How professional are you? What impression do you make with potential editors, clients and other writers?
Last year I joined up with a well known online community (Note: When I originally wrote this I named the site. I decided not to name them in the newsletter thanks to advice from subscribers to my InkSplatters list) to write a regular column about the Internet. It took almost a year for my application to be accepted. This was mostly due to it being misplaced or forgotten. I'm still not sure what happened. Eventually, I was accepted to write the column. The editor wanted me to be especially careful with grammar and punctuation. She wanted each column to be professional.
When I wanted to go into the site and update the column, add more links and all the other stuff you do when you write a column for a website, I couldn't access anything. I had no editor screen. I emailed asking for help. She replied that I must be doing something wrong and gave me a list of instructions. However, I still couldn't get to any editor screen. It just wasn't there. I emailed with a few other people at the site about the problem but got no further. Months go by and a new editor starts to head up the Internet/ Computer section of the site. He writes to ask if I'm interested in doing the column or have I forgotten it. To make a long story short, you can still see my dead end column up at that site. The spammers are making use of it.
The point to this is not bad mouthing anyone or any site, it's showing how people can be unprofessional at all levels. You don't have to be some newbie writer to be unprofessional. But, you should watch for it and do your best to look like you know what you're doing and you know how to do it well.
One way to be professional is organization. If you have a few balls in the air make sure you know where they are, which one you need to catch next and when the next one is ready to be tossed. Don't lose track of important details. I'm not good at this myself. But you can always improve. Just cause you messed up one day doesn't mean you can't do better the next day. We're human and adaptable for a reason.
Another way to be professional is to learn, find out what the expected standards are and use them. Write a query letter without irrelevant personal comments. Save chit chat for friends and people who are interested in what you have to write. Don't forget or be too timid to include your terms, your contract, along with the ideas you are submitting. Make it clear writing isn't some hobby you do without pay. It's more professional to present yourself as a professional, showing what you can offer and what you expect back for your work.
Are there ways you could be more professional? Read some of your past business correspondence and see how you could improve. Did you find any typos? Did you chit chat a bit too much? Was your proposal specific enough? Know what you need to fix so you can write a better query next time. Also, if you get into the habit of being professional it becomes easier and it will leak out into all the aspects of your writing career. One other plus, the more professional you are the more you will feel like a writer and less like someone trying to be a writer.
Setting Goals
We all have some goals as a writer. Whether you have written them down or just keep them somewhere in your head, they are there. Are they good goals, goals that inspire you to keep going or are you making goals into a torment for yourself? Having high goals may actually keep you from getting where you want to be. If your goals are too high you may not really think (expect) you can reach them. In that case you need to adjust your goals. Set them up as a path you can follow rather than a pinnacle you can't reach.
These are some goal setting guidelines based on those I read in "Writing for Magazines: A Beginner's Guide" by Cheryl Sloan Wray.
Start simple. If you are beginning your goals won't be the same as a writer you has been published a few times and has contacts with editors/ publishers already. Simple goals are comfortable, attainable for as long as you need them.
Challenge yourself. Having simple goals doesn't mean you won't be working, challenging yourself to do better and try bigger. Make goals simple so you won't give up in frustration but challenging enough to be taken seriously, worthy of working for.
Set goals that suit your personality. Don't try to make yourself into some other writer. Make the goals work for you, your style, your routine, etc.
Be concrete and specific. Goals shouldn't be too broad or lacking in detail. Don't have a goal of submitting an article to the local paper. Be specific, plan an article topic and set a date for submitting it.
Share your goals with a few writer friends. Pick a few people who encourage you and let them know what you're planning. They will help keep you on track.
Check your progress. Mark your progress somehow, keep a goal calendar to show yourself how you are making progress in keeping each of your goals. This way you can look at how far you have come when you need to keep yourself going, along to the next goal.
Stick to it. Remember you made the goals to help you become the writer you want to be. If the goals you set aren't working for you change them, use the guidelines here to set goals that will work.
Some good goals you could try are: I will write at least a page every day. I will be ready to write by 10:00. I will submit at least 2 of my articles every month. I will challenge myself with the goal of submitting to one big publication each month.
These are some goal setting guidelines based on those I read in "Writing for Magazines: A Beginner's Guide" by Cheryl Sloan Wray.
Start simple. If you are beginning your goals won't be the same as a writer you has been published a few times and has contacts with editors/ publishers already. Simple goals are comfortable, attainable for as long as you need them.
Challenge yourself. Having simple goals doesn't mean you won't be working, challenging yourself to do better and try bigger. Make goals simple so you won't give up in frustration but challenging enough to be taken seriously, worthy of working for.
Set goals that suit your personality. Don't try to make yourself into some other writer. Make the goals work for you, your style, your routine, etc.
Be concrete and specific. Goals shouldn't be too broad or lacking in detail. Don't have a goal of submitting an article to the local paper. Be specific, plan an article topic and set a date for submitting it.
Share your goals with a few writer friends. Pick a few people who encourage you and let them know what you're planning. They will help keep you on track.
Check your progress. Mark your progress somehow, keep a goal calendar to show yourself how you are making progress in keeping each of your goals. This way you can look at how far you have come when you need to keep yourself going, along to the next goal.
Stick to it. Remember you made the goals to help you become the writer you want to be. If the goals you set aren't working for you change them, use the guidelines here to set goals that will work.
Some good goals you could try are: I will write at least a page every day. I will be ready to write by 10:00. I will submit at least 2 of my articles every month. I will challenge myself with the goal of submitting to one big publication each month.
Site Promotion and Emotion
One thing anyone reading this has in common is that we are writing online. Its a different market/ medium from print, obviously. But not always in obvious ways. The language is different. The rate at which content needs to be refreshed is much different. The problems with having content stolen are also different and more challenging. But, there is a huge audience out there, if you can lure them in. You don't have to be a big ticket item like Woman's Day, Cosmo or National Geographic to pull in readers. But, you do have to find a way of pulling them in.
One other difference that not a lot of writers take advantage of is self promotion. You can set yourself up as the controller of your own little empire. Add all the clips you want, promote them everywhere possible and even break into new markets by offering free content to other sites.
But, you do have to take those first steps and get yourself out there, into the community. A big part of doing that is a personal/ professional website. You really do need a place to hang your hat online, an address to send people to when they want to know more about you, see what you know and how you think. Also, of course what you have that someone else doesn't already have.
One important thing is balancing personal and professional. Unless you have a couple of separate websites You need to make sure your website isn't saying too much about you. There are some hobbies, collectibles, activities, political leanings you might not want to offer up right away. For me its Wicca. My sister was looking over my resume and was astonished that I had left in a reference to my BackWash column, Bewitching Vagabond. She strongly suggested I take it out. I decided she was right and I have removed it.
What about your own site? Is there anything there you need to consider a problem area? Assuming you have a site, of course.
Add a resume to your site too. Just don't be careless about leaving your street address and phone numbers on there. Blank them out or just delete them.
One other difference that not a lot of writers take advantage of is self promotion. You can set yourself up as the controller of your own little empire. Add all the clips you want, promote them everywhere possible and even break into new markets by offering free content to other sites.
But, you do have to take those first steps and get yourself out there, into the community. A big part of doing that is a personal/ professional website. You really do need a place to hang your hat online, an address to send people to when they want to know more about you, see what you know and how you think. Also, of course what you have that someone else doesn't already have.
One important thing is balancing personal and professional. Unless you have a couple of separate websites You need to make sure your website isn't saying too much about you. There are some hobbies, collectibles, activities, political leanings you might not want to offer up right away. For me its Wicca. My sister was looking over my resume and was astonished that I had left in a reference to my BackWash column, Bewitching Vagabond. She strongly suggested I take it out. I decided she was right and I have removed it.
What about your own site? Is there anything there you need to consider a problem area? Assuming you have a site, of course.
Add a resume to your site too. Just don't be careless about leaving your street address and phone numbers on there. Blank them out or just delete them.
Honour Yourself as a Writer
Last night I went on a spending spree at Chapters, the mega bookstore in this area. I went in for The Writers magazine and came out many dollars lighter. (Debit cards are a blessing and a curse). I bought a new thesaurus which I already love and A Writer's Book of Days which I'm building up into love for. Judy Reeves wrote it and I'll look her up online later.
Anyway, there is so much encouragement, inspiration and creativity in this book for writers. I highly recommend you find it at your local bookstore.
I've paraphrased and added my thoughts to one of her articles. This is one of her essays which caused me to buy the book.
Honour Yourself as a Writer
Name yourself a writer. Give your writing preference over your day job, affirm the place it holds in your life. Tell them you're a freelance writer when someone asks what you do. Let yourself be proud to be a writer, whether you're raking in the bucks from writing or not. Don't put your writing in second place, like a hobby you might mention if someone asks. Honour yourself as a writer, just like Judy Reeves says!
Make a place for your writing, furnish it with materials that support you and your writing. Keep the space sacred and go there joyfully. I especially like this idea from her book. Make yourself a writing alter, take notes from the Pagans on making an alter. But, whatever you do make the space where you write special, meaningful, uniquely you.
Get the equipment and accoutrements you need. Do you really let yourself spend a enough on what you need to write? Don't over spend but let yourself have what you need to write well. Don't give it hobby status if you don't want to keep writing as a hobby.
Make time for studying and practicing your craft: attend writing groups, workshops, writer's conferences, classes and lectures. If you're too busy to go far try a few writing email lists. See which one works for you and then become a regular (don't just lurk).
Schedule time with other writers. Find someone else who writes and plan time together to talk about writing and have some fun. Don't let yourself become too isolated from others who write and think about writing.
Read your writing to others. Say it aloud to those who can appreciate it. Read it at writing meetings, family gatherings and no occasion at all.
Transfer your writing from your notebook to the computer and print it out. Everything looks more professional in print. Save your writing in printed format and keep it all organized in files. There is no reason you can't even make up a zine yourself. Just add a little desktop publishing and you can create your own literary publication, starring you.
Submit material for publication. In spite of yourself and your fears respect your work in producing the writing and the writing itself and submit it for publications. Give yourself a chance, it only costs a stamp, some paper and the time to research your markets.
Celebrate when you've completed a work or hit a significant marker. Take a road trip, make a fancy coffee, get a manicure, soak in the tub, call a friend, buy that new thesaurus you wanted, whatever makes a celebration to you. You deserve it.
Accept compliments gracefully. Don't become your own worst critic when someone says your writing touched them, was a great read or made them think. Instead say thanks and give them more to read, point them to your website, the latest publication to buy your work, whatever you have to offer. Instead of denying your work, promote it.
Anyway, there is so much encouragement, inspiration and creativity in this book for writers. I highly recommend you find it at your local bookstore.
I've paraphrased and added my thoughts to one of her articles. This is one of her essays which caused me to buy the book.
Honour Yourself as a Writer
Name yourself a writer. Give your writing preference over your day job, affirm the place it holds in your life. Tell them you're a freelance writer when someone asks what you do. Let yourself be proud to be a writer, whether you're raking in the bucks from writing or not. Don't put your writing in second place, like a hobby you might mention if someone asks. Honour yourself as a writer, just like Judy Reeves says!
Make a place for your writing, furnish it with materials that support you and your writing. Keep the space sacred and go there joyfully. I especially like this idea from her book. Make yourself a writing alter, take notes from the Pagans on making an alter. But, whatever you do make the space where you write special, meaningful, uniquely you.
Get the equipment and accoutrements you need. Do you really let yourself spend a enough on what you need to write? Don't over spend but let yourself have what you need to write well. Don't give it hobby status if you don't want to keep writing as a hobby.
Make time for studying and practicing your craft: attend writing groups, workshops, writer's conferences, classes and lectures. If you're too busy to go far try a few writing email lists. See which one works for you and then become a regular (don't just lurk).
Schedule time with other writers. Find someone else who writes and plan time together to talk about writing and have some fun. Don't let yourself become too isolated from others who write and think about writing.
Read your writing to others. Say it aloud to those who can appreciate it. Read it at writing meetings, family gatherings and no occasion at all.
Transfer your writing from your notebook to the computer and print it out. Everything looks more professional in print. Save your writing in printed format and keep it all organized in files. There is no reason you can't even make up a zine yourself. Just add a little desktop publishing and you can create your own literary publication, starring you.
Submit material for publication. In spite of yourself and your fears respect your work in producing the writing and the writing itself and submit it for publications. Give yourself a chance, it only costs a stamp, some paper and the time to research your markets.
Celebrate when you've completed a work or hit a significant marker. Take a road trip, make a fancy coffee, get a manicure, soak in the tub, call a friend, buy that new thesaurus you wanted, whatever makes a celebration to you. You deserve it.
Accept compliments gracefully. Don't become your own worst critic when someone says your writing touched them, was a great read or made them think. Instead say thanks and give them more to read, point them to your website, the latest publication to buy your work, whatever you have to offer. Instead of denying your work, promote it.
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