10 RESOURCES YOU CAN USE TO BECOME A BETTER WRITER IN 2020

TO HELP YOU GET OFF TO A GREAT START IN 2020, HERE ARE 10 RESOURCES TO HELP YOU BECOME A BETTER WRITER... FAST.  YOU'LL BE MORE ORGANIZED AND A FASTER WRITER.

10 Resources You Can Use to Becomes a Better Writer in 2020

by: Kel Amstutz
Monday, March 9, 2020

Hi all. Can you believe it's the second week of March already?  Spring is just around the corner, which means it is time to get all your ducks in a row and make good things happen!

And, to help you with that, I have gathered together some of my personal favorite tools (and tools that were recommended to me by other writers, just like you) to help you be at your very best this year.  At least when it comes to writing!  

 

Coming Up with Great Ideas

Whether you're writing sales copy or tackling some major content-marketing campaigns, coming up with the right idea at the right time is powerful stuff.

As a writer, words are your tool of choice, but ideas - and the ability to express those ideas well - well, that's your real currency.  You need to be certain you have a never-ending source of great ideas.

I recently worked on an article on how you can find unique and strong ideas based on your own life experiences.  But, some days... well, on some days you just need a little push.  Here are two places you can go for that little push.. 

1. BuzzSumo

BuzzSumo is a pretty awesome subscription tool.  It's not a cheap one, coming with a $99 monthly investment. But, if you are a content marketer or a social media expert, it is one that you really should consider investing in. 

BuzzSumo is a valuable ever flowing spring of fresh ideas.  But, not just old ideas. Ideas people are actively showing an interest in already. 

For example, it shows you the trending content, industry influencers, and what is being shared on any topic you could care to share on, what is being shared from specific domains, and who is linking content.  Like I said... you would be very smart in investing in this valuable tool.

You can do a couple of content searches a day on BuzzSumo without subscribing, too.  And, you can even test drive it for 14 days without parting with your credit card info.  Give it a spin and see what you think!

2. Quora

Quora is a question-and-answer social media network or "A place to share knowledge and better understand the world".  Quora is a great place to start your search for ideas. 

You can do a search on your topic of interest and see what real people are asking about it.  That's like... content GOLD!

Or, you can ask your own questions and see what people have to say in response. This allows you the access to even more great content ideas at your fingertips. 

Capturing and Recalling Your Ideas

Generating ideas is only the first step.

Having all of those great ideas is useless if you forget them... or worse, can't find them later, when you need them.  You need to have a system in pace for capturing your ideas and then recalling them when you want to use them. 

1. Evernote

Evernote is probably a favorite tool out there for idea capture. 

With Evernote, you create topical notebooks. Then you add individual notes within each notebook. You can type your notes in... copy and paste, what ever works for you.  You can clip articles and images directly from the Web. You can upload files from your computer. You can even scan images in. You can access it from your smart phone, too, which makes recording ideas on-the-go a snap.

And, it's all searchable, which makes finding those ideas quicker and easier!

Evernote offers both paid and free options, so give the free version a try first and see what you think!

2. The Idea Journal

All right, before you start searching this one out... I need to share that this is not a fancy app or a computer program. Nope. It is just a good old-fashioned journal. 

I am journal obsessed. (Seriously, ask my husband... I have tons of journals all over our room!) I love journals because where else can you capture ideas? It's a great tool when the thought is right there and you need to get it out.  The downside comes when you are looking for that great idea you jotted down and you have to leaf through a lot of material.  If you've acquired multiple journals over the years (yes... I'm referring to myself) this process of finding that golden nugget of info can be time-consuming and quite cumbersome... and to be frank... FRUSTRATING! (yes... again, I am speaking from experience) 

But, there is a way to solve that problem. 

• First, dedicate a journal to capturing ideas. NOTHING else goes in that journal except for ideas you may use in the future. 

• Second, only capture one idea per page. 

• Third, on the back page of the journal, list the topics most of your ideas fall under, one topic per line. This is your index.

• Fourth, when you write down an idea, at the end of the page, black out the line that corresponds to the matching topic in your index. 

See... Problem solved. Now you will be able to find your ideas by topic at a quick glance, using your handy index.  It's a fun trick that makes that journal much more useful.

A Simple Trick to Write Faster

When you're a writer, being able to write faster results in a huge increase in your overall productivity. Finding ways to either type faster or move more quickly into (and stay in) the flow of your writing will result in getting more done. 

1. Typing.com

If you become a faster typist, you will become a faster writer almost automatically. That's because your thoughts move much faster than you fingers can. (I know it doesn't always feel like it, but trust me on this one.  It's true!)  By becoming a faster typist, your hands just catch up with your brain... or at least they gain on it a little. 

Typing.com is a website where you can practice by taking free tests to measure how fast you type now, and then you can work on improving your typing skills by playing a variety of typing games. 

How much of a difference can this make?

Well, if you type 50 words per minute right now, you can potentially write a 1,000-word article in 20 minutes, given you don't have to pause at all for thinking time.  Increase your typing speed to 70 words per minute, and that same article will now take you about 15 minutes to write.

You would be saving five whole minutes. I know it doesn't seem like much. Except, if you're saving five minutes out of EVERY hour, you're gaining a half hour to 40 minutes back in your day.  I don't know about you, but I can do a lot with an extra half hour!

2. Write or Die

 With a better typing speed being one way to become a faster writer, another way is to stop editing as you go. When you edit as you are writing, you're constantly switching between your right and your left brain... and you never really get into the flow of your writing.  You never really achieve that magical headspace where you thoughts organize effortlessly, the words come without coaxing, and, well, life is beautiful. 

So, it's worthwhile to train yourself to write when you're writing and to edit when you're editing... and not to attempt to do both simultaneously. 

And for this kind of training, I can not think of a better tool than WRITE OR DIE. 

Yes, it has an ominous name. That's because, if you don't keep writing, you'll suffer consequences.  You get to choose the consequences... anything from annoying music to creepy spiders crawling across your screen to a monster that eats all your vowels. (Yes, he "disemvowels" your words.)

Does it sound a little uncomfortable?  It is. But, it's also very effective.  If you want to get better about sticking to writing when you're supposed to be writing, this is the tool to train you to do just that. 

Working on the Right Thing

I've already established that, as a writer, you have a lot of great ideas.  You are also likely to have a lot of projects going on. Things you need to complete for your clients. Writing you need to do for your business needs.  Side projects that you would really like to wrap up.  And, a good organizational tool is hands down essential when you have a lot going on... 

1. Trello

When it comes to easy-to-use organizational tools, Trello is one of the best.

Through Trello, you create project cards and assign them to columns.  The traditional columns are "To Do," "In Progress," and "Complete."  But you can customize and the options are endless!  This structure gives you a nice visual overlay of what's coming up, what's currently going on, and what you have accomplished. You can even set due dates and categories and don't even get me started on the awesome background options you can choose from to really personalize your board!

You can create custom columns to fit the needs of specific projects.

You can organize your columns and cards by your boards. So, you might have a board for each of your clients, a board for your business, and a board for your Money-Making Website.

When you click into a board, you can quickly see what you need to do, what you're currently working on, and what you've already completed just by looking at the cards.

Within a card, you can create a checklist, attached files, set due dates, and even share the card with other people who are working or involved with that project. 

It's a simple but powerful tool that is well worth exploring. 

2. Microsoft To Do

Another good organizational tool that comes highly recommended is Microsoft To Do.  

Microsoft To Do is meant to help you organize everything from that work project you have due at the end of the month to the bills you need to pay this week to the party you're planning for tomorrow night. 

For each of these tasks, you create a to-do list and then give items on the list target dates.

You can access Microsoft To Do from your computer or phone to quickly see what's highest on your list in terms of their due dates... and also what's coming up. 

Polishing Your Work

You have been generating ideas, capturing them, and writing about them when the time is right. The final two tools on this list are about making sure your work is at its very best when you hand it over to a client of publish it on your website.

1. Hemingway

The Hemingway App is a favorite app among writers. It analyzes your writing for readability, long sentences, difficult sentences, passive sentences, and more. Problem spots are color-coded and easy to find, so you have the option of reviewing them and deciding if you need to make changes or not.

 2. ProWritingAid 

Another really great tool for editing is ProWritingAid.  This tool analyzes your writing and grammar mistakes, repetition, hard-to-read sentences, sentence variation and more. 

It also gives you explanations as to why it highlights something as a problem, and in some cases makes suggestions for improving the flow of your words. 

It's an absolutely amazing time to be a writer.  There are so many tools that, when used correctly, can make your work stronger. Give these a try and see if you don't end up with better results. 

**Disclaimer: I am in no way affiliated with any of the aforementioned resources above. I am only a user and identifying to my readers the apps that I have had success with but do not profit, represent, or gain from any of these applications.

HOW TO CONQUER YOUR GREATEST CREATIVITY- KILLER

WHAT'S YOUR BIGGEST CREATIVITY-KILLER?  I AM HERE TO GIVE INSIGHT ON OVERCOMING IT BEFORE IT ZAPS YOUR CAREER.

How to Conquer Your Greatest Creativity-Killer 

By: Kel Amstutz
Friday, March 6, 2020

Oh - hi there.  Can you give me just a moment?  You caught me right in the middle of counting my many blessings...

The Fam

Alright  - so let me see... I am so blessed for my amazing husband... who has my back no matter what life throws our way... and is a great dad...

And... in addition to being my soul-mate, he is stuck in this parent trap with me, raising our two amazing girls: our 11-year-old daughter is astonishingly brilliant, beautiful, a focused young lady, and so kind and sweet and independent. 

Our 8 year-old daughter is equally as smart, strikingly beautiful, imaginative, beats to her own drum, is funny and kind and has a heart of gold.  

Gray Gables 2019

We took a gamble on an old house in the country, if you will, on five acres of pond, pole barn and field. There is little crime and traffic is minimal.  Winters can be brutal, which is a small price to pay for a sliver of heaven... and summers are cool with the lake effect breezes blowing through daily. 

Work? Well, it couldn't be much better.  My copywriting career is in full swing- working on writing web promotions and working on a romance novel as we speak.  

Life is great!

 ... so why do I get so down and DEPRESSED sometimes? 

Despite all that good going on in my life, I began feeling down in the dumps last week... out of the blue.

That's not good: For creatives like me - and for all copywriters, designers, and marketing pros - depression can be a CAREER KILLER.

When you are depressed, your energy flees, you lose your focus, and don't get me started on creativity... it has left the building - and if you don't do something about it (and quick!) - your income will start to feel the full effects and your reputation and career will follow... right down the tubes!

In short, depression is one of the costliest BUSINESS problems ANY of us has ever dealt with!

 

Conversely, having the ability to identify and neutralize depression quickly are two of the most valuable skills any entrepreneur or marketer could acquire: They empower you to add to your productive and profitable hours, days, and weeks of your year. 

If you're a writer or a designer, diffusing depression quickly lets you explode through the depression-driven creative blocks... create better promotions faster... complete more projects throughout the year... and- yes, you guessed it - get bigger winners, more often.

And if you are a business owner and/or a marketing pro, it gives you the extra pick me up to get things done, develop more ingenious product and marketing ideas, manage more effectively, and get richer... faster!  

Now, I am no shrink - but I AM pretty old... (don't say it... not older than dirt!) so I've had some time to think about this pretty thoroughly...

For me at least, creativity-killing depression comes from three places..

1. Too many drugs, so little time... And when I say "drugs," I am referring to my three personal favorites:  1) Diet Mountain Dew, 2) Ice Cream, and 3) Lays Potato Chips. 

See... Once upon a time, I could party late into the night. I could stay out on a Friday night into the wee hours of Saturday, go out on a Saturday night into the wee hours of Sunday, get up and hang out all day on Sunday and still show up for work bright and early on Monday morning. 

Those days are long gone. There is not much of this type of lifestyle happening these days. This old body of mine insists... um, better yet, DEMANDS at least 72 hours to recoup from a weekend like that...  And it costs me with my husband, our friends, total strangers, my attorney, and my creative muse before they will even speak to me again.  

I mean, it goes without saying: Losing 72 hours of creative time EACH WEEK would make it nearly impossible for me to continue living the comfortable life that I have become so accustomed to.  And so, I've been forced into a life of abstinence...  

 

Caffeine is something else, altogether.  I can't get motivated with my Diet Mountain Dew.  The real problem is that it is the afternoon before I know it, and by that time, my get up and get moving - and the positive mood it washes over me - has got up and left me to crash. 

There is absolutely no mystery why: When it comes to energy, caffeine gives... and caffeine takes it away.  The first couple of sips give me that jolt of energy - but by the time I have finished the can it has taken it all back.  And as energy goes... it takes that positive mood I have had all day with it.

So, what is the solution?  Well... it's the dreaded "M" word: 

MODERATION. 

I find that when I switch to a nice glass of cold, crisp water after my first Dt. Dew - my mood brightens, my energy levels skyrocket, and my creativity oozes out of my every pore.  

So caffeine,  sugary snacks and salty chips are the big three depression-inducing drugs for me.  I'll bet you a dollar at least one of those will be behind your next down in the dumps mood, too.  And I'll bet if you recognize that and practice a little moderation, you will find that you are having fewer blue days, fewer times per year. 

On the plus side, there IS a mood-brightening drug that I can't recommend highly enough - and that I absolutely hate taking.  You don't need a prescription - in fact, you can't buy it anywhere at any price: It's free. 

I am taking about endorphins - you get them by doing exercise: think swimming, walking, running, those kinds of aerobic activities. 

If you do an hour of exercise in the morning before you begin working for two weeks, you'll be absolutely amazed at how much happier you will find yourself, how much more productive you will become, and how much more money you will be raking in! 

2.  Lies your brain tells you: What are you saying?  You don't drink too many caffeinated soft drinks, eat too many sweets, or dance in the club? There's no way a chemical is the cause of your sorry mood? 

The promotion you wrote and just knew would make you rich flopped flatter than a flapjack?  You're so broke and the bill collections won't stop calling? 

Hey - I've been here.  More times than I really care to talk about in my younger days. It's the pits. 

But it doesn't mean you have to suffer from depression-related brain-block, too! 

The simple fact is, you get to choose how you will feel in response to just about ANY event that happens in your life to you. 

A few years ago, a really smart guy figured out almost all of the things that happen to us in life are not really good or bad, but instead they are neutral events. 

See, everything that happens to you passes through a little "belief filter" in your brain - a conviction you've come to hold about yourself and/or the world surrounding you.

What comes out is a composite thought - the fact of the event plus the spin on it from your belief filter.   And that thought triggers an emotion - happiness or depression, for example.

These filters can be positive, as in "I'm brilliant," "I'm a winner," "I always come out smelling like a rose"...

... or they can be negative - as in "I'm stupid, a fraud." "I'm such a loser," "Everything I touch turns to dust." 

Here's the GOLDEN KEY: Nearly all the belief filters we have are utter NONSENSE. But because most folks have no idea they are even there and even fewer really ever examine them, we don't realize that they are little more than fiction. 

The objective truth is, nobody is ALWAYS a winner or a loser... creative or dull... brilliant or an idiot. 

And for all of our thoughts and hesitations, hardly any of the superficially adverse events we experience actually trigger the humiliations or catastrophes that our negative belief filters tend to foretell for us. 

So the next time depression has you creatively hog-tied, try this...

• First, identify the negative thought that triggered your crappy mood.

• Then, ask yourself, "Is that thought valid?" (99.9% of the time it's not!)

• Ask yourself, "Is the belief filter that triggered that negative thought valid?" (Again, almost never!) 

• Finally, ask yourself, "How should I change that belief about myself and/or the world to bring it in line with reality?" 

You will be absolutely amazed at how quickly even the lousiest of moods evaporates in the blinding light of the objective truth!  

3. Self-obsession: I learned this simple fact of life many moons ago - and even re-learn it all the time. 

The simple fact is, when my focus is on others' well-being, I am genuinely happier.

My husband is a prime, living, breathing example of this very principle.  Nearly 100% of his time is working hard to support our family or the needs of our family. That includes me. That includes our kids. His Dad. My parents. My grandma.

And 99.9% of the time, he has a grin on his face.

Conversely, I notice that when I'm trying to find things that will make me happy - objects, vacation plans, etc. - I am actually less happy than when I am focused on my family.

So where's your FOCUS?  Are you obsessed with your own feelings and the state of your life? If so, there's a good chance that those feelings are not positive ones.

Try doing something to improve someone else's life today - you will be amazed at how quickly your mood lifts!

These powerful insights are fascinating to me and I am so glad you stopped by to join in on the conversation.  If you have any great tips, please feel free to comment.  I am always looking for great productivity techniques, creativity enhancers, and of course, sharing the knowledge!

Thanks for the afternoon.  Have a great weekend!

 

 

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!!!

SUCCESS - It's a CHOICE!

One fact that should give everyone hope is that passion, hard work, persistence, and faith in oneself will always outperform intelligence, good looks, a great education, or wealthy parents.

I recently decided that I was not happy with the path that my life was walking on. I would wake up, get myself ready, get my kids ready, get one off to school, wake up my Husband, who just got home from work two hours prior, leave for work and leave him with the responsibility of getting my other child onto the bus every morning before he could go back to bed before his late afternoon shift.

This was just the morning routine.  

After work I would rely on my parents to help get my kids off of the bus and started on the hour or two of homework that came from their day at school before I even finished my work day. I would then go home to finish said homework, make dinner, clean up, do some laundry or run the sweeper, get kids showered and ready for bed, get myself ready for bed before having a half hour to catch up on some 'Me' time... before catching my own ZZZ's. Remember, my hubby was once again at work. Two ships passing in the wee hours of the morning.

A literal Ground Hogs Day situation, Monday thru Friday, day in and day out.

• I wasn't living. 
• My kids were seeing me at maybe 10%. 
• I didn't even touch on my day at work, because my work life had grown just as stagnate. 
• I felt sick all the time. 
• I went to work to collect my pay check at the end of two weeks... and that was about it. 

 

It was time. 

Time for something that had been gnawing at me for a long time. It was time for me to take back my life. I knew I needed to be the MOM I had always dreamed of being...I was just struggling to find my way... afraid I would not succeed... scared of what this might mean for the future.

I know someone out there has been where I was, or perhaps is right now... as I write this.

I don't know what changed me.

I would love to say that I read something, or met someone who had a life I knew I deserved... or wanted... or needed.

But, honestly, I just happened to wake up one morning and knew I couldn't do the life I was leading as it was... anymore.

I had dreams DAMN IT.  

• I had dreams of retiring not only myself, but my husband. 
• I had dreams of working my own business. 
• I had dreams of being able to work from the comforts of my own home, of being there for my kids when they needed me. 

See, I told you it wasn't a "romantic" story. It just was more like a switch inside me went off one day and I just knew what I had to do. I knew it wouldn't be easy. I knew it would take time to build these dreams I had to make happen.

I guess this is where my old friend shows her face. I had been using this company (my old friend) for years and had heard of the benefits of becoming a marketer for the company, but it must've not been the right time because it never really "stuck" with me like it did this time.

32 years. That is the reputation this company has, with thousands of people, JUST like me, who have joined on in the mission of enhancing their lives by helping others reach their goals. We are like-minded people who literally sell nothing, but instead work on helping each other succeed, overcome obstacles and along the way have found a friend among one another.

Some people only dream about success, and here I am creating it.  

Yes, I have had moments where I was discouraged but I meet those same obstacles head on and found the greater resolve. I found strength in the numbers of those who are a part of this same game changer to help me rise up.

I feel like the responses to life's situations are not an individual's predestined fate but are instead almost always the results of how we, as individuals choose to respond.  Think about that one for a minute.

The principles of success are universal: persistence, hard work, never giving up, the ability to stay focused, taking personal responsibility, faith in oneself, a positive attitude, hope, love for others, specific goals, and a passion to achieve them.  These are consistently the traits of those who experience success. Those who choose to exercise these traits seem to always come out on top. On the other hand. those who lack focus, lack purpose, lack passion, give up quickly, become easily discouraged, always find something wrong, blame others, lack work ethic, and lack confidence in themselves seem to always fall short of reaching their dreams.

I think the one fact that should give everyone hope is that passion, hard work, persistence, and faith in oneself will always outperform intelligence, good looks, a great education, or wealthy parents.  It is of significant importance to realize that these traits that make up the successful person are the results of their choices.

The fact that you can often accurately predict HOW an individual whom you know well will respond to any given situation does NOT mean they are predestined or that they must respond in that manner. It just means that they tend to be consistent in their choices.

It is REFRESHING to see someone BREAK OUT of the mold they have created for themselves and to decide to begin to respond differently to life's situations. Such a change is obviously very difficult to make in oneself, as it seldom happens. When it does happen, it is a day worth celebrating.

I am a part of something where many thousands of people, just like me, constantly exercise hard work, persistence, and other principles of success. 

This is why I choose to SUCCEED.  

Being successful is the difference between just having a dream and working to make it a reality!

Want to know more about what I am doing? CLICK HERE to email me today!