Tweet I had somewhat of a revelation tonight, which is why I’m fighting back droopy eyes and fatigue to stay up and finish this post. I went to a psychic-something I have done in the past, partly because I believe in it and also because as a writer doubt creeps in and out of my life and I need the validation. I’m glad I went because what she said really got under my skin. I was anticipating sunny, glowing tarot cards predicting wealth and a prosperous future (really I was). But my enthusiasm was quickly quelled when I saw dark…
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Tweet I go to a once a week Meetup for professional women who work at home. In the group, one of the main issues everyone can agree on is how isolating it is. One person made a comment that the only person she talks to on some days is the UPS guy. Do I hear a Amen?! Many freelance writers love the flexibility of their job and the creativity with dreaming up their own life. But the downside? No more 15 minute coffee breaks with your pal in the next cubicle. Ever watch The Office and actually feel pangs of…
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Tweet photo by: yui.kubo You know that saying, “You are what you eat?” I think it applies to writing too. How? As a graduate student in Psychology, I learned that there was an important interchangeable triangle that affected the way we did things. Thoughts, Feelings, Behaviors What we think influences how we feel. For example, if you’re telling yourself how horrible of a writer you are, you’ll feel horrible. And how you feel also affects your behavior. What we feel influences what we think. If you just received another magazine rejection and feel like you’ll never get published, you’ll start…
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Tweet I’ve become enamored with Martha Beck’s book, “The Joy Diet: 10 Daily Practices for a Happier Life.” Knee deep in chapter 4 (Creativity), I’ve been filled with mind blowing concepts that has thrilled me to no end. One of the titillating tidbits made me question my own freelance writing business skills and I thought I’d share the wealth with you. I’m sure you already know that your thoughts control your actions. Saying to yourself hundred times of day, “I’m not good enough to make it as a freelancer,” for example, will inevitably help your thoughts become reality. But I…
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Tweet photo by: Express Monorail Have you ever been stunned like a deer-caught-in-the headlights when someone asks you, “What you do for a living?” Well I have and I can’t plea ignorance on this one! All over the web, articles on creating an elevator speech have been popping up. I’ve seen them, read them, but failed to do anything about it.
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Tweet Ever wonder what the “free” in freelance writer stands for? Is it free for freedom? Or free as in non-paying? According to Dictionary.com, the word came from the 1820s meaning medieval mercenary warrior. And later referring to journalism in 1882. What a long way we’ve come from the original meaning. Or have we? As freelance writers, we’re closer to a mercenary warrior (a courageous one who works for pay) then one that works for free, aren’t we? Yet, I’m noticing more and more job ads requiring freelancers to write “on spec” (essentially for free) first. MY CONFESSION: I’ve been…
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Tweet Okay for all you magazine veterans out there, this is not for you. But please feel free to comment and leave your wise and experienced tips below! As a relatively new full-time freelance writer, I surely had my share of rejections. Yet somewhere in the midst of it all, I’ve actually got published in a few magazines (even a favorite one at that). If you’re still struggling to get your foot in the door, don’t sweat it. I’ve got a few tips that may help you get from published wannabe to magazine writer.
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Tweet As a new writer, you get to indulge in the idiosyncrasies of being green. I, for example, learned not once but twice, the reasons why you MUST get a contract before you send off your manuscript. I also learned that while I want to make a living writing, I also don’t want to take any and every job that comes my way. So here it is, a bunch of tools to get you writing successfully by doing the opposite from what I did. Keep reading if you want to avoid hitting your head over and over on your desk…
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Tweet The belief that we should ask for what we need is a difficult concept for me. I am a woman for one and a minority for another. I’ve been brought up to believe statements like, “You can’t really do anything about it. Don’t bother/make trouble. Just let it go.” This is the reason why I used to wonder if I was born in the right family. If I didn’t look so much like my parents, I might really question where I came from. Instead, I took on a different belief system. The belief that I could do anything and…
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Tweet Part of the gift and the challenge with being a freelance writer is not knowing what comes next. While you may be riding the wave of good fortune this month, you may be drowning the next. Although there is the rare writer who radiates an envious and endless optimism, most of us struggle day to day, typing along, hoping to be discovered and appreciated for the hard work writing requires. I’m of the more common variety. And after reading Julia Cameron’s Finding Water: The Art of Perseverance, I was relieved that even best-selling authors go through this too. It’s…