Articles in the WRA’s Special Series Category

Poetry is known as one of the hardest forms of writing to monetize. Most magazines who accept poems pay in either free copies or a small stipend. Book publishers cringe when receiving poetry book manuscripts for review, as there is little reason for them to publish any poetry unless it is by the biggest names in the poetry world. Mass market readers don’t seem to be buying poetry anymore, and bookstores seem less interested in carrying it.

So what’s a sensitive souled poetry writer to do? Shove their literary goals aside while pursuing the bigger bucks to be made in more readily accepted forms of writing?

While a writer does have to eat, they don’t have to ignore their poetic leanings for long. Carving out a few minutes a day for poetry writing will soon fill an entire book full of poetic imagery and metaphors, in need of an audience.

Writing Poetry for an Online Audience

Self-publishing is an increasingly acceptable way for writers to publish their own books, from instructional materials to memoirs to novels. WRA’s own Jennifer Greenleaf launched her own self-published books, sharing her insights on the process with us. Other authors around the world are taking publishing into their own hands, forgoing the comforts of a traditional publishing house to brave the wilds of the internet jungle.

Poetry authors can blaze their own path to publication as well. The key to any self-publishing success is building an audience receptive to your work. With poetry, this is even more critical, as most people aren’t actively searching for a new poetry book. You can create a small website showcasing a small portion of your poetry, and invite others to follow you along the path to publication. Using social media, you can determine their level of interest and excitement for poetry, and create easy ways for them to stay informed of your book’s progress. They can even become involved, spreading the word to others, or giving you suggestions on possible poetry topics.

Why Self-Publishing For Poetry?

In addition to the difficulty that poetry faces in the mass market, there are other outstanding reasons to consider if self-publishing a poetry book is right for you. When you self-publish, you retain full copyright and control of your work. Your poems can be formatted exactly the way you desire, with illustrations if you like. The book can be the right dimensions and font, and you don’t have to struggle over the details of a lengthy publishing contract. For those of us (myself included!) who enjoy having complete artistic control over their writing, self-publishing is ideal.

You can also connect to a wide variety of audiences that may enjoy your poetry throughout the internet. For example, if you have written a book of love poetry, you can promote it on blogs about romance writing or dating advice. You can join a forum for women, and let them know you’ve written a poetry book they may enjoy. There are so many available options depending on your topic and audience, that the choices are truly yours.

Would you consider self-publishing a poetry book? Do you still enjoy reading poetry, even though bookstores don’t carry many options? What are your experiences with self-publishing?

Photo Credit: FolkeB

When the urge to write poetry strikes, all I want to do is drop everything, grab a pen and paper, and start scribbling down the first thoughts that enter my mind. Writing poetry can be quite a thrill, and it is best to be prepared for when that moment hits.

However, even when I have the desire to write poetry, I sometimes have no idea what I want to write about. While leaping into poetry writing and seeing what happens can be beneficial, I often find that having an idea of what I want to write will make the process flow much more smoothly.

Here are some different ways that I choose my poetry writing topics, so I don’t miss out on the inspiration that has headed my way!

Observe the World Around You

The easiest way to choose a poetry topic is to sit down and focus on something in your immediate environment. Describe the contents of your desk, the light shining through your window, or the taste of your favorite beverage. Anything is a good topic for poetry! Even purely descriptive poetry can have a deep impact and be full of meaning.

Mundane objects can also be used in poetry as metaphors for larger, more philosophical topics. For example, a poem I wrote a long time ago was about the sugar crystals that lined the rim of my coffee cup. The crystals turned into a discussion on the hardening of our lives and ourselves over time.

Discover What Matters

Choosing meaningful subjects can bring your poetry to life. Think about what has been going on in your life that could be processed through the poetry format. Are there causes you care deeply about, or feel have not been addressed? Or have you been going through a difficult time, and need to reflect over recent events?

One unique example was a poem I read in Writer’s Digest some years ago. The poem was highlighted because it used the sestina format, repeating six lines in six different orders throughout the poem. But the topic was more interesting to me, as it was about SETI: the search for extra-terrestrial life! With poetry, the sky isn’t even the limit!

Have Some Fun

Poetry doesn’t have to be moody and serious all the time. Some of the best poems I’ve read were those when I was a child, which were lighthearted and fun. Sometimes, the poems are hidden in the guise of a story, introducing children to literature in all its forms at a young age.

Shel Silverstein is my favorite children’s poet. His poems were well crafted, engaging, and often hilarious. Another one who many not obviously be a poet is Dr. Seuss. His stories definitely did rhyme! If you’ve never tried writing funny poetry, you could always give it a try for a lighthearted change of pace.

Inspiration is Everywhere

The world is full of possible poetry ideas. It’s up to you to be open to what strikes you when you pull out your notebook. When you have the chance, explore every avenue open to you, and your poetry will take off!

What are your favorite poetry topics, to write or to read? What ideas and themes does most of your poetry revolve around? Are there topics, ideas, and metaphors you feel repeatedly drawn to when you write?

Image Credit: Blowfishsoup

I’m a fan of random and found art, bits of beauty or composition that either happen accidentally or by a solitary, unthanked and perhaps unknowing artist. There’s also random poetry in our daily lives; spotting these lines takes some practice, but it sharpens your mind as a writer and opens your creative processes to new ideas.

When you write for a living, every word is carefully chosen, and articles, novels or stories flow in a logical line. Sometimes that line becomes a rut but you can easily jog your creativity off the beaten path with some sly wordplay.

In the continuing spirit of (Inter) National Poetry Month, here’s a few ways to spot random poetry, and a couple of uses for those found bits of word art.

1. Portable signs

These signs are found everywhere outside businesses and strip malls. Sometimes the poem writes itself, like in this recent example I found locally:

Morals and mores enjoyed by leather fans at Christmas would be an acquired taste, come to think of it. Especially in Hollywood. It’s a short little freeform that makes you think, which is the point. In the cold, real world, each word was advertising a business: the leather shop, the Christmas Store, the Hollywood memorabilia place, and the gourmet food boutique. But a harried mall owner trying to squeeze everyone in probably had no idea he was creating a lovely little line of poetic whimsy.

2. Television listings

I have satellite TV, complete with an online guide to tell me what’s coming up next on each channel. If you read some of these listings together, it’s great, dramatic stuff:

I’ve added an occasional word in parentheses to connect some titles, but the meat of the tiny, lyrical meal is right there, randomly stacked on top of one another.

3. Spam

“My lips kiss you
like giraffes in the city
please her
with larger members
of the church
the word is to be free”

Whether written by a spammer with a shaky grasp of English or a frustrated poet/bot, there are some classic treats to be mined from an otherwise annoying nuisance. Enjoy the poetic lunacy but don’t ever, ever click on the links. Just look at it like you would an interesting cloud: take a mental picture, appreciate the accidental beauty, and watch it float away into the spam folder to be deleted.

Discover your own Random Poetry

Now that you see the random poetry of mangled communication everywhere, what do you do with it? Keep some stellar examples as writing prompts for a day when you’re chained down by writer’s block, or collect several and piece them together into one flowing epic. Random poetry allows you to be silly with words, so play with them like Lego blocks and build towers of weird inspiration. It will loosen your Muse, make you laugh and maybe even cause you to write a few nonsense poems of your own.

What random snippets of language have you discovered had a poetic ring to it? Share some of your own random poetry in the comments below.

Photo Credit: Animal Cleanliness by freedryk
Photo Credit: Towing Haiku by iamdonte

When I was in school, I wrote a good amount of poetry. I’ve found it to be a great way to express myself, to capture a moment in time forever on paper. I love the opportunity to craft illuminating metaphors, to play with the sounds of words, and to create impact with well-placed line breaks.

However, poetry is meant to be shared. It is a personal experience that comes from the core of your being, and the chance to share that experience with others should be welcomed. After all, you can spend countless hours crafting a poem. Why let all that work languish in a desk drawer?

My Poetry Reading

In college, I decided to attend a poetry reading, to share my work with others. I am not a great public speaker, and a poetry reading is unlike any other performance. I had been in plays during high school, but there were other people on stage with me, sharing the spotlight.

The poetry reading I went to was held in a friend’s living room, and there were only five other people in attendance. There was no spotlight, no stage, nothing to separate me from the audience. Tea and coffee were served, and we spent the first few minutes getting acquainted and admiring the lovely artwork she had in her home.

Then it was time to read poetry.

I was incredibly nervous. When I’m nervous, I tend to stutter and stumble over my words. So I took a deep breath and plunged into reading my poem (which has been lost in the process of time, so I cannot share it here).  Time seemed to stop, as everyone’s eyes were on me. The night seemed empty and cold, and nothing else mattered but getting the words out, as I had never read them aloud, not even to myself.

Then it was over. My poem was maybe two or three minutes long. Everyone complimented me on my poem, saying it was deep and insightful, everything a good poem can be.

More importantly, I had actually done it. I had written a poem, and sent it out into the universe. I shared my inner self with others, and it was a liberating yet terrifying feeling. I was out of breath, as if I had ran a marathon. And I had, but it was a marathon of the soul.

Reading Poetry for Others

So would I recommend you reading your own poetry? Absolutely. It can help you face any fears you may have about public speaking, which is a great goal in itself. Poetry is a highly personal form of writing, and sharing yourself through your poetry is a special way to connect to other people.

Poetry reading can also help you discover any awkward parts of your poem, that may need editing. Yes, poetry requires editing too, and can be the most enlightening part of the process. Using the different literary devices at your disposal can be great fun, when crafting your own poems.

Even if you’re not ready to read your poetry in front of others, reading it out loud to yourself can be a rewarding experience. You can relive any moment in time, by reading your poetry, and capturing it on an audio or video recording. You could save it for your family, or post it online for others to enjoy and comment on.

Poetry is vastly rewarding, in so many ways. Reading it aloud is something I believe everyone should try at least once. You never know what might happen!

Have you been to a poetry reading before? Or read your poetry aloud to others? Share your experiences here!

Photo Credit: paulinebalba

I absolutely HATE people who explain what a writer’s writing MEANT.
You know the ones I mean. University professors, English majors, the guy next to you when you walk out of the latest blockbuster at the cinema. They have this look. It’s as if all wisdom has been revealed only to them. They’ve “discovered” the true meaning of all things.

What Shakespeare may or may not have been alluding to in his 36th Sonnet he and only he knows. His words are unique to him and the context and meaning behind each carefully crafted phrase connects with memories that are not ours.

When you read, you are not reading the heart and mind of the writer, you’re not reading what he wrote or what he meant to write. Every word on the page is uniquely YOURS. You cannot read Shakespeare’s 36th Sonnet, you gaze at those fourteen lines of iambic pentameter and read YOUR Shakespeare’s 36th.

Every time we write we do so with our own truth and meaning. We allude to our personal experience. We create uniquely for ourselves a story no one else will ever read. Every best-selling book is not a single story, but rather infinite stories bound in a single book. Every reader reads his or her own story.

Do you think you’re reading MY post right now? You’re not. You’re reading your translation, your personal interpretation of my post. Every word is shaded, tilted, shaped, and changed in your reading of it. Your mind weighs and judges. It lifts each word from the page and sorts it, comparing it to your personal and uniquely individual understanding of that word.

Your memories and experience shape everything you read into something other than what the writer wrote. Even now your mind is grabbing at fragments that refute or concur with what I’m telling you. Its remembering situations where this truth was true or not true for you. And every time you read, the memories and experiences you’ve had between each reading creates a whole new story.

Now, can you tell me what any writer truly meant without having asked the writer? Can you truly know that writer’s mind or is a story’s worth and meaning merely a reflection of your personal insight. It’s meaning is yours, Shakespeare’s meaning is his own, and so is mine.

Have you ever discussed a story with others and wondered if they were reading the same book as you? How have readers transformed your writing from your original intent in their personal interpretations and reviews of it?

These weeks leading up to Christmas seem to always devolve into chaos. Have you been struggling to keep your life and work in balance? With the mayhem around me growing increasingly frustrating I dug back through my archives for a piece I remembered writing in March of 2007. We had survived the holiday upheavals, the kids had gone back to school and life was falling back into some semblance of order.

I need to remember how I accomplished that. How did I keep my mother-writer aspects from overpowering me? I’m sure many of you, even those who aren’t mothers (Hey writer-dads!) or parents are feeling the strain as they try to co-ordinate their work, their family, and their social lives. So, the wisdom of nearly three years comes to surface again.

Are you a Writer-Dad? I’d love to share a male perspective of the work-from-home challenge. Please share your comment or consider contributing your own post to WRA.

As a mother of two and a full-time writer, I understand how challenging it can be to have two very intense careers and try to blend them together. Women are remarkable beings, capable of doing multiple things. They have the ability to nurture a sick child and an infant novel at the same time.

When it comes to being a mother, there is more involved than making sure the children don’t drown in the bathtub or burn themselves on a hot stove. Parenting includes house work, entertaining, educating, doctoring, supervision and management, social administration, courier services, dressmaking, hairdressing, sanitation monitoring, nutritional advise and chef… The list could go on and on. Only a parent could possibly understand everything that goes into the day to day living of raising little people.

Writing is an equally busy and time consuming career. As a parent, especially a single mother, it’s impossible to disappear into the study for hours and surface with bags under our eyes, coffee-stained teeth, frazzled hair and a satisfied, although exhausted, smile on our faces. Writing time involves rare snippets between kissing boo-boos, getting kids to school, cooking dinner, and changing diapers.

Being a writer and being a mother require many of the same skills. The most important elements to make a successful mother/writer are imagination, creativity, intuition, patience, and understanding. It’s also vital to have a fantastic sense of self-worth. Without it you will constantly find the family’s slightest needs come before your writing. Understanding the value of what you do and being able to remember why you love it and why it’s worth making sacrifices is vital.

A few tips to remember:

1. Develop a Routine!
   If you have set times dedicated to meals, housework, homework, baths, and bed you are a huge step toward minimal chaos in your home and work life. Routine can go a step further than this and create a greater sense of calm if you also plan your writing times to suit your average day. I schedule a few hours each night, after tucking kids into bed, to write. This is the pen-to-paper (or words-to-screen) writing that involves concentration and focus. Research, planning, listing, plotting, chatting, character development, reviewing, editing, and short pieces can be slotted in at other times during the day but you need to have a set time dedicated to your writing regularly (daily if possible).
2. Be Flexible!
   While you have a routine it’s important to know how to bend the rules a little. Things are going to come up that you hadn’t planned for. You need to be able to bend your routine and schedule to suit. If the school calls up because your daughter is sick you slot a doctor visit into your afternoon and adjust your writing tasks. If your three-year-old got creative while you both cooked lunch together and is covered in flour you need to fit a bath in before you eat. Raising children, without going insane, requires flexibility.
3. Learn to Prioritize!
   Know that some stages need to be completed before others. Make sure writing is one of your high priorities but forgive yourself if you have to take the night off to attend your son’s soccer game (you could schedule that in), or daughter’s dance recital. Understand that changing a dirty diaper has an immediate deadline and your article due tomorrow can wait the few minutes it takes to change the diaper. Do the projects that are most important first and don’t leave things to the last minute.
4. Keep Lists!
   Shopping lists, project lists, idea lists, activity lists, school friends’ names, books borrowed from the library, actions to take for this or that article, character traits from your current novel, markets, budgets… The list of lists can be fairly endless but they are a great way to stay present with every aspect of your life. As a mother you’re going to be in multiple places at once in your mind. It creates a jumble to your memory functions. Lists help us keep information near to hand and jotting a list helps us remember.
5. Love what you do!
   Whatever it is you’re doing at any given moment, LOVE doing it! It’s the only way to stay sane when you have to shift from task to task. Remember that everything you do serves an important purpose. Spending time with your children and your home reinforces a sacred bond and keeps you connected with the most important aspects of life. Every moment is precious, and no matter what you are doing, love being alive in that moment and know that every step is toward a brighter future.

The final thing to remember is to ‘communicate‘. Tell your loved ones what you need from them. Don’t be afraid to ask for help. Share yourself, your dreams and ambitions, cry on a friend’s shoulder when it gets hard, leave the kids with a baby-sitter and go out for a night on the town with your girlfriends, give your heart and mind to others with commitment and honesty. Tell yourself, others and the universe what it is you want with confidence. When you do, you’ll find the world acting to accommodate you.

Being a writer and a parent is not impossible. You will learn more tips and tricks as you do it day to day. You will come to understand what works for you and what doesn’t. Try everything and learn to adapt to the needs of your unique family.

It’s challenging but also very exciting. You gain so much from sharing your life with children and with writing. You can touch the world, change people, create life and inspire others and truly love yourself doing it. Smile, stand up tall and proud, and truly realize how amazing and incredible you are. Live it, love it, and write about it.

Originally published on Writing.Com. Reprinted for Write-From-Home and Helium.

What tips can you share about how you keep the your writing life in balance with your other hats?

“You can only become truly accomplished at something you love. Don’t make money your goal. Instead, pursue the things you love doing, and then do them so well that people can’t take their eyes off you.”–Maya Angelou

In the first post in this series (Stay Sane While Multitasking–A MJSS Diagnosis), we talked about Multi-Job Stress Syndrome and why freelancers are prone to this disease.
I promised to follow-up with some natural, Zen solutions for coping with having to multitask as freelance writers and so… here we go!

Natural, Zen Remedies for MJSS:

• Herbal tea – a cup of hot herbal tea enjoyed while sitting outside on the front porch or deck can do wonders for your mind, body, and soul. Not only do herbal teas have medicinal benefits, it is truly relaxing to simply “zone out” for a few minutes as you sip a hot cup of bliss.
• Exercise – Prying yourself away from the computer long enough to get some fresh air and stretch and exercise your muscles is not only good for your body, it’s fabulous for your mind! Once you get those endorphins going, you’ll feel more mentally alert and will find inspiration and passion abounds. I’m amazed at how yoga has changed my freelance life. I feel more inspired than ever and am writing much more prolifically.  (Yoga Is Yummy is one of my favorite go-to yoga sites – especially for beginners.)
• Sleep – If we don’t get adequate sleep we can’t function properly. Life is chaotic enough – we don’t need to be starting each day like zombies. That will only aggravate MJSS and make our lives harder. I realize there are times when we’re on deadline and have no choice but to pull an all-nighter, or we have to drag ourselves out of bed to write down those out-of-this-world ideas that keep nagging us and won’t let us sleep, but the majority of the time we can make sleep a priority – and we should.
• Raw foods and juices – Of course, most of you know me as Raw Juice Girl. I love fresh, raw juices and, foods and have juice fasted extensively (52 days is the longest fasting journey I’ve experienced so far). You don’t have to juice fast to enjoy the health benefits of raw juices, though. Make yourself a fresh juice and incorporate more raw foods to your diet each day and make note of the changes you feel in your body and mind. Energy levels begin to rise, mental clarity and focus is enhanced – even eyesight has improved for some people. (Visit Healing With (Raw) Juices to learn more about raw food, juices, smoothies, and their healing benefits.) Living foods can make all the difference!
• Don’t forget to eat! – As multitasking freelancers with a gazillion things to do every day, we can sometimes go hours – or days! – without proper nutrition. Don’t starve your body. When you starve your body, you’re starving your mind and your creativity and putting your business – and your health! – in jeopardy. Make eating a priority. Make yourself a priority!
• Outsource or Barter – Have you been trying to manage your website(s)/blog(s) yourself but don’t really know what you’re doing? Are you lost in all the e-mails, phone calls, marketing, and paperwork? Have you considered hiring a Web Tech and/or Virtual Assistant to take care of the tasks you don’t have time for, or don’t enjoy doing? If your freelance business can’t afford one or both of these professionals I’ve mentioned, have you considered bartering? Trade the service you provide to them for the services they’ll provide for you! Just get it all in writing and be clear that all parties are completely understanding of the exchange of services – then you’ll have more time to do what you truly love each day!

Stay tuned… In the next post, I’ll share with you specific herbs (both teas and capsule form) that help relieve stress.

Did you enjoy this article? Feel free to visit the other articles Michele has written for The Writer’s Round-About–or contact her to write for you.

Do you have other natural ways to combat stress while dealing with MJSS? What have I forgotten? Do you have anything to add? Fill us in – share your natural solutions!

Photo Credit: by Gare and Kitty

How to Stay Sane While Multitasking—And Coping With MJSS

Ever feel like pulling your hair out like that gal in the photo? I can totally relate!

As freelancers, we suffer from MJSS “Multi-Job Stress Syndrome” – that’s right, our number one job is to multitask. We don’t have the option of clocking in at 9 a.m. and leaving our work in an office as we shut the light off, letting it sit on our desk as we close the door behind us and go home at 5 p.m. I’m not saying those who work 9-5 have an easy life – their lives are stressful and they have to go home to families, laundry, dishes, and the chaos this world brings as well.

Rewind!

Wait. I have to correct myself. There are freelancers who do keep 9-5 hours but from what I’ve experienced and witnessed, most of us are right the opposite. And, besides, most freelancers’ offices are on-site, in their homes or at best, in a guest cottage that’s on their property. ß Lucky them!

What I’m saying is that we literally live our jobs 24/7: We always have e-mail, we always have assignments, we always have ideas sitting in files, and we’re always juggling different projects and activities. Sometimes we can feel like we’re losing our sanity as it piles up and seems overwhelming—like the dirty dishes and laundry that’s always building and calling, that we hate to pull ourselves away from our work to tend to. But it never goes away. It only increases and if we don’t wade through it each day, continually, it becomes too much to fathom sorting through.

That’s what I’m talking about. Freelance work is a never-ending task. As long as we’re freelancers, we’re always going to be pulled a million different directions and, honestly, it can wear us down, affect our immune systems and, obviously, test our sanity until we’re a little more than frazzled and feel like pulling our hair out some days.

Jobs of a Freelancer

If you aren’t familiar with what freelancers face day in and day out, here’s a run-down:

• All Clerical (answering the phone, creating and maintaining a filing system, all paperwork, etc.)
• Accounting
• Marketing
• Web tech/learning technical areas (if we opt to save $$$ by building/maintaining websites/blogs ourselves, instead of outsourcing)
• Querying
• Researching
• Answering emails
• Designing/printing business cards
• Designing/printing brochures or fliers
• Setting up at festivals or events
• Organizing
• Scheduling
• And much more….

Reality of a Freelancer

Unless you can find it in your budget to hire a Virtual Assistant or in-house Assistant, you’re the proud owner of all of above jobs. Crazy, isn’t it. Oh, and I forgot to mention that on top of all those duties, you get to write (or design) or whatever it is you’re doing as a freelancer. Fun, huh?

Can you see how madness can ensue and chaos can overtake your very sanity?

Now that we’ve diagnosed our illness, we’ll discuss — and learn to recognize — the symptoms of MJSS and how to maintain our sanity and overall health as we trudge through the madness freelancing brings to our lives. I’ll be sharing natural, Zen ways to find peace amidst the freelance chaos!

Did you enjoy this article? Feel free to visit the other articles Michele has written for The Writer’s Round-About–or contact her to write for you.

What do you think? Are you losing your sanity while trying to multitask? Do you breeze right through multitasking without even losing your breath? Is it easy for you/hard for you? Did I leave anything out? Do you have any chaotic memories to share? Do tell!

Photo Credit: Leeni

Putting the focus back into writing has been fun to write thus far.  If you are just tuning in to this series, be sure to check out Finding Time, Obliterating Distractions, Creating Ideas, and Understanding your Responsibilities.

Today, let’s look at streamlining organization to round out this series.

As a writer and business owner, it is important to maintain accurate records that will assist you during your tax time and beyond.  Through the years, I’ve discovered a few items that are vital to my ability to maintain organization.

• Filing cabinet and folders
• Printer
• Check register
• Dry-erase boards
• 3″ notebook

Keeping information together and readily available will help in many ways outside of tax season.  There are many times throughout your life when financial information becomes necessary including purchasing a car or house.  Knowing that your records are up to date and accurate will speed the loan process along.

As you set up your filing cabinet, you will discover what works best for your business needs.  The standard sections I’ve found include:

• Accounting
  • Finances Incoming
  • Finances Outgoing
  • Invoices
  • Receipts
• Articles
  • Printed copies
  • Contracts
  • Source information
  • Copies of interviews

I’ve also incorporated a business check payment and deposit register with my filing system.  I maintain two registers, one for finances incoming and one for finances outgoing.  Keeping that information separate has not only allowed me to find where my greatest expenses are, but where I make the greatest income.  My tax preparer loves having all of the information already divided, too. The less time she spends preparing my taxes, the less I pay in the end.

A quality printer comes in handy when printing articles.  Every article I sell is printed in duplicate.  One copy goes into a file folder and the second goes into my portfolio.  In this digital age, I’ve still needed to carry a physical portfolio for on-site interviews.  I utilize a 3″ binder, decorated to match my personality, with sheet protectors for each article and include when and where the piece was published.  I maintain the rule to only keep current pieces, those written and published within the last two years, available.  Just as we grow as individuals with each passing year, our writing also improves.  Showcasing the best of the best only seems logical.

The most important item I utilize for my organization are dry-erase boards.  I maintain a calendar of the month as well as two larger boards.  On the calendar, I keep track of all appointments my family has scheduled and include interviews I have.  Combining the two ensures that I won’t 1. overbook my time and 2. don’t forget key events.  I reference my dry-erase calendar multiple times a day when scheduling.

On my larger dry-erase boards, I keep one for deadlines.  Listed by date is the projected title, word count, and editor’s information.  One the second board, I use it to maintain blog ideas for the various blogs I write.  While the two intersect at some points, forgetting a great idea becomes a null point when using the two boards in conjunction.

Looking outside the box for organization offers incredible ways to maximize space and save time.  Once you have an organization system streamlined, cutting the time you spend maintaining your records occurs naturally and offers more time to FOCUS on writing.

What systems have you found to streamline your organization?

To refresh, we’ve discussed Finding Time, Obliterating Distractions and Creating Ideas thus far in F-O-C-U-S on Writing.  In this segment, we discuss understanding your responsibilities as a writer.

While we would all love to just sit down and write what we love and be paid, there is more that goes into running a business as a writer.  All the muck boils down to responsibility. As with any business, there are key factors in determining one’s success.  For writers, verifying facts, marketing, continuing eduction and continued follow-up are not only necessary, they’re vital!

I sent off a 2000 word article to a regional parenting magazine, utilizing quotes from a therapist throughout.  Once I completed the article, I emailed it to the therapist I quoted for her to double check the information she provided, assuring that the statements were not only correct, but maintained proper context in the piece.  Through conversations with the editor, she needed necessary information to ensure that the information was factual.  Without hesitating, I was able to offer up the therapists name, email address and a copy of our conversation that was held via yahoo messenger.  That information and the editor’s ability to double check the information quoted made the difference between a paycheck and the article being cast aside.

For all writers who utilize quotes in pieces they create, maintaining accurate and updated information on facts and their sources is necessary.  If you resell a piece to a different magazine, the editor might take you at your word, but there will always be the ones who need to verify information prior to running the piece.  With every article that has sources cited, either through research or interview, keep a separate folder with email address, phone number, physical address as well as copies of electronic communication.  Down the road, there won’t be any problems offering that same information to another editor should you resell.

In the age of web 2.0, marketing is around everywhere you surf.  Marketing yourself as a guest or collaborative blogger, partaking in various social networking sites such as facebook, twitter, plurk and maintaining an interactive website of your own are all elements of web 2.0.  For every writer, establishing yourself and offering not only links to work you’ve done, but sharing information about who you are is a fabulous way to receive recognition.  The question many ask when considering personal information on the Internet is, “How much is too much?”  Every person has their own views and that is up to your digression.

Continuing your education as a writer doesn’t necessarily mean spending many hours at the local college taking courses.  If you have the time to take a refresher course on grammar, go for it.  Outside of collegiate courses, reading books, going to seminars and researching various aspects associated with writing all add to your ability to write more effectively.  Writing effectively and efficiently is one responsibility no writer should veer from.

Continued follow-up with agents, publishers, editors and fellow writers is another responsibility we mustn’t forget.  As we all know, life can become crazy.  It’s no different for people who hold high positions in the writing field.  If you’ve mailed off a manuscript to an agent per their request or an article to an editor and haven’t heard from them in a while, it’s a good idea to sent a card, letter or make a phone call to touch base.  Knowing where key people stand in correlation to your work will help you to receive a continued stream of income.

What other responsibilities do you find in your day to day work as a writer?

Coming up is the final installment of F-O-C-U-S on Writing, Streamline Organization.