Need Motivation? Got Some Right Here

Sometimes it's hard for writers to stay motivated with their work. It's not that they don't love writing, it's more that sometimes . . . it's just tough to keep your spirits up in a profession where you don't always hear the word "yes" to every proposal you make or query you send out.

So I thought I'd offer a couple of motivational resources. First (and especially for you fiction writers), some words of wisdom from F. Scott Fitzgerald. (And thanks to Allison Boyer for providing this on her blog.)

Also, as writers (of whatever sort) we are all entrepreneurs. We run our own writing businesses and, as such, can benefit from this perspective on our work:



(via Chloregy)

As a writer, you have the power to communicate effectively. How can you use it to change the world?

And while we're talking about possibilities, what goals have you established lately? Are you pursuing the right ones? The ones intended to get you where you really want to be? If not, why not?

Don't get tunnel vision or limit your options. Think about what's possible and go for it. What have you got to lose? If you don't try, you'll never know where your "crazy idea" might have taken you.

Finally, on the subject of entrepreneurship, Generation-Y Startup recommends these seven blogs as daily reading. (I'm partial to Penelope Trunk's Brazen Careerist, so you don't have to be Gen-Y to appreciate these. :))

Quotation for the Week of July 26

"Speak when you are angry--and you will make the best speech you'll ever regret."
-- Laurence J. Peter

Mid-List Authors Should Be Targeting Target

This bit of news about Target's book club and the way it's helping some lesser-known authors to sell their books has definitely provoked my interest.

Target "can sell hundreds of thousands of copies of a book that is virtually unknown in the rest of the marketplace," according to Jacqueline Updike, director of adult sales at Random House. That's quite a statement.

The article goes on to say that by "assembling a collection of books by unheralded authors, Target behaves more like an independent bookstore than like a mere retailer of mainstream must-haves." And mid-list authors love indie bookstores for that reason.

And all the books are shelved face out. Sweet.

Now, admittedly, I see nothing in the article to suggest that it will be any easier for self-published authors (or authors like myself who simply have used POD to get their old work back in print) to get their books placed on Target's shelves. The only publisher with a book at Target to be specifically mentioned is St. Martin's--not a small press, not by a mile.

Nonetheless, my philosophy is that it never hurts to ask. So I'd advise any authors trying to promote their books, get in touch with someone about Target's book club.

You have nothing to lose, right?

Quotation for the Week of July 19

"Everybody lies, but it doesn't matter because nobody listens."
-- Nick Diamos

July Promotions--Free Downloads and 10% Off on Print Copies of IDENTITY CRISIS

Smashwords is offering a big promotion this month. My mystery novel, IDENTITY CRISIS, is available as a free download until July 31. Just click on this link and follow instructions to get the discount.

In IDENTITY CRISIS, a simple domestic abuse case turns deadly when the alleged abuser is killed and Stephanie Ann “Sam” McRae’s client disappears. When a friend asks Sam to find Melanie Hayes, the Maryland attorney is drawn into a complex case of murder and identity theft that has her running from the Mob, breaking into a strip club and forming a shaky alliance with a private investigator to discover the truth.

The book has received some great Amazon reader reviews.

So, check it out while you can–hey, it’s free, right?

Plus--

Turns out, if print books are your thing, Lulu is having a July promotion. If you buy my book, IDENTITY CRISIS, before the month’s end at http://www.lulu.com/content/3923913, just enter the code ‘JULYCONTEST10’ at checkout. You’ll get 10% off your purchase.

So, if you’re looking for a good summer read, consider buying IDENTITY CRISIS. It’s fast-paced, entertaining and reasonably priced at 10 percent off, no less.

But act fast--these specials only last until July 31.

My Novel is Back in Print!

I've been holding off on the announcement a bit. I was going to wait until the book became available through Amazon and other online retailers.

But I simply can't wait the almost two months that may take. So this is my official announcement on this blog: IDENTITY CRISIS is back in print again. (At last!)

You can order it from the publisher, Lulu.com. And eventually, it'll become available through other retailers. But possibly not until early September. That's why I had to post this now. (I couldn't possibly keep my mouth shut about this until September, could I?)

Quotation for the Week of July 12

"I phoned my dad to tell him I had stopped smoking. He called me a quitter."
-- Steven Pearl

Freelancing Myths

I thought this was an interesting article by Alyssa Gregory, owner of virtual assistance firm avertua, LLC, concerning myths about freelancing. There are some on here I've heard before and some I'd never thought about. And I thought I'd add a few more to the list.

Myth--Freelancers can do whatever work they like. Well, you can, but . . . there's a qualification that needs to made here. You need to make sure there's a market for the service you want to provide. You also need to do whatever's necessary to reach that market, whether it's networking, cold calling, social media, sending queries, etc. Plus you need some basis for claiming you, in particular, would be good at the work. What value do you provide? How does your background and experience lend itself to providing that value? These are all important considerations in choosing the work you do.

Myth--All freelancers work in pajamas. Casual clothes, yes. But pajamas--absolutely not. Some freelancers may work in PJs, but not this one (and I don't think I'm the only one). I feel like I'm not really ready to work, unless I've taken a shower and dressed in real clothes I could wear on the street. I think it helps, in a psychological sense, to get ready for your day and dress for it--even if your "dress code" doesn't require pantyhose, heels, a suit or a tie. Besides, you never know what might come up that could require you to leave the house.

Myth--Freelancers have to work all the time. Not true. If you plan ahead and set a schedule for yourself, then do your best to keep to it, you can get work done without working all the time. You shouldn't have to kill yourself to make a living. This is also a function of the rate you charge and the type of assignments you're willing to accept. Bottom line: don't sell yourself short and treat your work like any other business. And if extra hours are unavoidable (and sometimes they are--owning a business can require some OT now and then), be sure to pencil some time in for yourself, keeping in mind the old saying: Work expands to fill the time allotted. Set goals for getting your work done and hold yourself to them the best you can.

Myth--Freelancers can't afford to turn away any work. So not true. Sometimes it's in your best interest to turn down work. Why? The pay offered may be so low it isn't worth your while. You could use the time you spend on a crummy project seeking something much better. (That's a frustrating feeling. Take it from one who's been there.) Another reason: it might not be work suited to your skills. What better time than that to refer the work to a fellow freelancer. By doing so, you'll be doing yourself, your freelancing peer and the client a favor. And possibly get a referral in return. (Good freelancer karma is a thing to be desired.) Finally, you may already be overloaded with projects. Knowing how much new work you can take on without sacrificing the quality service you give to existing clients is essential. And, again, referring the client can work to everyone's advantage.

Myth--Freelancers never have to leave the house. Even in a time when we do so much online marketing, using social media and other online resources to reach our target markets, not to mention using email to communicate and the Internet to do research, there comes a time when even the most housebound freelancer will want to get out and about. Whether it's to attend a conference or a networking event, freelancers can get more marketing mileage from meeting people face-to-face. Joining organizations, giving talks to local groups, volunteering, meeting someone for coffee--these are all ways freelancers can make contacts and generate business by leaving the house.

Another for instance: you're writing an article. Say it's a profile of a local business person. You could handle it by phone, but if you're doing an in-depth piece, you'll probably want to go to their workplace and see them in their element. Get an up-close sense of what they're like. See how they treat others (and vice versa). Freelancers can do a lot of work from home--but even if we're working for clients that are far from us, sometimes the information we need is not online or even a phone call away. (I know--I worked on several projects for a client two time zones behind me and much of the research for them had to be done on-site at the Library of Congress.)

Myth--Freelancers get to watch TV all day. Okay, read the article I linked with, then read what I've added. Do you really think I spend all day watching television?

Quotation for the Week of July 5

"There's no present. There's only the immediate future and the recent past."
-- George Carlin

The Trouble With Twitter

I'll start off with a post I found regarding Twitter's misuse as a marketing tool--the tendency of too many people to tweet, "Look at me! Look at me!" They're not showing the value of what they can do for others. They're using it to spam and hard sell people, when Twitter's all about soft sell, making connections, relationship building AND increasing exposure.

This is a good point, but I think Twitter has a few more problems than that.

Basically, you could say that Twitter is like the biggest party or networking event in the world. And, as such, it can be awesome. But it's also like the biggest water cooler session or the biggest rumor mill in the world. And, as such, it can be really horrible in various ways.

Although people look to Twitter for resources, news and information, it's clear that a lot of what's being tweeted is just plain wrong.

Meanwhile, the Associated Press ran an article with the following bombastic headline: "Is Twitter the news outlet for the 21st century?" (Oh, God, I hope not.)

Even this article acknowledges that while people can tweet news much faster and in a more interactive way than traditional media, it doesn't mean Twitter users are good reporters. They may be lousy observers. They may have an agenda. They may not know the whole story. They may be making stuff up. They may be passing along unsubstantiated hearsay. (Was it Mark Twain that said a lie goes halfway around the world before the truth can pull its boots on? Now lies circle the globe many times at the speed of Twitter before the truth even thinks about putting on footwear.)

Or they may just exercise bad judgment, like this novelist who really should have taken a deep breath and counted to 10 (or maybe 100) before she trashed a reviewer on Twitter. It's way too easy to rip people a new one online these days.

So, please, people--think before you tweet. And don't believe everything you read. On or offline.