Sunday, November 30, 2014

Tiny Conversations

I have no motivation today. None. Zero. Zilch. Nada. That means tomorrow will suck for me. I'm not behind. It would just be easier on me tomorrow if I weren't in the mood to procrastinate.

We've played outside. We've colored. We've enjoyed the unusually warm weather. We even learned to say something new.

Tiny offers me his toy...

Me: That's a deer. 

Tiny looks at his toy: Beer?

Me: No, darling. Deer with a D.

Tiny: Deer!

Me: Yes. Not even close to a beer. See what happens when you change one measly letter?

Thursday, November 20, 2014

Freelance Writing Gigs

I have close to 200 emails. I thought I'd take a little time and go through them (finally). If you're new, each email has at least one gig. Most have at least 20 in them. That's a lot of potential. If you want to overwhelm your email, you can pick up a digital copy of Crash Course Freelance Writing through Gumroad. Unfortunately, I simply don't have enough time to post all the potential gigs that pay here on the site.

Academic Writing


  1. Freelance Writer - SimpleTense


Business and Legal Writing


  1. Legal Copywriter
  2. Social Media Writer (on-site) - Market America



Content Writing


  1. Website Content
  2. Content Writer - Fino Consulting
  3. SEO Content Writer - Bisk Education


Ghostwriting


  1. Fiction Ghostwriter


Health Writing


  1. Experienced Health and Wellness Writer


Medical Writing


  1. Senior Medical Writer
  2. Medical Writer - Critical Path, Inc.
  3. First Aid Blog


Professional Blogging


  1. German Blogger: medicine related
  2. NASCAR Blogger
  3. Online College Basketball Blogger
  4. Food Blogger
  5. Jewelry Blogger
  6. Bloggers - TalentZoo
Technical Writing

  1. Technical Writer
  2. Technical Writer - Puppet Labs
Misc.

You're making this far too hard on yourself!

Lately, I've been exposed to a lot of frustration. It's not from my clients. It's not from me. It's from new work from home people...they're frustrated because much like the U2 song...they still haven't found what they're looking for (online)!

So, they come to me complaining about how it's hard or how they can't get started because no one is looking for people in the field that they are interested in doing for work. I ask them about their search terms (and where they are looking).

The response is generally:

"I just ran an Internet search that says 'how to become a (insert job choice here)' and all I got back was pages that wanted to sell me something! I thought you said you don't have to pay to work from home."

Well, you don't pay to work from home as a job as opposed to business. However, you do pay out in your time, your sweat, and maybe even a few tears. Hey, freelancinaint easy.

You are making your search far too hard on yourself. Yes, there are people out there looking to make money selling info products. To some degree, that's okay. I have a book about freelance writing. There's nothing wrong with trying to make money because you know something that others want to know. You can avoid those sites by simplifying your search.

Here are some examples

hiring telecommute (job name)

hiring freelance (job name)

virtual call center

work from home chat agent

Do you see how much easier that is than an entire sentence? Those still aren't fool-proof searches, but you'll avoid most of the things that want money. You'll still find people looking to scam you...so be careful. If it looks to good to be true, it probably is... So, you need to do your research.

Just stop making this harder than it needs to be. We all learn from experience. I did. We all do. Don't make your life harder than it needs to be!

Wednesday, November 19, 2014

Book Review: The Darkest Tool by Gerald Barnes


Recently, I read The Darkest Tool by Gerald Barnes. You can find it here on Amazon. I read it on my Kindle. I left a review, but I wanted to go into more detail (which is difficult to do on a Kindle).

Story Review: This isn't a word-for-word repeat of my review on Amazon, but it's probably close. When you read many of the other reviews on Amazon, you'll notice that some complain about the slow pace of the book. That's simply not true. It's well paced and told in detail by the two main characters. The first main character is a human teenager named Jonathan Night. The second main character is his demon guardian (yes, really - no I really haven't started drinking yet) Arioch.

The story is broken down into "Parts" and it rotates with the characters. There's very little about the story that I didn't enjoy. As a pagan, I was surprised and pleased that the Goddess is written in. Let's face it, it really doesn't make much sense to have a God that's a single parent. I mean...if that were okay, then why would the Christian God need Mary to have Jesus when He made Adam and Eve just fine? Anyway...writing in the Goddess was a nice touch. The only issue I took with it (and it's not that big of a deal - as a writer...I understand that we all write from a certain point of view or what to construct a certain world in the heads of our readers) is that she was essentially unapproachable. From a Wiccan standpoint, that's not true...but I can see why it was written in that fashion and I think it was an excellent decision.

The story is easy to follow and the reader can keep up with the impending psychological break (spoiler alert) of the main character. As a reader, you find yourself filled with compassion and a nagging sense to reach through the book and slap him. Maybe that's just me. I have a 16 year old son and I graduated high school in the 90s. So, I wanted to smack the main character.

You'll also find yourself enamored with Arioch. I absolutely love the way that Barnes wrote about the downfall of one-third of the angels. It was a beautiful story. Honestly, I think that was my favorite part of the whole book. It's descriptive and it's easy to really find yourself witnessing this part of the story.

I will admit that I did get a little confused toward the end of the book. It took me a bit to figure out what was going on (I won't ruin it for you). As a reader, I felt a little frustrated because although we want suspense, we don't want to get frustrated.

Overall, the story was excellent. I would definitely pick up any author written by Gerald Barnes. He now has a fan for life. I've recommended it to many of my friends who love to read.

Writing Style: There were several sentences that were poorly structured. It wasn't enough to detract from the essence of the story, but other writers might find that distracting. Don't let that (or the wayward placement of commas) stop you from reading or finishing this book. You'd really miss out on a spectacular story.

I think some of the confusion toward the end of the book could have been avoided with another round of editing and revision. However if I were Barnes, I would not base the need to revise based off of the opinion of one reader (me). I would only attempt the revision if multiple people complained about feeling overly confused at that point of the book.

Barnes' writing style is clear and highly descriptive. His style makes it easy to get lost in the book. It's a friendly style, but it's also clear that he is a gifted writer.

I hope he does another book. I'd love to read a sequel.

Friday, November 14, 2014

Why Ferguson Should Worry You Regardless of Your Race

Okay, so we all know about the potential implications involving race when we talk or even think about Ferguson. While that is worrisome, there is something even more worrisome that you should be worried about. What you see and what you know about Ferguson is censored by the government.

Did you know that the FAA closed airspace over Ferguson to keep news aircraft out of the area? You probably didn't really think about it until now...did you see any aerial video of Ferguson? So, here you have a government branch not really involved who shut air space due to a request to limit the news coverage. Congratulations, your news is censored. You will only hear and see what the government wants you to hear and see.

Now, while we wait for the grand jury's decision, Ferguson has called in reinforcement officers. Is it truly because they want to make sure things don't get out of hand? You already know that you can't trust your government. Martial law was declared the first time (and it wasn't needed). People had their Constitutional rights violated. People who were standing in a peaceable manner to protest were arrested. Hopefully, the officers from other areas on standby are good and honest people.

Did you know that there is information available that the majority of the people who caused trouble in Ferguson weren't from Ferguson? That's right. The people causing the majority of the problems were from out of town.

You need to be worried about what happened, what is happening, and what will happen in Ferguson regardless of race. Your government won't let you see the entire truth. They are perpetuating stereotypes and fearmongering.

Friday, November 7, 2014

November 7 - Writing Gigs

We've made it to the end of another week. How did it go for you? You know, you can get ready for a brand new year of self employment by investing the time and energy into buying my book and finding writing gigs. You can get it on Amazon or you can get an instant download. It talks about how to set your prices, find clients, and get started. It's easier than you think. Yes, you do have time. You simply need to prioritize your life.

Business and Legal Writing


  1. Marketing Writer - Rocket Fuel Marketing
  2. Business Research Paper Writer
  3. Business Ebook Ghostwriter
  4. Grant Writer - California Ballet Opera


Content Writing


  1. Content Writer - India Active Software Inc.
  2. Web Content Writer
  3. Article Rewriting
  4. Website Content Writer ($20 -30 hr)
  5. Content Writer for Technology Site


Copywriting


  1. Senior Copywriter - Wells Fargo

Fashion and Beauty Writing


Professional Blogging


Technical Writing

  1. Technical Writer - Elite Employee, Ltd.
  2. Technical Writer - Collabera
Miscellaneous Writing

Wednesday, November 5, 2014

"Must be nice. I don't have time."

Few things piss me off faster than when a conversation takes place where someone says they'd love to freelance (it doesn't matter what area, but the last conversation was about writing) and when I get pulled into the conversation...the person says, "It must be nice. I just don't have time to do it."

You've got the same 24 hours per day as I do. You've got the same 24 hours that Bill Gates and other super rich people have. Most of them didn't start off rich. Don't give me the "I don't have time" bullshit. You have probably more time than I do.

There's no such thing as "I don't have time." There is such a thing as fucked up priorities. If you spend your time at work sitting on social media and bullshitting with your friends, then you have no business freelancing anyway...because you'll spend all your time on social media and not work (and then wonder why you got evicted and why you can't make any money).

Next I usually hear about how I don't understand because they have to go home and make dinner and take care of kids and the like. Oh, really? Please...tell me how I don't understand. I worked full time outside of the home and completed two college degrees while being married and taking care of two of my children.

Now I work from the home and my third son has multiple appointments every week because he is special needs. My husband works 12+ hours per day. I do the laundry, the dishes, and most of the other household chores. It isn't because he isn't supportive. He knows I work hard. He's watched me. However, I'd have to do these things if I were single so it doesn't matter if I do them now...and it gives me a nice break from work.

So, you DO have time to learn to be a successful freelancer. What you don't have is the determination and dedication it requires to do it. Don't tell me it must be nice to do what I do...but you don't want to give up your time to do it. You have to start from somewhere. You don't just wake up and suddenly you're a freelancer (okay so maybe some people do - but not most).

It starts with getting your ass off of social media in the evening (or morning) and using that time to set up your profiles and portfolio. You have time - you just don't WANT to do it. You don't want to make sacrifices.

If you're really serious, you'll know I'm right and you'll make adjustments. I started off doing it on the evenings and during the weekends. Now I can work primarily when and where I want. You don't automatically get that luxury. You must WORK for it.

Monday, November 3, 2014

Monday Motivational Series: Turning Around a Bad Monday

It doesn't matter if you work for someone else or if you are self employed, none of us are immune to a bad day. It really doesn't even have to be a Monday. It's just that most of us feel the impending pressure and implosion of time and space...on Mondays.

Here's the good news - you can turn a bad Monday around. These tips work best for those who work from home (because if you have a boss, he or she won't be appreciative of some of them). These are some of the things I do to turn a bad Monday around.

Go back to sleep. When I get up and I can feel that a Monday (or any day) has the potential to be a huge pain in my ass, I go back to sleep. Even a little bit of extra sleep can really help. It reminds me that I am lucky enough (and by lucky I mean I worked my ass off to get to this point) to be able to control my own schedule. Of course, I can't always do this. Sometimes there are deadlines or appointments that must be attended. However, this is something that can help turn a bad Monday around. I can neither confirm nor deny that I sometimes sleep until noon if I am the only one home.

Take a hot bath in the middle of the day. This is great for boosting your mood and gives you something to look forward to. I've been known to label my days pre-bath and and post-bath instead of morning and "the rest of the day." Turn off your phone. Turn on your music. Use a nice soap. Invest in some great lotion. Take some time to relax. You'll end up more productive later.

Find the good in the day. Even when you freelance or work from home, you can and will have a bad day. Your kid doesn't want to eat the breakfast he asked for (my current situation). Clients suddenly decide that their project is somehow so time sensitive that if you don't complete it right this instant that the entire world will be in peril...and Star Lord is busy in another part of the galaxy so all of the pressure is on you. By the way, all of your clients will do that all at once. When your day feels like it is going to shit (and shit is subjective to each person), find the good in it. Sometimes, it's hard and you have to use generic things such as how you are living the dream working from home and providing for your family...and you're not stuck in a cubicle. Other times you can be more specific such as how awesome your clients know you are because they continue to rely on you project after project...and clearly your work will somehow save the world from some sort of certain death.

Take a walk. I walk five days per week. I won't tell you which five because I usually don't know until the days arrive. I might walk today, but most likely won't do it tomorrow because of weather. At first, I felt guilty about walking instead of working. However, I can use that time to decompress and I also use that time to brainstorm and think about current projects.

Eat ice cream any time you want. It doesn't have to be ice cream. Pick your favorite dessert. Eat it for a meal. That always turns a bad day around. It's something to look forward to doing.

Start with an easy project. I am a big proponent of tackling my hardest projects first. I don't like things hanging over my head. Yet, sometimes it takes a while to see any sort of results or feel like I am making any progress. On bad days, I start with the faster and easier things on my to-do list. It makes me feel like I've accomplished something. It helps keep my motivation up and it makes it easy to move forward because I am seeing progress.

Those are the things I do that help turn a bad day around. What are your tips?

Sunday, November 2, 2014

Writing Gigs

Well, the wheel of the year continues to turn. We pagans celebrated the year's end and ushered in the new year. I know that many of you are preparing for 2015. Many of you are dreaming of a new life as a freelance writer instead of spending your time in a cubicle. You can learn how to find your own freelance gigs via this instant download.

Business and Legal Writing


  1. Business Plan
  2. Ghostwrite a Business Book
  3. Ghostwrite Business Blog Articles
  4. Living Wills / Advanced Decisions Pamphlet


Beauty and Fashion Writing


  1. Men's Grooming Writer - The Wirecutter
  2. Beauty Writer - The Wirecutter
  3. Freelance Fashion Writer
  4. Unique Fashion Blog


Content Writing


  1. Web Content Writer (must be in the Philadelphia area. Pay is up to $18 / hr)
  2. Freelance Writer - UrbanBound
  3. Web Content Writer - CRGT
  4. Content Writers in Multiple Areas - TruStory Media
  5. Freelance Latino Celebrity News Writers 
  6. Content for Dog Website
  7. Health and Safety Content Writer
Copywriting


Educational Writing

  1. Science Writer - The Wirecutter

Medical Writing


Professional Blogger

Sports Writing

  1. Yankees Beat Writer - NJ Advance Media

Technical Writing

  1. Technical Writing - Danfoss
  2. PC and PC Accessory Writers - The Wirecutter
Miscellaneous