Okay, maybe not "new," but a clear alternative to the money-chasing.
Most people would jump at the chance to go where the money is -- I've been there. I worked for a mortgage company where I knew people that made an absurd amount of money. I wouldn't say that most of them possessed any kind of magical powers, they just sacrificed...a lot. It was to the similar fall-off-the-face-of-the-earth effect that happens when people have babies. But in reality, they were just feeding their wallets.
I left in pursuit of more manageable and relevant affairs, and haven't regretted a day since. I realized that my time and freedom is priceless! I would rather work less hours in the day for the same amount of money instead of chasing a fat raise. This is why so many people are drawn to freelance careers.
Just because your day is shorter than most doesn't mean it has to be less profitable. I Stumbled Upon an article that discusses how successful people channel their focus into a shorter day (link below).
Why Successful People Leave Work Early
When I thought about how I function, I really couldn't agree more. The first four hours of the day are when the real work gets done, the rest just seems to drag on into eternity. So I'm going to challenge myself -- and you -- to try it out. See just how much you can accomplish in short, concentrated bursts.
I sure wouldn't hate a shorter work day!
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
Friday, June 24, 2011
Stepping Back
I don't want to count how many social media messages enter my life daily. Between the emails from Facebook and the text messages from Twitter, not to mention the time I actually spend navigating these sites, it's probably overkill.
But once in a while you come across something true enough to pay attention to. A few days ago, one of the blogs I follow posted this quote:
If you get stuck, get away from your desk. Take a walk, take a bath, go to sleep, make a pie, draw, listen to music, meditate, exercise; whatever you do, don't just stick there scowling at the problem. But don't make telephone calls or go to a party; if you do, other people's words will pour in where your lost words should be. Open a gap for them, create a space. Be patient.
HILARY MANTEL
True. As much as I procrastinate and allow time to get away from me, It's really the best thing I can do to get out of my office from time to time. Today marks one of my favorite times to get away: the annual Laabs trip to Traverse City. My entire extended family comes up, and we all love it here for different reasons. Aside from the obvious intention of spending time together, I love writing here.
I'm not in a box, I'm not trying to appease my anxious dog, I'm not trying to create just the right white noise to keep me focused, I'm not even looking at the time. As a writer who works largely from home, it's refreshing to hear other people murmur around me. And as a city girl, nothing is quite as restorative as the sound of the water.
I have only been here a few hours, but I already feel that switch click -- the one that associates writing with work -- and now I can get back to that sensation of writing for fun. Sometimes all it takes is that change of scenery.
Writing for a living is a true blessing, I can say without question that it's something I am happy doing. But once it's just you and the words, it's too easy to get in your own way. I know that I try new ways of finding my voice all the time, but sometimes all you need to do is sit in a new chair.
Try it.
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
DIY Editing: Learn your own weaknesses
In my experience, one of the harder tasks in writing is editing yourself.
For the majority of the writing process, we entrench ourselves in the topic -- either gathering enough information to assert ourselves as an expert or searching for the perfect creative inspiration. After all of the perspiration and punctuation, we have to step back and make sure everything is just as it should be.
Considering the adage that "you are your own worst critic," you'd think it would be easier to notice where you could do better. But most often, the things that need help aren't even necessarily wrong. In both the grammatical and developmental senses, many writers fall back on habit: a turn of phrase, organization...I have a well-developed fondness of commas, personally. How are you supposed to look at your work and decide what changes will take it to the next level?
Well, no one can expect you to do it all alone in the beginning.
Certainly, your ability to self-edit will become invaluable. You will still need to comb your work carefully. But begin by making note of the mistakes you notice most often. Keep a list of them. Once you have done what you can, enlist a peer.
There is a reason that writers are so quick to form communities and working relationships: We need each other. Find a writer -- multiple writers even -- with different backgrounds, styles and perspectives. Find people whose talent you respect. Have them edit your work one more time and show you the changes they made. I am a believer in the tracking changes available on Microsoft Word or the commenting and cataloged document history on Google Docs.
You will probably find a different slew of suggestions, not all of which you have to take. After all, your unique voice as a writer is your product. But you will likely discover new things to work on. Keep that list handy and refer to it when you finish your next piece. Over time, you wont need that list so much anymore; many of these issues tend to resolve themselves once you become aware of them.
Working on your self-editing skill is a tool that pays off quickly with better quality writing. While honing your craft is a life-long process, having someplace to begin is something that most of us can be very grateful for.
For the majority of the writing process, we entrench ourselves in the topic -- either gathering enough information to assert ourselves as an expert or searching for the perfect creative inspiration. After all of the perspiration and punctuation, we have to step back and make sure everything is just as it should be.
Considering the adage that "you are your own worst critic," you'd think it would be easier to notice where you could do better. But most often, the things that need help aren't even necessarily wrong. In both the grammatical and developmental senses, many writers fall back on habit: a turn of phrase, organization...I have a well-developed fondness of commas, personally. How are you supposed to look at your work and decide what changes will take it to the next level?
Well, no one can expect you to do it all alone in the beginning.
Certainly, your ability to self-edit will become invaluable. You will still need to comb your work carefully. But begin by making note of the mistakes you notice most often. Keep a list of them. Once you have done what you can, enlist a peer.
There is a reason that writers are so quick to form communities and working relationships: We need each other. Find a writer -- multiple writers even -- with different backgrounds, styles and perspectives. Find people whose talent you respect. Have them edit your work one more time and show you the changes they made. I am a believer in the tracking changes available on Microsoft Word or the commenting and cataloged document history on Google Docs.
You will probably find a different slew of suggestions, not all of which you have to take. After all, your unique voice as a writer is your product. But you will likely discover new things to work on. Keep that list handy and refer to it when you finish your next piece. Over time, you wont need that list so much anymore; many of these issues tend to resolve themselves once you become aware of them.
Working on your self-editing skill is a tool that pays off quickly with better quality writing. While honing your craft is a life-long process, having someplace to begin is something that most of us can be very grateful for.
Thursday, June 9, 2011
Shedding Your Expectations
We all know that there are major benefits to exercising. Most of us have probably joined a gym at some point, bought a few workout routine DVDs -- only to have that $50 EFT mock us for staying home as we stare at the disk, which has collected so much dust you may as well use it as a coaster at this point.
I will admit I'm not a health nut. I am among the millions who try, and many times fail, to be better. But I decided enough was enough: I bought a treadmill and put it in the bedroom next to mine. I think about that machine every time I walk to my room. All I had to do was start.
That took about a week and a half. I got that terrible feeling of paralysis, but the dread of starting was actually worse than the exercising!
As a writer, it is easy to feel the same trepidation. What if, when you put the pen to paper, you don't arrive at the great American novel? What if it is the stupidest thing you have ever said?
The first thing you need to do is put aside any expectations. Write them on a post-it, or put them someplace you'll remember. But just as I cannot expect to begin exercising by running a 5k, no writer should put any pressure on themselves as they begin to exercise their writing muscle.
Start small: reflect on your day, do a freewrite, just get in the habit of putting words on a page. The pressure to begin writing can be enormous, so finding out how your writing process begins is one of the biggest steps you can make towards any of the goals you may have.
So kick the dread and just do 15 minutes of the hard stuff every day. Just like when exercising, you will grow stronger by making a commitment to your skills.
I will admit I'm not a health nut. I am among the millions who try, and many times fail, to be better. But I decided enough was enough: I bought a treadmill and put it in the bedroom next to mine. I think about that machine every time I walk to my room. All I had to do was start.
That took about a week and a half. I got that terrible feeling of paralysis, but the dread of starting was actually worse than the exercising!
As a writer, it is easy to feel the same trepidation. What if, when you put the pen to paper, you don't arrive at the great American novel? What if it is the stupidest thing you have ever said?
The first thing you need to do is put aside any expectations. Write them on a post-it, or put them someplace you'll remember. But just as I cannot expect to begin exercising by running a 5k, no writer should put any pressure on themselves as they begin to exercise their writing muscle.
Start small: reflect on your day, do a freewrite, just get in the habit of putting words on a page. The pressure to begin writing can be enormous, so finding out how your writing process begins is one of the biggest steps you can make towards any of the goals you may have.
So kick the dread and just do 15 minutes of the hard stuff every day. Just like when exercising, you will grow stronger by making a commitment to your skills.
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