Archive for March, 2008
To be successful in any industry you have to establish yourself (or your company) at the top of that industry. Consumers need to look to you for advice or information about that particular market.
The internet is no different. Some of the people who are raking in the big dough are those that have established themselves as experts in their niche – either through time, education or endorsements. But becoming an expert is only one way to dominate your internet niche market.
1. Choose a subject that is near and dear to your heart. Passion will go a long way to establish your dominance (just keep your writing tight and informative).
2. Build your links. Write for the free articles sites (ezinearticle is one of the top), comment on other blogs and forums – related or in your market area, offer to guest post on other sites. There should always be a place for a signature or author’s box where you can offer a link to your site.
3. Offer freebies or contests to increase you visitors. Everyone likes feeling that they are getting something for free and most people are willing to pass the word on to other friends and family.
4. Participate in a blog carnival. There are several that I submit to on a regular basis (the Carnival of Christian Women and the Carnival of Christian Writers are two of them – thanks ladies). You can meet some neat people, get a boost in visitors and find some great blogs.
5. Keep writing. Content is still king – no matter what some experts say. If you are producing quality content then you will get visitors that not only share your site but that stick around.
It may take a little time and some hard work, but establishing yourself as a dominate force in the internet niche of your choice will be the beginning of a whole new life.
March 27th, 2008
It is possible to live a positive life even with negative people all around you. It is POSSIBLE, but it ain’t easy!!!!
I live with several negative people around me every day. I see the half full glass and they see the need to buy milk at incredibly expensive prices and paying out the ear for gas to get there (the scary thing is that I’m NOT exaggerating).
It would be easy to fall down to their level. Finding the good and positive in situations (and especially in people) is not always the fun way to live. Choosing to nag, complain and basically pass out blame like Pez is a much easier path to take. At least it seems to be easier.
The truth is that positive people live healthier, happier and longer lives. That’s what I want for my children. So I choose to see the silver lining no matter what the grumblers and complainers may see. I choose to see the rainbow and admire the colors and not complain about the rain. I choose to see that our needs are met and not complain that we don’t have a million dollars in savings.
It has taken me years to work out a system, but I have developed ways to protect my positive attitude from the negative forces that often surround me.
1. Avoid negative news, movies and television shows. The attitudes you put into your eyes and your ears will fester in your heart and eventually come out of your mouth. Guard your mind!
2. Give up trying to make the people around you be positive. Live your life the way you know it should be lived (putting God first, putting others second, and then looking out for yourself as well). They will eventually come around or run away.
3. Find at least one positive outlet for your life (like this blog 
). You need to be recharged and lifted up or the negative forces will suck the life right out of you.
4. Make a decision to stay positive for the next hour – and keep doing it for every hour of the day. A little at a time does not seem like such a big hurdle.
5. Being positive does not mean being perky. It is okay to be upset about a situation or to even be sad (because of a loss or a pain). It is what you do with those emotions that make the biggest difference between a positive person and a negative person. Do you take out your emotions on the people around you or to you begin to look for things in your life that you are truly grateful to have?
It is all about choice. The life that I live and that I teach my kids can be the one that is healthy, happy and full of life or it can be one of clouds, complaints and darkness. It seems like a simple enough choice, but every day I watch as people around me choose the dark over the light.
March 26th, 2008
Being a successful freelance writer is a bit like being a good salesman. There are tips and techniques you can take from the sales world and apply to your life as a writer. For most of us the goal is to make a living doing what we love and enjoy and all the help we can get is beneficial for that end.
1. Get your leads. Although many people can “break in” with the big print publications, most writers will not. It is far better to weigh your weigh your possibilities and chose those publications that print a high percentage of unknown and unagented writers. Most of this information can be found in the latest edition of the Writer’s Market.
2. Be passionate about the product. Believe in your ability to write well on the subject and to give a fresh voice to the publication. If you believe in you then it will be projected to the editor through your words.
3. Always be honest. If you are more concerned about closing the deal than you are about being sincere, it will show. In the end it will hurt your credibility in the industry and your ability to compete in the market place.
4. Keep on keeping on. A no is just a way of saying try another tactic. Look at rejections as challenges to improve and tweak your skills. Keep submitting and writing and learning if you are serious about a freelance career.
5. Network with everyone and everywhere. You can never know where that perfect connection might be hiding. Take time to attend local meetings, writing conferences and even books signings or readings by other authors. The more you know the farther you will go.
Just these few tips will help you develop your freelance career. Keep in mind that there is only one way to develop a career in writing and that is to write. Everything else is just marketing tools and techniques designed to help your career along.
March 22nd, 2008
No matter what the circumstances may look like – no matter how cloudy the skies, how messed up the schedule or how many problems try to make it seem different – today WILL be a good day. It’s not about my situation (although everything I have faced this morning would be a reasonable excuse for most people). It’s not about what other people (or machines) are or are not doing. My day is a reflection of my attitude and I am going to find the silver lining.
The Negative: I’ve been up since 3 am and still haven’t gotten word one done on any of my work. Both (get that?) of the computers have decided to call it a day. So I’ve been spending the morning trying to get a computer to work.
The Positive: Today I had the chance to learn a lot about trouble shooting my computers and the difference between hardware components and software components.
The Negative: I have 100 items due next week and one less day to work on them.
The Positive: I have 100 items due next week and I’m getting paid for everyone of them.
The Negative: The cable intallation team says I’m still not serviceable even though we paid (out the nose) specifically to BE serviceable. Since there is no way to contact the local office directly I get to drive the 70 mile round trip yet again.
The Positive: I had a nice conversation with the office ladies and the engineer, they gave me a discount and worked out the situation and I got to visit with a couple of friends when I stopped in at the store on the way home.
The Negative: If it could go wrong this morning then it probably did. I got up early, got no work done and still need my computers fixed and my cable run.
The Positive: My children got to see me keep my cool no matter what was thrown at me. “How do you stay so calm right now?” I just smiled and told them that it was definitely a God thing.
There is another side, no matter how dark or grim things might look or feel. It takes practice, but you really can learn to make lemonade when life throws you lemons (and if you don’t like lemonade then just open a store and make a fortune from your misfortune).
March 18th, 2008
There was a report on the news recently that positive people live longer and are better at overcoming heart disease. Experts have their theories about why this is likely. It has a lot to do with the physical. Although I fully believe that positive people will be in better physical shape, I think it all comes back to the heart – and the spiritual aspects of life.
1. Positive people are less stressed. If you don’t worry about things and you let problems roll off you like water on a duck’s back then you are going to live your life much more relaxed than the people around you.
2. Positive people have more fun and laugh more. Laughing has been proven to extend your life and if you aren’t worried about every little thing you will find it easier to laugh at more that goes on around you.
3. Positive people want to live because they enjoy life. The more you desire something, the easier it is to get your mind and body to go along. If you are enjoying life then you have no reason to leave.
4. Positive people are surrounded by positive people. There is some truth to the saying that “birds of a feather flock together.” Negative people tend to shy away from the positive leaving the positive people all together to lift up and encourage one another.
5. Positive people attract others. Most individuals want to be supported and encouraged and being around positive people reminds them how good life is. Having friends and family give positive people strength, support and plenty of joy.
Being positive is not just good for the way that you live but it is not proven that a positive attitude will actually help you live longer. Starting looking for the silver lining and see how far that takes you.
March 14th, 2008
Every writing conference I have ever attended was weighted down by people who wanted to be able to make a living writing. I am one of those people. I choose workshops and events that are going to help me increase my productivity in the marketplace. It is possible to make a living while freelance writing. It just takes persistence and patience.
1. It takes time. For most freelance writers, it takes about a year to establish a regular client base. Either stay in your regular job until you get to that point or else have a one year reserve of cash in your savings to live off of until you get your base established.
2. It takes creativity. Most writers start out writing “when the inspiration hits.” Working freelance writers have to make the inspiration happen. Writing is the best way to make that happen. Write something – anything – to get the juices flowing and you will be amazed at how inspired you come.
3. It takes consistency. Working for you can make it easy to procrastinate. All that accomplishes is keeping you behind. That means writing every day for a given amount of time – like any job. Working daily on projects will give you ample time to do other things (and even take on last minute projects that will often pay much more).
4. It takes diligence. Freelance writers have to continually search for writing opportunities. Look through the many writers’ websites and blogging sites that are available. Apply for new projects at least once a week (if not once a day). Don’t forget about print work either – continue to query print publications on a weekly or daily basis as well. The more work you seek then the more work you will find.
5. It takes skills. Continue your writing education by taking courses or classes in a genre that you are not skilled (grant writing or poetry or any kind of writing you might find intriguing). Even if you never use the new genre to make a living, the new skills you acquire will help you where you are.
6. It takes balance. You HAVE to budget you money when you are a freelance writer. You never know when the next check will arrive in the mail and you have to be in a position to live until it does arrive. Before you even consider a life of freelance, learn to live off the smallest budget you can physically manage (because there are likely to be months where that will be your life).
Freelance writing is just like any other job (except you don’t get a salary or benefits or paid vacation time). You have to work at freelancing to be successful. You have to plan for your career in order to make a life out of it. But the most important thing you have to do to be successful in freelance writing is to WRITE.
March 13th, 2008
There are days when you wake up and feel like you are already behind. Today was one of those days for me. I feel like I’m running uphill in sinking sand – pumping hard, but hardly making a dent. Every time I complete task one, three more seem to pop up in its place.
It’s not as bad as I FEEL it is. The problem is that once I start thinking negatively, it can be hard to find anything positive. Instead of moping around in my feelings, I have to press on through to the finish. Climbing back up to something that resembles a positive attitude is not always easy (especially if you are in it alone), but it can be done.
1. Put yesterday behind me. No matter what did happen (or didn’t happen) I can not let yesterday effect today. Let it go.
2. Get a new perspective. Seriously look at what you are doing each day – get a friend to look at it – and see if you are truly utilizing your time wisely. You may find that not only are you accomplishing a great number of tasks, but you are on the verge of being wondermom.
3. Release the stress. If you don’t get something done – no matter what that thing is – the world will not come to an end. Picture the worst case scenario and honestly admit that you could find a way to survive with out serious injury. The stress will start to melt away.
It can be overwhelming at times trying to be a work at home mom. You want to do everything for everyone and still make the money to boot. Sometimes it feels like you aren’t getting anything done at all.
The truth is that you can’t do it all, but you can find ways to get it all done. Along the way, give yourself some credit (and a break or to) and it will turn out to be a bright, sunshiny day after all.
March 13th, 2008
It is possible to get everything done that you have on your list for this week. If you are like me, your to-do list reads more like a short story than a list. Every time you look at it, things mysteriously add on. It just keeps growing. But it is possible to finish your to-do list and still have time for yourself and for your family.
1. Start now. The early you start on the tasks the more time you have to get things done. Procrastination is one of the biggest busters of time that exists today. If you put it off until tomorrow (not matter what it may be) then you probably will be complaining about how you never have enough time.
2. Spread it out. Give yourself one or two hours (in thirty minute chunks) to get your to-do list done. Spend thirty minutes in the morning, thirty before lunch, thirty before dinner and thirty before bed. It will be amazing how much can be accomplished in such a seemingly short amount of time.
3. One big project a week. If you want to completely clean sweep your home then do it one room at a time and only one room a week. It won’t feel quite as overwhelming and you will feel a sense of accomplishment each time you complete a room.
4. Enlist help. If you can’t get your family to help you out, then ask a friend. Sometimes it helps to have someone there with you even if they don’t physically do anything.
5. Keep going. Even when you get distracted, get right back on track. Focus will be the key to keeping you consistent in your efforts.
6. Be realistic. Evaluate your to-do list and shift those things you know you can’t do or won’t have time to do. I WANT to clean out my garden, but the weather hasn’t cooperated. I just keep shifting that to-do until it’s time.
To get the to-do list done you have to stay on it. Work some here and there and be sure to set aside at least one day for catch up. When you get all your to-do’s done during the regular week, you will have that extra day to just be free and relax.
March 11th, 2008
Patience is a virtue, but when it comes to dealing with the cable company it can be a miraculous event. Three months ago I put down a payment to get cable to may house (there aren’t enough customers for the cable company to bare the expense). Three weeks ago they started the whole “we’ll be there at the first of the week.”
My husband is not happy. By postponing bringing high-speed internet to our home, the cable company is limiting the amount of money I can make. Writing online using dialup takes about 4 times longer that it would we cable. He wonders why I’m not throwing a fit.
It would be easy to go up to the cable office (they have yet to give ms a phone number to contact) and yell and scream and stomp my feet. In the end all I would have is sore feet. The truth is all I do when I get upset is ruin my day (and probably the day of those poor souls stuck listening to me). It won’t change the procedures that the company has to go through to give me what I’ve requested. It definitely won’t change the fact that in this area my only hope for high-speed is the cable company.
Growing patience isn’t just about accepting things that come your way, its about doing all you can until where you are until circumstances turn around. For it me it means putting death to procrastination and turning a few of my habits around to good.
1. Spread out the work. Instead of trying to get large amounts done in a single day, I need to work on getting a little done every day.
2. Do the hard stuff first. Anything that requires research over the internet should be done first thing in the morning (for some reason that is when I have my fastest connection).
3. Know my limits. As much as I want to be able to take on $1000 a week, it’s just not possible at present. If I don’t want to work 12 hours a day all week long, then I have to realize that my dance card is full.
4. Keep pushing. Online writing is an interesting way to earn a living, but print still pays better and it doesn’t take the internet to accomplish. I need to continue to work on my print career during internet down times.
If I can do all the work that I have scheduled and do it in the amount of time that I want to be working, then I can’t even begin to imagine what a wonderful world this will be when cable finally arrives.
March 9th, 2008
There is no good debt. I have heard (and read) many experts say that a good debt is one that increases in value – like a home. The truth is that even those debts are ultimately bad for you and for your future.
1. Debt enslaves. You are forced into the terms of the lender no matter how your situation may change or what you may feel the need to do in the future. There is no way you can have complete control of your life because you are in debt (under control) of another.
2. Debt ensnares. Once you fall for the whole debt scenario it is only a matter of time before most people fall under its spell. Debt is easy and quick and provides instant gratification for needs, wants or desires.
3. Debt entraps. It looks good on the surface, particularly when you are dealing with things that are the so called “good debts.” In the end you are caught in a cycle of financial obligation that only debt can draw you into.
4. Debt impoverishes. Interest paid on the debt is often enough to buy what ever you wanted in the first place. Debt eats away your extra income (or all your income) until you have nothing at all.
So how do you get away from the socially expected journey into the depths of debt?
1. Set AND FOLLOW a budget for you spending. Balance out what you make and what you spend so that you bring in more than you send out.
2. Be sure to put aside some money (no matter how small an amount) for savings for the big items that you want and then wait patiently to purchase those items (it may turn out that you don’t want them after all).
3. Look at the finally total. Before you sign on the dotted line, look at what you will really be spending. Most people who buy mortgaged property today will never be able to recoup what they actually spend on that house when they buy using debt.
4. Trade up (when it comes to houses). Start with a small (ironically called in most places) “starter” home. Sell it and use the proceeds to trade up. Continue the process until you are in the home of your dreams.
5. Start now. The longer you wait to break free from debt the harder it will be.
Forget what “they” say. Avoid debt with every fiber of your being. Teach your children to avoid debt. You will see that financial freedom will reap more blessings on you and your family for many generations to come.
March 7th, 2008
Previous Posts
