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Happy Black Friday! Hope you’re having a great day and scoring some good deals. I’ll be at the day job, so I won’t be partaking. Grab a deal for me!
New Territory
Thanksgiving isn’t even over yet, but I’m looking forward to Christmas. There’s nothing better than being with my family. This year, however, things are going to be a little different. Rather than being an adult holiday as it’s been for several years, there will be kids celebrating Christmas too.
Day-to-day, I really don’t have much contact with children. I admit to being ignorant about what kids like these days. I don’t know Barefoot Dreams from Appaman. Now, ask me about Blackberries or open source computer applications, and I can help you out. So, I had to do a bit of research.
As a writer, I’m going to embrace the holiday for another reason. It’s a perfect opportunity to observe. Writers have to always be on the lookout for new experiences. So, it’ll be fun to see the new interactions, to observe how everyone will talk and act with kids around. Better pick up that Jellycat for my niece. I have some extra Christmas shopping to do.
Ready For Winter
I am so ready for winter. It’s actually a bit distracting for my writing that the pseudo-fall is continuing. I want to be wearing my winter clothes, rather than switching back and forth from summer clothes.
To me, winter encourages reading, especially classic reads like Sheridan Le Fanu and Dickens. I want snow and cross-country skiing and down parkas. Besides, I like my winter clothes more. When it comes to being outdoors, I learned long ago that performance clothing makes a difference. I always buy good quality products from manufacturers like North Face. I figure if you’re out, you might as well be comfortable.
I do my best thinking when I’m walking the trails. I love the quiet of a winter woods. The trails usually have fewer people on them. I can go miles without seeing anyone. It’s the perfect setting for plotting my next mystery.
Managing Your Finances
I saw some sobering news when I was surfing. Consumer prices went up again last month. It wasn’t surprising, but disconcerting, nevertheless. However, if anything good has come out of the recession, I’ve become serious about money.
I’m taking more time to learn about online trading. I’ve always been a cautious person, so stock trading wasn’t something in which I’d engage. My wake-up call came when I figured my expenses and taxes for next year. Working the day job, I just went to work each day, collected my paycheck, and was as happy as can be. Once I realized how much I’m going to be paying next year, I knew that I had to look in more ways to diversify and make money.
I have to admit being a bit nervous. I plan on some funds staying in the old, oak chest, but certainly I’m willing seek the advice of an online broker, which leads me to another good thing about the recession. I’m not just trying to build one safety net, rather I’m constructing several. As a writer and freelancer, I believe it to be a good strategy. Hell, I’m even building up a stock of canned goods and household products.
Writing is stressful enough, especially when you’re trying to make a living off of it. Managing your finances early in your career should be high priority.
Tech Tip: Keeping Your Computer Running Smooth
Today’s tech tip is about the dreaded issue today’s writers fear most–computer problems. What makes them more maddening is if your computer is acting odd. There’s not a clear set of symptoms. And you swear you did nothing different, that all was well yesterday.
Chances are strong that is precisely true. How could you have guessed that you would need to repair the registry? Registry issues always strike fear. Knowledge base articles that discuss how to clean the registry usually are accompanied by strong warnings. These are probably rightly so, but who has time or the money to have a computer pro come out to fix your Windows registry?
Users are advised to seek out reputable software before attempting registry repairs yourself. It is true. Mistakes could lead to a very bad day. Before beginning, always back up important files. I’ve also found it helpful to keep a list of installed programs with license keys. That way, if the unfortunate re-imaging or re-formatting is the only course of action, at least you have a starting point.
Finally, don’t berate yourself for issues. Things happen. A file gets corrupt. A program doesn’t shut down properly. Fix what is wrong and get back to writing.
Writing Tip: Diversify Your Income Sources
Perhaps this is common sense when it comes to investing: smart investors will diversify. The same sage advice applies when you are blogging for money. Don’t depend upon any one source of income.
So many opportunities exist to promote your blog. Social media, commenting on blog, and forums are to name a few. The key is to increase your exposure. The more times a viewer sees your name, your blog, the greater the impression you will make. You begin to be seen as an authority in your niche. This should be a goal of any freelance writer. Your name sells.
There’s an added benefit. The more you generate traffic to your blog, the greater your opportunities for revenue sharing through content and article sites. An authority in a particular niche is more likely to have tweets, updates, or blog posts go viral. The marketing feeds on itself. The more you’re seen, the more your content is shared and the more your traffic grows.
However, it takes time. It takes dedication. One of the biggest mistakes online marketers make is thinking that success will come immediately. Unless you have a reputation to begin with, rarely does this occur. Rather, it happens gradually as traffic slowly grows. A nice perk is that the more time you spend on it, the more likely you are to become engaged by the energy. Your energy feeds the fire. It all begins with engaging the reader.
Lessons Learned
As I write through this month of NaNoWriMo, I’m reminded about missed opportunities. When I think about it, whether or not my book sells, I’ve accomplished something really great: I’ve written a book. I didn’t let time nor outside pressures get in my way. I did it.
Sometimes you just have to plunge ahead and forget the outside factors. If you want to go back to school, do it. Don’t let fear get in the way. If math isn’t your best subject, get math help. There are all kinds of online math tutoring available. Just jump in, take advantage of online math help or whatever subject in which you need some extra guidance.
Learning is a subject close to my heart. I didn’t go to college right after high school. I spent a few years in the school of hard knocks. When I did go back to school, it was because I wanted to. I didn’t do it, because that’s what you do after high school. I made my own decision. Just like writing my novel. I chose to take up this challenge.
Learning is exercise for the brain. Just like physical exercise, you can keep your mind sharp by continuing to learn. Never stop. Keep your mind young by continuing to broaden your horizons.
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