Simplicity

Firstly, I would like to say thank you for your patience with my very inconsistent blogging this summer.  I've now completed all of the continuing education requirements for work that had been taking up so much of my time and am now trying to get back on track.

As such, I was reading a chapter of PAGE AFTER PAGE by Heather Sellers this morning.  I started the book some time ago but never finished.  I cracked it open this morning and what I read was like a breath of fresh air.

Sellers was talking about the tools we have to write, not the physical tools so much as the tools within.  She says we should use the topics within us, the things only we know, to create and write and states, "write whatever the heck" you want to write about.  "This is what we want to know.  The tiny things people do.  The little things they say."

She further goes on to discuss all we've heard before...write what you and only you know, write what you want to read and suggests we make it all too hard by over-thinking and analyzing everything which really hit home to me.  I can frequently think so long and hard about the what and the how that I lose sight of (and time for) the actual doing.  Sellers says we have all the tools we need, we just need to sit down and write.

The one thing that really resonated, and I found myself highlighting, is this:

"The single most important tool in your tool kit is to stay simple--truly simple.  Stop making this harder than it is."

So, you know everything you need to know...join me in taking Seller's advice and just sit down and write!

Habits

I was updating my daily planner this morning and found a section I didn't even know was there.  It discussed The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People.  I bought the book by the same name years ago and still have not read it all nor have I paid much attention to the daily habit lessons adorning the bottom of my calendar pages.  It sounded like a great idea when I ordered the calendar; however, it seems to get lost in the shuffle as each day rolls by. 

As I sat reading this morning, it made me really think about habits, both good and bad, as it applies to my writing.  Stephen Covey said, "Habits are patterns of behavior that involve three overlapping components:  desire, knowledge, and skill.  Because these three components are learned rather than inherited, effective habits can be learned and ineffective habits can be unlearned."

Makes sense to me...one has the desire to write, spends a great deal of time gaining the knowledge needed to develop the skill to do so well.  Each and every one of us has his/her own habits in terms of writing.  Mine continue to be hit-and-miss during these summer days and nights filled with ball games, tennis matches and softball tournaments; but I am always thinking of the next story and paying attention to all the happenings around me to shape into my next WIP.  Which leads me to the next tidbit I found interesting this morning. 

Covey's Habit 2 is Begin with the End in Mind.  In discussing this habit, Covey indicated it is based on, "imagination--the ability to envision in your mind what you cannot at present see with your eyes."  He further said that first one creates something mentally and then does so physically.  This spoke to the writer in me so much as this is what we do.  We get the inspiration from our imagination (or an actual life event) and "create" the idea in our mind before physically taking pen to paper (or hands to keyboard). 

So, now I am trying to focus on the imagination and mental creation of ideas for stories and articles in these busy summer times in hopes there will be a quiet moment sometime soon after to address the physical creation.

I'd love to hear what good (or bad) habits work or don't work for you if you are willing to share.

Summer Schedule

I've been quite lax about blogging in recent weeks as the school year wound down.  Between driving for field trips, finishing the Spring sports season and wrapping up my school/work year obligations, it was a bit of a hairy time.

I've always dreaded the start of summer in terms of what it meant for my writing time fearing there would be no time with chauffering kids around and having them underfoot each day.  I believe this summer will be different.  The school year was full of various work obligations, school functions and sporting practices and events.  Summer seems to be bringing more peace, during the days at least as most softball and baseball is in the evening.  I've found myself sitting outside on my front deck watching my kids shoot hoops or play catch while working on a picture book or catching up on market research reading. 

I do need to set some sort of schedule to accomplish what I'd like to complete this summer with some degree of consistency but feel this summer, more than any other, is going to be ripe with productivity.

So, I am curious...what works for your summer schedule?  How do you modify your goals and objectives during the summer months?  I'd love to hear your thoughts and ideas if you are willing to share.

First Things First

"The older I get the more wisdom I find in the ancient rule of taking first things first: a process which often reduces the most complex human problem to a manageable proportion."

President Dwight D. Eisenhower

This quote seems apropos to the writing process--first things first, one manageable step at a time. Some days, what constitutes a manageable step is quite small; other days, the steps are much larger and seem more relevant.

I'm working these days at keeping my intended steps important to the writing process and meaningful in the overall picture. For me, this means an increased focus on writing--creating stories, articles and picture books for which to research homes and dusting off and revising those long left alone. I'm greatly looking forward to just writing and letting the rest be for now. There will come a day for marketing, building a platform and getting my name out there. For now, I must write so as to have some basis from which the rest will grow.

Job Boards and Assignments

I've blogged in (somewhat) recent past about the struggle between all the "need to do" things to develop and maintain a successful freelance writing career and finding time to just plain write. I'm attempting to find a balance between both and have been somewhat more successful this week.

One of the things I've been told to spend some solid time on to pursue a freelance career which generates income (which is, ultimately, the goal of most writers) is to check job boards and search for assignments. I've spent a little time on this though must say am struggling to find anything that seems a good fit. Thus far, the MorningCoffee Freelance Writing Jobs Newsletter is the main one I've explored as someone recommended it a while ago.

Are there others any of you find productive to warrant your time? I'd love any input in this regard if you are willing to share what you consider a good investment in time and effort.

Thank you so much!

Your True Self

I recently started reading Cecil Murphey's book, UNLEASH THE WRITER WITHIN. I'm not very far into it but wanted to share a few wise words. Mr. Murphey focuses not only on improving writing in this book but on figuring out who we are and not forgetting our true self in the writing process.

He says, "I write to find out who I am...I write because it is a gift." He further suggests, "your most honest writing becomes your best writing."

It was in reading his words, albeit not very many thus far, that I realized I've lost sight of the true reason I started writing in the first place. It was the sheer love of writing and the urge to create a sense of desire to read and a love of books in children that drove me to my first ICL course.

In the recent past, it has become more of a chore to balance all that goes into it...maintaining a presence to generate interest and increase publication chances, marketing, reading job boards, creating resumes, etc. All of these things are a necessary evil in a writer's life; however, I am now going to try to separate out just the writing in terms of how I look at it all. I will write from the heart honestly and, in the process, figure out who I am as a writer and the rest, hopefully, will fall into place.

I look forward to finishing this book and "unleashing the writer within." Please share your means of creating your most authentic voice.

Writing Tips

WWC member, Doreen Pendgracs, has a writer's blog with tips for freelance writers and authors. This week's post called the "Reluctant Writer" features guest blogger, Margaret Anne Fehr and offers tips on how to motivate yourself when writing about topics for which you lack passion or interest. Take a look and share your thoughts at: http://doreenisthewizardofwords.blogspot.com/.

Chances

"Take chances, make mistakes. That's how you grow. Pain nourishes your courage. You have to fail in order to practice being brave."
Mary Tyler Moore, American actress

Wow...were more true words ever said? I believe these words apply to all aspects of life though most definitely in terms of writing. It is only through the practice, the chances we take and the mistakes we make that we become better writers.

Practice today and everyday. Happy writing!

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.