Snow day...

Hey y'all -

Freelance copywriting isn't all about keeping your nose to the grindstone.

Sometimes you have to give in to higher forces - like snow days.

I had been working in my office with the curtains closed, grousing because we didn't wake up to the 6" of snow the forecasters had promised (well, they really didn't promise, but in my mind they did) when my husband Joe interrupted me.

He had grabbed the camera and ushered me out into the winter wonderland. I was supposed to be posing, but heck, I don't know when I'll ever get a chance to surprise him with a snowball again!

The last picture is of Catalyst Copy dog extraordinaire, Scampers. His main duty is keeping my feet warm on days like this while I write.

Time for cocoa...

Time management...

Here's a weird quirk I've discovered about myself since I became a work-at-home copywriter: I'm not the best time manager in the world.

Why is this weird? Because when I worked for "da man" (actually I was in an all woman department-it was a hoot!) I managed the bejeebers out of time. Multiple projects, training teams, proposals, grant applications, you name it, I managed it. On schedule and under budget.

The thing is, everything at the university was predictable. So, I databased, spreadsheeted, and mail-merged my way to uber-efficiency. I haven't reached that level in my own business, but it is one of my longer term goals.

In the meantime, I'll share a bit of time-management savvy that I learned very quickly.

Set boundaries.

It's that simple.

Set office hours that work for you. Transact business during that time. If your family needs attention, do a quick reality check.

Pretend you're in a cubicle surrounded by your coworkers and ask yourself "If this was the first week at a new job, would this activity be acceptable?" A quick phone call probably would be. The visit from your sister-in-law to review People magazine's Sexiest Man Alive! issue is probably not appropriate.

Now if George Clooney stops by for a visit, well, there are exceptions to every rule. But I digress...

I know it's hard to resist family, especially if they're home at the same time you're trying to work. But if your children are old enough to entertain themselves responsibly, or if another adult has agreed to watch them during your business hours - take advantage of these precious productive moments - once they're gone, you can't get them back.

The hidden benefit of sticking to your guns on this one is the freedom you'll have when you aren't working. Never again will you feel guilty about decorating cookies with your kids rather than working on your client's project.

Why? Because you know you put in an honest and productive day's work, and you'll do it again tomorrow.

Trust me, you'll get far more satisfaction out of work AND personal time if you set boundaries.

Spreading some copywriting cheer...

Sometimes I get so caught up in the day to day operations that I forget to step back and see the big picture.

I'm taking a break from my client's campaign and had a huge realization... I forgot to schedule some time off for the holidays!

Well, of course I built in the actual holidays when planning my workload, but I didn't provide myself as luxurious a break as my previous employer.

You see, before I switched to fulltime copywriting earlier this year, I worked for a university. I'd usually bank some comp time, and paired with about 2 weeks off for Christmas - New Year's, I often had 3 weeks of paid holiday.

On top of that, my husband's a professor and after Friday, he'll be home for a LONG time, so I won't be quite as productive as I am when he's on campus.

Now the whole appeal of this gig was to have the freedom to set my hours and be in control of my work and family time.

So I'm going to remember to mark my husband's time off for the upcoming year on my calendar to make sure we can enjoy our breaks together.

What about the rest of you? If you're already afull-timer, do you remember to plan breaks and vacation time for yourself?

For those of you who are just starting out, imagine what it would be like to totally control your time and schedule? Taking a week off while your kids are on spring break. Having a romantic getawayfor your anniversary. Map out what your year would look like if you fully controlled your time. Do it for inspiration.

Want a little more motivation? That job I held at the university? It was one of the highest-grade staff positions on campus. I just got a check for one January project - it's more than triple what I brought home each month from the university!

You really can do this and there really are great jobs out there for copywriters!

Just thought I'd give you something besides sugar plums to dream about.

Copywriting, Entrepreneur, Time Management

Coming up for air...

Whew!

It's been a whirlwind few months!

I've been to Las Vegas, San Diego, and Boca Raton for seminars and one mystery location and for intense client consultation. Here's me and Frank Kern (yes, it's really Frank!) at the Ultra Underachiever conference in San Diego. We were all really glad that he took time from his busy surfing schedule to join us at the seminar. :-)

When I hung out my shingle as a freelance copywriter back in July, I had no idea how much traveling I would do!

I also didn't realize how quickly I would be inundated with work from clients.

If you are a new copywriter testing the waters, all I can say is JUMP IN. And do it NOW.

My only regret about this gig is not diving in sooner.

So whaddaya say? Are you ready to jump in?

Underachievers, Copywriting, Frank Kern

I know you're going to find this hard to believe...

I know you're going to find this hard to believe but, sometimes I goof off when I'm at the computer. One of the ways I do this, especially if my mind is going a mile a minute, is to head over to Tickle.com and take tests.

They have fun tests like "What's Your Signature Karaoke Song?" (R-E-S-P-E-C-T by Aretha Franklin was mine) and serious tests like "The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People" (Proactive).

As I take tests like "Which Breed of Dog are You at Work?" (Great Dane) it feels like part of my brain is still processing, analyzing and reacting to whatever had my mind spinning and often when I'm done, the "next step" is ready and waiting for me.

I remember learning in Psych classes that part of learning occurs during downtime. That's when your brain is hard at work processing, filing, and organizing information for you to access later.

Now, ideally, I should take a walk or do something else active that takes me away from my work for a short time. But when I'm up against deadlines, Tickle will have to do.

What you feed grows...

As an anthropologist, one area that I specialized in was folklore. A while back, sitting in a classroom during a sweltering August in College Station, Texas, I heard a tale for the first time.

It was short and very powerful. Several weeks ago, I heard it again on our public radio station here in Albuquerque. I realized how perfectly the story captures the importance of the most crucial component of success - mindset.

A tribal elder walked with his grandchildren into the forest. They came upon a beautiful tree and he sat them down underneath it. Then, he turned to them and said, “A fight is going on inside me. This is a terrible fight between two wolves. One wolf is the wolf of fear, anger, resentment and hate. The other wolf is the wolf of courage, kindness, humility and love.”

The children sat very still, and their eyes grew wide as they imagined the fierce battle raging between the wolves. They were very quiet and listened to their grandfather with both their ears.

Then, he said to them, “This same fight between the two wolves that is going on inside of me is going on inside of you, and inside every person.”

The children thought about this for a minute and then one asked, “Grandfather, which wolf will win the fight?”

He said quietly, “The one you feed.”

So, which wolf are you feeding?

Success, Freelance Copywriting, Mindset

Life is good...

Well, the copywriter's life is, anyway.

I'm in beautiful Friday Harbor on San Juan Island. My clients flew me up here for a week so we could work together face to face. It's a good thing too, because I learned a valuable lesson - get deadlines from the source!

In fact, things got a little crazy, so although I started this post on Wednesday, I didn't get to catch my breath until Sunday July 30, back at home in Albuquerque.

While we were there, we were lucky to meet up with Dr. Harlan Kilstein's UnBootcamp crowd. We were able to connect with Harlan, who shared his valuable insight.

The week was full of late nights, intense talks and unforgettable connections.

If you've never been to Friday Harbor, you're missing out. You can keep San Francisco - a part of my heart will always be in Friday Harbor.

I hope to visit often.

Friday Harbor, Harlan Kilstein, Copywriting

Too much research?

It's a question that I see on copywriting forums fairly
frequently - "Is there such a thing as too much research?"

Yes! Absolutely.

Know how I know? Been there, done that, over and over
again.

From college through grad school, on archaeological projects
(after fieldwork, before the report), and most recently as
a copywriter.

It's my favorite way of being productive (ahem!) without having
to attack th blank screen.

The best way to get past this is to write. Once you have a good
foundation of whatever your project is - write. If you can (I'm
still working on this) don't self edit, just write. Then polish
it up a bit and get some real feedback.

Until I started following that process, I was just spinning
my wheels.

By the way - if you're a woman who's thinking about going
to Big Seminar to connect with potential clients, I'd like to
help you make it a success. Please go here:

** Sorry. Link is no longer active**

and let me know how I can help! (see my "Getting Clients" post for more info)

To your success!

Big Seminar, Copywriting, Writing

Getting Clients...

I've received a few emails and messages asking the big question, "How did you get clients?"

Well, there are a lot of ways to get clients, but I'm short on time, so I'll tell you my number one way... seminars.

The thing is, you have to choose your seminars well. Let the seminar organizers pre-qualify your prospects for you - make sure people paid to be there.

Then, once you're there mix, mingle, and network. Nothing beats face to face interaction with prospective clients, just remember to keep the focus on their needs, not on yours.

Here's the thing, though - I've noticed a lot of new entrepreneurs shy away from conferences and seminars. Particularly women. And that's a shame, because they miss out on a lot of opportunities.

There are so many women out there who dream of working from home so they can spend more time with their families and be available for teacher conferences and school plays. Seminars are a great way to connect with clients and make the dream a reality.

I want to help. Big Seminar 8 is coming up soon and I want to help Women put together a game plan. So, if you're a woman (sorry guys!) who has questions, fears, or doubts about attending Big Seminar (or other conferences or workshops), I want you to do two things:

First - bookmark this blog so you can keep up with the the latest adventures.

Then, go here

**Sorry. Link is no longer active**

and tell me what your biggest question, fear or doubt is about attending Big Seminar.

I'll be in touch soon!


Big Seminar, Getting Clients, Women Entrepreneurs

Just Say No...

...to writing for Spec.

Writing for "spec" means you put in all the blood, sweat and tears to craft a sales letter. Then the recipient (notice I didn't say "client") pays you if they like it.

Maybe.

Sometimes, they'll offer to pay you if it converts well.

The thing is, they don't have anything invested in your letter, so it isn't valuable to them. They may think it's too long, or too provocative or - well, you get the idea. They may even change it up because they want to add their personal touch.

Even if you submit the most brilliant piece of persuasion in print, the recipient may not bother to put in the extra effort and expense to mail it or put it up on their website. Your letter may never be seen by a prospect.

Bottom line is, they got the letter for free and they aren't going to value it.

Think about it. Any time we pay for something - and especially if we pay a premium - we value it.

Here's an example. I have two drawers full of t-shirts. My "work shirts" for things like cleaning house, painting, and yardwork. Most of those shirts I got for free - mostly by wandering around campus at the beginning of each fall semester. These are faded, ripped, and splotched with paint.

I paid for all of my other t-shirts. Mostly concert shirts, conference shirts, or t-shirts that I brought home from vacation. Those I take care of.

I know how exciting it is to have your work published. But it's not nearly as thrilling as getting PAID to write. And there are plenty of businesses out there desperate for good copywriters.

Respect yourself, your chosen profession, and your clients. Ask to be paid what you're worth, do a great job, and turn it in on time.

You'll be glad you did.

Writing on Spec, Copywriting, Freelance

Las Vegas Freedom Factor...

One of the reasons I wasn't able to begin this blog when I first left my job is because I was in Las Vegas for Armand Morin's inaugural Freedom Factor seminar at the Red Rock Casino the 6th through the 8th.

Armand's big focus during the seminar was embracing a "success mindset" and he highlighted this by renting a theater and showing a phenomenal movie, The Secret. If you have any doubts or hesitations about whether or not you can become a full time copywriter, I highly recommend watching The Secret. You can watch it online, or order a DVD, visiting www.TheSecret.tv.

Wow!

Success, Mindset, Armand Morin

Gun To The Head Copywriting...

Okay, I've received a couple of emails asking "How did you do it?"

They wanted to know if I had a nest egg socked away, or a slew of clients waiting for work.

I do have a few clients. But once their projects are done, they're done. I have to attract more work.

Truth is, I'm following John Carlton's "gun to the head" model. The first time I met John, he had talked about how he had no choice but to succeed. It's his story, so I'll leave the details to him, but basically, he had to write well and produce results or he didn't eat.

His story stuck with me. Heck, I even created a crude graphic of a gun pointing at my head. I used it as my wallpaper during my last days at the university. It gave my husband the heebie jeebies. It thrilled me everytime I saw it - it served as a reminder that there was something better out there.

Now, I have a gun to my head, and I love it. When I finally unpack my university office boxes and gym bags and find the CD I saved it on, I'll upload it. It won't win me any graphic design clients, but it still gives me a jolt!

Motivation, John Carlton, Gun to the Head

Of All Sad Words...

After I shut down last night, I couldn't get my post out of my head.

Stay with me here...

As I was growing up, my Mother read poetry to me every chance she got. At the time I thought it was dreadful, but now so many of the poems are a part of who I am, and they always bring back strong memories.

So after I logged out, and as I tried to get my brain to shut down so I could sleep, a phrase kept going through my head. I realized it was from one of my favorite poems that Mom read to me when I was younger.

The poem is Maud Muller by John Greenleaf Whittier. Over the years, I forgot the main focus of the poem - it's about missing the opportunity to live the life of your dreams with the love of your life. But I always remembered the feelings of regret and sorrow that it evoked in me.

And I never forgot the powerful message near the end. While I worked at the university, dreaming of being a freelance copywriter, the message continually lurked on the fringe of every thought I had.

Last night, after writing about how I had put myself on the path of "no regrets" I realized how powerful the message is...

God pity them both! and pity us all,
Who vainly the dreams of youth recall.

For of all sad words of tongue or pen,
The saddest are these: "It might have been!"

Motivation, Inspiration, Copywriting

Independence Day!

What better way to start a blog than by celebrating my independence?

Many of my friends and colleagues know the back story already - for those of you who don't, I'll fill you in on later posts.

But for now, let me jump to the punchline and shout from the rooftops about how July 3rd was my last day managing a program at the University. Which means that our July 4th celebration was extra special this year, because it was truly my independence day!

For too long, I allowed my sense of obligation to my "day job" keep me from building my copywriting career. Now I'm kicking myself for not leaving sooner.

The final straw came when I was interviewing for an assistant and an accountant. 80% of the women interviewing for the positions were in miserable dead-end jobs. A few of them had been terribly worn down by their work environment. It was painful to see.

My department had a philosophy - "Nothing Without Joy" - and everyone who worked there lived it.

Everyone except me.

After seeing the effects of long-time job dissatisfaction on so many women, I realized that I needed to take charge of my future. Now, less than two months later, I'm booked solid with copywriting assignments and working from home.

I invite you to join me on this thrilling adventure. I'll share everything I know and all that I am learning as I go. So whether you want to know about attracting clients, programming yourself for success, or the ins-and-outs of setting up a home office, this is where you'll find some answers.

And, if there's something in particular you want to know, please ask. I was fortunate to have others help me chart my course... I'd love the opportunity to return the favor.

Here's to living the dream and doing...

Nothing Without Joy!


Copywriting, Freelance, Independent