Should You Write For 'Free'?

Many writers, like most artists, may find that their 'skill' (though I view as a gift) might not be taken as seriously if they decide to give it away for free. For many writers, the thought of putting in the time, effort, love, sacrifice and - depending on the type of writing you do - research and due diligence into a project just doesn't warrant a mere smile and pat on the back as 'payment'. I asked myself this question when a friend of mine who knew of a book I'd written many years ago and tried to get an agent to represent asked me why I didn't just self publish it. That was a good question she posed. But the reality is that I no longer had the same sentimentality and emotions toward the book that I had at the time I wrote it, and I also reminded her that self-publishing can be quite costly if you seek a credible publisher and manage your own marketing. To that she replied, "Well.... put it online or something! It's a good book and I think everyone should know about it."

I seriously had to self-debate that. Should I just put up my craft to be viewed for free? I'd spent over a year writing the fiction novel, completed it, and spent LOTS of time and money getting an editor and an agent to represent it. Was it now worth nothing? I thought about this for months when one day (seriously, just out of the blue one day) I just realized that I didn't always write for money. In fact, most of my writing isn't for a fee. I write because I enjoy it. I find it therapeutic and enjoyable. I can't dance, sing, or paint. I can act 'a little bit'... well, maybe not at all. But we all have talents and gifts and we turn many of our talents into skills that may actually pay the bills! But does every single letter I type warrant a paycheck? Not really. Not if I did it for love. Which is why I write to begin with. So, with that being said, I've turned the book into an online soap opera! It's really just a serial, you know the kind that used to exist back in the day when people read newspapers? Yeah, like that! So feel free to view at: https://castleviewhills.wordpress.com/. And also feel free to share your thoughts in the comments about writing for free.

The Business of Holiday Writing

I love the holiday season for all of the new Christmas treats, holiday music, and of course all of the holiday-themed movies that appear non-stop on the Hallmark Channel, Lifetime, and other networks. Recently, I forced my husband to watch one with me, and he made a very smart observation. He noticed that the majority of these 'holiday' movies seem to be just dramas, romance, suspense, and every other genre - just set at Christmas time. I thought about that for a moment and realized how true that was. It seems like with the many network channels that exist, along with the Internet, and other reading portals, there seems to be a real business in holiday writing. It seems like just twenty-five years ago there were just a few staples - 'It's a Wonderful Life', 'Miracle on 34th Street' and of course the classic book/movie 'A Christmas Carol'. But now, there are so many options and avenues for holiday writing, and I love that! As a writer of all things, I can appreciate this emerging genre and hopefully it will expand to include all the holidays! What do you think about the business of holiday writing? Please share!

Writing for the 'Heck' of It!

About a week ago, I finally finished a manuscript I’d been collaborating on for at least the last two years. My writing partner and I had a deadline to meet and typical me - I kind of waited until the last minute to deliver my best. Some writers are like that. We can’t get our juices flowing until we hear that clock ticking louder and louder! That said, I tuned everybody out, including my family, and got to work.

When I was done, my sister-in-law called to ask me a question about my writing. Specifically, why do I write? She’s a property manager. A cut and dry kind of job with great benefits and stability. While writing, of course really offers none of that. Not without a hefty out of pocket price, by the way.

I had a hard time answering that question. I had to think for second. Was it because I like it? Because I feel I’m good at it? Because others have told me that’s my gift? Can’t possibly be the money, that’s for sure! So what I told her is I simply write for the ‘heck of it’. What does that mean exactly? For me, it means that I write because when all else fails, that’s what I turn to and that’s always been the case. When I’m sad, I write. When I’m mad, I write. When I’m happy, anxious, feeling threatened, feeling creative, feeling philanthropic – for every emotion I feel, I write. So I write for the heck of it the same way a singer might sing or a dancer might dance. When it’s something so intrinsic you can’t really imagine doing anything else. Writing is an outlet, my meal ticket, my personal punching bag, my best friend. Writing in a sense is everything. And no, it’s not perfect and sometimes it frustrates me to no end. But it’s what I do when everything else doesn’t make sense.  So writing for the heck of it might bring both joy and disappointment – but it never fails. Feel free to share why you write!

When You’re In Over Your Head… Just Relax

Yesterday was one of those buggy days. Those days where I can’t even answer a text message, before another phone call comes in, followed by a slew of emails… UGH! I hate these days! But it was for a good reason. I was in demand – well, my writing that is. And that is the profession I chose.

I remember all too well when I was not in demand – I mean my writing – and I stared at the phone waiting for it to ring. Checked my emails. Nothing. Text message? Nada.

So I suppose that I’m a bit hypocritical for complaining. But, I think all writers do experience those days where they feel overwhelmed and ‘out of sync’. It may be prompted by the demands that often come with this profession. So when this does happen, I do make time to relax – and I don’t mean relax ‘writing’. There was a time when I actually turned to writing for relaxation, but now that it could be the very cause of my stress, I manage to do a few things that I find to be very effective. Follow along if this is where you are right now:

1. Take a ‘Brain Break’ – okay, truthfully that’s just my personal term for a nap… but it works! We’ve seen, read, and heard study after study confirm that taking a brief ‘siesta’ is the key to making that final push through the day. So just go ahead and take a 30-minute sleep break. Your mind will appreciate it and you’re creativity will likely increase.

2. If you don’t want to lie down then ‘Get Up’! – Like most people, I definitely see the value of working out. But I don’t have a routine, for example I’m not waking up at 4:00 am and heading out to the gym. Puh-leeze! Instead, I save my workout time for that time of the day when the words on my laptop look like their moving around in circles, and my emails just never end. One of the luxuries of being a freelance writer is you get a chance to space out your time. Depending on when the stress starts to creep up, that’s when I get up and get moving. It really is true, just a 30 minute walk can do wonders – for your mind and your body.

3. Meditate – Even taking a two minute deep breather can be considered meditation. I really value the idea of meditation for clearing one’s head and for its calming effects. I try to meditate daily, especially when I’m feeling stressed. If you’ve heard of meditation techniques, but aren’t really sure of where to get started, check out this website for more info: www.freemeditation.com/meditation-basics/meditation-tips-for-beginners/.

4. Do anything away from the phone or computer – If the three before mentioned don’t click with you, then just do anything! Whatever will take you away from the computer and the phone! Whether it’s walking your dog, or catching up on that episode of Pretty Little Liars you DVR’d last week, just take a break!

Trust me it will do you some good, help you manage those ‘buggy days’, but also put things in perspective. Feel free to share what you do in the comments below.

Happy Writing!

When Your Writing Mentor Becomes a ‘Bully’

I’m a huge proponent of mentorship. In fact, I consult with an organization that promotes and implements mentoring and professional development advising strategies for primarily women business entrepreneurs.

Specific to writing, I’ve found that it would behoove any young writer to seek a mentor who can help to guide them in the craft. This person should be someone whose work ethic and professional achievements you admire and may want to emulate. But above all else, this should be someone whose opinion you trust and constructive criticism is useful as you embark or continue to build your writing career.

Most mentoring relationships are meaningful, cooperative, and supportive. However in some cases they can be absolute nightmares! In 2013 I witnessed this first hand when a young woman (I’ll name her ‘Sarah’ to protect her real name) I worked with who had just been promoted from Receptionist to Administrative Assistant was severely harassed by her mentor. In this new position, quite a bit of writing was required – from press releases, to business letters. Often times Sarah would come to my office, sit down and cry a river on my desk. She didn’t understand why this woman who should have been guiding her often berated her, even asking her, “Do you even know how to spell your own name?”

The young woman was so mentally downtrodden, she began to doubt herself and wondered why she was in the job to begin with. It made me mad to see her like this because it brought back memories of when I, too had been so tormented by a mentor that I thought about giving up writing altogether. But unlike Sarah, I had no one to cry to. I had no one who would listen to me. So one afternoon when Sarah knocked on my office door fully immersed in tears I asked myself, What advice would I have wanted to hear all those years back when I was the one bullied by my mentor?

The question guided me to tell Sarah that in life you will always encounter people who will put you down, who won’t believe in you, and who enjoy berating you. They feed off your tears, your uneasiness, and knowing they intimidate you. But it is up to you to decide how long you are willing to put up with it. As long as you believe in yourself, that is all that matters. So dry your eyes and do your work - all while documenting the harassment for you to present to human resources – and use the time you decide to stay to get your experience in. How will you cope? Well, that saying ‘kill them with kindness’ is true because you never want to retaliate. When you are brand new in a position, you never want to give anyone any reason or proof to say anything bad about you as you are just starting out in your career. And you never want them to see you sweat! Once they see how your reaction to their tormenting behavior toward you has changed, they will realize how strong you are – just in time for you to find a new and better job while you present all of your documentation to human resources along with a resignation letter!

The moral of the story is bullies exist – and they will always exist. But find a way to make it beneficial for your growth – not your career exit - while also making it known to them that they don’t scare you and you aren’t afraid of exposing them for the horrible person they are.

Have you been bullied in your writing career? Please share your thoughts and strategies for handling these situations in the ‘Comments’ section.