My children have one of the latest back-to-school dates in the nation. Here in Michigan, the children can't return until after Labor Day weekend. However, I have started the process of clearing the cobwebs and preparing to go back to the grindstone. Here are a few of the things I have been doing to prepare for that blissful time when I have a whole six hours per day (!!!!!) to devote to freelance writing work.
Cleaning desk- what's all this stuff about summer camps and beaches? That's not going to help me focus in the Fall. All items not pertaining to making money writing are GONE.
Checking supplies- You know all those 10 cent notebooks that are on sale during back-to-school time? I love keeping a few around the house for random thoughts and snippets of writing.
Updating spreadsheets- I always log my hours, client addresses, income and expenses. I let the receipt pile go over the summer, but it's time to get those logged and filed.
Checking taxes- My spreadsheet tells me my income, and I match that to my quarterly estimated tax payment. A few checks trickle in over the summer, so I update that now.
Pondering past clients- I like to reach out to a few clients when I'm back in the saddle. But which ones were worth my time and effort? Which ones equated to more work and less pay? It's time to find out.
Cleaning up the computer- All those pictures from Disney/Camping/the beach were slowing things down!
Do you have a back-to-school, back-to work routine?
As I noted in today's article about freelance contributors, one of my favorite parts of a magazine is the "About Our Contributors" section. Many of those highlighted here are writers like you and I. It's interesting and valuable to trace their career trajectory, or to check out what inspired them to write the piece they did. In addition, I've often seen notes on interviewing and research that were great lessons. My advice today is to take a look at that section with new eyes. Look at it writer to writer. Figure out what that person has done to be in that spot today. Then, use the answers to inform your own career trajectory.
"I have been allowed clearance into a concert to review the artist's performance. In the 4+ years that I've been doing this, this is the first time I've been asked 'Anyway you can preview?' His exact words. What exactly does he mean?"
April and I both suspect he wants to preview the article before it goes to print (wow, can that ever be a whirlwind mistake, take a look at my past experience down that road). But we've never heard it expressed in such a clipped manner. Thoughts?
I'm on vacation (hope you couldn't tell) with a new family member: a cousin from Mexico who has come to learn English at the local community college. I am absolutely marveling in the intricacies of his language (Spanish, my second language, to a point), and at the connections between the two systems.
This prompted me to check out this book from the local B & N (yes, B & N, what do you do think writers do on vacation?) , and I wanted to pass it along to you, writers. The English Language: A Guided Tour of the Language. It talks about etymology, origins, details, and it just reminded me (along with my cousin, who has many questions) that we, as writers, have to know our tool inside and out in order to best use it.
I hope you can't tell, but I've been by the pool in Florida on vacation the past couple weeks. For me, the best part of vacation is catching up on all that reading that falls to the wayside when I'm busybusybusy. Here's what's in my pool bag:
Nonfiction/Writing:
"Thanks, But This Isn't For Us: A (Sort Of) Compassionate Guide to Why Your Writing Is Being Rejected" by Jessica Page
Fiction:
"La Lacuna" by Barbara Kingsolver
How about you? Read any good writing books lately? I have a feeling that once September comes and my kids go back to school (and I go back to work full time) I'm going to need a writing shot-in-the-arm. So if you have one for me, let me know!
Hi all. With September quickly approaching, I'd like to make sure my site is covered with many different perspectives. I specialize in certain niche areas, and I know that you (fellow writers) specialize in others. If you'd like to provide a quick, lean blog post about your niche area, and reap the benefits of that extra traffic, drop me a line.
