Angela Booth's Writing Blog

Writing prompts and writing tips: daily

The major secret to a successful writing career's laughably simple: write every day.

Before too long, writing will become a habit, and once it's a habit, nothing can stand in the way of your success -- success (however you define it) becomes inevitable.

Unfortunately many writers hobble themselves. They find it a real challenge to write every day. If this sounds like you, follow me on Twitter. You receive daily writing prompts and writing tips.

Enjoy. :-)

Follow Angela Booth on Twitter

Write what you know, it saves time

I get lots of questions each week from writing students who want tips on writing for magazines, on creating their first website, blog or ebook... Essentially, they want to know WHAT they should write about.

It's easiest to write about what you know, and you know a lot. Yes, you do. :-)

For example, let's say you're a new parent. You lived through the pregnancy (your own, or your partner's) so you're well placed to write about the "new parent" situation.

You could create a blog writing about your experiences with a new baby in the house, or could create a shopping blog, with reviews and affiliate links to baby accoutrements, or you can write articles for parenting magazines.

If you've discovered a new, fast way to get a colicky baby to sleep, you could write a short report or an ebook on that... or on getting your figure back after baby... or on cooking for baby once he's on solid food.

You can write about anything, but writing what you know is easier, because you can write from your own experience.

Make a list of five things you KNOW, and start writing. :-)

Web writing to quit your day job

In Tuesday's ezine, our theme is "Web writing to quit your day job". Now you know what to write, you can discover how to make writing your career. Enjoy. :-)

Writing Web sites: great cash for writers

Want to make great money from your writing, with a residual income?

Here's one of my favorite ways.

In Super-Fast Money-Making Web Sites For Writers: Join The Web-Publishing Bonanza I wrote:

"Write Web sites and make money 24x7x365

How much money?

Let's see. A small simple site can begin earning money for you very quickly.

As a rule of thumb, if you've created a site in an area in which there are advertisers you can start earning five to ten dollars a day per site. Now $10 a day isn't much. But what if you had ten sites all earning $10 day?

That's $100 a day, which is $36,500 a year, just from ten simple sites. What if you had 20 such sites, all earning you $10 a day - or even more - in fact, some sites will earn you $100 a day?"

I have many, many sites. Although some of these sites are writing-related, most are not. I make much more income from my sites in other areas -- arthritis, photography, technology...

You can create a site about any topic you know well. Visit a magazine stand or bookstore for topics, or just write about what you love. If you love fashion, for example, that's a HOT topic on which to create several sites. I'll eventually create a site about designer handbags, because I have a bad Coach habit... :-)

Creating websites is easy, because so many of the tools you need are free, and if you can write an email message, you can create a site.

Don't believe me? Posterous will turn your email messages into a website. I wrote about my own Posterous site recently.

Look around you. What could YOU create a website about, which earns daily income for you?

Today's writing tip: develop a successful writer's mindset

In next week's Fab Freelance Writing Ezine, our theme is Freelancing for Profit.

Here's an excerpt from the Editorial, in which we discuss a successful freelancer's mindset.

Success or failure? It's all in your mindset

Your mindset will determine your success, or your failure in any activity. 

Many writers make writing too complicated. There's nothing complicated about writing – if you can talk, you can write, and if you can write a letter that gets a response, you can make money writing. 

The only thing that stops you is you. Here's how to develop a successful freelance writer's mindset:

1. Stay positive

Staying positive is all about where you put your attention. Everyone has problems. If you put your attention on your problems, you'll get more of them, and the problems you already have will get bigger.

Here's how to deal with problems. You're a writer, so this should be easy. Describe your problem in 25 words or less. 

Now make a list of solutions -- be creative here, make your list as long as possible. Now forget about the problem.

Tomorrow, you look at your list. Choose one solution and work out how you can put it into action -- then do it.

From now on, whenever you find yourself mentally occupied with any problem, start thinking about solutions.

Successful people have as many problems as you do. However instead of focusing on the problems, they focus on solutions, and only solutions.

There's more on developing a successful writer's mindset in the issue. Not a subscriber? Subscribe today, it's free. This issue is out next Tuesday.

Posted via email from Angela Booth's Life Stream

Today's writing tip: how to Get Your First MAJOR Writing Sale

One: Give yourself a deadline

Although I’d made writing sales I didn’t sell a book until I gave myself a deadline. I gave myself a long deadline, ten years. I didn’t need that long, it took a year. However setting a deadline turned selling a book from a dream into a goal. If I hadn’t given myself a deadline, I would have fudged for years: making outlines, doing research, writing a chapter here and there, and convincing myself that I was trying to sell a book, when I wasn’t doing anything of the sort.

Give yourself a deadline to make your BIG first sale. You’ll know how long the deadline should be. Don’t make it ten years unless it’s something where you need to learn a lot of skills first before you can produce a product.

Your deadline must be serious. The ten years I gave myself was the absolute cut-off date. If I hadn’t sold a book by then, I intended giving up writing book-length material forever.

via writinghacker.com

I just came across this article I wrote a while back. If you've yet to sell your writing, following the process should give you confidence.

Today's writing tip: knowing how much to charge for your writing services

Setting your fees: know yourself

How do you put a dollar value on your writing? Are you charging too much? Too little? In your writing services business, pricing issues will come up again and again. I struggled with them for years, until I managed to get them straight in my own mind.

Now I price my writing and writing services to ensure that the buyer is getting MORE than his money’s worth. When I’ve set the price to my own satisfaction, I’m happy to negotiate, because I know my base price. I know what I’d like to get, and I know the lowest price I will accept. This makes for peace of mind.

via writinghacker.com

If there's one sentence which strikes fear into the hearts of baby writers, it's this: "So, how much do you charge?"

Last week I received several questions on this theme, so please read my article above.

Bottom line? You'll get more confidence in pricing your services as you gain experience, so don't sweat it. Remember, YOU decide how much you charge, no one else.

(And it should go without saying that there's no "standard" rate. Anyone who tells you there is is trying to snow you.)

Today's writing tip: stop writing articles and start making money

Let me be a little clearer: stop writing articles FOR OTHERS (articles make great promotional tools when you write them for yourself) and start making money.

How?

I'm glad you asked. :-)

Since thousands of writers can write decent articles, this makes articles as much a commodity as wheat, barley and corn. I come from a long line of primary producers, farmers, so I know all about commodities.

When what you're writing becomes a commodity, the price drops through the floor.

I'm not saying that you can't make great money writing articles. You can. You can get $1, $2 and $4 A WORD for your articles when you write for major magazines. Sadly, magazines in their present form are suffering challenges, and I'd rather be paid for my writing up front, with a retainer, than wait months (years, even) for payment from a magazine.

Speaking of which, Brazil's Cosmopolitan magazine still owes me $800 USD from 1988, but I digress. I mentioned that only to show you that when a magazine doesn't want to pay you, they won't. All you can do is gnash your teeth for decades on end. :-) And in today's climate, when a magazine closes up shop owing you money, you're done. You won't get paid, ever, since you're now an unsecured creditor.

So what should you write instead of articles?

Anything for which there is an on-going market, and which is sufficiently specialized that it affords a real barrier of entry to others who want to jump on the bandwagon. In other words, you've got to write what people want, and what not every writer can write.

Copywriting has been the bulwark of my writing career for decades, because no matter what the economic climate, or the competition, I can always write copy. I love writing copy: it's easy (once you know how), it's sufficiently challenging so that I don't get bored, and your clients stay with you for years.

If you're writing articles as a commodity, realize that you need to find a form of writing in which YOU can shine, and which pays real money. You can join me in writing copy, the more the merrier. :-) Millions of businesses need expert copywriters, so there's room for all.

Blogging Your Writing: Take Charge of Your Career

There's never been a better time to be a writer, because your opportunities are mind-blowing. Unfortunately, many writers are stuck in a rut, constantly hunting for writing jobs. A blog helps you to take charge and build a great writing career.

Here's how.

1. Blogging Is Instant Publishing: Blog to Build Your Online Presence

Firstly, let's discuss what blogging actually is. It's instant publishing.

Think about that. You can publish whatever you want to, whenever you want to, and you can get paid for it. (Yes, done right, blogging pays.)

However, the primary reason you should blog is that it builds your online presence. You need to build your name as a writer, so that whenever anyone types your name into Google or one of the other search engines, hundreds and preferably thousands of references with your name immediately show up.

When you're all over Google, with samples of your writing, it's a huge credibility booster. Your clients are wary of hiring someone they don't know. With your blog showing up in Google searches, they know you.

2. Blog About Your Current and Upcoming Projects: Make Contacts

What are you writing today? Make a list. Perhaps you're currently working on a book, or a book proposal. OK -- create a blog. Please, just do it. When I'm helping a client to sell a book to a major publisher, the first thing I do is create a blog for them to start building buzz.

Whatever you're currently writing, your blog is a powerful tool which helps you to make contacts, and to sell your work.

3. Relax: You Never Know Where Blogging Will Take You

You never know who will approach you when you blog. I work with writers every day, and invariably, although I often have to cajole them into blogging, they always say: "I wish I'd created a blog years ago!"

This is because great things happen when you blog. People respond. They offer you writing projects. You make friends, and you're part of the writing community.

Blogging helps you to take charge of your writing career. Start blogging -- it's vital, and it's ridiculously easy.

Discover Blogging, the Freelancers' Nirvana

What's a blog? A blog is a fantastic way to make BIG money as a freelance writer.

How much money? Several bloggers I know are making between $15,000 and $20,000 dollars A MONTH. Not bad pocket change. :-)

Find out how to blog with the blogging best-seller "Blogging For Dollars: How to become a career blogger -- in your PJs, if you want". It's my complete new ebook package, with free coaching/ consultations as well.

Discover blogging today.

Enhance Your Writing Process: take your writing to a whole new level

In next week's Fab Freelance Ezine, our theme is "Enhance Your Writing Process". It will, I'm sure, take your writing to a whole new level.

I often write about the writing process, not only because it fascinates me (how do writers do what they do?), but also because I know that many of my writing students struggle with it.

Next week's ezine is packed with tips, and it's my sincere hope that at least one will resonate with you, and will super-charge your writing.

Enjoy. :-)

This issue is out on Tuesday.

Writing Without Limits: Your Writing Success is Up to You

Are you setting limits on your success as a writer? Most writers do; they're setting their sights too low.

They may achieve small success, but never achieve their potential, because they aim too low. Want to free yourself from self-imposed limitations?

That's the theme of next week's issue of Fab Freelance Writing Ezine.

Here's an excerpt from the Editorial: "Create a Six-Figure (and Beyond) Writing Income"

Can YOU make six figures from your writing?

Yes you can. IF you WANT to. The operative words are "you want". Your own desire will speed to you this kind of income, and only your desire.

I wish I had a dollar for every writer who's asked me "Can I write whatever/ do whatever…" My answer is always the same: YES you can, if you want to. You must want it enough to do whatever it takes to get there.

Will it be easy? Yes, it will, if you're prepared to write. Many writers aren't prepared for quite as much writing as it takes to make a huge income from their writing, and that's fine. There's no shame in that. You may be busy with family and other commitments which mean you can't spend more than a couple of hours a day writing. You're a part-time writer, so you can only expect a part-time income.

Here's what it takes to make a six figure income from your writing:

* Goals, with deadlines, based on a plan

* Commitment to writing every day

* Building your writing "brand"

I could write a book on each of those three items. However, as long as you're aware of goals, commitment, and your brand, you're way ahead of 99.9 per cent of writers who aren't.

Here's what else is important: you have to be willing to make mistakes, knowing that mistakes are how you learn.

This issue will be out on Tuesday. Subscribe now.

Write your way to a million-dollar income

Write And Sell Your Writing: The Power-Write Report -- 2009

The Web has made it possible for ANY writer, no matter how new or inexperienced, to turn writing into a fabulous career. If you're stuck in a soul-destroying, or just boring job, writing is your way out.

Fab Freelance Ezine helps you to understand the fast-changing world of the freelance writer, and sets you well on the way to making the income that you want to make, and that many writers are already making.

Subscribe today, and receive "Write And Sell Your Writing: The Power-Write Report -- 2009" just for subscribing.

Killer writing jobs anyone can write

When you're starting out as a professional writer you have two primary challenges: learning how YOU write and discovering what's fun for you.

Learning how YOU write is important, because unless you know yourself, you'll doubt yourself, which leads to procrastination and missed opportunities.

For example, I know that I need gestation time. (I wrote about gestation time and procrastination in this week's ezine.) So when I get a writing project, I dither, noodling around with mini-outlines, mind maps, and headlines. I spend an hour or so on this, then I leave the project for at least 24 hours. I know my subconscious mind is working on it, and when it's time to write, I know that the words will flow easily.

Discovering what's fun for you is important, because when the writing is fun you're eager to get to it, and time zips by... you don't begrudge effort, because you're having fun. Please don't discount the "fun" aspect. The hardest writing jobs I've ever done were when I hated everything about a project, but managed to convince myself I needed to do it... I was wrong. :-)

Killer writing jobs

Here they are:

1. Blogging

Everyone's blogging these days, and that includes large companies with big budgets. All you need to get these jobs is blogging experience (get your own blog), and the ability to sell your blogging skills.

So blog.

2. Writing articles

Everyone wants articles, because articles get traffic from the search engines. The articles you write are a form of advertising, and article writing jobs are easy to get.

Both blogging and writing articles for others have hidden benefits - they'll teach you how your own writing process works, and they'll also show you what's fun for you to write.

Yes, both blogging and writing articles can pay extremely well, once you have experience, but their real value lies in what you'll learn about yourself.

Develop a great income writing for the Web - start by writing simple articles

I've developed "Sell Your Writing Online Now" (SYWON) to help you to start making money writing online in 24 hours or less.

Each week, for one full year, you'll receive a lesson, with an assignment which will build your Web writing income – you EARN as you learn.

SYWON is totally unique, and if you want to write for the Web, it's your ticket to success.

Get great writing jobs NOW

This week in Fab Freelance Writing Ezine we focus on getting writing jobs.

I know many established writers who are making great money on these sites because they know what buyers are looking for.

Now you will, too.

Here's an excerpt from our feature article: "Winning Writing Jobs on the Outsourcing Sites the Easy Way":

Want to kick start your writing career? The easiest way is via the outsourcing sites; many writers make great full time incomes on these sites, and you can too.

Over the past few weeks, I've acted as the project manager on several large projects, which meant that I spent a lot of time sourcing writers. Although I've done it before, this time I found the process particularly frustrating.

In this article I'll give you some tips on what a buyer's looking for when he's assessing 50 applicants for the same writing job. I hope that it opens your eyes, shows you what's essential, and helps you to win as many projects as you wish.

This issue is out on Tuesday; subscribe now.

Subscribe to Angela Booth's fabulous free weekly ezine for freelance writers: get a free report just for subscribing. Even if you're a new writer, you can freelance your way to a fantastic writing career.

Join the thousands of freelance writers who are making great money freelance writing, using Fab Freelance Writing Ezine as their guide.

Write and sell ebooks online

Writing and selling ebooks is not only profitable, it's a lot of fun too. It's led to an entire information-products industry.

This is because if you want information, you look for it online. This hunger for instant advice and guidance means that you can transform your knowledge into cash: just write an ebook.

Read the rest of this article on Fab Freelance Writing Blog.

Writing skills: research, and avoid looking like a fool

There's a lot of nonsense on the Web. This arises because most Web "research" is simply an exercise in copy and paste.

As writers, we need to be aware of this, and develop our research skills so we don't look like idiots, as we surely will if we rely on 95 per cent of what's on the Web.

With poor research skills, it's very easy to look like a prize fool, and no writer is immune.

I stopped reading a bestselling mystery author when he set part of a book in Sydney and had the hero perform impossible feats, like driving from Richmond to the Sydney CBD in five minutes. Obviously he had someone else doing his research, but that's no excuse for poor research.

Here are three vital tips to help you to develop your research skills:

1. Use the Web, AND the library

If you're a new writer, you may never have developed proper research skills. Go to the library, and do some research on "how to research." At the very least, you need to be aware of what primary and secondary sources are, and how to cite your information.

2. Talk to real people: ask questions

Interviewing is primary research, but only if the person you're interviewing is directly involved in what you're researching. Develop interviewing skills. All writers need to know how to find sources, and how to interview them.

3. Keep your research notes for fact-checkers

As you research, keep EVERYTHING. It's vital you do this. Magazines have fact checkers, and if you're writing a book, your editor will send you queries. Keeping your research notes isn't just so you can prove you were right when you're queried, it's also to save your bacon if someone starts a law suit.

Research skills are aren't optional for writers; they're mandatory.

Discover the world of Web writing - make a great income writing from home, or from anywhere

Sell Your Writing Online NOW

There's great money in Web writing. Some Web writers are making $20,000 a month by blogging for a stable of sites. Others are writing articles or ebooks.

Join the Web writing gold rush with Angela Booth's comprehensive training: "Sell Your Writing Online Now".

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The Truth about Making Writing Easy

Is writing easy for you? It should be. If writing feels hard to you, you've hit a wall of your own resistance. You're putting pressure on yourself, and you need to take it off.

Resistance is common with writers who take on long term projects. Perhaps you're writing a book, or blogging. Or perhaps your boss has dumped a huge report on you that you need to turn around within a week.

Luckily, since you're the one who's putting the pressure on yourself, you can take it off quickly.

Make a decision: no pressure

You could spend ten years in therapy discovering why you have resistance to writing, or you can just decide to take the pressure off yourself. Yes, it's really that simple. Just decide that you'll write without pressure.

Writing without pressure is easy. If chatting with your friends is easy, writing is just as easy.

If your boss is putting pressure on you

Perhaps you're thinking, "Yes, but I'm not putting the pressure on  myself - my boss is! I have deadlines."

If someone else is pressuring you, you feel pressure because you're pushing back. Stop pushing. Let it go.

How to take the pressure off

Once you've decided to take the pressure off, just start writing. Within a few sentences, you'll be completely focused on your writing and you'll write more quickly. Your writing will flow.

Decide to stop pressuring yourself. That's all you have to do.
When you do this, your writing will flow, and writing will seem easy and enjoyable.

Without resistance, writing is easy - just stop making demands of yourself. The wall of your own resistance will crumble. Not only will writing be easy for you, but you'll write more, and will have more fun with your writing.

Write more - the key to your writing success

Yes, you can write more - even if you're a world-class procrastinator.

Did you know that when you write more, your writing improves? Many of my writing students experience this. They find that when they write more, writing is easier for them - they're not dominated by their inner editor.

My new writing class, "Write More And Make More Money From Your Writing: Develop A Fast, Fun Productive Writing Process" is based on lessons I developed for my private coaching students to help them to write more, improve their writing, and make more money writing.

If you're struggling with your writing, the class will help. The techniques you'll learn in class with help you write fiction, nonfiction, and copy for business.

Discover how you can write more, improve your writing, and sell more of your writing to higher-paying markets.

Technorati Tags: writing

How to write articles fast, like the experts

In Fab Freelance Writing Ezine this week, our theme is articles - specifically how to write them fast.

Whether you're writing for the Web or for print, the speed at which you can write determines your income.

I've often said that 99 per cent of the challenges writers face would be solved if they'd write more - writing fast, means that you write more, automatically.

Here's an excerpt from the Editorial:

Our theme this week is articles. You can use the techniques we discuss to write articles for the Web, or for print. I hope you'll do both. A young writer I coached last year is on track to make $65,000 this year, just from his article writing alone.

He writes primarily for the Web, and is on retainer for eight different Web sites.

One of the things we focused on in our coaching was experimenting with various techniques, so that he could write articles FAST. I'll share some of those techiques with you in this week's article, " How to Write Articles Fast, Like the Experts".

This issue of Fab Freelance Writing Ezine is out next Wednesday.

Write more - the key to your writing success

Yes, you can write more - even if you're a world-class procrastinator.

Did you know that when you write more, your writing improves? Many of my writing students experience this. They find that when they write more, writing is easier for them - they're not dominated by their inner editor.

My new writing class, "Write More And Make More Money From Your Writing: Develop A Fast, Fun Productive Writing Process" is based on lessons I developed for my private coaching students to help them to write more, improve their writing, and make more money writing.

If you're struggling with your writing, the class will help. The techniques you'll learn in class with help you write fiction, nonfiction, and copy for business.

Discover how you can write more, improve your writing, and sell more of your writing to higher-paying markets.

The Easy Writing Process - my best professional writing tip ever

The latest issue of Fab Freelance Writing ezine is online now at the archives site.

The Editorial:"The Easy Writing Process - my best professional writing tip ever" should help you with all your writing tasks.

Enjoy. :-)

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Writing tip: fixing writing that's not working

No writing you do is ever wasted. This may seem hard to believe, but it's true. If you've got archives packed with writing you can't sell, those archives are GOLD.

Stop thinking there's something wrong with you

As writers, we're sensitive. If you weren't sensitive, you wouldn't be able to write, so sensitivity is a good thing.

However, because writing is a right brain/ left brain dance, you can get stuck in one process or another. When you're stuck, it's all too easy to think that there's something wrong with your writing, and even with you, without realizing that there are always (many) ways out of your rut.

Here's a process which works for me and for my students. Try it.

Here are the steps:

1. Identify what's not working in a piece of writing

2. Write down reasons you think it's not working

3. Once you know the reasons, choose one major reason and develop a strategy to fix it

4. Start the fix!

When you try this process, you'll often get unstuck and see a solution at step one or step two. I've never seen this process fail.

I hope it becomes your favorite tool - it will help you to revitalize all your "wasted" writing.

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Writing accessories: Christmas gifts for writers

A frog pen stand from Levenger  - a whimsical gift that's sure to please.

The holiday shopping season has begun, so it's time to think of gift ideas for your  writer friends and colleagues.

Here are some ideas to start you thinking:

* Books - books are always welcome. Consider the latest bestseller in hardcover in your friend's favorite genre - or consider an ebook;

* Software - always useful. If you're not sure what a friend needs, ask discreetly :-);

* Desk accessories - a desk pad, pen holder, or lamp;

* A journal or diary;

* A book tote.

Of course, you should also start dropping hints about what gifts you'd like. :-)

Technorati Tags: Writing Tip

Write to be read: five rules to attract readers

Reading is work: when you ask someone to read your writing, you're asking for an investment of their time and attention.

Since this is the case, you must make your writing as inviting as possible; there must be a real benefit to your reader* - a takeaway.

So here are five rules to attract readers:

1. Be interesting - don't be boring

Your own interest or lack of it comes across in your writing. If you're bored, your readers will be bored too. Enthusiasm for your subject attracts.

2. Be positive - readers have their own challenges

No one likes a whiner, so don't do it. I've no idea why some professional writers persist in whining on their blogs: if you get the impulse to do this, smack yourself upside the head with a brick until the impulse goes away.

3. Be confident - confidence comes with writing practice

Confidence (usually) equals authority, which is attractive to readers. You get confidence as a writer by writing until you develop it; there's no other way.

4. Lower your expectations - take the pressure off

You're a writer because you have an ego, but keep it in check. Lower your expectations for your writing.

Putting pressure on yourself to write well stifles your creativity. Be humble, and take Annie Lamott's wonderful expression, the "shitty first draft" to heart.

Just write; you can improve what you've written after you've written it, not before.

5. Be clear - say what you mean

Use a casual, conversational style, but don't overdo it: clarity is vital.

* Bonus rule: "Your reader" - remember that you're writing for ONE person - reading is a private act. Never be tempted to write to readers as a group; it weakens your writing.

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Around my writing blogs this week

Here's a roundup of some of the articles on my writing blogs you may have missed:

* Freelance writing: how to write for magazines

* Writing for free to make money writing

* Blogging for your readers: getting traffic from the search engines

* WordPress can drive you crazy before you make money

* Blogging to Sell: Monetize Your Web Writing

* Blogging and Writing for Free - Why It Pays Off

* Copywriting “Cute” - Forget It

Writing time machine - write more

It's hard to believe, but next month this blog will be three years old. Three years of writing information ... amazing. I've been sorting through some of the material, and I've found some good stuff.

Over the next few weeks I'll be posting links to older posts, adding information, or just pointing them out to you.

From October 2004, some posts on why you should write more. I'm constantly nagging my writing students to write more, so here's a couple of posts to beat that particular drum:

* Write 400 words a day

Advice from one of my favorite writers, Terry Pratchett. Writers write. Funnily enough, it doesn't matter what you write. Writing begets writing. So if you're befuddled about your writing career, just write. All will be revealed. :-)

* Real writers do/ don't blog

In 2007, blogging is mainstream. Many more writers are blogging, and you should too. Read my ebook Writing Success With Blogs to get started blogging. My "blogging" blog gives you the tools you need to turn blogging into career.

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Tips if you're just starting your writing career

Here's what I wish I'd known about writing 30 years ago:

* If writing is (relatively) easy for you, you don't value it enough. Most people SUCK at writing. If you can write a clear sentence, paragraph and page that people can understand, you've got a valuable skill.

So value what you do - writing may seem easy to you, but most people can't do what you do;

* You know you. Your writing is YOU. Trust your intuition. I'm not coming over all sensitive and New Agey here. Your creativity is your intuition. If you brush off your intuition thinking that other people know better, or that what you want to write isn't selling, or what you want to write is too hard, or that you don't know enough... you're wasting your most precious resource, your originality;

* Writing is more fun than being published. You'll need to discover this for yourself;

* When you're writing a long project, it can be like pregnancy and childbirth. You'll suffer postpartum depression too. You may breeze through it, OTOH, don't be surprised if you have weeks and months where you think: "this is just too hard!"

* Writing is a mind-state, a little like hypnosis. You need to get into the "mood" to write, and you do that by writing when you don't want to. FWIW, in my estimation it takes around 11 minutes to switch from one mind-state to another.

Try it yourself. If you don't feel like writing, start writing - check the time. Eleven minutes later, check your mood. Now you'll feel like writing... magic, yes? No, it's just a mind-state. :-)

* Professional editors are gold. In the Internet world, there are few editors, and it shows. A pro editor improves your writing. That may be the one argument left for writing for a major publishing house: the editing. The value of working with a professional editor is priceless.

When you're working with an editor, you won't like it. You'll feel the urge to rant and rave. One writer I know spends two days knitting whenever she gets her editor's suggestions.

You'll only realize an editor's true value over time.

So there you go; what I wish I'd known. I sincerely hope it helps you in your writing journey.

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Great writing advice from Dilbert's creator

Scott Adams in "The Day You Became A Better Writer" sums up writing:

Business writing is about clarity and persuasion. The main technique is keeping things simple. Simple writing is persuasive. A good argument in five sentences will sway more people than a brilliant argument in a hundred sentences. Don’t fight it.

Try it.

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Writing Fast - Turbo-charge Your Writing With This Week's Ezine

This week's issue of Fab Freelance Writing Ezine is out tomorrow, and the theme is writing FAST.

What could you accomplish if you sped up your writing? :-)

Subscribe (you get bonus issues) or read the ezine at the new archives site, Fab Writers Ezine.

Here's an excerpt from the Editorial:

Writing Fast Comes With Practice – Writing Is A Muscle

If you've ever started a new exercise program, you know that on the first few days, you struggle. You're out of breath, you wonder why you ever paid attention to such a crazy idea, every muscle streams in protest.

Writing for money is similar. When you're a new writer, you wonder what the heck you're doing. You're convinced you're not doing "it" right. You enjoy writing – but when you're writing to a deadline, and an editor is waiting for your words, you struggle. You're tempted to give up. However, as with any exercise program, if you persist, it all gets easier. Writing just becomes something you do.

And, with time, you develop your own techniques for writing fast. In this week's article, I'll share my techniques with you.

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