How Often Do You Write?
Posted by Deborah in Writing
Think about how often you write every day. I’m not talking about whatever business writing you may have to do throughout the course of the day during your regular, non-writing, 9-5 job. No, I am talking about writing articles, blogs, or short stories. How much time do you really spend writing?
It is a hard question to answer because you have probably never spent time trying to quantify the amount of time you write. Do you spend as much time writing as you think you do? Talking about writing doesn’t count. Reading about writing doesn’t count either. When you say that you are going to the den to write, do you sit right down and write or do you spend a few minutes checking your email first?
Trust me, I am just as guilty of these offenses as the next writer. I say I’m going to write and I spend the first 15 minutes checking and answering my email. This is okay too, because I have slotted time for my email. I am not, however, counting my email time as my writing time, and that is the point. If I carve two hours out of my day for writing, I do not want to fritter away that precious time. We all have lives outside of writing, and people or things in our lives that need our attention. My two hours is precious and I want to focus on writing, so how do I do it?
I actually set a timer for 15 minutes. When the buzzer goes off, I shut down the email so it cannot be a distraction. My cell phone is turned off and then I settle in for two hours of writing. There will always be distractions, but don’t fool yourself into thinking that you are writing for three hours when in fact you spent 30 minutes of that time instant messaging and checking email.
If you don’t believe me, why not start a log to track your writing time? I guarantee by the end of a week you will see how much time you are wasting. I agree that email is an excellent medium of communication, but it can also be a complete time waster. Once you see how much time you are spending actually writing, figure out a way to double that time. I have found that the more time I make for writing, the more time I want to spend writing. If you are a writer, you need to spend time writing. No exceptions. Now hop to it!
read comments (0)Are You a Blogger?
Posted by Deborah in Blogging
Are you a blogger? Most of us writers have a blog or two. We may have started it as a place to record our thoughts, only to find that it quickly turned into an online journal of sorts. But do you find yourself blogging every day? If so, you may be able to turn blogging into a freelance job opportunity.
Blogging is great because blog posts are relatively short. You’d be hard pressed to find blog entries that are greater than 550 words, with most in the 300 to 400 word count range. Who in the blogosphere, or anywhere on the internet, has the time or the patience to read blogs that are any longer?
Check out some of the freelancer job boards and you will see lots of postings for bloggers. Paying for blog entries is one way to create website content. Blogs are often a vehicle for driving traffic to the advertising that surrounds the blog entries. Most blog owners have multiple blogs and they simply cannot keep all of them current without hiring writers to write blog entries. This is where you come in.
Some blogs seek product reviews and these are a lot of fun to write. A friend of mine is an avid digital photographer, and she was able to land a freelance gig writing reviews of camera equipment. She loved it because photography was already a hobby of hers, and sheI was able to parlay that into some extra cash while doing something else that she enjoyed (writing).
Some companies hire bloggers because they themselves do not feel they have a knack for writing or do not know the platforms that are available for blogging. Bloggers are needed because there simply isn’t anyone else who can write on a regular basis for the company. Sometimes the company will provide you with topics that they want you to blog about and other times you are given carte blanche to write about whatever you want as long as the subject matter remains within the scope of the company. Those are the details that you will work out when you place your job bid.
No, you won’t get rich blogging for others, but it is a great way to break into freelance writing if you haven’t already done so. Since blog posts are short, they are easy to write. It is an incredible feeling to be able to turn a hobby into a blogging opportunity like my friend was able to do. Writing of any kind enhances your skills as a writer. The more you practice writing, the better you get at the art of writing.
If you have never blogged, what are you waiting for? Start writing your own blog today. Go to Blogger at https://www.blogger.com/start, Wordpress http://wordpress.org/ and Thoughts.com http://www.thoughts.com/free-blog to start blogging today.
A Creative Exercise
Posted by Deborah in Education & Training
Do you think that you write clearly and concisely? Perhaps you do, but I would wager that we all could use a refresher course in that particular area. I have two fun writing exercises that will help you to write more clearly; or, at the very least, show you that you may need improvement in the area of clarity.
For the first exercise, I want you to write instructions on how to walk. I already hear you laughing, but I bet it will not be as easy as you think it is. Get out that paper and start writing.
Are you done? Hah! Okay, so you haven’t started yet, and that is okay. You need to think about who your audience is. Are you writing for adults or for children? Is your audience already seated or are they standing?
Once you have completed this exercise, don’t think that you are done. The fun is really just beginning. When you have finished writing, you must give your instructions to someone else and have her follow them to the letter. Your subject is not allowed to ask you any questions. She must attempt to do as you have written. If your subject cannot complete your instructions, then you can discuss which ways your instructions could be improved.
Another great exercise similar to this one is to create directions for making a paper airplane. This one is a little more difficult than the first one, because you may not know how to make a paper airplane yourself and will need to make one for yourself first. The same rules apply, though, and you must give your instructions to someone else to see whether or not they can follow your writing.
I find that writing clearly involves creating an outline first. Trust me, I hate spending time on outlines, but they definitely help to keep you on track - and we all know how easy it is to go off on tangents. You don’t have to go crazy with the outline either. A few bullet points of what you would like to communicate can suffice. Arrange the points you would like to make in a logical order. You’ll then have a clear idea of what you want to say and you’ll even know how in-depth you will get.
It doesn’t really matter what type of writing you specialize in. Even creative writers should strive for clarity, so these exercises are perfect for any writer. Let me know how they work out!
John Cow’s StoreStacker Contest
Posted by Deborah in Contests
I’m a sucker for a good contest. I enjoy sharing information, and I love trying to win products that might actually help me to grow my business. That’s why I was so excited to see John Cow’s post on Monday announcing the new John Cow StoreStacker contest!
StoreStacker is a handy dandy little program that enables Internet entrepreneurs to easily create niche-based store websites. You will be able to incorporate affiliate links from all over the web to stock your store, including: ebay, amazon, clickbank, and a variety of others.
There are five major prize packs available for participating in the contest. All of them include some version of StoreStacker along with ContentSolution. Each pack has a different set of prizes to go with the programs, including an Xbox 360, Ipot, Iphone 3G, Bose speakers and headphones, and an Ipod shuffle. Fun fun!
To enter, simply visit the John Cow website to read the entry guidelines for the StoreStacker contest. The contest will run through Sunday, August 24th. That’s just under two weeks away, so make sure you get your entries in as soon as you can!
Link Love 8/12/08
Posted by Deborah in Link Love
The next few weeks are going to be a whirlwind, especially as I prepare for my job/career transition. I’m feeling the pressure, for sure!
In the meantime, there are a handful of excellent posts you need to check out, especially since I wasn’t able to publish my Link Love edition over the weekend!
- 10 Ways to Find 10 Minutes to Write at Daily Writing Tips - I was really excited when I came across this post this morning. It’s an excellent article about how to change your mindset in order to find time to write!
- 8 Attributes Of An Olympic Mindset at The Writers Manifesto - Monika compares our drive to succeed as writers with that of an Olympic athlete. I don’t know about you, but sometimes the work I do makes me feel like an athlete!
- The Right Way to Find Your Freelance Sensei at Freelance Switch - Kristen Fischer talks about the right way to approach a seasoned freelance writer for help. It’s all about consideration and respect for others and their time. Important information for any new writer!
Read and enjoy! Have a great day!