4 Smart Budget Tips For The Writer

by Catherine L. Tully

Freelance writing careers tend to have lean periods–especially when you are first starting out as a writer. Making every dollar count is something that you tend to get good at when you begin your career…

That said, there are some smart tips I can share that may be helpful for those who are on a tight budget–after all, I’ve been there too! Try some of these money-saving strategies on for size–and save!

• Budget your cafe time. Most writers like to get out a bit and write, but this can add up quickly if you aren’t careful. Take a good look at your finances and budget out a set amount that you’ll spend at the coffee shop/cafe, etc. Then, if possible, buy a gift card for that place so that you don’t spend more than you should. It’s a good way to stay within your budgeted amount. When the card is empty–you don’t go out any more that week!
• Walk. Sitting at a desk all day can add up to additional weight gain. Combine this with the fact that you spend money on gas when you use your car (and it’s not cheap!) and walking makes all the sense in the world! Walk to the post office, to do other errands, and anywhere else you can. Or bike if you prefer.
• Save loose change. Keep a jar on your desk for loose change. I know it sounds silly, but this can really be a great way to get an extra few bucks together. I have a friend who picks up pennies/dimes/nickles everywhere she goes outside and she gets quite a few things that way that she wouldn’t otherwise splurge on. You won’t be taking vacations–but you might be able to spring for a new notebook or some computer wipes. It all adds up!
• Buy in bulk. This isn’t blanket advice, but for certain items it totally makes sense. For example, I use a ton of paper for printing. If I bought the packet at my local convenience store, it would cost me a fortune. If I buy the big box at a “big box” store, I’ll save a ton of money on it. Don’t need all that paper at once? Split the cost with another writer and you’ll both save.

Do you have any good budgeting tips to share? If so, leave us a comment!

Why I Became A Writer

by Catherine L. Tully

Editor, Catherine L. Tully

Today’s post is simply a sharing one…

I’d like to tell you why I became a writer. (And, I’d love to hear why you became, or are becoming a writer in the comments section.)

Ultimately, at the heart of things, I became a writer because I have always been one. When I was little, I came up with a “newspaper” called The Little Town Daily News. I don’t really remember what I wrote about, but I know that I put a lot of time into making copies, and I sold it for about .10 cents each–which, for back then, was not that cheap!

I’ve always been writing, whether it was in my journal or coming up with a newsletter for my childhood club. I’ve written stories, articles, nonsense, letters, cards and countless other things. Even if I weren’t getting paid for it, I’d probably still be writing in some capacity. (Luckily, I’ll never know for sure!)

Not everyone makes it in this business, but some people really do hang in and stand the test of time. My hunch is that almost every one of the tenacious ones that breaks through and does this for a living–or even part-time for some extra cash–is somewhat like me.

So…what is it dear reader? Have you always been a writer in some capacity–even if you have just been composing poetry in your head or writing song lyrics that never made it to paper?

Drop us a note here and tell us your story!

Today’s Writing Tip: Question Marks In the Middle of a Sentence

Punctuating question marks in the middle of a sentence confuses the best of us. Our instinct is often to capitalize the word that follows the question mark, but usually that’s wrong. Here’s an example:

When I asked my teacher, Mr. Cotton, “What is the purpose of life?” this is the answer I received.

Note two things about that sentence. One, the word that proceeds the question and the question mark is lowercased. That’s because the phrase “What is the purpose of life?” is still part of a larger sentence, even though it is a complete sentence and can stand on its own normally, but in this instance it is only half of the sentence.

“This is the answer I received” is the other half and we need it to make our point. Two, there is no comma after the question mark. A version of our example which includes the comma is wrong, e.g., When I asked my teacher, Mr. Cotton, “What is the purpose of life?,” this is the answer I received.

Fortunately, your spellcheck will probably pick up the second issue and flag it as a problem; however, spellcheck may incorrectly tell you that you want to capitalize any word after a question mark. Don’t do it automatically; do so only if it is not part of a larger sentence and that includes dialogue. (“Is the purpose of life to love and be loved?” she asked. No caps for the pronoun and no comma after the question mark.)

Sigrid Macdonald is an author and an editor. You can find her at http://sigridmacdonald.blogspot.com/ 

Writers – Time For A Spring Cleaning

by Catherine L. Tully

Spring is in the air and regardless of whether you have a million projects going or are in-between jobs, it’s time for a spring cleaning!

I advocate doing a quarterly “spring clean” in your office area so that you are able to stay organized and have minimal issues with efficiency. What does this type of re-vamp consist of? Here’s my checklist for the bare minimum you need to stay on top of things in your writing life:

• Organize those e-mails you have been avoiding dealing with or keeping in your inbox to get to at “a later date”.
• De-frag your hard drive (PCs).
• Back up your computer.
• Organize any paperwork. Toss, file, mail and address. Then, get it off your desk.
• Catch up on bookkeeping.
• Reach out to editors that you haven’t been in touch with for a while and touch base.
• Clean your computer screen and blow out your keyboard with canned air.
• Replace office supplies as needed.
• Check printer ink.
• Update your web presence (LinkedIn, website, etc.)

This is just a basic checklist–be sure and add anything you need to take care of to it. If you can set aside a day or two each season to take care of these things, you’ll likely be a lot more organized–and a lot less aggravated!

Do you have anything to add to the list?

Comfort Zones And The Writer

by Catherine L. Tully

Freelance-Zone Editor, Catherine L. Tully

As I settled into my favorite writing spot this morning to check e-mail I began thinking about the idea of having a “comfort zone” and how much easier that can make things…

The way I’m defining comfort zone for the purposes of this post is: “a place the writer feels comfortable and is likely to have little chance of getting distracted from the task at hand–writing.” Mine is the couch. For some writers, it’s the desk. For others, the local coffee house.

The couch elicits an almost Pavlovian response from me in that I can get to work quickly. I’m extremely efficient, aware of time (and maximizing my use of it), and can hammer at tasks I need to do every day–such as answer e-mails, file things and do initial research. I’m lightning fast.

But I’ve learned something else about my comfort zone.

It’s a lousy place for me to be creative. The same things that enable me to work well when sitting on the sofa are the very things that seem to inhibit my ability to tap into my imagination. For that I have to go elsewhere – and that works quite well for me. A new environment opens up those creative pathways and allows me to explore new ideas and directions.

It has taken me a long time to discover this about myself, and I’m not sure it works the same for everyone…but I have a hunch it will ring true for many people when they stop to think about it. So I thought I’d put it out there to perhaps save others a bit of time and effort if I can–and to hear from writers who may work the same way.

So tell me–who else out there has a “comfort zone” and how does it work for you?

Expanding Your Freelance Network

Catherine’s post yesterday, “Helping Another Writer = Good Karma,” was a timely one for me, and I wanted to expand on her thoughts—because it’s even better for your freelance business if you expand your freelance network beyond just referrals for other writers.

Some examples from the past week:

• I received a referral from a client for a PR project that was really outside my expertise, so I sub-referred it to someone I know who’s capable of pulling it off.
• I referred a long-time graphic designer colleague, who’s recently gone freelance, to a client who needs some high-end talent.
• And while editing a white paper for another client, it occurred to me that another client (a professional speaker and author) might find the content useful for her audiences, so I introduced and connected them, too.

None of these will result in direct business for me, and I don’t know for sure if it will mean additional business for any of the people I’ve introduced to each other. And as Catherine pointed out, my motives for doing it were a blend of unselfish and selfish. Sure, I might help some folks generate some additional revenue. Sure, if my matchmaking works, I’m going to cultivate some good karma with clients and potential clients as well as fellow freelancers…and maybe some additional business or referrals will come back my way down the road. There’s nothing wrong with that, eh?

From a bigger-picture perspective, I think we often fool ourselves into thinking that participation in social media means we’re being social. It doesn’t. Real business means picking up the phone or sending a thoughtful email, personally connecting partners, clients, colleagues or friends in ways that improve their own networks and results.

In the comments, share your matchmaking tips or anecdotes. What do you do to expand your freelance network and influence?

Jake Poinier dispenses freelancing advice at DearDrFreelance.com and runs a Phoenix-based editorial services firm, Boomvang Creative Group.

Photo courtesy of Nate Brelsford.