Ever lose something and drive yourself nuts trying to find it again? Well, I’ve been trying to find a blog post I read recently that got me thinking, and for the life of me, I can’t. (Whoever wrote something pertinent to what follows, let me know who you are, would you?) Anyways, the post asked how you would respond to a level playing field. Assume that, suddenly, everyone else is identical to you in skills, talent, training, knowledge and ability – what makes you different? What little bit extra do you offer your clients? That
> Read MoreArchives for November 2007
Blog Archives
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Technical Difficulties – Please Stand By
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Updates have got to be the most nerve-wracking invention on the face of the earth. Each time I do one I feel like the whole blog is going to come crashing down. It doesn’t help that you get a half-dozen warnings before you click the button to continue. Sort of like those drug commercials we get down here in the States – you know the ones, where the side effects are worse than the illness itself? On the surface the upgrade looks like it took, but I’m getting some errors. If anyone encounters difficulties, let
> Read MorePosting Your Writer Rates: Pros and Cons
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Figuring out whether you should display your rates on your website is a big issue for many freelancers. Do you post up your prices or hourly rates and risk either ridicule or a lack of business? Do you politely refrain from posting rates, preferring a message of “contact us for a customized quote”? It’s a murky area with people who take the extreme on either side and many sitting uncomfortably in the middle. Website usability pros and marketing and sales experts say you should make the user experience as easy as possible to
> Read More7 Deadly Fears of Writing Explored: Rejection
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This post is part of a 7-article series on the fears of writing. You can find all other articles here: Inadequacy Success Exposing Yourself Only One Book Too Old to Write Fear of Research While I was sitting at my desk thinking about what I would write on rejection, after reading Your Writing Coach by Jurgen Wolff… lo and behold, a client sent me an email and rejected my work (asked for a revision is the PC term). I admit that I wasn’t too thrilled with the design I had sent him. It wasn’t bad…but
> Read MoreWhat Are You Really Selling?
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I’m walking through Wal-Mart, and something catches my eye. It’s a CD, the latest release from a favorite artist of mine (heavy rock, thank you very much). The slipcover is cool, the artist’s picture draws me, and I pick up the case, flipping it over to scan the titles quickly. Five minutes later, and I’m forking over a fast twenty bucks for a CD I don’t need and didn’t come to the store to buy in the first place. But that’s okay. I’m not buying a CD – not really. I’m buying a cool moment
> Read MoreHow to Say No to Clients You Want to Keep
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“NO!” My three-year-old daughter’s protest is pretty clear. She has no issues with putting her foot down and declaring what she doesn’t want to do. So why do I find it so difficult to say no to my clients? “Sure, we can do that,” are words that come out of my mouth often. Sometimes I don’t even think twice. Sometimes I know I should say no but I say yes anyways – and regret it later. An article in the Montreal Gazette by Monique Polak that quickly explored William Ury’s The Power of a Positive
> Read MoreIn the Running for the Top Ten Blogs for Writers
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Michael Stelzner called for nominations for the top 10 writers blogs, and the finalist list is up. It includes: Catalystblogger Copyblogger Copywriter Underground Copywriting Maven Freelance Parent Freelance Writing Jobs Get Paid to Write Online Golden Pencil Heather Strang, Writer Ink in my Coffee Renegade Writer Blog The Urban Muse Web Content Writer Tips Web Writing Info Write From Home Writer Mama Writer’s Resource Center Writing for Writers Writing the Cyber Highway 19 blogs were nominated, which means everyone has a bit more than a 1 in 2 chance of actually making the top ten!
> Read MoreOnline Personality: Avoiding the Mommy Blogger Stereotype
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It never ceases to amaze me how many people whine about being stereotyped – and then those same people seem to go out of their way to enforce those stereotypes. I’ll give you an example of a stereotype: Work-at-home mothers are frazzled women with six kids at their feet. They wear baby spitup, the washing machine runs all day, the dishes are piling up, and they have a million things on the go at once. No one appreciates them, they bitch and whine, and they feel they aren’t taken seriously in the business world. Before
> Read MoreIs Writing an Art or a Trade? Two Opinions, Two Views
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The Pen is Just a Sword – Jamie’s View I don’t like being called an artist. I don’t really like other writers calling themselves artists, either. I’m not even crazy about web designers calling themselves artists. Come to think of it, I don’t really feel anyone with a computerized job is an artist. I know, I know. It’s an outrage. How dare I say that the people who think they are artists aren’t artists. I get it. You can rant at me and tell me how ignorant I am later. How’d this all get started,
> Read MoreWorld’s Saddest Cubicle Contest Winner!
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I came across an interesting – and rather disturbing – story: The World’s Saddest Cubicle Competition. Looking at the “winners” made me think of all the cubicles I had worked in over the years, and my cubicles paled in comparison to these. Most of the people who submitted photos work in spaces no bigger than a linen closet. The guy who won the competition barely even has an office. He has the backs of file cabinets for walls in a windowless conference room right next to the bathroom and the kitchen. Ventilation is poor, so
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