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When you aren’t writing, what are you doing? I mean aside from those things you have to do such as work, clean house, prepare meals, run errands, pay bills, exercise and so forth… When you take a break from your writing project, what activity are you most likely to pursue?

If you spend any time writing, you surely experience an occasional case of writer’s block. You need to step back from your novel or an intense article sometimes for perspective. Or you may just need a break from writing. If you’re like most writers, I doubt that you spend that time in front of the TV, unless it is for research. Many of you read, right?

I’m at my computer writing, researching for writing projects, working with clients, organizing an activity/event for SPAWN, preparing for a speaking engagement or… on average, 10 hours per day, five or six days every week. Generally, on those days when I do leave my home office, I work 4 or 5 hours. And when I need a break from the writing process I will choose another creative activity. Gardening is one of my creative activities of choice, as is photography. I also enjoy sewing and needlework. Occasionally, I’ll feel like engaging in culinary creativity rather than just throwing a meal together because it is time to eat. Sometimes my break involves meditation walking—a brisk walk during which I quiet my mind and either contemplate or open myself up to answers from the universe.

So my question today, especially since we’re in a creative season, what creative endeavors do you pursue when you have taken a step back from your writing?

1: Use your time wisely. Becoming a successful freelance writer takes discipline and realistic scheduling. Failure comes to those who procrastinate, who have trouble prioritizing tasks and who are easily distracted. Those who succeed in this business have found a way to organize and discipline themselves.

While some freelance writers schedule certain hours each day to work no matter what, others work around family and professional obligations. The important thing is that you spend enough time in work mode and that you work smart enough to actually accomplish something each and every day. I work best with a schedule. Each evening, I evaluate that day’s work. I consider upcoming deadlines and the volume of work that needs my attention. Then I create a schedule for the next day (or week) by prioritizing tasks.

2: Just start. It isn’t easy to transition from full-time office worker to full-time writer. Most of us don’t have the funds to support us while we build a new business. I didn’t always have 12 or even 8 hours each day to spend working my freelance writing business. I built it over time. For any of you who are interested, here is my story:

3: Write what they want. You have to go where the paying work is and accept the jobs that are available. While I never compromised my values in order to get paying work, I have certainly had to take some challenging and sometimes not very interesting jobs in order to keep the flow of money coming my way.

I prefer writing books, editing interesting manuscripts for clients and presenting workshops. But, in order to pay the bills, I’ve also written copy for local water companies, I’ve written articles on boring topics and I once wrote a 16-chapter book in 3 weeks for a client.

I’ve seen too many writers so bent on making their own personal statement or doing things their way that they get nowhere in this business. If you want to make a living or even earn some part-time money as a writer, you have to go where the work is and write what is needed/wanted. Write about things that are current, popular or even a bit provocative or controversial.

It takes more to become a full-time writer than just dreaming about it. If writing full-time is your dream, read and reread the above six points and use them to finally fulfill your passion.

NEWS
There are two more 5-star reviews posted for Talk Up Your Book at Amazon.com. Check it out. Also, Brian Jud’s most recent newsletter, Marketing Matters includes my article related to the topic o Talk Up Your Book.

If you want a leg up on the tremendously challenging task of book promotion, you really should add Talk Up Your Book to your library. Study it. Follow it. As one review says, social media is fine, but personality sells books. Learn how to use yours to sell more copies of your book.

http://www.matilijapress.com
Also available at Amazon.com and most other online and downtown bookstores.

Today, I’m giving you three tips for starting or amping up a part- or full-time freelance writing career. Tomorrow, you get three more.

There aren’t many careers that allow you to follow your passion while earning a living. And there aren’t many people who can establish the balance one needs in order to create a business around their passion.

Would you like to establish a career as a freelance writer? Do you dream of writing full-time? Follow the suggestions below and your dream could become a reality.

1: Spend time writing whether it is convenient to do so or not. Perhaps you have a full life—you work eight or ten hours a day outside the home, you do a lot of charity work and/or you enjoy an active social life. We each establish lifestyles that suit our needs and desires. Our routines are important to us. In fact, it represents our comfort zone. To step outside of this zone, even to pursue something we think we want to do, often causes some discomfort. What to do? You have choices. You can give up your dream of writing or try easing into the writing realm. When people say, “I want to write, but I just don’t have time,” what they mean is, “Writing is not one of my priorities right now.”

Make writing a priority and you will find the time.

2: Make time to write. Usually this means making some sacrifices. What are you willing to give up in order to write? Sleep, TV, Internet surfing or perhaps overtime at work? If your life is filled during all of your waking hours with specific activities and rituals, then something will have to change in order to accommodate your desire to write. And the change won’t occur just by wishing or hoping. It will take your concerted effort.

Get up an hour earlier or stay up an hour later and spend this time writing. Turn off the TV more often—much more often. Say “no” to every other social invitation. What may feel like a sacrifice at first, will become part of your new writing routine. If writing is your passion, you will soon feel blessed to have the time to write rather than feeling deprived of time in front of the TV.

3: Be realistic about your writing choices. Perhaps your true dream is to support yourself by writing stories for your favorite romance magazines. Or maybe you’d like to become a novelist. It is extremely difficult to break in as a career writer of fiction. If fiction is your writing bag, I strongly urge you to set that dream aside for now and pursue a mode of writing that is more likely to produce the monetary results you are seeking. If you’re planning to earn a living through writing, nonfiction is easier to sell and a more reasonable medium to engage in. Establish yourself as a nonfiction writer, first—start the flow of work and the flow of money. Then, add to your writing repertoire in order to facilitate your love of fiction.

Here’s what I recommend: start writing articles for magazines, seek freelance writing work in corporate offices or on the Internet or produce some how-to booklets on topics related to your expertise, for example.

Now there’s a creative and viable idea. Whether you give horseback riding lessons, make beaded jewelry, are a whiz at finances, raise poodles, do nails or grow herbs, create booklets on various aspects of your knowledge and distribute them for sale to clients, appropriate specialty stores, from your Web site and so forth.

Let’s take the subject of manicures as an example. You could write booklets on the care of your nails, cuticle health, how to give yourself and others a professional quality pedicure, manicure styles over the years, what your nail color choice reveals about your personality, how to decorate your nails for the holidays, recommended products or old-wives tales about nails. And you can submit articles on these topics to magazines at the same time.

There are a gazillion things to write about and even more ways to present each of them. And there are 24 hours in each and every day. Clear space on your daily agenda and start writing about some of those ideas and you could start the flow of paychecks before Christmas.

http://www.matilijapress.com
http://www.patriciafry.com

Do you ever write a note to yourself during what seems to be a cognizant moment, only to look at that note some time later in total confusion?

I think most writers have had this experience. You wake up in the night with an idea, jot it down using only the dim lighting from the moon or a nightlight in the next room. Only the next day you can’t figure out what it means—sometimes you’re at a loss as to even what it says.

I’ve even tried writing a note to myself while driving. Not a good idea. It’s called distracted driving and I’m sure there’s a law against it.

There used to be (probably still are) devices that you can speak into, record and listen to later. I had one—never thought of something worth recording into it when I had it with me.

I am a list-maker. I am always making note of this or that—tasks, gift ideas, appointments, grocery item. If it’s one thing I’ve learned over the years, it’s that if I want my brain to function, I have to avoid overtaxing it. So I take the pressure off of my memory by making notes on my trusty steno pad, post-its, index cards, receipts, gum wrappers and so forth.

Well, last night I had an idea for today’s blog post. I felt as though I was way ahead of the game because, typically, I decide my topic for the day in the morning sort of cold turkey. But last night while watching a cooking show on TV, an idea came to me and, of course, I wrote it down. This morning, I could read my writing. It was clear enough. And the message also seems cogent. But darn if I know what it means. Maybe you can help me out. What would you do with this message?

“What do you do? What do you need?”

Any ideas. Certainly, it would relate to writing, publishing, book marketing. I’ve opened up comments again, so you can leave a comment here. I just hope I recognize your legitimate comment among all of the 30 to 100 totally annoying SPAM comments I get every single day. (Today it was 80.) I’ll never buy UGG boots again or a Coach product or Jordan shoes… Grrrrrrrrrr.

I’m off to see the Cirque du Soleil in Hollywood with my sister, two daughters and mom, in celebration of mom’s 91st birthday today! It was on Mama’s bucket list.

People—even prolific authors—are stunned when they learn that I turn out a blog post per day and that my posts now number over 1,600. A common question is, “How do you come up with all those ideas?”

I think it is partly my background as an article-writer for so many years. I think it is something you can train yourself to do. But there are mornings when I get to my computer and wonder, “What am I going to write about today?”

Throughout a typical work day—responding to author questions; editing manuscripts, book proposal and back cover copy; writing my own promo material; conducting research for the SPAWN Market Update and for my own books and articles, etc., blog ideas will occur to me. I jot them down on sticky notes. A few days later, some make sense to me, others don’t. Here’s one note that I thought I would respond to today: “Write a book that matters.”

Rather profound, isn’t it? And definitely something important to think about. Does the book you are writing matter to enough readers that, with your diligent and energetic marketing tactics, it will sell enough copies to make it worth your while? Think about it, who cares that you lived an exciting or perilous life? Those who care about you, of course. But who beyond your circle of friends and loved ones? Will others care about your book of everyday tips for overcoming depression or your gripping adventure story? Possibly.

The thing is, readers want to know what they’ll get out of the reading experience. Will the ideas and tips in your book benefit the reader? Will the story give the reader what they want—escape, a good cry, a good laugh…

Consider the books you read and why you read them. Sometimes you pick up a book that speaks to you. The content of another book might fall flat. This is a reminder that not every book is for every audience. There are times when you just want to be entertained. You love a good mystery and you want to get lost in the story.

If you’re writing a book, make sure that you are writing it for a real audience—a large segment or even a small niche of readers who will embrace your book. Are you writing in a popular genre? Are you holding to tried and true techniques within your book? Is this book needed/desired by a substantial audience—it has a message they want to hear, it provides information and resources they need in order to succeed, and so forth?

So step one, if you want to reach a lot of people and/or build a bank account, is write a book that matters to a large enough audience. And most of you know what comes next. It’s important to know exactly who that audience is, where they are and how to approach them. It is never too early to be thinking about this. Wait until you finish the book and you may be stuck with a go-nowhere book without an audience.

If you have a book to promote or are writing one, consider purchasing my brand new book, Talk Up Your Book. It should matter very much to you because personality sells books. Many of the most successful marketing tactics rely on the author’s real-time, face-to-face attention. This is the only book I know of that focuses on this sort of promotional activities.

Order it now at Amazon.com Remember, you must type in my name along with the title of the book at the Amazon prompt. “Talk Up Your Book, Fry.” (This will do.)

Problems? Contact me: PLFry620@yahoo.com

I wasn’t going to post a blog this morning. I’m busy, busy, busy sprucing up my first attempt at a novel because I received a positive response to my first query letter. Yes, a publisher is interested in reading my manuscript!

However, I felt I needed a little extra time to wake up this morning before working on the novel, so I decided to chat with you a while. I may play a game of FreeCell to make sure my brain is awake—that is after I finish my glass of water and a squeeze a glass of fresh orange juice. About the time I pour my first cup of coffee, I may feel appropriately alert to start the serious work.

Once I send the manuscript off—either this afternoon or tomorrow morning, I will continue creating material for the webinar I’m doing for Author Marketing Club in a few weeks and polish the presentation for the Cat Writer’s Association conference the first weekend in November. My latest book, Talk Up Your Book, should arrive shortly and I’ll be in book promotion mode, big time. I’m still waiting for the publisher and Amazon to switch book cover images. We changed the cover in mid stream and the old one is still up. I won’t start promoting in earnest until this problem is remedied.

I’m also preparing for an overnight guest this week, a birthday barbecue in our backyard and a little overnight stay out of town week after next. Amidst it all, I will be starting the second in my Klepto Cat Mystery series and continuing to work with clients. I have a new one coming in over the weekend.

The outing I mentioned is a mini-high school class reunion. Our class officers are so gung ho that they didn’t stop at organizing reunions to celebrate the usual milestones—10, 15, 25 years and so forth. Oh no, we have a mini-class reunion every year. It’s casual and involves anyone who happens to be able to make it. Now everyone my age is retired. Their spouses are retired. There isn’t a writer or a Walmart Greeter or a consultant among them, as far as I know. I am the only one who is still working for money and for fun. I mean how (and why) does one stop doing the work they love?

It would be like getting to a certain age and giving up cats. My work as a writer and editor is a part of my DNA. It is why I get up in the morning. Well, Lily and Sophie are why I get up in the morning. They are ready for breakfast around 4:30 a.m. And our grumpy old cat, Max is ready for a lap.

Do you know why you do what you do? Is writing something you will pursue into your retirement years? Some of you started writing in retirement.

I’m off to put the finishing touches on my novel. I hope you have an equally delightful day of writing planned.

http://www.matilijapress.com
http://www.patriciafry.com