Archives for May 2014

What Do You Read on a Regular Basis?

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“There is no friend as loyal as a book.”  – Ernest Hemingway

what do you read

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These days, though, who has time to read as many books as one wants? I don’t know if it’s the same for you, but with work always waiting to be finished, it is very difficult to find the time to read what I want every day. Sometimes, during the weekend, I sneak in a couple of hours of reading in between doing household chores, email, and tons of other things that still need doing.

As writers, though, the importance of reading regularly cannot be emphasized enough. We are what we read. We get inspiration from what we read. We learn how to write better when we read.

Of course, with the abundance of reading material in various forms today, books are not the only things we can read – whether for the sheer enjoyment of it or for work purposes.

I suppose that, depending on the kind of writing you do, your reading list will be different from mine – and other writers. For example, of you write for a news site, then you probably spend a lot of time reading up on social media news. If you write for an Apple-related site, then you’ll be reading all the Apple-centric sites out there.

Focusing on how to write, tips on writing, the writing life, and similar topics, though, I’d like to share my list of web sites with you.

  • FWJ Resources – as they say, love your own! And, we do have some good articles in this section, so I make it a point to take a look as often as I can.
  • Brain Pickings – from book reviews to little known stories about our favorite books and authors to art – all these things can be found on the site. And while I often read for pleasure, the writing style of Maria Popova teaches me a lot.
  • Pick the Brain – this blog is not exactly about writing, but it does have a lot of inspirational articles which can help a writer. Whether to take a break from writing or to purposely find something motivational, this site can do the trick for you.
  • Daily Writing Tips – for a quick “today I learned” (TIL) moment about word usage, grammar, and punctuation (among other things), I like visiting this web site. You have probably noticed that we’ve shared some of their articles as well.
  • Goins, Writer – Jeff Goins has built his own tribe in the writing niche, and he has a lot to teach aspiring and seasoned writers. From writing tips to topic ideas to marketing your book, you’ll find help here.

That’s just a handful of the websites I like reading, which I think you will like too (if you’re not already a fan).

What about you? What do you read these days?

For more on reading:

5 Literary Agent Blogs Aspiring Writers Should Read

On Reading: Do You Read the Right Way?

Reading to Pitch

When Can You Call Yourself a Writer?

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Editor’s Note: This post was written by Brie Weiler Reynolds, the Director of Online Content at FlexJobs, the award-winning site for telecommuting and flexible job listings. FlexJobs lists thousands of pre-screened, legitimate, and professional-level work-from-home jobs and other types of flexibility like part-time positions, freelancing, and flexible schedules. Brie provides career and job search advice through the FlexJobs Blog and social media. Learn more at www.FlexJobs.com.

If you’re visiting this site, it’s highly likely that you’re either thinking of becoming, or you already are, a writer. When, though, does that transition happen? When do you get to drop the “aspiring” from your title as “aspiring writer?” Anyone along the writing career spectrum, from those just toying with the idea to those fully immersed in writing every day, will deal with this question at some point: When can you call yourself a writer? [Read more…]

14 Writing Quotes That Will Light a Fire Under Your Butt

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Or keep you going when you’re just about ready to throw in the towel. In other words, I’m sharing 14 inspiring writing quotes that ought to help you if you’re lacking in the inspiration department. If you’re looking for specific ideas for blog posts, take a look at my post last week: 5 Blog Post Topics When Your Inspiration Well Runs Dry.

inspiring writing quotes

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So, hate them or not, quotes can help give you a boost, even though sometimes, it’s a temporary one. You know that we like sharing all sorts of quotes on Facebook and Twitter, so I thought I’d take a look at put together some of the most inspiring writing quotes I’ve encountered.

You may ask, why 14? I like the number, that’s all.

14 Inspiring writing quotes

  1. “Exercise the writing muscle every day, even if it is only a letter, notes, a title list, a character sketch, a journal entry. Writers are like dancers, like athletes. Without that exercise, the muscles seize up.”  ~Jane Yolen
  2. “If you can quit, then quit. If you can’t quit, you’re a writer.” ~R.A. Salvatore
  3. “This is how you do it; you sit down at the keyboard and put one word after another until its done. It’s that easy and that hard.” ~Neil Gaiman
  4. “The scariest moment is always just before you start.” ~Stephen King
  5. “Write even when the world is chaotic. You don’t need a cigarette, silence, music, a comfortable chair, or inner peace to write. You just need ten minutes and a writing implement.” ~Cory Doctorow
  6. “It’s none of their business that you have to learn to write. Let them think you were born that way.” ~Ernest Hemingway
  7. “If you can tell stories, create characters, devise incidents, and have sincerity and passion, it doesn’t matter a damn how you write.” ~Somerset Maugham
  8. “Start before you’re ready.” ~Steven Pressfield
  9. “A professional writer is an amateur who didn’t quit.” ~Richard Bach
  10. “Don’t wait for moods. You accomplish nothing if you do that. Your mind must know it has got to get down to work.” ~Pearl S. Buck
  11. “Get it down. Take chances. It may be bad, but it’s the only way you can do anything really good.” ~William Faulkner
  12. “If you write one story, it may be bad; if you write a hundred, you have the odds in your favor.” ~Edgar Rice Burroughs
  13. “The secret of it all is to write in the gush, the throb, the flood of the moment–to put things down without deliberation–without worrying about their style–without waiting for a fit time or place. I always worked that way. I took the first scrap of paper, the first doorstep, the first desk, and wrote–wrote, wrote…By writing at the instant, the very heartbeat of life is caught.” ~Walt Whitman
  14. “In the name of God, stop a moment, cease your work, look around you.” ~Leo Tolstoy

I leave you with that last quote from Tolstoy, which may seem counterintuitive, but it does give you the license to take a step back and reflect for a while – but only for a while, after which you get right back to work. 😉

5 Blog Post Topics for When Your Inspiration Well Runs Dry

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Writer’s block is that thing we all dread, yet happens now and then. We have a very useful resource on the topic of writer’s block and how to move past it, but if you’re looking for a quick fix, here’s a short list of go-to ideas that can help you come up with a blog post without having to go through the sometimes excruciating process of smashing that block to pieces.

These blog post topics are rather general in nature, and you can tweak them and play around with them as much as you want to when you find yourself wondering what to write about. [Read more…]

Signs You Have What it Takes to Be a Freelance Writer

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It all looks so promising on paper: Doing what you love, in your pajamas, on the couch with the Kardashians on mute for company. For successful freelance writers, that might certainly be the setup, or they might only be able to do it while hot desking from a more professional space. There’s no right or wrong way to be a freelance writer, but you do need to have a certain set of skills and the right personality in order to succeed. Otherwise, it might be more like a hobby or second job and not enough to keep you financially fit.

freelance writer

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First, determine what your skills are because there are many types of writers from those who provide content for marketing purposes to those who prepare RFPs for non-profits. Being a strong writer doesn’t cut it because you also need a niche like key technical skills or a background in working with NGOs. Once you have it narrowed down, understand that in order to stay competitive you have to keep up to date with industry trends. Writing is in no way a passive career.

Hints that freelancing is for you

Freelance writers who are successful (as in making six-figure incomes) are often Type A personalities, morning people and can’t stand procrastination. They’re skilled at multi-tasking, but even more so at prioritizing tasks so that their work is high quality and not scattered. Of course they’re great writers, but they also write quickly and don’t get caught up in thinking their work is their baby. They have very thick skins in order to withstand rejection and tough editors, and can’t take their writing personally.

Some freelance writers have editors on hand because writers and editors are often mutually exclusive. These are two very different types of skills and trying to do too much can lead to poor work quality. The best freelance writers are constantly on the hunt for new gigs, projects and clients even if they have a full plate because they never know when something might end. They engage in marketing campaigns to build recognition and authority, and keep the clients rolling in. It takes ruthlessness and constant research.

Maybe freelancing isn’t the way to go…

freelance writer

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Some people simply need more structure and security, and that’s okay. However, recognizing whether or not you’re a good match for freelancing early on is the best way to avoid time wasted and a lot of frustration. Be brutally honest with yourself and admit if maybe you need a boss breathing down your neck (and not just an editor sending emails) to really get the best work out of you. Freelancing requires an incredible ability to manage your time, including knowing when to leave work and focus on family, friends or other obligations.

If you think freelancing sounds like a dream come true and you have the skills to make it work, all you have to do is take the leap. Save up a few months worth of living expenses and focus 100 percent on freelancing. In the beginning, it’s even tougher than starting a new traditional job, but it can pay off handsomely.

How to Be Productive Without Losing Your Sense of Self

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Passionate professionals are vulnerable to becoming so driven by work that personal well-being is no longer a priority. The autonomous, and often isolating, nature of freelancing heightens that risk for independent contractors.

Are you concerned that your need for optimum work efficiency is overriding your personal needs? Take these cues on how to maintain professional productivity without sacrificing your sense of self.

Write a Mission Statement

Image credit: Randy Glasbergen

Image credit: Randy Glasbergen

If you are self-employed then you are your business. Draw inspiration from the private and non-profit sectors by crafting a mission statement that outlines your freelance career goals. When drafting your mission, start by writing a summary of your professional ambitions. Ask yourself questions like these:

  • What motivates me? – Maybe you want to build your brand as a blogger or make enough money to stop working for a month and travel.
  • How do I want others to see me? – Do you want to establish yourself as a subject matter expert or are you simply working project-to-project because you value the freedom of freelancing?
  • What are my strengths? – Highlighting your strengths can sometimes make it easier to identify your weaknesses. Considering this question is a proactive step toward making improvements in areas of your career that could be draining your personal time.

Putting a mission statement in place is the cornerstone for building a freelance foundation grounded in work-life balance. You can revisit your mission statement when you feel like you’re being too career-focused. Reminding yourself of what you want, rather than only considering offers from clients, will make you less likely to overcommit to projects and more likely to use some of that time cultivating yourself.

Track Your Time

Time Tracking

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Does your day drag along? Documenting your time is a practice that often yields surprising results in how you spend it. This is especially useful for freelancers weighed down by the frustrating feeling of “It seems like I am working all the time!”

The key to time tracking is noting every action, no matter how insignificant it may appear to be. You wouldn’t ignore a 90 minute block of writing, but three minutes spent scrolling through your Twitter feed is more easily forgotten. When you factor in the instances of mindless browsing you’ve completed across all your social media pages and BuzzFeed quizzes you’ve taken to identify your inner Saved by the Bell character, those minutes quickly amass into hours of wasted time and energy.

Whether you note your activities in an Excel spreadsheet, on a scrap piece of paper, or use the latest in mobile time tracking technology, find a system that works for you.

Arrange a Routine

Image credit: Kimberly Back

Image credit: Kimberly Back

Once you have a better grasp on how you are spending your time, establish a daily routine that takes into account your work and your wellness. Yes, we freelancers – renegades of the business realm – are notorious for scoffing at structure, but scheduling your professional and personal time into sections with defined starting and stopping points prevents your entire day from feeling like 24 hours on the clock. Work smarter, not harder.

Prioritize Your Person

Self Employed

Regardless of how in control you have convinced yourself that you are, personal dysfunction will eventually contaminate your professional life, and vice versa. When you only prioritize your business side, sooner or later your self-preservation will kick in, causing you to rail against your work. You may feel depressed, start looking for excuses to extend project deadlines or miss them altogether, or you may risk your professional reputation and credibility by doing anything but work.

Making simple strides toward honoring your sense of self goes miles toward maintaining your professional productivity. When you feel better, you work better. Even something as small as setting aside 30 minutes a day to exercise, taking a proper lunch break every day, or scheduling a weekly activity with your best friend can make big advances in revitalizing you personally and professionally.

Give your all to your work, but not all of your Self.

Kimberly is the Social Media and Content Manager at Virtual Vocations, your one-stop shop for freelancers looking for legitimate telecommute jobs. Connect with Kimberly on Facebook and Google+.

Are You Writing for the Wrong Reasons?

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I have been thinking about why I write for the past several weeks, and it has not been an easy ride. For one, there are different kinds of writing, and reasons for writing do not fall into the one-size-fits-all bucket. Still, I think that, for people who mainly make a living out of writing, the question is a good one to think about – when you do not have urgent deadlines looming, perhaps.

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Let’s get the “I need to bring home the bacon” reason out of the way, because, let’s face it – we need to provide for ourselves and families.

Instead, let’s look at specific reasons that may very well be wrong and may be a detriment to your online writing career.

To impress readers with highfaluting language.

Language is beautiful. Individual words can be music to the ears, and when put together well, a piece of writing can strike one’s soul.

But what if you find yourself using big words a lot with the intent of letting your readers know just how huge your vocabulary is? This may or may not be subconscious, but if this is one of the reasons you write, then you might want to think again.

Readers want to understand and relate to what they read. Sure, some may like learning a new word or two now and then, but a writer who constantly uses uncommon words to impress gets tiring.

If you have this problem, here’s something which you will want to read: Eschewing the Exotic for the Quotidian

To make it known to the world that I know my grammar.

grammar police
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So let’s say clear and simple is your writing style. Great!

But do you have this ever-present idea in the back of your head that you are writing to make sure everyone knows you are the King/Queen of Grammar? Again, this may be subconscious, but it doesn’t add much value to your writing.

Of course, writing using proper is important (you know we’re the first to stand up for that!), but if you’re shouting it out loud and proud all the time, it also gets old with your readers – and it may even alienate some.

To become rich AND famous.

Who doesn’t want to become rich and famous? Okay, maybe famous not so much, but having more money than you can spend is always a nice thing. This shouldn’t be the driving force behind your writing, though, as it will probably compromise the quality of your work.

Additionally, we all know that freelance writing is not exactly the highest paying job in the world…

“The freelance writer is a man who is paid per piece or per word or perhaps.” —Robert Benchley

Instead of focusing on becoming rich and famous, why not focus on giving your readers value with every piece you write? By doing so, you just might put yourself on the road to becoming rich (and famous).

The bottomline

I do think that we all have different reasons for writing, but here are a few things you may want to consider.

One, write because you have something truly important to say, and more than that, something that other people can relate to and can use in their own lives.

Two, write because you can’t help it. Some say it’s the true mark of a writer: you’re not really happy unless you’re writing.

Three, write because you have made a commitment to a client, and you want to deliver on your promises. This includes producing the best quality article/post you can come up with, no matter your mood or personal inclinations.

Forget being pompous. Forget putting yourself on a grammar pedestal. Forget impressing others. Forget thinking about money all the time.

What are your reasons for writing?

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