrote for and printed. It became the most successful newspaper in the colonies.
• In 1733 he began writing and publishing Poor Richard’s Almanack.
• Ben launched and succeeded in many community causes, such as street lights, the first public library in America, The American Philosophical Society, the Pennsylvania Hospital, and Philadelphia’s first fire-fighting company. In all of these endeavors, he used his writing ability to introduce each idea, present the reasons for it, counter the arguments against it, and explain how it could be accomplished.
• His later life consisted of experiments and discoveries in electricity (this is the part with the kite), which made him famous, and great political involvement. He was a colonial representative in England until 1765, when he got in trouble for purposely leaking letters that revealed the Massachusetts governor’s plan to repeal English liberties for Americans.
• Ben came back to America and worked for independence as a member of the Second Continental Congress, one of the drafters of the Declaration of Independence, and ambassador to France. After America gained independence, Ben served as President of the Executive Council of Pennsylvania and delegate to the Constitutional Convention, and was a signer of the Constitution. His anti-slavery treatise of 1789 was one of his last works; he died in 1790.

Humble beginnings, persistence, steady learning, attention to quality, an entrepreneurial spirit, and a readiness to learn anything: sounds like the makings of a successful freelance writer.

Make it a good day.

Image Credit:FI.edu.

“We cannot know the consequences of suppressing a child’s spontaneity when he is just beginning to be active. We may even suffocate life itself. That humanity which is revealed in all its intellectual splendor during the sweet and tender age of childhood should be respected with a kind of religious veneration. It is like the sun which appears at dawn or a flower just beginning to bloom. Education cannot be effective unless it helps a child to open up himself to life.” - Maria Montessori

The concept has changed a bit over the years, but the foundation is the same: the teacher should be less a teacher and more an avid, eager, interested observer and the school should be structured so as to allow maximum freedom, creativity, and self-directed learning by the children.

This doesn’t seem so revolutionary to us now, but Maria Montessori was making these kind of proposals back when corporal punishment as a regular discipline at school was not the distant past. Children were expected to sit still on their hard wooden benches or desks, listen silently, memorize, and regurgitate. Teachers had to strive for control as much as for learning, a problem we haven’t yet eradicated. Montessori’s philosophy said, Hey, quit trying to be in control and set things up so that the children can teach themselves. You’re just there to help if needed.

Montessori’s first work was her post-graduate research into the intellectual development of mentally retarded children. From her success there, she began applying her materials-centered approach to average children, initially preschool-aged. She later developed her methods for elementary-aged children. One of her last books, From Childhood to Adolescence, applied the concepts to secondary and university studies.

Let’s look at the key concepts, simplified:

1. Respect for children as intelligent, unique individuals (little adults), capable of self-direction, leadership, independence, and community interaction.
2. Learning comes through active, hands-on investigation, experience, and research via concrete learning materials and high-quality literature and reference works.
3. Passive, text or workbook-based systems are not effective.
4. A sense of community is important to learning, and is built by creating multi-age groups (usually three age levels) that remain with the same teacher for three years.
5. It is not enough to memorize and repeat. All children (not just the “gifted”) can and should be challenged, held to high standards, and allowed to learn so that they really understand.
6. Natural studies and the outdoors are an important part of education.
7. All academic subjects are related, and it is important to emphasize these connections through the curriculum.
8. Mistakes are a natural part of the learning process.
9. Teaching children to interact kindly and peacefully helps them to develop into caring and respectful adults.
10. Children learn to play/work with one activity at a time and clean it up completely before moving on to the next.

For more information about the Montessori Method, visit The Montessori Foundation, The International Montessori Index, or The American Montessori Society.

Make it a good day.

Image Credit: amrufm.

So I’ve been laying low lately. Not purposefully, just kind of by default. It’s been one of those times of rethinking many decisions I’ve made and goals I’ve set. Am I going in the right direction? Am I making any progress as a writer? Am I choosing the right jobs? Sending in the right applications? Making the right contacts?

These kind of questions - the self-doubt that plagues not just writers, but all of us people at sometime - have been keeping me from the prolific writing production I dream of and keeping me stuck in the molasses-slow movement I hate.

Know the feeling? Too many ideas can be as paralyzing as no ideas at all. Writer’s block doesn’t just come from a lack of inspiration, but from an inundation of it. Still I can’t (and don’t want to) blame my lack of movement on anything other than myself. If I can take responsibility for the lack of progress, then I can make the changes I need to. I can move forward.

I want to make Writers Unbound a site that offers something different. The only problem is, I’m not yet sure what that is yet! There are so many great freelance writing sites out there offering job boards and helpful tips and articles and resources and links and databases and feedback and everything a freelance writer could need.

My question is simple: is anything missing in the online writing world? If so, what is it? What do we freelance writers need that isn’t yet being provided?

I’m open to ideas and suggestions; actually, I’m kind of desperate for ideas and suggestions. I’ll be coming up with my own, but if anyone has a comment on a black hole in the writing world, I’d like to know what it is so Writers Unbound can try to fill it.

Make it a good day!

13 Contest Ending Soon

1. June 2008 Scribophile Contest. Fiction: mystery, 2000 to 5000 wds, first chapter of mystery novel; First prize: $50 Amazon gift card; Deadline: June 30th.
2. The Shya Scanlon 7-line Contest. 7-line story, any genre; First prize: $1000 and publication; Entry fee: $10; Deadline: August 15th.
3. The Summer 2008 Short Story Warren Adler Contest. Humor: 1000 to 2500 words; First prize: $1000; Entry fee: $15; Deadline: August 15th.
4. The Writer’s Workshop of Asheville, NC, 19th Annual Poetry Contest. Poetry: 3 poems per entry; First prize: $300; Entry fee: $20; Deadline: June 30th.
5. The Writer’s Workshop of Asheville, NC, Hard Times Writing Contest. Memoir: up to 4000 words, overcoming hard times; First prize: $300; Entry fee: $20; Deadline: July 31st.
6. FenCon Short Story Contest. Fiction: science fiction or fantasy, up to 5000 words; First prize: $50; Entry fee: $10; Deadline: July 20th.
7. 2008 First Annual Benu Press Creative Non-Fiction Award. Non-fiction manuscript; First prize: Publication, 7% royalties; Deadline: July 25th.
8. Costa Rica Pages Travel Writing Competition. Non-fiction, 300 to 800 words, favorite vacation moment; First prize: Vacation to Costa Rica; Deadline: July 31st.
9. The TNPR Book Prize Series. Poetry: 45 - 80 pages; First prize: $1000 plus publication; Entry fee: $25; Deadline: August 31st.
10. The American Poet Prize for Poetry. Poetry: 3 poems, up to 10 pages; First Prize: $500 plus publication; Entry Fee: $16.00; Deadline: June 30th.
11. The KeyHole Chapbook Contest. Poetry chapbook, 18 - 36 pages; First prize: $250 and publication; Entry fee: $15; Deadline: July 30th.
12. The Finishing Line Press Prize in Poetry Open Chapbook Competition. Poetry chapbook: up to 26 pages; First prize: $1000 and publication: Entry fee: $15; Deadline: June 30th.
13. The Dream Quest One Poetry and Writing Contest. Poem, up to 30 lines OR Short story, any genre (including creative non-fiction) up to 5 pages; multiple entries accepted; First prize: $500; Entry Fee: $5 for poetry, $10 for short story; Deadline: July 31st.

Make it a good day.

This is my favorite definition of freelance, because of #4. It’s from WordNet.
Freelance: 1) working for yourself, 2) a writer or artist who sells services to different employers without a long-term contract with any of them, 3) work independently and on temporary contracts rather than for a long-term employer, 4) mercenary(a): used of soldiers hired by a foreign army.
Wikipedia elaborates on the origin of the word: “The term “freelance” was first coined by Sir Walter Scott (1771–1832) in his well-known historical romance Ivanhoe to describe a “medieval mercenary warrior” (or “free-lance”).”
I’m picturing myself on a large horse fitted for medieval battle, riding forward, wind in my face, lance…er… pen held high against the foe! Being a freelance writer is more adventurous than anyone realizes. Except for freelancers. We realize it, because we really do ride into battle every day. We don’t think of it that way. We don’t give ourselves enough credit for facing up to giants and coming out victorious. True, sometimes we retreat. Sometimes we come away from the encounter bleeding and bedraggled. Sometimes we roll over, bury our head under the pillow, and refuse the orders to march on.

There is a point to this analogy.

See that fierce medieval warrior up there? He is mounted on his horse, clothed in armor, and has his sword ready. He is equipped to be effective in battle. Then there’s this guy, the peasant.

He might be more comfortable, but he will die a lot sooner.

You get the point. Writing, and living, and surviving as a freelance writer is difficult and dangerous. Without preparation, proper weapons, and a good battle strategy, we’re not better off than a peasant with a pitchfork.

Next time: The proper weapons for a mercenary writer.

Image Credit:
Medieval Warrior from Mount and Blade.
Medieval Peasant from MaskWorld.

The writer’s work is discouraging. You sit and write for two or three hours and end up with a couple of pages to show, which you will then sit and edit for two or three hours until the pages are reduced to paragraphs. You complete the article, or essay, or chapter. You turn it in. You wait. You check your bank account.
The writer’s work is a long-term investment. You don’t see the pay-off right away. Your friends and peers question the wisdom of it. You defend it to silence the same questions in your own mind. Your resume seems juvenile for a long time.
The writer’s work is full of pitfalls. Too many adverbs. Show, don’t tell. Wrong topic. Not enough expertise. Crunchy transitions when you wanted smooth. Smooth dialogue when you wanted crunchy. A flat character, and she is the protagonist. And she is based on you. Now you feel flat. A stack of writing how-to, freelance how-to, fiction how-to, contest how-to books by your desk. You read an obscure, unpublished writer’s blog instead.
The writer’s work is isolating. Even the librarians are a little scared of you sometimes. Your laptop has a name and a personality. You’re thinking of making it a character in your next novel. You get a kind of hunted look when the phone rings. You crawl under the table if the doorbell rings. You repeat potential character names to yourself in the grocery store. Out loud.
The writer’s work is addicting. You’ve bought at least one ton of coffee in the last year to keep yourself awake, morning and night, so you can write more. You can’t help buying more paper, more pens, and you would buy more laptops if your credit limit were higher. You’re always jotting story ideas down on receipts, envelopes, your arm. Your child has a crisis at school, and on your way there you’re working the story into the plot line. Your husband says something funny and you jot it down for your next blog post. You consider dressing like Elvira for the PTA meeting just so you can write about it. You wish your childhood had been worse so you would have more material.
The writer’s work is never ending. You sway between exhilaration and exhaustion at the number of pages you must produce to produce your major works, win a few contests, and cap off with a few essay collections before you retire at 53, when you will move to Scotland and begin on your memoir. And maybe a writing how-to book.

I am having  hard time making some scheduling decisions this month. I have a client who could potentially take up all of March, which is fine, as the pay also meets my March income goals. However, it is most likely that that pay won’t come until April, leaving my March income very skimpy.

That’s difficult. Do I look for additional March projects in order to round out my March income, even though, in reality, this client should take most of my March time to meet the deadline? Or, do I go ahead and devote March to this client, meet the deadline easily, but not meet my March income goals.

It’s very likely going to be choice three: do both, therefore working myself into a jello heap, imposing on my family time and  burning myself out.

Good times.

Between NYC last week, and the weather, snow days and etc, I need a vacation! Who’s with me?

Writers and hopefuls, I’ve been deluged with freelance work and will be returning SOON. Meanwhile, please enjoy the muzak.