PRESS THIS TO BE A MORE PROLIFIC, PRODUCTIVE, PROFITABLE WRITER

I DISCOVERED AN EASY METHOD TO IMPROVE PRODUCTIVITY AND INCREASE PROFITABILITY. I'M ALSO WRITING BETTER THAN EVER. HERE I WILL SHARE MY SECRET NOW.

Press THIS to Be a More Prolific, Productive, Profitable Writer

By Kel Amstutz
Wednesday, March 04, 2020

The practice of writing for most of us falls somewhere between an art and a business...


You want to make it a living, but you don't want to restrict your creativity.


You want fascinating projects and big fees, but you don't want too many rules.


And you want freedom to take long vacations on a whim, but you don't want to to work like a maniac for days beforehand.


It seems like an unsolvable problem, right. Wrong. I found an unlikely way to balance all of it.  And to be honest, it has made me a much happier, calmer, more productive and richer writer.


It will probably have the same effects on you.

What's the SOLUTION I found? 

Time tracking.

OK... OK, hold on a minute.

I can see that frown on your face.

Let me reassure you that time tracking is NOT the same thing as TIME MANAGEMENT.

I'm NOT going to tell you

• HOW to plan your day, or 
• WHAT productivity tips are BEST... or 
• WHICH habits you should adopt from prolific authors of the past.

It's NOT part of a gimmick, or a subscription, or a group effort.


And you DON'T have to be organized or skilled in the arena of record-keeping. (I am not either of these things!)


Yet, time tracking can BOOST your writing productivity by impressive leaps, help you earn more, and even make you feel better about your career as a writer.


Time tracking is really quite simple:

• When you sit down to write, or to research a project, or even to read and answer emails related to a project you are working on.... just press a button to start tracking your time.  
• When you are finished, press a button to stop it.  
• At the end of the day, or week. or month, you can look at the results and see how much time you've spent on that particular project, item or thing. 

Let me stop a moment and toss in a quick DISCLAIMER here - this has NOTHING to do with billing for your time.  Hopefully you've heard the common advice to NOT BILL for time spend on a project. Because in the LONG RUN, billing on a per-hour basis won't help you GROW YOUR INCOME and you'll do MORE WORK for less money.

Case in point: When I first started my life as a writer, I landed a client who needed 10 blog posts every week on a variety of different topics, at around a thousands words each.

At first, it took me two-and-a-half hours to even produce one single article.

But but the end of a month, and with hours' of practice in writing for this client, I averaged closer to 45 minutes per piece with research included.  Fortunately, I billed on a per-posting basis instead of breaking it up into an hourly rate.

This is why time tracking is SOLELY for your own information... and productivity. 

Because Ambiguity Kills Ambition

It's rare that you would ever NEED to track your writing time for anyone else... but with that said, you should ALWAYS track your writing time - but do it for YOURSELF!

This is because seeing how you really spend your time will either energize you to CONTINUE or motivate you to CHANGE.

The catalyst here is the death of ambiguity.  Nothing kills a creative career faster than too much ambiguity, where you're not 100% completely sure what to write or how to write it or how long it'll take you or even where to begin.

Copywriting legend, Gene Schwartz, the genius behind breakthrough advertising copy, had a habit of "tracking" his time. Whenever he would sit down to write, he would punch in 33:33 on a kitchen time and hit the start button. He would force himself to sit there, at this desk for 33 minutes and 33 seconds and just write. I use this advice in my own writing.

In times when I am drawing a blank, this forces me to sit there, for that set amount of time, inevitably finding the words to write something.

You see, that's the thing about TRACKING YOUR TIME. You can KICK ambiguity to the CURB!

Along with eliminating ambiguity, FOUR THINGS will happen when you start time tracking your writing: 

• You will start to see patterns in your natural productivity. Some call this your "magic-time" - or the times of day when you are MOST PRODUCTIVE.

For example, time tracking helped me realize that I am a productive person 55 minutes out of every hour if I write after 10:00 a.m.  But, if I write after 7:00 p.m., I'm productive for 35 minutes out of every hour (usually because I spend the other 25 minutes looking (or thinking) about having a yummy snack).

•  You'll gain confidence. 

Imagine the elation when you pound out copy on a project that would normally take you two hours, but you round the finish line at one hour and 10 minutes. (Just remember, you're not competing against anyone else, so do yourself a favor and be honest about your time.)

• It'll bring you more money. 

Before I started time tracking, I would fiddle over projects and wonder how long it would take me. But, once I started tracking my actual time spent writing, I could connect money to time.  So whereas, a $2,000 project felt like it would take a week to finish... the actual writing time was only a total of eight hours.  Meaning, I could finish it comfortably in two days, or one long day, which meant I could accept another $2,000 project, provided I had at least eight hours free in the coming week.  It's remarkable what you can see when you subtract your distractions.

• It can make you healthier. 

You've seen the articles about the hazards of sitting for too long.  Use your time tracker to record how long you sit during a single writing session, or how long you stand if you have a standing option.  I try to stand for a total of two hours each day, and to save myself from having one more thing to think about, I just track it with the rest of my time.

How to Time Track with Purpose

Do a quick Google search for "free time tracking software" and you will see dozens of options.  Click on a few of them and give them a once over.  Does it look intuitive? Easy? Straightforward?  Pick the one that speaks to you.  I use a free version of Toggl.com, but I have seen, and even used a few others out there that are just as reliable.



Just remember, you are not looking for a new software that you would need a manual to use. You just want something that is easy, something you can click to start, click to stop, make some quick adjustments on, and add specifics to.

To check your time efficiency for each of the projects you are working on, simply track the time it takes you to complete the project. You can break it down into research or conference calls related to the project, but I am not a huge fan of keeping it easy.  In other words, put all of that together to figure your total time on the project.

If you work on a monthly retainer for any of your clients and do multiple projects within that retainer, you can still time track on a per-project basis. But again - to make it easy on yourself, add a client tag to each of your project time entries.  Most setups will allow you to tag a client when you enter the name of a project you want to time track.  That way, you can see how much TOTAL WORK you're doing for that client each month, as well as how long it takes you to complete individual projects.

Automate the Habit

Your goal is simply to make better use of your time. When you start to really see how you are spending your writing hours, it begins to eliminate that paradoxical, stressful feeling that you have too much to do and that you never get anything finished.

Try to make it as easy as possible to keep up with this practice and it will become a habit.  Since I handle my time tracking online, all I have to do is click my browser window and a tab with Toggl automatically opens up.  And once you've made it a habit, you will see how quickly your writing career will accelerate!



I want to ask you, do you have any of your own productivity secrets that you can share or time tracking software that you might prefer? 

Please post in the comments below!

USING LOCAL LIBRARIES TO BUILD YOUR ONLINE BUSINESS

Discover Four Ways to Use Your Local Library to Support and Grow Your Online Business. This Old-School Resource Offers a lot of Modern-Day Unexpected Benefits!

Using Local Libraries to Build Your Online Business

By: Kel Amstutz  

March 02, 2020

You are probably overlooking this card in YOUR wallet. No, I'm not taking about that fancy credit card that gives you money BACK each month when you use it. This card is so much more valuable. And, it's a vital asset for building your freelance web-writing business.

The card I'm talking about is the local library membership card that you probably signed when you were in grade school.  Local libraries are still alive and kicking, even flourishing in many cases... despite many people writing them off as irrelevant.

Yes... they're as relevant as ever.  Maybe more so.

As a web writer, we thrive on words. They're our hobby, our living... our passion.  And, what better institution to help hone our skills than the venerable repository of so many great words, past and present.

Truth be told, I've been a card-carrying member of my local library since I was in Kindergarten. It's been exciting to watch its evolution as it strives to keep up with the times. The Oregon Public Library has expanded its offering - and its edifice - to keep up the pace and remain viable in this digital world in which we live and work.


The public library can be a great boon to your freelance business.  Many freelancers forget that a library can be a valuable business-building tool.

I'd like to take you on a virtual tour of my local library and what it offers the freelance web writer. If your library doesn't offer some of these options, take notes and see if they might add them.

They'll be sure to appreciate the interest you show, and I'm sure they'll try to help where they can.

The first suggestion, however, may surprise you.

A fortress of solitude.

I know, I know... you are probably thinking... like Superman?  Why, yes. He had a fortress of solitude.

It was a place where he could go relax, gather his thoughts. Sometimes, he just needed to get away from it all and spend a little "me" time.

The same goes for the freelance web writer.

I have an area within my home that holds my office. It's a nice area, fitting my business needs.  I decorated this area with things that make me happy, make me feel at ease.

But, sometimes I still just need to get away, to collect my thoughts, to give creativity a chance to strike.  And sometimes, I just need a change of scenery!

I've written in restaurants over breakfast. I even wrote an article in my car while I was waiting for an appointment.

Almost everywhere you go nowadays, Wi-Fi is readily available.  These days, I don't recommend restaurants for their food... it's the internet connection that inspires my praise and adoration.

But, then there are times when I need to get away from the responsibilities of daily life. To remove myself from the equation of the busy surroundings of people having conversations or dishes clanking in the background.

 

So, it's off to the library I go. Surrounded by books and magazines... and words, I find inspiration just sitting there in the quietness. And, of course, they also have great Wi-Fi.

Our library has a lot of windows. Sometimes I'll sit quietly, laptop at the ready, gazing down out at the street and the trees around the building. Watching the silent activity all around, and suddenly, inspiration hits me.

And off I go... writing like a madwoman!

But, wait... there's more.

The digital face of evolutionary libraries... or I suppose I can say, revolutionary libraries.

To stay in hip with the ever changing technology, our library has a digital wing. I can access various sections of the library from the comfort of my home office.

Or anywhere I have internet access... like on my phone sitting in my car waiting for my appointment.

Of course, digital magazines and eBooks are standard offerings in most online libraries. And, the selections offered might surprise you.

Business-building books abound, both traditional and, well, not so traditional. I've read books from business guru Seth Godin through our library's digital services.

And yes, they do come with a two-week checkout time limit. But, you can check them out multiple times.

In our online business reference section, you'll find:

• Business ProQuest, for real world business research
• Investment data from Morningstar
• Reference USA, my personal favorite, where you find a database and guide to local and not so local cities, towns, and businesses.

Both online and offline access to magazines and other periodicals means you can do QUALITY RESEARCH, even if you don't have a subscription to them.

Online classrooms, open 24-7.

Our library hosts various kinds of offline workshops on a wide range of topics. Everything from basket weaving to writing a novel.

Free access to many tutorials from Lynda.com, a trusted learning resource that's been around for some time.

To gain entry, you log into their site through a portal on the library's website. All you need is a library card number, you PIN... and a willingness to learn!

In fact, that's how you access a lot of the digital content from the library. It's quick, convenient and handy.  And through collaborations and joint agreements, the world wide web of information and learning keeps expanding.

I almost forgot one of the MOST IMPORTANT freelance-writing resources of all.

Books. Physical, paper-and-ink books.

Not just books on business or copywriting or marketing.

Nope. Works of fiction and nonfiction from authors, both past and present. If you want to write "good"... read good books. Or is that, write "well"?

Either way, there's no better tutor for spinning words than books that have already been spun.

I was reminded of this when working through my AWAI course, reading about A-list copywriter, Bob Bly, who stated his preference for books, movies and music. I thought about this and my preference for books right now seems to stem from copywriting, business building and marketing.  Bob Bly was quoted saying:

"You really need to read books on other topics. You need some history, some biography, and even some good fiction. Your writing, even you copywriting, will improve immensely."

Great advice from one of the best in Copywriting.

A final word on libraries...

I hope you've seen that a local library offers MANY resources to help you build your freelance business. Many are ramping up their services to keep pace and remain relevant.

But, some of you might be thinking, "Kel, there isn't a library near me. At least not one that offers these programs and services."

I get that. Research the opportunities local libraries in your state might offer. You may find out there's some resources that you can take advantage of, like access to their online resources for a small, annual registration fee.

I will close with this...

Research the opportunities your local library offers for building your business. You may find there's more out there than you ever thought available.

I wish you all the VERY BEST of web-writing success!!!