Organizing your office – The right writing space

 Is it time to clear the decks?

 Writing requires a clear head and a clear desk. Is creativity-killing clutter driving you to distraction?  Are piles of paperwork threatening to topple your technology in your office?

 

Here a few simple ways to make room for more writing:

•  Remove everything from your office counter or desktop. Neatly bundle all computer, peripheral and accessory cords with rubber bands. Rubber bands are the best, because they do not conduct electricity. Tuck these tidy bundles out of sight. (I keep mine behind my desk.)
•  Empty out all desk drawers. Sort working pens and sharpened pencils into cups or drawer-dividers. Throw away dried-out markers and pens.
•  Toss all non-office-related items into three or four small boxes or baskets, so they may be carried to the appropriate rooms (kitchen, garage, kids’ rooms, school, etc.).
•  Realign printer cartridges, and resupply printers with paper.
•  Dust around and under all electronic equipment.
•  Put stacks of books into bookshelves. (Most writers have hundreds of books.) Install inexpensive wall shelves, or purchase economical shelving units.
•  Sturdy wood folding bookcases are widely available. These tend to go on sale at the end of the summer, as college students head for the dormitories. Why not grab a few bookcases when you spot a deal?
•  Install a bulletin board or corkboard over your desk. Place a calendar on it for deadlines, appointments, editorial queries, and manuscript submissions.
•  Sort through all of your loose papers and files. All paperwork should fit into one of these categories:

 

NOTE: Written by this author, this copyrighted material originally appeared on another publisher’s site. That site no longer exists. This author holds all rights to this content. No republication is allowed without permission.

 

Are you ready to share your work with the world?

 If you have been collecting clips and tidbits for new article ideas, why not whip up a query letter today? Place your notes and research in file folders, assigning one for each potential piece. (See below.)

 Have you been intending to revise and send that manuscript or article draft, based on an editor’s favorable response to an earlier query? This is the time to do so.

 

Save your best samples.

 If hard copies of published items need to go into your professional portfolio, then grab the rubber cement and page protectors! Get these items off your desk and into your portfolio. You never know when an editor might request writing samples.

 

File resources for future use.

•  Article ideas: Create a separate folder for each article, story, or book you plan to write. When you are ready to compose a query letter, this will be invaluable. Even better, once an editor expresses interest, you will be ready to write!
•  Clients & contacts: If you don’t keep addresses and contact information online, you will want to obtain a Rolodex or business card file. Contacts are the bedrock of a writer’s business, and these must be updated often!
•  Financial items: Check stubs, invoices, receipts, and other documentation must be filed where you can find it. Stashing such items in a box or basket atop your desk is distracting and dangerous. Timely billing, accurate tax filing, and audit preparation are vital for a freelancer.

 

Get rid of the evidence.

 Be ruthless here. If you don’t really need a piece of paperwork, then toss it. If the file is on your hard drive or online, toss the hard copy. (Often, I will even scan a receipt or invoice and keep it on my computer, rather than create clutter piles in my work area. In a pinch I have even snapped smart phone photos of documents to save them digitally and toss the hard copies.)

 Most freelancers receive dozens of periodicals each month. If we kept all of these issues, we could build room dividers in our homes with the stacks. Consider donating these to your local library or to a school, especially if they are recent.

 Old drafts of published items, outdated financial papers, and other irrelevant materials should be destroyed. Shredders are affordable these days, and they make a wonderful therapy for writer’s block! Kids love shredding items as well. Maybe the loud grinding noise makes us feel powerful, but there is something inherently rewarding about running the shredder.

 Write on!

 

Related Items:

• 10 questions to ask before hiring an editor for your book manuscript
• 12 great ways to clear mental clutter for writing
• 25 writing-related careers ideal for aspiring authors
• Can you write well with rocks in your backpack?
• How taxing is tax prep for freelance writers?
• Writer resources: 10 books I keep on my desk

 

Image/s:  Image by upklyak on Freepik

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Aspiring authors: Is it OK to ask a writer friend how to get published?

 Do you dream about writing a book? Maybe you’ve already started one. Either way, you may be looking for a super-secret about how to get your book published.

Here’s the super-secret: There is no secret.

That’s the truth.

Ask any published author, and you’ll likely hear about piles of query letters, scads of publisher rejection letters, and the long-awaited acceptance of a prized manuscript. The process can take years and years.

 Sure, we’ve all heard stories of celebrities and otherwise famous folks whose books were immediately scooped up by paying publishers. In lots of these cases, those people were actually approached by publishers (and possibly offered ghostwriters).

 But for the rest of us, the road to publishing is lengthy, requiring patience and perseverance.

  Authors: Stop me, if you’ve heard any of these.

“Hey, I heard you are an author. I’m writing a book. Can you tell me how to get it published?”

 “Since you’ve written several books, can you look at mine, and tell me if it’s good enough to publish?”

 “I want to publish my life story. Will you write it for me?”

 “My son wrote his own memoirs. Can you publish it for him?”

 “My aunt writes lots of poetry. Will you help her make a book out of it?

 “I just wrote a book. Can you edit it for me?”

 I could go on and on. If authors agreed to any of these requests, we’d soon run out of time to keep up our own writing. Besides that, we’d be spending countless hours working on projects that might or might not prove fruitful.

 And how are we supposed to tell our colleagues, friends, neighbors, or family members, if we’ve read their treasured book and found it probably wasn’t worth sharing with the world? I’ve spent plenty of years working as a book editor and also as a book reviewer. I've even taught creative writing classes. One thing I’ve learned is that nearly anyone can blog, journal, or write. But not everyone can be an author. Or not everyone ought to be one – at least, not overnight.

 That may sound tough, but it has to be.

 Early on, I learned to turn down such requests. After being burned a few times, either taking on quick-read projects that snowballed into huge time-suckers or carrying on my own internal conversation about whether to practice tough love with dear ones about the quality or marketability of their books. It was time to set some clear boundaries.

As a rule, I don’t edit or review book proposals or manuscripts as favors. I don't ghostwrite for friends or relatives. And, although I have given professional seminars on writing and publishing (for book groups, classes, and similar audiences), I do not accept personal requests for related questions. I'm not being mercenary about this. I'm simply sticking to professional endeavors, when it comes to editing and reviewing manuscripts or books. There just isn’t time, and there are no easy answers.

Book publishing can be a complicated endeavor. That's especially true now that many books come out in printed and digital formats. Plus, in our up-to-the-minute world, readers are easily distracted by other media, electronic entertainment, and real life. A book has to attract, appeal, and hold the attention of readers, if it has any chance of making it in the marketplace.

 Here’s the book publishing process in a nutshell.

 Somebody writes a book. Or at least, somebody writes the first couple of chapters and outlines the rest.

 At this point, that wannabe author has a few choices:

•  Traditional publishing – This generally begins with the hiring of a literary agent. If a publisher accepts the book (offered via the agent), the author may receive a negotiated advance and eventually royalties.
• Vanity publishing – Here the author pays upfront and in-full for the book’s publication and possibly some marketing services. If a book succeeds (read: “sells”), the author may receive a percentage of the sales (as royalties). That can take time, but it can continue indefinitely, as long as the book remains in print.
• Self-publishing – Here the author edits, formats, designs, and markets his/her own book, either through an online publishing service or via his/her own website (or both). Depending on the arrangement, the author may receive royalties on book sales or proceeds from his/her own direct sales.

 Sounds complex, right? Indeed it is.

 We’ve all heard stories of famous folks being approached by publishers, seeking to tell their life stories. We’ve read about insiders to newsy drama who’ve been asked to provide juicy tell-all gossip. And we could recount instances in which notorious criminals told their stories, which became books.

 Those stories don’t fit the experience of most aspiring authors.

 There’s no secret shortcut to getting a book published. – even if you know someone who wrote a book or two.

 Image/s:  Adapted from public domain image

 

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Is blogging worth it?

 

 Blogging is fun, but it can also be a lot of work. It starts as an adventure, especially for the creative communicator who is enthusiastic about sharing information and expertise ono a chosen topic. In time (often sooner than one might expect), the blog can actually become a burden, particularly if the blogger hasn’t counted the costs (of all kinds) and fully committed to this endeavor.

 This is true of basic blogs (from poetry to photography, from technology to tourism, from cooking to construction, from fashion to financial planning, and from hospitality to healthy living). It’s also true for video blogging, podcasting, and other platforms.

 

Is blogging worth the effort?

 Are you considering diving into blogging? Or are you pondering dusting off an existing blog, which you may have left dormant for a while?

 Maybe it’s time to ask a few probing questions.

 

Why do you want to blog?

 People blog for countless reasons, such as personal passions, profit, and professional promotion. Some folks blog to keep in touch with friends, extended family, or even fellow alumni from their alma maters. A smart first step in blogging is to find your reason for doing so, as that will boost your own motivation and creative energy.

 Hey, enthusiasm is contagious!

 

Do you have a focused interest?

 Identifying your own niche is critical to successful blogging. Be specific.

 Here’s a helpful book (available in paperback and Kindle formats): A Niche in Time: 12 tips for finding and working a writing niche.

 

Are you an expert in that area?

 Can you come up with fresh ideas that bring new value to your chosen field of blogging? And do you have enough ideas to sustain blogging? Whether you post daily or weekly or even monthly, you’ll need a pipeline of future topics. Too many blogs eventually flop, basically because their producers run out of content.

 

Do you have a following or audience?

 If so, you already have the beginnings of a reader/viewer base for your blog. If not, it may be time to begin networking towards this.

 

Can you choose a platform that fits your abilities and interest?

 Blogs tend to be do-it-yourself enterprises, unless they are professionally produced for commercial or non-profit organizations. For the rest of us, blogging requires at least basic technical expertise. This applies to written blogs, as well as video and podcast pursuits. Many bloggers build their technical skills as they go, but the successful ones begin with at least a hunger and willingness to learn.

 

Do you have the time to invest in creating. producing, and managing a blog?

 Most bloggers don’t become wealthy by blogging alone. Definitely, a few exceptions exist. But most practice blogging as a hobby or a side pursuit. Even skillfully monetized blogs may earn spottingly. Some posts prove profitable, while others may fizzle financially. To continue, the blogger will usually need other means of earning.

 Blogging really is a labor of love, proverbially speaking. It’s not usually a gold mine, but it can be a super means of expression. And it’s a great way to find one’s own voice and practice one’s area of expertise, whatever that may be.

 Image/s:  Public domain image

 

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Does writing mojo depend upon readership?

Do writers write to be read, or because we have something to say?

That’s not a trick question. But it might be a two-edged sword. Maybe we write for the sake of expression, but we surely appreciate readers. And I think perhaps we write best when we believe someone will actually read the words we produce.

But a real writer will write anyway.

It’s like the orator who stands at the podium and speaks, with or without an audience. Or the vlogger, who posts an extra informative video online, not knowing if anyone will tune in his time. Or the singer, who belts out a big song whether anyone is listening or not.

If an owl hoots in the forest, but no one hears it, is he any less of an owl?

But isn’t the speaker, vlogger, or singer invigorated by interacting with the crowd?

I know I am energized and inspired when people post engaging comments on articles I've published or features bearing my by-line. My writing mojo improves when readers publish pertinent (especially positive) reviews of my books. 

Readership is worth a lot.

(If you’re reading, I hope you can feel the love, right about now.)

Book sales, subscriptions, page views and ad clicks help to pay our bills. But if readership is the only reason we write, we might be missing something.

Are you disappointed by the number of page-loads one of your blog posts has received? Wondering why the shares/pass-alongs aren’t where you want them to be?

Stay strong, wordsmith.

Write on. It’s more about the writing than the numbers. Your authentic and creative expression count more than readership statistics. Those will come. And sometimes they will surprise us. Often, my most-read pieces are not my personal favorites.  But perhaps those words spoke to readers more than I’d expected them to do.

Image/s:

Adapted by this user

 from public domain image

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