Writers Unbound

Choose the unexpected: doors mat open

Any writers aboard? Look I could use your insight and tips too. I always marvel at hose who can create a busy productive creative career, and the vast majority who postpone (perhaps for good reason) their productivity. I hope I become the writer who continues to find new projects until I leave this planet. Afterall, I have postponed so much thus far.

If you are in the larger group, begin listing all that you have written. There may have been that poem, or the term paper, or notes for many church meetings. Memos at work? Love letters? Recogize tat you do and can write.

Now choose 4 topics that you’d love to write about. Perhaps a genre? I remember a woman who loved romance novels. That’s where she turned her focus. In a couple of years she published her book.

A friend of mine is a massage therapist. She has written 2 ebooks, and is grappling with the challenges in internet marketing.

Got your topic? Make a list of all the places that may be interested in the subject? Ebooks, magazine articles, corporations, publshing houses, newspaper columns, guides…make the list as long as you can.

Then give yourself several assignments and a due date. While you are writing the novel, how many related articles could you write? Who is your audience? Could you write guides for them? Could you write a related children’s story?

You are ready to get to work. If you wrote 10 ads for people who sell garden tools, or have public gardens, or love history and tales about a flower, and you earned $300, then you might be able to afford the trip to ____to do more research or get the computer upgraded.

Practise helps you prepare for your greatness. Got a hobby? Write.

Please write me.

“If you have a story, just write it…” Nia…

The great screen may become tiny, ie the TV show from local to national. Let yourself explore the world and harvest the ideas that you encounter. I heard the number it takes 120 pages for the average screenplay, so start writing. Your words are the prescription for success and directions for the actors. Perhaps, they are calling your name. Write.

the field told me so...photo by Mary MacIntyre

If you have the talent, can write, and the imagination: then pursue the dream. Look at all the films being produced: they each have screenwriters. Hard working people whom never relented, and somehow reached their iniatial goal. Some have repeated their success often.

Consider this... photo by Mary MacIntyre

When one writes from his or her heart, the first results may escape technical perspectives. Yep, that sentence could use improvement. I had a talk with a teen this afternoon about her writing. She has a passion for her work and described herself as extremely particular about what and how she says it.

Come explore what is in you.

1. From Writing-World.com, a step-by-step guide to launching your writing career. This is a great collection of articles covering all the basic topics, from the basics of getting started to setting goals to gleaning ideas to finding markets. A worthwhile couple of hours for anyone launching a freelance writing career.
2. From WritersWrite.com, a collection of self-publishing how-to articles and interviews. Specific topics: Choosing an Epublisher, How to Distribute Your Self-Published Book Offline, and How Three Publishing Myths Kill the Author.
3. From Small Business Guru, a free 26-page report: 10 Mistakes Small Business Owners Make. If you are working even part-time as a freelance writer, that makes you a small business owner. Maybe you don’t have employees or inventory, but you still have to make all the decisions about tax structures, marketing, and working with clients. You have to register to get the report.

From Nick Daws’ Writing World, a free downloadable report in .pdf: 30 Writing Tips for eBook Authors. The author is Jimmy D. Brown, and Daws has reproduction rights for the ebook and is offering it as a free download at his site. You don’t have to register for this one.

4. From EnhanceMyWriting.com, a guide to writing reference sites and internet reference resources.
5. From WorkingWriterHappyWriter, a free report: Top 5 Tactics to Boost Your Writing Business. You have to register and then you receive an email with the link to download the report (when you follow the link, click on the tiny text at the top of the page, not the very distracting advertisement that you will immediately see). It’s a good read and worth wading a bit to get to it.
6. From FreelanceWriting.com, a whole list of free e-books for writers, with titles including Creative Freelancing, The Active Author’s Guide to Copyright Basics, and The Lousy Writer’s Guide to Writing Persuasively. Just click to download.
7. From FreeBookMiners.com, 8 ebooks about writing and speaking, and lots more that cover online marketing. The online marketing list contains several, er, less than stellar options. (They sound kind of scammy.) There are several that look worthwhile, however, especially if you’re interested in writing for article databases or e-zines.
8. From New York literary agent Noah Lukeman, an ebook every writer should read: How to Write a Great Query Letter.. Love them or hate them, you have to write them. Do it well and you’ll have to write fewer of them.
9. From Write4Kids.com, several articles and 3 free e-books on writing for children and getting a children’s book published.
10. From Writers-Free-Reference.com, a nicely categorized list of internet resources. I can see this site being very helpful when you just need a little bit of information to finish up an article.
11. From CopyWritingSecrets.com, a free report: 3 Powerful Secrets of Online Copy. Even if you are not a copywriter, the ideas can translate into how you market yourself as a writer to gain new clients and expand your business.

From EducationPortal, a list of free writing courses avaialable online. Everything from Writing and Reading Short Stories to Technology for Professional Writers to Proofreading Your Writing to Introduction to Web Writing. Push to finish your work a bit early so you can do a little learning on the side and keep yourself growing as a writer.

About one month ago I submitted an application to a blog network, which for now shall remain unnamed. I like this blog network. I wanted to write for them. The application form on their site was quick and easy and I knew I filled it out completely. A week went by and I heard nothing. This is not unusual. Another week went by. I stopped by the site to see if the blog I was applying for had been filled. Nothing. There it sat, empty. So I sent the following email to the appropriate network person:

Dear Mr. ———-:

I am sad to see that ——— still languishes; sadder still because I did, indeed, submit an application weeks ago and here I am, helpless, useless, impotent while ——— sinks lower and lower without me. I cannot write the saliva-inducing posts that ——– deserves until you approve my application and hire me, Dear Mr. ———-!

You are, most likely, inundated by requests and 100-item to do lists. I hate to add to the burden, but I do so with your (and ——–’s) interests in mind. Sincerely. Should I resubmit an application? Or would it be easier for you to simply view my resume, my writing samples, my blog here, or here, or here? (Or you could simply scroll down to see the sample post I’ve included. With photos.)

Thank you. Please don’t leave ———- lonely without me.

–
Annie Mueller

A bit melodramatic, but the very next day I received this reply:

Hi Annie,

Thanks for your interest, and please do know that persistence pays off! Your application was one of several I set aside and after reviewing your details again we would like to take the next step with you. First off though, have a look at our contract and let me know if everything is agreeable.

Thanks…

The moral of the story? Well, there are two.
First, follow the directions given in the application process.
Second, follow up. Did you hear that?

Follow up.

That little email took me about two minutes to write, and it served me well. It set me apart from the several applications that had been set aside. It made me stand out, and it may well have gotten me the job.

So be polite, but don’t be shy. Wait a reasonable length of time (and be especially sure to check for any caveats on the application site that stipulate “six to eight weeks before responding to applications”). Then ask. Send a friendly email. Be polite and be brief, and let them know that you want the job. You might get it that way.

Make it a good day.

Image Credit: RetroGraphix.

The simplest definition of veganism comes from the American Vegan Society: “VEGANS (pronounced VEE-guns) live on products of the plant kingdom.”
Vegans do not eat food that is animal-based, whether it costs the animal its life (meat) or not (milk, eggs, cheese, honey). They also do not use non-food animal products, such as leather and wool, and avoid products which contain oils, secretions, or other animal derivatives.

That’s the simplest definition of true vegan; if you want a something a little more complicated, we can talk about fruitarianism and raw food diets, which can be subdivisions of veganism.

Veganism began in 1944. Elsie Shrigley and Donald Watson founded the UK Vegan Society as an alternative to the dairy-inclusive vegetarianism which frustrated them. The basic philosophy of veganism is 1) reverence for life, 2) recognition of the rights of all living creatures, and 3) refusal to exploit any form of life.

Vegan Writing Markets

• Conscious Choice Magazine: an “enlightened” urban lifestyle magazine focusing on social, green, health, food and spiritual consciousness.
• The American Vegan Society: could be worth a query or proposal for website writing, pamphlets, information, flyers, or other relevant content.
• VegNews Magazine: no pay for accepted submissions, but could be a good clip for your portfolio.
• Herbivore Magazine: appears to be an online only publication, and I couldn’t find any submission info, but I’m betting if you use the contact link and email the editor you’ll get a clear response. It’s a fun read, anyway.

Further Reading:

• VegFamily.
• VeggieLife.
• Vegan Action.
• GoVeg.
• VegWeb.

Make it a good day.

Your current, actual work style is how you work right now, not your ideal work style. You already have a work style established, but most likely it could be improved in several areas. If you can become aware of your tendencies, preferences, and habits, and how they affect your productivity and the quality of your output, then you can improve them and create a better style that fits your personality, your life, and your work demands. If your current “style” is to procrastinate through the day, work late into the night, and barely make the deadline, that might not be the best style for you (or for anyone). Finding a right fit also means incorporating some self-discipline into your life.

Several months ago, I got on a simplicity kick. I read books about simplifying life, streamlining, downscaling, and downsizing. I browsed the blogs and the websites, got the emails and the newsletters, and made lists and notes of what I needed to change to start living this simple lifestyle. I found out that what many people think of as the ideal simple life is not my ideal life. I like many of the tenets of the simplicity movement. I like being frugal, and content, and thinking about my choices. I am a big fan of eliminating pointless obligations.

But I’m not such a big fan of other parts of the movement. I don’t want to get a smaller house (we’re already a family of four in 1000 square feet) or move to the country or make my own cheese. I like working. I want to keep working. I don’t want a 4-hour workweek. I would get bored. I want to be part of what is happening. The full-on simplicity model is not for me; what drew me to it was the idea of what it could produce: a calm, contented, organized, fulfilling life. For me, however, that end comes from incorporating some of the “simplicity” tenets with some ideals of my own making. I find that I am calm, contented, and fulfilled when I have a lot to do, I know what it is, and I’m excited about it. I’m still working on the organized part…

The same concept applies to your work style. The number of productivity principles and books and programs and courses, which all promise
to take you to a place of high-quality, high-quantity output that will result in a calm, contented, organized, and fulfilling life. Lately I’ve been reading two of David Allen’s books, the original Getting Things Done and his recent Ready for Anything. I’m enjoying both. The concepts are clear and common sense. (So common sense, in fact, that sometimes I wonder why they need so much explanation.) However, some of the concepts of Allen’s model of productivity don’t work for me. I like having all my “to do” items on one Master list, rather than broken up into multiple category lists. I need to see the whole picture. That’s me.

The idea here is that every system, or method, will have some principles that work for you and some that don’t. You can force them all to fit into your life, but a better idea is to use some discernment to find which really match your framework and which don’t offer any real benefit to you.
Ask yourself a few questions about how you really work best (or what causes you to not work at your best) and start identifying the areas that could use some change:

1. Do you write (outline, brainstorm, take notes, create structure) best on paper or on a computer?
2. Do you have more ideas in the morning, the afternoon, or the evening?
3. Are you disciplined in your eating habits? Do you snack frequently while you work?
4. Do you feel energized around people or drained?
5. Do you share your new ideas immediately or do you like to ponder them in silence for a while first?
6. Do you make lists? What happens to those lists? Do you use them?
7. What do you wear to work? Do you take yourself seriously in jeans and a t-shirt? Are you sitting around in your pajamas, trying to be productive?
8. When do you feel like you’re ready for a challenge? When you’re out, when you’re alone, when you’re planning, when you’ve just finished a project, after a vacation, after a good meal, after a night’s rest, after a party?
9. Do you have trustworthy people whom you consult on important matters?
10. How do you handle your email and your real mail? Are they sources of distraction or do you get through them quickly?
11. Do you feel obligated to answer the phone when it rings?
12. Do you enjoy online social networking? Do you go overboard with it? Do you join lots of social networking sites just because you feel like you should?
13. What kind of books do you really like to read?
14. What kind of movies are your favorite? Why? Is it the story? The character development? The director’s style? The message?
15. Does music distract or inspire you?
16. Do you feel like a “wage-slave” when you are doing grunt-work for someone else instead of working on a project that relates to your long-term goals?
17. Are you happy with your current level of output? Do you ever feel like you get enough done in a day? Are you always pushing yourself for more?
18. Have you created a professional image for yourself as a writer? What does your website look like? Is your resume updated? Do you have a good bio with a current photo?
19. How many big projects are lurking in the back of your head, waiting for the “right moment”?
20. Are self-disciplined? Can you say No when you need to? Can you push yourself through difficult projects on a regular basis? Can you force yourself to keep going through writer’s block?
21. Are you diligent? Can you pace yourself? Can you break down big projects into smaller tasks? Do you get bogged down in details? Do you need to regularly review the big picture? How do you remind yourself of the goal? What motivates you?

Make it a good day.

Image Credit: mezone.

As I mentioned yesterday, I’ve been thinking about some changing and refining. I’m trying to find a way to provide a resource that is actually needed, as well as one that is exciting to me.
In my little brainstorming sessions and web research, I’ve found many information- and resource-packed sites for freelance writers. (I’m listing some favorites at the bottom of this post.) These sites are organized, well-written, and faithfully updated. They cover everything from grammar tips, writing style, and prompts to job boards, query letters, and general freelance how-to. And they do it well.
For the sake of avoiding redundancy, I’m calling an official change in the focus of the Writers Unbound site. It’s been a bumpy last couple of months, both on the server end and for me as a writer; now is the perfect time to review and renew the vision. Here is the new Writers Unbound:

Writers Unbound is the site that gives you food for the freelance mind: old and new ideas and the people and books behind them. Writers need fresh input, mental challenges, new perspectives. None of us have time to dig it all out as we try to first survive and then succeed in the freelance writing world. Writers Unbound respectfully acknowledges the plethora of superb freelance writing sites and seeks, in a young, upstart kind of way, to provide a different kind of resource for those who write, freelance, read, think, grow, and want to keep doing so. Here is what you’ll find on Writers Unbound:
BIG IDEAS: Trends, theories, philosophies, movements summarized and (briefly) explained with key quotes, further reading suggestions, and where you’ll find it in real life.
BECOME AN EXPERT: Niche topics summarized with quick facts, resources, and related publications. You can be an expert at more than you think you can!
BIOGRAPHY: Learning from prolific producers, great thinkers, doers, and writers.
BOOKS UNBOUND: Overviews, summaries, short reviews, and critiques of classics and modern books.
The BUSINESS END: Management, office organization, resource documents, marketing ideas, thoughts on professionalism, and streamlining practices for the entrepreneurial writer.
WRITING LIFE UNBOUND: Hacks, alternatives, and improvements for the writing life, freelancing practice, inspiration, style, and online, print, and publishing options.

I hope this site will be able to meet some of those needs that we tend to overlook. My desire is to help you, the writer, keep your mind full of fresh ideas and inspiration as you find those jobs and set up your freelance world, so once you sit down to write you’ll find a wealth of material waiting.

Let me know what you think! And, as always,

Make it a good day.

Great Freelance Writing Sites:

• Freelance Writing Jobs. Great job boards and articles.
• Sparkplugging. Work at Home Resources and Community.
• Write to Done. Writing, freelancing, and productivity.
• Lost Art of Blogging. A guide to proper blogging.
• Queen of Kaos WAHM blog. WAHM help (great podcasts!).
• Freelance Writing.com. All the basics and more.
• About.com: Freelance Writing. How-to, jobs, resources, tutorials.
• Absolute Write. Interviews with successful freelancers.
• About Freelance Writing. All things freelance, jobs, articles, courses.