Renee's Pages

Hard to Believe . . .

2011-03-27T18:32:00.000-07:00

That my March blog "get in shape" challenge is almost over. I am so tired. This has been one crazy month! However, it is nice to see how often staying active is a normal part of my routine, even when it's not scheduled in the form of traditional exercise. I had a lot of that going on in this past week.

Here's my recap:

Day 21 - I did 45 minutes of strength training here at home.

Day 22 - I took a 10-minute walk with my dog, and then, on the spur of the moment, decided to hop on the bike I got last August for my birthday and ride around my neighborhood after lunch. Not only was it a great way to burn calories, it was also relaxing to be out in the sunshine, even if I did work some muscles in my legs that needed to be worked. The hill coming up my street gave me a nice burn.

Day 23 - I did 45 minutes of strength training at home and then took a 20-minute walk with my kids and the dog after they came home from school.

Day 24 - I had honestly intended for this to be a day off from working out. But I signed up to work at a consignment sale at my church on this day, and for two hours in the morning, I actually ended up running sale items to their designated locations (all over the church) with pretty much no stopping. I'd say I burned a few calories that day.

Day 25 - I did a take a true day off, but I played Wii Sports with my son in the afternoon, which was a fun way to get moving around. Tennis rocks.

Day 26 - I did 45-minutes of strength training here at home.

Day 27 - I also took another day off from the gym, but we ended up going to an outlet mall this afternoon and two hours of walking later, I certainly don't feel like I took a day off!

P.S. The photo above is from a camping trip we took at the Virginia Creeper Trail last June, where I reconnected with my love of biking. That bike was a rental, but my kids hounded my husband to get me a bike of my very own just a few months later. It's pink and beautiful. I love taking it out for a spin.

Almost There!

2011-03-21T09:00:00.000-07:00

Thursday of last week (Day 17) I broke up my exercise into different segments. I took my usual walk around our block with the dog, lifted weights while catching up on one of my beloved crime shows for 30 minutes, and later went for a 30-minute walk after dinner. Whew! Friday (Day 18), I joined a friend and we hit the exercise bike for 30 minutes, then hopped on treadmills for 30 more minutes of rigorous cardio (I even jogged for more than half a mile)! I took a much needed rest on Saturday (Day 19). Yesterday, I started to head to the gym, but my husband started cleaning the house and my conscience wouldn't let him tackle this beast alone. I knew I could burn some calories vacuuming and cleaning the bathrooms for an hour, so I counted that as my workout, plus one walk with the dog. Later, we even strolled around Lowe's to get ideas for spring planting/painting/redecorating ideas for an hour. I was tired last night!

Take That, Rain

2011-03-16T16:45:00.000-07:00

After working out all weekend to stay caught up on this blog challenge, I took Day 14 off, minus the 10-15 walk I took the Superdog (our nickname for Sonic) on . Yesterday, Day 15 was a rainy, dreary day, but I did not let it get me down. I got into my car last night after dinner, drove to the gym and lifted weights for an hour. I felt so much better after I left! I met a friend who is determined to drop a few pounds at the gym this morning, Day 16. We challenged ourselves to burn at least 450 calories during our workout and succeeded! I even spotted a flyer announcing an event on my way out the door and thought it might make a great article idea. Back at home, I quickly composed an e-mail to the editor at the local newspaper with the idea and fired it off. Within an hour, I had the assignment. Sometimes it pays to be high on endorphins!

Update on the Challenge

2011-03-14T07:49:00.001-07:00

I'm not going to lie. Trying to keep up with this fitness challenge this month has been pretty difficult. Last week, I did not meet my goal of exercising five days a week. There were several different reasons why. First, I worked as a preschool substitute three days last week at my son's school. While that was only in the mornings, it was followed by the usual picking up my daughter and transporting her after school, as well as driving to my son's speech therapy one of those days. Plus, it rained two days which is always depressing! Then, my husband was scheduled to have outpatient surgery on Wednesday, which was cancelled at the last minute because his doctor became ill. Anyway, last week was so exhausting that I honestly wanted to throw in the towel on this project, but I've decided to keep going. So here's last week's recap:

Day 7 - I worked out at the gym for an hour and took the dog for a 10-minute walk earlier in the day.

Day 8 - Nothing

Day 9 - Nothing besides a 10-minute walk with the dog.

Day 10 - Nothing besides a 10-minute walk with the dog.

Day 11 - A 45-minute workout at the gym and 10-minute walk later.

Day 12 - A 30-minute walk at the local park, and 20-minute walk with the dog.

Day 13 - Strength and core training for 40 minutes and a 10-minute walk in the afternoon.

So I worked out four days of last week, which is still reasonable. If nothing else, my dog should be happy! I'm hoping to get back on the wagon this week, and try to eat a little better. I've stocked my refrigerator with plenty of fruits and vegetables this week, so here we go!

Day 7

2011-03-07T18:09:00.000-08:00

Today was a busy day, with a lot of time this afternoon spent in the car. Not good for the waistline. The weather also turned cold and a little chilly, which is usually the kiss of death for me as far as exercise. But I'm happy to report that I stuck to my guns. I dragged myself to the gym tonight, worked out on the elliptical for 45 minutes and then did about 10 minutes of core exercises. And I also walked the dog for 10 minutes this afternoon. I'm sure I'll sleep well tonight!

Days 4, 5 and 6

2011-03-06T18:23:00.000-08:00

No, I didn't fall off the physical challenge wagon, although I have been mysteriously absent from the blog this weekend. It's just been a very busy last few days!

Anyway, Day 4, Friday, just flat out sucked. I was busy trying to finish up a few deadlines, had a performance at my daughter's school to attend, carpool duties, and my son was with me all day. Besides finally venturing out to take the dog for a 15-minute walk around 5:30 p.m., the extent of my physical activity that day was typing on the computer. I don't quite think that counts. And boy, you could tell I had a sedentary day! I was grouchy, crabby and depressed. And I craved carbs.

Saturday, Day 5, I went to the gym with my family and had a much-needed 60-minute workout. The kids had fun at Childwatch, and the husband and I lifted weights. All before 11 a.m. I felt great the rest of the day.

Today, Day 6, consisted of a different sort of workout. We have an extremely busy week planned around here, including me working as a substitute at my son's preschool three days this week, so I wanted to make sure the house was in good working order before tomorrow. I spent a good two hours scrubbing toilets, sweeping, mopping and dusting. I'll count that as today's calories burned.

So to recap, I met my goal of getting at least 45 minutes of physical activity a day, five days a week. I'm betting it will be a little tougher to accomplish this week, but we'll see how it goes!

Day 3

2011-03-03T16:43:00.001-08:00

Today has been a much better day than yesterday, mostly because it didn't include a milkshake! Instead, I consumed 40 ounces of water instead.

Our lucky dog got two 10-minute walks through the neighborhood today, and I dare say the extra exercise is wearing him out. That's a good thing!

This evening I did 30 minutes of strength training and core, for a total of 50 minutes worth of exercise for day three. I will be spending the evening in front of the computer working on an article that is due tomorrow, but I think things will flow a lot smoother now that I have my exercise goal out of the way. I've been sleeping really soundly the past few days, too.

Hopefully tomorrow if the weather allows, I'll go on a bike ride around the neighborhood with my son. I got a new bike back in August for my birthday and love taking it for a spin whenever I get the chance.

Day 2

2011-03-02T18:16:00.001-08:00

I met my goal of exercising today. I actually took my dog for a walk this morning (working from home has its perks!) and the kids and I took him again this afternoon. They rode their bikes and scooters. Sonic is the rescue dog we adopted a few months after we lost our old friend and Chihuahua extraordinaire, Odie. We're not quite sure what he is exactly (my daughter calls him a Chiweenie) but he definitely has some Chihuahua and maybe Daschund in him. There's a reason he has the name Sonic. We're guessing he's about 4 years old and he has the energy to match. I swear, sometimes I think if he had a bigger mouth he would bring me the leash himself!
Full disclosure here. There are no secrets in "The Healthier Writer Challenge." I took the kids to McDonald's today for an impromptu ice cream trip, fully planning on getting an iced latte for myself. One small chocolate milkshake later, I'm still feeling the guilt. Why did I do that? Plus, milkshakes are always a little rough on my stomach, so while it tastes good at the time, what's the point?
I tried to make up for it by having a healthy dinner of vegetarian lentil soup and a baked potato with Smart Balance. Then I hit the stairclimber at the gym for 45 minutes and did some core exercises after that. Besides the milkshake, I did manage to eat pretty well today, so I'm proud of myself for that. No sense in beating myself up for it. Tomorrow's a new day!
I guess in all I worked out about 1 hour and 20 minutes today. I have two articles to work on tomorrow so it will be interesting to see how I manage to squeeze a workout in there, but I'm determined.

The Big Idea: A Healthier Writer

2011-03-01T07:59:00.000-08:00

Photo courtesy of stock.xchng

During a discussion with my husband this past weekend, something dawned on me. Every spring, typically in March or April, I attempt some Herculean feat. For example, one year I decided I was going to get off my duff, hire a personal trainer, and lose 15 pounds, which I did. Another year I completed a half-marathon. Ouch! Last year I produced more than 60,000 pages of blood, sweat and tears (some might call it my first novel) during the month of March. Apparently my husband tries to mentally prepare himself for whatever big idea I have every year, and I am just now realizing that I've been doing this since before we got married 10 years ago. He was shocked that I hadn't come to this conclusion sooner.
Having put that out there, I am now feeling self-imposed pressure to come up with a good project again this year.
I know I must suffer from Seasonal Affective Disorder, because boy, do I get sad and slovenly during the winter months. And it's not like we live in Antarctica or anything. I just hate the shorter days and cold weather, and pretty much all I want to do is sit around in my velour pants, drink coffee, and sometimes attempt to pound away on my keyboard.
Today is March 1, and I'm feeling motivated. I definitely have about 10 pounds of winter weight I need to get rid of. And I have a strapless, form-fitting bridemaid's dress to squeeze into at the beginning of June so there's no time like the present. I decided that this month, I am going to attempt a blog challenge. Writers are notoriously known for being unhealthy, due to the pressure of deadlines, sitting in front of keyboards, and often reaching for one too many cups of coffee and muffins. I write a lot of fitness, health and nutrition articles which makes my situation all the more ironic.
So this month, I will be documenting my attempt to lose at least five pounds. I am challenging myself to exercise for at least 45 minutes a day, five days a week.
Anyone want to join me? I will be posting my results here each day that I exercise to hold myself accountable. I already took a break this morning and went on a 10-minute walk with my dog. Let's go!

Edited to add that I also did 40 minutes of core/strength training last night. Check!

Greetings from my little island . . .

2010-11-09T08:26:00.000-08:00

No, I'm not on a deserted beach somewhere. I wish. Just trapped here at my desk, knowing there are 10,000 things I should be working on, but unable to do any of them. As I posted on Facebook earlier this morning, it's days like these that make me wish I had co-workers around. I do miss getting up each morning, putting on a nice outfit and makeup, and settling in at my desk with regular chit-chat breaks in between meetings and deadlines. Oh, and did I mention I also miss the steady paycheck?
Don't get me wrong. I am grateful for being able to work from home. But trying to drum up enough business in between my children's school and extracurricular activities is difficult, and I tend to lose enthusiasm and energy for my writing projects by the time the sun sets. I've had a hard time juggling everything lately and staying focused on what I need to do most -- prospecting!
Anyway, it's been a busy past few months. I've had a pretty steady roster of work that is now all turned in, and I realized my manuscript needed to be expanded, so it's been put on the backburner. I need to pick it back up again, but revisions are so hard for me. I'd rather just start on a new story I've got in my head, but I realize I'll never publish anything that way, so onward and upward.
On a fun note, I got to meet one of my musical heroes, Greg Laswell, when he opened for Sara Bareilles in Charlotte last month. I actually scored two free tickets to see him, in exchange for passing out his free music download cards at the show. It was a blast, and I got a new story idea from the experience. So many ideas, so little time! He's a great guy, and if you haven't checked out his music yet, please do so! I guess I should get back to work now!

Stop the Spam!

2010-08-19T06:10:00.000-07:00

I haven't updated in quite a while, and I have to confess it's because I'm getting extremely frustrated without the amount of spammers trying to infiltrate the comments on this blog. I finally had to set up a moderation on the comments section, and every single day I've had to refuse spam, particularly on the Greg Laswell post. I update this blog to keep friends, family and acquaintances on my current work projects, and dealing with all the spam is making me lose interest in doing so. Please, whoever you are, leave my blog alone or I will be forced to shut it down, and I really don't want to have to do that.
Enough said.

Music, Reading, Writing, Repeat

2010-07-07T06:37:00.001-07:00

It's hard to believe how fast the summer is flying by. We've been fortunate this year to mix in few long weekend trips with our annual beach vacation (next week, Hilton Head!) so we have been having a blast. We went camping as a family for the first time and biked half of the Virginia Creeper Trail, a truly majestic experience. Another weekend was spent in the picturesque mountains of the Asheville area, which was great because that is where my novel is set, so I was able to pick up a few details to add into the manuscript.

I've been picking up more work as a newspaper stringer and just turned in my latest batch of local magazine articles assigned to me over the past few months. Summer always proves to be a challenge in freelancing with the kids home a lot of the time, but summer camps and structured activities have helped me get things done for the most part. My new smartphone helps too, because I can stay connected whenever we venture out of the house.

We've experienced an unusually early heat wave in North Carolina, and I've used that time to catch up on some reading. Right now I'm working on "South of Broad" by Pat Conroy, which, of course, is fabulous. My eyes are tired from doing so much reading but I can't put it down!

And of course, the manuscript revisions. The book is complete and I love talking about it with other people. I can't get over how many friends and acquaintances want to go ahead and read it. I already informed my husband (who typically doesn't read long works of fiction) that he will be reading the book next week while we are on vacation, and I hope to get a rough outline of my next novel fleshed out in the next few weeks. Next up, compiling a list of agents to query. I'm thankful to have the 2010 edition of Writer's Market my shelf and every issue of Writer's Digest from the past few years to assist in my search.

I'm adding the blog "Ask Allison" to my blogroll, as I recently read all three of Allison Winn Scotch's novels this summer and like the advice she doles out to writes on her blog. I really enjoyed the one where she talked about the playlist for her latest novel "The One That I Want," because I've had an ever-evolving playlist I listen to whenever I work on my manuscript, too. I recently added singer/songwriter Greg Laswell (see photo above) to it. I saw him play at a local venue in Charlotte about a month ago and fell in love with his music, which I had already heard a few times on "Grey's Anatomy." He writes a lot about relationships, and so many of his songs tie in well with the themes in my book, especially the love story aspect. If you ever get a chance to see this guy live, I highly recommend it. He tends to play in intimate settings, and he's very funny and engaging with his audience. His latest album is "Take a Bow," and the whole album flows together seamlessly. I can't begin to tell you how much his music has been on repeat while I worked on latest revisions of the book.

This is an exciting time of my life. The kids are getting older and cuter by the day. I love my job, and am hopeful that my foray into fiction-writing will pay off in the long run. And it's almost vacation time!

Goodbye, Sweet Odie . . .

2010-06-14T11:47:00.001-07:00

The movie "Marley & Me" had a huge impact on me when I saw it in the theatre a few years ago. Holding my husband's hand, I sobbed during the final scene with Marley in the veterinarian's office, because I knew that day would come soon enough for our family pet, too.

That day came last Tuesday. The past few years had been hard for Odie, our spunky Chihuahua, when he lost an eye from glaucoma and had cancerous cells removed from his body in two different surgeries. But still, he plodded along, if a little slower, because I think he always knew how greatly his absence would affect our family.

I got Odie as a present upon my high school graduation in 1994. Yes, 1994! I am so fortunate to have had Odie with us as long as we did. Except for the four years I was in college and a brief period after graduation, he lived with me. For two years after I married my husband, he was our fur baby and in essence, our first child. He got a little depressed when our daughter came along, but eventually he settled into life with us and our two kids.

There will never be another pet like Odie. He might have been small, but he was fearless. One of my favorite memories is when he snatched a mini bagel smothered in cream cheese out of my hand when he was a tiny puppy. That was his favorite food. He also once charged a FedEx truck, which miraculously saw him at the last minute and stopped within two feet of him. Before the loss of his eye, he loved to take long walks around our neighborhood on his leash. And he always gave us extra love when we were sick.

Odie turned 16 in May. My daughter sang to him and drew him several sweet birthday cards. She loved to tell people stories about Odie. But we noticed he was losing his appetite and control of his bladder more and more, and moving very slowly. He developed an infection and was having trouble breathing last week when we finally decided it was time to let him go.

I'll always be grateful to my husband for being with him during that last hour in the vet's office while I was driving around town with the kids, crying and trying to tell myself he wouldn't be in pain anymore.

Now, the house is quiet. Sometimes I think I hear him scratching at the back door. I miss when he used to lie on his bed in the corner of my office when the kids were in school and I worked. I miss sitting outside in the sun with him while he rolled in the grass to scratch his back. I miss the feel of his smooth fur.

It is getting easier every day. I can' t think about getting another pet right now. He has always been the only animal in our home. We need time to grieve. But I will always be thankful to have experienced such a wonderful relationship with my dog, as difficult as it was at times. And I hope I'll see him again one day.

Goodbye Odie. I'll always love you.

Fixing Things

2010-05-24T12:41:00.000-07:00

Writing a long work of fiction is so different from what I usually do. Typically, I write magazine profiles and service articles. A little background research, a few phone interviews, some time drafting the article, and then I turn in the completed piece and invoice. I only wish writing a novel was that easy. I felt really good about my first draft until I stepped back from it for awhile and came back and read it with fresh eyes. I did not like what I saw.

For one thing, it may not be long enough for commercial fiction right now. It also has one of those nice, "tie it up in a bow and present it" type endings right now. I realize there needs to be an additional chapter or more of conflict before I can conclude the story.

These realizations have left me feeling more than a little frustrated, as there are two opportunities rapidly approaching that would allow me to show a query letter and sample chapters to a few agents. I don't want to have to pass these opportunities up, but moving ahead means I'm going to have to kick myself into high gear over the next two weeks. Can I do this? Yes. Even with a few article deadlines looming over my head. No, make that YES!

I happened to be flipping through the channels this weekend when I came across an old episode of VH1's "Storytellers," featuring one of my favorite bands, Coldplay. This particular episode was taped right as they were promoting the album "X&Y." They played the very moving song, "Fix You," live for one of the very first times. Lead singer Chris Martin talked about how much they worked on the song to perfect it, writing it roughly at first and recording it while on a world tour. They eventually scrapped some of the original lyrics and rewrote it, and it remains one of the songs they're proudest of.

Hearing how hard they worked on that song cheered me up a little bit. It also made me very emotional because a few years ago, after listening to that song for the very first time, I began to get the idea for my novel. That song has always been on my playlist as I've struggled to outline the story of four friends who survive a devastating accident in high school, only to battle their own personal demons five years later instead.

It's funny how one thing can inspire such a complicated piece of work, but I will always be grateful to Coldplay for writing and producing that song. It finally gave me the inspiration to do what my friends and mentors have always told me I could do -- write a book.

Now, onward and upward!

Documenting the Process

2010-04-21T08:17:00.000-07:00

While it only took a month to complete the rough draft of my first novel, it feels like the revisions are taking forever. Every time I look over it I find a new typo. Oh well. No one ever said this was easy! But it is exciting to see it all coming together . . .

In other news, I've finally rescheduled the freelance writing workshop I was supposed to hold back in January, before several weeks of inclement weather foiled my plans. This is part of the LakeNormanMommies Learning series, and will take place at my home in Huntersville on May 8 at 2 p.m.

Below are the details:

During this two-hour class (which includes coffee/snack time), you'll learn how to:

analyze the mastheads of local publications to see where writing opportunities are
brainstorm article ideas
find expert sources to quote in your articles
query a national publication

My writing credits include:

The Charlotte Observer

Lake Norman Currents

Charlotte Parent

Little Ones

Carolina Parent

Piedmont Parent

www.iParenting.com

Huggies Baby Network

Funds for Writers

The Writer

You can find more bio information on my web page, www.FinishedPages.com.

The class fee is $20 and a portion of the fee will be donated to LakeNormanMommies as a fundraiser. There will be door prizes, too, and great opportunities to connect with other creative LKNM moms! Contact me if you would like more information.

Write Book, Check!

2010-04-10T11:36:00.001-07:00

On March 29, I completed the rough draft of my first novel. It was a great feeling -- well, more than great, really. I've talked about this project for so long it's hard to believe I'm one step closer to being a published author. Now, the real fear of failure sets in. I've been afraid to even read the first few pages of the manuscript. This is the mental block that always kept me from writing my story down in the first place, only now it's bogging me down in what is supposed to be the revision process.

So I've had two weeks away from my rough draft, and it's time to pick it back up. I'm pretty sure the prologue needs to be revamped, and many of the first few scenes can be condensed into longer chapters. But deep down, I feel like I did a good job with character development, pacing, and dialogue. Only time will tell, I guess.

I just returned from a short vacation to visit family out of state, and I'm looking forward to diving back into all sorts of projects now. They include sending out more query letters for articles, setting up phone mentoring appointments, teaching a possible local freelance writing class, and maybe even an outline for my next novel idea. And of course, researching potential agents and fleshing out a query letter for my book!

9,000 Words (more or less) Left and Counting . . .

2010-03-27T13:52:00.000-07:00

It's hard to believe, but the first draft of my first novel is almost complete. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't starting to get a little tired. I love my characters and everything, but we all need some time away from each other.

Who am I kidding? I'm leaving for Texas next Saturday to visit family for spring break and what do you want to bet I'll be holding my completed manuscript in one hand and editing with a red pen in the other while we're up in the air?

I can't help it. I can hardly believe I've made it this far and will soon hold a semi-completed piece of work in my hands. And I even managed to do it without pulling any all-nighters. For me, that is a miracle.

But this final leg of the journey is a little bittersweet. I know that once I return from my trip I'll have to go back to pounding the pavement for freelance work and crafting article queries for magazine editors, which will be hard because writing fiction has been so fulfilling. I can't believe how much it has renewed my spirit and energized me. I am hopeful for the future, and anxious to work on an outline for a new story in the next few months. I highly recommend the Book in a Month program to any writer who wants to take their writing to the next level. It's worked wonders for me!

The Home Stretch

2010-03-23T14:14:00.001-07:00

Twenty-three days ago, I finally started work on my first novel. I received Book in a Month as a prize in a recent writing contest and used it to give me the final boost I needed to get started. I turned in a few paid assignments at the beginning of March and one yesterday, but other than that, I have been diligently cranking out 2,000-3,000 words a day to get me to my final goal of a 70,000-75,000 manuscript at the end of this month. This is a rough draft at best -- I'm envisioning weeks (maybe months) of revising and hair-pulling beginning April 1, but at least the hard part will be done.

I've had the idea for this book for a few years, but it's amazing how much the plot, tone and characters have changed since I wrote my first outline. It still surprises me how easily the words and dialogue flow once I make the commitment to sit down at my computer each day.

This has not been an easy process. Every now and then, I'll sit down to write and have a panic attack. What if the completed product is no good? Will I ever be able to actually show this to anyone? What scene am I supposed to come up with next? Is this too personal?

I'm feeling a little cranky as I enter the home stretch. The house is a wreck. The inside of my car looks like clowns have been living inside it. Dinner tonight is eggs. Lady Gaga is getting me through with a few dance breaks here and there and my heroine is getting ready to do something really stupid. I'm planning to finally read the Twilight series as my reward after I finish the rough draft. My family has been wonderfully supportive. This morning my 6-year-old daughter asked me how much I was going to get paid for my book. I wish! And I already have an idea for my next book, if you can believe it. Thanks to all my friends who have been cheering me on! And now, back to throwing together dinner for my hungry children.

The Healthy Writer

2010-03-16T07:17:00.001-07:00

In this week's issue of "The Prosperous Writer," Christina Katz addresses the issue of writers maintaining good health to achieve the ultimate success both professionally and personally. This is a topic I think about often, as my job often calls for me to sit at my desk drinking nothing but coffee for hours on end.

About two years ago I woke up one morning and took a good, hard look at myself in the mirror. While I had reached a point in my career where I had a steady flow of work and a job as a stringer for the local newspaper, my health was suffering. I was at my heaviest and my mood was all over the place. I wanted to be a better role model for my two small children.

Like many writers, I am a person of extremes. In college, I put in long hours working on the campus newspaper sitting in front of a computer, chain-smoking and often eating only one meal a day. Needless to say, I was the skinniest I had ever been in my life, but I was far from healthy, and it took a toll on my mental state as well. Two years ago, the opposite was true. I craved comfort foods, sugary, frozen coffee drinks, and I wasn't getting enough sleep or fresh air. Again, I was not as happy with my life as I should have been.

I made the decision to be a healthier person. I began working with a personal trainer who taught me a great deal about the proper nutrition. Within three months, I had dropped 15 pounds and was running road races and lifting weights regularly. I looked and felt great.

I've now incorporated what I learned then into my daily writing life. I have slip-ups, as do most people, but I try to make it to the gym 3-4 times a week. My mind is so much clearer after I've worked up a good sweat. I also keep cut-up vegetables and hummus and fresh fruit in my refrigerator for morning and afternoon snacks and plenty of water in the bottle on my desk. I still have a love/hate relationship with coffee, particularly around deadlines. I was even able to write and sell a few articles about my lifestyle changes, so my career benefitted from the changes along with my health. What good is a successful career if you don't live long enough to enjoy it?

We all need to be mindful of taking care of ourselves while we're nurturing our inner artist. It's all too easy to let yourself go in the name of a deadline or rough draft that needs revising. Take a look around you and see if there are any health changes you could stand to make. I'm sure we could all find a few.

Who Really Gets These Jobs?

2010-03-10T09:19:00.000-08:00

At different points in my freelance career, I've focused on scrolling potential job leads each day and applying for a multitude of jobs. These jobs range from article writing, blog posts, editing, public relations, copywriting, etc. I always hear that branching out and diversifying your client base is the surefire way to increase your income.

The problem is, I don't think I've ever gotten one solid job from any of these leads. Right now, the majority of my work comes from editors I've already worked with in the past. I've grown tired of tailoring my resume and writing the perfect cover letter to apply to all these telecommuting jobs I never get.

Are there too many of us out there? Do my cover letters suck that badly? Are the employers who advertise the jobs even serious?

I did recently get a bite from a local posting I found on Craig's List. The potential client e-mailed a group of writers (names were masked) who had obviously responded to the ad, described the project he needed completed and asked us all to give him quotes. I didn't think that was a very professional way to handle the situation, and I don't like quoting on a per project basis with someone I've never worked with before. I e-mailed him my hourly rate instead, and shocker, never heard from him again.

Who really gets all these jobs I like to apply for? I've decided to refocus my efforts on pitching magazines and working on fiction. Maybe I'll actually see results there.

Have you ever found a great gig in the online job boards?

I Need More Hours, Please!

2010-03-03T11:04:00.000-08:00

There's just aren't enough hours in the day, of that I am convinced. I think that even if I had eight full hours a day to work I still wouldn't get everything done. Who really does right? My husband, a notorious "list guy" always tells me to prioritize the top five things on my list every day and check them off accordingly. Then, carry over what you didn't finish the day before onto your next day's list.

If only I wouldn't keep misplacing my notepad. And post-it notes.

I am working on a big project right now (I'll spill more details later) and once again the house has fallen into a disarray. But having a big extra-curricular (READ: NONPAYING) project to work on in my spare time has helped me prioritize how quickly I get my paying work done, just so I can get back to the aforementioned fun project. It's funny how things sometimes work out that way, isn't it?

Read here for more tips on how to add more hours to your work day. I can only dream of being able to hire a virtual assistant soon to help me with administrative tasks!

Query, Query, Query

2010-02-24T08:56:00.000-08:00

I am exhausted. I gave myself the goal of sending out 10 new magazine queries this week and it is harder than I originally thought. Many writers don't realize the "pre-query" part of the process is more time consuming than actually writing the query. I've contacted several possible experts for my article ideas, and in two cases heard back quickly. While these two sources don't think they are the best fit to provide expertise for the articles, they referred me to more qualified colleagues, which I am very grateful for.

For national magazine queries, it is best to have a few experts already lined up before securing the sale of the article, thus all this extra legwork. But it will make things easier when you do land an assignment so you won't be scrambling to find sources before deadline. I also hammered out an article for consideration for a writing publication, so I did get to sharpen my creativity skills somewhat today. Hopefully the extra queries will result in some good assignments for the next six months. I get nervous if I don't have two to three assignments on my roster at all times.

What are you working on today?

It May Look Easy, But It's Not

2010-02-18T07:31:00.000-08:00

I loved reading this post yesterday over at FreelanceSwitch. I can readily agree that while working from home is a great gig for a mother of two small children, managing the day to day distractions can be problematic. I've already blogged about how I've had to wean myself off my biggest social networking distraction, Facebook. But there are other distractions too, not related to work. Like the need to tidy up the kitchen or fold a few loads of laundry. Heck, I even get distracted some days trying to cue up the best choice of music on iTunes!

I've tried to implement a few new organizational strategies and so far they've been working pretty well. While my son is in preschool is when I am the most productive, given I have a large mug of coffee to accompany me. I try to spend that time checking e-mail, applying for jobs, setting up phone interviews for articles or simply working on assignments. I always take a lunch break away from my desk, even if it just eating a salad while catching up on a show I've recorded or flipping through a magazine.

In the afternoon when my kids get home, I take 20-30 minutes during their "downtime" and put away laundry and straighten up the kitchen for the dinner shift.

This week I actually made a meal plan based on meats and leftover sauces I had in my freezer and shopped for extra ingredients needed. Then I tried to be more efficient while prepping for those meals. For example, Sunday afternoon, while making pot roast, I cut up all the carrots and celery in the refrigerator and separated half of them for later use. Monday evening I saved some of the rotini I didn't use for my baked pasta. Tuesday I sauteed chicken, added it into chicken broth with the carrots and celery and leftover pasta and, voila, chicken noodle soup!

These little changes have led me to be more productive in my writing career as well as in my household.

How do you separate out everyday distractions when you're trying to work?

Facebook, I Love You . . .

2010-02-16T17:56:00.000-08:00

but we need to take a break. You're as addictive as coffee and bad reality television. Since I began weaning myself off your lovely interface almost 10 days ago, I've become so much more productive, in both life and in my work. My house is tidier than it has been in months. Breakfast dishes no longer linger in the sink until 4 p.m. Laundry is as caught up as it can be for a family of four. I have created delicious, healthy meals several days in a row just by chopping fruits and vegetables when I would normally be updating my status. My kids and I have been having a blast playing "Go Fish," "Bingo," and "Uno Moo" after school. I've applied to more freelance jobs than I have in months and sent out countless article queries.

I love catching up with all my old high school and college friends. But I don't need to share with you what I'm doing every hour on the hour, nor should I be compelled to wonder what you had for lunch. It was a difficult first few days without you, but I've tried to be strong.

Now if I could only give up all those crime shows I love to DVR I would be unstoppable.

One day at a time, I guess. One day at a time.

Deciphering Devices

2010-02-11T08:25:00.000-08:00

It's only February but summer camp registration has begun. This is always a time of year that I get anxious because I usually don't have extra money around for camp deposits but I know I won't be able to work during the summer if the kids aren't in camp! Oh, the quandary of being self-employed. So I've been metaphorically pounding the pavement the past few weeks sending out queries and applications for telecommuting writer/editor positions. Hopefully my hard work will pay off soon.

I've also ramped up my cardio work-outs lately and have been seeing a pay-off with my clothes feeling a little looser and my mind feeling much clearer. Did you know that exercise is a great creativity boost?

During my recent time on the elliptical I've had so many ideas for my novel tossed around along with my endorphins. It's been a great inspiration and I highly recommend it for anyone, especially a writer struggling with deadlines, rejection or writer's block.

I'm also reading up on fiction-writing techniques with Laura Whitcomb's book, Novel Shortcuts, a great resource, by the way! My husband asked me last night why I looked so intense and I said I was mulling over what type of storytelling device I was going to use in my book.

His reponse, "huh?"

From Novel Shortcuts:

"A device is part point of view, part style, and part tone, but it's more than that. What makes it a device is all three of those things plus props. Props can be anything from travel tips in The Accidental Tourist by Anne Tyler to entomolgy lessons sprinkled throughout Barbara Kingsolver's Prodigal Summer."

In Jodi Picoult's book Handle With Care, the character of Charlotte is a pastry chef and Picoult sprinkles recipes throughout the book as a way to use baking as a metaphorical language tied to the story. You can read more about why she chose to use that storytelling device at her Web site under the heading, "Enhance your book club experience - try baking one of Charlotte's recipes!"

I always thought to write a novel I would just have to sit down and write. Now I know there is so much more to it. For me, I want all the work I put into my story to mean something, and if that means putting in the extra work to make sure I do the best job possible with the most efficient techniques, so be it. This is why so many authors write their own novels while studying for an M.F.A.

Think back on some of your favorite stories. What is the best storytelling device you've seen used?

The Prosperous Writer and Passion

2010-02-08T16:13:00.000-08:00

I've been enjoying Christina Katz's new e-zine "The Prosperous Writer" immensely. This week she challenged readers to explore passion in their writing:

"Passion is like fuel + fire--it flares up and burns quickly. And what we writers more often need is a nice, slow, steady burn, more like a wood-burning stove that is going to get you through the winter.

But the nature of passion is that it wants to consume itself. Our job as writers is to recognize this and pace it out."

I don't think anyone could ever accuse me of pacing myself appropriately when it comes to my work. Unfortunately, most of the time, I act in the opposite manner. I'll jump into a project headfirst, burn the candle at both ends and then not touch it again for months. I think that's why I've been so afraid of actually starting my work of fiction, because I already love the characters and story so much that I don't want to see them fade out quickly by my own hand.
This week I'm finally trying to get my calendar organized and desk cleaned off so I can line up my paying assignments for the next few months and start my "book in a month project" hopefully in the next few weeks. I already straightened up the house yesterday and today, which always helps me breathe a little easier!
How does passion affect your work? Does it help propel you along at a reasonable pace or hinder you?

Happiness Is . . .

2010-02-03T18:29:00.000-08:00

I'm not a rich woman by any means. I still have a long way to go in my writing career. But as I was walking into the gym this evening, I glanced at the magazine racks to see if any local issues with my articles in them were on display. It's a wonderful feeling to be able to do that. I feel like I'm finally gaining momentum and learning how to do things the right way. Case in point, the image on the right. Granted it was only a sidebar to the "Market Focus" section, but it's me! And they even graciously mentioned my name in the article description.

It doesn't take a lot to make me happy. Today, happiness is my first piece in a national publication. Thank you, editors at The Writer.

I Almost Hugged Our FedEx Guy Today . . .

2010-02-01T18:03:00.000-08:00

when he pulled up in front of the house. By the size of the box he was carrying, I knew he must be holding the books I won as part of the prizes in the 78th Annual Writer's Digest Writing Competition. I have been waiting eagerly for them to arrive, and now they're here! Where to start? This could provide me with enough blogging material for months . . .

Today I've been reading the "Book in a Month" workbook by Victoria Lynn Schmidt, Ph.D. The philosophy is very simple, and the book includes checklists, worksheets and charts to help you outline your story as you go along. Finally, all the tools I need to pull my story together in one journal! Once I finish the intro, I'm getting started. This month. For real this time. Because at the end of that 30 days, if all I have is a rough, rough draft, it's better than what I have now, which is two measly chapters and a half-finished outline.

A few months ago I got inspired reading author Stephanie Meyer's Web site. I have to confess, I still haven't read any of the "Twilight" series, but I've seen both movies so far. I keep telling myself I don't need to waste any more time reading novels right now, but maybe I'll get to them this summer. Anyway, she talked about how she had a running "soundtrack" of the movie she listened to as she was writing the first book. I would post the link here but I couldn't find it when I checked back at her site. I've put together my own for my story, although it has changed slightly over the past few months. Want a peek? This is just a small sampling.

Sample Track Listing:

"Life is Beautiful" - Vega4

"Fix You" - Coldplay

"Beautiful Child" - Fleetwood Mac

"Cut" - Plumb

"Runaway" - The Corrs

"The Letter" - Natalie Merchant

"Sky Blue and Black" - Jackson Browne

"Lay Me Down" - The Connells

Yeah, can you tell there's a love story in there?

Today's Inspiration

2010-01-28T08:32:00.000-08:00

I have a confession to make. I can't sew a button. I can't even thread a needle. My grandmother has always sewed, and I used to love hanging out in her sewing room when I was a kid. But I have never considered myself creative in any design sort of way and resigned myself to that. But in my job I get to cross paths with so many people who are wonderfully imaginative in so many ways, and I wish for once I wasn't just writing about them, but could be them for a day.

I'm writing about a local woman who buys clothes from secondhand stores, cuts them up to make new garments, and sells them affordably to give them new life. She calls it upcycling. She has the neatest sewing studio in her house, and I loved sitting there on her yellow leather couch watching the photographer capture her inner and outer beauty and her fashionable designs. It was a nice escape from deadlines and worrying about where the next paycheck will come from.

She is a cancer survivor, and recently lost her mother to cancer, and she finds solace in sewing. Some of the costume jewelry from her mother's collection adorned the mannequins around the room.

I think we cross paths with people for a reason. Devon and I found out our children attend the same preschool and we had never seen each other before being thrown together on this assignment. Now I can't wait to take my daughter to her home to try on some of the little girl creations and maybe even have her take sewing classes there in a few years.

Thank you Devon, for inspiring me today.

Writer's Resume

2010-01-26T06:51:00.000-08:00

This morning I have the daunting task of cleaning off my desk so I can actually be productive for a change. But before I do that, why not distract myself even further with a little blogging?

I came across this article by Moira Allen at WOW! Women on Writing about the concept of a writer's resume. I've had to dust off my resume lately while applying for various writing and editing jobs and thought it looked a little convoluted, as it contains all my work history in chronological order. Luckily, in my case, much of my work history includes writing and editing positions, but I do also have a few advertising positions thrown in there as well. I know many writers who may not have previous writing experience are at a loss when it comes to sending in a resume for a job posting. I think I'm going to go back now and rearrange it per Allen's suggestion so it reads something more like this:

Contact information

Writing and editing qualifications

Work history

Education

Awards and memberships

Personal information

How is your resume arranged?

Food for Thought

2010-01-25T06:21:00.001-08:00

I finally watched the movie "Julie and Julia" this past weekend. It was pretty good, although it did drag in some parts because the screenplay had to weave two different people's lives together. I'd like to read the book now to compare. What most intrigued me was the deadline Julie Powell gave herself -- blogging about cooking more than 500 recipes in 365 days. I don't think I'm giving anything away when I say she succeeded, and landed herself a book deal in the process. (By the way, there is no way I could eat that much butter in one year and live to tell the tale). Maybe I've finally figured out what I'm doing wrong.

I have deadlines with magazine articles I write. But when it comes to anything related to "extracurricular" writing (such as fiction, blogging) I DON'T give myself deadlines for some reason. I've never participated in NaNoWriMo. A one-month deadline terrifies the heck out of me.

I was discussing my lack of personal deadlines with my husband and he reminded me that every spring, I take on some big life-changing project. The past few years has been related to training for different road races, but this year he suggested I finally hammer out my novel April-June, then work on revising it. If I put together a "training" schedule like I did when I trained for my half-marathon, maybe this could work.

Have you ever given yourself deadlines for non-paying work? How did it turn out?

Freelance Writing Workshop

2010-01-21T10:32:00.000-08:00

As part of the new LakeNormanMommies Learning Series, I'm offering a workshop on breaking into freelance writing at my home in Huntersville next Saturday, Jan. 30 at 2 p.m. Below are the details:

During this two-hour class (which includes coffee/snack time), you'll learn how to:

analyze the mastheads of local publications to see where writing opportunities are
brainstorm article ideas
find expert sources to quote in your articles
query a national publication

My writing credits include:

The Charlotte Observer

Lake Norman Currents

Charlotte Parent

Little Ones

Carolina Parent

Piedmont Parent

www.iParenting.com

Huggies Baby Network

Funds for Writers

The Writer

You can find more bio information on my web page, www.FinishedPages.com.

Productivity Pitfalls

2010-01-19T17:39:00.001-08:00

Sometimes, you have to just give up and admit your weaknesses. I've realized this the past few weeks. I swear I would bring in so much more money with my writing if I could just get my act together. As the mother of two young children, I have precious daytime hours to work while they are in elementary school and preschool so I don't have to shell out additional money for child care. But lately I've been finding myself piddling around during their school hours and not being very productive at all. Sure, I may get to the gym, but what about all those perfectly crafted query letters in my head? I tell myself if I work out in the morning I'll focus on the writing business in the evening after the kids have gone to bed, but let's face it. By that time I've endured the afternoon carpool, run one or two errands with both kids, worked on school assignments, made dinner and generally ensured my brain has turned to mush. I end up in a daze on the couch watching whatever show is waiting for me on the DVR.
So here is my new method. For the next two weeks, I am not allowed to go to the gym during daytime hours until I have at least three writing-related tasks checked off my list. Next I have to work on creating a calendar so I can get specific tasks down on paper. We'll see how this goes.
Oh, and speaking of query letters, check out a great example of a query letter that rocked, courtesy of Linda Formichelli over at The Renegade Writer blog.

Letting the Words Fall Where They May

2010-01-12T08:29:00.000-08:00

There are words inside of me that are calling to be released. I've kept them in my mind for too long. They keep me awake at night. They are a multitude of stories, childhood experiences, spiritual awakenings and realizations. They are fragments of songs that play inside my head daily.
There are different places for all these words. I struggle as I try to figure out where they all fit. My big resolution for 2010 is to actually make progress on my novel. I've realized that I'm afraid to write fiction. I think it's because every word that comes from me is personal and steeped in reality. But I must let go of that fear and see where I end up. These characters deserve to find their place in the world. They are beautiful and unique, and I love each and every one of them.
A few years ago I won a beautiful leather-bound journal in a contest. Very simply on the front, these words are engraved:
"If you wish to be a writer, write."
I carried this journal with me yesterday and wrote as I waited for my son to complete his speech therapy session. I couldn't believe how easily my character's story began pouring out. Maybe I have to take a more organic approach to putting this piece of work together. Later I can transfer these words onto my computer, but for now I feel free and ready to take flight. Stay tuned.

Too Much Vacation

2009-12-29T17:25:00.001-08:00

The persistent cycle of illness that has plagued my family this year appears to be over for now. (Of course, I'm knocking on my desk as I write this!) I'm grateful that January publications are on the newsstands now with my byline and that I'm receiving assignments well into August of next year. Right now I need to work on filling in those gaps by trying to become more organized for next year.
Organization has never been my strong suit, particularly when it comes to my writing schedule. Heck, what writing schedule? I've spent the last few weeks reading novels instead of investing valuable time in my writing career, and today I finally had to set aside the depressing memoir I was reading and give myself a kick in the pants. My own great piece of work will never be written if I continue to spend time perusing PerezHilton.com (I just don't understand why men with track records like Charlie Sheen continue to find women to marry them) and watching reruns of "Cold Case" and "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit."
I read an interesting sidebar in this month's issue of Writer's Digest that talked about keeping a journal during the novel-writing process strictly pertaining to thoughts, photographs, character descriptions and other plot points regarding the work-in-progress. It sounds like a fantastic and fun idea and I think I'll work on putting one of my empty journals to use.
Any goals you're working on for now?

Getting There

2009-12-03T07:04:00.000-08:00

As my daughter is almost fully recovered from pneumonia, my son developed a cough this week and told me his head hurt this morning. He had a chest infection throughout most of October . . . but we won't go there. Being a work-at-home mother has never been tougher than this year!
In addition to that, I've been working on an interesting education article, but I never dreamed it would turn into one of those topics that has people scared to return my calls. Really, I'm not trying to get anyone in trouble, I'm just trying to do my job!
On a brighter note, the sun finally came out today after several days of cold and rain and the majority of Santa's list has been covered off (a little finagling here and there, but close enough, if you ask me).
Assignments are starting to come in for the first of the year and there is hope that our family will continue slogging through this tough economy. I'm hoping to take advantage of all the time my husband has off for Christmas to get new queries fleshed out and sent off to editors.
What are your plans for the next few weeks?

Sickness Abounds

2009-11-17T08:55:00.000-08:00

I'm officially sick of cold and flu season. First, my son and I had a cough/cold that turned into a chest infection. We're on antibiotics and officially clearing up. This past weekend, my daughter spiked a fever that had me fearing that dreaded "F" word. Or is that "H" word? We headed into the doctor yesterday and it looks like strep. So now she's on antibiotics and home from school for day two. Grandma is visiting from Texas tomorrow and I have much to do to the house and work to catch up on.
Did I mention I'm sick of cold and flu season? On a happier note, the purge is almost completed and now we just have oodles of paperwork to either file or destroy. The house is much more streamlined and we've gotten rid of so much clutter after a yard sale and three trips to Goodwill!
I came across an interesting blog post about blog topic possibilities. They really are endless. I never seem to run short of things to blog about, but I will visit this list often for fresh ideas. Enjoy, and stay well!

Total Chaos

2009-11-09T17:48:00.000-08:00

So how does a writer with assignments on her desk get them completed in a timely fashion?
She decides to completely purge her home this week and cross her fingers for decent yard sale weather this weekend.
What?
Yes, you read that right. Christmas is looming and I'm getting more and more nervous as my 6-year-old daughter carries her clipboard around the house while she composes gift checklists for both her and her 3-year-old brother.
Meanwhile every closet in the house is bursting at the seams and I trip over a toy every five minutes. I'm one of those people who gets a little claustrophobic in the wintertime and can't focus on my work knowing chaos looms right around the corner. I'm trying to preempt the wintertime madness by getting organized before the cold weather sets in this year.
Did I mention we have way too much stuff? We're talking shoeboxes and shoeboxes stuffed full of receipts from up to 10 years back. Textbooks from college that I will never pick up again. In my laundry room today I found a stack of dirty (yes, baby food and all) baby bibs. My son will be four in February. You do the math.
So I'm trying to chip away at this a little at a time, hauling items for the yard sale out to the garage, which we cleaned up this weekend. I've already been to Goodwill twice for the stuff I've never been able to get rid of at previous yard sales. Even the kiddos are being cooperative. I told them Santa may not stop by the house if it looks like we don't need any more toys. Terrible, I know, but it worked!
So wish me luck. In between piles of old clothes and magazines I'll be composing away on my computer so I can hopefully still meet my deadlines while working my way toward a clean, clutter-free home.
Is it really possible? I hope so!

Friday!

2009-11-06T06:42:00.000-08:00

You know what I love about my job? I love that it revolves around my life, and not the other way around. For example, this morning I got to drop both my kids off at school and spend 30 minutes volunteering in my daughter's classroom. I'm now in the public library with my laptop, where I can check e-mail, blog, and browse through any mainstream magazines that could be prospective markets. Then I get to pick my son up from preschool and take him to lunch and speech therapy.
Working a traditional day job never allowed me to do this.
Sure, there are drawbacks. I worked a lot of evenings this week, but unfortunately I know a lot of my peers with full-time day jobs who also have to do the same, without getting paid for it. There's also the lack of a steady paycheck. It's been a nerve-wracking past few weeks waiting for checks to come in, but I finally felt a little relief from that this week. And because I have small children, I have to squeeze in work where I can to make up for days when they are sick or not in school (my son has had a day off from his preschool once a week for election day, Veteran's Day, etc. the past month) which has thrown a small wrench in my productivity!
But I feel that I've accomplished a lot this week. I finished an article two weeks before deadline. I polished up my non-fiction book proposal, sent it to an agent and got an encouraging rejection within four hours. I've researched other agents. I've sent out a call for experts for another article due at the beginning of December. I submitted an essay to a parenting magazine. I cleaned out my e-mail inbox. It's been a good week! How has yours been?

Did You Hear the One About . . .?

2009-11-03T05:28:00.000-08:00

I'm sorry I've been out of commission the past week. I've had that pesky chest cold that it seems everyone has this year -- the one where you cough for at least a month. I finally organized my e-mail last night and will finish that correspondence this evening, hopefully. I'm pretty sure I lost one of my long-standing clients yesterday, due to the state of the economy and restructuring within the company, but I was expecting it and luckily picked up a new publication with the exact same pay scale a few months ago. The ebb and flow of freelancing!
I really enjoyed this post about how to head off freelance disasters yesterday. Yes, I have experienced all of these and more:

I've had sources hound me to be experts in articles and then, during the interview, pretty much say my article topic isn't really relevant to their expertise.
I've interviewed sources who then wanted to change all their quotes to medical mumbo jumbo when I provided quotes to them for fact-checking before turning in an article.
I had a PR rep recently contact me so her client could be an expert for an article. Then she proceeded to reschedule the time and day of the interview no less than seven times over the next week. Luckily, I had learned from my previous freelance disasters and found a few other sources to cover myself off. I finally had to tell the rep that obviously her client had a very busy schedule, and I would just proceed with the sources I had already interviewed. This resulted in one last, frantic e-mail and phone call on her part, but I had moved on by then.

Do you have any crazy freelance-writing disasters to share? How did you deal with them?

Boost Your Sales With Business Writing

2009-10-28T17:46:00.000-07:00

In your quest for freelance success, don't overlook the importance of business writing, or commercial writing, as some call it, as an income booster. I know, it doesn't sound very glamorous, but there is a need out there and you may be just the writer to fill it. A good place to start is local businesses looking for someone to put together a media kit for them or a preschool who would love some updated brochure copy. Make a list of all the advertising and public relations agencies in your area and put together a few samples and a copy of your resume and business card. These places typically need contractors when they pick up a few new accounts and they have more work than they can cover off with their full-time staff. I worked in public relations before making the switch to freelance writing, and I still do business-writing projects (even if it just requires fact checking/proofreading) from time to time. Browse an updated copy of The Writer's Market for a handy chart on what you should charge for specific services.

Rejections Can Be Good

2009-10-26T16:29:00.001-07:00

I've decided to consider any rejection from an editor to be a good sign. Many, many editors do not have the time or inclination to respond to every query they aren't interested in pursuing. I've heard from other writers that one should take a personalized rejection from an editor as an encouraging sign to keep the queries coming. Some "positive" rejections I've received in the past include:

"I enjoyed reading your essay. However, I must report that we’ve decided to give it a pass. Please note that this doesn’t necessarily reflect on the quality of your work (we receive about 750 submissions for every seven we publish). I wish you the best of luck placing this piece elsewhere."

"We actually have covered this within the past year or two--a bit too soon to revisit it, but thanks for your interest."

"Thanks for your interest in ----- Magazine. Currently we're working
almost exclusively with people who work in the ---- field and are
willing to write free of charge. I wish I had a different answer for
you, but that's what we're doing at this point."

"Hi, and thanks for the look. Sorry, but we'll have to pass. Most all freelance we buy is set in the non-Florida Southeast; we rely on staff, wire service and travel columnists for coverage of destinations farther afield."

Nowhere in any of these rejections did I pick up on any kind of "bug off, your work stinks" kind of tone. Some feedback is better than no feedback, right? At least when you receive a personalized rejection, you know to cross that publication off your list and move on to the next editor.

What sort of "positive" rejections have you received? What did you learn from them? Check out this article to learn what kinds of pitches won't get rejected.

Need a New Blog Design?

2009-10-23T16:50:00.000-07:00

Hilary at Simply Yours Designs is giving away one free custom blog package, which is worth $90. The giveaway ends on Oct. 26, 2009. Head on over to her blog and read all about it, and don't forget to visit her shop to learn more about her gorgeous design packages. I'm salivating, really. Blogger, I love your free and convenient program, but my blog needs a little help. It does not reflect my personality at all, but I am very design-challenged. I'm sure I'm not the only one out there who feels this way! Where do people get all these cute, whimsical, modern designs I keep running across?

Has This Ever Happened to You?

2009-10-20T16:58:00.001-07:00

In March 2008, I came across an interesting newspaper article on the AP wire about volunteers in "The Doe Network," a network of amateur sleuths who help i.d. unidentified unnamed bodies in the United States. There are volunteers in almost every state, and they help track down friends and family of the more than 40,000 unidentified in the United States.
I clipped out the article and put it in a file marked "Research for novel," and didn't pick it up again. But I'm obsessed with crime shows like Cold Case, so I was interested to see the previews of a new ABC show "The Forgotten" advertised recently. I've been watching it, and so far I'm enjoying Christian Slater in the lead role and watching how the volunteers work the cases in their spare time. Instead of "The Doe Network," they go by the name of "The Forgotten Network."
Have you ever had a similar idea that you then saw showcased in a television pilot, novel or screenplay? Please share! It's always bound to happen, as there are pretty much no original ideas anymore. It actually made me feel good that I picked up on something that had entertainment merit with television producers, even if I didn't do anything with it at the time.

Polish Your Popular Fiction

2009-10-18T16:11:00.000-07:00

The deadline is approaching for the Writer's Digest Popular Fiction Awards. Submit an entry into the following categories by Nov. 2, 2009:

Romance
Mystery/Crime Fiction
Science Fiction/Fantasy
Thriller/Suspense
Horror

The grand prize is $2,500 cash, $100 worth of Writer's Digest Books and the 2010 Novel & Short Story Writer's Market. There will also be first place winners and honorable mentions in each category. Entry fee is $15.
I hope you've enjoyed this week and all the writing competition leads. I don't know about you, but I've got a lot of projects to polish up for submission in the next few months!

Do You Have a Freelance Success Story?

2009-10-17T16:11:00.000-07:00

If so, the annual publication Writer's Market wants to hear about it. Each year they hold a contest open to writers who have achieved some form of freelance success. You can write about your first sale, first byline, etc. in 800-1,500 words. The top three stories will be selected (and awarded $250, $150 and $100, respectively) and published in a future issue of Writer's Market. Deadline is Dec. 31 and entries are only accepted via e-mail at writersmarket@fwpubs.com. Address your entry to the attention of Robert Lee Brewer. Browse through a copy of the 2009 or 2010 Writer's Market to read previous winner's entries.

Phone Consulting

2009-10-16T07:37:00.000-07:00

I'm now offering phone consulting for freelance writers. I've learned so much about the business over the best several years and I love to talk about writing so I decided to combine the two into a (hopefully!) helpful service. You can find the details in the "consulting" section of my Web site. With each session, you'll receive a complimentary query letter critique within seven days of the consulting appointment.
I've been on a roll cranking out queries in the past few months. I'm happy to say I just broke into a national magazine for writers, and had an editor tell me my query was one of the best she'd received in a while. Encouraging.
Set up your appointment today!

Writing Contests at FanStory.com

2009-10-16T07:12:00.000-07:00

I came across an interesting community today over at www.FanStory.com. It is a writing site that was established in 2000. Members have the opportunity to post their work and receive valuable feedback from site members. The site also hosts many writing contests -- often with cash prizes. You must be a member to use the site, but membership seems pretty cost effective. Writers can enjoy a free trial membership for one week.
FanStory.com has a flash fiction contest that deadlines Oct. 23. The theme is "the dance." If you've never written flash fiction, I encourage you to give it a try. I've written two flash fiction stories (typically under 800 words) in the past few months and found it to be a great learning experience. It helps you hook the reader at the beginning and write tighter in order to tell the story in one piece.
I've been a freelance writer for the past six years, but have only really started writing more fiction this year. I'm having a blast. Has anyone ever tried FanStory.com? What were your experiences?

Cup of Comfort Seeking Submissions

2009-10-15T04:34:00.000-07:00

The popular book series holds contests to determine publication in their anthologies four to six times a year. You can find a complete list of guidelines on their Web site. The grand prize is $500, and 49 other stories receive $100 payment and publication. Currently, Adams Media is seeking stories about what it means to be in love and the the joys of golfing.

Write About Motherhood and Win Prizes

2009-10-14T06:27:00.000-07:00

Who hasn't wanted to be published in one of the big parenting magazines? Here's your chance. Parenting is sponsoring "The Meaning of Motherhood" contest through Nov. 1, 2009. Put together a 300-word essay on what motherhood means to you and include an original photo that illustrates your essay's theme to win $1,000 worth of Baby Bjorn products and publication in the print version of Parenting and Parenting.com. See official rules and regulations here.

Fiction Writing Competition

2009-10-12T10:39:00.001-07:00

I hope you're enjoying researching writing competitions as an additional avenue for your work. Writer's Market has a section devoted specifically for contests and awards, and I found the following competition in the 2009 edition:
The Glimmer Train sponsors a "November Short-Story Award for New Writers." Submit any work of fiction that hasn't appeared in a nationally-distributed publication with a circulation over 5,000.Word count is 1,200-12,000 words. Submit online at www.glimmertrain.org. $15 entry fee. Submit Nov 1-30. Winner receives $1,200 and publication in Glimmer Train Stories. Runners-up receive $500 and $300.

Eighth Annual FundsforWriters Essay Contest

2009-10-12T03:58:00.000-07:00

As I promised, I bring you day one's featured contest. I recently subscribed to C. Hope Clark's FundsforWriters weekly newsletter and it has been a wealth of information on writing grants and contests. She also accepts article submissions, too. Each year she sponsors an essay contest, and this year's theme is "Invisible Writing." I know, it sounded a little obscure to me when I first heard the theme, but it makes since when you read the description. You can pay $0 or $5 to enter your submission; prizes range from $10-$200. The deadline is Oct. 31, 2009. Good luck!

Contests, Contests!

2009-10-11T18:17:00.000-07:00

Well, I've had an interesting yet exciting past few months, to say the least. I saw two of my favorite musical acts in concert this summer -- Coldplay and Tori Amos. They rocked, of course. And, after trying to juggle two children with completely separate needs at different schools with a part-time editing job for the past year, I made the decision to return to freelancing from home. It wasn't an easy choice to make. The steady paycheck from that job definitely helped our household, but I felt too torn to help my kids in every way I can while they are still young. So, I've been freelancing since about mid-August.
I had about two weeks where I was sending out queries like crazy and had no assignments coming in where I started to panic again . . . but then work starting coming into my inbox. The lead times in between paychecks has been a little hard to juggle, but I'm getting there. I entered the 78th Annual Writer's Digest Writing Competition back in May, and I found out a few months ago that I won first place in the feature magazine article category! One of the prizes was a manuscript critique from editors and/or Writer's Digest board members, so I've been polishing up that non-fiction book proposal I put together this past summer in the hopes that I can get some valuable feedback on the topic, or better yet, a future book deal!
Going back to freelancing has given me precious time to work on some other projects I didn't have time to work on while working at an office 20 hours a week. I submitted a 750-word short story to the WOW! Women on Writing Summer Flash Fiction Contest and found out I made it through the first round of judging (beating out roughly 200 entries). I haven't written fiction in years, quite honestly. I came across the short story on my hard drive and honestly don't remember writing it, but the characters were so obviously based on me and an ex-boyfriend that I know I did write it at some point, probably when I my son was still an infant and I was delirious from lack of sleep. It gives me hope that I have a future writing fiction, as I've slowly returned to working on my novel-in-progress.
So it will be exciting to hear about the results from that contest this month. I'm afraid all this exciting news has left me a little obsessed with entering writing contests now. I never realized how many of them were out there, and the publishing and monetary rewards they offer.
I'm hereby declaring this coming week "Contest Week" over at Renee's Pages. I will post links to a different writing contest every day this week. Check back daily and join in on the fun!

Only the Beginning?

2009-06-11T19:13:00.000-07:00

I have almost completed my first non-fiction book proposal, and it is now in the hands of a few very trusted friends and acquaintances for their feedback. I worked on outlining the prospective marketing and promotion plan last night, and it hit me. You really do need to be completely in love with any book project you take on because you will be eating, sleeping and breathing it for who knows how long once you secure a publisher. So much of the publicity falls upon writers these days that you really shouldn't expect anything less once you ink the deal.
For now, I'm researching potential agents (interesting, really!), working up a query letter, press release and sample chapters so I can be fully prepared if an agent does come calling one day soon.

Just another day at the (home) office!

These Things Are a Drag . . .

2009-05-20T18:54:00.001-07:00

Remember Rocky Dennis from the movie "Mask?" I still have a hard time watching it, but in my mind, Rocky was one of the purest souls who ever walked this earth as well as one of the strongest. It's been a difficult day, but for some reason his "These Things Are a Drag" list popped into my head tonight:

"These things are good: ice cream and cake, a ride on a harley, seeing monkeys in the trees, the rain on my tongue, and the sun shining on my face. These things are a drag: dust in my hair, holes in my shoes, no money in my pocket, and the sun shining on my face. "

I have two freelance articles due in a few days, but I have to take a mental break for now. I'll make up my own list:

These Things are Good:

My wonderfully supportive husband

My beautiful, insanely intelligent daughter

My son, who is a very funny guy now that he's started talking

Starbucks

Good friends who let me sob my heart out over the phone when I need it

The roof over my head and food in my refrigerator

My one-eyed Chihuahua Odie who always gives me a snuggle when I need it

. . . and the sun shining on my face.

These Things are a Drag:

Watching my children experience physical or mental pain

Seeing my one-eyed Chihuahua run into furniture because he has no peripheral vision left

Being paralyzed by fear of the unknown and overhwelmed by anxiety

Not being able to let go of things I should

Anyone else?

It's All Within My Reach

2009-05-17T17:55:00.000-07:00

Just a few years ago I was sitting at home with my baby girl, dreaming of becoming a freelance writer but with no clue on how to start. I read all the "must-have" books on how to earn money by writing and could read more if I didn't now having paying assignments and a part-time job in the industry to try and keep up with. But there is still one non-fiction title I have yet to see on the shelves, and I've decided to bite the bullet (pun intended here) and start working on a proposal. I found a copy of Bulletproof Book Proposals at my local library and it's full of practical, tangible, step-by-step directions on how to land your idea directly into the hands of a literary agent. And, it has 12-real-life proposals that were actually accepted, which are great examples. So, hopefully I can complete this project and hope no other writer out there has a deal in the making. But time will only tell. I have to give it a shot, right?

I Just Can't Stop Reading About This . . .

2009-05-13T18:19:00.000-07:00

What is it about the Gosselin family that is like a train wreck you can't help but watch? I watch their reality show on TLC every once in a while, and I'm no expert, but I can already tell one of the twins, Madeline, has some serious issues with being one of two sets of multiples. But more and more, I'm feeling sorry for those kids, because it looks like neither parent ever has time to be home with all the book signings, carousing, TV appearances, more carousing . . . you get the idea. I know they have a right to their privacy, but I can't help myself. It's just like when I had to watch Elizabeth Edwards on Oprah last week even though I never watch that show normally. Train wreck again. Anyone else this shameless? Or is it just the wannabe entertainment reporter in me that can't look away?

The Things That Get Published . . .

2009-05-12T06:21:00.000-07:00

I'm a magazine junkie. If you know me at all, you know this. I'll look at any magazine that comes my way at least once, as I consider it all research for future article ideas and queries. But I recently received a local publication in my mailbox that stopped me in my tracks. First of all, I'll say the masthead font (and some of the title) is a complete rip-off of a very well-known national publication. But I'd really like to focus this rant on the editor's letter. Here are a few sentences that struck me in particular:

As the editor of [magazine to remain nameless], it is my hope that the articles, help full tips and vivid pictures in [magazine name] will inspire you to plant your own garden or tackle some of those home improvement projects you may have been putting off.

This months issue was a lot of fun.

The Historic Society is a tremendous resources; however, if you know of any hidden gems I'd love to hear about them.

There were a few more errors, but those are the main ones that caught my eye. I expect to see these types of mistakes in blogs or Web sites with self-publishing models, but a free publication that is mailed to local residents, and has the support of local advertisers? Someone needs a good copy editor.

Deadline Approaching!

2009-05-11T12:14:00.000-07:00

Oh, wait a minute. Which deadline am I talking about? Is it the deadline of Charlotte Parent, where we go to press next week for the June issue? Or is it the deadline of another article I have due in a few weeks? No, actually, I'm talking about yet ANOTHER deadline I'm thinking about trying to squeak under. The Writer's Digest 78th Annual Writing Competition closes on May 15, and I'm thinking of submitting a magazine feature article and maybe an entry in the memoir/personal essay categories if I can get my act together. The competition will award more than $30,000 in cash and prizes, including a Grand Prize of $3,000 cash and a trip to the Big Apple to meet with agents. Exciting! Check out their Web site for an official list of categories, rules and regulations.
I got a nice mention on the Gwendolyn Strong blog, where I interviewed dad Bill Strong for an iParenting "Dad of the Month" feature article last month. Bill and wife Victoria are probably the most amazing parents I've ever had the pleasure of being acquainted with, and you'll fall in love with the photos of their daughter Gwendolyn, who received a diagnosis of Spinal Muscular Atrophy while still an infant. Check out their story, and if you get a chance, sign their petition to cure SMA.

I Have Been a Mom for Five Years . . .

2009-05-10T17:02:00.001-07:00

And it's still hard to believe all the things I have accomplished, both personally and professionally, since Mia Isabel came into this world five and a half years ago. When she was about 2, I decided, what the heck? Why not give this freelance writing thing a go? I picked up a copy of "Writer Mama" by Christina Katz and a few trusted reference books on freelancing and I never looked back.
I can honestly say if it weren't for my kids, I never would have been so adventurous in my freelancing endeavors. I wouldn't have felt the need for an alternative 9 to 5 schedule so I could be with my kids during their most productive (and fun) hours of the day. I never would have earned the trust of respected editors and pitched and landed assignment after assignment. I am now a part-time editor in addition to a writer, and my copy editing skills have definitely benefited from this experience. All around me I see other parents succeeding in the same field and I am proud to be a part of this group of amazing people -- a group of people who need to support their families and make their own schedules at the same time. I hope this doesn't change anytime soon.
Oh, and the reason I haven't posted in MONTHS? I was training for that pesky half marathon. And I finally ran it last month, even with a painful shin injury. It was hard, and the second half of the race was completely grueling, but I finished it in a respectable amount of time. And I took the experience and pitched a story on it, because my new mantra is "Write What You Know." (See my Web site for further details). That article should be coming out in a local publication in July. Stay tuned.
I guess my husband thinks I'm pretty cool too -- just look what he gave me this morning in honor of Mother's Day! The iPod Touch I've been moping over for months.
Thanks to Mia and Noah too. Because of them I have the greatest job on earth. Being a mom.

Happy New Year!

2009-01-04T19:19:00.000-08:00

It's hard to believe it's already 2009. A little over a year ago, I was writing down a list of goals I hoped to accomplish in 2008. Unfortunately, I had four things listed and really only managed to accomplish one of them, but hey, there's nowhere to go from here but up, right? I did manage to increase my income stream taking on a part-time editing gig at a local magazine, and it's been a fun and wonderful learning experience. It's also nice to interact with co-workers on a daily basis, even if it is for just a few hours a day! I also am way more productive at work than here at the home office, where the Internet provides too much of a distraction sometimes.
So, as far as hopes for this year, I have two goals really, and only one of them is writing related! And anything else that comes along will be an added bonus. This way, I hopefully won't get overwhelmed and not be able to accomplish anything at all!

1. I am starting my novel this year (and hopefully will finish it too)! I started the process last year, then had a hard drive crash and lost my entire outline. I crawled into a hole and could never bring myself back out after that big disappointment. But it's time to start fresh. I have a working title, and will commence work this week.

2. I want to train for a half marathon in April. Last year I talked about my quest to lose weight and get into better shape, and I accomplished it (see photo above). I am still working with a trainer and will commence training for a half marathon. My legs are quivering at the thought, but I'm up for the challenge and want to be able to say I did this at least once in my lifetime.

So, I'm trying to keep my goals short and sweet. Any big plans for you this year (personally and professionally)?

Happy Holidays!

2008-12-22T16:14:00.000-08:00

I just thought I'd pop in quickly and update everyone on what's going on in my writing life. We're in the process of putting the January issue of Charlotte Parent to bed (tomorrow at 1 p.m., keep your fingers crossed!) and all my freelance articles due this month are off my plate. I hope to get caught up on some of those fun, business-related tasks like updating my blogs and Web site over the holiday break, as well as get my game plan going for 2009! I've got lots of article ideas I want to flesh out, as I'm hoping to begin making a name for myself in the health and wellness genre soon. And this is the year I'm finally going to begin work on my passion project, the currently untitled NOVEL, even if it just working on it 30 minutes a day!
In my personal life, I'm strongly considering tackling a half marathon in April. I've run two 10Ks in the past few months at just under an hour each, so I feel I'm halfway to my goal already. Of course, training will take some time away from my writing, but it doesn't look too daunting yet. The hardest part will be scheduling a one or two hour run every Saturday from January until race day.
So how is December treating you? Have you had more work than usual, or has your business been affected by the downturn? What are some of your goals for the new year?

Creatively Challenged

2008-12-05T14:19:00.000-08:00

I'm afraid I'm rapidly reaching writer burn-out. I'm not sure what is going on lately, but I'm having the hardest time being creative. At work, I struggle to write catchy headlines and subheads. I can't seem to find a way to put a fresh angle on an "evergreen story." I'm starting to fear for my productivity in 2009 if I keep this up!

On the other hand, I keep an Excel spreadsheet with all my freelance assignments on it, broken out by month. I happened to start going over it the other day and was a little startled. Since January of this year, I've written:

9 newspaper columns (including restaurant reviews) and 12 articles for The Charlotte Observer

So many blog posts in various places I've lost count

At least 24 parenting articles both online and print

Several other articles and briefs since I began working at Charlotte Parent

About 4 pro bono articles for Little Blue World, including a celebrity interview with Perez Hilton where I got to talk to him on the phone!

So I guess I've been busy. And by the looks of it I won't be slowing down anytime soon. I just need to figure out how to take some kind of mental vacation (a physical one would be nice too) so I can recharge my creative batteries! How do you do it?

Free Verse

2008-11-17T16:24:00.000-08:00

I'm tired and it's been a long day, so I think I'm just going to randomly scatter my thoughts into this post. Bear with me. I'll try to be grammatically correct but I just don't feel like worrying about what form this goes in right now! Maybe bullet points would make it easier to read:

Have you ever had a good idea for an article but didn't do anything about it? Then six months down the road, you see your article pop up in a national magazine with someone else's byline? It's happened to many times, most recently in the October issue of Self magazine. I thought of an article idea about how to unleash your creativity awhile back, and lo and behold, I came across it in last month's issue. It was a good read, and a good kick on the pants for me to get off my duff and start querying the nationals again!

I participated in the "Writer Mama Back-To-School Giveaway" in September, and Christina Katz recently named me one of the three most inspirational participants in the contest! She awarded us two signed copies of her books, and I'm chomping at the bit to begin reading her latest, "Get Known Before the Book Deal." I'll try and post a review of the book in the next few weeks!

I found a cool new blog over at Health.com called "Poked and Prodded." I especially love the posts written by parents of a child with a peanut allergy. I have a beautiful, completely huggable almost 3-year-old son with a peanut allergy and severe speech delay, and the author's words hit right home. I try to be positive for the most part, but having a son with such a serious food allergy who can't express it in potentially dangerous situations is enough to make my heart stop at times. It's something we battle daily, and I still marvel at the insensitivity other parents have towards it.
Looking for some new writing resources? I wrote a guest blog at Freelance Writing Jobs a few months ago as part of a contest, and while I didn't win, this post was a hit! Check it out when you get a chance.

It's been sort of a melancholy day. I plan to finish it up by doing a little yoga and strength training after the kids go to bed. Coldplay's "X&Y" album has been on repeat on the iPod today. Namaste!

It's Been Too Long . . .

2008-11-12T16:35:00.000-08:00

Since I last posted on this blog. I am ashamed. Things got unbelievably hectic starting in August, and my life has yet to slow down. Part of it is self-inflicted, as I am still training regularly and competing in the occasional road race. After embarking on that journey this past May, I lost half of my body fat and now weigh 115 pounds, 93 of which are pure muscle. It's a great feeling to have the body of an athlete, but believe me, I have worked my tush off for it. It's had a tremendous effect on my mood and energy levels, not to mention I don't run and scream from department store dressing room mirrors any more!

In August, I got a part-time job opportunity with a magazine I had been freelancing for over the past few years, and am excited to now be working as an associate editor at Charlotte Parent. It's hard work, but I am learning so much. After five years of sitting in a lonely home office, I enjoy socializing with my co-workers. And I still get to leave in time to pick up both my kids from school.

I also still do some freelancing on the side, so life is good. And busy. My daughter started kindergarten this year and my son is at an in-home daycare, so juggling their demands, energy levels and working 25+ hours a week on my projects is definitely a balancing act. I'm going to sit down and work up a regular, weekly schedule for this blog, because I love blogging and enjoy the feedback I get from visitors. If I've learned anything over the past year, it is that we all learn tremendously from each other. I would not be where I am without the support and advice of fellow writers and mentors.

I'm interested to see how writers are faring in the freelance field during this time of economic crisis. Interestingly enough, I was approached for at least two other significant contract jobs right around the time I accepted my new job, which I found surprising given the state of our economy. But, I guess it makes sense. More and more companies are outsourcing their copywriting and reporting so they don't have the burden of full-time salaries and benefits for their staffs. Have you found yourself getting more and more work recently? Let me know how you're doing!

The Elephant In The Room

2008-08-04T04:22:00.000-07:00

I found an interesting post over by Tamara and Lorna over at Freelance Parent. They often field the question "how much money can you make as a freelance writer?" So, they decided to share their gross income for the past month. It made for an interesting discussion, because I know that's always the "elephant in the room" when the topic of what a writer does for a living comes up in a casual conversation.

Honestly, for me, it fluctuates. Certain times of the year are busier. I typically find that the fall is extremely busy for me, and things pipe down a little in the summertime. (Or it may be the for the past few summers, I've had both kids home a lot so I haven't had as much time to prospect for new leads). And it all depends on how much you work. For the past two years, I'd say I've probably averaged 20 hours a week working, and that includes the not-so-fun business aspects of the job like filing, invoicing, prospecting, etc. So, without further adieu, I share with you the fruits of my labor:

So far this year, my gross monthly income has averaged at about $750 dollars. That typically includes two to three regular clients. My largest client is an online Web site, and one or two regional magazine articles fill in the gaps.
My biggest month last year was November, where I was working a lot as a stringer for the local newspaper and picked up extra assignments from one online site. I grossed $1,600, and worked extremely hard that month for every penny!

Now I'm hoping to triple my current monthly income once school starts, as both my kids will be in school at least six hours a day this year. I'm already trying to get my work lined up so my plate will be nice and full next month.

If you're working a full-time job but want to quit to become a freelance writer, Deb Ng has some good tips for you over at Freelance Writing Jobs. Good luck!

You're Only Human

2008-07-30T13:21:00.001-07:00

I read an interesting post today by Jodee at Freelance Writing Jobs. She talks about the best way to handle a situation where you hand in work to a client that is less than stellar. I've had it happen. You've probably had it happen. We're all human. It's going to happen at one time or another. I used to take it really personal and feel like I let a client down in the worst way, which can be good and bad. Bad because it puts undue (and most of the time, unnecessary) stress on me. Good because it causes me to get my rear in gear and fix the problem, pronto! Most of the time, it turns out well. I've been fortunate and most of my editors have been really understanding and continue to send work my way. And those who don't? Well, maybe they aren't clients I want to work for if they are that inflexible and unforgiving of one honest mistake.

I think Jodee is right in her advice that you do the best job you can and handle the situation with grace. Turning in shoddy work and then disappearing off the face of the earth is probably not in your best interest. Do you agree or disagree, or does it depend on the circumstances? For me, I can't beat myself up too much if I don't turn in fantastic work in a two-day turnaround time, especially when interviewing sources is required!

She Makes It Look So Easy

2008-07-28T13:54:00.000-07:00

I deliberately set aside the latest issue of Writer's Digest when it arrived in the mail a few weeks ago, as I wanted to have some reading material for the ride to the coast. Most importantly, I relished the thought of learning more about Diablo Cody, the featured WD interview of the month. I learned a few things I hadn't heard yet about Cody, such as how she started out her career typing copy at a Minnesota ad agency. I too started out in the biz humbly, I was an administrative assistant at a small ad agency in North Carolina right out of college. I did everything from make coffee to type up insertion orders to answer the phones. (I also met my hubby there, but I digress).

Fed up with not writing, Cody took a job as a stripper to have something to write about. Hey, whatever works, right? Now she's an Academy-award winning screenwriter with a plate full of projects. If only . . .

I like that Cody is so down-to-earth and matter of fact when she discusses writing. She basically looks at a blank page as the most fun in the world, because to her writing isn't work, but play. I'll have to remember that once I get back to writing my novel that always seems to get pushed aside.

Writer's Digest has also revamped their site, and I highly encourage you to take a new look at it. Honestly, I've been kind of afraid to because I already have way to many online diversions! But seriously, you can find writing prompts, blogs, informative articles, interviews, writing competitions, and even an online community. Very nice.

Back From Vacation . . .

2008-07-26T19:17:00.000-07:00

And back to reality! We just returned from a nice, relaxing, sun-filled week at the North Carolina coast. It truly was wonderful, and I even finished two novels in one week, which is unheard of these days. I did have to log in a few days and check e-mail periodically, as the week before vacation found me turning in three different articles and I had to make sure my editors didn't have any burning questions. Hey -- I tried my best to be unavailable, but I just can't seem to do it!

The past few summers have found me scrambling to find reliable childcare so I could still get my regular work done without the help of of the wonderful preschool down the street. It's hard to toil away at the computer when I can hear the sounds of neighborhood kids splashing in in the pool down the street as I make my daily trek out to the mailbox to look for checks. I try to make it fun for the kids, because it is summer vacation after all, but inevitably, I find myself checking my e-mail every five minutes and frantically typing during my son's naptime.

I came across a great article on writing during the summer courtesy of the Writer Mama e-zine. You should really subscribe if you get a chance. I get excited when it hits my inbox, and they even gave this blog a shout-out recently (hi to all the new visitors who found Renee's Pages via the Writer Mama zine)!

Mary Andonian has been around the summertime block a few times, and I enjoyed her suggestions for "how to spend summer vacation." Just a few of the useful tips I gleaned from the article:

Organize your workspace and materials -- with your children by your side! I know my daughter loves playing the role of office "assistant" so I'll be sure to have her help me get my desk cleaned off later this week.

Arrange a child swap with a fellow writer mama. I have a few friends I need to call to arrange this very thing before summer's end.

Send your children to summer camp! My daughter has been enjoying several this summer. The problem? My son wasn't old enough to go yet, so I had to find additional childcare for him while she attended camp. End result? Drop in profits! Next summer they'll both be able to go!

My personal favorite: rejuvenate! I'm pleased with what I've been able to accomplish this year and look forward to planning the rest of the year out, when both kids will be in school and I'll have more time to block out strictly for work.

Hope you're enjoying your summer! I can't believe it's almost August already.

Exciting Times

2008-06-20T09:01:00.000-07:00

I've spent the past few weeks trying to meet deadlines and taking on a rush job for a local business publication. I love the prospect of a new client, but I don't love how long it is taking for people to call me back. The clock is ticking and it looks like I'll be working at the eleventh hour to complete it . . . always fun.

One of my favorite Web sites, Freelance Writing Jobs, has decided to hold a contest modeled after "American Idol" to fill two new blogger positions. I went back and forth trying to decide if I should publicly submit my credentials for voting, and finally did. This paying position will require two blog posts per week on a writing specialty or niche. Visitors to the site voted on who the top twelve contestants should be, and I was disappointed not to get any votes. However, the two lovely ladies who run the site decided to make me the 13th "wild card" contestant. Yea me! From here on all contestants will submit posts anonymously for people to vote on. Wish me luck!

I've lost over ten pounds since I began eating better, strength training and running in April. I'm running my second 5K this weekend and am hoping to fly this time. I'm a few pounds lighter than my last race so maybe that will work in my favor.

Many thanks to my wonderful husband this week who has taken time off from work to help me juggle the kids, doctor's appointments and deadlines! Back to work now . . .

Random E-mails and a Proposition

2008-06-11T17:14:00.000-07:00

I don't get too many spam or strange e-mails, but a bizare one landed in my inbox the other day. It went something like this:

***

Hey There,

I am friends with Robby Blinder. He asked me to try and find an old friend of his named Renee Roberson. He told me she would be hard to find but to try Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.

I googled that name and you came up??? He said that she would be around 35-40 years old. LOL!!! ARE YOU HER? If so, please write back. Also, if you are not can you help me? Here in the United States I would just look under the white pages, but I am not sure how Australia does it . . . Heck are you even from Australia?

LOL!!! If your not her I am sorry about this . . .

Thanks!

Brian Rodrick

Phone number, state of residence

***

Hmm, rather bizarre, if you ask me. My first though was why this Robby person (names have been slightly changed, by the way) can't investigate this woman himself. Where is he exactly, and I'm assuming he doesn't have access to a computer? Anyway, I shot a quick e-mail back to this Brian character . . .

***

Sorry, I think you've got the wrong gal. I've never been to Australia and I'm from the States too. Best of luck with your search!

Renee Roberson

I thought dude would let it go, but alas, no.

***

Thanks for the reply. He said he met this girl in Bali, Indonesia . . . not you, huh?? Dang!

Well, thank you for writing back.

Brian

***

Nope, definitely not me. Roberson is my married name, anyway.

Renee Roberson

***

Dang, so your married? That was the next thing I was going to do, start hitting on you.

But okay, LOL!!! I will leave you alone.

Thanks again,

Brian

Okay. Interesting. Hopefully my husband won't read this post:) I never thought having my e-mail address published online would attract these sorts of people, but whatever. Maybe I have, perhaps, finally arrived.

Testimonials, anyone?

2008-06-11T17:08:00.000-07:00

I've been working on updating the Web site for my business, and hope to continue tweaking it here and there in the next few days. I added a new page for "testimonials," as I always enjoy reading these on other writer sites. I'm shamelessly asking for your help in this. If you are a reader of one of my blogs, an editor, expert, or public relations professional I've worked with in the past, I'd love a testimonial from you to include on the new page. It doesn't have to be long, just a few sentences on what it is like to work with me or why you like to read my work. It would be greatly appreciated! You can shoot me an e-mail at Renee(AT)FinishedPages.com.

When You're The Only Employee . . .

2008-06-04T12:51:00.001-07:00

Well, I think I know now why I feel so overwhelmed most of the time. I recently sat down and broke down all the individual tasks involved with being a freelance writer. When I first started sending out queries a few years ago I never dreamed things would get this involved. It was definitely eye-opening, and a little scary to say the least. My desk is a mess right now, and at the bottom of it is my list. My goal in the next week is to set up some sort of organizational plan, even if it means outsourcing a few things. Here is what I've come up with that I have to set up a system for:

Manage e-mail (I am horrible at this)

Setting up phone and e-mail interviews

Writing articles/following up with sources

Read favorite blogs and e-zines

Update my blogs

Update website

Prospecting/self-promtion/marketing

Work on national magazine queries

Administrative (filing expenses, mileage, invoicing, back-up files)

My fellow writers, how do you handle your day-to-day tasks without allowing them all to suck the creativity out of you? I'd really love to hear some of your tips!

Late Night Thoughts

2008-05-26T19:42:00.000-07:00

I've had a relaxing Memorial Day weekend, way too much coffee, and the pressure of looming deadlines to keep me awake. My first-born child graduated from preschool this past week, and now I've got a new summer schedule to try and make work. I already have some assignments booked through June, which is a nice feeling. If you are reading this and had any crazy pregnancy symptoms you'd like to share for an upcoming article, drop me an e-mail or state your case in the comments.

I really wish I could get more organized, but there never seem to be enough hours in the day. I'm scrambling to get my copy together for the summer issue of Little Blue World, and a person I was supposed to interview for the past two issues has disappeared on me again. Instead, I've got a potentially exciting interview lined up for tomorrow (and no, it's not Tori Amos), which I'll share with you once all is said and done. Let's just say sometimes you have to just bite the bullet and follow your instincts. If I pull this one off I'll deserve a medal! (Or a bottle of nice red wine will do).

Helping Reporters Out

2008-05-19T17:54:00.000-07:00

I'm always looking for good places to find sources, and a few months ago I read about Peter Shankman's "Help A Reporter Out" e-mail list. He's in touch with tons of PR contacts and sources constantly, so he's been putting together e-mails based on reporter needs and queries. I've used it twice so far, and it's been a tremendous help. Bookmark this page now!

How's This For Irony?

2008-05-19T17:50:00.001-07:00

I work as a professional writer juggling query ideas, researching articles and meeting deadlines daily. But right now, I should be planning a birthday party for my daughter that is taking place on June 7 at Chuck E. Cheese. For some reason, I just can't bring myself to do it. For one thing, I hate to say this, but I don't think we're going to be able to invite every single one of my daughter's friends! And I'm not sure how many people to actually reserve seats for, because I haven't sent out invitations yet! And then how many extra seats am I going to need for the parents bringing their children? AAAGH!

I thought this would be so much easier than hosting at our house like we usually do, but this is ridiculous. What is wrong with me? Now my daughter's heart is set on having her party there so I must follow through. Or get Daddy to when he gets home tonight. There. How's that for delegating?

Aww, Thanks!

2008-05-15T12:34:00.000-07:00

Recently, I got to interview Brad Powell with DadLabs, a father of two who works with a team of campadres in Texas to provide a wealth of information via video and the web for hip, in-the-know fathers all across the United States. It was nice chatting with a fellow Texan, and refreshing to meet a dad who is so firmly entrenched in the business of parenting that he turned it into a career. I was surprised (and honored!) to stumble across a link from DadLabs recognizing the article and thanking me personally. As I sit here hovering under a looming deadline it was nice to get some kudos. Check out the article on iParenting.com.

Happy Mother's Day!

2008-05-11T13:45:00.001-07:00

I'm celebrating my fourth year of being a mother this year. What a proud day for me! Becoming a mother gave me the courage I needed to jump start my career as a freelance writer so I could have the best of both worlds. Having them in my life and wanting to see my grandchildren grow up has given me the motivation to get in shape and change my health and fitness regimen for the better. I kicked off this weekend by running my first 5K in over thirteen years. It was a lot of fun, and having my family cheer me on at the finish line was the most motivating experience ever. For my Mother's Day gift, I'm having a new bookcase delivered here Tuesday for my home office, which is my haven. And an 80s Trivial Pursuit game, which I can't wait to challenge my husband on! Happy Mother's Day to all my fellow writer mamas. You're the best!

Choose Your Projects Wisely

2008-05-05T18:02:00.001-07:00

In my last post I talked about trying something new with your writing to keep things interesting. I started thinking about that, and thought I'd share another piece of advice my non-writer husband is always throwing at me -- choose your projects wisely.

By this, I mean be selective in what you decide to work on, especially if you have a limited number of hours a week to work like I do. The thought of doing something you don't really love may cross your mind when you think of the extra money it could bring in, but don't do it! I've been in that same position before and it's always backfired in my face. A few examples of this:

I wanted to get more blogging experience, so around Christmas last year I decided to take a job with a blogging network to make extra cash. I really should have known better, because my application was accepted way too quickly. Not that I didn't have the experience for the job, but most legitimate gigs process a number of applications before making a final decision. I got offered a job within five minutes. So I'm embarrassed to admit this, but I took this job writing a 250-word post five times a week for 50 cents a post. That was supposed to be for the first three months, then the pay increased. That may sound easy to some people, but each post had to to have two links back to posts within that network. That's kind of hard when you're writing about a recording artist like I was. So I would spend a lot of time finding posts to link back to before I even started writing the darned things. Needless to say, I wasted a lot of time on that job, neglected my better paying clients and got a whopping $5 or so my first paycheck. I quickly burned out a few weeks later.

I also decided to do some public relations work for an agency once who only wanted me to call members of the media on every press release that was distributed, even if it only announced the slightest bit of news. I never even got to write any press releases, which is why I was originally hired. I ended up feeling like a sales person instead of a writer and both me and the client became pretty unhappy quickly.

I think I'll finally start following my husband's advice. I'm going to be more selective on what I work on and really think about if it's something I want to spend time on. I'm hoping it will make me a better quality writer in the long run, and help me focus more on the work I really, truly love doing.

Try Something New

2008-05-05T10:09:00.000-07:00

As with everything else in life, writers frequently find themselves in ruts. You may have gotten your start writing for newspapers but would like to branch out into longer length feature pieces in magazines. Or, you may be tired of writing 2,000 plus word articles and looking for something with as much substance, just shorter.

I recently found myself in a rut all around. I wanted to lose weight but continued to eat too many calories, hoping my three 30-minute sessions at the gym each week would justify it. Boy, was I wrong! Now I'm working out much more than that and eating more whole foods and less saturated fat. While I was too terrified to try a cycling class before, now I'm in one once a week, and running more miles than I have in years. It was hard at first, and I won't lie and say there wasn't a fair amount of pain involved in stepping up my routine. But it didn't take long to start seeing the results, so I decided to apply some of my newfound wisdom to my writing.

I came across an opportunity to do some ghostwriting, and was a little nervous about it at first because it's something I've never done before. But after I had a few assignments under my belt, I began to feel more liberated. So someone doesn't like what I wrote? Oh well, my name isn't on it! Anonymity feels good every once in a while, especially if you are still receiving a reasonable paycheck from it.

So I urge you to try something new if you feel your writing and interests have gotten a little stale. Don't be afraid to step outside of your comfort zone. Start up a new blog. Query a publication you never thought of contacting before. Branch out into a little public relations writing. You'll feel much better mentally (and perhaps discover a new stream of income) once you do!

Friday Challenge: Pass a Good Lead To Another Writer

2008-04-25T07:32:00.000-07:00

A few days ago, a friend called for some advice. She's been freelancing for a trade magazine for about five years and they recently had some editorial staff changes that were making her nervous. I offered her some advice for picking up extra work, and later that day, I came across a lead that I thought was perfect for her.

I could have applied for this job myself. I had a little experience in that particular field and the credentials necessary. But then I thought of her, and how she was even more qualified, so I sent it to her instead. I just landed a pretty neat ghostwriting/blogging gig myself so my plate is getting full.

I firmly believe this is something we should all do when given the chance. If you see a gig you might not be the right fit for, but know someone who would, why not pass it on? You never know, that person might land their dream job and end up referring you to a future employer down the road.

So here's my Friday Challenge to you -- refer a lead to a fellow writer. Here are a few of my favorite places to look for leads:

Freelance Writing Jobs

JournalismJobs.com

Problogger

Have a great weekend!

How I Became an Undomestic Goddess

2008-04-16T13:08:00.000-07:00

How's this for irony? A few years ago, after two years of being a stay-at-home other, I decided to venture into freelance writing. At the time, regional parenting magazine Charlotte Parent ran a guest column each month. Writers were welcome to submit their stories for possible publication, with no pay. One evening, I dashed off an essay about how becoming a mother made me learn how to cook and keep a clean house, and how much I enjoyed making chocolate chip cookies from scratch. I know, kind of sickening, and now that I look back upon it . . . just plain old funny.

A few months later, my mother-in-law called to rave about the essay I had written for a magazine. I didn't know what she was talking about, especially since she lived an hour and a half away. I realized she was talking about my Charlotte Parent submission, which my sister-in-law had heard about from a friend who lived in my town, etc. Imagine my surprise when I picked up a copy of the publication at my local grocery store and saw my essay -- and byline -- in print. It was called "How I Became a Domestic Goddess." The funny thing is that it apparently offended a few working moms who weren't able to be as domestic as I was for lack of time, and one even wrote a huffy letter to the editor the next month.

Fast forward three years and I am now a blogger for CharlotteParent.com. I write about the perils of being a work-at-home mother in the blog "Round the Clock." My house is anything but clean. Dinner is usually a thrown-together affair during the week. It's complete insanity, and completely opposite from when I first became a mother. Things change. Circumstances change. I love what I do. I love that I now have a beautiful home office. I don't love the fact that I have cobwebs in the corners because I rarely find the time to dust.

Read about how a typical day in my working goes in a recent post over at CharlotteParent.com. You'll see how much I've become an "undomestic goddess" in the process.

Want To Break Into a National Magazine? Think Outside The Box

2008-04-16T12:56:00.001-07:00

I came across an interesting post over at About Freelance Writing recently. Guest columnist Melissa Walker gives solid advice on how to break into the nationals -- and included several tips that I hadn't heard of before. Among them:

Pitch to associate editors instead of sending your queries straight to the top with the senior editors. Apparently associate editors are always on look-out for new, reliable writers and are usually more willing to hear fresh pitches. They are also eager to impress their bosses, and talented writers with intriguing ideas can help them do that.

Flatter the editor with your love for her newly designed section of the magazine or a book she just published. I've never even thought of putting an editor's name into a Google search engine to see what else they've been up to. Where's my list again?

Don't forget to clip interesting stories you see in your local news. With a little extra legwork, you could take that story and pitch it nationally. An on-staff reporter for a newspaper usually doesn't have time or the energy (or even permission) to carry the story to further media outlets. I recently clipped out an interesting article with the intention of possibly using the story in a novel. Maybe I need to rethink that and use it now.

Check out more tips from Melissa Walker over at About.com. And thanks to Allena for finding such a qualified and helpful writer to give tips!

Never Underestimate the Power of Social Networking

2008-04-13T11:39:00.000-07:00

So I was venting about not having any sources yet for an article due next week in a recent post. I made a last frantic attempt at posting threads on every online forum I belong to, and guess what? I got some very good leads in the past few days! I may be able to get this article done on time, after all. I have to say a big "thank you" to everyone who forwarded me possible sources and different avenues to explore. This is why I have to stress to any writer starting out (or even those already established) how important the power of social networking is. You never know who you might come across that could be an excellent source or know where to find the best sources. I even broke down recently and signed up on MySpace (which I said I would never do) but it has helped me reconnect with some old friends and even helped me get in touch with some much needed sources. On the flip side, if you happen to see a call for sources in your "travels" that you would be perfect for, get in touch with that writer! It's called karma, and it will only bring good things to you if all is handled in a timely and professional manner.

Just Call Me Valerie Bertinelli

2008-04-10T13:33:00.000-07:00

I remember reading something on the Writer Mama blog a few months ago about how being a writer sometimes equals weight gain. I could relate to that post, and I finally decided to do something about it. While I've had a blast working as a freelance writer, I've found myself in way too many coffee shops snacking on muffins and drinking lattes. Or working very late at night and drinking coffee, which is not exactly stellar for the metabolism.

I enlisted some professional help and am working on getting my nutrition and fitness back on track in hopes of losing the fifteen extra pounds I've picked up over the past year. It's the reason I haven't been posting on this blog very often, and one of the reasons I've taken on less work this month.

I want to find a way to balance it all -- working out five days a week, writing at least twenty hours a week, spending time with my family, etc. So far I've still got some balls hanging in the air, but hopefully everything will even out soon and these shin splints will go away.

It's been a great experience so far, and I really need to record the process because it would make, of course, a great article idea for one of the fitness or women's magazines! I'm already considering a subscription to Health magazine because the editorial is really in line with the changes I've made to my lifestyle (although the last thing we need around here is more magazines). I'll research the editorial well and let you know what sections are looking for freelance submissions soon. Wish me luck!

Sources, Where Are You?

2008-04-10T13:28:00.000-07:00

Have you ever been given an assignment that didn't sound so bad at first, but after you dug in, left you hunting for sources under every rock you could think of?

That's where I'm at right now. The article is due Tuesday and so far I have one expert and no anecdotal sources. I'm trying hard not to go into panic mode yet. I'm not sure if I should go ahead and tell my editor that it seems to be a sensitive subject and I'm still searching high and low for one or two people to interview. Or should I just grit my teeth, forge ahead and get something turned in without complaining?

Because that's my problem. When it comes to writing, I'm a people pleaser. I don't like to tell editors I'm stumbling over road blocks. I don't want anyone to think I can't complete my assignments, tricky as they might turn out to be. Because then they may not want to work with me again. I'm kind of a wimp that way.

So what would you do? I typically start losing sleep when this occurs, which is never a good thing. And I'm so worried about it I'm procrastinating and not completing the work I do have sources for. It's a vicious cycle.

Weekend, Here I Come!

2008-03-14T13:29:00.000-07:00

I am so proud of myself at the moment. It's 4:30 p.m. on Friday afternoon, and I am pleased to say all my work has been completed for this week. I had five assignments due this week, but instead of panicking like I usually do, I just lined up some extra childcare and got to work. I even had two articles that were due tomorrow, and I turned them both in a few minutes ago. A day early. That is pretty much unheard of in my world. Of course, I do have over two hundred e-mails in my inbox right now that either need to be filed, deleted or replied to, tax information to compile, and a website to update, but I'm trying not to think about that right now.

To tell you the truth, I didn't have high hopes for this week after getting pulled over by a policeman bright and early Monday morning. There have been a rash of break-ins in town recently, particularly in the neighborhood my babysitter lives in. Apparently the suspects often drive some sort of SUV, which I drive, as does half the town. So a patrol cop eyeballed me as I pulled up in front of the sitter's house. He studied my license tag before driving off. Then he followed me out of the neighborhood and finally pulled me over right past the elementary school. Lovely. My registration on my tag had expired in January and I SWEAR I was just about to renew it but . . . now I have a lovely court date in May. And I swear I've been followed by several different cops since then. Who knew a silver SUV would be so suspicious? I hope they catch these guys soon so I can get some peace.

I am ready to kick back and pour myself a glass of wine. Maybe I should wait until 5 p.m. Isn't that when "happy hour" typically begins?

A Kid in a Candy Store

2008-02-18T08:36:00.000-08:00

Yesterday my family trekked into Charlotte to visit the local Apple Store. I swear I'm like a kid in a candy store in that place. I picked up software packages for both my kids (they are four and two, mind you) but they both are already hooked on our MAC. My daughter has been asking us for a software called Kid Pix for awhile so we finally gave in. While browsing the shelves, I finally made the decision to purchase a writer's software package called Writer's Dreamkit. I figured it might finally give me the kick in the pants I needed to get my novel out of my head and onto paper. It's funny though, because several people who saw me holding the box stopped me and asked me if I was a writer. I was happy to report that I was, although not making a ton of money yet, but it has been rewarding so far!

The employee who helped me actually has a manuscript with an agent but she said she was sure it wouldn't get picked up. She wanted me to call her and let her know how the software worked, because it was a lot cheaper than hiring a book coach.

I sat down last night with my new toy and got my entire plot outlined. Next, I start working on character development. It's very exciting to see it finally coming along. I'm getting ready to interview a sleep expert in a few minutes for a parenting article, and then I'll head out to find a place to feature in my dining column this week. Last week was extremely busy but I somehow got through it.

I wrote a parenting article, a newspaper column, two newspaper articles, a blog column, and something else, but I can't remember what that was right now. This week should be a tad slower with only two assignments due, but I'm working on two others for next week.

So, what are you up to this week?

Which Editor To Query?

2008-01-13T16:07:00.000-08:00

One of the common complaints from magazine editors is that writers send out queries blindly without researching which editor is the appropriate one for your topic. It can be intimidating to open up a magazine masthead and stare at a fifty or so odd names that could possibly receive your query, but probably shouldn't. I found this article by Allena Tapia, the guide to Freelance Writing at About.com, extremely helpful. I'm happy to say at least two of my magazine e-queries were sent to the right editors -- and got me quick (within a few hours) responses. No acceptance responses yet, but hopefully soon!

Holding Myself Accountable

2008-01-13T15:55:00.000-08:00

A few weeks ago I was telling everyone I needed a slight break from work to avoid burn-out. Luckily, by chance, I got one, and my workload looks pretty light this month. My son, who will be two next month, has a slight speech delay so I've had to take some time off for evaluations and such. He'll probably have to undergo weekly therapy a few times a week after next month so that will cut into my free time a little.

So I'm gearing up to send out some new queries and finally start working on my novel. I thought maybe if I tracked my progress on it in this blog I might feel more motivation (and pressure) to actually get some chapters cranked out! Here are my goals for the next week. I'll try to do a weekly check-in on Sundays from here on out:

1. Write 20 pages of untitled novel
2. Research and send out two magazine queries
3. Finish up my newspaper columns (two) that are due Tuesday
4. Look for new freelance leads each morning. Check out Deb Ng's list of the best places to look for blogging and freelance jobs.

So . . . what's on your list this week?

Are You a Writer or a Writer With a Business?

2007-12-31T13:44:00.000-08:00

I don't know about you, but I have had a pretty busy New Year's Eve so far -- all work related. I turned in two newspaper columns, finished up a parenting article and conducted a phone interview for another newspaper article I have due Wednesday. And the week's not over yet. I will be doing a little more work tomorrow, but I don't mind. My husband will be at work as well, but I will take it easy and enjoy most of the day with the kids hopefully.

I just received Marcia Layton Turner's December "Become a Six Figure Writer" newsletter in my inbox, and it made me feel pretty darn good about myself. She posed the question, "Are You a Writer Or Do You Have a Writing Business?" Hmm . . . it appears I have a writing business, and that's good news as I'm setting goals for 2008. So, where do you fit in? According to Layton Turner, there are five steps you should take to becoming a business owner:

1. Get a separate business phone line. Err, I haven't done that one yet. I need to, but I've been trying to figure out if I should just use one of the separate voice mailboxes available with my phone service. I use my cell phone for business too, so I've got that to consider. It's just another expense and headache I've been putting off.

2. Set up a website. I did that, at the end of 2006, and let me tell you, it's the best decision I ever made. It is cost-efficient, easy to maintain, and gave me a place to showcase clips to prospective clients and editors. I have no doubt my website has helped me land many an assignment. Which leads to number three on Layton Turner's list . . .

3. Create a professional e-mail address. I was able to do this through my website, and I love having a business website all to myself. I think it sounds more professional than my RoadRunner address I had before, and it's easy to remember.

4. Have business cards professionally designed. I sort of did this, and again, have been pleased with the results. My husband designed them, and we had them printed at a professional print shop. They have come in handy and they feature the same color scheme and design as my website, which has helped me create a "brand," as my husband the marketing guy says. I love being able to hand them out. Presto! Now prospective clients can have my website, e-mail, and contact information all packaged on a neat little business card.

5. Set up a separate business account. I've sort of done this. I have a separate account set up where I put money aside for tax purposes. I need to get serious and completely separate my work account this year so I can deduct business and childcare expenses directly from it. I'm happy to say I may actually be making enough to do that now!

So there's only one step I really haven't taken, and that's setting up a separate phone line. How are you doing?

My fellow writing friends, I wish you all an upcoming prosperous and healthy New Year, in both your personal lives, and writing careers!

This Writer's New Year's Resolutions

2007-12-27T13:20:00.001-08:00

Okay, so I'm one of those people who comes up with general New Year's resolutions each year. Do I actually follow through with them? Heck, no. But right now I'm doing what many writers love to do (procrastinate) so I'm going to make my goals public. And you guys are responsible for helping me stay on track, and I'll do the same for you if you like. Several months ago I was telling my therapist (yes, I see one, and no, there's nothing wrong with it!) that I had a specific monthly income I wanted to start making. It was modest, but doable I thought, and now, I'm just a few hundred bucks shy of that goal. And I'm about to go insane. Probably because I can't afford full-time childcare yet, so I have to work around my children's schedules, which isn't always easy. And I'll be honest, my time management skills suck. Really bad. So that leads me to my number one writing goal:

1. Get more organized. As I write this, I am staring at my 2007 Day Planner. I have not yet purchased one for 2008. Do I have assignments lined up for 2008 yet? Yes. But I do not have them written down. I must work on this. It is a necessity because I need to find better ways to balance my work and family life.

2. I want to triple last year's income. This may seem grandiose, but I only really got serious about freelancing a few months ago. Before then, I had a few clients that I wrote for on a small scale every month. Now I've started applying for more assignments, and sometimes, get them. Ideally, I'd like to get three or four regular clients, or gigs, and focus all my time and energy on them instead of hunting for new leads every day. It would be nice if I got a magazine assignment every now and then to pad my expenses. Which leads me to number three on my list.

3. I hope to finally break into a national magazine this year. I feel I've come so close, and have even gotten positive feedback from editors via e-mail. I just need to put my head down and keep charging. It will happen.

4. I will start my novel. I've written about this before, but the time has come for me to get serious on a work in progress. My mind won't rest until the story is laid out on paper.

So what are your writing goals? I've put mine out here for all the world to see, so maybe that will light a fire under me. Please share! We all need to work together to become more productive (and happier) writers.

New Issue of Writer's Digest Focuses on Writing Novels

2007-12-18T11:53:00.000-08:00

This couldn't have come at a better time. Remember when I discussed my "heart" project awhile back? You know, the novel that has been completely written in my head but not yet on paper? The editors at Writer's Digest couldn't have put this issue out at a better time, as I'm currently working on my 2008 writing goals. I was so excited to find it in my mailbox this afternoon. The February 2008 issue has four different articles about novel writing, including:

The Baby Steps Method
Architecture of a Novel
Create a Novel Group
Smart Revision Strategies

So if you've got a novel that's been simmering in your head for awhile, go pick up an issue as soon as you can! I can't wait to dive into mine. More on goal setting later.

Selling Personal Essays and Memoirs

2007-12-15T12:39:00.000-08:00

Have you ever dreamed of writing a personal essay or memoir and have it appear in a national magazine, such as Family Circle or Reader's Digest? I'm sure at some point, most of us have, and there are writers out there who have developed a specialty writing these types of essays.

But what is the best way to go about being published? I was flipping through a copy of Ready, Aim, Specialize: Create Your Own Writing Specialty and Make More Money by Kelly James-Enger recently and came across a chapter on this topic. She interviewed a few writers who now make a living writing essays. Since I'm always looking for ways to make more money, I paid special attention to the chapter.

Before I share some of the tips I learned, I want to point something out. First, writing personal essays is one thing. Writing personal essays that other people connect to and want to read is another. If you've already been paid for this type of work, then obviously you're on the right track. If not, here are some ways to improve your work so you can sell it quicker:

1. Write about a universal topic. Sure, tales of how your son spilled juice on your computer and made you miss a deadline are one thing, but make sure you write about it for an audience that will appreciate it, such as a publication geared towards work-at-home parents. Start with a simple anecdote and work outward. My first personal essay was titled "How I Became a Domestic Goddess" and was published in Charlotte Parent. (No, I actually didn't get paid for it. It was one of those "Submit your article, and you may be published!" deals. Oh well, it was a good clip, even if it netted me zero dollars). So because it was published in a parenting publication, many parents related to the fact that I became a better cook and housekeeper after I had kids. It also sparked some strong feelings in a working mom, who wrote the magazine to say that I was criticizing women who had to work outside of the home. That wasn't my intent, even though I was a stay-at-home mom at the time, but whatever. At least people were reading it and forming opinions based on something I wrote.

2. When starting out, consider essays to be extra money, not your bread and butter. Sure, one day you may make a living out of writing essays or memoirs. But when you're first starting out, you might notice that most magazines have one essay per issue and a trillion articles. I wouldn't be interviewing people about baby monitors right now if I were an established essayist. Essays do not make up a major (or even minimal) portion of my income yet, but maybe they will someday.

3. Keep an idea journal with you at all times. As a writer, you should do that anyway, but this will help you keep track of essay ideas. Write down interesting people you meet, what they have to say, and life experiences that have impacted you. When it's time to write, you'll have plenty of material already there.

4. Write a book. This is sort of meant to be funny, but not entirely. I've noticed a lot of essays printed in national magazines are written by people who have just published a non-fiction or fiction book. Essays on topics related to the book are a good promotional pieces. Keep that in mind for when you publish your own completed manuscript one day!

5. Research your markets. A good place to start:

Women's magazines

Men's magazines

Parenting publications

General interest magazines

Regional and local publications

Inflight and travel magazines

Regional and local publications

Religious publications

Newspapers

Anthologies

Web sites

I have a few submissions I'm working on for the Chicken Soup for the Soul and Cup of Comfort anthologies. Go check them out and see if there are any topics that interest you. Then start writing and polishing those essays! Hopefully we'll all get published soon!

Query Questions: Ask and You Shall Receive

2007-12-10T07:27:00.000-08:00

It gets a little intimidating when you're first starting out in this business and trying to draft that first query letter. How much research should you do up front? What if you're clips aren't that great yet? What if your best clip is from ten years ago? I'm always on the hunt for good query letters, so I was thrilled when I came across the From Ink to Ether blog and found that the writers of The Renegade Writer's Query Letters That Rock are sending out query letter examples to anyone who sends them an e-mail. Completely free! Of course, Diana Burrell and Linda Formichelli would love for you to purchase their book, but you don't have to to get these free queries. They also have query letter examples on their Renegade Writer blog. Simply send a blank e-mail to queries(AT)renegadewriter(DOT)com and you'll receive twelve sample query letters within minutes. Start studying!

What Should You Write About?

2007-12-09T12:51:00.000-08:00

I read an interesting article over at Write-From-Home by C. Hope Clark. She points out that a lot of writers have "day jobs" that they work in addition to building a freelance writing career. Ninety-nine percent of the time, these full-time jobs provide fodder for article ideas, so if you're currently in this type of situation, embrace the fact and use it to create a list of topic ideas you could research and write in the future. Hopefully, if you want to branch out into full-time writing, you'll be able to one day, but in the meantime take the opportunity to build up your portfolio. Here are some examples of what I'm talking about.

I've worked as a waitress, newspaper reporter, public relations consultant and assistant media planner. If I thought long and hard, I'm sure I could come up with a topic idea for each occupation. Such as:

Waitress - How wait staff and kitchen staff can peacefully co-exist.

Newspaper Reporter - How to conduct an insightful interview.

Public Relations Consultant - How to effectively pitch a great news story.

Assistant Media Planner (in an agency setting) - How to build good relationships with media reps.

And of course, being a mom. One of my first ideas that sold was an article about how to prepare your meals before bringing home a new baby. People may bring you loads of baby gifts and clothes after the birth, but they don't always remember that a home-cooked meal is always appreciated by the new parents. They are usually too tired and frazzled to properly shop for ingredients and cook dinner every night. This idea sold at least three times.

See? There's plenty of material out there, you just have to brainstorm it and put it together. Can you come up with your own list of topics based on the jobs you've worked before?

Call For Sources

2007-12-07T10:30:00.001-08:00

I need some parents to interview for the following stories:

How was your first postpartum doctor's visit? Did you have different types of deliveries with your children, and therefore have different follow-ups? Did you have any complications that sent you back to the OB/GYN sooner than the standard six weeks? This article is targeted at new moms' so they'll know what to expect after the delivery.
Shopping for Baby Monitors: What types of baby monitors do you recommend for new parents? How much should they expect to spend? Do you think the standard monitor is best, or should parents splurge on one of those fancy video monitors? No brand names necessary, just trying to provide readers with general guidelines. Any funny stories stemming from baby monitor use? (For example, I once heard all about the sexual exploits of a male, teenaged neighbor on mine. Hey, it was a Saturday night and I was bored! That's my excuse, anyway).

Indoor Fun for Toddlers: The winter doldrums are almost here. How do you keep your toddler entertained when it's too cold outside? Do you take them to a music or play class, form playgroups, or do arts and crafts at home? Tell me all about it!

E-mail me at Renee(AT)FinishedPages.com with your anecdotes. These articles are for iParenting Media.

Should You Write on Spec?

2007-12-07T09:33:00.000-08:00

For writers not familiar with this term, it basically means writing a piece for a publication without any guarantee of payment. Amy wrote an interesting post about this over at Write-From-Home, and I encourage you to take a look at it, particularly if you have ever been asked to write something in this manner.

I feel writers should ultimately be in control of the decision to write something on spec. I once queried a regional parenting publication about an article, and they responded that they liked the idea but weren't in position to pay freelancers yet. Most of the editorial was written by the editor and advertisers. She offered me the assignment if I wanted it but let me know up front that I wouldn't be paid for it. I was still trying to break into the business, so I offered to write it with the caveat that I would keep all rights to the piece, of course. She agreed.

I feel it was a wise move. I got a high-quality print clip, and sold the article at least two other times after that. Plus I felt I made a new contact in the industry. But to Amy's point, answering a blind ad that asks you to write articles that you'll be paid for, possibly, most likely won't help your career.

Use your judgment and instinct when writing something on spec. It's more important to maintain your integrity than spend a lot of time writing a piece that may or not get you a paycheck or even a usable clip.

Where To Start?

2007-12-07T07:15:00.000-08:00

I told myself this weekend that I was going to start posting here at least once a day, but well, life and work kind of got in the way. It's Friday morning, and I should be diving into the stack of assignments on my desk, but I decided to add in a little more procrastination with my morning coffee.

I recently read a post over at Deb Ng's blog about how to break into freelancing. Wouldn't we all like to know? It's amazing how much the freelance writing industry has changed since I first jumped into it a little over two years ago. Or maybe I was just clueless and it's taken me this long to start putting the pieces together. Regardless, here are the first steps I think one needs to take before taking the plunge, so to speak:

1. Find your niche or specialty. Is there a particular topic or subject you want to write about? Does your educational or work background give you experience to help you land jobs? For me, I started out writing about parenting topics because my daughter was a toddler at the time. But I also had a background in newspaper journalism and that helped me land a position where I write about dining, traffic, profiles, and other news related events for the local newspaper. But it didn't all just fall into my lap. I had to turn in solid work, purchase a revised copy of The Associated Press Stylebook, and find good stories on my own at times. It helped me build up a reputation and it's required a consistent amount of dedication. Now I have have plenty of clips to back up my specialties whenever I apply for jobs.

2. A lot of writers are interested in blogging these days, including me. It's fun, for the most part, and it doesn't require a whole lot of time unless you're contributing to several different blogs. But before the jump into the arena, do your research. What kinds of blogs are out there? Are there any blogging jobs with that deal with your writing specialties? What are the pay ranges? But most of all, remember that the competition out there is tough and you can't expect to land the first blog gig you apply for. It might be worth a shot to create your own blog to help you build writing samples and help show you have expertise in that topic, so that you can include it in your resume and cover letters.

3.Don't get discouraged if you apply to three or four jobs or submit a few queries and don't get any bites. Like I said before, competition is fierce. I recently heard back from a few well-paying blogging jobs I applied for and found out I was number two or three on the final list. It was disheartening at first to realize I had come so close to being hired, but it's only given me more motivation to work harder. I only really started going after jobs about six months ago, and since then my workload has exploded. But I've put in the time, and other writers should expect to go through the same thing. Most of the time, writing success doesn't happen overnight.

That's all I have to say for now, but I have several new ideas for posts so I'll be back this weekend. If you have any recent success stories, I'd love to hear about them! I think it's so important to have a supportive community of writers to share successes, because there are too many snarky ones out there who can bring you down. Whatever you do, do not let one of these other writers discourage you. You could be talking virtually to a fifteen-year old teenager who knows nothing about writing and not even know it in this day and age of e-mail and instant messaging. So keep on, and persevere!

The Schizophrenic Writer

2007-12-02T21:34:00.000-08:00

I'm wondering if this happens to other writers. Right now I've got several different assignments due and they are all on different subject matters and will run in completely different publications. I find myself having a hard time switching from one project to the next without getting a little confused.

For example, tonight I had to work on an article for Little Blue World, the Tori Amos fan magazine. They have their own style guidelines so I had to make sure the document was formatted correctly before I sent it off. Then I had to switch gears from writing about fans meeting Tori to a woman who gave birth to a baby at 21 weeks of gestation. That one's for a parenting website that has a different set of guidelines. After that, on to potty training success stories.

As I bounce between articles, sometimes I'm supposed to say ," says Smith and other times I'm supposed to write ," said Smith and I'm getting very, very tired and confused about what goes where.

The difference in word length and style guidelines for different publications really came back and bit me in the you-know-where this past month. I got an assignment for a local business publication and they require their profiles to be about 2,000 words long. I'm used to writing 1,200 words maximum for online publications and between 500 to 900 words for the Charlotte Observer. Needless to say, I fell a little short on the business profile and was scrambling around trying to come up with more words on the day it was due. Lesson learned there.

Anyone else ever have this problem? Blogging is a completely different animal too because typically posts don't have to be more than 300 words or so for a paid gig -- but, you do have to add in images most of the time. I don't know how people keep everything straight, because I know I'm struggling. And now, off to bed so I can get up and start the whole process over again tomorrow. 'Night!