Brand new to blogging, I'm detailing my experiences as a writer and exploring the endless possibilities freelancing contains for the new writer.
Monday, July 31, 2006
I'm So Thankful For The Internet
Once upon a time, a writer had to shell out lots of cash for access to the information and the contacts that are now available online. I'm thankful for those days are just about behind us. Workshops and classes are still a great way to go, but I spend a lot of time reading blogs, message boards and emailing individuals with my questions and comments. In just 2 weeks, I've learned more about the business of writing, from online sources, than I'd ever expected.
I've tried to share a lot of what I've come across in my previous posts. The links and the info that I've held back have either been because a particular writer has asked me not to post certain information for the general public or because I have so many links, but haven't taken the time to organize them all. Eventually (i.e. when I can straighten out this whole sidebar issue), I plan to list them all in an organized fashion and include a handy sidebar link for easy access.
I've probably learned the most from the WAHM.com forum under the WAHM Who Write section and from AbsoluteWrite.com's Freelance Forum. On the latter, I've encountered a wonderful woman, Linda Formichelli, who seems to be very helpful. I stumbled upon a post of hers where she offers to send samples of 12 successful query letters to you via email by sending a blank email to queries@renegadewriter.com. I got my packet of 12 in less than a minute and am geeked! Taking a peek at actual letters helps tremendously as creating them often proves to be a very intimidating task for some writers. I've done a couple before and I know, firsthand, the agony that goes into writing them. Reading Linda's letters and the original thread where she, and other very helpful individuals, posted has helped put me to ease quite a bit.
This morning I logged on AbsoluteWrite again and found Linda advising someone else on breaking into print magazines. Because she's so knowledgable and helpful, I decided to check out some more of her posts and, eventually, visited her websiteand her blog. She offers eMentoring, an 8 week course on breaking into magazines and has a lot of good information to share. Her website, http://www.lindaformichelli.com/course/ and her blog, http://renegadewriterblog.blogspot.com/, are both must adds!
From reading Linda's blog, I remembered that I also have a few links to share for those of you who freelance for magazines and are searching for free subscriptions. I've used most of these and currently receive approximately 10 regular subscriptions, which is a lot less than I got even a year ago! I got most of these from people on Volition's Forums(which I previously used for mystery shopping, but there is a lot of other good info shared there...like free magazines...lol):
http://www.freebizmag.com/welcome.asp?FBMVisitId=3805627946 (I've received the bulk of my business mags from here. Only drawback is that you have to complete a lengthy questionnaire about your business, but you'll usually get 2 or 3 magazines out of the deal each time you visit. Hint: I keep a junk mail email address for sites like these. You may want to do the same.)
There are lots more and new offers are listed regularly if you bookmark this threadon Volition (their whole forum is cool and there is a whole section just for freebies, so check it all out).
It's been nearly 5 days since my last post. It's also been exactly 2 weeks since I decided to regularly freelance. Doesn't seem like that long for either and, thankfully, there's been good news to report along the way. My story continues...
I sent the Blue Mountain submissions in this past week as planned. Now the waiting game begins. I'm hearing that it can take up to four months to be notified of an acceptance. I sent in 20 different poems on a variety of subjects and, hopefully, I'll have good news in this batch. Either way, I plan to keep submitting and to form a relationship with BMA no matter how long it takes.
In my last post, I mentioned drawing out a schedule for myself. Done. However, I haven't stuck to it a single day. LOL My plan is to work from 9a to 12p and then again from 3p until 6p Monday through Friday. Sounds great, huh? Problem is, mentally, I just can't do it...yet. I prefer staying up past 3a each morning writing. I'll continue to aim for a healthier schedule though and will continue to report on my progress.
I recently mentioned where one of my works was rejected by AC as they felt it was more of a personal experience piece. Well, the word is now in on the last two that were pending and both were systematically rejected as well. Both were restaurant reviews and, because they were local establishments, AC has no use for them, therefore will not offer payment. Totally understandable. Of course, I can publish them for non-payment, but I have better plans as each will be submitted to other markets for which I feel they're better suited. So, no gain, but no loss either.
On now to the latest with my new freelancing position. On Friday I received a very questionable Writer's Agreement. Upon reading it, red flags immediately started waving. There was no mention of compensation and no mention of the magazine (only of the ministry it is affiliated with and not even any strong identifying info on it, outside of the ministry's name). There was also mention of my work being reproduced in other mediums, including study guides, and other materials and there was mention of some sort of internal ministry policy agreement that could further dictate how my work could be used. It was asked that I agree to such without even knowing what that particular policy agreement consisted of. Of course, I couldn't conceive of agreeing to any of this, so instead of signing it, I replied with an email detailing each of my concerns. I really would like to work with the magazine, but I have no intention, or interest, in engaging in such a one-sided and unfair relationship. The next day I received another email from them apologizing and requesting that the agreement be disregarded. According to the email, it was sent by accident and not meant for this project. This could be the truth or perhaps it isn't. A few people that I've shared the story with have believed the latter. For me, it doesn't matter much and I choose to move ahead on their word for it as they've offered to send something better on Monday. I'll keep you posted.
I'm working on a new submission for a teen magazine. I'm expirementing with a new format...new for me, at least. I'm designing the article in list format. I read in a newsletter from Funds For Writersthat articles which identify the "top 10 ways" to do a thing or the "top 5 myths" on a topic or the top (insert whatever number works) type articles are often an easy sell. They make it easy for readers to pinpoint and digest a lot of information in a smaller article and, naturally, editors are appreciative and quite receptive of this. I've glanced at a few magazine covers over the weekend and have noticed that the majority have published these types of articles over and over again. So my new article is on the top 10 ways to identify if you're ready for a serious relationship (not the official title yet). I'm offering, what I believe is, sound advice to teen girls on properly assessing several areas of their lives before deciding to get serious about something they may or may not be ready for.
My plan is to use the article to apply for a particular freelancing job, but to also submit it to other markets should I not get the gig. I really like the idea of writing this way.
And finally, today, on AbsoluteWriters' forum, I learned that I shouldn't put the copyright symbol on submissions. I took what I learned over to my favorite WAHM.com forum where the consensus was the same. Doing so is, apparently, insulting to editors and labels ones self as a 'rookie'. Who knew? I was taught to do so in college and read in Writer's Market that this was the appropriate protocol as well. However, in real life, it doesn't fly as easily. If you think about it, it makes sense. Your work is already copyrighted once you write it and editors know this. Making a special effort to then point this out may suggest that you don't trust an editor or that you're so new, that you haven't put it together yet that this is an unnecessary precaution. Like Maya Angelou says thoug, 'When you know better, you do better', so I'm happy to have learned this lesson and the many others that I've been able to draw upon from forums such as these.
Welp, that about does it for me today. Looking forward to a great week and wishing everyone else the same.
Well, since it's after midnight, I guess, technically, it was yesterday...but I landed a paying job!
Over the weekend, I spent some time applying for writing jobs and have just been hired as a freelancer for a new Christian magazine that's premiering in September. Originally, I'd assumed it was an online magazine, but it turns out that it's a print magazine. I'm waiting for my contract and a letter outlining the topics for the first issue. From the sound of the welcome letter and the looks of their website (still under construction, but I'll post later), there is a lot to cover and they're looking for columnists too. So, I'm happy and it looks as though I'll have plenty of work.
The company also has plans to launch a satellite/FM/Internet station airing 24/7/365. The welcome letter included an invitation to consider hosting a show in the future. This fits perfectly into my plan, so I'll definitely apply for that as well.
Aside from that, I've been working on my Blue Mountain submissions. I'd originally planned to submit 10, but have now kicked it up to 20. The first ten are all written, edited and ready to go, but now I'm working on the other 10. The ideas just keep flowing. I'll send in the first 20 though and if more show up, I'll have to do a second submission. I really love that style of writing though. Prose and poetry have always been my favorite genre.
Oh, and I heard from AC on one of three of my submissions. They'll publish it for free, but won't pay me for it as it's more of a personal experience piece. The other two are restaurant reviews, so we'll see what they do with those. So, for those of you who are interested in AC, bear in mind that they don't pay for poems, short stories or personal experience articles. They STRICTLY want articles which makes sense as they are, after all, a content site.
So, overall, it's been super hot, but things are well here. I hope that those of you reading this are staying cool while you pound away at those keyboards.
I'm blessed to be able to do what I want to do, when I want to do it and not to have to worry about earning an income. Still, I've been thinking about putting myself on a daily writing schedule and setting some realistic financial goals for my writing. I have to admit that I dread doing this. But I really am curious as to how it will work out. Will it help me accomplish more or less? I tend to write best when the mood hits me, so I'm not sure how much of a battle I'll face with forcing myself to write at a predetermined time. I think structure will keep me focused though, so I'm going to give it a shot. Besides, I can easily see myself going overboard and burning myself out if I don't begin to pace myself. As it's been this past week, I've been up half the night, every night, writing, reading, applying for freelance jobs, etc. and a schedule would monitor the time I spend doing each. *Sigh* Can I do it? We'll see. Speaking of schedules. I visit a few forums for writers and I've read where several of them are working on schedules as they're churning out multiple articles per day and several blog posts each day in an attempt to make money on content and blog sites. I don't know if that's worth it, though. I imagine that if a person is really strapped for cash, they do what they have to do, but neither content sites nor blog sites seem to pay all that much for either to be a person's main focus. It would seem to me that the time spent on low paying content and blog writing would be better spent working on more profitable writing jobs. I wonder, too, if the quality of writing suffers when a writer is forced to write on topics they're not interested in. I'm not downing anyone for doing this and I'm not downing content and blog writing (obviously), I just really don't get it. Seems like they could get a lot more for the topics they're writing on if they were submitting them to magazines or other higher paying venues. But then, I guess, the pay isn't fast and, definitely, isn't steady enough for some if they were to take that route. At any rate, I'm off now to sketch out a schedule for myself. Wish me well! ~BabyBlogger
Recently, I've attempted to to gather some of my past publishings so as to build a new portfolio for myself. Can you believe that I've never taken the time to save my clippings (clips) or to create a portfolio? Silly, I know, but if you've read this blog from the beginning, you know that I haven't always approached freelance writing with my A game. In fact, I'm only just now approaching it with any seriousness. I'm sure if I dig deeply enough, I have some old newspaper clips around here somewhere, but so far I haven't been able to put my hands on them. Luckily, thanks to the internet, I was able to pull up a few articles that were online, but even a few of those have been lost in cyberspace. Of course, I have the originals for most of what I've written, but that's not the same as having the actual clip reflecting my byline, the date, publication, etc. My word of advice to anyone reading this, please keep all of your clips together and in a safe place no matter what. As I'm applying for freelance gigs now, even though I've published a lot, I don't have a very strong history to showcase what I've done. The only thing that I can do from here on out, is learn the lesson and save everything (and one of my missing clips is titled "Lessons Learned". I just noticed that...how funny, lol). At any rate, here are just a few of the articles that I managed to find online: The Gift or the Giver (originally published on GospelCity.com 3/3/2003) The Undiscovered Wife (Originally published on GospelCity.com 4/8/2003)
The Power of Praise (Originally published on GospelCity.com 6/17/2003) Hopefully, I can recover more and I promise to do better from here on out. Last night, I spent a lot of time writing, submitting, researching and applying for freelance gigs. In fact, I didn't get in the bed until almost 6a this morning as I was so caught up in what I was doing. I found a few more sites which highlight writing opportunities that I'd like to share, so make sure you bookmark them. Here you go: http://www.writerlance.com/ http://www.unforgottencards.com/index.php?main_page=manufacturers_accepting_freelance(highlighting jobs specifically in the greeting card industry) http://www.journalismjobs.com/ http://www.mediabistro.com/joblistings/ http://www.newsjobs.net/usa/default.asp(There are many links there. Try them all, especially this one: http://www.newsjobs.net/Jobs/njframe.asp?tp=http://www.freelancewriting.com/forumdir/fjb/index.html) http://www.anotherealm.com/prededitors/pubjob.htm http://www.writesuccess.com/jobs_for_writers.htm http://www.writejobs.com/ http://www.writingjobroll.com/ http://www.hotgigs.com/types/Creative_Design,_Media_and_Writers/Writing/ Hopefully, I haven't repeated any of the ones that I've already posted, but it's getting a little hard to keep track of them all. One of these days I'll get around to putting a daily checklist in my sidebar just to make it easier to reference. I've also managed to get 10 rough drafts of poems for submission to Blue Mountain. I've got some fine tuning to do, but they'll definitely be ready for submission some time this week. I learned from another writer, who's been contracting with them for years, that the payment merely starts at $300, but goes up from there if they continue to accept submissions from a writer. The person who I learned this from is now up to $700 per poem accepted by them. I've discovered, too, that some writers refuse to write for Blue Mountain as their contract buys all rights thus prohibiting poems they've paid for to ever be republished elsewhere. Personally, I don't have a problem with this (read my post yesterday about how I feel about Blue Mountain), but I can see where others may. On the flip side, I also read some very good advice from another writer to beware of publishers who offer to publish for exposure rather than actual monetary payment to a writer. A lot of times new writers take these gigs as a way to build clips and gain experience. However, it makes sense that if a publication can afford to promote their magazine or website, they should at least be able to offer their writers a few bucks for their work. I'm not saying I'll never publish again without payment (some I just enjoy doing), but the argument does make sense. Anyway, it's all a fascinating journey and I'm enjoying every moment of it. Hope everyone has a great weekend and I'll post again soon! ~BabyBlogger
Yesterday, I told you about Writer's Market Online (WMO). Well it is now my official new best friend! I tell you, it's so much easier to search for markets in the online version. I especially enjoy being able to organize my submissions with their handy submission tracker. With just a few clicks, I can record who I've submitted to, what I submitted, the date, follow up tasks and information pertaining to my submission, etc. Perhaps the best thing about the online version, though, is that it's up to date and I'm kept abreast of changes in publishing opportunities without having to make phone calls or have queries and submissions returned unopened. Which brings me to my next bit of news. All but two of the publications that I'd earmarked to mail articles to today are out of business. CAN YOU BELIEVE THAT? And, of the two that are still in business, one has changed its format. So, it was back to the drawing board for me today. The good news is that I was able to email two manuscripts directly from a couple of pubs I found on WMO, so all is not lost. I'll continue to research and submit more over the weekend. I also plan to spend this weekend finishing my Blue Mountain Art submissions so I can get those out next week as well. I communicated with another writer who is still waiting to hear from them after a couple of her pieces were accepted a year ago. They'd explained to her that it would take approximately two years for the particulars, so it's not surprising she hasn't heard how they're doing yet. I'm just excited about the prospect and I can't wait to submit to them. I was explaining to someone else that to get a Blue Mountain contract, for me, would be like an up and coming singer/composer getting to work with Stevie Wonder or someone else of legendary status. I've admired their cards for so long and it would be a dream come true for one of my pieces to appear on their brand. Anyway, here are a few more links I'd like to share before signing off. Hope everyone has a great day. Happy writing and enjoy the links: http://www.templetons.com/brad/copymyths.html Ten Copyright Myths http://www.shaunasmithduty.com/for_writers.htm Shauna Smith Duty's very helpful website for writers (more resources are available there too) http://www.lifetips.com/careers/gurus.asp Write what you know and get paid! http://about.families.com/become-a-blogger Get paid to blog regularly on Families.com http://www.hotgigs.com/types/Creative_Design,_Media_and_Writers/Writing/ Another helpful list of writing jobs ~BabyBlogger P.S. As of today, I still have articles pending acceptance on AC, but if you haven't done so already, please visit my content page and read what I've already published. Also, if you'd like to publish there, please use my referral linkto sign up. Thanks!
I think I am. I've submitted five works to AC this week. Three are still pending, but the two that are available can be viewed HERE. I've written two new articles (each over 1000 words) and have selected five possible magazines to send each one to (making it a total of 10 magazines combined). I must confess that I'm a little behind on sending those out too. My original plan was to send them by today at the absolute latest. Sending them out tomorrow isn't a bad thing though. Actually, it's a good way to wrap up my week. And, of course, I started this blog and have managed to square the proper business away in order to create a path to generate a stream of revenue from it. I still need someone to show me how to get my profile back up near the top of my sidebar here instead of all the way at the bottom like it is now. I have no idea what I did, but that's a minor detail that's been bugging me. I've put a call out to a friend who's a whiz at this sort of thing, so hopefully I'll have that fixed in a little bit. If nothing else, though, this blog helps me keep my focus and organize my thoughts. Also gets me back in the habit of daily writing. I've also learned quite a bit from all of the blogs, message boards, websites and private emails I've collected from other writers. Yep, I'd say it's been a pretty good week so far. I'll still complete my novels and other works that I've been working on, but it's nice to delve into the other working markets available for writers. I honestly had never considered half of them. The half that I had considered, I'd just dabbled in before, but am now taking them a lot more seriously. I love grantwriting and fiction, but it's nice to know that I can do more if I so choose. I have an old 2000 edition of Writer's Market, but am updating to the online version for $29.99 per year. If anyone else would like to do so, you can access their site from HERE. Because of the type of writing I was doing before, I didn't use my last copy much. However, now, I'm finding it an invaluable tool and recommend that (if you don't have a recent copy already) you either get the print or the online version immediately. I got the writer's guidelines for Blue Mountain Arts late last night. I'm excited to learn that they pay up to $300 for prose or poetry and $50 for submissions to be included in their anthology. Funny thing is that, as I drifted off on Tuesday night, Blue Mountain came to my mind. I absolutely love their cards and write in a similar style anyway, so I thought they'd be a perfect market for me. I made a mental note to get their guidelines, but then forgot about it by the time I woke up. God is good though and I came across a listing requesting submissions to Blue Mountain yesterday. I had no idea that they paid so well, but I'm anxious to submit some things to them. I have dozens written already, but plan on writing several more to add to a my submission to them. If you'd like their guidelines too, you can request them HERE. I think I'll check out other greeting card companies too. If anyone knows of any, please post them here or email them to me. Eventually, I'd like to get back into songwriting too. I guess that's not entirely correct, since I've never stopped, but this time I need to get serious with it and take it to the next level. I'm not quite ready yet, but soon...very soon, I'll start posting on my experiences in that arena. For now, I'm just putting it out there. ;) Anyway, everyone have a great one and thanks for tuning in. ~BabyBlogger
Problogger.net (a neat blog exploring how bloggers make money blogging)
Ezine Articleon getting your blog noticed (tips on attracting readers to your blog...obviously I haven't employed these techniques yet, LOL)
WAHM's Blogging Forum(the same forum I've referred to previously, but this particular area is devoted strictly to blogging)
Along with the sites I've posted over the past few days, these should keep you pretty busy if you're just starting out. And, if you're not just starting out, please post any other resources that you have as well as proffer your opinion on any of the ones I've posted that you may be familiar with.
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Yesterday, I did a little editing and managed to hammer out another article on mystery shopping which I completed at about 4 this morning. As stated yesterday, I'm really just working to get my legs back. Not that I ever stopped writing, but I did take a break and, for me, there's quite a difference between writing solely for pleasure and writing to publish. I'm very blessed to be in the position not to have to worry about making a living, especially from writing, but I definitely still want to earn an income from it. Wanting something as opposed to needing it, however, gives me the time and space to figure things out at my own pace for which I am very grateful.
And speaking of publishing, I went ahead and posted a short story and a poem over at Associated Content. Check my content page out over there whenever you have the time.
Today, I'm working on a few more ideas, putting the finishing touches on the two articles I've done this week and dusting off my Writer's Market to get ready to send them off. So please, keep me in your prayers. I'll probably add a few more pages over at AC, too. I still haven't heard if the article I sent them this weekend has been accepted, but I'll keep you posted either way.
Until next time, remain focused and remember that writer's write so make some time to do exactly that today!
I'm really excited about all that I'm learning and accomplishing. Yesterday I wrote a decent article on internet freelancing. Pretty much the same that I've shared here, but I plan to send it to a few magazines instead. Today, I'll tweak it, tomorrow I'll prep a list of addressees and send it off either tomorrow or Thursday. If it gets published great and if it doesn't, that's cool too. This process is more about getting in the groove...settling on a routine, than it is about getting published (not that I don't want to be published, but you know...).
Late last night I came across an interesting message on a wahm message board about a freelancer who is averaging $350 per article on a regular basis. She was kind enough to post the name of the website where she gets a lot of high paying jobs and right away I tuned in at FundsForWriters.com. A great site that I plan to spend more time getting to know today. Oh, and I also subscribed to their newsletter which sends out weekly job tips and even grant sources for writers. There are a lot of resources there to help writers earn a decent living at their craft. I used to think that the only way to really make a career of writing was to publish some great novel or something on that level. Of course, I knew about opportunities publishing articles and short stories, but having gone that route before, I knew that it was hit or miss with magazines and newspapers and that it takes a lot to be able to do it regularly enough to earn a living wage. It's done, though, and it's done regularly by a lot of writers. Unfortunately, not many people can afford to focus solely on this type of freelancing, especially at the beginning stages of their career. This is why I'm so thankful for sites like FundsForWriters.comand all of the things that I'm learning about internet writing opportunities. Not to mention the various message boards where I'm getting some really great tips from working writers.
Yesterday I also spent some time learning about promoting this blog. I subscribed to a blogging network called Technorati. They basically track millions of blogs making it easy for people to seek out blogs that interest them. Sort of like a blog search engine, if you will. I've got a lot of reading still to do on both of the sites that I've mentioned, but if you're desiring a career in writing (or are already engaged in one), I strongly recommend that you familiarize yourself with both of these.
I also installed a counter on my blog and read a little on html coding and a lot of technical stuff like that. Usually that type of thing bores me to tears (I'd rather pay somebody to do it, ya know), but I'm finding that authoring a blog means more than just writing, there's a technical side to it if you plan to do it well. So...
Before I go, let me leave you a few more of the links I've gathered for freelance writers:
Since I'm writing again, I've decided to see if I can make a living freelancing. I don't mean to just make a few bucks here and there, but to actually earn a regular, dependable income each and every month. In my quest, I've discovered that there is money to be made in blogging and in submitting articles to various websites who pay for content.
My first stop in this journey was Associated Content(If you're interested, please click the link provided so I'll get credit ($$$) for referring you. If the link doesn't work, please let me know). My due diligence has discovered several claims from fellow writers as to this company's legitimacy and integrity, so I jumped in with both feet and decided to submit some previously published pieces for them. After registering myself there, I spent well over an hour (probably closer to two) in editing and uploading a short story I'd written ages ago. After all of the time spent there, however, I found out that they don't pay for short stories. Took me a while to figure it out, but I'm told that because AC relies on traffic generated from people searching for info on a variety of topics, a short story isn't likely to draw a lot of traffic from those Google-type searches. Makes sense, but I wish I'd known that before all of that editing. You live and you learn and then you move on.
So, instead of submitting my story, I dusted off an article I'd published a few years back and I'm still waiting to hear if it's going to be accepted or not. I should know by this Friday and I'll be sure to post the results. I submitted a previously published piece because they only pay a very limited amount per article. A bit of a rip off if I submit something new that can garner more, but the one that I offered was published for free on an entertainment type eZine and, since it was several years old (and I hadn't thought about it since), I decided that I could afford to let it go for a few bucks (which in this case is more than it made the first time around). AC says they prefer first time works, but that they do accept previously published material, so we'll see.
If and when I do publish with AC or any other content sites (There are a lot more and I'll list them later), it will most definitely be articles with topics they're requesting (they regularly give you a list of subjects that they want). In other words, I'll go outside my genre to write for them for a little extra cash and exposure, but I don't see myself giving my more passionate article subjects to them unless, of course, I can't get them published elsewhere. Even then, an article would have to be pretty old for me to submit it. Does this make sense? I also think these kinds of sites are great for showcasing writing samples to potential clients. Not to mention, AC has a great forum for networking with other writers.
Also, as mentioned in yesterday's post, I've discovered that money is to be made blogging. Basically, there are a lot of sites that will pay you to list their buttons, banners and links on your blog. Each time one of your visitors clicks on one of them, you're given a share of the revenue generated from the click. Cool concept. We've all seen the links on websites and blogs, but I don't know how many of us actually click on them. With these sites, you're also responsible for getting people to come to your site which can be tough and time-consuming. And once they arrive, there's still no guarantee that they'll be interested in clicking ads. Still, I signed up with a couple of sites offering this. One site accepted my application and another turned it down. I won't say the name of the one who accepted me due to my agreement with them. Basically, they have a lot of rules and I'm scared to break them. Not that they're paying a ton of money, but I don't want to get kicked out of the club before learning how to maximize the system. The other site, Blogitive, turned me down though, so I can mention them. I'll actually reapply to them after I build my blog up a little more (which, I strongly suspect, is the reason they denied my application...there's not enough here yet). My research indicates that they are also a good company with a good reputation.
Overall, there are mixed reviews about the whole making money publishing online thing. A lot of WAHM types are really into it as are other writers I've met online in the last few days of my new old career. One very helpful blogger swears she's making $1200 per month just by ads on her blog. Yet other writers are adamant that blogging for dollars and submitting articles for content sites aren't professional writing gigs, but simply marketing tools and ways for housewives to make petty cash. Okay, the housewives bit is all me, but it seems to ring true. The blogger making $1200 per month doesn't appear to be the norm. Most are making $50 per mo. or less. Still, I'll blog on and see if I can make a buck in the process. If I can/would do it for free, I should be able to turn a profit-even a teensy one-right? Besides, the blogging is a good exercise to get me back in the habit of toying with my talent.
Oh, and I was asked to write an article on a very juicy entertainment topic. If all goes as planned, I'll be combining the research and opinions of two experts in the field on a topic that's sure to garner the attention of those interested in the business side of the industry. The subject has the potential to be a Vibe, Rolling Stone or even a Wall Street piece. More on that as it develops though.
So that was my weekend start up project and I feel like I learned a lot and have quite a few possibilities left to explore. I'm finding myself brainstorming different ideas and topics during my quiet moments and I'm really looking forward to seeing where it all leads.
At least that's the statement I've recently taped to my television set.
I've been dodging this truth for most of my adult life. It's a gift from God in which I've become obsessed with avoiding. Sad, I know, but if I'm going to tell it, I'm going to have to tell it like it is.
Ever since I can recall, I've been told that I am a talented writer and, ever since I can recall, I've believed that. Yet, I've searched for ways to avoid doing so for a living. If you only knew how many unfinished manuscripts have poured out of my fingertips...if you only knew how I dread even thinking about them...if you only knew how easily this thing pours through me at times, you'd probably want to slap me silly. I feel the same way, so I won't try to justify my behavior, but I won't hang my head in shame either. It is what it is. My gift, my talent to either waste or enjoy.
Lest you think I'm a total loser, you should know that I've been published and I've been rejected, which, in my case, is a good thing, because it means I've taken the necessary steps to even submit a work to be rejected. I'm not totally oblivious to the possibilities this gift provides. At times, I dream of sitting on Oprah's couch discussing my latest novel currently flying off of bookstore shelves since she's announced it as her new favorite book of the month. Of course I bring copies for the whole audience and they feign surprise when O announces that every member of the audience is going home with an autographed copy which, of course, is under their seats as we speak. (NOTE TO FUTURE OPRAH AUDIENCE MEMBERS: The first thing you need to do upon arrival at Harpo's soundstage is to -- Oh, you already know, huh? That's right, check under your seat! GOING EVEN FURTHER OFF THE TOPIC: Do you know how hot I'd be if I were an audience member and, after dialing for months, maybe even years, for tickets to the show, I crapped out and attended on a rare day when there was no gift under my seat??? Okay, I'm done digressing...for now.) I also have fantasies of accepting a Grammy Award for Best Songwriter of the Year, which, of course, is my second Grammy because I received the award for Best New Songwriter last year when I wore that stunning red gown and took my mom with me, because she deserves to walk the red carpet for being my first and forever fan. In my dreams I've also won a Tony, a Pulitzer, an Emmy, hob-nobbed with some of the greatest artists and newsmakers of our time. And, naturally, I attend all of the hottest events while people clamor for my attention in order to express great interest in starring in, singing or bringing to life my next project. Oh, yeah, I'm aware of this gift's potential and it has been the foundation which supports so many of my dreams.
Most of what I've published, however, brings me even greater reward than anything I can describe above. Previous renderings fall heavily on the side of inspirational and encouraging outreach. The letters I've received from people describing how my words have touched their lives bring me great joy and great frustration. Joy, for obvious reasons. There's no feeling in the world like opening up a part of yourself and pouring it onto someone else who greets your effort with an, "Ahhh, I needed that". I'd miss a million Oprah tapings, forfeit the Grammy, tell the Academy I'd pass on the Emmy and sell my Tony and Pulitzer on eBay all at the same time if I can bring that feeling to even one person. That one person, by the way, is the real reason why I stick with it. Yeah, there are other reasons, but that person lives inside of me and is me in a lot of ways and, because of them, I know this is not only a gift, but a calling.
*Sigh*
By now you're probably wondering, "Okay, so why does she avoid doing this full-time?" or, at least you should be wondering such. The simple truth is that this is often a painstaking, grueling, mind-bending, earth-shattering (okay, I'm being dramatic), deeply frustrating process. I mean, the inspirational stuff comes fairly easily. Poetry (did I tell you I write poetry too?), flows almost effortlessly onto the page at times and when I'm in an emotional state, I will literally fall into a trance-like state and write until my hands cramp and my eyes blur as a release (without writing, I'd probably be institutionalized by now...either in prison or the nuthouse). But, see that's just the thing...I'm an emotional writer. I need to first be in the mood and I need to be inspired. Only in times like these do I LOVE to write. Any other time, it's like pulling teeth!
NEWSFLASH: I didn't intend for this to be this long. In fact, I didn't even intend to talk about this. Please bare with me, I'm almost done with my rant and if you can relate, in any way, with what I'm sharing here, you'll want to discover where this is all leading. Anyway...
How can a moody person like myself possibly write full time? Here I have a Divine gift, but I only want to use it when I'm in the mood. Geesh, some people!
Enough of all that, though (see my mood is changing already).
Fast forward to the true purpose of this Blog. I'm in a rut. A very comfortable rut, but a rut nonetheless. With a degree in Psychology and 3/4 of a degree in Sociology, I'm no longer interested in figuring other people's issues out...I've got enough of my own, but thanks! I've done my stint in the working world and loved it, but I'm not feeling the 9-5 job thing anymore. Grantwriting is easy, but doing it for other folk bores me to tears. I've encountered minor success in the world of MLM, but I don't feel compelled to build another downline which is bad news for anyone in my upline, so I think I'll pass. Number One Son is in college and unless the Lord blesses me again, there aren't anymore babies to raise. My mate puts no pressure on me to work and has officially dubbed me retired royalty as my days, my time, my routines (or lack of) are completely of my choosing and I'm not even 40 yet. Another blessing.
So, in counting my blessings, I've decided it's high time that I step into my rightful place. The place God has provided and paved the way for me to arrive. In chasing myself, I've assessed three questions to discover who I am:
1. What skill or talent can I perform without even really thinking about performing it?
2. What would I do if I didn't have to worry about making a living at it?
3. What's my passion?
I've talked enough about #1...I think you get it. No, I'm not the greatest writer in the world (even in my own mind). Despite the fact that it's a natural talent, I still have a ways to go in developing it, I know, but I do have skills!
#2 actually addresses a few things outside of this medium, but all of them are accessible through writing. My gift will make room for me and, at the same time, be the greatest gift I can give back to God and others.
And, while the answer to #3 eluded me for many years (or I eluded it), it's true that writing is my passion. It's a love/hate relationship at times, but it's a passion always. When I'm overcome with joy or sadness, I write. When I'm wondering what's missing in my life, I write. When I'm planning my future, I write. When I'm thinning out in too many different directions, I write. Writing brings everything into focus for me. It's like that best friend that you sometimes want to slap for telling you the truth, but you end up hugging with gratitude, because your friend always knows exactly what you need to hear. Writing does that for me. It never leaves me. It doesn't let me off the hook easily and it doesn't apologize even for sometimes being a burden in my life. It checks me at every point in my journey and doesn't let me squirm out of who I am.
Okay, so here I am.
I'm a writer and writers write.
This blog's purpose is to chronicle my journey from this point on. My friends, I'm going to figure this way out once and for all and declare this my "new old" career. Picking up where I left off, I'll be honest with you about my journey and share what I'm learning. Perhaps I'll post some of what I've already written for you to critique (and I love constructive criticism! So leave me lots of comments) or perhaps I'll just start fresh and get used to this blogging thing on a brand new slate. I may even start a separate blog for showcasing my work, I'm still undecided. But I'll try to post as many topics as possible on my writing journey and a LARGE part of this blog will be my sharing whatever resources I find with others of you also in possession of this gift. For example, just in the past few days, I'm disovering lots of ways of making money writing that I never knew existed before (like blogging, lol). So, if you're interested, stay tuned and we just may figure out the real secret to financial wealth and freedom...getting paid to do what you'd otherwise do for free!
Thanks for tuning in and now it's time for me to make it do what it do!
