Writers Unbound

Do you get writer’s burn out? I guess I get mini-burnout- it’s usually solved by a short weekend. But I’ve read some tales of big time writer’s burn out, and I never want to go there. Here’s a round up of some ideas I found when researching writer’s burn out.

Errant Dreams has a particularly long list, including taking the requisite vacation, journaling and reading. I especially agree with the reading part- that always inspires me!

One of Mar Com Writer’s suggestions particularly hit me: Write in a different genre. I can see that. I recently switched my blogging jobs all to one day. By the end of that day I am so so tired of blogging!

The Urban Muse suggests a hard time to turn off the computer. (Wow, that sounds like a fantasty to me as I drip my week’s posts at 7 o’clock on a Sunday~~!) 

I am open to YOUR suggestions on burnout, although we do have a “comment eating monster” we’re working on here at 451. So, please, feel free to email me gwpublications at gmail dot com and I’ll take care of your comment myself!

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!

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

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

Good morning readers and writers. My goal today is to get a whole lotta stuff cleaned up and done so I can enjoy Christmas with my 7 year old tomboy and my 4 year old cuddlebug. So that I can move along in that direction, I am bestowing upon you the below page o’ resources, gathered from the past year of my freelance biz.

• Itty Biz always has great info for…well..itty bitty businesses (freelancers take note). Plus they have a pic of a super cute baby in their About Us section, so how can you go wrong?

• Here’s one for the novelists out there: Query Tracker. Members join (free) and use the agent listings. But, it doesn’t stop there. Once you query, you use the system to track your results (yes, no, maybe, etc). Each agent is then analyzed based on the feedback given to Query Tracker members. For example, one agent I looked at had an 83% “no” rate, a 6% acceptance rate and a 4% “maybe” rate. Sure, the data isn’t “scientific” per se, but it’s still another tool for your GET PUBLISHED arsenal.

• I <heart> SiteMeter. For newbies out there, SiteMeter is a service that you place on your blog or website via an HTML code, and it tells you how many people visited your site in a week, where they came from and how many pages they viewed. I am an anti-tech geek (which I am working on), but I promise you: SiteMeter is very easy to use.

• Are you a freelancer? Copywriter? Translator? Wondering if you should form a sole proprietorship, or an LLC? My New Company has tons of free info. 

• Want to turn that resume/list of clips into a more polished document? Why not convert it into PDF? Oh, did I mention…it’s free?

• Last, but certainly not least, if you’re looking for a little fun reading during the holidays, be sure to read Screw You! It’s kinda funny.

That’s it for today you all. Hope I’ve given you at least one new bookmark or tool!

Now, to see what kind of gems are under the tree before my husband gets home….

writers resources

I hate the stereotype of the frustrated newbie author: book sitting half finished on the computer while he slaves away at writing that pays the bills (or the cube farm job that pays the bills, or raising the children while the other parent pays the bills…you get the idea). I think I hate the stereotype because sometimes it’s me…well, except I’m a female.

I have written my book in fits and starts. The chapters are all out of order and discombobulated. The majority of it was written longhand in the mountains of Mexico, or on the plane on the way home, because 1) I was inspired and 2) I was on vacation.

But as soon as I got home, the book sat. And sat. And still it sits.

I’m not even particularly worried about selling or publishing my book. I will be happy just to get the damn thing out of my head (and off my hard drive, and out of my notebooks, and off the ‘memo’ screen of my Blackberry…you see where this is going?)

I am going to finish this book in 2008, dammit. If you’re in this boat with me, here’s some resources and inspiration:

• Walter Mosley (whom I looove) on NPR.
• Advice from Peace Corps Writers (two of my favorite people: peace corps workers and writers combined into one!)
• Do you get the Worldwide Freelance Writer newsletter? They had this link about a young girl who has already written two published books. (I would just like to point out that this girl doesn’t have a job or children to support….I’m KIDDING! )

As always, I wish us all success!

novel, walter mosley, author

With the introduction of the Amazon Kindle, everyone’s talking about e-reading.

After handling a good friend’s new Kindle and then bugging the CompUSA guy about the Sony Reader, I’m leaning toward the second generation Sony Reader.

My reasoning is a tad bit less “techie” than most reviews about this online, but comes almost exclusively from the perspective of an avid reader. Here goes:

The Sony is significantly less bulky and easier to carry than the Kindle. A lot of this comes from the fact that the Kindle has a keyboard that is (IMHO) pretty darned useless (keeping in mind that I played with it for only a couple minutes).

I feel that the screens are pretty much on the same level. My understanding is that the Kindle has a bit more options as far as font and size, but I was quite happy with the default settings of the Sony.

The Sony has speakers, so you can use it while driving (seems dangerous to drive around with headphones on!).

As far as convenience goes, I would like to point out that I’ve ran into the Sony at multiple stores, including the local grocery-store-with-an-electronics-section. My understanding as far as the Amazon goes is that you have to get it online. However, I did notice 2 day shipping was free.

Lastly, the Kindle costs 1$100 more than the Sony.

My money’s on the Sony, and the Sony is on my Christmas list

Happy e-reading to you. Be sure to download some of these classic books!

kindle, sony

Thank you kindly to those who followed our markets series that wrapped up yesterday. 

Moving on, I am currently reviewing “The Anti 9-5″ for my freelance writing site at About.com. It’s about leaving behind the cubicle farm for the “freedom” of freelancing.” Haha. While I adore the book, I do have a shot of reality I’d like to share!

For all those considering freelancing as a career, hoping for some of that “freedom,” I’ve decided to share with you a rundown of a day in the life of a full time freelancer:

• 7:30 Up and out the door. Since we’re down to one car for the next couple days, I have become the official chauffeur. Drop off child #1, drop off husband, drop off child #2.
• 9:00 Stop at Office Max and pick up ink for the printer that decided to suddenly die with no warning at 11:30 last night.
• 9:30 Back home. Let dog out, feed cats, print grad school applications and etc to get into the mail by 10a. Yeah, um, the deadline is Friday.
• 10 Time to “start work,” although I’m not sure what that means I’ve been doing since 7:30.
• 10 to 12 Work on editorial management of regional magazine. I have a meeting today at 4:30 with the magazine’s publisher. I showed up at the last meeting with not enough done, and the guy’s flying to Guatemala for a month on Thursday! Needless to say, he’s a bit antsy about the issue’s MLK print date.

So, this two hours of work consists of: managing his magazine, managing my email and other projects who are poking me for attention, researching for a subject interview for this afternoon, and researching for a client call also coming up this afternoon. In addition, I haven’t done any subject interview for over a year, so I have to cough up my recording equipment and digital camera.

• 12:30 Shower and prep for the interview
• 1:40 Leave
• 2:00 Realize I forgot my laptop, which I need for my 4:30 meeting with my publisher. Crap.
• 2:10 Arrive at interview. Early. Hoping he will be ready. Early.
• 2:40 Subject arrives…late.
• 3:10 I should leave the interview right now. We arranged a half hour, which should be enough for a half a page with the research already done and a stock bio covering the first paragraph.
• 3:15 Ok, I really should leave now.
• 3:30 Finally leave. Call my daughter’s school and let them know I am on my way to pick her up.
• 3:45 Pick kid up, 15 minutes late.
• 3:50 Coach kid not to make a peep during 4 pm phone interview.
• 4:00 Potential client calls. Did I mention I’m still in the car?
• 4:10 Arrive home, gather laptop, get back in car to head to next appointment. Yup, still on the phone interview with client.
• 4:30 Pick up hubby. Still on the phone interview. Yes, we still only have one car. But at least now he can drive while I talk.
• 4:34 Phone interview over.
• 4:35 Dropped off at meeting with publisher at local internet cafe.
• 5:15 Publisher has family emergency. Is called away. I eat dinner alone while waiting for my family to pick me up. They are finishing up their dinner down the street.
•  5:30-8 Family time.
• 8: Children to bed, back to work.
• 9: Conference call with About.com’s fellow channel guides.
• 10-11: Back to work (typing this post, among other things.)

A time breakdown:

1. 4 hours family time
2.  7.5 hours work time
3. 3 hours ”other”- shower, travel time, pets

;-} So that’s my life…not that I’m complaining! Hope I’ve infused some reality into your view. Best of luck!