Good Writing Day

Avid readers will know that I sent out a pitch a couple of weeks ago and not only didn't write the whole article, but also "lost" all the research notes I made.

Today I managed to re-do the research and write the article ready to post in a couple of days. All I can say is I WILL NEVER DO THAT AGAIN!!!! It was so stressful, realizing that I'd have to go back and research again before I could move the thing on. Needless to say I've got a really busy couple of weeks ahead too, so I really didn't need this!

Email from a contact who might have some copywriting work for me to do - he's going to get back to me by the end of the week. Don't like the waiting, but at least if all goes well I might have a bit more time then.

Also got an email from a new publisher saying that they hadn't looked at my proposal in detail yet, but that they did have a series into which my book might fit (which I knew already, 'cos I do my research!), and they'd get back to me asap. Happy with that for now, because if they don't go with it I've got to spend a big chunk of time re-working the idea - which I can do, but if I don't have to that would be cool.

All in all then a good day and even better when you consider that my OH is working from home as well for the next few days and that usually means we end up going out for lunch and not working for hours on end.

Sarah x

Outline Hell

I wrote an outline pitch for an assignment and sent it to a magazine. I heard nothing for a couple of weeks. Then yesterday, a letter from the editor saying "Send me the whole article, I'd like to read it and consider publishing it". Oh POO!! I didn't write the whole article and I don't even know what I did with the research notes. EEEEEEk. I can see a busy day ahead of me on Tuesday.

A lesson for me though - always keep the research notes for outlines in my "Slow Burn" file, at least then it'll be a fairly straightforward job to do a write up when this happens again.

I was going to take the Easter long weekend completely off, but I've found ideas buzzing about in my brain, so rather than optimistically hoping that I'll remember these things until Tuesday (never going to happen), I'm going to put in an hour or sos work a day instead.

58 Hits on my freebie e-book

Yep, 58 people have looked at my e-book. I don't know if all those people have downloaded and - more importantly - used it, but considering I haven't done any promotion, I'm pretty happy with that.

For those of you who haven't looked at it yet, you can download it here

Do Your Research Please

I had an email today from a journalist profile type site purporting to be from the editor of a small regional newspaper looking for copy to fill his pages. Clearly this was a bit of a mass-pitch, because as followers of my work will know I write about parenting, childcare, education and play. To be fair I do do the odd general interest piece, but what I don't do is journalism.

I'm not a journalist, one day I might do some post-grad training and then I will call myself one. At the moment I'm a freelance writer, which describes perfectly what I do.

These kind of badly targeted on-spec things really annoy me. If I made an ill-considered pitch to this editor believe me his blood would boil, it says much for my thick skin and professional attitude that I deleted his email with little more than a snort.

People Want Me

I'm doing some fun work for the educational toy site Fun 2 Learn. As well as selling toys and educational resources, they provide Tip Sheets for parents and practitioners.

I've also been contacted by two other companies looking for copy for projects. If these two jobs come off it'll take me up to six regular clients and I wont be looking for any more regular gigs for a while, but I will do some one-offs for different publications.

Its taken me six months to get to this stage and I'm really pleased with my progress.

The only way from here is UP! Being a freelancer is incredibly hard work, but I wouldn't have it any other way.

Sarah x

Quiet Day

I didn't post yesterday - not because I didn't have anything to say, but because I got my head down and worked all day on a commissioned article. By close of play it was all typed up and Ill leave it alone 'til sometime next week when I'll give a read through before sending it off.

Today I'm having a reading day, putting aside time to finish re-reading the fantastic "The Greatest Freelance Writing Tips in the World", by my friend and fellow scribbler Linda Jones. When I first read it I forgot to have a highlighter pen with me to mark off all the gems of advice I hadn't thought of when starting out. This time I picked up the highlighter before I picked up the book.

Book...The Next Step

Last night I was so gutted about my book proposal being rejected again. I left it alone last night and this morning I got back to it and sent it to a different publisher. I also got some thoughts from teachers and I've come up with some ways to re-work the idea if I get the bird again.

Luckily I'll be able to use all the work I've already done so I haven't wasted any time. Hopefully it wont take a month for this new publisher to make a decision and I'll be able to move things along.

Sarah x

Getting Your Views Into Print

A great post from my friend and fellow scribbler Linda Jones here.

Please also post a comment on Linda's site to let her know if its useful.

Sarah x

Book Update Again

Heard late today that the book has been rejected again. The publishers are unable to work out how many supply teachers are working early years settings, so they can't work out their potential market, so they have to assume that there's no money to be made from the project. Tiddled off really, but what can you do except eat chocolate, drink some wine and pick it up again tomorrow.

Sarah x

Charging for Work

Had a really interesting conversation today with a account manager from a media company. We were having a discussion about some possible work and she asked me about my rates.

Thankfully I'd worked out what these are for me anyway.

To work out your daily rate you first need to think about how much you want - or need - to earn in a year. Next work out how many days you can work. Divide your yearly income by the number of days you can work to get a daily rate.

To cover yourself you'll also need to work out an hourly rate and a per word rate, that way you should have all the figures you'll need.

Talk to other writers and check on the internet to find out what other people charge.

Even if you're just starting out you need to make sure that you're not under-selling your services or asking too much. Being realistic and keeping an eye on writers forums and information from sources like the NUJ, will ensure that you get this part of your business right.

It's Research - Honest!

Why do we as writers always get defensive or apologetic when we decide to devote some of our work time to reading (or watching TV for that matter)?

The other week I was on a long train journey and Jonathan was busy doing his own thing, so I was able to devote a couple of hours to reading Writing Magazine. By the time I got to South Wales I was absolutely buzzing. I'd picked up so many useful bits of information and inspiration.

I'm now deliberately building reading time into my working hours and trying really hard not to feel bad about it. I've read half a book in a day and am spending half my day with my nose in books today. Saying "I spent most of the day reading", might sound like doing nothing, but actually I've discovered it's time well spent.

Sarah x

Ideas

I've been bemoaning the fact recently that I don't seem to have had many ideas for articles and fiction. Don't get me wrong Ive got plenty of commissions, but when I'm not working on those what should I be doing?

Luckily the excellent forum My Writers Circle provided me with the answer. I posted on a thread about setting aside a specific time each week for sending out submissions. The bit that really interested my was the idea (symphony's), of having a file for ideas being worked on now and another for ones to come to fruition in the longer term.

This appealed to me because I've got a tendency to write ideas down in notebooks or on bits of paper and then forget about them.

I got some folders, a pile of my old notebooks and a coffee. I wrote every idea on a separate piece of A4 paper and found TEN ideas I can work on. GREAT. Thanks Symphony for a fantastic idea.

Sarah x

Tommy Cooper

There have been a few things about Tommy Cooper in the news recently -a statue being unveiled in his home town amongst other things. Anyway, it reminded me of something I wrote not long after I moved up here. I was sitting on the Promenade at Morecambe, not far from the statue of their famous son Eric and I wrote this...

I saw Tommy Cooper die. It was the strangest thing. One minute he was in full flow, doing his act, making all those carefully choreographed mistakes. The audience were howling with laughter, lapping up bad jokes they'd heard hundreds of times before and suddenly the big man was on the floor and the curtain was being clumsily thrown around his prostrate form.

Everyone assumes it was part of the act, a great end to a performance by the bumbling character he portrayed. It made it all the more shocking when the news came that he had the last laugh, dying with the audience in the palm of his hand...

Working Time

Got caught up in a good discussion on the journobiz forum. It revolved around the amount of time you should be working every week against what you're actually working.

Personally, I aim to work 30 hours a week, but as a freelancer the only person who polices that is me (eek!)

This morning is a good case in point. I really didn't feel like working and then my friend grabbed me on the playground when we were dropping the kids off and asked me if she could come in for a coffee to save her having to go back home and then come back out again for an appointment. By the time she left it was 9.40, so I went to the local shop and got some milk. then I had another coffee. After that I put some music on and surfed the Internet - which I could call "research", but I wont - 'til 11.20.

At 11.20 I wrote my time plan for the rest of the day and if I stick to it, I'll still be able to do a couple of hours work before I collect Jonathan at 3.20.

I'm going to be much more strict about recording on-task time for the next few weeks to make sure that I'm making the most productive use of my time.

I have to admit though, I wouldn't go back to working for someone else for the world.

Blogging Advice

Read what my friend, fellow scribe and blogger Linda Jones (author of the BRILLIANT "The Greatest Freelance Writing Tips In The World"), has to say about blogging here. It's a really excellent "How To", for anyone thinking about starting a blog or giving new life to an existing one.

Do You Google?

Go on, be honest, do you Google yourself?

I resisted for a long time, but then I had a go one day... I didn't exist. After that I was doomed, I created a website, started some blogs and joined lots of forums and networking sites. Now when I Google myself, I get lots of hits, but I don't do it enough to keep my links on page 1, which raises the question of who else looks at my stuff?

I know my friend Jules reads my blog and so does my brother-in-law, but people I'm acquainted with from forums and even STRANGERS must read about my doings!

This makes me think about people you don't know looking at your life. One of my favourite daily reads is the blog written by Kevin Roberts CEO Worldwide of Saatchi and Saatchi. I've never met Kevin (though my husband has), but I read his blog every day. Some of what he writes is about his work and some is about his life and family, it's all quite fascinating, I wonder if he reads mine?

Pigeon Post

I'm seriously considering buying carrier pigeons to deliver my articles and submissions. I had to email a piece to an editor 4 times today before she could open it. I'm sure a couple of pigeons would do a better job!!!

Had one rejection today and am waiting on a few more answers. I don't mind rejection (especially when they say "not these ideas, but do send some more"), what I mind is being completely ignored or a curt line saying NO!!!!. Anyway, having got 6 commissions yesterday, I'm doing pretty well at the moment. I've now got work booked in until mid-October, so can't really complain about the progress I'm making in my new career.

Worked really hard this morning and got absolutely loads done, so I'm taking it a little bit easy this afternoon and am looking forward to a nice quiet evening with my boys.

My Website

Yeah, my own domain name to house my web presence!!! visit it here.

Now I've got it working, I can re-design it a bit to freshen it up.

Working like a dog at the moment, not that I'm complaining, 'cos I'm not, I'm really pleased that the whole thing seems to be taking off.