Secrets of the Professional Freelancer
by
Bev Walton-Porter
SMASHWORDS EDITION
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PUBLISHED BY:
Bev Walton-Porter on Smashwords
Cover courtesy of Cyndy Clemens
Secrets of the Professional Freelancer
Copyright © 2004 by Bev Walton-Porter
Smashwords Edition License Notes
This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each person you share it with. If you're reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then you should return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the author's work.
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For my mother, Shirley Walton-Thayer.
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Table of Contents
Introduction
Chapter One – Building Your Freelance Business on a Shoestring
Chapter Two – How to Effectively Generate Ideas
Chapter Three – Eight Great Ways to Jump-start Your Writing
Chapter Four – Head Games: Harnessing the Wild Mind
Chapter Five – Using Emotions to Fuel Your Writing Fire
Chapter Six – Are You Ready for Full-time Freelancing?
Chapter Seven – Networking: Harnessing the Power of Teamwork
Chapter Eight – Distractions - Moving from Unfocused to Focused
Chapter Nine – The Professional Pitch: Mastering Query Letters
Chapter Ten – From Idea to Finished Product
Chapter Eleven – Rejection Redux: Turn a Negative into a Positive!
Chapter Twelve – Ether to Editor: How E-queries Make Life Easier
Chapter Thirteen – Freelancer Pitfalls: Dealing with Interruptions
Chapter Fourteen – How to Reach Your O.W.L.
Chapter Fifteen – Quick Clips: Writing Book Reviews
Chapter Sixteen – Slanting Articles for Print and Web Pubs
Chapter Seventeen – Freelancer Pitfalls: Time Management
Chapter Eighteen – Capturing Local and Regional Markets
Chapter Nineteen – Developing an Effective Press Release
Chapter Twenty – Six Easy Steps to Launching Your Own E-zine
Chapter Twenty-one – Diversifying Efforts for More Sales
Chapter Twenty-two – Live Your Freelance Writing Dream!
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INTRODUCTION
Ask a thousand freelance writers the best way to break into freelance writing and you’ll likely get a thousand variations of an answer. Some will tell you to specialize; others will tell you to diversify. “Write what you know!” will be the call of others, while many will eschew that notion completely. For a person who is interested in becoming a freelance writer, the path is one strewn with confusion. Questions lead to answers. Those answers invariably lead to even more questions. Soon enough, the would-be freelancer is frustrated to the point of no return and, sadly, many aspiring freelancers forget about the whole notion of writing or getting published once and for all. In short, because many people make the whole process seem so nebulous and difficult, the majority of people who consider freelance writing toss their dreams aside and never go back to revisit or reconsider them.
In this book, I only offer you the information I have found has worked for me and me alone. The information has helped me publish nearly 200 articles, interviews, reviews and features online and in print. What I have here are methods that, for whatever reason, worked the best for me. Think of this information as a jumping-off point for your freelance aspirations, but don’t take my word as the last word on anything. The publishing business changes daily. You must be flexible and astute enough to mold and shape the basic information you receive in order to meet the current state of the industry.
However, as much as the industry changes, some basic rules remain the same. For instance, you’ll never get away with playing prima donna with any editor and expect to receive plum writing assignments from him or her. Likewise, you’ll never get away with submitting a stained, handwritten story and hope to have it published. There are certain protocols and rules that you will always need to adhere to. What I offer here is a concise and easily understood set of methods to help you. In addition, selected chapters offer an assignment for you to work on by yourself to help put into practice the information in said chapter.
Will this book guarantee you a long and prosperous freelance career the likes of which will transform you into a rich and famous writer? No book can do that, and anyone who claims to know “the one true way” isn’t being upfront with you. But what this book can offer is a common-sense approach to freelancing that has worked for me. It is my belief that if you employ these methods, you will prepare yourself to enter the freelancing arena. How well you do and where you go once you enter the arena is strictly up to you. No book or amount of advice from other freelancers can ensure your success. The biggest secret in freelancing is that you, yourself, are the most potent of tools in your box of resources. For with all the knowledge and training in the world, if you do not have the desire and persistence, you won’t succeed. Not in freelancing and not in anything else in life.
Herein I offer you information I learned on my own as I made my way along the path of freelance writing. Put your skepticism (and your internal censor) aside and simply consider what I offer you here. Give these methods a try and then, as you find your comfort and rhythm, expand and improve upon what I offer you in this book. No freelancer works like any other, and eventually as you find your own pace, you will work only as you know is best for you. But until you discover that pace, follow the instructions I have set out for you here –-as well as the advice – so that you may at least begin your journey.
From this point on, you are a writer. Not an aspiring writer – a writer. A writer is one who writes, just as a golfer is one who golfs. There are no aspiring golfers, just as there are no aspiring writers. If you write, then you are a writer. The only distinction beyond that is at what level you write: novice, intermediate or professional. And today, we set forth on a path that will guide you from either novice or intermediate and closer to professional level. In this book I offer you the tools and resources you need to make that journey. However, the most important element of this equation is you. How far you travel is entirely up to you. But before you can reach any destination, you must venture that first step. Come and take my hand, for I have many things to show you....
Sincerely,
Bev Walton~Porter
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Chapter One
Getting Started:
Building Your Freelance Business (on a shoestring budget)
In May 1997 I put out the white flag, resigned my comfortable city government job, and in the space of a day, I became the owner of a home-based freelance writing business.
Although home-based businesses are not new, trying to build a business of your own can prove to be tricky -- especially a freelance writing business. Months before, I put on my thinking cap, assessed my skills, and surfed the World Wide Web looking for answers as to how I could build a steady stream of freelance writing assignments using the Internet.
I already knew about the traditional means of selling freelance articles by snail mail, but selling freelance articles that way is only slightly more risky than betting on horses. I needed ways to use my writing skills to generate some funds on a regular basis.
While I needed to build my business prospects, I didn’t have a lot of cash to spend. Like a lot of beginning entrepreneurs, I had to watch my start-up costs and carefully monitor all of my expenditures. I had a mere $150 with which to launch my venture, which I called W/P Wordworks Freelance Services.
Thankfully I stumbled across numerous ways to advertise my services for little or nothing -- mostly through the World Wide Web. And though I used traditional means to market my services on a local basis in the beginning, now I rarely pay for regular print advertising from my hometown paper. Why should I? I’m getting plenty of clients from the methods I’m using in cyberspace!
If you’re looking to break out of the regular workaday mode and find yourself with an entrepreneurial itch you are dying to scratch, I can offer a glimpse of my experience with building a freelance business from the ground up with little or no cash.
Why start a freelance business? For many reasons. Not the least of which is the freedom to be your own boss, set your own schedule, call your own shots. You might also answer, “money.” If you’re going into the business thinking you’ll be pulling in mega-dough almost immediately, you might consider some of bitter realities you’ll have to face in the freelance business.
Before I give you tips on building your fledgling freelance business, I want to point out some of the pitfalls so you won’t be wearing rose-colored glasses in a dark room -- you can’t see the beauty of something if you’re not wise enough to have the right equipment and attitude when you first go into it.
First and foremost, freelancing seems romantic, but it’s hard work. You have to go out and get your assignments. Most clients won’t come begging at your door (unless you’re a very well known, established freelancer with an impressive resume and clips.)
Second, give yourself the time and space to succeed. Don’t expect to write the “Great American Novel” your first week into self-employment and expect millions of dollars in advance money to land magically on your doorstep. You may have to start small and work up, taking odd writing jobs in various categories to bring in the bacon while you’re waiting for your novel to go whole hog.
Finally, don’t limit your options for opportunity just because you believe your talents are that much more outstanding than other freelancer’s. You will simply become a legend in your own mind. Capitalize on your current abilities, then expand your range day by day by pushing yourself to accept new and different assignments -- even if those assignments seem foreign or daunting to you at first.
The more you maintain flexibility as a freelancer, the more open you’ll become to receive jobs from sources you never considered before.
When you first start your quest to become a home-based freelancer, you should put on your thinking cap, assess your skills, and truthfully discover what your greatest assets are. As a writer, I asked myself in what ways I could benefit others with my abilities.
Beyond regular freelance article submissions, what other things could I do with my writing? What kinds of jobs would utilize my writing, bring steady income, and still allow me to indulge in my passion for chasing magazine or newspaper assignments?
Part of the answer came to me almost immediately. Resumes. In the small city where I used to live (population: less than 50,000) people desperately sought work, yet no resume service was listed in the phone book! In fact, not even the temporary agencies offered resume services. So what did I do? I worked out a deal with them where there give out MY card when people walk in and inquire about getting a resume.
I had a good track record with resumes and I felt comfortable writing them, so that was one big way I could use my writing skills and garner income. But then I expanded my thinking a bit more. By conducting job searches through the Internet, helping design persuasive resumes and offering to post them on the Internet, I increased my chances of attracting clients. Not just locally, but globally, as well.
In addition, I expanded my potential client list to businesses, both local and global, which needed assistance with writing or editing business-related copy. Don't be shy: send out a packet with your information and a brief bio, and a sample of your work (make this sample business-related, of course.) Also be sure to include a sample newsletter -- many businesses and community organizations produce newsletters for their clients/members and may be looking for someone to handle the job. Perhaps you're just the right person to fill that niche.
Then I realized my strongest client base -- other writers. I quickly discovered there was a need for inexpensive manuscript critiquing as well as helping others to write attention-getting query letters and synopses. The first book I ever edited is now in published form and the author was so happy with my work that he mentioned my company's name during a television interview and in local newspapers throughout his area. Again, free advertising from a satisfied client!
Now that I had some ideas for starting my freelancing business, it was time to get the word out. Unfortunately, I didn’t have a lot of cash to spend doing that. But as luck would have it, my brand new business had the same advantage as many larger businesses -- and it wouldn’t cost me any more to I decided to market all these services under W/P Wordworks Freelance Services.
Initially the announcement of my business spread through e-mail to friends and family. And word does spread -- even to people you’ve never met before. Acquaintances referred job seekers, other writers, and even business owners to me for writing jobs which included composing resumes to designing ad copy for magazines.
What’s the first lesson? Use e-mail. When you set up shop you don’t have to beat people over the head with the details of your freelance business, but you can mention it in passing or in very subtle ways. One rule of thumb is not to spam (or send unwanted e-mail) to people you don’t know. It’s extremely bad etiquette and, in most cases, could cause you to lose the account with your Internet Service Provider.
As with any business advertising, you must know where and how to market your abilities. Start with the people you know. Announce your new venture in a friendly and personal e-mail. Give an overview of what you do, how you’re expanding your abilities and ask them to let you know if they hear of any opportunities for freelancing jobs. Then leave it at that. You’ve essentially advertised your skills for free and the power of e-mail is legendary. I have received more jobs from e-mail referrals than most anything else. If you do a great job, others are bound to hear about it!
The second thing I did to market my business was find an inexpensive Web site host. This is not hard to do at all, and you don’t have to pay big bucks for some company or fancy Web page designer to set yours up. Most of these sites also offer a page wizard of some type which will allow you to simply enter your information, select the graphics you desire, choose your page colors, and watch your page magically take shape in front of your eyes. You can use any search engine (such as Yahoo, Google, Lycos, Alta Vista, Excite, InfoSeek, etc.) to scan for places which offer inexpensive Web site hosting.
Your next step to cash-free advertising is the obvious choice: classifieds. Most specifically, placing ads on writing sites about the services you offer. There are hundreds, perhaps thousands, of places offering free classified ads. Make your copy snappy, fresh and eye-catching. Appeal to the reader -- make that person want to hire you for your services by guaranteeing satisfaction and seeking out the needs they have, whether it’s to find a job or find a reader for a manuscript.
There is also a second side to classified advertising -- you, as a freelance writer, can offer to write and submit classified ads for others, including other Internet-based businesses. One of my clients hires me solely for the purpose of posting ads for his business. It’s not that he can’t write or post them himself -- he doesn’t have the time to do it. To him, time is money. To me, words are money. And when I fashion words for him and post them for his company over the Internet in classifieds, I make money from him!
So use classifieds to build your own business, sell your self-published newsletter (like I do), or as a tool for helping other businesses advertise by writing their ad copy!
To get started in classifieds, check out this Web site for the “grandfather” list of all links to FREE classifieds: http://www.ecki.com/links/default.shtml. They claim to have over 1,500 places where you can list your classified ad for free! Again, you can use search engines and metasearch engines to locate numerous other places to place your free classified ads. Hint: Instead of retyping your classified ad, you should, whenever possible, use your copy/paste function.
You might also consider two other free marketing options. There are numerous alt.business usenet groups that welcome advertisement postings. Along with classifieds, your Web page, and e-mail mentions, in no time you can have your new business out there getting free exposure. Also, don’t forget the advantage of marketing your services through banner advertising.
A banner is simply a bar of background colors or patterns with text, graphics, or pictures representing a product or service. When a viewer positions his mouse cursor on the banner and “clicks” the banner, the viewer is automatically taken to a Web page which corresponds with whatever the banner was advertising.
Free banners can be posted through linkbuddies and other such banner exchange programs. For an idea of what a banner exchange program is, access the above-mentioned site. Most sites will have a banner design option or you can make your own banner through Paint Shop Pro or MGI PhotoSuite and similar programs. Read the guidelines carefully for exact specifications and instructions.
After you’ve designed your banner, simply load it into one of the above banner sites, and your business is on its way to FREE rotations in front of millions of people! Also, don't forget to contact Webmasters of other writing sites to ask if they'll display your banner in exchange for a mention of their site at your homepage. The rule of thumb for banners is to make them short, snappy, and eye-catching. Banners are visual aids, so design yours carefully.
Finally, once you begin working with clients on a regular basis, you may decide to take your marketing in a different direction by adding your customers to your own mailing list. You can pay for an e-mail list, of course, but you can also find a free mailing list through a variety of sources such as yahoo groups, Topica or a similar service.
Through this mailing list you can keep your clients up to date on any new services your offer (I added Web page design to my services after taking a free class on Web design and html through a Virtual University.)
Once I let my customers know that I’d expanded my services to Web page design and graphic banner design I gathered additional jobs. So consider a mailing list as an extra way to keep in touch with past customers. You never know when you’ll spark their interest with your new-found skills!
If you have the desire to begin a freelance business of your own, the World Wide Web is your greatest asset. Because of the nature of the medium, if you surf smart and watch for great deals, you can literally market your services absolutely free and watch your client base grow on a daily basis!
Just remember that while you’re practicing the craft which will earn your bread and butter through a variety of sources, you must never forget to call into play the other half of yourself -- the creative, but thrifty, marketer. For as soon as you allow that side to slip, you’ll see your prospects go down by the same measure.
Freelancing can be done on a shoestring budget with limited funds. But one thing you cannot neglect to feed your business is constant attention. If you keep one eye on your creative work and the other eye on your budget marketing strategy, you can be sure your garden of ideas will continue to grow and flourish. And eventually, so will your wallet!
One more thing: do NOT listen to naysayers. Generally, people who are cynical about your full-time freelancing are those who aren't doing it themselves. If you have the passion, determination, ingenuity and perseverance needed to become a freelancer, you can do it. I believe in the words, "I can!" rather than "I can't." The majority of the time, people who are cynical are actually full of two words I loathe, "I won't."
Freelancing is challenging, often frustrating, full of surprises and fraught with the unknown, but it is also the most satisfying and liberating experience I've known in my life. To adjust an all-too-familiar saying, "A bad day's freelancing is better than a good day's 'work'"!
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Chapter Two
How to Effectively Generate Potential Article Ideas
Why do some writers have such a hard time generating ideas? The answer is simple: because they don't trust themselves to be the creative beings they are. They fail to understand that writing is not all logic and linear thinking ability.
Writing, whether fiction or freelancing, has a connection to the right brain, as well. Learning to write using both sides of the brain is the first step to breaking writer's block and revving up the most productive part of you.
We were all born with the ability to be creative and we all have the power to generate more ideas and angles for stories than we could ever possibly execute in our lifetimes.
The true secret to opening up the wealth of ideas you have housed within in you is to simply trust in yourself and follow certain exercises which are designed to jump-start your brain. In this first chapter, I'll teach you eight great ways to kick your creative engine in gear.
At the end of chapter #1, you'll know the sure-fire method for generating literally hundreds of ideas on a daily basis -- and this is the vital first step toward writing more, gaining more acceptance of your work and selling more. Now, shall we begin?
Why Our Creative Fires Die
Before we can begin to speak about or even to consider writing, we must first consider that writing does not happen without a seed of creativity. Whether you write poetry, non-fiction, or fiction, there must first be the spark of an idea or thought that drives you to create a written piece of work.
Even non-fiction, which seems at the outset to be nothing more than the reportage of facts and how-tos, can be written with a more creative edge. Although there is a place in writing for checking grammar, spelling and usage, there is also a place for the intangible element. That intangible element is the personal style and voice a writer puts into his or her work.
Without the element of personal style and voice, the writer's work will be dull. Worse, it will read as insincere and the reader will be less than entertained. Readers are intelligent, don't ever forget that. They expect a payoff when they take the time to read a piece of written work -- don't let them down!
Unfortunately, by the time we are adults, our personal style and voice -- our own unique and creative fire within ourselves -- has died down. Often, the fire has been put out completely.
If you plan to connect with your readers and have goals of selling your written work to editors and publishers, it is essential that you reconnect with the creative fire within you once more. If you have made a connection, but aren't sure if it's strong enough, then you must work to strengthen and feed that fire on a daily basis.
Young children are naturally creative. Chances are, when you were a child, you may have daydreamed, written stories, had imaginary friends or mixed up new and exciting colors with your finger paints.
Perhaps you drew an elephant and painted him green with gold ears. All avenues were possible, and until an adult explained to you that there are "no gold and green elephants," in your imagination, you considered that maybe, just maybe, there was room for a few green and gold elephants roaming in Africa!
I'm here to tell you that green and gold elephants can and do exist. Nonsense, you say? I say they do exist -- in the writer's mind or in books or stories. Just as a purple dinosaur seems unlikely to "rational" thinking adults, we discovered many years ago that Barney the purple dinosaur (quit groaning!) was very much alive and real in the hearts and minds of children.
In the minds of children who have not yet had all the creative fire snuffed out, the world has plenty of room for purple dinosaurs.
To be a successful writer who connects with readers, whether those readers are adults or children, you have to believe in the possibility of the impossible. You must ask questions most people wouldn't even ask. You have to consider the angle most people will miss. Seeing things with a different set of eyes is one trait you must develop as a writer. And in order to develop that second set of eyes, you have to look at the world in a fresh way.
By the time we are adults and have had the usual ups, downs and disappointments in life, the freshness we knew as young people has long since been crushed or has gone stale. We live in a very linear, left-brained society. The demands put on us require us to organize, criticize, and analyze in order to make the right decision in many of life's concrete areas. Usually, thoughts that aren't realistically feasible are cast aside. We mean business -- NO time for silly business!
In this book, it is my hope that I can help you not only renew that sense of freshness, but assist you in parlaying your rediscovered talent into producing work that will impact readers (from all age groups and walks of life), interest editors and move you closer to publication and payment for your writing.
As you will realize at the end of this book, the concrete, logical aspects of writing go hand-in-hand with the artistic, creative side of the craft. It is my position that in order to succeed as a writer in any genre, you must be familiar with both sides of the coin. If your goals include publication and payment for your writing, I submit to you that you must master both in order to reach the highest peak of writing potential.
Rekindling the Creative Fire
This week, I want you to start rekindling your creative fire. Put away that censor (or internal editor) sitting on your shoulder. Lock that distressing little imp away in a box or a closet in your mind. Tell him to sit down and be quiet. Be open to the creative voice within yourself and heed it. It is from this voice that you will obtain the most wonderful of ideas -- ideas that can translate into physical manifestation of your story or article on paper.
Before you protest that you came here to write, not to daydream, give me your eyes and ears. Listen: all written pieces begin with the genesis of an idea or a thought. Once you perfect your method of generating ideas, you will literally find yourself in awash in more potential writing projects than you ever thought possible.
Tell me, what is one of the primary questions all writers ask professionals? Answer: Where do you get your ideas? In writing workshop to conferences to writers' club meetings, the question is a prevalent one. When I first began to write many years ago, I asked the same question. Then, one day, it occurred to me that when I was a child and wrote stories while riding home on the school bus, I never was at a loss for what to write about.
Suddenly, it occurred to me that I'd lost something along the way. But what was it? The more I pondered, the more the answer presented itself to me. What I'd lost was the ability to think out of the mundane, ordinary boundaries of life. I'd lost that child-like curiosity and replaced it with the staid seriousness of most adults. I'd lost my creative fire.
Throughout the course of this book, I want you to keep a notebook or open a file in your word processing program strictly for the purpose of making notes about each chapter and for working on your assignments. The most important aspect is to reconnect yourself with personal elements you may have lost or forgotten throughout your lifetime.
Your first entry in this notebook will be a ten-minute free writing assignment which will help you recall the creative, storytelling talents of your childhood. You will use this method to reconnect with a part of yourself from many years ago. A part of yourself that will assist you in becoming a better writer as an adult.
Some of you may ask what the term "free writing" means. What I mean by free writing is simply sitting down in a quiet, unchaotic atmosphere and writing for ten minutes straight -- without stopping! During this time you focus on a particular goal.
In this case, the goal is to focus on how you remember yourself as a child -- what thoughts you had, the interests you held, what made you curious, what excited you, how you felt about the world around you. Were you fascinated by exotic animals or enthralled by they way trains worked? Did you dream of being an astronaut or working in a circus? Write it all down -- any and all impressions you can capture.
Sometime this week, take your personal notebook and free write for ten minutes, making sure to focus on the above topic. Write whatever comes into your mind. Do not erase or cross out anything you've written. Keep the results of your free writing in your course notebook.
After completing the free writing session, take a few minutes to read over what you've written. What thoughts or impressions occur to you? Are there things presented there which, perhaps, over the years you'd forgotten? Make notes on your reaction to the exercise.
Select two out of the eight suggestions found in "Eight Great Ways ...." and use them to build yourself a weekly routine. What that means is this: at least once every seven days, you should take the time to connect with the creative part of you to generate ideas for future writing projects. Keep a running list of possible projects in a separate section of your course notebook under the heading of "Writing Projects."
Before we get started on this chapter's writing assignment, make sure to read my comments below on grammar and format.
GRAMMAR AND FORMAT
As any professional writer knows, grammar, spelling and format does matter to editors. We will tackle how to clean up your work and format it correctly for the editors' eyes later in the course. However, for the purposes of these first few chapters, our primary focus will be generation of ideas and how to translate them into written work.
Why am I telling you this? Because, at this stage, I want you to know the concentration won't be on nit-picky errors that can easily be corrected at a later time. For now, I want you to focus solely on the production of ideas and getting as MUCH out on paper (or in your computer) as possible.
Keep this in mind: the most successful freelancers are not the ones who are perfect writers. The most successful ones are those who can consistently generate and deliver an infinite number of quality article or story ideas. So go ahead -- make a word-infested mess on your paper. The main thing is to GET IT ON PAPER FIRST -- then go back and clean up the mess. If you try to make your work perfect the first time out of the gate, chances are you'll lock up and find yourself trapped in what's known as the dreaded condition known as "writer's block." Don't do that to yourself. Give yourself permission to create. We'll clean up the details later. I promise.
Now -- go CREATE!
Your Assignment:
1. During the course of this book, you need to either have a notebook where you can write your brainstorms or ideas, or if you feel more comfortable, open a file in your word processor titled "brainstorming." You will use this place to do all of your creative work. I hope this will get you into the habit of ALWAYS carrying a notebook and pen to jot down any snippets of ideas that come to you.
2. In your first session of creative brainstorming for ideas that will become articles, essays, short stories or novels, jot down any and all words or thoughts that come to you in a 15-minute span of time. Try to do this when you are alone or otherwise distracted. Close your eyes if you need to. Block out as much of the ordinary world as possible. Set a timer for 15 minutes and list all words, phrases, ideas or images that come into your mind. You will keep this list as a jumping-off point, and to make reference to often.
3. Gather up several newspapers and magazines -- ones that you can cut up without causing uproar from anyone in your household. Now, take your time and go through each of these publications. Study what you see -- advertisements, articles, photos, captions -- everything. Anything you find interesting, shocking, inspiring or thought provoking you will cut out with scissors and set aside. These clip outs may be parts of headlines, photographs, sections of advertisements. Gather these clippings and put them in a jar or plastic container.
4. Using the results of your brainstorming and magazine/newspaper clipping sessions, make a list of ten to 20 writing projects (articles, poems, short story or novels) you can draw out of these creative sessions. For instance, if you cut out a picture of a little girl wearing a red beret and matching scarf, how could you translate that image into both an article ("ten Ways to Keep Your Kids Warmer in Winter") a poem ("Red Scarf On An Orphan Girl") or short story/book ("Rosie's Red Scarf"). If possible, for each item, try and come up with a way to use that image/idea in non-fiction, fiction and poetry form.
This exercise may be very difficult for some of you, while it may prove easy for others. Again, it is best to work in a quiet, relaxed atmosphere. Creative work is often done best in the early morning or late afternoon, depending on your propensity for being a Morning Lark or Night Owl.
Suggested Readings for Opening Creativity:
Though this is not a comprehensive list, below I have suggested books for you to check out at your library for supplementary reading on the subjects we'll be tackling along the way. You are not required to read all or even some of them -- these are simply suggestions to help you along your writing path.
**Marry Your Muse: Making a Lasting Commitment to Your Creativity by Jan Phillips
**Lateral Thinking: Creativity Step by Step by Edward De Bono
**The Creative Habit: Learn It and Use It for Life by Twyla Tharp
**The Right to Write: An Invitation and Initiation into the Writing Life by Julia Cameron
**The Artist's Way: A Spiritual Path to Higher Creativity by Julia Cameron
**Affirmations for Artists by Dr. Eric Maisel
**Fearless Creating by Dr. Eric Maisel
**Writing Down the Bones: Freeing the Writer Within by Natalie Goldberg
**Bird By Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life by Anne Lamott
**A Creative Companion by SARK
**Trust the Process: An Artist's Guide to Letting Go by Shaun McNiff
Again, these are suggestions, but I believe that if you read at least one of these books, and hopefully more, you will make advances in reconnecting with your inner creative fire.
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Chapter Three
Eight Great Ways to Jump-start Your Writing
It’s unwelcome, but inevitable: someday you'll face the dreaded affliction known as "writer's block." This damnable malady may wreak havoc on your creativity for a day, week or month (let's not even consider a full year!), but you don't have to be a willing victim! You can combat and conquer "writer's block" with these eight sure-fire remedies designed to crank up your creative urges and jump-start your writing. Guaranteed!
1. START A DREAM DIARY
Some of the best "scenes" and storylines come are those which spring unbidden from the deepest recesses of your unconscious mind. If you're not inclined to snapping on the nightlight to frantically scribble down the remnants of a fast-fading dream, buy an inexpensive compact tape recorder and record your impressions upon awakening.
If you're unable to recall every last tidbit of your dream, don't fret! Just as snippets of newspaper articles can be used as a catalyst for your next story, dream snippets can provide unique bits and pieces which can be woven together later on to spice up plots, characters or spark ideas for nonfiction articles.
2. KEEP A JOURNAL
Keeping a journal is one of the most effective ways of combating writer's block. Make your journal as nonrestrictive and unthreatening as possible. No one will be sitting behind your shoulder counting off points for grammar, punctuation or paragraph structure!
Silence your inner critic and write honestly about what you're sensing or experiencing. Are you angry? Sad? Euphoric? Why? Be as specific and descriptive as possible. Don't set limits on the frequency or length of your entries; instead, concentrate on consistently writing in your journal, whether it be daily, weekly or monthly.
A word of advice: although some writers use computers for journaling, the aesthetic experience of journaling with good, old-fashioned pen and paper appeals more to the writer within me. It's your choice, but regardless of your preference, the basic idea is to give your creative self free rein. You may be hard-pressed to sit down "cold" and produce the first chapter of your book, so allow yourself a "warm up" by journaling.
3. BUY A BOOK OF BABY NAMES
The purchase of a pocket book of baby names can not only be a tool in naming your next character, it can also be used as a way to recharge your imagination. Each week, choose a name or two from the book and develop a character sketch out of the impressions you receive from saying and thinking about the name you've chosen. What would this person look like? What personality traits would they possess? Who are their relatives, and what are their names? Where would a person named Beauregard be born, and under what circumstances? How would they dress, and what foods would they prefer?
Whether you've chosen Maribelle or Myrtle, develop a person from that name using your impressions and personal poetic license. The stable of characters you create can then be used to people your upcoming short stories or novels, and the plot twists will evolve naturally from your characters' flaws and weaknesses.
4. EXPAND YOUR POWERS OF OBSERVATION
If you're not already an avid people watcher, become one. Begin ferreting out expressions and mannerisms of members of the general public engaged in daily activity. Note any habits that could be used as an effective "tag" for your fictional characters. Carry a small notepad and record not only people's characteristics or witticisms, but the surroundings, as well. People tend to behave differently depending on whether they're attending church or attending a football game.
Jot down the flora and fauna of your hometown surroundings, as well as any areas you visit or vacation. Observe the similarities of people living in small towns, mid-sized cities or large, sprawling urban areas. Use these simple notes and observations as a springboard for setting in your next story.
Although your fictional setting may not be a real town, you can easily fool your reader into believing there is a town by adding authentic sights, sounds and smells borrowed from your people/place-watching notes.
5. BRAINSTORM/FREE-ASSOCIATE
Brainstorming and free-association ranks at the top of effective ways to energize your brain cells into a more inventive mode. Simply allow yourself five minutes to jot down any words that come to mind. Put your pen to paper (or your fingers to keyboard) and write as many as you can within the time allotted. Don't allow your internal critic to censor anything--write every single thing that pops into your mind.
That done, take an additional ten minutes and read each word you wrote down, writing the first words that come to mind when you go back over your initial list. Don't just shoot for associated words, dig deeper into your subconscious and give voice to any impressions you receive. Once your time is up, study the words you've culled from your subconscious. Are there any obvious storylines or characters there?