Found this on my Facebook feed (thanks Missy Cretcher) and knew I had to post this. It addresses women writers in the headline, but I think these concepts apply no matter which door you choose at the public restroom.
10 Rules for Aspiring Women Writers
Print it out and keep it where you can see it everyday. And keep up the good work!
There is no question that being alone is a part of being a writer. John Irving said that he knew he needed to be a writer because he wanted to be alone.
Now, I’m generally a friendly person. I like to be around people. Many have joked that my name is very appropriate. It is in many ways. But like Irving, I also like my quiet time. For me that time comes to me when I am swimming.
When I am swimming, a different element surrounds me in a cocoon of peace, calming in its familiarity. Cool water and muted calm broken only by the echo of my breath in my ears and the rhythmic chunk, chunk, chink of my strokes as I power myself along the surface, legs kicking behind me like the roll of a paddle churning behind a riverboat.
Alone to think,or to listen to my thoughts as they roll past my mind’s eye, mental clouds against a blue sky of brain matter. My unfocused eyes peering out from the goggles, watching the sunlight dance through the water, shimmering and bouncing on the angles of the tiles like little white flames burning in the water.
Here I can fly, just like the dreams I used to have so often when I was young but now less frequently. I am suspended in the air soaring over the pool floor, a superhero with the power to change my mood, my stroke, and my course.
I still love swimming but too often a pool is elusive. A schedule dominated by the needs of others does not lend itself to the scarce nature of pool availability. As I pass, it beckons with lanes of possibility. But with a sad glance and a commitment elsewhere I pass by, an opportunity missed.
Today was not one of those days and like old friends I found my reassuring rhythm again. I was away from the daily responsibilities and commitments and back to myself. If only a respite, it is a welcome one that can help the call of duty feel less painful and more joyful.
Life is simple here. Stoke left, stroke right, breathe. Repeat. Stroke left, stroke right, breathe. If only all of our lives were this simple.
I find inspiration in the calm I get from my swim time. My advice to you is to find your “pool” and immerse yourself in it today.
Everyone thinks they can write. Chances are if you went to school or read a book every couple of weeks you probably can.
But the time it takes you to write is another story. That time you spend trying to remember the rules of grammar that are as dusty as the AP Style Guide you bought in college that’s still lurking on your shelf is time you could be using running your business or doing what it is the that you do best.
I am a writer. That’s what I do best. Whether it’s fiction, a blog post about something technical or a marketing piece about how great a widget you have when compared to the competition, telling stories is an area where I excel. Yeah, I know, bragging is tacky…but modesty isn’t really what gets you noticed when you freelance.
For the past four years, I have written about everything from infertility treatment to marketing for funeral homes to how to organize a garage. I’ve written brochures about Pilates, Printing Services, and Online Banking services, to name a few. One thing that all of these projects have in common is that my clients, who were perfectly capable and qualified to write these things themselves hired me to do it for them so they could go on about their business.
Your time is valuable. Each day that you spend doing activities for your business or your employer’s business earns you an hourly wage, whether you are paid by the hour or not. When you spend 2 hours writing a web page or a blog post, you spend that money whether you bill yourself or not. That’s two whole hours that you could have been calling that lead, researching that new supplier, or developing the next latest and greatest widget that the world has ever known.
So the reason you need a writer is simple: Your time is too valuable to spend writing your marketing, fiction or blog post. Outsource it.
There are a number of ways to outsource. You can contact me, of course (and I hope you do). But there is also Elance.com, where you have your pick of writers all over the world who are just waiting by their keyboards, ready to go. Also, you can just Type in Google, “Hire a Freelance Writer” and you will get pages and pages of writers available to free up your time so you can get back to work on your business.
Chances are that you can write your own project. Chances are it will probably be pretty good. But at what cost? Don’t waste your valuable time when there are a number of professional and affordable outsourcing options that are just a call or click away.
What will you do with the time you free up by outsourcing?
Terri Lively is a career marketing professional that has unique experience in the areas of messaging and client relations. She helps professionals that want to grow their influence and enhance their content for publication. For the past 15 years, she has been helping her clients create marketing materials that effectively communicate their message and get results, across all types of media. More about Terri can be discovered at http://www.terrilively.com.
I saw this quote today and couldn’t agree more. Now don’t get me wrong, I absolutely love a good vs bad story. But who doesn’t agree that the secret to a great story is to have a fabulous villain?
Great info graphic on the main ingredients needed to make a blog post successful.
Being a Writer: Expectations Vs. Reality by Lenora Epstein on Buzzfeed.com
Just a little levity in the form of humor a little too close to truth to be entirely comfortable to get our weekends started off right!
“Substitute ‘damn’ every time you’re inclined to write ‘very;’ your editor will delete it and the writing will be just as it should be.”
― Mark Twain
Swear words. They play far too major a role in my other job as mother. But that’s another post…
Using colorful language in writing can be both enhancing to the story when placed carefully and distracting when overused. Personally, I am always going for a PG rating on my posts. But the occasional PG-13 word is sometimes just too great to leave out. Of course, I have been known to substitute the Yosemite Sam version, as in “@#$!@@”, which is almost as good.
Mark Twain is far too famous for his use of certain words. But aside from controversy that has been blown out of proportion in my opinion, he is a master at colorful language. I love his advice here. I had a teacher in high school that hated the word very also. I hear him admonishing me in my head whenever I type it. Thank you, Mr. Clemmons.
What is your policy on swearing? I’d be interested to hear your thoughts in the comments below.
“Why would you save me?” Despereaux asked. “Have you saved any of the other mice?”
“Never,” said Gregory. “not one.”
“Why would you save me, then?”
“Because you, mouse, can tell Gregory a story. Stories are light. Light is precious in a world so dark. Begin at the beginning. Tell Gregory a story. Make some light.”
And because Despereaux wanted very much to live, he said, “Once upon a time…”
“Yes,” said Gregory happily. He raised his hand higher and then higher still until Despereaux’s whiskers brushed against his leathery, timeworn ear. “Go on mouse,” said Gregory. “Tell Gregory a story.”
And it was in this way that Despereaux became the only mouse sent to the dungeon whom the rats did not reduce to a pile of bones and a piece of red thread. It was in this way the Despereaux was saved.
— Kate DiCamillo. The Tale of Despereaux.
By Terri Lively
Today I was told that my freelance rates were too steep for a project. Rats! The facts are that my rates are steep and I am worth every penny. I say this (and put it in bold) because It’s important to believe that you are worth it if you want to charge a higher rate.
But daily affirmation aside, this client doesn’t think my rate is worth it. This is not an uncommon problem today for freelancers. So today’s topic is how to keep pushing your rates.
An excellent writer, Heather Waugh, sent me this article yesterday. It’s about how Freelancers Don’t Understand What They’re Worth. Check out this infographic:
Source: Community.copypress.com
So how do you raise your rates? I have some tips that might help:
So how did I respond to the client today that said my rates were too steep? I did the only sensible thing I could. I tried to renegotiate at a lower rate with my question, “did you have a budget in mind?” And then I kicked myself for asking for so much. Sigh. I suppose that the concepts are always easier to talk about than to live.
So clearly, not getting what you are worth is a trend. But is it a trend that will change? Probably not if other writers do what I did and assert themselves as being worth more and then immediately crumble when they get rejected at their higher rate.
So what do you do to raise your rates? I’d be interested to hear your suggestions in the comments below.
Lively Copywriting 