More Time Out of Your Writing Day—March 30
You quickly learn as a freelancer that you have to be the true, the perfect economist of time and production. Time is literally money. You cannot offer to waste any time. If so, More Time Out of Your Writing Day is just for you.
For me, this means increasing my efficiency. As a writer, you probably have your share of repetitive tasks. You may refer to several sources often in your work, especially if you are a niche writer. Here are some ways to capitalize on your time.
Save keystrokes with Texter.
Texter is most useful to me for blogging and coding on websites. There are several bits of code I use frequently. Texter allows me to create shortcuts for those strings to save keystrokes. Believe me, when you type all day, you appreciate the saved energy.
Save your references with Zotero.
I LOVE Zotero. It is my number one writing resource. It is available as a web app and a Firefox extension. With it, you can save references, add citations specific for the site you work with, and add other notes. I keep collections on all of the topics in which I write. It is indispensible for all my work.
Create templates.
I write for several article sites, each with their own rules about syntax and SEO. The first thing I do when working with a new site is create a template. I’ll include the important stuff like word count, keyword usage, as well as any special things-to-do with the sites with which I work. It is so handy to have this info available, especially if I am an occasional contributor.
So, this More Time Out of Your Writing Day look for ways that you can add time to your day. If you have a tip, please share!
Writing Quote of the Day
"You can’t wait for inspiration. You have to go after it with a club."
- Jack London
The Day I Became a Full-time Freelancer
Today marks an important day in my career. Today is the first day of my life as a full-time freelancer. Yesterday was the last day at the day job. No more clocking in. No more jerk boss. No more snitching by fellow employees. I’m done.
The decision to go freelance was an easy one for me to make. After having my own art business for awhile, I learned to like making money for myself. That feeling grew into a passion as I took up blogging and writing.
I looked at it this way. Either three years from now, I’ll look back and wish that I would have given it a go, or I can say, “Wow, that was the best decision I ever made”. I choose the latter.
I was so happy when I left. My husband kindly had bought a card for me, congratulating me and telling me that he was proud of me. Then, there was dinner out and a bottle of bubbly.
Since I’ve been doing it part-time, I have an idea of how my days will go. I know the ups and downs of struggling to write or come up with the right word. I consider myself well prepared.
So, I’d like to reach out to anyone considering a similar move. Life is just too short. Save your money as a cushion. Get the support of your family. Then, go for it!
Tech Tip—Hacking, Virus Scans
Last week, I received two emails from my husband with suspicious links, nothing else. I didn’t click on them, but the text told me that they might be porn.
I contacted my husband the heads-up. It was either a virus or a hack. Turns out that some scumbag hacked his Yahoo account. Later at work, I received another suspicious email from a client with the same MO and another Yahoo account.
The danger with these types of hacks is that the hacker can poke around in your saved and trash emails for clues: clues about where you bank, where you shop, and other sites you visit. As long as they have access, they can then go in and change password log on info.
I’m hoping that this hacker was just stupid. I mean, tipping your hand with the bogus emails ruins your chances of more info. Fortunately, my husband does not use his Yahoo account for such things.
In any case, after the hack was uncovered, a full virus scan followed. Any time you suspect a hack, follow this prescription.
Writing Quote of the Day
"What I like in a good author is not what he says, but what he whispers."
- Logan Pearsall Smith
Photo by Lin Pernille
National Pi Day—March 14
Okay, I’ll admit it. I’m a bit of a nerd, which is precisely why a holiday like National Pi Day would appeal to me.
As the Pi Day website explains, Pi is a number that describes the the relationship between a circle’s diameter and its circumference. You remember that from high school geometry class, don’t you?
There’s something kind of cool and esoteric about a number that can never be expressed exactly. Of course, you can take part of the challenge. How many places can you name? 3.1415926535897932, etc., etc., Coincidentally, it is also the birthday of Albert Einstein.
A pithy man, that Albert Einstein. Consider these quotes:
- “A question that sometimes drives me hazy: am I or are the others crazy?”
- “Any intelligent fool can make things bigger and more complex… It takes a touch of genius – and a lot of courage to move in the opposite direction.”
- “Anyone who has never made a mistake has never tried anything new.”
- “Education is what remains after one has forgotten what one has learned in school.”
- “I used to go away for weeks in a state of confusion.”
- “If we knew what it was we were doing, it would not be called research, would it?”
This year, enjoy Pi with a bit of Einstein wisdom. After all, “Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better.”
My Writing Tool Kit
Concerns over the health hazards of sitting too long made me look at my writing routine for ways to insert some activity. This has to be a common hazard for writers. On the one hand, we want to stay in the moment and in the groove. On the other hand, there is that health thing.
To get myself moving, I use Eye Relax at 60-minute intervals to remind me to get off the chair. Whenever I get a call, it’s time to walk around the house. The activity helps clear my mind and relieve tension in my back from sitting.
I write articles in addition to my fiction writing. To help me evaluate my productivity, I use Klok to track my time. Like Eye Relax, it is free software. For me, knowing my output versus my pay helps me better grasp my productivity and gives me the information I need to realistically set my rates.
For non-fiction writing, the Fire Fox extension, Zotero, is my essential tool. Not only can I create collections of links, but I can also add notes that include citation information. That use alone saves lots of keystrokes and cuts down on typing errors. I cannot say enough good things about it, except I wish it had a Chrome version too.
Every one has their favorite tools and shortcuts. What are some of yours?
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