Freelance Writer and Social Worker

10 Writing Goals I want to Meet in 2016

OMG. It seems like just yesterday that I was watching Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade and anticipating a nice afternoon of football. Now we're finished with Christmas and it's almost time to think about those pesky New Year's Resolutions. Maybe I'm masochistic to make them at all, since they often fall by the wayside along about February, but somehow I just can't seem to resist. So, anyway, here they are, the 10 things I want to accomplish as a writer in 2016.

1) Get a New Computer. I'm not saying that my computer is old, virus-ridden, and slow, but the "Original Property of Thomas Edison" welcome message must mean something. Seriously, my technology is so far out of date that I can't even Skype, and my memory is strained to the breaking point with out of date files and pictures I'll never use again. It's time to upgrade.

2) Publish. In this new world of online publishing, "publish or perish" isn't just a phrase for academics anymore. Right now I'm working on two books: one is a book of Halloween/horror stories for lesbians, and the other is a nonfiction compilation of lists for writers. My goal is to publish both of these books by the end of March. Then I'll start on two more.

My Three "Magic" Wishes

 

I've never had the good fortune of coming across a genie's lamp. It's probably just as well. If I did, I can see myself wasting my wishes on the usual crap - fame, fortune, exotic travels, perpetual youth, a gorgeous and intelligent partner...mmm, my mouth is watering. 

But suppose I wanted to use my three wishes to bolster my writing career? What three things would I ask for then? That's a little tougher, but after some thought, I've come up with the following three requests.

1. Skin as tough as rawhide. 

I could be wrong, but I believe at least all writers are at least somewhat sensitive people. We see things in a way others don't, and we use our words to share our unique perceptions. Any time you put yourself so far out there, you risk getting slapped down, and hard.

The ultimate question is how much the slap disables you. I know many writers who brood about rejections and negative reviews for months if not years and many others who can shake it off in the span of a few seconds. 

Me, I still remember phrases from my first rejection letter - and it was a form letter. Needless to say, that kind of tenderness makes it hard to write letters of introduction and pitch publications with ideas.

Therefore, my first wish would be to grow a tougher exterior so I can get out of my own way when it comes to approaching publishers. 

10 Items Writers Should Never Leave Home Without!

Last month I went to a craft fair. While admiring the jewelry at one of the booths, I started talking to another woman and was delighted to hear that she was also a writer. She handed me one of her cards. Red-faced, I dug deep into my purse until I finally came out with a pathetic-looking, dog-eared card of my own. Even though she took it with a smile, I was almost ashamed to give it to her.

Since then, I've visited with my other writer friends about times when they got caught with their literary pants down, and I've--well, we've--put together this list of 10 necessities writers should always have with them.

1. Business cards. There's no excuse for not having a business card, especially when you can make them on your own computer or get them practically free from Vistaprint. While you're buying cards, take time to invest in an inexpensive card holder so that your cards will always be at the tip of your fingers and in mint condition.

2. Brochures. Always try to carry at least two or three business brochures along with you in case you run into a potential client. Like business cards, low-priced brochures are available at Vistaprint.

3. Copies of books you've written. Have you ever lost a sale because you didn't have a copy of your book immediately available? I have, but I'm never going to let it happen to me again. Now I always carry at least two copies of Hospice Tails and Visiting Grandma. If you've written a lot of books, bring along copies of your most popular ones and your newest ones, and if you e-publish exclusively, get some postcards (I won't tell you where) listing the titles and a brief summary of your works.

4. Cell phone. Indulge me on this one. I didn't grow up with cell phones, and I'm all to adept at leaving mine on the charger or under a desk or chair--wherever the cats have batted it. But that's not smart. You can't afford to be cut off from client communications when you leave the home, so make sure to stick it in your purse or briefcase.

10 Creative and Cheap Ways to Market Your Freelance Writing Business

You've heard the old marketing slogan, "You've got to spend money to make money." There's even some truth to that. At the bare minimum, you should have a website and a stack of business cards, and yeah, you'll have to pay for those.

When it comes to calling people's attention to your wonderful freelance writing business, however, you don't have to have a marketing budget like a Fortune 500 company. All you need is a little creativity and a lot of nerve.

Here are some ideas that have helped me.

1. Leave Business Cards Everywhere

Since business cards are pretty cheap, I've gotten into the habit of leaving a few wherever I go. I even stick one into the envelope when I pay a bill.

My best business card strategy, however, was diabolically simple. I went to the business section of the library and slipped one of my cards into every book. I especially focused on topics like "how to write a resume" or "how to write a business letter." Believe it or not, I've netted some business this way.

2. Take Advantage of Social Media

No, I'm not your mom. I'm not going to lecture you on why you should cozy up with Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Google+, etc. My only two comments are that 1) They're free; and 2) Thousands of people use them. 'Nuff said.

7 Secrets of Stellar Customer Service

Winning new clients can be expensive, exhausting, and time-consuming. While writers should never stop their marketing efforts--doing so is a one-way ticket to eating cat food if your regular streams of income run dry--it's always nice to have as many repeat customers as possible.

The best way I know to earn repeat business is to provide five-star customer service. After all, most people won't go through the hassle of finding another provider if they believe they're already getting the best.

What does stellar customer service look like? Here are some ideas.

1. Respond promptly to inquiries. In the electronic age, the old cliche, "You snooze, you lose," has never been more accurate. I've found that if I don't respond within a few hours of receiving an inquiry, my would-be customer has usually already tracked down another provider.

2. Get the facts. Ask your prospect lots of questions to make sure you fully understand the scope of the project as well as your client's expectations. If something seems unclear, don't be embarrassed to keep asking in different ways until you get an answer that makes sense. Most clients won't be in the least annoyed by your questions. They would rather give you a lot of information at the beginning of the project than have to request extensive revisions on down the road.

Don't Waste Time When Work Is Slow

Have you ever noticed that the freelance life is either feast or famine? Sometimes, you're trying frantically to balance 20 clients at once as that vaguely-remembered state of consciousness called sleep becomes a distant memory. Other days, you can't pay someone to give you a gig.

When the slow times come--and they will--don't declare a vacation and party until the work starts trickling in again. Instead, use the time to strengthen and build your business to minimize the financial impact of dry spells in the future.

Here are five ideas to get you started.

1. Market, market, market.

Try cold-calling, warm-calling, email campaigns, direct mail campaigns, and tapping into social media such as Facebook and Twitter. Take out a paid ad through Google or Facebook. Go back to your client list and touch base with the people you haven't heard from in a while--nothing high-pressured, just a short email that asks how they're doing and lets them know that you're still available to take on projects. I've even been reduced to going around town and leaving my business cards and brochures at any business with a community bulletin board.

2. Catch up on the business end of things.

If you've been letting the business end of your freelance career slip, now is a great time to get caught up. Send all those invoices you've been putting off, and follow up with non-paying clients. Now is also a good time to get a simple accounting program and enter your business's expenses and income. Granted, it doesn't really make for a good time, but think how pleased your accountant will be with you.

A Glamorous Day in the Life of a Freelance Writer

Several of my friends have been asking me what my days are like now that I'm self-employed. Except, that's not quite how they put it. They usually ask me how things are now that I no longer have to work. Many are convinced that I'm living a life of luxury and leisure. For anyone who is curious, the following timeline represents a fairly typical day in my life.

Five Items That Belong on Your Daily To-Do List

Last week, I wrote about my fondness for lists. Usually, the material on my lists is ever-changing, depending on which assignments are coming due and which clients have hired me.

There are five items, however, that remain on my list every single day. They should probably be on your list, too.

1. Marketing

Even if you have more work than you can possibly handle, make time every day to market yourself and to market your products. Market in multiple different ways: Networking, cold calling, direct mail, email, participating in forums and, if you can afford it, running advertisements.

Jay Conrad Levinson, Rick Frishman, Michael Larsen, and David Hancock wrote in their book, Guerilla Marketing for Writers: 100 No-Cost and Low-Cost Weapons for Selling Your Work, that writers should market

Marketing Yourself - Learning How to Blow Your Own Horn!

I was raised to be modest and retiring. If something good happened to me, I waited until someone else brought it up before I talked about it. If someone offered me a compliment, my instinct was to downplay it: "Oh, that old essay? I'm glad the editor liked it, but I probably should have shredded it long ago."

I floated along that way through the early years of my writing career, taking whatever the content mills would pay me and occasionally surprising myself by placing pieces with other publications as well.

Then reality, which has a nasty way of hitting people in the face, flew up and bitch-slapped me silly. I realized that I didn't want writing to be my hobby. I wanted it to be my career.

All of a sudden, quiet and modest was out. Marketing myself was in, and boy, did I flounder.

My first efforts at a query letter read something like this: "Dear Editor, I realize I don't have much experience and that this is probably a silly idea, anyway, but would you be the least bit interested in...?" Not surprisingly, the editors I contacted were not the least bit interested.

When Did You Last Update Your Profiles?

Carol Tice recently became my writing mentor. My goal is to work closely with her over the next year and become a fulltime freelancer by the spring. (Just in time for the so-called end of the world. Timing is everything, I guess.)

Anyway, Carol spoke to me on the phone for a two-hour initial session and gave me vast amounts of writing and marketing advice. One question she seemingly just tossed off the cuff really resonated with me: "How long since you've updated your web page and networking profiles?"

I checked. I won't embarrass myself by giving exact dates. Let's just say that for more than a few of them, the second Bush was in office and 9/11 was just a nasty gleam in Osama bin Laden's eye. A lot has changed in my writing career since those days. I have all kinds of new clients and credits, and the work that I listed back then is so dated you can't even find it online anymore.