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Monthly Archives: June 2014

A Game of Writer’s Tag

Posted on by Posted in Miscellaneous .

 

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A few weeks ago, my writer friend and Kingdom of Paidalot Royal Court member Kelly Boyer-Sagert of kbsagert.com fame asked me if I’d play in a writer game of tag — and I thought it would be really fun so I said yes. All I needed to do was to answer three questions and then tag someone to continue the game. So let’s play!

What am I working on?

I am working on several  projects actually. I am constantly working on material to help new writers get started in freelance writing here at Freelance Writers Academy and more advanced material for the writers in our membership community The Kingdom of Paidalot. That’s on top of coming up with the writing topics I discuss with my writer friends for our weekly Freelance Round Table.

Recently I have begun working on a few fun side projects. One will be exploring  the misfit side of me and probing all the idiosyncrasies, tragedies, and triumphs on my life journey so far that has made me who I am today.

I am also in the beginning stages of teaming up with another writer to start work on a project involving one of my favorite book series and TV shows. We are hoping to delve deeper into the theories  and political world interwoven in George R.R. Martin’s A Game of Thrones and I couldn’t be more excited to get started.

Why do I write what I do?

My number one goal in everything I have ever put my hand to is to help others. We as human beings have so much we can share with one another, and by sharing and uniting as one there is nothing we cannot achieve if we set our minds to it.

I’ve always had a deep respect for writers especially. Writers delve into the deep recesses of humanity, exposing both the beauty and repugnant hidden in all of us. As my friend Kelly once said, “Writers are the gatekeepers of the truth,” and to help others take on that responsibility and be successful at it gives me great joy.

How does my writing process work?

Most of the content I have produced so far for Freelance Writers Academy and the Kingdom of Paidalot has developed from conversations I have had with other writers. They’ve shared their struggles and asked questions. My goal was to answer those questions the best I could as honestly and openly as possible.

For my personal projects, I tend to let that mystical muse take charge. When she has something to say, I put my butt in the chair and let her put the words to paper. Her work always amazes me, so I look forward to when she decides to illuminate her thoughts through me.

Next up: Kerry Congdon at http://www.kerrycongdon.com

The Well-Fed Writer: Financial Self-Sufficiency as a Commercial Freelancer in Six Months or Less: Book Review

Posted on by Posted in Book Reviews, Miscellaneous .

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This post contains affiliate links. By purchasing through our links, you show your support for Freelance Writers Academy and all the content we provide — and we thank you for that!

 

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Peter Bowerman has been a commercial freelancer, seminar leader, and business coach in Atlanta, Georgia since 1993. With NO industry contacts, NO previous paid writing experience, and NO writing training, the author built a commercial writing business from fantasy to full-time in less than four months.

He is the author of the original award-winning Book-of-the –Month Club title, The Well-Fed Writer (and companion, TWFW: Back For Seconds– both self-published) –industry “standards” on commercial freelancing. Sign up for his ezine and blog at www.wellfedwriter.com.

The Well-Fed Writer is designed for aspiring writers, career-changers, at-home Moms, journalists, staff writers, recent college grads, 55+ or anyone else interested in making  a handsome living as a writer. The paperback version is available for $19.95. An Ebook version is available as well for $12.95.

 

About the Book:

 

Effective communication drives business success. Many busy companies look to outsource this work to freelancers as a way of reducing expenses and therefore increasing profit in today’s economy. Copywriters can easily command hourly rates of $50-$125+, making it a very lucrative field for any aspiring writer.

The Well-Fed Writer is designed to help you learn what and where those writing projects are, how to land them, how to do them, how to get paid, and how to get hired again and again (even with less-than-brilliant writing ability…).

 

What’s Included:

 

–          Why Be a Freelance Commercial Writer

–          What It Takes to be Successful

–          Learning to Love Sales and Marketing

–          How to Build Your Website

–          How to Find Clients

–          The Nuts and Bolts of the Business: Cold Calling, Letters, Meetings, Phone Interviews, etc.

–          Direct Mail and Email Marketing

–          How Much to Charge and How to Get Paid

–          Networking

–          Thriving in Smaller Markets

–          Building a Copy Writing Business on the Side While Working a Full-Time Job

–          Writing Resources

–          And much, much more…

 

My Thoughts

What I love about this book is Peter’s realistic and down-to-earth approach about copy writing. He doesn’t promise you’ll get rich overnight and he styles it so that even the laziest of us writers can have a way to support our families and live a lifestyle controlled by us and not someone else.

He also tackles the tough areas when it comes to business: mental mindset, sales and marketing, and tricky client situations. Real world examples, templates, scripts, and detailed step-by-step instructions provided in this book will blast through every obstacle or excuse you may have about running a successful copy writing business.

I have referred to this book several times since I have purchased it for myself. Just about every possible scenario that could come up is covered in this book with a battle plan on how to work your way through it. I highly recommend that and I truly believe that every writer (not only copywriters ) should have a copy of this book next to them and refer to it again and again while they are working on their writing business.

 

Your Turn

Do you own the Well-Fed Writer Book? If so, I’d love to hear your thoughts about the book. Did I leave anything out? Share your experiences and thoughts in the comment section below.

Unlocking Vulnerability as a Writer

Posted on by Posted in Personal Development .

Not too long ago, a writer friend opened up a discussion in our group about sharing vulnerabilities in our writing. The conversation struck a nerve with me and my mind has mulled the topic in the background ever since.

Lately I am finding my day to day writing stilted and somewhat boring even to me. I don’t want to just share knowledgeable facts and information. I want to dig deeper into the real issues that plague all of us writers in our craft. There are plenty of fascinating stories trapped inside my skull begging to be shared. Yet I find myself unwilling to put them to the page, unsure of sharing them with the general public.

These raw, untapped emotions bubble under the surface, and I find myself afraid of the eruption of hot lava that would pour forth. Plus, I consider my own personal boundaries. Not everything is shareable with the public, and I’ve yet to draw those lines for myself.

Yet, something in me begs to explore, begs to close some doors, and open others. A part of me wants to leave some things where they were, in the past, but they don’t seem to want to stay there. So I sit in quandary, day after day, staring at the white brick wall on my computer screen or distracting myself with social media.

I’ve recently begun to compromise with myself in order to resolve the issue. I’m starting to experiment with my own writing, behind closed doors and away from the public eye. I’m not ready to share quite yet, but that’s okay. I don’t have to.

I had discovered that when I approached this personal writing of mine in exploring vulnerability with a publish button in view, I would freeze up. My mind would race with the words, but my fingers would refuse to budge.

So I’ve decided to dig in private, knowing no one will see a word. Where all of this will lead, I really don’t know. I get an overwhelming sense of adventure, and I’m starting to feel eager to begin my quest.

I wonder how common of a thing this is for writers out there, struggling to explore their vulnerabilities in their writing and finding themselves afraid to open themselves up to the world. Does this resonate with you? If you are finding yourself in this same dilemma or have experienced it in the past and overcome, please share your experiences, thoughts or helpful tips in the comments below. Let’s get this discussion started!

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