Focus
Your Pride and Your Prejudice
There is a difference between valuing your time enough to set reasonable prices for your work and thinking that you are some omnipotent ruler’s gift to the industry. There are many amazing writers nipping at your heels who simply don’t know how to value their own writing. Many of them are just as smart,... »
Remove Distractions
I have heard this time and time again, mostly from female freelance writers, “It’s impossible for me to work unless the house is clean.” I understand and agree…sort of. With pets, spouses, children and whatever else going on in your home, it’s almost impossible to guarantee that your home will be spotless every time... »
Time Wasters
Beware the time waster oh writer! There are things that can get you off-track and keep you from focusing on what is most important–your writing. Here are some that you’ll want to watch out for: E-mail. Don’t check it all the time. Schedule it and it won’t suck your time. Phone. If you are working, turn... »
Unproductive Time–Part of the Creative Process
Writers and other creatives can not be expected to perform on demand like trained seals. Sometimes, when I’m supposed to be writing, I find myself drifting off to websites like E! Online, CNN.com, PerezHilton.com and others. I used to feel guilty when I did this, like there was something bad about it. Then I... »
No TV!
A lot of freelance writers seem to be fans of having the television on while working. If you do this, but find your head turned toward the television every once in a while, stop turning it on in the morning. Just work without the TV so you can work faster and without breaks in... »
Coffee Filters Matter Too
Okay, freelance writing and coffee addiction seem to go hand and hand, so I don’t mind sharing this little tidbit here. One of the things that makes good coffee taste…well…good is the oil in the beans. Now, when you use paper filters, guess what you are doing? Okay, yeah, you’re killing Earth but, more... »
Feeling Bored and Used Up? Go Outside
The freelancing lifestyle is not for everyone. The long hours at home can feel like a prison sentence to some people so Panera, Starbucks and other Wi-Fi’d coffee spots get their all-day patronage, but that’s not exactly fun and interesting either. In fact, it’s like changing one box for another. Instead, why not grab a... »
Breaking Through Writer’s Block
Wanna know how to bust through writer’s block? Just write. Don’t worry about whether or not what you write is good enough for your client, don’t worry about whether or not it makes sense, don’t worry about whether or not it’s spelling-challenged or grammatically correct, just write your thoughts about whatever topic you want. For... »
Tick Tock
How are you doing on time management? One way to tell is to keep a daily log for a week and then look back to see any patterns. How do you do this? Simply jot down what you are doing each hour (in as many words as you need to remember what you are... »
The To-Do List
Creating a to-do list is a great idea for freelance writers. You can make one for each new day or one for the entire week. Why bother? Freelance writing is the type of career where you will often be juggling several projects simultaneously and it can be easy to forget details if you don’t... »
