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Writing Etc. – October 1, 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: Please allow me to introduce little Jake

The Agony and the Ecstasy by Beth Ann Erickson

Paying Markets

You Speak Out: Q&A

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Greetings from Minnesota!

July 5, 2006. I’m still reeling over the death of my “Lucy the Rat Terrier Wonder Dog” when the phone rings.

“Are you done crying about Lu yet?”

“Nope,” I reply.

“Well get over it,” the voice on the other side of the line says. “You’ve gotta get in here. Now.”

It was Shanie from the local Humane Society.

My heart still ached. My eyes still well up at the drop of a hat. But I grabbed Cutie Rudie the Doxie Cross (a Humane Society graduate) and headed to town to “just take a look” at what they had to show me.

We entered the Humane Society grounds and Shanie sat at the picnic table with a big grin on her face. Beside her sat a most unusual animal.

Long peg legs. Giant wood tick body. A walking chunk of dandruff.

I sat on the bench and said, “This isn’t the one, is it?”

“Yup,” she smiled and tapped the side of the animal. “This is Jake. A Mini-Pinscher. Five years old… same age as Lucy. His owner surrendered him on the first. He likes boys, doesn’t really care for women, but I think he’d fit into your family like a charm.”

I gazed at his little face. “What’s his story?”

“He lived in the basement. Other family worked all day. He’s kinda scared of the outdoors. The former owners didn’t walk him…”

“Or groom him,” I interrupted, commenting on his flaky back.

“He’s been neglected. But with you being a writer with a home office and all… you’ll give him the attention he needs. He’s really a great dog….” her voice trailed off.

I sat with Jake for a while watching him interact with Rudie.

“We’ll give it a try,” I told Shanie after around 45 minutes.

So that’s how Jake the Min-Pin made his way to my office.

At first he, indeed, didn’t like me. I don’t know what happened in his previous family, but it wasn’t good.

That first week he lived with us, he got caught up on all his shots. He learned to walk on a leash. Received a few reminder lessons on how to do his “business” outside.

If anyone should have been an emotional wreck, it should have been Jake.

But he wasn’t.

He’s the most appreciative animal I’ve ever met.

I remember the afternoon I sat in my Laze-Boy editing an article. As memories of little Lu flooded my mind, tears began to flow. Before I knew what was happening, Jake leaped in my lap and looked at me. Just watched my face. It felt like he knew what I was feeling.

Then I realized he did. He lost his entire family in one fell swoop, just like I’d lost my dear, dear friend.

Jake understands my grief. Nobody will convince me otherwise.

We bonded that day.

Today he’s gorgeous. His dandruff has disappeared. He’s lost over two pounds. And every morning he prances on those long legs and gives me the greeting of a lifetime.

Yeah. He’s a keeper.

And today I’m very pleased to officially introduce you to my little Jakie. If you dislike dogs, please accept my apologies. If you enjoy animals as much as I do, I have a hunch you’ll appreciate how someone’s unwanted pet can become someone else’s treasure.

To your success,

Beth

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~~~~~~~~~~~~ Feature Article ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Agony and the Ecstasy

By Beth Ann Erickson

I entered the freelance world with visions of lazy afternoons, muse-filled evenings, and productive mornings.

Reality?

A little different. Actually quite different.

Running a successful writing business can take more time than you expect, chew through your muse faster than you can say “novel” and take you places you never expected.

Let me explain.

In case you don’t know, I write advertising copy to finance my “novel writing habit.” It’s a fair trade off with fiction writing satisfying my creative outlet and copywriting providing the income I need to (more than) pay the bills, finance my many travels, and keep Cutie Rudie and Jake the Min Pin in trendy puppy sweaters.

Everything rolls along smooth… usually.

And here’s where I thought of you.

Throughout my decade-plus as a freelancer, I’ve noticed that life as a freelancer isn’t always rose petals and bumble bees.

Every break through piece, every single book release, darn near every success is almost always preceded by some sort of trial and/or tribulation.

Book releases sometimes start wobbly due to an unforeseen technical glitch (this is after testing and retesting every single link). Articles are released in glossy magazines with funky graphics or an odd ad right next to it. Sloppy edits have angered (I wasn’t the editor!) my community contacts and created front page headlines under my byline that made me cringe. You name it, I’ve probably watched it happen to something I’ve written.

But I learn a very valuable lesson every time something like that happens. It gives me an edge when I’m placing my next piece, it helps me guide my clients towards effective publicity, it makes my books stronger because they’re backed with solid real-world experience.

Success (for me) always represents a lot of hard work, a ton of lessons learned, and more research than I ever imagined backing it up that success. Oh, if you knew the hours and tens of thousands of dollars I’ve invested in this crazy career… but it’s all paid off in spades.

So I’m not complaining.

With each lesson learned, I become savvier. It’s even more interesting to note how many writers throw in the towel and give up once the road becomes rocky.

I hope you’re not one of them.

I mention this because I hear a lot from various gurus. Many of them reflect this aura that the peachy-keen life of a writer rolls forward as effortlessly as the mighty Mississippi.

Call it inside information, but I happen to know that everyone who has experienced success as a writer has paid the price through blood, sweat, tears, paying dues, whatever you want to call it.

We’ve all endured bad reviews. We’ve all received nasty e-mails. Every one of us has our ego deflated on a regular basis.

And that’s just fine with me.

That’s because every once in a while, I receive the kind e-mail that lifts my spirits, someone takes the time to thank me for all my hard work. The constant encourager who makes all the difficulties worthwhile.

Writing is an odd profession. We bare our souls to the general public and then await the onslaught to follow… positive or negative. If you haven’t experienced this yet, I have no doubt you will.

I mention this because I want you to prepare yourself. Don’t fall for the hype believing that the writing life is as sweet as strawberry kool-aid. But don’t think it’s bitter either.

We need the bitter to enjoy the sweet. We need challenges to build our character.

Once a writer has matured and experienced life a while, faced life’s challenges in a mature and thoughtful fashion, that’s when their writing blooms into a mighty oak that welds power to change the world.

Or at least a corner of the world.

After all, that’s what this profession is all about, right? We aim to entertain, educate, cultivate differences, embrace harmony, celebrate diversity, anger, brighten, skewer, influence, persuade, sell, inform… you name it.

You hold incredible power within mind. Within your body lies a message that only you can release. You belong to what copywriting superstar John Carlton calls the “Brotherhood of the Pen.”

Discouragement is our prime enemy. Allowing it to create a foothold in our creative life can lead to disastrous results.

It is up to you and you alone to control your emotions and keep your dream vibrant.

The only way to fail is to give up. And what a sorrowful day that would be.

So now it’s time to reflect a bit.

How do you face adversity? How do you celebrate success?

But most importantly, how do you choose to use your incredible gift today

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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.htmlShe’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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Writing Etc.

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