Writers who want to transition from writing for fun, to writing for funds often place all effort on a jump into the big pond too soon. Excited about finding a place on the big websites and those websites see them coming. Competing with tens of thousands of writers to get a a dollar a month if your lucky for work can be disheartening. It is a good way to build skill and hone your craft. It is nevertheless not the best way to get paid money to purchase the required amount of caffeine, for example,that most writers need to fuel their efforts.


On my personal writing journey, I was very excited to get a message on Facebook from one of my writing buddies Tamra McRill, she offered me the opportunity to write a guest blog for her on http://www.punditthis.com (look for it next Monday April 16, 2012). As writers it is important to come together and help others with their work. Don't be selfish with your talents, trying to hoard them all on your page or on big sites where your work is buried for the most part until you can develop a large following. Get out there build your audience and make the kind of money that folds, not jingles. It's a winning situation for all involved.

It gets me thinking.Perhaps, I'll start paying for quality guest blogs here on Writer's Notes. Hmmm let me look into that. Stay tuned for more information.

Until next time...
Happy Writing!

    I love that by some freak of cyber nature--I'm calling it my guardian angels-- the share screen for this speech by Randy Pausch about Time Management (see below) pops up first when I look for Facebook on my most visited websites list. Watch it! It is worth the time :o)

    How many genuine opportunities in life pass a person by while she's deep into someone else's Facebook, Twitter, (or whatever other site) profile? It sucks you in, like that sticky licorice spot on Candy Land, and you miss your turn. You miss your turn to see what you could have accomplished today. You missed a dip in the river of inspiration, which as a writer knows, its never the same river twice.

    This may be one of the bigger challenges when transitioning from writing for fun to writing for funds. A writer cannot accept her own excuses for not writing. The only way to be a successful writer is to write....A LOT!

    Facebook can be a good thing-- in moderation-- for inspiration. Especially when you can be inspired by other artists, writers and interesting thinkers. For example my Facebook friend and fellow writer Sender, who posted on his profile the quote:

"Write a thousand words a day and in three years you'll be a writer!"
                                                                                                             ~Ray Bradbury

So getting some inspiration is fantastic as long as the writer takes that inspiration and then uses the rest of the day to write, write and write some more!

Happy Writing All :o)
Til next time...

A writer who wants to be taken seriously must first take himself/herself seriously. Their work must live up to the additional scrutiny given to those who put themselves out to the public in the light of being an expert. 

This seriousness is shown in the writer's work in the following ways:

• Well thought-out arguments and discussions.
  
• Factual/believable information.
  
• Well-written content utilizing proper grammar and spelling techniques. 
  
• Trust in your expertise as a brand.

Taking oneself seriously in this regard can be to some--overwhelming. Serious in this case meaning to think in terms of a professional, that leap from writing for fun to writing for funds. Because being serious isn't always fun in the professional arena. A place where it's no longer allowed to merely use the wet spaghetti method of flinging words at a page and seeing what sticks. There is a weight to it, a gravitas, a responsibility that comes with writing as a professional. When a writer puts herself out to the public as a brand then she is saying "My work is meant to have value. I am asking you to trust what I write. It is a product intended to be worth consuming." Rather than the flippant "I'm writing for me! I could care less what you think." of the casual hobby writer/blogger. 

I wonder, is it really harder or more work to write as a professional as it is to write as a hobby? Is it merely an abstract placed on typing the same characters onto a screen? I think they are two different things. When a writer wants to be taken seriously, she makes an oath that what she portrays will be factual if writing non-fiction, it will be at least believable when in the realm of fiction. The promise that the brand will be well-written and as a matter of course will be placed for all to see and to inevitably criticize. That is the nature of the beast. Will the work survive the criticism? That is the question which comes into play any time a writer posts their work in a venue to display. 

When a person is a hobby writer she can merely take the critique and say "Hey I didn't say I was an expert, I'm just writing my thoughts." and in so doing, there is a cushioning effect. When a professional places work out to the public, the notes given back are more direct, sharp,  because the writer presents her thoughts as truth. As an assumed truth they must be based in some form of logic, some meaning, some semblance of a valid argument to be taken with the respect that an expert deserves. 

Expert. The word itself grabs the air from my chest. It's what holds some writers back. The fear of stepping from the center of the pack out front to pronounce "Hey, I know what I'm talking about." It comes with responsibility and hard work to be sure that when facts are presented they are in fact the best information and/or entertainment available. 

Responsibility is something many hope to avoid. I am no exception. That being said I continue to create scenarios in my life (being a wife, a mother and a business owner) not to mention community responsibilities that I took on in the past which come with the need to be very responsible. Such a dichotomy to want the benefits of responsibility with none of the bite. This is the fire that every writer must walk through. Writers usually hope that people appreciate their point-of-view. Many writers also know that a least a few readers will not, and could be harsh in relaying their feedback to that effect. A writer is compelled to write despite this fact. Because the urge to write is greater than any fear that possible retribution may hold. 

So what about you? Are you up to the task? When thinking of yourself as a writer,,,
Are you serious?!

Until next time. Happy Writing!

It's so simple and yet it's not. As a writer it is so easy to get caught up in writing for a purpose. And you know, you should write for a purpose, however you should also write without a purpose. Because there are times when I am not able to write about what my assignment is and so I must write about something else. If it turns out to be any good I can stockpile it away for later. Like a squirrel storing up for winter, a winter of ideas. I can pull the work out later where it may fit another contest or assignment (or not). That's really not the point. The point is to write it down. That's the only point. That can be the most difficult thing to get behind. Especially when the bill collectors are calling and the pantry looks thin and that mental accountant is screaming "WE NEED TO GET PAID!!!!!!" from the back of my mind, I get lost in it to. Each writing, each journey, is like the SIMS game, it  improves your skill level I can see the little stars collecting in my head now. Sometimes that's the only point. But after mindfully practicing the craft for while a nice compilation of work begins to accumulate that is actually marketable. And then what do you know? Perhaps it is something others will find valuable and pay for! Bonus. 

All writers go through phases. 

I have seen articles along my cyber travels about the process of becoming a writer, it's one thing to read about these growth phases, but it's quite another to understand them because you lived them. These phases are not meant as a put down, only an illustration of the process as I've come to experience it, the more experience a writer gets the faster they go through the process and become successful we would all hope. So, the purpose of this post is to laugh together and to know you are not alone. 

The phases go something like this: 

Phase I

Writer writes, thinks they are a brilliant writer, but in reality they don't even know what they don't know , they are writing in a fishbowl and clueless to the whole process. ( I will write a future blog to fully  explain what writing in a fishbowl is about, but essentially it's a writer who writes about themselves, for themselves, and doesn't take the outside world full of readers into account.) It's during this stage that you'ill hear desperate screams from the writer's den with declarations such as  

                         "Everyone is crazy, they just don't get me!" 

No, really they may get you, but you're vague, self-indulgent and dull and are in no way taking the reader into consideration. Most likely they have no idea what you are writing about because they weren't at Aunt Phyllis'  house when the jello mold ended up in the begonias, so they don't know the history of the characters, nor the parameters of this whole social power play, and how it all fits together and THAT, my friend, is WHY they don't get your writing. (Yeah, I don't know where that came from either, I just made that up. Anyway, long story short--clarity in your writing is key for the reader having an enjoyable experience which is what writing is all about).

Phase II

In Phase II, our writer has some experience, they are using grammar well, breaking up their paragraphs and balancing white space on the page quite nicely. The writer at this stage has better reader awareness they write with greater clarity while at the same time honoring the time of the reader by avoiding long winded diatribes, that frankly no one gives a crap about. And so the process starts. The writer is aware that they need to know more about effective writing and they set out on this magical quest to find these precious gems of information.  
 
The writer learns about SEO writing, topics of interest, how to write to categories and add effective tags. In Phase II writers learn about sourcing information, backing up assumptions and opinions with reliable data. They find out that writing is about and that is communicating an idea, and so the writer dives into the process of finding out what it is he/she really wants to say. The writer  attends seminars and web chats, reads information from other writers,  he/she might take a class at the local community college. And as the writer fills their proverbial tool kit with tips and techniques that have previously been missing,  they begin to write interesting prose that other people--people who are not heir dear old granny --are interested to read. 

Phase III

Phase III I can't speak to with that much vigor because I am somewhere between Phase II and III on my writer's journey but, I can speak to what I suspect it is about. Phase III is about. It's about polish, panache, having style. This is developed by taking in the world, listening to language, thinking about another way to say a sentence that has been said so many times before. How can your voice be as fresh and desirable as a virgin at the prom? Yeah, uh, something like that. But how do you say it? That is the next step. Also,marketing and branding. Who are you as a writer? What is your brand? This is something a writer develops. Become an expert and specialize in something. This helps to develop your brand and someone that people seek out as a source. Let your local radio station and television station know you are an expert at that topic and have information ready so that if an opportunity does come along to share your expertise on-air you are prepared to do so. Develop your talent and your network. Read, read and read some more. Read work from successful writers and absorb it.  What have they got going that you haven't got yet. Yet. But you will have success as well when you continue to show up at the keyboard everyday and work on your craft. Create your process and work at it long enough and with some luck, things will happen. 

As for any of the other Phases, I can't tell you I haven't been there yet. But when I  do, I'll be sure to let you know. 

Happy Writing. 

The only place spam might be good is on a sandwich. Other than that, no one likes a spammer. It's difficult to find balance getting your name out to the public in a way that brings positive attention, not by driving potential readers crazy.

What is spam?
Spamming is defined as sending out unsolicited emails. Spimming is sending out unsolicited instant messages. Any message that is unsolicited takes up broadband space, steals time, and is annoying. My personal pet peeve is when selfish self-promoters hijack a Twitter trending topic or Facebook comment section with their annoying unsolicited self-promoting posts. There are also those coattail riders that go on a celebrity page to post their unsolicited messages which is bad, but it's worse when they continue to repeatedly post the same message . This doesn't make anyone want to know what this person is up to and be a part of it. All it does is agitate people so much that they never want anything to do with that person or company again!

Inform don't inflict.

Jay Baer says in an interview with Klout that "sells and helps only have two letters that are different but those two letters make all the difference." When interacting within social media parameters there's some leeway regarding self-promotion. Contacts who may know you online because they're friends, old school buddies, or people you play social networking games with may want to know what you are doing and will allow a certain amount of self-promotion into the mix. However, if your mix of self-promotion goes significantly over the 60%-40% where 60 is self-promotion and 40 other things, chances are people are going to start blocking content from your profile. Other more diligent game players will tolerate less, so don't make your self-promotion excessive and unwelcome. Keep posts down to one or two a day unless people are subscribed to a Fan page where there is an understanding that the page is about promoting your work. 

People like to be informed. If you're sharing knowledge or stating opinions about topics that are already being discussed online you can add to the context of the information in a meaningful way and have your name recognized for being a credible source. This is a positive way to gain attention with online marketing. Join the conversation the way you would if you had just met people at a party. Don't take up too much of the comment section conversation but add interesting points that will entice others to find out more about you and your work. 

If someone asks you what you do answer them in a private message if the comment section is located on someone else's page. If it is on your profile, you have the power to choose how much information to share on that comment thread to engage the person asking the question without losing your other comment thread followers. 

It always goes back to the Golden Rule. 

It always goes back to the "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you." Respect people's time and attention and don't do any posting on other pages and feeds that you would not want others to do on your pages and feeds. 

By using common sense and Netiquette a writer can build a presence on the internet and everyone involved can share information and have a good time. 

Writing is not just something you achieve, you're never finished. There's always more to learn. More to do. It's a practice, like medicine, or law, its constantly in motion. As writers we must keep up.

That's why over the next few months I will be filling in a calendar on the Writer's Resource page which will include writer related events and opportunities. If you know of one that is not on the calendar yet, please let me know by leaving me a note on the Contact Me Page or in the Comments section of this blog. The calender is brought to you by America and Beyond Travel. Ridha Lanouar, specializes in international travel, and can also help with domestic travel to conferences, retreats and the like. Ridha wants to help you find your Inspiration Destination. So check out what he's got going on over there at America and Beyond Travel.

On my own journey, I have decided to take  the  Communications Degree path at my local community college. I have already noticed an improvement in my writing, and am excited for the progress. Education is an important step to taking your craft to the next level from hobby writer to professional.

Monetized. The moment when your webpage, blog, or article has the opportunity to make money. It's one of the major stepping stones when moving from hobbyist to professional writer, blogger, web content producer.

Two of the most common ways to monetize content is listed on the Writer's Resource page. Google Adsense and Amazon.com affiliate programs are two of the most popular ways to get started. By adding these links to a page the page owner gets compensated a modest sum for each time a page visitor clicks an ad link. For Amazon.com there is the ability to get a small percentage of profits from sales that result from visitors to your page clicking through and purchasing something from Amazon.com.

These are not ways to get rich, however they can offset some of the costs for paying for maintaining a domain. I was able to purchase my domain name with a little extra birthday money I got from relatives. (Thanks Aunt Mary!) It is important to make investments and treat your writing as a business if the goal is to move from hobby writer to professional.

Having ads is only the beginning however. The more challenging part is the marketing. In order to make dollars instead of cents on a site there must be traffic. That is the magic X-factor that everyone searches for. What do people want to read? What will bring them to my site? What will make them come back? That is the holy grail of information that every content creator, no matter which medium they create with would love to know.

Being able to add ads to this site is merely the next step in the journey.

I am finding in the development of my writing style that a lot of my style is dependent upon creating  a space and a mood. I don't like to get lost in too many details because I feel there is a balance between creating a creative space for the reader's mind to visit allowing them to mentally walk around and experience it and to project themselves into it and see what comes back to them. 

I learned about this many years ago in chat rooms. Virtual conversations in an MSN community I hosted long ago called The Metaphysical Mixer. It was a place where people of all types of spiritual backgrounds would come together to meet and mingle. Speaking of many topics and of metaphysical experience. It was a fun time. 

In the chat rooms we would create a mood, a setting, we were around a campfire, or in a lavish chamber in India, we could be anywhere, passing around virtual food doing virtual activities. 

It is there during these collective meditations that I discovered something about what would grow to be my writing style. I like to go on a journey and take you with me. I like to watch the reaction of the reader and see what their personal experience adds to the scene. I love to get feedback about what they saw while in this mental holographic chamber.  Creating a space and a  mood is so important in successful writing.  

Take a moment to create a virtual space in your mind. Use all five sense to feel it, see it, smell it, touch it, and taste it.  After this space has been fully developed in your mind share it with us. I'd love to know what your virtual space is like. 

I have been having a lot of fun with my writing over the past few days. It's up for debate whether that is a good thing or not but that debate is another blog post all together.  

One thing that the past few days did bring up that is of value, I think, as a writer is --drum roll please--branding yourself. 

No not burning yourself with a brand that would hurt, or doing something with Russell Brand that may be fun but is not advisable. Creating yourself as a brand. This can be difficult when you like to write in many forms and genres. It can be strength to be able to write this way because you can work in many genres and with many people and that can lead to more freelance work. However, it is also a great detriment when a writer is not able to make any traction in any one genre because their work is too spread out. 

Add into that some attention deficit type qualities and what you have going is a hot mess. Because titles are scattered everywhere and the attention is scattered several unrelated subjects this doesn't work well especially in the world of search engines. You see search engines want you to define yourself. The more postings you have with the same word set in it the stronger your presence on the web for that topic is. For example the more I have with writing, writer, blog, author and other similar terms the higher up the web link food chain I go when someone is looking up information about being a writer. 

Search engines, fans and publishers are the same. They want experts, people who know about a specific something, they don't usually call on Jacks  (or Jills in this case) of all trades. They want to know that you are a sports writer, a romance writer, a poet, a political wonk, an entertainment writer, a fashionista, too much diversity is confusing. 

This can be frustrating to people like me who are children at heart, that have never grown up.  I am constantly curious and wanting to experiment with different things,  I am bored quickly, and move on to something else that I can learn about. So to work at one thing day after day is not fun for me. Some would call it stability I call it tedious. 

However, if I don't pick something and stick with it. At least until I am known as a brand, I will be one of the many "Gee I wish I could make some money at this writing gig." type of writers. Frankly, I think the world has enough of those already.  

The Muse comes on Tuesdays
By Sophia Tesch

 She won't speak to me on Mondays.
 The muse comes on Tuesdays.
 Wednesday won't do at all,
 Thursday is too close to Friday,
 She never works on weekends.
 Then it's Monday again.
 But the muse always comes on Tuesdays.

Copyright 2011 Sophia Tesch

I just had one of those moments when things started coming into focus. I think they call it a moment of clarity. Just a moment in time when there is  a flash of inspiration saying, "Look this is how it works!".

Over and over I have read and heard writers say, "Just write", and to a beginning writer it is easy to ask the question "Write what?". Because somewhere along the way, maybe in school a person picks up the notion that you must be doing something for a specific purpose in order for it to be valuable.

So, I did.  I wrote.  Today in my literary travels I came across a poetry contest. Submissions are due tomorrow and what do you know? I had something to submit! Something I had written months ago for no specific reason, just doing my morning writing. That poem was a perfect fit for the contest. I'll wait and see how it does against the competition.

The important thing is that I now see why they say Write, write, WRITE! Create a stack of work that can be taken out and used as needed. Write for every holiday, every occasion, just write and at some time down the road when material is needed you will be able to have a quick and thoughtful turn around on work. After awhile it starts to catch on and you have all sorts of material to work with and submit as needed.

It felt wonderful to get that flash. Now that I get it, now that I see it, there really is nothing left to  do but do it and make it happen.

I've been thinking about it a lot lately.

Q. What is the difference between artists that make it and those that don't?
A. An outstanding team.

We all know talented people, with ambition and drive, not lacking in any of the the things that makes a good artist. So why aren't they able to be considered at the top of their profession, or even a working artist? No team.

The truth is no one can make it alone. In order to be able to make a living, whether it is art or truly any other business, one needs a really good team. In the famous book by Napoleon Hill, Think and Grow Rich, for which Hill interviewed Andrew Carnegie a very wealthy self-made industrialist and other successful business people to find out why they became successful they found several common threads one being that they all had a Mastermind group. A group of professionals that they often conferred with to share ideas and build successful strategies together.

A really good writer who enjoys success, has an editor, a publisher with resources, perhaps even a publicist and agent not to forget the business side the copyright lawyer, the accountant and the emotional support from home not to mention cooking, cleaning and all the usual duties of life. Oh yeah and be creative too while you are at it.

When someone is getting started they need to wear all these hats and more. Which often leads to inconsistency, rushed work and basically going no where. There are only so many hours and so much energy in a day.  That is why finding your team, people to share your success and vision with, people who believe in your talent and will help you reach your goals as they are in turn able to meet theirs is a vital part to becoming a successful and employed professional writer.

I have had clinical depression  all my life. However during  a particularly challenging bought I was battling over the last few days I do what writers will tend to do. I researched it. And what I found is that I am far from alone in this deal.

What is it about writers and depression? Hemingway, Platte, Poe are a few of many who had it some lost the battle. Is creativity and madness a thin line? Is it the dark-side of creativity. The spiritual bargain made somewhere that the sensitivity given with being a keen observer, one able to capture the essence of humanity and capture it in some art form comes with it this dangerous poison of depression and anxiety? Is there a connection?

Either way I hardly know an artist that would give up the feeling of creating art. It is what I live for. That feeling of intense emotion that I place into my writing. It scares a lot of people off. Many claim either to me or in other ways they "can't handle it".  I am deep and intense and too much to take by many. I used to feel bad about that though as I approach my fortieth birthday in a few months and I feel the shortness of life I don't feel the need to apologize for myself or hide who I am to accommodate the comfort of others in my presence.  For people to be uncomfortable with me  is a fair statement to make. That is why many artists and writers live alone. The muse of creativity is very  jealous and wants no distractions from the artist's attention.

However, some of us choose to take on the challenge of balancing family and other aspects of life with art and depression. It's a huge task to undertake, but it is possible.


Some days depression wins and nothing gets done, yet many days I win. Every day I don't quit I win. And I notice today I have already surpassed what I didn't do in a week.
Being there for the next day is a victory that is so beautiful. Like those who survive a hurricane or tornado I would imagine, having that awesome appreciation of life the day after. Being able to play with my kids and to be there to love my family and try once more to see what I can do with my writing. I am glad I am here to try again and that which doesn't kill you makes awesome material to write about! :o)


Emotions are a writers "paint" the more rich the experiences the dark places of despair and heartbreak and the highs of love and bliss the more vibrant the colors to create with. That is our palette.  It is not authentic unless it is experienced first hand it comes across as cheap and untrue. I think that's why those who are able to write and move people with words off the page. Are often ones who have experienced this broad palette of emotion and the vehicle with which that strong current of emotion moves often is depression. Like dealing with fire or electricity it can do amazing feats and make miracles happen...or it can kill you.  

Today is the first day of  my professional writing career. Because it is the day that I placed my writing in top priority right after my family being taken care of because that will always be my tippy top priority. 

As I began to work on adding links to my Self Empowerment blog and interlinking them I began to think about my body of work. They spoke about this with President Obama in the beginning when he was getting Nobel Peace Prizes and then not getting an honorary award from the Arizona State University because they felt he had not shown a body of work to deem worthy or not at that time. So I started thinking about a body of work and what I would leave behind. 

A writer's body of work is her immortality. Watching history channel and watching the dusty scrolls being unrolled by excited scientists we realize the power of the written word. What will I leave in the time capsule for future generations both for strangers and my family? Most of my work is online so who even knows if any of it will be preserved it's not written in stone or anything. 

Even that term written in stone challenges my mind. What would I write in stone if I could? What would I want future generations hundreds possibly thousands or hundreds of thousands of years from now to know? I must contemplate that for awhile. 

My words would be my immortality. If that were truly the case. They'd better be good! 

So my article about whether the Jello Temptations  commercial set to scare the crap out of any child thinking about eating mommy and daddy's "adult" dessert is set to break the 300 page view mark! That is my personal best so it feels pretty good. If you want to read it click here.

The great thing about this article in the great scheme of this writer's journey is that I again hit that sweet spot of being in my lane.  Doing what I do best. I am finding what that is and it has to do with starting a discussion that facilitates change for the greater good. It's my thing.

The interesting thing about doing your thing I found is this feeling of being perfectly aligned in the Universe. This feeling of energy that everything is just as it should be and as a person I am hitting that perfect place of potential. It doesn't happen often yet when it does, it is a thing of beauty. It is worth trying again the next day.

I imagine this is a feeling that many people feel in their own individual careers and crafts. That moment specific to that experience when all is as it should be and in alignment with the world. It is a universal "potential" the thing we call success.

Success is just being in that zone for as long as possible. As we practice something in life as each individual strives to reach their particular target bulls-eye. The more we can hit it consistently with that which we do. We achieve success. People want the magic formula, they want to take a potion or be bestowed the magic fairy dust from someone who has been there before them. What it is difficult to relay what cannot be told is that the only way to get there is to do it. You don't need anyone's permission, nor can anyone honestly give it to you.

The film Limitless, which I still have yet to see but want to very much, touches on this idea. That even if someone were to place the lightning in your hand the only way to be capable of holding for any length of time is only if you have earned your place. If you have done the time, build the muscles and experience. It takes time to learn the techniques and know what to do with them. That can not be transferred, it can't be stolen, it can't be bought.

Often people covet. They covet true love, they covet material wealth, they covet fame and good fortune. They think they can slide in and take someone's place and have the same result. It doesn't work though. Because there is a magic, a spark, a je ne sais quoi that cannot be duplicated when something is right, it's destiny and meant to be. Only that connection works that way.

Knowing that there is only one perfect fit can cause despair or it can be something to be hopeful for. No one can take what's yours because only you can create it. This is where the saying about you being unique and only you can be you comes in. As humans we appreciate and honor those who are the very best at what they do. The very best at being "them".  It's something to think about. So many times we are trying to be really great at being someone else and that is why success is not attained.

First off, I had this awesome moment looking at my computer desktop this morning thinking, I am becoming a writer. Besides my wallpaper that says "Don't judge a book by its movie" which I find to be very writer-ish. I also have a link to Kindle Reader and HootSuite which is an awesome tool for keeping track of all that is social networking.  So my physical world is beginning to take on that of a professional writer.

I read a statistic somewhere recently that it takes about 3 years to get a blog noticed. That is about right with just about anything. It must build momentum, an audience and with that it takes work, and time to put out interesting content to build readership. I am very excited about some current projects coming to an end so that I can but some time in.

The last few years have been about gathering information and tools. About practicing and figuring out what the game plan is so to speak. So that has been good. There is still work to do as far as considering this endeavor a business. I will study that more and I believe that will come over time however I think the best thing a successful person needs to have no matter what their endeavor in life is good tools and great time management skills! That's the difference. May could do "it" whatever "it" is for them but so few do. As the great quote says, the future belongs to those who show up.

So I am showing up. However I need to show up much more. My weakness being time management and putting the time in. Having my energy spread out on many things that do not bring me to successful results for my writing goals and that is counter- productive. What should I be doing with my time? I have to ask myself what would a writer do?

Speaking of great quotes, my writer friend Sevastian Winters came up with a great one the other day that I will share with you.  He said instead of Fake it 'til you make it, Do it until they notice. That is it in a nutshell my friends the great secret to how you really get there. Just keep doing what you know in your heart is what you need to be doing until someone notices. They will...eventually....right?

I have been doing a lot of shameless self promotion for a competitive scholarship I am trying to win.  Normally I would be intimidated by something like this. Not the case this time it is fun. I am really touched by the support of my people. My friends and family the community that supports me. I'm lucky. However there is a lesson in it. 


Don't wait for permission, be great anyway!
The lesson is don't wait for someone to validate you. Don't wait for permission to be great. First, of all those who are on top want to stay there and rightfully so. What, are you planning on buying there kids dinner or new clothes when you take the top spot? No of course not, however the people on top are going to want that sweet position and that is natural if you want it to have to work for it and earn it. That way people even if they don't like it respect you for it. Cause damit you earned it. So what can anyone say? 

So many writers, so many people are waiting like little bulbs in the soil for someone to make it rain for them so they can be "a chosen one" but it doesn't work like that. You need one of two things to start your success. You need capital money to back you up so you can essentially purchase some love from folks or you need folks. Folks who care what you are up to. That is what gives power to a person Love or Money honey. 


For Love or Money
Power given by Love or money translates to business, politics, fame, writing. You name it, the power is given.  By the people it's on loan, never permanent. Don't ever take that lightly. No one can give you the people's power. Sure it can be transfered in a way by endorsements yet it's on loan. To have access to it,  you earn it, you got it or you don't. 


Garbage out, garbage in


Some people attempt to use fear to try  to embezzle power from people but that never lasts long. Love that is earned is where its at. So how do you get this Love? You give it. You give it out whether it be by helping folks in your family, your neighborhood, your community or an even larger scale.  You say" Sophia what the heck does this have to do with writing? I am a writer. Not a politician or anything else!" Yeah I know. But first you have to know what people care about. 

If you put nothing out, nothing will return.  If you put garbage out, garbage will return. If you put kindness, generosity and love out into the world. Kindness, generosity and love has a way of finding its way back with dividends. 

People have to know how much you care, before they care how much you know. 

That lesson above is one of the most important ones I have learned. You need people to care about you. There are plenty of people that talk at us, very few that communicate with us and that makes a big difference.  Care about people, be a benefit to them, not a dictator of your will and things tend to work in your favor a lot more.  In addition  people of right action win respect. Take action about issues you care about. To put it simply getting out there and doing something helps you to have an impact on the world. It is good to know what someone has done before feeling compelled to listen to them. Talk is cheap, actions are not. Some say it makes the world a better place but that is up for debate what it does is make the world more palatable to you. And when we speak honestly that's all we really want right? 


Next level stuff
So in this vein my latest project is to go to this blogging convention in June. Man I really want to win this! I don't usually want things but I want this.  I really want to go. This is an opportunity for me to hone my craft doing something that is very authentic to who I am and what it feels my mission on this planet is. Seriously. So  I have been asking people to vote for me. Luckily I don't have to ask people for money that's still a stumbling block for me but I can ask them to click for me and click they have and I have to tell you its been pretty awesome!


I'd like to thank...
So thanks to those of you who believe in me. I see the path and I am ready to step onto it. I am ready to manifest the best me that I can. Let's do this! I hope you believe in you enough to express the best version of yourself that you can too. If you need permssion here it is "I hereby give you <insert name here> absolute and total control of your destiny. You now have permission to be happy, successful, to manifest your best work and to be rightfully rewarded. By giving the best of yourself to humanity may you get the best reward for that gift." Ok you have permission go forth and rock the world :o) 


** Side note**
Please help me win a scholarship to #NN11! Click to vote: http://bit.ly/emS60V

Thanks!

Today my action toward my dream of being a successful freelance writer was to apply for a two positions I am somewhat qualified for as a Featured Content writer. I applied though I am not sure if I am ready. I did it anyway  because I read a quote once that says, and I paraphrase, "Choose a dream that's slightly too big for you so you can grow into it." That's what I'm doing. We'll see how it goes.  

 If it doesn't work out I will keep working at it and I know in my heart that one day it will work out. Because I really have a feeling now that I am where I need to be. This is something I can do and that I am good at. Just keep plugging away everyday until I start getting some results. 

I was chatting with a group of writers that I network with on Facebook and we were comparing notes about which articles got the most clicks. The funny thing is it is hard to predict. We found as a group that the articles we did the most research and worked the hardest on were not the ones that got the most page views. Many times it was the article that was thrown together at the last minute on a whim that did better with readers. Who knew? Who knows the magic combination? If anyone did they'd be a billionaire because every one would want to know their secret. In the end it is just fishing. The more lines you have in the water the more likely it is that the nibbles will come. 

Going to work on getting another line in the water now and see if it gets any nibbles :o)

So the biggest struggle is making money with my talent. This is because time is limited and I am not making best use of it. I am going to work on it. There are some great ideas and links I would like to utilize and place on this page and those goals can be met in the upcoming weeks. 

I think I am narrowing in on what makes me unique as a writer. Which brings me to the next question in my progress does anybody else care about these things, who are these people and do they care enough about it to lay some money down for it so I can feed my kids? These are all important questions. Questions writers ask every day. 

How writers can get income. 

Winning Grants and Contests. 


There are many writing grants and contests. They are very competitive. However it is good to lay down the best of your work and see what you've got stacked up to others. It is a good way to hone the craft and if you happen to be awesome you win money and that is fantastic. 

Writing for Content Sites. 

With Google's new algorithm change they added more of a challenge to making money creating content for content sites like Associated Content, Helium, Demand Studios, Hubpages and others. Though these are still worthwhile ventures and I am optimistic that Google will work something out that will mutually beneficial for Google and the content creators though for now it sucks a bit in that category. 

Private clients. 

Yes. This takes marketing and like many fields it is always the first few clients, that breakthrough that is difficult to get. Once you have a few clients and you can show you are worthy to pay for then  referrals can bring in more. I am hoping to open up this avenue once I have the time to commit to making deadlines and that type of thing. 

Queries for magazines etc. 

I have heard about these but as I am not quite to that point yet. I don't have much information about it. 

Local Magazines and Papers. 

These mediums like to have contributors though it is difficult to get payment. Where they can be a benefit is to create credibility and as a marketing tool. 


So these are the things I continue to work on. I feel optimistic and excited that I will crack my particular code and be able to take my work and my credibility to the next level soon. Speaking of which I better get back to writing! 

What should I write? That's the $1 million question right? 
Or maybe several million if you are really lucky and get the movie deal. 
However, for many writers we're happy to get something that others find meaningful to read. There is that line between a hobby writer and a professional writer. When writing for fun, just start typing and see where it takes you. When your writing for money one must follow trends and attempt to find that vein of gold that taps in to the collective consciousness to find that hot topic that millions of readers will click into.

There are some common threads though.  A writer needs experiences the way a carpenter needs materials. The richer the better. Not necessarily expensive. Exclusive, unique, a novelty. Something that addresses the strange dichotomy of the modern reader. Someone who is at the same time overstimulated and bored, someone who can be apathetic and fiercely passionate, someone who has a million choices for information  yet feels comforted by a few trusted information sources. This is an interesting market to manage. 

So what to write? Something that pops you out of your cozy bed in the morning saying I have to explore that! I have to share that! I can't believe that! I wonder what readers would think about this? 

Write about challenges you have overcome because most likely you are not the only one facing them. Write about beauty and hope that  have been witnessed in the world. Write about experiences as a lover, a partner, a friend, an employee, a manager, a small business owner, a  pet owner, a parent as a person from a unique cultural perspective maybe? It is a journey to find and create that unique voice.  

Look up Google and Twitter trends and see if there is something there that you can lend your unique perspective and voice to. Ah there now you got it! The most important thing is to create quiet moments with yourself to allow inspiration to speak to you. Julia Cameron in The Artist's Way calls them Artist Dates. Time with just you, your imagination and Inspiration going out into the world to collect materials. Then a good nap and who knows you may wake up with some inspiration there. A good walk or sometimes drive. The type of activities that get you into that somewhat lucid state where inspiration strikes. Then go for it. Always bring something with you to record good ideas for later, a notebook, a recorder, a sketchpad. Customize a solution just for you. 

What will make lightning strike and a person a world class writer? No one really knows for sure. It's like being a gold miner. Just show up every day at the claim, sift through some sandy ideas and who knows maybe one day you'll stumble upon a nugget or two. 
Good luck !!!

I think the hardest part for me is consistency. It is easy when writing is just a hobby because it is something waiting for you. It makes no demands, sets no expectations. It is similar to the transformation in a relationship from dating to marriage. 

Dating is purely voluntary. It is fun and exciting. You get to do it on your own terms. This is all the greatness of hobby writing. There is nothing expected of one another so there are no disappointments. 

Marriage is career writing. Sure you love them, however there are fights over the checkbook and how much money is coming in. The stakes are higher which can make it seem at times not as fun. Production, consistent production is expected, is required. A writer must live up to the expectation the audience has come to develop of them. If a writer is not careful the art becomes an obligation. It does not do as well in that capacity. Art is like an untamed lover and thrives in that capacity. It does not do as well in the role of husband or wife. 

Consistency in writing has to be there like a marriage to make it work, to make a living at it. That is part of the struggle or challenge of being a writer. The same challenge a married couple faces How to keep it fresh and new? How to keep the passion the excitement? How to do all this and be stable and consistent one that people can depend on. 

A writing schedule helps. Writing minimums for the day helps. To be a pro one must show up and write everyday. A writer must be accountable to themselves because there is no one to answer to, with freedom comes responsibility. Joining a writers group can be good for this. Someone to be accountable to, to socialize with. Groups are great for that as long as they don't become a distraction to writing in themselves. Discipline, writing goals and accountability are the ingredients to consistent writing every time.