What do you make of it in the world of freelance writing when a client goes from enthusiastic communication loving your work and wanting more....
to total radio silence, so-to-speak?
Panic
Obviously you did something wrong and they hate you now. They probably spend hours throwing darts at pictures they imagine look like you rather than do a quick check in to say what is going on and if they are going to continue to use your work. Make sure you have a stack of paper lunch sacks nearby to hyperventilate into. Likely you'll blow through a few of them while you decide your next move. Maybe you should contact them five or six times in the next hour, just to let them know how much you love working for them. If you need to cry, don't do it on the keyboard as it could short out.
Obsess Over the Details of the Last Thing You Gave Them
Did you have spelling errors? Probably. Could that one sentence have been more tightly written? Definitely. Remember, everything can be done better, especially your last project. It may be too late to turn in a new version, but that doesn't mean the worrying and obsessing about what has been done should stop. In fact, it's time to ramp those doubts up to ten on the worry scale! Stop being satisfied that you did your best and start really considering what it means to fail. The closing ideas you had for a review? That was probably terrible. You transitions from one point to the next? Those were also likely abysmal. Don't even get started thinking about your usage of commas. Not only did you more than likely screw that up, but the client is likely sharing your travesty of comma use around the office and with total strangers.
Count Your Failures
The age old adage about "Counting your blessings" is a lie, and you know it. So why not count up your failures instead? No, I'm not talking about that last assignment or job offer you tried out for. I am talking about everything that you can possibly remember that you failed at. Your choice to have spaghetti the other day was a disaster from the get go and you know it. That time you thought about leaving your "safe" Joe job to pursue your dreams? What a mistake that turned out to be, right? In high school, yes, they really were all looking at you and wondering why another human being would comb their hair and dress that way. That time in kindergarten when you colored outside the lines? Yes, even that can be counted against you when it comes to the failure tally. You need to dig deep when it comes to this one. Think hard now, do you remember those first steps you took as a baby? You can be pretty sure your parents hung their heads in shame when your diapered duff hit the floor before you even managed to plant one foot in front of the other.
Right about now you should be in the fetal position sucking your thumb.
Never Try Anything Ever Again
Don't do anything ever again. No, not don't do anything new. Tons of people never do anything new each and every day. It's time to consider total inertia as an option for your future. Doubtless your client's failure to respond mean that think a rock could have done a better job writing what you turn in, and maybe it is time to stop thinking of all you can accomplish and time to start thinking of how living as a solid state block of matter can help you avoid future disappointments.
Remember, you can't do well all the time. So embrace the mediocrity and failure that has come to pass.
Unless the client just made simple mistake and still loves your work, but didn't have time to get back to you. In which case, you're totally fine and can ignore the advice previously given.
Showing posts with label editing. Show all posts
Showing posts with label editing. Show all posts
Tuesday, April 14, 2015
Wednesday, April 8, 2015
"The Junk Journals" Official Update #1: Intros and Research
Here begins the journey....
I hope that sounds at least half as epic as I intend it to be. Because even though I have a children's book in the works, I've been steadily plugging away at my Junk Journals project for several months now. In fact, I believe I have enough material to start piecing stuff together into an actual book!
So what have I got for you today?
As you likely can tell from the title, I've been working on writing the introduction to the book and doing a bit of research for getting the book published as well. Let me break both of those down really quick for you:
I am pretty sure I have enough material to create a framework upon which to get the overall novel put together. However, I feel that unlike getting a novel put together, you have to introduce your reader to the nature of what it is they are about to read. Whether a gripping and overly detailed historical examination of something or a self-help book like the Junk Journals will be, you have to lay out the basics. I guess it shares a little something in common with writing a kids novel that way. Get'em in a basic way at the start of the book.
Anywho, I've written a first draft of that all-important introduction for the Junk Journals and I think it will help me get my footing on how I want the outline to look for the overall book. So not only have I got a literal start on things, but I have given myself a helping hand in continuing the project to completion. This isn't so much of a brag as a "Okay, as I work more on this, I give myself less and less excuses as to why it can't be done. This is good thing as well since I cover the topic of procrastination within the book itself. I hope overall that it does not take long to get a composed first draft of the overall book together. But I am willing to admit as this is foreign territory to me, I might have to look up a "How to write a How to Book for Dummies." If such a thing exists.
Then again, part of what I want to do with the book is not only offer a fresh take on the matter of de-cluttering one's home, but also change up the drab expectations a person might have when it comes to such books. I want it to be engaging and personable and not come at the reader with an overly aggressive "oh just toss it all out" attitude. This leads me to the other part of what I am currently doing with the project.
I am researching not just how to write a book about eliminating clutter, but I want to take the annoying bits from other bits that keep seeming to turn up and offer a perspective that might have otherwise been presented. One of the attitudes that I see turn up quite often in these books so far is the idea that "just getting the job done" somehow translates into "hurry it up and finish." From what I can tell cleaning isn't a race, or at least, not a very exciting one. So I am currently spending free time here and there looking into what I feel were the mistakes made in other books when it comes to being pushy about getting you to de-junk your home. So long as we aren't hoarders, there shouldn't be a problem with taking the time to do a job you can live with.
Anywho, before I get too distracted and make this update too long I wanted to let you know where I am at and how the project is coming along. Thanks for taking the time to read this and I will see you next week.
Wednesday, March 18, 2015
5 Ways Writing is Like Cooking
Burnt toast tops my list for one of the most foul smells in the entire world. I'm sure we've all burned our fair share and screwed up things more than just toast in the kitchen. The smell got me thinking, mostly about burnt toast, but also how writing can often times remind me of cooking. Some of the basic principals in cooking are applicable to writing, especially if you are into the whole "let's make a food analogy because I'm hungry" genre of writing. Well I sure as heck am! Kidding aside, there are some times that I feel much of what I have learned in cooking can apply to my work as a writer. So without further flan--er, flare, here are Five Ways Writing is Like Cooking:
Don't Be Afraid to Get Dirty
One of the first things I had to learn about cooking was that I was going to get dirty in the process. Flour would be everywhere; dishes would pile up; and my hands were likely to get everything from frosting to chicken goop/blood on them. It was a hard fact to face. Well, this happens in writing too. Sometimes you might have to work in circumstances that are not ideal, not what you want, and not what you expect. You can't always be sipping soda and writing away on your laptop in some food joint. You won't always get to have that afternoon to yourself where you just ponder what to do next with your characters. You won't always be "feeling up to" doing what needs to be done. Much like cooking, you've got to get in and do the sometimes dirty work of writing when you are not comfortable. Sometimes writing like is baking fresh cookies (right from the pre-made pack, all nice and easy like); but other times it means you have a long afternoon ahead of you just to get one thing done. You have to also be ready to pull out a notepad and write ideas, character arcs, and dialogue on the fly. If an idea sounds like it would add zest to a story, but you aren't in your comfort zone--too bad, you've got to pull out that pad and write. It may look messy, you may have a lot more editing to do than if you were working on a computer, but it is just a part of the process.
Try New Flavors
No matter how appealing a recipe might sound, no matter how easy it might seem; sometimes it is hard to make yourself try something new in the kitchen. Similarly, sometimes you might have an idea for a character, plot arc, or story direction that sounds appealing, but will likely lead you in a direction you aren't entirely sure you want to go. Now, to be true, sometimes you might throw out an idea which immediately sounds like the liver and onions equivalent in the writing world. Nice for some, but just not for you. However, you might get something that sounds like a complicated seafood recipe. You aren't sure if the "flavor" or idea will really pan out. It might be an idea that you end up liking and want to follow through, but are not sure if you have the "umph" to follow it through. Whatever the case, don't be afraid to take a risk and try something new. In order for your story to be different, to have those things that set it apart; you need to be ready to try out some things which you may not be used to.
Don't Indulge in Too Much Junk Food
Okay, so this might seem like a stretch when it comes to the analogy game, but hear me out. There are some characters and scenes that are like the best junk food on the planet. Much like a bag of your favorite chips, sometimes characters and scenes come along and you just want to let loose and keep going back for more. Does this character's scene advance the story or move the plot or grow him? Nope, and who cares! More of this please! Who wouldn't want the Snape to keep insulting Harry for pages on end? What's a few more arrows and battering rams at Helm's Deep? And what about how in Game of Thrones...well, you get the point. Scenes and characters you love to write can be fun, but if you spend too much time with them, you fatten up the story without adding anything of benefit. I grant you I would have loved it if the Riddle Game from The Hobbit would have kept going, but I also know that if it went on too long it would have been the most dull scene in the book instead of the one of the most interesting ones. Cut yourself off before you have a mess to work off in editing. Speaking of which...
Clean Up When Done
Yep, when all the work is done, and the food is made, who gets to clean up the mess left behind? That's right, you do. Same principal applies here. Edits...*sigh* Yes, one of the words we as writers most hate to hear about. Editing and cleaning up after cooking just seem to go hand in hand, don't they? You know the end product is, and will be something good. You've already put in so much effort to produce something awesome, and then you realize there is still more work to do, and it is a whole lot less fun than the process of actually making something original. "But what if I just order a pizza? Won't clean up be a snap? Ha! I've picked apart your analogy in one fell swoop!" You know what I say to that? "Stop trying to stall and act all clever! Get back to editing!"
Sometimes You Spend All Day Making a Mistake
The last part of this analogy might be the hardest for you to hear. I joked about ordering out for pizza in the last point, but I've had to do just that before. I have had cooking mistakes that I realized as I was finishing up had just went completely sideways and tasted awful. Along those lines, you can write for hours and hours, spend a whole day working on something...only to churn out something in the end you realize is not just average or passable, but is like that burnt toast I told you about in the beginning. Sometimes you have to throw out all your hard work and start from scratch or go with something basic that will suit the needs of what you are writing. Sometimes you put in a whole lot of effort crafting a dish, or a scene, and have zilch to show at the end. If only writing were as easy as getting that pizza. "I'd like an order of plot please, heavy on the character development with a side of bread sticks." (Because you should always get a side of bread sticks with anything.) Now, this isn't to say that you should be afraid to start over or that backtracking doesn't happen. Sometimes I've arrived at the end of a chapter and realized that everything prior to the last sentence just won't work at all. But I started over because I had to. Or I chopped out what wasn't working and put something simple, yet sustaining in it's place. Sometimes I suspect we wish we could just leave that hole in the story just as much as we wish we could skip a meal. But in the end something has to be done.
As you might be able to tell, I love and hate cooking. Much in the same way I love and hate writing at times. However, as much as I need food, I need to keep on writing. I know at times analogies like the one I have written here can seem silly, or over-wrought, but I hope it has helped you. I suspect that for both of us writing, much like food, is a sustaining and nourishing thing. We need it in our lives to keep us going.
Well, time for a snack.
And a bit of writing, of course.
Don't Be Afraid to Get Dirty
One of the first things I had to learn about cooking was that I was going to get dirty in the process. Flour would be everywhere; dishes would pile up; and my hands were likely to get everything from frosting to chicken goop/blood on them. It was a hard fact to face. Well, this happens in writing too. Sometimes you might have to work in circumstances that are not ideal, not what you want, and not what you expect. You can't always be sipping soda and writing away on your laptop in some food joint. You won't always get to have that afternoon to yourself where you just ponder what to do next with your characters. You won't always be "feeling up to" doing what needs to be done. Much like cooking, you've got to get in and do the sometimes dirty work of writing when you are not comfortable. Sometimes writing like is baking fresh cookies (right from the pre-made pack, all nice and easy like); but other times it means you have a long afternoon ahead of you just to get one thing done. You have to also be ready to pull out a notepad and write ideas, character arcs, and dialogue on the fly. If an idea sounds like it would add zest to a story, but you aren't in your comfort zone--too bad, you've got to pull out that pad and write. It may look messy, you may have a lot more editing to do than if you were working on a computer, but it is just a part of the process.
Try New Flavors
No matter how appealing a recipe might sound, no matter how easy it might seem; sometimes it is hard to make yourself try something new in the kitchen. Similarly, sometimes you might have an idea for a character, plot arc, or story direction that sounds appealing, but will likely lead you in a direction you aren't entirely sure you want to go. Now, to be true, sometimes you might throw out an idea which immediately sounds like the liver and onions equivalent in the writing world. Nice for some, but just not for you. However, you might get something that sounds like a complicated seafood recipe. You aren't sure if the "flavor" or idea will really pan out. It might be an idea that you end up liking and want to follow through, but are not sure if you have the "umph" to follow it through. Whatever the case, don't be afraid to take a risk and try something new. In order for your story to be different, to have those things that set it apart; you need to be ready to try out some things which you may not be used to.
Don't Indulge in Too Much Junk Food
Okay, so this might seem like a stretch when it comes to the analogy game, but hear me out. There are some characters and scenes that are like the best junk food on the planet. Much like a bag of your favorite chips, sometimes characters and scenes come along and you just want to let loose and keep going back for more. Does this character's scene advance the story or move the plot or grow him? Nope, and who cares! More of this please! Who wouldn't want the Snape to keep insulting Harry for pages on end? What's a few more arrows and battering rams at Helm's Deep? And what about how in Game of Thrones...well, you get the point. Scenes and characters you love to write can be fun, but if you spend too much time with them, you fatten up the story without adding anything of benefit. I grant you I would have loved it if the Riddle Game from The Hobbit would have kept going, but I also know that if it went on too long it would have been the most dull scene in the book instead of the one of the most interesting ones. Cut yourself off before you have a mess to work off in editing. Speaking of which...
Clean Up When Done
Yep, when all the work is done, and the food is made, who gets to clean up the mess left behind? That's right, you do. Same principal applies here. Edits...*sigh* Yes, one of the words we as writers most hate to hear about. Editing and cleaning up after cooking just seem to go hand in hand, don't they? You know the end product is, and will be something good. You've already put in so much effort to produce something awesome, and then you realize there is still more work to do, and it is a whole lot less fun than the process of actually making something original. "But what if I just order a pizza? Won't clean up be a snap? Ha! I've picked apart your analogy in one fell swoop!" You know what I say to that? "Stop trying to stall and act all clever! Get back to editing!"
Sometimes You Spend All Day Making a Mistake
The last part of this analogy might be the hardest for you to hear. I joked about ordering out for pizza in the last point, but I've had to do just that before. I have had cooking mistakes that I realized as I was finishing up had just went completely sideways and tasted awful. Along those lines, you can write for hours and hours, spend a whole day working on something...only to churn out something in the end you realize is not just average or passable, but is like that burnt toast I told you about in the beginning. Sometimes you have to throw out all your hard work and start from scratch or go with something basic that will suit the needs of what you are writing. Sometimes you put in a whole lot of effort crafting a dish, or a scene, and have zilch to show at the end. If only writing were as easy as getting that pizza. "I'd like an order of plot please, heavy on the character development with a side of bread sticks." (Because you should always get a side of bread sticks with anything.) Now, this isn't to say that you should be afraid to start over or that backtracking doesn't happen. Sometimes I've arrived at the end of a chapter and realized that everything prior to the last sentence just won't work at all. But I started over because I had to. Or I chopped out what wasn't working and put something simple, yet sustaining in it's place. Sometimes I suspect we wish we could just leave that hole in the story just as much as we wish we could skip a meal. But in the end something has to be done.
As you might be able to tell, I love and hate cooking. Much in the same way I love and hate writing at times. However, as much as I need food, I need to keep on writing. I know at times analogies like the one I have written here can seem silly, or over-wrought, but I hope it has helped you. I suspect that for both of us writing, much like food, is a sustaining and nourishing thing. We need it in our lives to keep us going.
Well, time for a snack.
And a bit of writing, of course.
Wednesday, March 11, 2015
Leave Your Favorite Books Alone
If you are holding your favorite book in your hands and are just trying to relax by reading something: compartmentalize that part of yourself that thinks you could have written it better. Critiques are off the table, no trying to analyze and pick it apart. Just don't do it!
Sure we are told over and over again that if you want to be a better writer that you should read as often as possible, and I believe it is true as well. However, I don't think enough is said about the relaxation part. Sure, reading helps us to learn to be better at the writing craft, but lets not get so caught up in trying to extrapolate lessons from the story that we forget to just sit back and enjoy the ride. Some books I will jump back and forth between just reading and picking apart. Some I read just to pick apart and others I read over and over again just to enjoy.
I will NEVER open my favorite books to do anything other than read to enjoy it. If you can't turn of the criticism or are under the assumption that you need to be able to pick apart your favorite book in order to be a better writer; I could not disagree more.
There are some places we go in the real world to escape from the daily grind. Places where we can enjoy the sublime beauty of nature, places where we can take a deep breath and refresh ourselves. If we are true about being writers, wouldn't we want that one well where we can be refreshed? That one book that we refuse to sully? I wouldn't go to my favorite hiking spot and start pointing out issues like the view was not as good as it could be, or if it was overgrown in spots, or if too many people seemed to be there these days. I would have ruined it for myself and would forever be hearing that critical voice, forever looking for the flaws. I would be trying to fool myself into thinking that somehow I was going to grow by being able to take a "critical and educated eye" to something beloved to me.
I guess that just might be me though. I admit there are books that I really like that I am willing to think in a critical way. But there are other stories that are dear to me that I would never think of trying to pick them apart. Not that there might not be flaws in them. I just want them preserved in my mind the way they were the first time that I read them. I want to be able to have the experience of approaching them always like an old friend that I would warmly welcome. I would never approach my wife or a life long friend with a desire to some how "better myself through criticism of that which I love," so why would I do it with my favorite book.
Not saying that we should make idols out of certain books either. If we can preserve our enjoyment of a book though. If we can have just one spot--one story rather--that we can breath in, I think that is a thousand times better than any perceived benefit from being critical.
That's just me though.
Sure we are told over and over again that if you want to be a better writer that you should read as often as possible, and I believe it is true as well. However, I don't think enough is said about the relaxation part. Sure, reading helps us to learn to be better at the writing craft, but lets not get so caught up in trying to extrapolate lessons from the story that we forget to just sit back and enjoy the ride. Some books I will jump back and forth between just reading and picking apart. Some I read just to pick apart and others I read over and over again just to enjoy.
I will NEVER open my favorite books to do anything other than read to enjoy it. If you can't turn of the criticism or are under the assumption that you need to be able to pick apart your favorite book in order to be a better writer; I could not disagree more.
There are some places we go in the real world to escape from the daily grind. Places where we can enjoy the sublime beauty of nature, places where we can take a deep breath and refresh ourselves. If we are true about being writers, wouldn't we want that one well where we can be refreshed? That one book that we refuse to sully? I wouldn't go to my favorite hiking spot and start pointing out issues like the view was not as good as it could be, or if it was overgrown in spots, or if too many people seemed to be there these days. I would have ruined it for myself and would forever be hearing that critical voice, forever looking for the flaws. I would be trying to fool myself into thinking that somehow I was going to grow by being able to take a "critical and educated eye" to something beloved to me.
I guess that just might be me though. I admit there are books that I really like that I am willing to think in a critical way. But there are other stories that are dear to me that I would never think of trying to pick them apart. Not that there might not be flaws in them. I just want them preserved in my mind the way they were the first time that I read them. I want to be able to have the experience of approaching them always like an old friend that I would warmly welcome. I would never approach my wife or a life long friend with a desire to some how "better myself through criticism of that which I love," so why would I do it with my favorite book.
Not saying that we should make idols out of certain books either. If we can preserve our enjoyment of a book though. If we can have just one spot--one story rather--that we can breath in, I think that is a thousand times better than any perceived benefit from being critical.
That's just me though.
Wednesday, March 4, 2015
Turned Down from a Low Paying Job: Good or Bad?
So, I actually got a response the other day for what I think of as a "throw away" job. As you can probably guess from the title of this post, I did not get said job. Here is just a little bit about the job that I was turned down for:
-The pay was ridiculously low, but wouldn't be that time consuming
-There was a "possible" bonus if the work was completed in less than a day.
-The client required a resume', cover letter, filling out a "why are you applying for this job" was required, and a writing sample (which although standard in most applications, seemed a bit over-the-top considering the other info they wanted) in order for you to be considered for said job.
-It took me about a half hour to apply for the job.
-Turn around time for hearing back from any job is usually around 24 hours, I got a response within 20 minutes.
I am left wondering whether I should feel insulted or grateful that I didn't get the job. It wasn't like this would make or break me to do the job. A bit of extra cash in the pocket is nice, and resume padding to show that I am working is also nice. Should I keep trying to apply to jobs like this though? They eat up about an hour, sometimes two, of my time when I get them and they pay next to nothing. I mean sure, every dollar I make is a dollar more that I did not have. Every dollar earned puts food on the table, helps keep the electricity running, and all of those other little necessities in life. Occasionally I can use these throw away jobs for fun personal expenditures like an old Nintendo games, money toward summer vacation, and other such diversions. But in the end is it worth it?
Should any writer be okay with taking the super-low paying jobs? I truthfully do not know because I feel as if the case could be made for it being helpful or hurtful. On the one hand, one could argue that the Joe jobs help writers to flex the literary muscles, get typing speed up or least in shape, and build character and knowledge. I admit that through a series of lower paying jobs I feel like I have gotten to know a bit more about everything ranging from retro television to different facets of the culinary world. However these were blog articles that were not exactly helping me to do a little something I call "meet basic needs." Sure, I feel like the experience has helped me to keep my fingers limber and my mind churning, but in the end have I gained enough intangible benefits to justify continuing to take on a job that pays very little, monetarily speaking.
Yes, I am building character, but am I character building? Is the willingness to take on the small jobs costing me the opportunity to work on personal creative writing projects in a way that may not cost money now, but may cost me later in a more personal way? I guess any of us who write, draw, or engage in other artistic endeavors face this sort of time management question every day. Will I be spending time on my work or a client's? Whatever choice we make, we are committed 100% to getting the job done in the best way possible. A 500 word article on gas grills for a client, or part of the first chapter for a new book, which choice should I make? I truthfully am not quite sure at times which choice to make. I wonder how often my artist friends from Woot go through this same sort of decision process. Do I pick my stuff that "may" make money in the future, or a client's stuff that will make money now. Do I start a project that I have high hopes will become known in my field, or do I tackle a sure fire job that will keep my name in the work pool?
For now I am glad to not have the landed the low paying job. If I delay my own hopes and dreams too long they become a pocket full of never realized wishes. I know that there will be plenty of days when I will take such a job because I need the work not just for a bit of money, but to keep my mind in shape. Today I work on my stuff and my dreams though, if only for a short while.
-The pay was ridiculously low, but wouldn't be that time consuming
-There was a "possible" bonus if the work was completed in less than a day.
-The client required a resume', cover letter, filling out a "why are you applying for this job" was required, and a writing sample (which although standard in most applications, seemed a bit over-the-top considering the other info they wanted) in order for you to be considered for said job.
-It took me about a half hour to apply for the job.
-Turn around time for hearing back from any job is usually around 24 hours, I got a response within 20 minutes.
I am left wondering whether I should feel insulted or grateful that I didn't get the job. It wasn't like this would make or break me to do the job. A bit of extra cash in the pocket is nice, and resume padding to show that I am working is also nice. Should I keep trying to apply to jobs like this though? They eat up about an hour, sometimes two, of my time when I get them and they pay next to nothing. I mean sure, every dollar I make is a dollar more that I did not have. Every dollar earned puts food on the table, helps keep the electricity running, and all of those other little necessities in life. Occasionally I can use these throw away jobs for fun personal expenditures like an old Nintendo games, money toward summer vacation, and other such diversions. But in the end is it worth it?
Should any writer be okay with taking the super-low paying jobs? I truthfully do not know because I feel as if the case could be made for it being helpful or hurtful. On the one hand, one could argue that the Joe jobs help writers to flex the literary muscles, get typing speed up or least in shape, and build character and knowledge. I admit that through a series of lower paying jobs I feel like I have gotten to know a bit more about everything ranging from retro television to different facets of the culinary world. However these were blog articles that were not exactly helping me to do a little something I call "meet basic needs." Sure, I feel like the experience has helped me to keep my fingers limber and my mind churning, but in the end have I gained enough intangible benefits to justify continuing to take on a job that pays very little, monetarily speaking.
Yes, I am building character, but am I character building? Is the willingness to take on the small jobs costing me the opportunity to work on personal creative writing projects in a way that may not cost money now, but may cost me later in a more personal way? I guess any of us who write, draw, or engage in other artistic endeavors face this sort of time management question every day. Will I be spending time on my work or a client's? Whatever choice we make, we are committed 100% to getting the job done in the best way possible. A 500 word article on gas grills for a client, or part of the first chapter for a new book, which choice should I make? I truthfully am not quite sure at times which choice to make. I wonder how often my artist friends from Woot go through this same sort of decision process. Do I pick my stuff that "may" make money in the future, or a client's stuff that will make money now. Do I start a project that I have high hopes will become known in my field, or do I tackle a sure fire job that will keep my name in the work pool?
For now I am glad to not have the landed the low paying job. If I delay my own hopes and dreams too long they become a pocket full of never realized wishes. I know that there will be plenty of days when I will take such a job because I need the work not just for a bit of money, but to keep my mind in shape. Today I work on my stuff and my dreams though, if only for a short while.
Monday, January 12, 2015
Finding Focus While Writing
It's difficult to just up and try to write roughly several hundred words about a vast variety of topics. Pretty succinct and simple way of putting it, isn't it? But the truth is searching out jobs on craigslist and through various freelance writing sites carries a large weight of ever daunting difficult. So many thoughts and ideas float through my mind as I search, write, and hope for the best possible outcome when submitting job proposals and writing samples.
"Do I know this subject well enough to write several hundred words about it?"
"Is this worth my time, or should I be looking elsewhere?"
"Are they seriously only going to pay $500 for some one to write a 50k original story to which they don't maintain the rights? And am I crazy for thinking that this sounds stupid?"
"Am I selling my creative genius for a pittance?"
Okay, I know that the last one might sound a bit egotistical, but the truth of the matter is, what if I land upon a really clever, original idea for a book series for children or some smart idea for a series of books for adults, but practically give it away for a few hundred bucks? I'm not talking about accidentally selling off something near Narnia or Lord of the Rings level, but you never know, now do you? Now, again, this isn't some sort of ego thing, just...well, I would hate to accidentally sell the security of my families future just so I'd have a little extra cash that month to help pay the bills. Now don't get me wrong, paying bills is an important thing to do. Not missing student loan payments and getting those credit cards paid off is a high priority in our household. However, I'd rather have to subsist on mac and cheese and spaghetti than run the potential risk of selling what I know to be a great idea. I know, I know. Maybe I'm just over-estimating my own potential and abilities. But who wants to sell themselves too short on their hopes and dreams? However, I know that my hopes, dreams, and even teh side projects are going to keep only being nothing but vapor unless I get a bit more focus, and that's where today's post comes in.
I guess I need to be a little more "type A" in my life. Now, that fills me with a bit of dread and concern because I don't want to because I'm lazy and would rather scarf chips and watch movies in my free time. Okay, maybe that is a bit of an exaggeration, but the truth is that I have come to realize I need to be eating into what I see now as my "free time" if I really want to make any forward movement in my hopes for the future. I need to be trying to be a bit more action oriented when it comes to getting the ball rolling on my writing projects or else I WILL end up bungling a great idea and selling it for a song--or a few bucks. A part of me doesn't want to have to give up time that I would rather be relaxing because I have known so little relaxation in the past decade it seems. Between my own major health issues (which are thankfully now resolved) to a horrible, life-sucking grocery-store job--I've come to covet my spare time. Made an "idol" as it were out of it. I don't want to disappoint my family or God by just letting my talents go to waste. Again, sounds all vain, but I feel like it is true.
Funny enough, it is helpful that I am trying to blog more often, because it gets me at the keyboard trying to "stretch" the writing muscles beyond the usual work that I have been doing. Not that I have been idle, just it has been too easy of late to kick back and movie watch rather than get anything I really want to get done, done. Speaking of which, I feel like this is about a good place to wrap up this particular journal. My little girl may wake up from her nap soon, and I want to get a bit further in the Junk Journals that I am writing, superficially on de-junking end of things. Any-who, I'll catch ya later!
"Do I know this subject well enough to write several hundred words about it?"
"Is this worth my time, or should I be looking elsewhere?"
"Are they seriously only going to pay $500 for some one to write a 50k original story to which they don't maintain the rights? And am I crazy for thinking that this sounds stupid?"
"Am I selling my creative genius for a pittance?"
Okay, I know that the last one might sound a bit egotistical, but the truth of the matter is, what if I land upon a really clever, original idea for a book series for children or some smart idea for a series of books for adults, but practically give it away for a few hundred bucks? I'm not talking about accidentally selling off something near Narnia or Lord of the Rings level, but you never know, now do you? Now, again, this isn't some sort of ego thing, just...well, I would hate to accidentally sell the security of my families future just so I'd have a little extra cash that month to help pay the bills. Now don't get me wrong, paying bills is an important thing to do. Not missing student loan payments and getting those credit cards paid off is a high priority in our household. However, I'd rather have to subsist on mac and cheese and spaghetti than run the potential risk of selling what I know to be a great idea. I know, I know. Maybe I'm just over-estimating my own potential and abilities. But who wants to sell themselves too short on their hopes and dreams? However, I know that my hopes, dreams, and even teh side projects are going to keep only being nothing but vapor unless I get a bit more focus, and that's where today's post comes in.
I guess I need to be a little more "type A" in my life. Now, that fills me with a bit of dread and concern because I don't want to because I'm lazy and would rather scarf chips and watch movies in my free time. Okay, maybe that is a bit of an exaggeration, but the truth is that I have come to realize I need to be eating into what I see now as my "free time" if I really want to make any forward movement in my hopes for the future. I need to be trying to be a bit more action oriented when it comes to getting the ball rolling on my writing projects or else I WILL end up bungling a great idea and selling it for a song--or a few bucks. A part of me doesn't want to have to give up time that I would rather be relaxing because I have known so little relaxation in the past decade it seems. Between my own major health issues (which are thankfully now resolved) to a horrible, life-sucking grocery-store job--I've come to covet my spare time. Made an "idol" as it were out of it. I don't want to disappoint my family or God by just letting my talents go to waste. Again, sounds all vain, but I feel like it is true.
Funny enough, it is helpful that I am trying to blog more often, because it gets me at the keyboard trying to "stretch" the writing muscles beyond the usual work that I have been doing. Not that I have been idle, just it has been too easy of late to kick back and movie watch rather than get anything I really want to get done, done. Speaking of which, I feel like this is about a good place to wrap up this particular journal. My little girl may wake up from her nap soon, and I want to get a bit further in the Junk Journals that I am writing, superficially on de-junking end of things. Any-who, I'll catch ya later!
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