Happy Halloween

Happy Halloween today, All Saints Day tomorrow and All Souls Day Wednesday!

To all of you brave enough to tackle NaNoWriMo...good luck! I'm envious of your commitment and hope to be in a position to do so next year.

How to Become a Freelance Writer: Interview with Suzanne Lieurance, the Working Writer's Coach

Ready to start a freelance writing business but you don't know how?

Have you been looking online for someone or something that will help you?

Then find out more about the Working Writer's Club in this interview with the club's founder and president, Suzanne Lieurance, the Working Writer's Coach.

The Working Writer's Club might be just what you're searching for!
Q: Suzanne, as the founder and director of the Working Writer's Club what is the first thing you would like people to know when visiting www.workingwritersclub.com?

A: I'd like visitors to know that our club is all about helping freelance writers learn to write better, make more money, and live the writer's life they've always dreamed of living.

Q: Having created your own successful freelance writing career you know what it takes to build momentum. What is one of the most critical steps a writer needs to take consistently to develop their own freelance writing career?

A: The most critical step is to develop your goals - you have to KNOW what you want before you can figure out HOW to get there. Yet, this is the one thing that so many new writers don't take the time to do - or at least they don't take enough time to do it well. They may think that "write a novel this year" is a goal. But actually, I think of a goal as something even BIGGER than that. Writing a novel is an action step toward a goal rather than a goal itself. To get to the goal, consider WHY do you want to write a novel? What do you want this novel to do for you or your career? Your answer to that question is closer to your goal (or at least one of your major goals).

Q: What advice would you give to a newbie in freelance writing? And the intermediate freelance writer that has seen some success, but seems to be in a holding pattern at the moment?

A: Whether you're a newbie or an intermediate freelance writer - or even a very experienced, successful writer - continue to learn from other successful writers.

Join our club or another organization for writers. Then take an active part in whatever group you join. Next, develop a focus for your writing and create no more than 3 major writing/career goals for yourself that you hope to attain within the next 12 months.

Also, constantly evaluate what you're doing to see if it's getting you closer to your goals. If it isn't, then change what you're doing.

Q: By becoming a member of the Working Writer's Club what can a freelancer expect?

A: Well, for one thing, you can expect us to help you create a focus for your writing career or your writing business. And, we can help you create no more than 3 major goals - so you'll get really, really clear about WHAT you want, WHERE you're wanting to go, and then we'll help you stay focused so you take the steps to attain your goals and build your writing career and/or your writing business.

Q: With the wealth of freelance writing information available on the Internet what makes the Working Writer's Club unique?

A: I think the one thing that makes the Working Writer's Club unique is that we're not out to get you into our club so we can sell you a bunch of other high priced programs or products. We just want people who love to write and want to build a business or a career around writing to join our club and make use of all the resources, information, training, networking and support they'll receive for just $9.99 per month. I think another unique thing about the Working Writer's Club is that we all genuinely have fun helping each other be more successful.
Visit the Working Writer’s Club www.workingwritersclub.com today and explore all they have to offer.
Thank you for your time. We look forward to your visit.

Woman Caves

We are in the process of adding an office for me to our home. I've been visiting with my critique group about how excited I am to finally have my own space to read and write and just be. The sheet rock is being hung as I type! Now, I need to figure out what I want to do in terms of desk, book shelves, furniture, etc. I thought I'd see if there are things I am not thinking of by asking you (whomever is willing to comment:-)) if there are must haves for you in your office/work area. It is exciting to plan yet a bit daunting as I want to create the perfect space. If you have something special you feel necessary to a functional and effective office, please share!

Thanks in advance for any advice you may be able to provide.

"Follow Your Heart"

I recently read some comments Steve Jobs made about following one's heart. He said he read a quote when he was 17 that said something like, "If you live each day as if it was your last, someday you'll most certainly be right."

He talked about how, since that day, he looked in the mirror each morning and asked himself, "If today were the last day of my life, would I want to do what I am about to do today?"

He said whenever the answer had been no for too many days in a row, he knew he needed to change something. He says...

"Your time is limited...Don't let the noise of others' opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition...Everything else is secondary."

I think this is terrific advice, regardless of the path one takes in life. As writers, it is utterly important to have the courage to follow one's own inner voice. Life is too short. Love what you do and follow your heart.

MARGIN

On the advice of the very wise Kristi Holl, I've recently started reading Richard A. Swenson's MARGIN. Swenson states, "Margin is the space that once existed between ourselves and our limits." He discusses the state of the lives of many, that of "marginless living," in that the day to day activities and obligations zap the margin right out of our lives. Thus far, I've read only the first chapter but can tell that it is going to be money well spent. On the very first page, I came across the following which is so definitive of daily life, especially so for busy parents trying to find that ever-elusive balance. It brought me some clarity, and I hope it will you also.

"Marginless is fatigue; margin is energy.
Marginless is red ink; margin is black ink.
Marginless is hurry; margin is calm.
Marginless is anxiety; margin is security.
Marginless is culture; margin is counterculture.
Marginless is the disease of the new millennium; margin is its cure."

If you've read MARGIN and can speak to the benefits you reaped, please share.