Tag Archives: inspiration

advice

Writers: Unplug And Renew

1 Comment

dsc_5735by Catherine L. Tully

I just spent about two days without electronics.

It wasn’t easy.

Even though it was tough, however, I highly recommend that all writers unplug every once in a while. It’s very healthy–cleansing, even.

In the freelance world, it is often a struggle to keep a steady flow of dollars coming in. This can lead to things such as obsessive e-mail checking, regular surfing to locate new ideas or clients and excessive tweeting, Facebook posting or other such promotional efforts.

While all of these things have their place in the work flow, I would argue that even a simple day or two of being without the computer and phone can re-set your energy level, making you even more productive.

I came back and launched right into tasks I had been putting off. Rather than throwing out miscellaneous tweets, I targeted them far better. And above all–my eyes felt rested and ready to read, edit and surf. I had extra energy and renewed inspiration. There is something about being away from all the noise that refreshes the mind.

You don’t have to go out of town to do this either. Simply put your computer away and tuck your phone in a safe place for the day. Go shop. Take a sandwich and iced tea and have a little impromptu picnic. Get out and see the sights a bit.

You’ll be glad you did. I assure you. And spring is a glorious time to do it.

Anyone else unplug and feel the benefits? How did you stay away from the keyboard? Share your secrets!

advice

What’s a Swipe File?

1 Comment

comp3_keyboardby Joe Wallace

I’m still reporting from the road, stopped in a Starbucks in Texas for a quick refill and update. The road warrior must have caffeine!

Believe it or not, it IS possible to get other freelance work done when you’re travel writing and blogging, but it’s not easy. I tend to save my actual work for when I’m off the road, but traveling does provide some great inspiration for queries and that’s what I concentrate on when I am mid-trip. It just doesn’t pay to torture yourself with deadlines when you’re on the go if you can avoid it.

But what do you do when highway hypnosis lulls your brain into that fuzzy-headed stupor and you can’t come up with any ideas to pitch or write about? Continue reading What’s a Swipe File? →

resources

Alternate Research Resources

free resources

Doing research for a new writing project or to come up with story ideas for your next magazine article? If you’re coming up dry when looking in the same old places, you probably need to start fresh in some areas you wouldn’t normally go.

A great example is FREE–Federal Resources for Educational Excellence. There is a nice little treasure trove of ideas and information waiting for you at this .gov site, all of them free and easy to access. It’s certainly not the only site of its kind, but is an excellent place to start looking for fresh ideas. The next time you get stuck for a topic, check out FREE to help get those creative process up and running again.

resources

Trust and Fame: The Gospel According To Nemo Design

Dave Allen had some compelling things to say about quality work, ideas that all freelance writers should take to heart. The discussion includes the notion of doing AMAZING work versus merely GOOD work–a concept which resonates with me thanks in part to the fact that I’m reading similar concepts in the recent Henry Rollins book DULL ROAR. Now I am digesting the book in light of the Dave Allen Social-Cache post. If there’s one thing that’s hammered away at over and over in the Rollins books, it’s the insistence on doing the absolute best in spite of all opposition, personal baggage, fatigue, pain, whining, excuses, lack of involvement from your band mates, etc.

I have a hard time reading Dave Allen and Henry Rollins on this subject because I have to go back to the real world when I’m done–the world where you have to lower your expectations or else be constantly annoyed by a lack of interest in basic issues of quality. Hey, I spent 13 years in the military where nobody gets fired, but if you had enough seniority you could impose any standards you wanted. That includes no standards at all or asking-far-too-much-for-no-good-reason madness.

You also had your creative work–writing, editing, photography, the lot–critiqued by people who had no idea how to string two words together to say thank you, let alone put together a script or an article. It gives one a work ethic that says “not on my watch” or it sucks all the life out of you.

But I ramble. Check out that post over at Social-Cache. Well worth your time and it’s an idea worth taking to heart.

reading, travel

Old-School Travel Writing

George Orwell had some misadventures, eh? Whenever I find myself in need of some inspiration I turn to a book like this to remind me just how bad it can get before you find a way to make the sale. No matter how desperate for cash you might become, chances are you won’t come anywhere near the levels discussed in this Orwell classic.

There aren’t any far-reaching government plots in this one, no telescreens and no Two Minutes Hate; just trying to scrape by as best one can. Real life, disguised as a novel. Before there could be any Henry Rollins travel journals (those in the know get my meaning here) there was Orwell telling it like it is, but unlike Rollins, Orwell attempts a thin veneer of “fiction” for respectability’s sake.

He needn’t have bothered, but apparently publisher T.S. Eliot disagreed–my research material says Eliot rejected the book regardless.

The real lessons for freelancers in this book–at least for me–have to do with recognizing that any experience can turn into a writing gold mine if you know how to look at them. Orwell certainly did.

If you haven’t read these classic tales of life and poverty in London and Paris, grab a copy and see how those lean years transform into literary gold. Some will be fascinated by the section on London gutter slang–worth the price of the book all by itself.

Buy Down and Out In Paris and London for $11.20

reading

Freelance Writing Wisdom From Feudal Japan

hagakure.jpgMany people will think I’ve gone completely around the bend by recommending Hagakure as a manual for freelance writers, but try reading this with your career firmly in mind. You’ll find plenty of inspiration and practical advice. Consider these quotes:

“In the words of the ancients, one should make his decisions within the space of seven breaths. Lord Takanobu said: If discrimination is long, it will spoil. Lord Naoshige said: When matters are done leisurely, seven out of ten will turn out badly. A warrior is a person who does things quickly.”

“Master Yagyu once remarked: I do not know the way to defeat others, but the way to defeat myself.”

“According to Master lttei, even a poor penman will become substantial in the art of calligraphy if he studies by imitating a good model and puts forth effort. A retainer should be able to become substantial too, if he takes a good retainer as his model.”

Sure, some of it is a stretch when it comes to the modern day lifestyle of a freelance writer, but there’s plenty to ponder here. You can apply it to being mindful of well-crafted query letters, carefully checked final drafts and keeping your determination in the face of many rejections. Hagakure was written in the early 1700s by Yamamoto Tsunetomo. It was only read by a select few in the early years after its publication, but it has endured. And yes, other writers have found much inspiration in these pages–Yukio Mishima, one of Japan’s most famous authors, was a devoted reader of Hagakure. It’s a great book even if it does sometimes bewilder 21st century minds.

Buy Hagakure for $13.57