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Writing Etc. – July 15, 2006

ISSN: 1545-5580

Tips, Techniques, and Resources to Transform You From An Average Freelancer to A Highly Paid Professional.

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Notes from Minnesota

Top Tips to Increase Your Productivity by Beth Ann Erickson

Paying Markets

You Speak Out: Q&A

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Greetings from Minnesota!

Another surreal week here in Minnesota.

Quick background: my great grandmother Ingeborg Raksvaag arrived from Norway and married a gent by the name of Tor Teigen. They had three children. Somewhere along the line, Ingeborg ran off to Canada, leaving her children behind.

Inga Teigen, my grandmother, eventually married John Pederson. They had 11 children. She died when my dad turned 13 years old. Her children were distributed to various homes throughout northern Minnesota.

I grew up with very little knowledge of my father’s side of the family. I still have first cousins I’ve never met.

About a year ago, my baby sister (the genealogist of the family) discovered the Teigen side of the family. Turns out they were looking for us “lost cousins.”

And last weekend I met 118 of them for the very first time.

It felt odd to say the least. I kept scanning the group thinking, “I can’t believe I’m related to all of you.”

So how did I react to this new situation? Easy. I found myself drawn to the familiar.

I hung out with my brother-in-law. Kept close to my husband. Found a couple aunts who I’m fairly familiar with.

Then, I occasionally wandered into the fray and tried my hand at connecting with a few of these new people in my life.

Very odd. Very enlightening, though.

I’ve come to the conclusion that some of my quirkier traits are definitely inherited. But I won’t go into that now.

Suffice it to say, my world just got larger. I wonder how that will affect my writing….

To your success always,

Beth

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Top Tips To Increase Your Productivity

Beth Ann Erickson

Writing is an odd business. Imagine a career solely depending upon pouring your mental output out on paper.

Never mind.

If you’re reading this, you’re intimately familiar with how we writers thoroughly examine life and are compelled to whip out our pens to comment.

However, the time comes in every writer’s life when words don’t flow as easily as other times. It’s during these times that the following tips will become indispensable to triggering a free-flowing stream of ideas.

So without any further intro, here are the techniques I routinely use to get words flowing into my computer….

1. Focus On Your Project

When I’m writing, my project is tumbling through my mind 24/7. Never leaves, constantly bubbling in the back of my mind.

When I’m shopping for groceries, I allow my characters to “whisper” in my ear. When I’m waiting at the doctor’s office, article ideas tumble through my mind. When I’m waiting in line, a client’s wrinkly lead for their sales letter will magically iron out.

Although writers often appear present and ready to participate in life, in reality I know I’m rarely completely “there” at any one occasion.

Like Walter Mitty, my imagination continually takes me places where I never expected.

And that’s fantastic… as it should be.

2. Invest In Technology

I know. The Internet can eat up WAY too much time.

However, used properly, this vast web of information can become your best tool in cultivating a thriving writing career.

Where else can you find an answer to a thorny question in the blink of an eye?

It’s a wondrous technology that will allow you to instantly find the full contact information of an expert in any particular field within minutes.

It also has the potential to become the hugest time-sucker of your entire day.

Every writer needs a website. Every writer needs to gather information that will help them earn the kind of income they desire.

However, you don’t need to frequent every discussion group. Forget about reading every zine that flits into your in-box.

Learn to skim.

Glean the information you need, snag the resources that catch your eye, pass on the rest.

But remain connected to your community, even if your connection may seem slim at times. After all, part of becoming a successful writer is to… write. This is non-negotable.

3. Create A Schedule

Many writers practice their craft first thing in the morning. They’re up at the crack of dawn, chomping at the bit, ready to pour their hearts onto the page.

I’m not like that. In fact, I find myself fortunate if I can get much of anything whatsoever finished first thing in the morning.

My prime writing time begins late morning and extends until around supper time.

Get anything on the page before 9:00AM, and I’m quite positive it would look like gibberish.

I rarely watch television, instead opting for my favorite activity… reading.

Ah, slip a good book my way and it’ll get devoured faster than a bag of Twizzlers. In fact, I just ordered four more books for my collection today. Found a new author I like and got ‘em all. (Don’t mention this latest purchase to my husband…. My bookshelves are already bursting at the seams.)

But here’s my point: Create a schedule that works for you. Don’t try to emulate my life. Don’t take advice that you’re not comfortable with. Make your schedule work for your lifestyle.

But do create a schedule. You’ll get far more work done.

4. Jealously Guard Productive Time

Forget the kids. Chuck The Drudge Report.

If you’re “in the zone” keep typing. Don’t stop.

Close the door. Bark at anyone who speaks at you. Tell them to eat peanut butter sandwiches for supper.

Right now, your top priority is WRITING.

Those “zone” moments can sometimes flit in and out of the creative process so when one graces you with its presence, do everything you can to nurture its arrival. Keep writing. Let the words flow. Don’t edit. Make that little burst of muse comfortable so it will visit on a regular basis.

And when you hit your stride and experience that “zone” on a regular basis, then you are truly a blessed writer.

Now, I realize this list is hardly exhaustive. However, I’ve found these four tips to top my list of activities I do on a daily basis to make writing nearly effortless. And (I’m speaking from experience here), you really don’t want to write your way into a situation where every word you nail to paper feels like an unbearable chore.

With just these few (and incredibly easy) modifications to your schedule, your words will flow like water and your productivity will skyrocket. Guaranteed.

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Beth Ann Erickson is the “Queen Bee” of Filbert Publishing. She’s also the author of soon-defunct Jumpstart Your Writing Career (http://filbertpublishing.com/jumpstart.htm) and the upcoming 101 No Cost and Low Cost Secrets To Promote Your Writing Biz and Supercharge Your Freelance Income. Keep your eye out for it within the next month or so. She’s also a busy copywriter, speaker, and publisher of Writing Etc., the free e-mag for writers. 

P.S. You can use this article free of charge on your own website or zine. Just don’t make any changes and be sure to include the entire byline. Enjoy!

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You Speak Out: Q&A

Beth’s note: No questions today. Just a VERY interesting e-mail in response to our recent POD discussion.

Hi Beth,

Good issue. I particularly like your article about the hazards of fee-based POD publishing. I talk to a numerous authors all over the country each year who have made the fee-based publishing service mistake and regret it. While I believe that these services do have a purpose, too many hopeful authors sign on without enough information and too many assumptions.

You mentioned a book to help hopeful authors make the right decisions on behalf of their manuscripts. Here are two others: Deanna Bailee's "The ABC's of POD" and my, "The Right Way to Write, Publish and Sell Your Book."

I've also written numerous articles on this topic. Two, in particular, appear at my Web site: www.matilijapress.com/articles.htm. Titles are "Fee-based POD Publishers are NOT the Only Game in Town" and "Self-publishing Versus Being Self-Published." The latter, of course, points out what self-publishing actually means--establish your own publishing company. Also, I have at least one entry related to fee-based POD publishers at my blog: www.matilijapress.com/publishingblog. See the June 2 entry.

I just thought you might like to offer your readers additional resources to back up your excellent recommendations.

Sincerely,

Patricia Fry

Author of 24 books including "The Right Way to Write, Publish and Sell Your Book." www.matilijapress.com.

Hope you enjoyed our Q&A session this week! Keep an eye out for next week’s Q&A!

In the mean time, got questions? Send ‘em here:  http://www.filbertpublishing.com/tinc?key=TTjJjZfx&formname=question

We answer each and every freelance question in the order they come in. You get your answer in an upcoming issue of Writing Etc.

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Writing Etc.

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