June Goal Wrap-up and Review

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June was kind of a nutty month for me.  The kids got out of school, I started a new part-time job at our library, I took on the responsibility of managing a site I had previously only written reviews for, and I had some mid-month excitement with my son’s hospital visit.  I also started writing for Examiner.com as the Mansfield Family & Parenting 101 Examiner, which requires a few articles a week.

I didn’t do as well on my goals as I had hoped at the beginning of the month, but I feel ok about it because my priorities changed as things in my life changed, and I had to change my goals as that happened.

I’m hoping July will be a bit more predictable, but if it’s not I will try to roll with the punches.  Or whatever.

1. Add other section to book – I didn’t do this at all.  The book got put on hold with all the other new responsibilities.  I’m still trying to figure out how to fit it back in to my life so I can work on it, but I haven’t quite figured that out yet.

2. Increase my use of social media. – I feel like I did well on this one.  I try to tweet daily, and have something to say besides “here, read my new post” and I share things on Tumblr.  That also goes on my Facebook account, and I keep in touch with people through there to some extent too.

3. Use work schedule to better organize my time. – HA!  This one is amusing.  It didn’t happen.  Not even a little.

4. Guest post on another blog. – I did not do this.  I have not had time to think about articles for other blogs now because I’ve had enough trouble keeping up with my own!

5. Submit 1 new story/poem to three magazines/markets each. – Hrm.  No, not this one either.

That’s it.  Like I said, I didn’t carry out much on this list, but I did do other things so I’m not unhappy.  I have lots to do in July, so stay tuned for my current goals.

Related articles

• June Goals (famelessramblings.wordpress.com)

 

What ARE you doing?

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Good question.   The answer, right now, is losing my mind.

Ok, not really, but sometimes it feels that way.  Here is what has gone on in the last week, work-wise:

1.  I took a job at the local library as a page.  (I may have mentioned this, and I’m pretty sure I tweeted about it.)  I am only working 6 hours a week, and the pay isn’t much, but I love libraries in general and mine in particular.  Plus, if I’m there twice a week to work, maybe my books won’t always be overdue!

2) I’ve arranged a fairly good schedule of guest bloggers for Wednesdays this month, and two weeks each month to follow. I’d like to do it every Wednesday, but I don’t know if I’ll have enough material for that just now.

3) I started writing on Examiner.com as the “Mansfield Parenting and Family 101 Examiner.”  Basically, I report on anything and everything local that could interest or affect parents and kids.  My town isn’t exactly action central, but between local events and stories, and state or national news that is important to my town in some way, I seem to be doing ok.  It’s a pay-per-click job, but I can see what I’m earning daily, and as long as it keeps increasing, I’m happy.  Plus, if it’s worth it, I can apply for another Examiner slot after I’ve been writing for them for a bit.

4)  I have been ghost-writing book reviews for a site for a couple of months.  It was an Elance find, and I enjoy it.  I like the person who owns the site, at least what I know of him in our brief interactions, and he has been pleased with my writing.  He recently asked me to take over the site (he’ll retain ownership, there will be a split on profits that is to my liking) and run the whole thing.  I thought about it, asked a bunch of questions, asked a couple more, and said yes.  Right now, I’m trying to learn how the site works (the system he uses, how to upload to this particular site) and taking a crash course in keywords, SEO, Google and various other necessary things.  I’m not a big fan of orientations, I’m more of a jump in and start kind of girl, but this is necessary so we both know what we’re doing.  As he puts it, we need to be speaking the same language–using the system he set the site up with–which is especially important since he’s from Denmark, and I’m not.  He does speak very good English, which is great because I know not a word of Danish.

That has all happened in the last week.  It has been crazy, and fun, and maddening, and exciting all at once.

I’m still packing, still trying to sell the house, still trying to rent something so we have a place to go when it does sell, and I’m still a mom.  Shocking, I know, but it’s sort of a one-way, no refunds, all sales final kind of thing.

So that’s my story Morning Glory.  What’s yours?

 

June Goals

1. Add other section to book.

2. Increase my use of social media to expand my network. I’m going to attempt to do this again since I didn’t do very well in May.

3. Actually start using the work schedule I created so that I’m more organized and have more time for M. and the other kids.

4. Publish one guest post on another blog.

5. Submit 1 new story/poem to one to three magazines/markets.  I want to try this again too, but on a smaller scale since I want to keep focusing on the book.

My kids get out of school at the end of June, and with the house on the market now this could shape up to be a very busy month.  I realize one of my continual goals, which I thus far haven’t seemed to reach, has been to get better organized and on some sort of schedule.  Frankly, I’m sick of hearing myself say it and wouldn’t be surprised if you are too.  It has always been a weakness for me (time management), but I plan to change that.  I’m always open to tips, but I know some things that work (or definitely don’t work) for me already, I just need to stick to it.

Do you have June goals planned out?  Is summer your “break” time, or is it when you have more energy for both work and play?

 

May Goal Wrap-up and Review

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Here it is, the end of May already.  I feel like every month just goes by faster and faster.  It can be overwhelming, but in a lot of ways I’m grateful for that.  It means I have a lot going on, and I’m not stagnating.

So let’s get to it.  Here are my May goals, and how they panned out:

1. Finish 1st revision of book – I finished this, as many of you may have seen in an earlier post or on Twitter.  I’m currently reading it through completely, in as few sittings as possible, to help catch any continuity errors.  I also have a whole new section I want to add, which is good because the wordcount is still too low for a novel.

2. Increase my use of social media to expand my network. Meaning: Tweet more, update more, and have something to say! Spamming is so uncool. – I’m still working on this.  I need to figure out how to balance my use of social media.  I’m either on it, and feel like I’m wasting my day (and I frequently am) or I’m not on it at all, which doesn’t broaden my network at all.  I consider this a work in progress.

3. Publish 3 new articles/reviews on pay-per-click or other sites. – I published a Memorial Day poem on Associated Content, which I linked to on my “Published” page, and I have one article each processing in AC and Helium.  So I guess if both get published I’ve reached my goal, and if one or both don’t, then I really haven’t.  I’ll let you know.

4. Find 2 new freelance jobs. – I have not found two new ones, but one of my ongoing clients, who generally asks me for two reviews a month, asked for the usual two reviews, plus three articles.

5. Submit 2 new stories/poems to three magazines/markets each. – Not even a little.  Not one.  Maybe next month, if I’m not too wrapped up in everything else to do more writing.

So there you have it.  Mostly successful, some not very, but I’m satisfied overall.  How did you do on your goals?

Related articles

• May Goals (or Oh My God, another month is gone!) (famelessramblings.wordpress.com)

 

May Goals (or Oh My God, another month is gone!)

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1. Finish 1st revision of book

2. Increase my use of social media to expand my network. Meaning: Tweet more, update more, and have something to say! Spamming is so uncool.

3. Publish 3 new articles/reviews on pay-per-click or other sites.

4. Find 2 new freelance jobs.

5. Submit 2 new stories/poems to three magazines/markets each.

As you can see, my goals are similar to last month. I still will continue to blog each weekday, but I consider that a given now instead of a goal to reach for. As for repeating goals, I plan to keep working on the ones I didn’t quite meet, get further in my book and add a new challenge for myself.

What are your goals for May?

 

Friday Find

Some of you may have already seen this via my Tumblr, but for those who haven’t I want to share with you one of my new favorite blogs.

The Coffee House Wordsmith is written by Joe Barlow (that’s Joe, not Mr. Barlow), a tech writer by day and online freelancer the rest of the time. The tagline for his blog is “Writing for the web and the digital frontier. (With mochas.)”

Joe’s blog follows his efforts to increase the amount of publishing he’s doing, and the amount he’s making doing it. His posts so far have covered topics such as why he quits following blogs, which had some great tips for all bloggers to consider, to an overview of SEO (Search Engine Optimization) for writers specifically.

Joe only recently created this particular blog, although he is not new to the blogosphere, and I definitely hope that he keeps posting. In the first seven posts, I have found invaluable tips and information and he has made me rethink parts of my own online writing pool.

If you’re looking for a new blog to check out that will not only be a good read but give terrific information, check Joe out.

 

Ideas and a need for knowledge

I have an idea for a series of magazine articles, and I’m trying to decide if I should start writing them and then query magazines, or query the magazines first before I put a ton of effort into them.  I’m really not sure how any of these things work, so I guess the very first thing I need to do is find that out!

I know so little about any of this freelancing stuff.  That’s part of why I’m writing this blog.  I figure that if I have no idea what I’m doing, lots of other people are in the same boat.  So as I learn, I can post what I’ve learned and maybe help someone else.  Plus, if anyone reading has any advice or info that could be helpful, I’m always open to that too.

I haven’t found any new jobs on Freelancer.com or on Elance.com lately.  I’ve put in some bids, but no real response.  I’m trying to avoid the low-paying jobs that are $3-5 per 5-700 word article because I don’t have enough time to write enough articles for that to be worthwhile, if it ever is.  I also can’t see spending an hour or two researching and writing an article to get paid $3-5 for it.  I’m worth more than $5 an hour.  Maybe I’m looking at it wrong, because I used to think it was at least good experience, but now I feel more like it’s just working in an article mill.

I value my time.  I value my writing.  I just don’t see myself putting out articles for little to no money and no credit.  I do contribute occasionally to Associated Content and Helium.  I consider that different.  My name is on those articles.  I can refer to those as writing examples/clips when I’m applying for things.  These article mills take jobs from clients, assign the articles to writers, and then the articles go back to the client for use.  The writers get no credit, just the few dollars they make for the work.  I’ve done that.  I realized that, with research, it was taking me nearly 2 hours to do an article (with some interruptions) and I was getting $5 a piece.  So it wasn’t really worth it.

I want to get a subscription to Writer’s Digest.  I really love that magazine and have found very good and helpful information in it, but buying it at the store is silly because that’s so much more expensive.  I also think I should get the latest edition Writer’s Market, or at least take it out of the library if I ever have a chance to get there.  I need to start doing more things that will build my portfolio and I also need to do things that actually pay.  I love writing, and I would do it whether or not I was getting paid for it, but I also have bills and kids and a desperate need to make at least some money.  It won’t be as much as a full-time job, I’m not kidding myself, but I need to do something.

Which of course brings me back once again to the book that I should be editing but still don’t seem to be picking up.  I thought that maybe the problem was that I never seemed to get to it on the computer, so I printed some of it out so that I could do it by hand.  I wanted to at least start reading through it and making notes of where changes need to be made.  That was about a week ago, and I still haven’t done anything with it.  I need to start.  It’s not that I think it’s the next great novel, although I think that is every writer’s hope.  It’s that I don’t have the chance to even find out if it’s any good because I haven’t looked at it since November.  I’ve never even read it.

I hope that everyone is doing well out there.  If you read this blog, feel free to comment and let me know you’re out there.  I see the statistics, but I’m still pretty sure I’m just talking to myself.  I’d love to be proven wrong.

 

Work is Good

I have kept pretty busy lately, so I haven’t had a chance to post at the same time as I’ve had the energy to do so in a while.  Since that seems to always be the case I’ve decided to just put posting on my daily “To Do” list so that I’ll fit it in somewhere.

I have continued freelancing for the company I’ve been working with for a while.  It doesn’t pay much, but I’m getting experience writing all different types of articles, so that’s a plus.  I’ve also been contracted to write some back story for an educational game, and that actually pays enough to make it worth my effort.  Not that I can be choosy right now since I’m just starting out, but it’s nice to make money too!

We have had about three feet of snow this month, so my yard is unmanageable.  I am so tired of snow.  I want to move, preferably to North Carolina, but I don’t see that happening any time soon.  In the mean time, I’m just glad I don’t have an “outside the house” job.

I will be welcoming a guest blogger in the next day or two, fellow blogger Nichole Bazemore, so you can look forward to that.  She is a copywriter, freelancer and mom and I really like her  blog at Simply Stated Solutions .