Notes from Minnesota

Happy anniversary!

I'm celebrating an anniversary this month. I suppose you already figured that out, eh? :)

Yup. The Creative Mindset Newsletter is one year old this month. It's hard to believe that so much time has passed.

It's grown beyond my expectations and I'm tickled with every single freelancer who is taking part in this wonderful project. To celebrate I've got a huge surprise for each member of the community: I'm launching a new long term Mindset CD program and (of course) they'll receive every single installment as long as they're a member of the community.

This on top of every issue of Creative Mindset Newsletter, the Round Table Calls, the MP3 of the calls, all upcoming books... you name it.

Cool, eh?

I haven't brought this to your attention in such a bold manner before, but with the anniversary and all... I thought it prudent to mention that I am definitely closing admittance to the Creative Mindset Community by the end of this month. After this, you'll be placed on a waiting list if you wish to join us.

So, here it is. Short and sweet. If you've been pondering joining the Creative Mindset Community, I highly suggest you do so now. I'd hate for you to miss out.

Onward and upward!

Beth

P.S. Just click here for more info.

P.P.S. Be sure to check out our best sellers. Just click here

A Mindset Moment

Do you ever watch dogs?

Not a rhetorical question here. I'm serious. Do you watch dogs?

Dogs live in the moment. They explore. If they want something they bound after it. No matter what they've experienced in their short life, they're quick to forgive, apt to forget, and perfectly happy to take a nap in the nearest sunbeam.

They honestly live in a state of joy the majority of the time.

This week, observe a dog in action. Mimic their carefree approach to life. Then begin your writing session with everything you learned from these magnificent creatures.

Silly exercise? Hardly. Give it a whirl.

Have fun!

Your Faithful Muse

(Mindset Moment #5)

Beth's Hot Pick of the Week

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May Events for the Creative Mindset Community

Hey writers! Watch for a nice surprise in this month's packet!

It's our “anniversary” and I'm launching a new CD series and guess what? You get it first and you get it as part of your participation in this community. :)

I'm tickled to death.

Like I mentioned before, I'm closing entry to this community by the end of this month. After that, you'll have to go on a waiting list.

Every single member receives my regular audio CDs, books, Yahoo group, Round Table discussions and much more.

If you're looking for a small, tight knit writing community... a place where you'll receive free resources, a private chat area, a monthly subscription to the Creative Mindset Newsletter, and a monthly Round Table discussion where you can hang out with other freelancers, ask questions, and simply be yourself... you need to check out the Creative Mindset Community.

If you're not a member yet, and if you want the monthly discussions, a fab newsletter, regular CDs, a private Yahoo group, and much more all for less than dinner for one at a nice restaurant. You can get all the info you need at the following link.

Beth's note: This article is a continuation from the last issue of Writing Etc. I occasionally receive questions from freelancers. These are a few more:

Question: My biggest fear about writing articles is that I'm going to somehow plagiarize someone by accident. Therefore, I'm afraid to do research and use it in an article. Long story short, there are not enough things I know enough about to write successful articles. (Snip. Edited for length.)

Beth says:

Let’s break it up.

Plagiarism: As long as you’re not copying something word for word, you’re not plagiarizing.

Now, I’m not an attorney but here are my thoughts on the subject.

Ideas cannot be copyrighted. Titles cannot be copyrighted.

Text can be (and is) copyrighted. Never copy anything word for word.

But you can take that same information, put your personal spin on it, give it your own flavor and then it’s your own.

If you look back… way back… you’ll find that the biblical writer in Ecclesiastes says that there’s nothing new under the sun.

Wow. If there wasn’t anything new way back then, there’s certainly nothing new now.

Just the same information with a myriad of slants to choose from.

Just as your voice will never mirror mine, your take on a subject will always be different from the way I choose to present it.

So yes. As long as your information is correct, feel free to write to your heart’s content.

If you're concerned about plagiarized information on your website, you can head to copyscape.com and double check to ensure your articles are original. I once caught a snippet plagiarized info (written by someone else) on one of my sites and was able to instantly remove it. Yay for copyscape. :) Today, I personally write the lion's share of everything on my sites.

That being said, don’t feel fearful. This is a fun job. You hold great power in your hands and possess a unique story that only you can tell. Make sure everything you write is filtered through your personal experiences and garner a reputation of fair, original, and honest writing.

To allow fear to squelch that which you were born to write is truly sad.

I hope you write without fear, publish without regret, and love this fabulous life.

Question: Idea-->Market. Market-->Idea. I get so caught up in the analysis paralysis of coming up with an idea, trying to find a market for it, then getting so caught up in market research that I lose momentum on the idea.

Beth says:

Looking for a marketable idea is basically futile. If I had a nickel for every “profitable” idea that crosses my desk I’d be sitting on a pile of nickels that reached the moon.

The question you need to ask is this: what do you love to write about? What can you spend your time on that’ll make your day melt like a Popsicle, without your noticing time passing? What turns your crank? Why do you figure you were planted on this particular ball of rock?

Once you pinpoint this, you’ve got your primary subject.

Yeah. “Hog lagoons” may be a profitable subject. But when someone approached asking if I’d write about it, I instantly knew the answer deep in my soul. Yeah, I’m qualified to write about it. Yeah, I enjoy big checks. But no. It’s not my passion. It’s not what would make me bound out of bed each morning.

So I declined, despite the fat check waved in my face.

So forget marketing. Instead, find your passion. For when you find that, marketing will evolve naturally out of the project.

~~~

Beth Ann Erickson is the “Queen Bee” of Filbert Publishing. She’s also the author of numerous titles including “101 No Cost and Low Cost Secrets To Turbo Charge Your Freelance Income.” Pick up your copy today at http://filbertpublishing.com/101.html She’s also a busy copywriter, speaker, and publisher of Writing Etc., the free e-mag for writers. 

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