Fab Freelance Writing Ezine



Publisher: Angela Booth.

Copyright 2006 Angela Booth

All rights reserved.

Blog: http://www.fabfreelancewriting.com/blog/

Site: http://www.fabfreelancewriting.com


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* Issue # 7

* Date: November 22, 2006

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Includes:



* Editorial - Get confident

* Freelance Writing Tip Of The Week: How To Outline

* Writing Resource: The Publicity Hound

* Article: Write With Confidence - Ten Tips To Increase Your Writer's Self-esteem

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[Editorial] Build your self-esteem so that you have the courage to create



This week we'll look at self-esteem. Your self-esteem has a great effect on your confidence, so it's vitally important that you maintain it at a high level.

As a writer, you're constantly undergoing challenges. Each day, you're creating something out of various elements that you're spinning around in your head. When you're tired or stressed, you drop a couple of these elements, and you can feel that you're "blocked".

I wrote a version of this week's article for my Freelance CopyWrite ezine that I published several years ago, because many of my writing students had low self-esteem. This caused many problems, because their lack of confidence meant that weren't communicating effectively with their clients.

If you're in the US, have a happy and safe Thanksgiving. :-)

More next week.

Affectionately,

Angela

P.S. Got questions? Please ask. I'll usually answer them on the blog.


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** Need More Copywriting Clients? **

My "Special Report: How To Get Copywriting Clients" shows you exactly how you can get clients TODAY, with SEVEN vital methods. If you're a new copywriter, or are trying to build your copywriting business, you need this report. Format: electronic PDF, ten pages, available for instant download; readable on any computer.

http:////reports/reports/for-writers.html


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* Freelance Writing Tip Of The Week: How To Outline

I managed to write successfully for years without bothering about outlines. But once I added outlining to my writers' bag of tricks, not only did I have to rewrite less, but I began selling to better markets.

Read this post on my blog - http:////copywriter/2006/11/writing_with_ou.html for more info.

Whether you outline or not, the ideas will intrigue you.

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** Copywriting Success: Your Stepping Stone To A New Career **

Copywriters are in high demand. Develop a lucrative career with "First Steps in Your Copywriting Career: cash in on the demand for business writers" at

http:////page11/First%20steps/steps.html


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* Writing Resource: The Publicity Hound

Need to develop a publicity campaign for your writing services, or for a book? The Publicity Hound at http://www.publicityhound.com/ has all the information you need.

One of the things I like about this site and Joan Stewart's offerings is that she's up to date. Many PR mavens are stuck in the pre-Web world. Not Joan. She knows that nowadays, a press release has just as much to do with keywords and search engine rankings, as it does with media coverage. Great site(s) and information.




* Article: Write With Confidence - Ten Tips To Increase Your Writer's Self-esteem


(c) Copyright 2006 Angela Booth. All Rights Reserved.


Your sense of self-esteem is what keeps you going as a writer. You need confidence. Here are ten tips to help you develop your writer's self-esteem:

1. All writing you do is worthwhile

Writing is lonely. Many writers write for years without gaining recognition. You can begin to feel as if you're digging holes and filling them in again. It's important for your self-esteem to realize that ALL the writing you do is worthwhile, because it makes you a better writer.

In addition, all writing you do adds to your writers' inventory. If you don't sell an article this year, you'll sell it next year. If a book doesn't sell, that book may be part of a multi-book contract you get from a publisher in a couple of years.


2. Network - you need to get to know other writers

All writers need a network, and these days, no matter where you live, whether it's in downtown Manhattan or on an island in the Indian ocean, you can network to your heart's content with other writers.

Join writers' discussion groups. The groups you join will depend on the kind of writing you're doing, and your level of experience. Being part of a network will ensure that you get a self-esteem boost just when you need it. A group assures you that your writing is important. You become part of a writing community.

3. Follow your heart - it knows best

Writers write what they write. They usually don't have that much choice in their topics if they want to be true to themselves and maintain their creativity. If you want to write sweet romances, and your significiant other urges you to write marketing copy for an advertising agency because it pays more, follow your heart.

It's very hard to write "for the money" if your heart isn't in it. In fact, if you try to write in a field for which you have contempt, you won't succeed. Following your heart to write whatever you're passionate about will boost your self-esteem, because the writing is satisfying. Which leads to our next tip -


4. Love what you do: take the time to enjoy your work

During the years I've been writing, I've written everything from company reports to magazine features and romance novels. I've learned that it's important that I enjoy what I write. When a field becomes drudgery for me, I switch. I know that the alternative is not to be able to write at all.

I also take the time to ENJOY writing. If you're so caught up in deadlines or commitments that you can't enjoy each writing session, slow down. Writers write because they (mostly) love it. So take the time to savor your writing.


5. Set goals - know where you're going, and where you've been

Set writing goals. When you have goals, you know that you're working towards something, and the everyday bumps like rejections don't affect your self-esteem.

However, don't be afraid to adjust your goals if certain goals no longer appeal to you.


6. Develop an optimistic outlook

This is easier said than done for a natural-born pessimists. Try this. When you catch yourself with a negative thought, take a few moments to get * really * negative. Take a sheet of paper, and double-spacing each line, write down 20 negative thoughts. Then cross out each negative thought, and write an affirmation to replace it, just above it.

For example, if you wrote: "I know I won't get the project I pitched for yesterday", cross that out and write above it: "I will win several lucrative contracts this month". Take a moment to feel how excited you'd be if you signed three big new contracts this week.

This technique sounds odd. But it works. It works because we usually don't talk back to the negative voices in our head. Talking back to them shuts them up. Try it.

7. Get a writing buddy or a coach

Everyone needs a writing buddy, or a coach. You need someone with whom you can brainstorm, and who is your first, and most enthusiastic reader.


8. Find your writing (and life) heroes

My writing heroine is Barbara Cartland. I don't subscribe to her particular world view, but I love her attitude to her work, and am in awe of her tremendous output. Find a writing hero or two.


9. Drop control issues and be a happier writer

The only control you have over your writing is the writing you do each day. You can't control your book covers, the editorial changes at a magazine, or the reviews you get on Amazon.com.

10. Praise yourself

Writing is a process of discovery. You can work on an article for weeks, and a book for months or years. This takes an adventurous spirit. Praise yourself for your own courage.


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** The BIG Writing Secret: The Easy Write Process **

At least once a week, I get a query from a writer who asks "How do you write so much?" With copywriting clients, magazine writing, a writer's subscription site, ebooks, ezines and Web sites, I'm sure that the questioner thinks that I've either cloned myself, or made a pact with the devil. :-)

Nope. Neither one.

Over 22 years of struggle, I just learned how to tease my mind to produce on command. When I say struggle, I mean TORTURE. Writing was never easy for me - and then suddenly, one day I realized it WAS EASY... the struggle was over.

Intrigued, I figured out exactly what I was doing automatically that made writing a pleasure instead of a pain... Once it was conscious, I realized it was a three-step process.

I've created an exclusive 21-page Special Report of this process - "The Easy-Write Process: Write What And When You Please", so you can turn writing into a pleasure too -

http:////reports/reports/for-writers.html

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Get the latest freelance blogging news on Blogging For Dollars at:

http://www.dollars2blog.com/blog/

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YOUR PRIVACY

Your privacy is important. You've signed on for this ezine in good faith. Thank you. I will never betray your trust by making the subscriber list available to others.

Contact Angela at: angela.booth@gmail.com

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