Tweet Were you ever a fan of Jon & Kate Plus 8? Before Jon left and made it a sad sounding Kate Plus 8? If you haven’t a clue as to what I’m talking about. It’s okay. I’ll save you the TLC gory details. Anyway, there was one episode where Kate Gosselin, mother of 8 (twins and sextuplets) said something like, “Being a mom is not a glamorous job, but it’s a rewarding one!” The same can be said about writing. In fact, in a recent No Reservations episode (can you tell I watch too much TV?), Anthony Bourdain said,…
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Tweet “I’m a writer and I have low self-esteem.” That’s what I said on Penn & Teller’s Showtime show Bullshit. It was part true, part Hollywood. But I think anyone would agree that writing for a living can break your heart at times, into itty-bitty tiny shattered pieces. And that’s just on a good day. On a bad day, getting rejected or getting no response, can feel worse than working at a job you hate, for a boss you dislike, in a cubicle that feels suffocating. It can feel like hell-a place where there’s no mercy. Why? Because as full-time work…
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Tweet You might read the title and blow it off. I mean come on, one secret! One secret to a success! There’s no way or is there? Here’s what I know for sure: While there are no easy ways to success, there is a simple way. And it’s one thing you can do now that will help you down the road to success. In the almost year long path that I’ve been on a pursuit to follow my freelance writing dreams, I’ve learned a few things.
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Tweet A study by the University of Melbourne in April 2009 showed that workers who used the Internet for fun actually were more productive (about 9% more) than those who didn’t. Surprised? I wasn’t. Here’s why: I recently did an experiment for The Joy Diet (week 6 treat week) where I had to indulge in two treats a day. While I admit that a few times during the week “treats” meant something sweet, a sugar coma eventually forced me to find alternative ways to fulfill the condition. Eventually I realized that all work and no play wasn’t a good thing.…
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Tweet photo by: kevindooley It’s the end of another long week freelancers. And on this freelance Friday, I must ask, “What do you do to decompress?” I know how it goes. You’re toiling away at your computer, making phone calls, coming up with creative queries, networking, marketing your services and spending the spare time you have left on Facebook or Twitter. With all of that and your ever growing to-do list, do you ever make time for yourself? In Finding Water: The Art of Perseverance (Artist’s Way), author Julia Cameron suggests artists make a weekly date with themselves, write daily in…
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Tweet I went to a new writer’s group last weekend. I was on a hunt to find like-minded folk locally and decided that since it was 2010, it was about time. Though I was full of gusto and excitement of meeting new writing peeps, the group left a lot to be desired. The two guys who showed up were really nice and all and all I felt comfortable and supported, but it just wasn’t a good fit. The one thing that stayed with me was something one of the members said. He commented that a lot of poetry was “self-absorbed.”…
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Tweet Have you done it yet? Put pen to paper or fingers to keyboard? What will be your hopes, goals and dreams for 2010? Sure it may not be Christmas yet. Your tree is still up, ornaments hung and Santa has yet to visit your nest. But beyond the 25th, is another monster lurking, the end of 2009 and the beginning of a whole other year. What would YOU like to see happen in 2010? I know as a freelance writer I barely have time to take a breath let alone come up with a list of things I’d like…
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Tweet A writer could learn a thing or two from Mr. Walt Disney. My husband and I attended the Walt Disney Family Museum in the Presidio area of San Francisco this weekend. You can read my overall impression of the museum here. But if you’re a writer or author, stick around, this post is for you! I didn’t know much about Walt Disney except for the fact that he created 2 amazing amusement parks, one in California and the other where I got engaged in Florida. I also felt some kind of weird spiritual connection with the guy. In a…
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Tweet The December issue of The Writer magazine inspired this holiday post on goods to grab especially for writers. If you’re bewildered about what to get your fellow writer friend or you’re jonesing for a few writer gifts yourself, keep reading for my Top 5 List of Christmas Gifts for Writers: