It’s April 1st!

Finally.

After a couple months of planning, several weeks of writing, and a late night of switching and customizing a new theme (last night.. Am so tired.) the new website is up and running.

Ready to check it out?     Writer at Home

My personal site is also up- Writer Mom at Home

As is my professional site- MargoUpson.com

Please update your subscriptions and bookmarks. I won’t be posting here anymore, but I’ll still keep it up. All of the previous posts have been moved over to the new site.

Thank you all so much for reading and interacting. I look forward to seeing you all over at Writer at Home.

An Ode to a Spell Checker

The new site is about 90% ready, and the launch is in one week. And there will be some new posts over there, waiting for you. I have a couple of really great posts planned, including a possible series. While you’re waiting for all of that, here’s something chuckle-worthy. I didn’t write it. Wish I did, though.

Ode to the Spell Check

Eye halve a spelling chequer

It cam with my pea sea

It plainly marques four my revue

Miss steaks eye kin knot sea.

Eye strike a key and type a word

And weight four it two say

Weather eye am wrong oar write

It shows me strait a weigh.

As soon as a mist ache is maid

It nose bee fore two long

And eye can put the error rite

Its rare lea ever wrong.

Eye have run this poem threw it

I am shore your pleased two no

Its letter perfect awl the weigh

My chequer tolled me sew!

The New Site

Shhh.

Technically, it’s not open yet. But if you’d like a sneak peak…

Writer At Home

I just started working on it this morning. It needs lots of love and attention. Please don’t judge it yet. I just thought you should all see where I’ve been spending all of my blog-lovingness, as I haven’t been posting here much.

What do you think?

How Not to Build a Website

CAUTION: Construction Ahead

So, posts have been a little sporadic. I have a good excuse though. I swear.

Remember my promise of the new website? Well, it’s getting there. I’m still planning on launching on April 1st. There is a lot of work to be done, though, which has kept me away from here more than I’d like.

I’m actually launching three new websites on the 1st. Mostly because I am an idiot who likes to bite off more than I can chew. Two of the sites will be blogs- the new home for this blog, and also my parenting/personal blog. And things are going well with both.

The other site, though. Hahaha… Yeah. Talk about biting off more than I can chew. Let this be a lesson to all of you. Do not try to teach yourself web design on a deadline. Because, holy cow. Not as easy as it looks. Actually, no. It is kind of easy. But trying to learn how to do it, and then at the same time trying to decide how you want your page to look, and then figuring out how to make it look like that…

Yeah.

And that’s not mentioning the problems I am currently having with getting my contact sheet to work. Because Javascript hates me. But I am still working on it. And it will be ready. And it will be awesome.

I’m learning XHTML/CSS/ect. with the HTML/XHTML/CSS/Javascript/and so forth For Dummies book. It was my second choice (my first choice being the Head First guide- which Amazon was out of and I hate to wait), but I am glad I got it. I think the author (Andy Harris) does a wonderful job of making everything easy to understand. Which is saying a lot. Especially as I failed my college Web Design course. Twice.

I have stated before on here how important I think it is to learn skills like this, ones that maybe aren’t necessary to being a writer, but can come in very handy. And I am convinced that if I can teach myself how to build a website from the ground up, and then do some kick-ass SEO, marketing, and so forth, that my business will benefit from it. I can become a one-stop shop. Which, really, makes sense. I would rather turn to one person (or company) and have them build my site from the ground up than to work with several different people at different stages.

How could your business benefit from branching out, learning new skills and then offering them to your clients? The cool thing about being web writers is that we have an inside to the pulse of the internet community. We need to know a little bit of everything, just to write quality web content, blogs, and what ever else we send out into the world. Take some time to take stock of your skills, and think about how you can market them. Which areas would you like to learn more about? What parts are you not at all interested in learning? Knowing the answers to these questions can help you with planning out how you want your career as a writer to grow and develop.

If you could do anything with your career, what would you be doing? Are you moving forward in a way to help you realize that goal?

How to Sell

Suppose you are looking to buy a car. You have $20,000 in your bank account, due to smart savings practices. There are two cars, available from two different dealerships, that you like. One is a VW Bug, in that cool melon green color. The other is a trendy Chevy Cobalt. Red.

You actually like the VW Bug best. So you head on over to the Volkswagen dealership to check it out. You pull in, park your rusty death trap, and wander over to the area you think the car might be in. It’s hard to tell, as there doesn’t appear to be any real organization on the lot. But before you get there, you are greeted by the salesman. He is wearing a lime green shirt, a blue tie, and shiny black pants. He is practically glowing!

“Hi!” he says, shaking your hand. “I’m Bill. And I’m here to sell you a new car.” He glances at your old car. “And I can see you need one. Look over here, we have this great little yellow VW bug. It’s the best deal on the lot. And I can offer you a lot of great perks.”

“Well, I really wanted the melon colored one,” you say, trying to make your way over to the car.

“But, look! We have this other great deal! And I want to sell you a car! I can sell you this car over here, it’s 20% off the original market price. We have a special today on upgrades too! We’ll throw in a free three-CD changer, and a hands-free headset.”

“I don’t want any of those things! I just want the melon-colored bug!” Frustrated, you hop back into your car, and drive across town to the other car dealership. Wary this time, you pull in, and park, looking around for another annoying and loud salesman. No one. You wander over to the cars you like, appreciating how easy it is to find the one you like. You get a few minutes to check out the vehicle on your own before a saleslady approaches you.

“How can I help you today?”

“Well, I’m looking for a new car, and I really like this one.”

“Great choice,” she says. “We have a great deal right now, and I’d love to help you get into this car.” You test drive the car, and she points out the features as you go. Later, she talks you through the paperwork, and you drive away that afternoon in your new Chevy, still smiling over the pleasant encounter you had with the second dealership.

Which one of these describes your website and marketing techniques as a writer? Do you come on strong, telling prospective buyers all the things you will do for them, or do you ask them how you can make their goals possible?

If you have a very flashy website, filled with more color and advertisements for your work than actual content, you may be guilty of being the first salesman. If someone is on your site, it is probably because they are at least a little curious about what you have to offer. It is your goal as a writer and business owner to direct that curiousity. Make sure that your website is set up in a way that makes sense. Let viewers know what you can do for them, and then stand back. Let your high quality content do the work for you.

Remember that bright colors and flashy buttons don’t sell your services. Quality and usability do.

Overcoming Rejection

Before I became a writer, I had never been turned down for a job. If I applied, I got the call back. Without fail. Granted, they weren’t the best jobs. But I got them.

This is something that I’ve had to adjust to as a freelance writer, where, more often than not, I don’t get the job. I was

Don't let rejection keep you from writing.

turned down for two positions before I got into the companies I am currently writing for. And now that I’m trying to build my career, I am again running into a lot of rejection. In the past few weeks, I have applied for several private client positions, and haven’t heard back on anything.

I think learning to not let this rejection get to me is one of the biggest things I have gotten from this career. My first couple rejections stung. Now, I just let it go, and apply for the next one. I’ve put together a decent resume, and I’m building a better supply of writing examples to choose from. I’ve learned to pick out a good writing opportunity, and just skim past the questionable or ridiculously low-paying job posts.

One of the best things we can do as writers is to learn to distance ourselves from our work. When I was a cook, for example, I didn’t get upset if someone set food back. Usually. It’s the same idea here. Your work is not who you are. If you don’t get the job, move on. Apply to something else. There will always be a better opportunity. If you have submitted a query to a magazine or other print format and it is rejected, send it out again to someone else.

Building this attitude is especially difficult when you are working for yourself. There is no one else to fall back on. You alone are responsible for your success. You have put time and effort into whatever it is you are sending into the world, whether it be a query letter, and article, or your resume and application. Being rejected, or even just never hearing back, can feel like a personal attack. It isn’t. The people who looked at your work see the work of hundreds of other writers as well. They don’t make it personal. The best thing that you can do is to take a moment to accept the rejection, and then get back out there and try, try again.

A Book Review: ProBlogger

Happy Monday!

Because I still haven’t figured out a way to make my bookshelf work like I want it to, I’ll just be putting the book reviews in as posts for now. It’ll be all set by the time I transfer over to the new site. I promise. So, here is the first review. Enjoy!

ProBlogger: Secrets for Blogging Your Way to a Six-Figure Income by Darren Rowse and Chris Garrett

Darren Rowse, the man behind the ProBlogger blog, and Chris Garrett, another well-known blogger, teamed up for what may be the best book about blogging. Ever. The book is well organized, and written in a concise, but friendly, manner.

The idea behind ProBlogger is that with a little luck, some hard work, and enough time, it is possible to make money off of your blog. Maybe not the six figures Darren makes, but still a decent amount. This money can be made through selling ad space, using an affiliate program, or through donations. There are also avenues like blogging as a job, and buying and selling blogs.

This book isn’t just for bloggers who want to make money off their blog, though. That section is just one area of the book. Where ProBlogger really shines is in the blog writing chapter. After showing you how to set up a blog (including changing the colors and uploading a personalized header), Darren and Chris share tips on how to write blog posts, and titles, that can build you a loyal audience.

This book is beyond amazing. I wish I had ordered it sooner than I did. There is so much that I can’t wait to start using here. This was a fairly quick read; it only took a few hours, but I know the information I picked up from it will last a long time. My only complaint is that ProBlogger should have been longer. The book was definitely not lacking in any way, but I wanted more, just because it was that good.

Climbing Up and Down the Ladder

Imagine a ladder.

There.

This ladder represents language, and word choices.  At the bottom, there are specific names — Rubbermaid bowl, Epson 3-way printer, Sony TV, James Harrison. One step up from that are “harsh” words — duck, chair, knife, and so forth.  Tangible items.  At the top of the ladder, there are loftier word choices — Heaven, freedom, distraction. There are rungs between these two extremes, becoming more concrete with each downward step. For example:

Heaven–>Sweet–>Candy–>Chocolate–>Chocolate bar–> Reece’s Peanut Butter Cups.

I moved from a lofty idea down to a specific.

This is called the Ladder of Abstraction. There are two ways to use this writer’s tool. When writing, especially in non-fiction formats, it is best to use as many specifics as possible. This gives your writing a very powerful feel. You are not a floppy writer. You know what you are talking about. Use that expertise, and let others know you have it. Which would you rather read?

The dog came to its owner.

The large black lab, Buddy, came rushing towards his surprised owner, tail wagging and mud flying.

See what I mean? The second option gives life and personality to what could have been a very boring read.

The second way to use the ladder of abstraction is to scale up and down the rungs throughout your writing. This can either happen gracefully:

Heaven, through its promises of eternity, has turned us all into backstabbing hypocrites. Knives, guns, and curses where we should see bibles and hymns.

Or not so gracefully:

Life is a series of twists and turns. He dreamed of peace and love, of freedom, but was faced with the cold reality of the smoking rubble where his city once stood. Torn and raveged bodies littered the streets.

These short passages both wander the ladder, making them more effective. If I had written them all on one level or the other, they would not be nearly as compelling. In the second passage, making the sudden transition between peace and love to death and bombed remnants will encourage the reader to take notice. They weren’t expecting that turn of events.

I challenge you to take a few extra minute today, or over the weekend, to experiment with this a bit. See how the ladder can improve your writing. Play for a while, and have some fun. Let me know how it goes.

Launching the Bookshelf

I launched my Bookshelf yesterday (See Right). The Bookshelf is a list of books pertaining to freelance writing that I’ve added to my collection. Eventually, I hope to have a decent sized list, including ebooks.  I don’t have any reviews up yet, but I will start working on getting those up today. I have a few that will be going up within the next few hours. There’s still a couple books on there that I am still working through, though. Those will be up a bit later.

Books are a great way to learn all you can about the freelancing business. Unfortunately, there’s no “Freelance writing” degree. We can go to school for writing, journalism, or business degrees. Helpful, but they won’t teach us everything we need to know. Which means it’s up to us to learn everything that we can on our own. I know that there are a lot of websites about freelance writing, with almost all the information we could ever need or want. But I think there is something very satisfying about curling up with a book. Besides, its easier to lay in bed reading a book than a laptop.

I am always on the lookout for the best books for freelancers, which was why I was so excited to come across a list of the top 100 books for freelance writers. There’s a lot of great books on there, all sorted by type. The list is available on InkThinker. Wander over there and check it out. Kristen has a great site for freelancers. I’ll be heading over there myself in a little bit.

UPDATE: I can’t get my links to work right for the bookshelf. As soon as I figure out what I’m doing, I’ll post the reviews I promised you.

Freelancing.. And the Work Never Ends

Even Freelancers need to punch out once in a while.

I was reading a post over at Jon Becket’s Life and Times blog last evening where he was talking about how much extra work he has been putting in as a freelancer. He’s working several hours a night, after getting off work from his regular job. And it kinda got me thinking. I know of several other freelancer writers who work hours that most traditional on-site workers would balk at.

Starting up any new career takes a lot of hard work. Doubly so when the career is in freelancing. Not only do you have a lot to learn, but you have to find work, meet commitments, and market yourself. If you choose to have a blog, or other side projects, as well, there is even more to do. The work of a freelance writer, or web designer, or anyone else in a freelancing career, is never done. There is always something more that could be done. Even on our days off, there is email to check, job leads to follow up on, and other tasks to do.

So, how do we, as freelancers, solve this problem? We don’t have a clock to punch, we don’t get paid by the hour. When do we know when enough is enough? I have a few suggestions.

Make a to-do list. It has to be something reasonable. What can you actually get done in a day, without having to work from the moment you wake up until the moment you fall asleep? Work on your list throughout the day, and when everything is done, so are you. Another way to do this is to make a weekly list. Even if you put in extra time at the beginning of the week, you’ll have extra time off at the end of the week to make up for it. I do this on two levels- weekly and monthly. I know how much I need to get done each month to meet my expenses. That amount gets broken into weekly goals. For example, I need to write 20 articles a month for one company, or 5 a week.

Set a work schedule. Does 9-5 work for you? How about 9-3, while the kids are at school? Because you work from home, you don’t need to work conventional hours. If you work best at night, then that is when you should “go” to work.

How much time do you need each day? If you plan on working five hours a day, those five hours don’t have to be lumped all together. Work for a couple hours in the morning, an hour while the kids are napping, and then a couple more hours after the kids go to sleep, or however else you choose to schedule your day.

We work at home because we enjoy the flexible schedule, and being able to spend more time with our loved ones. Or maybe it’s because we have physical limitations that make a on-site job more of a challenge. Whatever our reasons were, they should be forefront in our minds when deciding how much we are going to work. Deciding to stay home with your children, and then working all day and night, isn’t fair to anyone. There are definitely reasons, like financial worries, that warrant more work time. Just remember to give yourself the time off you deserve.

What time management tricks work well for you? Do you have difficulties “punching out” at the end of the day?