We have all had that awful moment when we suddenly realize that the computer has eaten our work. It’s a moment of panic. In many cases, you can do a simple “undo” move and get your writing back on the screen but for that moment before you figure out that the work can be saved you feel this terrible sinking in your gut.
And sometimes, the feeling is even worse because the computer has won and there is not going to be any saving of the work.
This problem doesn’t happen to me often. Since I write all day long for a living, I’m really good about doing frequent saves and backing up my work regularly. I’m meticulous about it. But things go wrong sometimes. And every once in awhile I experience one of those situations when I’ve lost a big chunk of original writing and there aren’t many options for getting it back.
That happened to me about a month ago with the book that I’m working on. I’m writing a San Francisco travel guide based on my blog San Francisco is Sexy. Or I was until about a month ago. What happened was a stupid error … I was getting ready to reformat my laptop so I saved all of my work to my desktop computer. Only some things delayed me and I didn’t get around to the reformatting for a few weeks. At that time, I went to save the work to the desktop again. And I made a mistake.
For some reason, I just didn’t re-save the file that had the book in it. I saved everything else. Bookmarked sites I don’t need, work that is already online and doesn’t need to be backed up … but I simply missed that file. I had done a lot of work on the book in those few weeks. When I went to move the files back to my newly formatted computer and saw what I’d done, I felt this terrible disappointment in my gut.
The truth is that it’s not that bad. I still have the previous draft of the book from the first save. I know where all of my research came from. It’s not going to be that difficult to write the original copy again. Although I could pay money to try to get the most recent draft back, I don’t think it’s worth it because really it’s not that terrible to rewrite the thing again. In fact, I tend to think that it’s a chance to start with fresh eyes and to do a better write-up this time around.
However, I can’t seem to get my brain to move through the writer’s block that was caused by this setback. I know that it’s not a big deal and that it’s an easy re-write and that it might be better this time. I know that the only way to get it done is to get going on it. And yet every time I open up the document and see the missing pieces that I know were once there, I freeze up … I just don’t want to write it again.
I’m not sure what this means. That I’m not as committed to the project as I thought? That it’s not as exciting or appealing to me as it was originally? Maybe. Or maybe I’m just still sulking that the computer beat me this time. Since books don’t write themselves, I’m going to have to get over whatever it is. I’ll do that. Tomorrow.
I scan the Internet almost every day in search of new job leads. I like to see what’s out there and to dip my writing fingers into different waters as often as possible. However, I actually don’t apply to new jobs very often.
Some of the reasons that I typically don’t apply to a lot of jobs include:
- Most of them are low-paying. A lot of what’s actually advertised is either no-pay, revenue-only or low-paying work and I’m not at a stage in my freelance career where that’s what I’m looking for.
- Many of them are not for the writing that I do. I am a freelance writer with a diverse background and I’ve written lots of different types of stuff but these days I primarily stick to blogging for businesses. That’s what I most enjoy doing. As a result, I don’t tend to apply for jobs to write web content, ghostwrite ebooks or any of that stuff which severely limits the number of jobs that I’m interested in applying for.
- Many of them are one-time jobs. Occasionally I’ll take on a one-time writing gig if I think that it sounds interesting. For the most part, though, I like to apply to jobs that will provide a steady ongoing source of income. A lot of what’s advertised out there doesn’t fall into that category.
- I don’t bid on jobs. Many times I’ll follow an interesting job lead only to discover that it’s on a site like elance where you have to bid against others for the work. I used to do that and don’t find that it suits me very well. It’s great for many writers but it’s not an approach to finding work that works for me so I ignore those leads.
And then there are those ads that you look at and you just know that they are some sort of scam. Like this one on Craigslist right now. The link is surely going to get flagged soon so I’ll share with you what the ad is in full:
Wine gig for blogger: $10K/mo (financial district)
“Blogger to get $10K/mo for wine gig.” B at Market St/Hyatt SF 1130 am 4/28 Kiosk 2 beat pack
Compensation: $10K/mo for six months gig; housing included
I have to confess that I’m really curious to know what this is really all about. They’re offering you housing and ten grand a month do blog about wine. Obviously that’s not really true but there must be some reason that they want you to go to that kiosk. I’m curious as to what that reason is and what people are going to find when they get there. And I’m really curious to know if they are actually going to get anyone interested in whatever it is that they’re really offering.
Mostly I hate seeing ads that are clearly scams but sometimes it’s neat just because it gets your imagination going as to what they’re all about! There’s nothing wrong with a stirred imagination – especially when you’re a writer!
The oDesk Blog has published a list of the top 100 blogs for freelancers. It’s an interesting list that’s somewhat unique from the other lists of this nature that I’ve seen. It includes selections for freelancers from multiple areas of the web.
I found it interesting that it was necessary to separate “freelance blogging” and “freelance writing” into two categories. Most articles will just lump them together even though they can be quite different. In fact, I tend to lump them together since I do both myself but I actually do think that the information most important to one group isn’t necessarily that which is most important to another group.
I was excited to discover several blogs here that I hadn’t known about before. The ones that interested me most were actually those that fell into the “freelance lifestyle” category. Whatever the differences between various types of freelancers, what we have in common is that we need to deal with the pros and cons of working from home in a productive way. I read Zen Habits regularly but there were many other blogs in this category that I didn’t know at all.
Good stuff. Happy reading!
I have recently found myself at several parties where the topic of favorite authors came up. Most people at these gatherings named authors from one of two categories – bestselling authors from the last year or two and classic authors of the kind that you’d read in college literature classes. I can’t say that I read a whole lot from either of these categories anymore.
I almost never read new bestsellers because I almost never buy books. One of my contributions to the green reading movement (and to my own personal need to save money where I can) is that I get my books from the library instead of from bookstores. It takes awhile for libraries to get new books so I don’t usually read anything that’s new on the shelves of stores.
And the classics? There’s nothing wrong with the classics, I guess. But most of them weren’t my thing. I’m not much of a fan of the female writers that I was supposed to like – the Bronte Sisters, Virginia Woolf … There are definitely famous authors that I like – Maugham, Nabokov, Rand … but I read most of their stuff years ago and don’t really feel the need to re-read it now.
So what do I read? People that aren’t famous and never were. People who have their books on the shelves of local libraries but who don’t have recognizable names. People who are writing locally now so their books get attention on the local scene. Random things that I find in bargain bins and giveaway piles. And lots of non-fiction.
I’m curious … are most other writers reading the classics or the bestsellers or are there people out there like me who prefer to read the random stuff?
We’ve all dealt with writer’s block. I find that professional writers deal with it less than casual writers just because at some point you need to just write in spite of it if you’re going to pay the bills. In my opinion, learning to do this is primarily done through learning about the root causes of writer’s block so that you can just deal with the problem and move on.
The most common cause of writer’s block for me is one of two things. In relation to the work that I’m doing for a living it’s usually that I am burned out on writing. I need to acknowledge this, step away from my writing for a little while and then come back to it when I’m not exhausted of writing anymore. In terms of my creative writing, the problem is more often that I get into the middle of the thing and don’t want to keep going. In this case, the solution for me is to keep writing anyway.
As you can see, the different causes of writer’s block can cause solving the problem to haev radically different approaches. Pushing through the work when I’m burned out isn’t going to get me through writer’s block. Taking breaks every time a creative project gets tough is going to cause me to avoid it completely. To know what to do, I need to know myself and what’s going on with me.
Learn more about my thoughts on dealing with different kinds of writer’s block.
There’s an interesting article online right now that poses the question “is Twitter killing blogging?” The deeper question is whether people are now blogging less than before because they are Twittering more. The answer seems so far to be that Twitter is not having any adverse affect on blogging and I’ve seen comments about the article around the web that Twitter is actually increasing blogging because bloggers are encouraged to post new items so that they can Twitter the link.
Twitter and blogging seem to go hand in hand. It’s certainly a tool that is used to promote blogs. We’ve seen other articles that suggest that Twitter even may make people better bloggers or writers. But it’s also true that there is only so much time in the day so is it possible that people Twitter when they could be writing better blog posts?
What I think might be happening is that people who are already only kind of half-involved in blogging might find Twitter to be a better platform for what they have to say. People who primarily do their blogging on existing social networking sites (through MySpace blogs or Facebook notes) may find that Twitter sufficiently meets their needs for getting their thoughts on there without developing a full-on blog.
However, full-time bloggers and bloggers who are really serious about their blogs will likely find that Twitter can only supplement what they’re doing and not replace the blog. The blog format allows for much more opportunity to express yourself, share ongoing thoughts and dialogue with others in a more organized fashion. As a blogger, I don’t commit a lot of time to Twitter but I do try to use it to support the time I’m putting in to my blogging.
Perhaps those efforts are paying off because I was recently honored by being included on a list of 39 Writers You Should Follow on Twitter. You can follow me here.
Last year I wrote an article with 25 mantras for writers. These are just short little sayings or affirmations that I believe writers can focus on to stay on track with their writing. Some of them are about being kind to yourself as a writer and others are about honoring your creative drive. The idea is that if you tell yourself that your writing is good and you deserve to write then you’re going to be a more driven and open writer.
These mantras gave gained a lot of attention around the web since the time that I wrote them. Most recently they were re-printed by Write4Kids.com. I’m excited about this because it means that my writing will be shared with people who have children and who write for children – a part of the world of writers that I don’t always get to interact with.
One of those writers who just came to my attention is Susan Heim. She was inspired by the post and decided to write her own set of mantras for parents. I encourage you to check them out as they are also inspiring and affirmative. She emphasizes the fact that it’s okay not to be a perfect parent and that the joy of parenting comes from continuing to try and from enjoying every moment that you can with your kids. Great stuff!
I’d also like to remind you that College in a Suitcase is still doing an elaboration on each of the twenty-five mantras in a series that expands on the thoughts in those mantras and applies them to the author of the blog. It’s also good stuff and worth checking out.
Thanks all for reading! I’d love to know if these mantras have done anything special for you or if you have some of your own to share with my readers!
I wrote on this blog recently about how there are a lot of people out there who seem to think that they can just start freelance writing with no experience in order to easily earn some added income during this recession that we’re in. Daily Freelance Writing Tips had some great additional thoughts on that topic which got me thinking more about why exactly it is that freelance writing is actually so much harder than most people assume it to be. Part of the difficulty is definitely that there is so much more than just “writing” that you have to be able to do to earn a living at this kind of work. But honestly, I think that the most difficult thing for most people is to find the self-motivation to actually work from home when they are at home.
Being productive when working from home isn’t easy for most people. Common problems that people who are new to this kind of work will have include:
- Sleeping in. It’s fine to sleep in as a freelance writer as long as you work late to make up for it. If you’re not working full time then you aren’t going to pay the bills.
- Procrastination. Many new freelancers procrastinate because they think that their deadlines are all that they need to worry about. In reality, you need to get things done and then spend the rest of your work day doing supporting-role tasks like social networking, marketing and learning new blogging and writing skills.
- Taking long breaks. It’s easy to get distracted by house chores, phone calls and errands during the work day when you’re not clocking in at an office.
- Staying in your PJs. There are some freelance writers who do this and who still get their work done. I find that it’s important for me to actually get up and get ready as though I’m going to a job so that I can feel like I’m really going to work. Then I spend the day working. Of course, I don’t dress in business casual wear but I do shower and put clothes on.
- Failure to set hours. It’s important for freelancers to have a basic schedule that they stick to. Most people new to the work just can’t do that. This inability tends to make it so that they don’t work as many hours as they should.
These are just a few of the things that happen when you’re trying to learn to work from home in a productive way. You discover that it’s not easy to be productive from the space that you normally consider a place for rest. You find that there are too many different things to get done and no one looking over your shoulder to make sure that they get completed. I think that for most people this is the toughest part of the job and the reason that they can’t make working from home work for long periods of time.
As for me, I have always loathed having to go to a job. I hate having to be somewhere else at the time someone else says I need to be there. I hate having to wake up to an alarm, where the right kind of clothing, put on a happy face for my co-workers and commute to a place of business. This distaste for that way of life motivates me to make working from home work for me.
What do you guys find is the hardest thing about trying to be productive when working from home?
I wrote an article last week about how to celebrate national poetry month. There are a lot of little things that you can do to bring more poetry to your life in the month of April. What I’ve been thinking about since writing that post, though, is what poetry really means to me. I think that poetry really helps you to focus on all of the different senses that you have … and that got me thinking that maybe we should spend National Poetry Month trying to approach poetry with each of our five main senses.
- Sight. There are so many different ways that we can “see” poetry. The most obvious is to read poetry that has been written down for us in books or online. However, we can also see poetry in the sense of looking at things around us with a poetic eye and imagining poems based on those sights. Yet another option would be to read a poem and then to go out with a camera and to capture images that remind us of that poem.
- Sound. Sound is an easy one when it comes to poetry. We can have someone read poetry to us or we can read it aloud. We can listen to poetry on tape or online. Better yet, we can go to a live poetry reading.
- Smell. How do you smell poetry? By going to a used bookstore and taking in that scent of books in the poetry section. By focusing on the smells described in different poems or writing a poem about our favorite smells.
- Taste. We can taste poetry by writing or reading poetry about different tastes. We can focus on the tastes we are enjoying and think of poetry in our minds as we indulge in these tastes.
- Touch. Poetry is a means of connecting with other people and so is the sense of touch. A great thing to do is to trade massages with someone while simultaneously reading poetry together or listening to it on a CD.
How else can we use our senses to enjoy National Poetry Month?
I’ve been thinking a lot lately about my tendency towards multi-tasking. I have always been someone who naturally does several things at once. I flit from here to there throughout the day, moving back and forth between projects and websites, and my mind is often on something that has nothing to do with the task at hand. Lately I’ve been wondering about the pros and cons of multitasking as it relates to my writing work.
First I have to say that there are basically three types of writing work that I do – work that I’m paid to do for clients, blogging that I do for myself and creative writing offline. I think that multitasking affects each of them differently.
Multitasking is often the most efficient thing for me to do when it comes to the work that I do for my clients. This is all ongoing work so I can create a basic schedule that allows me to move back and forth between projects to get everything done by its deadline each month. This also breaks up the monotony of some of the jobs by interspersing more interesting (or at least different) work into longer projects.
Blogging for myself is much this same way. My approach to blogging for myself tends to be that I blog when something comes to mind that I want to blog about. I head to my site, write up a quick entry and publish it. However, there are longer more researched pieces that I do sometimes as well and I’m not sure how mutli-tasking impacts them.
In regards to creative writing … I think that multi-tasking is a positive thing when it means that I have multiple projects in various stages of completion. However, I think it’s negative when I’m moving back and forth between them a lot because it prevents me from sitting through that uncomfortable stage of “figuring it out” and actually getting somewhere with my work.
What do you think? Does multi-tasking help you or hinder you in your writing process?
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