Articles written by Mysti Guymon-Reutlinger

There is nothing more dreadful to a writer than staring at a blank page on the computer. There is a sense of stage fright that hangs in the shadows, taunting your every attempt to begin writing the grand novel or article that has inspired your soul. The number of words looking to take that blank page to a completed piece scream in your mind as your heart begins to race. You are there, facing the firing squad in your mind. You are a writer. WHY CAN’T YOU WRITE?

First, take a deep breath. It’s only letters placed in such a manner as to form a word. That word will begin the sentence. The sentence will begin the paragraph and the paragraph starts a chapter. Beginning the chapter means you’ve officially begun the work you’ve set your sights upon. Congratulations!

Recently I had the privilege of chatting with a few writer friends online. As the conversation turned to beginnings, I chuckled at how I had begun writing this very piece, though unfinished. I had begun, something one writer was struggling with on her own. I mentioned at that point I was working an article tailored specifically to beginnings – and she couldn’t wait to read it for herself.

Having an idea is only one part to writing. To be a writer you must write.

Beginnings can be quite ugly. Especially if you have ignored that calling to sit down and write for any amount of time. It doesn’t matter what you do to start, what matters is that you’ve placed a word on a page and began expanding upon it to form a sentence; there go, writing.

What is incredible about writing – whether by pen or through typing – is the opportunity to edit that ugly beginning once the middle and end are complete. As a writer, you might produce one brilliant piece in your lifetime. That doesn’t mean that the rest of what you write is garbage. It just means the editor in you has to come out, but not until after you’ve written.

Taking the time to journal or free-write about the subject you desire to write about will help break the silence that sends you into a near anxiety attack. Journaling and free-writing also reduce the stress you feel by the editor that nestles inside. It is only when we are writing an article or a large work of art that the editor likes to cause a disruption.

Next time you are looking to begin an article, short story, or novel; begin first by writing in your journal and transfer that writing to your blank page to reduce your anxiety. After all, it matters not how you begin, but that you do.

Do you ever struggle with the blank page? What do you do to get past the anxiety and begin?

With the new year upon us the fiscal year comes to a close. As a business owner, December and January is where all profits and losses are carefully examined in preparation for taxes in April. The hours of sorting receipts, tracking expenses and riffling though payments leaves misery to hold. If you are a wise one, you’ve kept great records and have a mature filing system for such items. Life sometimes happens and playing catch-up is necessary. Now is the time to begin that process.

While preparing a financial report of your freelancing business, consider this your time to evaluate what has worked, what has brought in successful funds and what has left you pinching pennies. As you track good months and bad, pull out your business plan and see where changes can be made, ensuring you have more good months in 2010. If you haven’t taken the time to write out a business plan, that time is now!

In examining the financial backbone of your business, take note of companies that brought in more financially and the type of work you performed. Pull up your old assignments. Recall the process of that work. Weigh the payment received with the time spent. Was your overall hourly wage in your targeted ballpark? Did you fall short by more than one or two dollars?

While surfing through those details, also pay attention to clients bringing in regular work.

Make a list of those clients and be sure to send a short note, thanking them for the opportunity to work with them, for them and beside them. This is a great opportunity to also bring your name to the front of a client’s mind. In the new year, businesses begin a strong drive to achieve success. Along side a new-found ambition, work loads are increased and freelancers have the exciting chance to make a jump towards their financial goals.

As you look through your clients and the genre’s of work performed, ask yourself if one niche market better serves you than others. Do you have clients that fell short of your hourly rate that you would like to continue working with? If so, ask for more pay per assignment. A pay increase as minuscule as three cents per word could make your financial goals.

Take your time, but act fast! 2009 is already behind us and 2010 offers you more opportunity as an entrepreneur. What are you going to do for yourself and your business in 2010?

Freelancing can be a tough profession. No matter if it is artwork, Web design, or writing, each comes with an ebb and flow to financial security. Even veteran freelancers can have a rough month or two each year. The lifestyle we choose to live can be exciting or discouraging depending on the month. Showing children the passion behind the profession can encourage of love of work and yield unexpected results, if you allow.

Being a full-time parent has been mentally and oftentimes physically exhausting. Knowing that each day will bring challenges and celebrations once made it difficult for me to truly enjoy the freelancing world that is my own. With a little ingenuity (and direction from my oldest son!) we found the opportunity to encourage proper work ethics in my home.

My husband was laid off work in November. Although he was able to draw on unemployment benefits, there was a mass amount of financial stress through our home. It was through a series of events and taking time to truly examine what it is that I want from my life and career that all began unfolding quickly…

I announced to my family,

“I am going to work a FOURTY HOUR work week.“

Dumbfound looks shot across the face of my husband and oldest. That is when my son candidly asked, “How are you going to work Mom? You don’t really have a job.”

Step 1: Explain Your Work

So I sat that dear sweet child down and showed him various projects I had, assignments I needed to write and companies that paid me for my time, experience, and words. After about fifteen minutes, he said, “So you do work.” To my son, yes, I do work…

Step 2: To Work From Home?

And I work from home. I work out of the little room in the basement that has my dry erase boards upon the walls and a desk for my computer. That is my office. While I don’t go to a different building to work, I still work. As much as I would love to just sit at the computer and play games, there are bills that need to be paid – and what I do in that space helps.

Step 3: Answer the question, “Why do you just work in your office?”

And that was difficult. My son is quite a smart lad for five. He sees the world through a much different lens than myself. So I pondered…

It isn’t necessary to work in my office. I can work from the kitchen table or the front porch, weather permitting. And I have. My son has had the opportunity to see me flip from book to website as I research and back into Word as I type, cite, and proof an article. Yes, it took longer to work that way. No, I don’t regret it.

Step 4: Encourage Brainstorming WITH Your Child(ren)

Some might consider that stealing intellectual property of a child, but truly, it’s great! As an adult, we tend to move from the carefree way of thought. A child loves to think. Telling stories about a dinosaur or asking for a story, tailored to a character they love is all brainstorming. It might not be exactly what you are looking for by means of what a client is requesting, but it does add a new sense of unity – even when it is just your name on an article.

TIP: Ask your children to create a character for a story. Spend an hour a day free writing that story for your children. When you have it complete, read it to them.

Step 5: Family Goals

Using effective communication with children that are just beginning to understand your working process is crucial in this step. Sit down, after a good family dinner, and ask what your children would like to do during the year. Let their imaginations run wild. While your daughter might not be able to visit Betsy Ross as she died many years ago, you might be able to afford a trip to a museum where Betsy Ross is showcased. Explain that the time you spend working will help attain that goal as you can set aside $10 a week to pay for that trip.

As your children begin to understand how finances are tied to working, a strong and stable desire to work becomes present. Through our own conversations with our son, we are planning on a couple short trips this year. And for the record, I got a kiss on the cheek this morning and told to enjoy my day working by that same five-year-old who thought I didn’t have a job.

Enjoy your career and lifestyle as a freelancer. Share those joys with the ones closest to you, so they can be encouragement when you find yourself in a freelancing slump.

Moving doesn’t always happen smoothly. Maintaining your writing during one of the most stressful times of your life is challenging. Ideas for articles come in many forms, this one is no different. Fortunately, the idea wasn’t lost because I took the opportunity to jot down a few thoughts before they left indefinitely.

Some of the most stressful times in a person’s life are moving, death, births, divorces, and weddings. All of those events are life altering. It is possible to write during those periods, even if the writing doesn’t produce an article at that exact moment. Recording your ideas becomes a necessary step to include with any major change in your life.

While undergoing any life changing time in your life, keep a notebook and pen with you at all times. The notebook doesn’t have to be fancy or large. A simple flip pad will do – and can fit in the back pocket of your jeans. Along side that notebook, keep a pen or pencil handy to scribble away ideas, thoughts, emotions or bits of conversation. After the words are scribbled, put the notebook away until you need it again.

When life has settled down and routine becomes familiar, you can pull out that same notebook and refer back to the pages. The mind is incredible, once you place words onto the page, you naturally recall the moment and everything associated to it. You will hear voices of dialogue, expressions on faces, emotions within, and, perhaps most importantly, the words played in your mind.

Ah, yes, those words. They are the ones that create the characters of a novel, a poem about the beautiful sky, and the article you’ve promised to write for an editor on the other end of a paycheck. With just a few simple words on a piece of paper, you will be capable of recalling all the information you need to complete that looming assignment or resume the novel that had you stuck.

It is a simple exercise that takes a bit of practice to master. Nurture your Muse by writing down all the words she supplies you. When it comes time to work through a challenging time in your life, your Muse will be kind to you. Chronicle your thoughts and ideas and begin learning how to recall the information she provided when the idea originally popped.

I’ll never go without my notebook and pen. You could say that they saved my tail during my most recent move. How has your notebook and pen saved you? Do you prefer a certain style of notebook or type of pen? What do you love most about your favorite notebook and pen?

It has happened to me hundreds of times.  My schedule is clear, children are occupied, housework is caught up, and suddenly my writing time flops because I don’t know how to start.  Starting is necessary to reach a finished article, short story, poem or novel. In order to write, you must practice writing on a regular basis. Inspiring writing comes with routine, innovation, and determination.

• Writing Bursts

  Ban together with fellow writers and have a writing burst.  Twenty to thirty minutes of free writing will loosen the words – and your fingers – while building the creative juices.

• Musical Melodies

  Playing a music selection during your writing time will help train your body to write during those same melodies.  Music will also create a white noise, blending all the distracting sounds.  A particular music selection can also bring back the inspiration of a particular story if you stop the tract when it becomes necessary to move onto other scheduled items.

• Lists

  Writing out your lists for the day, including to-do’s, shopping, bills, and chores will allow you the opportunity to clear your mind of those tasks and focus on what you have set down to do during your writing time.

• Scheduling

  It is not only important, but vital to a writer’s life to schedule your day around the time you write, not the other way around.  If you are trying to take care of life first and fail to nurture the writer within you, the writer within you will fail to perform when time comes.

• Taking the phone off the hook

  Yes, I absolutely mean that.  The phone can be a major distraction.  Friends and family call when they feel the need to share a funny story or complain about the clerk at the store forgetting to give change.  There is no use in telling anyone to call you x many times in a row if it is an emergency.  There will always be one person who believes the clogged sink is worth interrupting you.  Unless you are a plumber and are able to snake a drain, it is NOT important.

Financial stress can be a motivator; or detrimental to a freelance writer…

Recently, my husband and I refinanced our family car.  We were quite shocked at the difference in interest percents and the payments when all was said and done.  I realized that the stress of a three-hundred dollar payment was huge in how I approached my writing.

In the back of my mind, I thought about all of our bills every time I applied for a gig or wrote an article.  I quickly realized as I looked at our new loan terms that, finally, I had more freedom to truly follow my writing dreams and desires.  I no longer had to be held hostage by the end figure of a project.

If financial stress is bogging you down, consider these options:

• Refinance.

  Know the financial market and look at options that will reduce your overall cost without increasing the length of your term.  Consider non-profit banking options such as Federal Credit Unions.  Credit Unions are tax exempt and can offer you a much lower interest rate than the standard bank.

• Know your debt.

  Create a detailed list of your debts.  By knowing exactly where you stand financially, you will put yourself into a better position to make wise financial choices and eliminate stress.

• Budgeting.

  Look at your complete budget.  Find where you have steady income, moderately stable income and sporadic income.  Focus on replacing the sporadic income with writing jobs that provide much more reliable income opportunities.  (Hot Tip: Don’t forget to ask your editor if they have any additional work you could do!)

• Start small.

  As you examine your debts, find the smallest amounts and pay them off first.  Paying a $25 medical bill and wiping it off your list will reduce your stress.  The smallest bills are the easiest to eliminate and generally won’t put you into a financial bind.

• Build savings.

  If you have $500 – $1000 in savings, the stress of a family emergency, vehicle trouble or unexpected bill won’t increase your stress levels.  There’s a great sense of security when you have a bit of financial padding.

• Bartering.

  Should you find yourself in need of new brakes or an emergency dental procedure, consider bartering or exchanging your services.  Many companies will accept the offer for free advertising in lieu of the work they perform.

Take measures to reduce your debt and financial responsibility.  As you begin seeing debts fall off your list, you will feel a greater creative flow.  Following your writing dreams becomes a bit simpler and the writing process becomes much easier.  You will have freedom to weed through writing opportunities more thoroughly, selecting those that best fit your writing goals and personal desires.  Most of all, you can enjoy new-found reasons to express yourself through words!

Every person has a style of writing that is completely unique.  The education received and language heard while growing up plays an important roll in the structure of sentences and construction of paragraphs.  Knowing your personal style will offer an edge in marketing yourself to the right publications.

Humor

Are you able to turn a serious subject into an easy reading and roll on the floor laughing piece?  Do you find politics the root of all jokes?  If you can answer yes to either of those questions, anthologies or politically geared websites and magazines makes a great starting point!

Sales

Have you noticed a trend in your writing that leaves the reader wanting to know more about the subject?  Are you able to entice a person with a small number of words?  It’s high time to be looking into product descriptions and copy writing!  There are numerous companies in need of your skills.

Descriptions

Do you describe scenery so vivid the mind can see?  Are you quick with flowing analogies and find writing lengthy stories a piece of cake?  Fiction magazines and short story compilations are one way to go.  Shortening your word count considerably while providing an amazing story could be an option too!  Flash fiction is fun and pays decently, too!

Emotional

Are the words you share connected with powerful emotions?  Are you able to describe physical reactions to difficult situations by showing your readers?  (Tom faced the firing squad.  As the blindfold was placed over his eyes, he wiped his hands along side his ragged pants.  Showing nervousness by the sweating palms.)  Looking into life-story websites and columns for a steady income is wise.

Analytical

Do you understand pie charts, graphs, figures and instructions?  Are you up to date in medical or scientific terminology?  Are you able to work through a project step by step and accurately explain how to make it work?  Writing instruction manuals doesn’t typically offer a by line, but the pay as a technical writer is nice.

Conversational

When writing, do you feel as though you are carrying on a conversation with your intended audience?  Are your paragraphs short and concise?  The art of web logging or blogging is right up your alley.  The ability to carry forward with conversational pieces draws in a reader and keeps them hooked.  Some of the popular bloggers maintain this same style of writing.

Know Your Style!

Knowing your style and understanding the types of publications geared towards brand you will help eliminate the guess work of which direction to take.  Eliminating certain genres will help narrow the type of writing gigs to search.  You are left with a solid beginning for your writing career and brand.

Is your writing style a combination of these?  If so, you will probably be one of the many who is able to bridge the gap between different markets and truly persevere with your writing goals!  Now to ask, what is your favorite style of writing to read?

Can you think of other writing styles? In what other markets could each of these styles excel? Which writing style dominates your own writing?

From novice to experienced, writers all need certain items to market themselves more efficiently.  It is a digital age, but there is much more than email and websites to sell yourself and your abilities.  The following items cover some basics when you are out around town.

• Dedicated Phone Line
  • A continuous means to be reached by editors is important.  For new clients as well.  Emails are quick and impersonal.  A phone conversation to clarify one or two facts can mean the difference between an acceptance and a rejection.  When working with new clients, clarifying a bid or story idea makes the difference in continued work or sending out more query letters.
• Business Cards
  • I’ve heard (and read) about writers who feel there is no use in business cards.  I disagree.  The ability to professionally pass on your contact information leaves a better impression than someone who scribbles down a phone number on a piece of paper.  If you feel you won’t use many cards, simply having your name, phone number, website address and position will suffice.  They will also last many years!
• Portfolio
  • As I stated before, it is a digital world, but a physical portfolio can be carried in a small bag or in the car.  It’s quickly accessible and a great reference for anyone interested in your writing.  Going out to lunch with friends or family is a great opportunity to discuss your writing projects.  People in restaurants naturally eavesdrop and their interest is piqued.  Having a quality portfolio to show can lead to more writing gigs.
• References
  • Letters of recommendation are an amazing asset to include with a portfolio both online and off.  Placing them after an article sells you with very little effort.  All you need to do is ask.  Most editors will gladly pass on a letter for your portfolio.

If you are just starting out and question your ability to build a portfolio, take the opportunity to invest in non-paying gigs.  You can build a rapport in the writing market this way.  Pitch a blogger!  If you find that there is a blog that your idea will contribute, send off an email with word count, story idea and ask for a recommendation once the piece is published with credit given.  Include the article and letter in your portfolio.  Keep in mind that most blogs maintain a 300-700 word post count.  If your piece would be much longer, trim it down or break it into multiple posts for a series.

Working through the nervousness of asking is the first step.  You can do it and if you know you can write, you can accomplish anything!

Editor’s Note: If you’re looking for publishing credits consider contributing to Writer’s Round-About. While many of our writers are established professionals we welcome seeing writing through fresh eyes and would love to experience your perspective. Find out more.

Putting the focus back into writing has been fun to write thus far.  If you are just tuning in to this series, be sure to check out Finding Time, Obliterating Distractions, Creating Ideas, and Understanding your Responsibilities.

Today, let’s look at streamlining organization to round out this series.

As a writer and business owner, it is important to maintain accurate records that will assist you during your tax time and beyond.  Through the years, I’ve discovered a few items that are vital to my ability to maintain organization.

• Filing cabinet and folders
• Printer
• Check register
• Dry-erase boards
• 3″ notebook

Keeping information together and readily available will help in many ways outside of tax season.  There are many times throughout your life when financial information becomes necessary including purchasing a car or house.  Knowing that your records are up to date and accurate will speed the loan process along.

As you set up your filing cabinet, you will discover what works best for your business needs.  The standard sections I’ve found include:

• Accounting
  • Finances Incoming
  • Finances Outgoing
  • Invoices
  • Receipts
• Articles
  • Printed copies
  • Contracts
  • Source information
  • Copies of interviews

I’ve also incorporated a business check payment and deposit register with my filing system.  I maintain two registers, one for finances incoming and one for finances outgoing.  Keeping that information separate has not only allowed me to find where my greatest expenses are, but where I make the greatest income.  My tax preparer loves having all of the information already divided, too. The less time she spends preparing my taxes, the less I pay in the end.

A quality printer comes in handy when printing articles.  Every article I sell is printed in duplicate.  One copy goes into a file folder and the second goes into my portfolio.  In this digital age, I’ve still needed to carry a physical portfolio for on-site interviews.  I utilize a 3″ binder, decorated to match my personality, with sheet protectors for each article and include when and where the piece was published.  I maintain the rule to only keep current pieces, those written and published within the last two years, available.  Just as we grow as individuals with each passing year, our writing also improves.  Showcasing the best of the best only seems logical.

The most important item I utilize for my organization are dry-erase boards.  I maintain a calendar of the month as well as two larger boards.  On the calendar, I keep track of all appointments my family has scheduled and include interviews I have.  Combining the two ensures that I won’t 1. overbook my time and 2. don’t forget key events.  I reference my dry-erase calendar multiple times a day when scheduling.

On my larger dry-erase boards, I keep one for deadlines.  Listed by date is the projected title, word count, and editor’s information.  One the second board, I use it to maintain blog ideas for the various blogs I write.  While the two intersect at some points, forgetting a great idea becomes a null point when using the two boards in conjunction.

Looking outside the box for organization offers incredible ways to maximize space and save time.  Once you have an organization system streamlined, cutting the time you spend maintaining your records occurs naturally and offers more time to FOCUS on writing.

What systems have you found to streamline your organization?

To refresh, we’ve discussed Finding Time, Obliterating Distractions and Creating Ideas thus far in F-O-C-U-S on Writing.  In this segment, we discuss understanding your responsibilities as a writer.

While we would all love to just sit down and write what we love and be paid, there is more that goes into running a business as a writer.  All the muck boils down to responsibility. As with any business, there are key factors in determining one’s success.  For writers, verifying facts, marketing, continuing eduction and continued follow-up are not only necessary, they’re vital!

I sent off a 2000 word article to a regional parenting magazine, utilizing quotes from a therapist throughout.  Once I completed the article, I emailed it to the therapist I quoted for her to double check the information she provided, assuring that the statements were not only correct, but maintained proper context in the piece.  Through conversations with the editor, she needed necessary information to ensure that the information was factual.  Without hesitating, I was able to offer up the therapists name, email address and a copy of our conversation that was held via yahoo messenger.  That information and the editor’s ability to double check the information quoted made the difference between a paycheck and the article being cast aside.

For all writers who utilize quotes in pieces they create, maintaining accurate and updated information on facts and their sources is necessary.  If you resell a piece to a different magazine, the editor might take you at your word, but there will always be the ones who need to verify information prior to running the piece.  With every article that has sources cited, either through research or interview, keep a separate folder with email address, phone number, physical address as well as copies of electronic communication.  Down the road, there won’t be any problems offering that same information to another editor should you resell.

In the age of web 2.0, marketing is around everywhere you surf.  Marketing yourself as a guest or collaborative blogger, partaking in various social networking sites such as facebook, twitter, plurk and maintaining an interactive website of your own are all elements of web 2.0.  For every writer, establishing yourself and offering not only links to work you’ve done, but sharing information about who you are is a fabulous way to receive recognition.  The question many ask when considering personal information on the Internet is, “How much is too much?”  Every person has their own views and that is up to your digression.

Continuing your education as a writer doesn’t necessarily mean spending many hours at the local college taking courses.  If you have the time to take a refresher course on grammar, go for it.  Outside of collegiate courses, reading books, going to seminars and researching various aspects associated with writing all add to your ability to write more effectively.  Writing effectively and efficiently is one responsibility no writer should veer from.

Continued follow-up with agents, publishers, editors and fellow writers is another responsibility we mustn’t forget.  As we all know, life can become crazy.  It’s no different for people who hold high positions in the writing field.  If you’ve mailed off a manuscript to an agent per their request or an article to an editor and haven’t heard from them in a while, it’s a good idea to sent a card, letter or make a phone call to touch base.  Knowing where key people stand in correlation to your work will help you to receive a continued stream of income.

What other responsibilities do you find in your day to day work as a writer?

Coming up is the final installment of F-O-C-U-S on Writing, Streamline Organization.