It takes more than desire

The more problematic set of people are the ones who want to be writers, but don’t write. They like to read books and think about writing one. They like to watch movies and think about being a screenwriter. They have the desire, but they do nothing with it. Even if they do write that novel or screenplay, they don’t really see it through to completion. They don’t edit it until it is perfect. They don’t write a second one to build up their skill. They have enough willpower in them for one work, but not enough to make writing a career.

Easy isn’t always good

Willpower and persistence matter more than talent in most fields, and especially in writing. In fact, having a natural skill can sometimes be a hindrance. When a skill comes to a person naturally, that person often has less desire to improve. When I was in elementary school I was a math wiz. I could add, subtract, multiply and divide in my head easily and always got the best grades. When it came time to take algebra though, math suddenly became hard for me. At that point, I needed to try much harder, but I was used to not having to make an effort. I got average grades and moved on to other things. I wasn’t looking for a challenge. I just wanted to be good at it.

Sooner or later it gets tough for everyone

The same is true of people who are great at the basics of writing. A person with perfect grammar and an excellent vocabulary can write well, at first. It gets hard for them though, when they actually have to put 70,000 words together into a novel that makes sense and engages the reader. It gets hard when they have to write a heartfelt poem. It gets hard when they have to write a direct-mail advertisement that brings in customers. It gets hard when they have to write a one-hundred page guide to using a piece of software. People who have had to work at their writing though, and know they need to improve, are more likely to be up to one of those challenges. They know going in that it is going to be hard.

Writing is only the first hard step

To embrace writing as a career you need to be persistent. The pay isn’t always great and the work isn’t always interesting. Writing 70,000 words is hard. Editing 70,000 words is excruciating. Having somebody tear apart those 70,000 words and tell you it is not good enough is devastating. The career in writing belongs to the person who gets up the next day and gets back to work, either improving what they have or creating something new.

Building a writing career

If you want a career as a writer, you need to push yourself. You need to write when there are a dozen distractions, both pleasant and unpleasant. You need to see projects through to completion. You need to bounce back from criticism and even learn from it. You need to care about writing enough to stick with it through a hundred bad times, or you need to let it go. There is no shame in writing strictly as a hobby. There is no reason you can’t write for fun. There are easier and even more rewarding careers out there. If you want writing to be your career though, be prepared to push through the difficult parts and see where your path takes you.

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Don’t worry. I’m sane. I took a FaceBook quiz that told me so. The voice in my head is me. It isn’t the logical part of me although it sometimes pretends to be. It is more of the observer of me. It looks at what I’m doing, or what I want to do, and it judges it. The voice is both a positive and a negative thing. It is a troublemaker, but deep down it wants what is right for me, even when it is wrong about what that is.

For example, when I was working for my last employer, the voice told me I didn’t want to be there. It insisted in fact. Every day, it told me that I was wasting my time, spinning my wheels, slowly dying in a fate I did not choose. Clearly this voice is overly dramatic, but it had a point. There were things I liked about my job, but it wasn’t really what I wanted to do.

Nonetheless, I resisted the voice. In fact, in my final months at that job, I made my strongest possible effort to make things work out. I replaced my polo shirts with button ups and a tie — even a suit jacket. This may not mean much in some places, but in the 110 degree summers of Arizona, it means a lot. I decorated my cubicle with motivational posters. I pushed myself to be more organized and more on task. I tried not to say anything negative, even in the face of major cutbacks at work. I monitored my “Rightsteps” and made sure I was exceeding every goal my boss had set for me.

It didn’t matter. I was fired anyway.

The voice in my head was relieved, but now it had a whole new set of things to obsess over. It second-guessed every move I made after I got fired. No matter what I was doing, it told me I was doing it wrong or that I should be doing something else. My inner voice had a vision of who I should be. It was a wonderful vision of me, totally independent, writing what I wanted and making a great living at it without any real struggles. It was a vision a great life, and it was keeping me from being happy.

Eventually, I had to deal with that voice. I had to listen to what it wanted and acknowledge that I wasn’t moving toward what my true hopes and dreams were. On the flip side, I had to make that inner critic understand that it was getting in my way as much as it was helping me find my way. You can’t be critical of everything, or else you won’t accomplish everything.

Finding a balance was no easy task. For me it was all about lists. I made lists of what I wanted and what I needed. I wrote down all of the things that I wanted to accomplish and all of the things that were holding me back. I made choices about the things I wanted, realizing that some of my dreams would have to be set aside for another time. Eventually, I came up with a plan that I can work with, but one I will keep track of. My inner voice is still there, but it has stopped shouting about my wrong choices for now. I know that if I get too far off track though, it will get louder again.

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Print media is in trouble

Now, as we enter a new decade, print media is in genuine trouble. Newspapers have long been in decline and magazines are following, sunk not only by the speed of online information, but by the rising costs of mail delivery. Book publishing is also making rapid changes. Bestsellers are still bestsellers, but for the first time, online books are starting to make real headway. The iPad and the Kindle are now solid sources for books. This has made self-publishing and small press publishing more viable than they have been in years. When you can search for what you want online, the press to get on shelves at stores is lessened somewhat. It becomes more important to be the book that people search for, rather than the book that publishers promote.

You are not as ready as you think

If you are on the cusp of the technological wave, don’t pat yourself on the back just yet. Sure, blogs are more popular, but a livable income as a blogger is still a challenge. The same goes for podcasting and social media. You hear about the people who make money at it, but you hear about them because they are the exception rather than the rule. People are more immune to advertising than ever before, and if they aren’t buying something, you aren’t going to make much money.

There is no roadmap

Change is in motion, and accelerating. The financial landscape of publishing and media in general is in the midst of a major transition, and there is no definitive idea of where it will end up. This makes picking a career, especially in the writing field, a tricky matter. We currently live in a crowded publishing world. Anyone who wants to publish can. That brings great freedom, but it pushes the level of competition through the roof. When media was controlled by a few gatekeepers, the goal was to get past the gate. Now, the big gatekeepers are still there, and can still offer a measure of success, but your true competition is the crowd. When everyone can be heard, it becomes increasingly difficult to stand out. When someone else is offering what you have for free, it is very hard to charge.

Fortune favors the adaptable

My point is that if you want to have a career as a writer, be prepared for change. Be prepared for an entire world of competition, but also a world of possible readers. Understand that the way you make money writing today may soon change and that you will have to adapt to that change. We see this most in the freelance world, but don’t be surprised if corporate writing world follows. No one is immune to change.

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How do you want to spend your energy?

There is only so much time in the day, and that means you have to be careful about the jobs you take. You don’t want a job that is going to make it impossible for you to write outside of work. That is why some people take jobs far from the writing field. Some jobs only require presence and a little attention. Working as a security guard, for example, allows you to spend most of your time standing around watching people. For some writers, this is a great opportunity to observe, and get paid to do it. It isn’t difficult work, and it won’t leave you intellectually drained at the end of the day.

Working as a technical writer or as an editor gives you a chance to improve your writing skills as you earn a paycheck (and a bigger paycheck than a security guard). The downside is that you may use up all of your intellectual energy reading documents and attending meetings. A construction job is an example of a third option, one that works your body more than your mind, and gets you out into the daylight instead of stranding you in an office building. It is up to you to decide what works best for you, but if at the end of the day you don’t feel like writing, that’s a clue that you made the wrong choice.

Part-time solutions

Part-time work is yet another option. You draw a somewhat smaller paycheck, but you get back more of your time. Working two days a week at a store in the mall probably won’t pay all of your bills, but it may be enough to get you by in the weeks between freelance payments. It will also remind you of why you want to work hard as a freelancer, so that you don’t have to hold a job like that anymore.

Temporary solutions

Another option beyond part-time work is temporary work. You work full-time or even overtime hours for several months, banking your paychecks so that you can then have money in reserve to support your time freelancing for the next few months. The benefit of this, beyond the money, is the additional motivation to do well. You won’t have to get a regular job again until you run out of money. That gives you extra incentive to work hard and get paid as a freelance writer so that you don’t have to go back to a regular job. The danger is that you won’t know when to quit. Months can quickly turn into years, especially if you don’t save your money well.

The important thing to remember is that you do have choices as a freelance writer. When the freelance market gets slow, a job will provide you with another source of income and security. Just remember that your primary goal is to make a living from your freelance writing.

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Your life and your career start to meld

As a freelance writer, there is no moment when you are suddenly at work or off work, especially if you work out of your home. There is nobody to tell you when you are done working for the day, and if you sleep in and miss a couple of hours in the morning, there is no one standing over you telling you to get to work or to keep working into the evening to make up for it. This leads to a perpetual feeling that you really should be doing something other than what you are actually doing, whether you are working or relaxing.

Your are responsible for your own goals

In a job you may have been able to blame your boss or the company for your lack of career advancement or your low pay. As a freelance writer, your career is entirely your responsibility. You make the decisions and you live with the consequences. Instead of negotiating with one boss, you have to negotiate with multiple clients and each one may have their quirks or issues. Some may even be hoping to rip you off. That is the reality of the business. It isn’t as safe as a regular paycheck and it isn’t for people who are afraid to make decisions.

You create your own network

As a freelance writer, you don’t get to meet coworkers in the lunch room or gossip over cubicle walls. If you want allies and friends, you have to forge the connections and keep them active. It can be lonely sitting in a home office all day with only the cat for company. A feeling of isolation is common. Social tools such as Facebook and Twitter can help you feel connected, but there is no replacement for face-to-face contact.

Life becomes deductible

As a writer, you have to manage your own taxes. That means paying the government out of your own account once a quarter to cover both income tax and social security (in the USA). It also means that anything in your life that legitimately helps you write becomes a deductible expense. Some of the typical deductible expenses are books, classes, Internet access, phone, office supplies, business cards, and computer equipment. Depending on what you write about though, other things become deductible. Someone who writes about exercise might deduct their shoes and gym membership. Someone who writes about travel might deduct their vacation expenses. This is why it is important to track all of your expenses and make sure you can justify any deduction you take. It may be smart to consult a tax accountant.

Your income relies on your output

If you get nothing done all day at a regular job, you still get a paycheck. Some people manage to survive in corporate America for years without accomplishing anything. As a freelance writer you don’t have that luxury. If you don’t do the work to land new clients and produce new writing, you don’t make money. Everyone has an off day once in a while, but if your off days start to stack up it can seriously endanger your financial stability. This is especially hard for freelance writers because people respect your time less than they do if you work a regular job. The friend or relative who would never call you at work won’t hesitate to call you at home. If you give in to these distractions, you have no one to blame but yourself. You are your boss.

Think about these realities before you jump into a freelance writing career. Full-time freelance writing is not for everyone.

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Be an ardent learner

It is always easier to learn about subjects you are ardent about. If you hope to make a long-term living writing about a topic, it should really be one you look forward to learning about and writing about. It is a mistake to invest tremendous time and effort into learning about a subject that doesn’t interest you.

Move from the basic to the complex

When you do find the right topic to write about, you are going to need to get familiar with the basic concepts and practices, as well as learn about the latest trends. You are also going to need to get actively involved with that topic. Reading about something only gets you so far. In order to master a new subject, you need to put learning into action. You need to get involved with other people who care about the topic and are willing to share knowledge. In many cases these people can become sources for your future articles and books.

Create a learning library

Invest in the core literature you need to succeed. Find web sites about the topic, especially news sites and blogs by writers who share the same passions. These people can be the key to your future success and serve as great contacts and interview subjects. Go to the library and look for scientific or trade magazines about the topic you are researching. Subscribe to these magazines and consider contributing to them. Use the magazines to find out who the major players are. Keep track of the people who are writing for these magazines and see if you can track them down online or on the phone. Tap these people for relevant knowledge.

Go back to school

Another good idea is to take classes in the subject. Introductory classes at your local community college are an inexpensive way to make a formal effort to learn what you need to know. Once you have the basics down, get active. Learn the skills involved in the subject. Join online groups or local clubs. Find people who are interested and want to spend time sharing their knowledge.

Keep a learning journal

As you go through all of this, be sure to keep a learning journal. Write down as much as you can about what you learn. These notes will be the basis of your future articles, blog entries, scripts and books. Never stop writing, even long before you are ready to publish. Be an active and involved learner. It will serve you for years to come.

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Eliminate the paper

The first and most important step in creating a peaceful office is to get rid of the things that you don’t need. This can be difficult because we are good at fooling ourselves. We think we need things that we simply don’t need. I used to keep several hundred books in my office. I considered them a reference library. The problem was that I never used them. Most of the books were ones I had read and would never read again. Others were books that I hadn’t read and never would. I was fooling myself.

I reduced my library from hundreds of books to about two dozen. Most of those were books of poetry, which I enjoy reading and are great for taking a break. The books fit on a single, three-foot tall bookcase. It was painful giving away my other books, but I really haven’t missed them.

Other items I have gotten rid of include my file cabinets. I now have a single plastic file box that I keep all of the most necessary paper records in. Everything else I either scanned into my computer or threw away. I was convinced I needed all of those notes, fliers, old articles and such but I really didn’t. I haven’t missed them either.

Get furniture you can use as storage

For most of the items that I did keep, I chose to hide them efficiently. I invested in two ottomans that open up to provide storage. My cat likes to sleep on top of them.

Beyond reducing clutter, I have painted my office a peaceful blue. I have one piece of art and one calendar on the walls. I rarely notice them though because when I want to look at something besides the computer, I like to look out the window.

Keep a simple desk

As for my desk, I have reduced it to my laptop computer, an additional monitor, my printer and a notebook. I keep my office supplies in my closet because I need them only occasionally. I sit in a very comfortable recliner and I do my work. I also have a fan and a garbage basket. That is it for my whole office. It is simple and peaceful. For me, that is what works best.

Additional Reading

• Creating a minimalist workspace — from Zen Habits
• I Hate Filing: Everything You Need to Get Organized for Success and Sanity at Home, on the Run and in the Office

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What is an idea log?

An idea log is a way of cataloging your ideas for articles, posts, fiction, poems, essays and stories. Your idea log can be as simple or as fancy as you wish. Some people create file folders for their ideas. They fill them with notes, clippings, pictures and whatever else will assist them. When they pull out the folder, they have all they need to start work. This can be a great system, but it is a lot of work, especially if you never pursue that idea later.

Many people take advantage of their computers. They write quick notes, or even put them in the form of a query to an editor, and keep them in individual documents or add them to a database. This is an excellent system and one that can also get you going quickly once you decide to write because part of the document is already written. You just have to expand on it.

The third way that I propose is simpler and not as thorough. I use it myself, however, because of its ease and portability. I keep a stack of 3×5 index cards in which I jot down my ideas. I put a title and description at the top then jot down the note below. I rarely fill up more than one side of one card. It isn’t as thorough as a file or as ready to roll as a computer note, but it keeps me from prattling on about what is just a single idea that I may or may not follow. Plus, when I have a stack of these cards, I can pull them out and thumb through them quickly, more quickly than going through a file folder or a computer database. I can also take these cards with me anywhere and jot down the ideas as they come. I am a big fan of computers, but for this task I really do prefer the simplicity of a 3×5 index card.

What do you like? What do you hate?

A great place to start looking for ideas is to look at your likes and dislikes. What makes you happy and what makes you sad or angry. These are the things in your life that will provoke your most passionate writing. This can range from politics, entertainment, to a lump in your carpet that you’d like to get rid of. It all depends on what interests you enough to upset or please you.

Who do you know?

The people in your life can be one of your greatest sources of ideas. They have jobs, hobbies, interests and problems that make them experts hundreds of things. Your architect friend can now be interviewed about what makes for a good or bad home design. Your divorced friend with three kids probably has much to say about child support issues. With a little fictionalization, the annoying woman at work might make for a great short story. Look at the people around you. Evaluate them as article sources, interview topics and as story ideas.

Who would you like to know?

People often portray writing as a solitary task, but one of the great benefits of being a writer is that you can use it to meet people. Think about the respected or famous people you would like to talk to: writers you respect, experts in fields you are interested in, actors and politicians. Some of them will be difficult to meet, but many are easier than you think. While the ten most famous writers in the world may be hard to contact, most writers do not spend the majority of their time fending off interview requests. The same is true of experts in most areas. Politicians and actors are probably the hardest to get an interview with, but even then you might be surprised. Just remember that the top few in those fields are nearly impossible to interview without some clout behind you, but there are plenty of others in the field who would be happy to answer your questions.

Where have you been?

Travel is a great way to generate ideas. Look at the places you’ve gone and the things you’ve done there. Think also of the trips you would like to take. From travel guides to the settings for stories, your journeys can be a great source of ideas. Whenever you travel, it is a good idea to keep a journal and write down your thoughts and impressions. You never know where you might find your next idea.

What have you been doing?

Take a look at your areas of expertise. What jobs have you held? What hobbies have you had? What have you studied? These are your areas of knowledge. You may not be an expert, but in writing it is generally enough to be an intelligent amateur as long as you are willing to do the research for your story. Just as your friends are great sources of information, you are your greatest source. Not only do you know something about these things, but also you can rely on yourself, more than anyone else, to do the work required to find out more. Every job, from working in a warehouse to being a phone solicitor to managing a small office, has requirements and areas of interest. Think about how these things can become articles or stories.

What have you been reading?

If you are a writer, then chances are you are an avid reader, and it pays to keep a few notes while you read. The daily paper, magazines, the Internet and the books you read are great sources for ideas. My favorite example of this process is the movie The Player, in which a studio executive challenges anyone to read him a newspaper article and he’ll come up with a movie based on it. Over and over he turns the most mundane articles into feature film ideas. Ideas are everywhere.

What happened to you?

Beyond the jobs and hobbies you’ve had, there is plenty more to your life. There are hundreds of high points and low points in every person’s life: people found and lost, love shared and unrequited, accidents, plots, plans, choices and mistakes. Most of your memories are worthy of a story or article, because chances are you haven’t managed to remember the ordinary and mundane parts of your life, just the highs and the lows and the elements that contribute to who you are. Your life is an endless source of material if you have the talent to make it interesting to others.

Ideas are all around you. If you go through the items above, you will have plenty of ideas to work with, but beyond that, you just need to keep your eyes open and your other senses ready to back them up. Ideas will come to you if you are paying attention. Just remember to have some system to keep track of them, even if it is just a notebook for you to jot things down in. Your ideas are fuel for your writing. Keep plenty of fuel handy.

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Because I am using the Getting Things Done organizational system, I am obliged to make a complete and accessible collection of these unfinished projets. At minimum I need to list each project, the desired outcome, and the next action step towards achieving that outcome. Projects may be as minor as transferring data from my wife’s old notebook computer or as major as publishing a book of poetry or taking a trip to New Zealand. Once this information is collected, I need to track my progress on each item. This is no small task, but it is certainly achievable.

My first major hurdle was to decide what system to use to track these projects. Getting Things Done proposes several systems, but none of them suited me particularly well. Paper files were exactly what I didn’t want. The idea behind getting organized was to free up both my mental and physical space. I want to dispose of every piece of paper I can possibly be rid of, so having a file cabinet full of them was not a pleasant thought. I tried it, but I just had no enthusiasm for the idea. If I have too many papers to keep in an inbox, it is time to purge.

The alternative to paper was electronic organizers, but the problem with most of them is convenience. I want to be able to access my tasks from anywhere, but I don’t want them tied to a particular device because then I am out of luck if something happens to it. I needed something that I could access from my Blackberry, my iTouch, my personal computer and my work computer. In fact, the best solution would be something that I could use even if I didn’t have access to any of these. I thought about using some of the Google tools or some other online package, but I wasn’t sure I could have access to them from work. An organizational system would do me no good if I couldn’t use it in the main place that I needed it.

It took me an embarrassingly long time to realize that the answer was right in front of my face. What I needed was a blog! I’m a blogger. I know Wordpress better than almost any other tool at my disposal, and it is perfect for capturing individual items that require notes and updates. I can write as much as I want about each task and even attach files if I need to. The list is searchable and can be filtered using both categories and tags. More importantly, I can access the blog from every one of my key devices or from any open computer. I know enough about WordPress and file protection to keep the new site secure and invisible so that nobody needs to see it but me. I can even use the scheduling feature to move items into future cues so I see them on certain dates and not before. In essence, WordPress is my new organizational tool and it meets every one of my needs. Blogging has scored another brownie point in my life,

Of course, there is theory and then there is practice. I am still imputing all of my loops, but I’ll keep you updated on how things go and at some point I’ll give the details behind setting an organizational blog up for yourself.

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Day 1: 12:00 noon to 5:00 PM

The story to date:

I bought Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity both in print and on Mp3. This weekend’s project is to organize my home office. The first step was to go to the store and buy the items on the GTD list. Those included:

• Three Paper Holding Trays
• Plain letter sixed paper
• Pens
• Post-its
• Paper clips
• Binder clips
• Stapler and staples (Red Swingline of course)
• Scotch tape
• Rubber bands
• An automatic labler (i fudged on this because I have one at the office)
• File folders
• A calender
• Waste basket

I also bought a new desk and two Ottomans that open up for storage. My wife went along and bought here own things. Total bill, about $600. So far, a pricey proposition, but we do what we have to.

Day 1: 5:40 PM

Opening packages up I cut my fingers twice.

Day 1: 5:55 PM

Found cool stapler graphic. Now I have to get some work done.

Day 1: 6:10 PM

My In/Out/Pend boxes need some assembly. It is taking longer than I would have thought. Also, I am having an internal debate. Should I set up my desk before I gather my stuff, or get everything organized and then set up my desk last. I’ll let you know what I decide.

Day 1: 6:27 PM

The baskets are finally together. My thumbs are sore. I have decided to wait until everything else is organized before switching desks. That is the first project I will put into my basket.

Day 1: 6:55 PM

I have decided that the smaller of the two Ottomans will hold games related items such as my Dungeons and Dragons books while the larger will hold books that i don’t intend to read in the near future but still want to keep. I am getting rid of most of my books, however, because I have discovered that I prefer books on audio for pleasure and the Internet for most reference needs. This will help me create a less cluttered, more “zen” office. I will still have a small bookshelf for books that I use frequently or intend to read soon.

Day 1: 7:47 PM

I’m about halfway through my books now. I had already purged a bunch of them earlier this week. It looks like I am going to keep even less of them than I expected. Most of the books I am keeping are poetry and author-signed books with just a few references.

Day 1: 9:00

Finished sorting through my books. Moved old bookshelf to the garage. I had to adjust the new bookshelf to the two different general book heights, which leaves a small shelf in the middle. I’m sure something on my overflowing table (in box) will fit there.

Day 1: 10:17

I’ve begun to make progress on my desk, which I had piled with all of my items to process except for the ones in the closet. I’m about halfway through the pile. Most of the items have been thrown away, a few are filed and others have been put back in their place. I’ve also identified about 5 projects (things that will take more than a couple minutes) that I will have to tackle based on what I have found. I still have a long way to go, but it is a start.

Day 2: 1:37 PM

Back at it. The table is clear enough to see most of the items now. So many things that have been left untended.

Day 2: 4:42 PM

I am halfway through the closet now. There were a lot ofpapers to go through, mostly three-year old bills and such that needed shredding.

Day 2: 6:36 PM

The closet has been cleaned out and then repopulated. Most of the space will hold my office supplies, so that they don’t need to be seen unless I am using them.

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