I’m sharing my favorite getaway here–this is a perfect place to write. Peaceful Pines Cottage is the only rental on the property, and Apple River Canyon State Park is two minutes away. The park’s scenery is the ideal backdrop for finding your muse in the nicer weather, but this is also a superb winter getaway. The owners have taken the time to hang birdfeeders that attract Cardinals, Blue Jays and a variety of other feathered friends to the windows to keep you company without becoming too much of a distraction. And there is no phone…
You’ll find a one-mile walking trail on the property, as well as a large, comfortable deck out back. There is a screened-in porch, a fire pit and barbecue grill–in case you feel like cooking out. It’s so quiet here you’ll be amazed at how much work you can get done. I’ve been to this property many times and have always come back with a pile of finished writing and tons of article ideas. Load up on supplies at the local IGA in nearby Warren and settle in for a few days–you’ll thank yourself!
*Photograph of Peaceful Pines Cottage is copyrighted by Larry Backe.
Writer’s block–the foe of every writer. Nearly every author has experienced it, but how can you conquer it? There is no one way that works for everyone, but here are some great tips for getting those creative juices flowing again… Continue reading Kill Writer’s Block Now!→
It’s true that when you’re struggling in the early days of the freelance game, you can’t afford printer ink half the time, let alone a sexy new office setup, but once you’ve established some good relationships with editors and made some headway in the game you can start replacing your rickety old gear. Enter Cribcandy, our new favorite home design blog. Check out this collection of home office upgrades suggested by Cribcandy, and start making a shopping list. Some of it is silly, some of it is irresistible, and items like the Mash Studios wall mounted LAX desk pictured above is too space-saving and efficient NOT to own. Cheers, Cribcandy…you’ve got some new fans here at the Freelance Zone.
Bloggers use social networking sites like MySpace for self-promotion all the time. But how can a struggling freelance writer take advantage of the same type of strategies bloggers use? It’s easy. Here’s the breakdown in five easy steps:
1. Cultivate lots of “friends”. The law of averages says the more MySpace friends you have, the higher the response rate will be when you post a link to your material or send a bulletin saying “Hey, look at this!” The extra eyeballs on your work means the greater likelihood that your article will get comments and feedback. The more activity on a given article, the better you look in the eyes of an editor who has to decide whether to use you again.
2. Add “targeted” friends. Got somebody else in the biz you want to make friends with? Maybe an editor or a publication you want to get published has a MySpace site. Add them as friends and start up a casual “relationship” with them by sending the occasional message or posting a nice comment. This is standard MySpace behavior, but when it comes time to strike up a conversation with someone at that publication you won’t be such an unknown quantity at a medium-sized or smaller operation. The key here is to be a semi-regular MySpacer, posting and commenting without mentioning your own work–until you need to.
If you are a live music or movie reviewer, the Light Writer Pen will come in quite handy in the darkened conditions! These ball point pens feature a built-in LED to illuminate the paper as you write. The lights come in red or yellow and the pen exteriors are available in a variety of colors: red marble, white, black or blue. Keep it by your bedside–it’s great for the next “big idea” that comes to you at 3 am!
There isn’t a ton of writer-specific fashion out there, so when one does pop on our radar, we pass it along. This design from Snorg Tees hits the nail right on the head. The beauty of being a stay-at-home type freelancer is that you don’t need to wear a blazer over this shirt, but if you’re working a steady gig, you’d get laughed out of the office for being such a writer geek. They do make great gifts, workout shirts, or layering tees for the cold dead end of winter.
