Author Archives: Mindy Long / @mindywrites

Living: Celebrating My Mom

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My mom…

-is my best friend, my biggest fan and the first person I call each morning

-treats everyone like family

-taught me that some things aren’t worth fighting over, some things are and that knowing the difference will save you a lot of heartache

-loves my little guy as much as I do

-is proud of her kids 

-makes the best strawberry rhubarb pie, hot rolls and chicken noodle soup

-makes everyone feel welcome

-let’s my guy have the things his mama denies him

-has fun everywhere she goes

-makes everything special

-knows how to iron a dress shirt, sew on a button and hem pants, but also accepts that there is nothing wrong with letting the dry cleaner do it 

-loves living life


 

-forgives me when I’m tired and cranky

-tells me I can sing

-worries about my dad more than he’ll ever know

-cares about my hubby as if he were her own son



-loves to laugh

-looks for a silver lining

-always takes my side, even if I am wrong

-is the most beautiful and amazing person I know

Happy Mother’s Day, mom! I love you! 

Freelancing: To Blog or Not to Blog

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A few weeks ago a friend and I were discussing whether or not it is important for writers to blog. I am constantly torn on how much time I should devote to blogging. On one hand it is something I enjoy doing and posting about freelancing helps me focus on ways I can improve my own business. On the other hand I don’t feel that my blog helps me obtain or keep clients. So for me it became important to focus on my goals for my little corner of the Internet.

I like sharing some of my freelance experiences and helping those that may be considering hanging their own shingle. Since I love to read, offering posts about my favorite books and stories just seemed natural. And, well, talking about my little guy and life at home just makes me happy. Since this is my professional Web site, I struggle more with how much to talk about my personal life. I’ve heard people say to go ahead and have at it since your clients and readers want to know about you as a person, but I’ve also heard people say sharing too much information can actually hurt you. I try to walk a fine line between the two. 

Jane Friedman, editor of Writer’s Digest, had a great post last week about why writers should and shouldn’t blog. My favorite reason she gave for blogging is this: "You will start thinking of opportunities you didn’t before. Once you have an online site/blog, you’ll notice that ideas and plans for it will emerge even if you’re not focusing on it. You have a more empowered and creative stance; you’re more open to possibilities for it because it already exists."

I think that sums up the biggest benefit of blogging for me. Knowing I have the blog keeps me on the lookout for new ideas. I am constantly evaluating the things I do that work well so I can share them with others and I find myself reading books, stories and articles with the blog in mind. It is just another tool for ensuring I keep my eyes open to the world going on around me. 

 

Reading: Ice Cream for Breakfast

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Since I’m a sucker for short stories, I have another favorite I want to share. It ran in Writer’s Digest several months ago and has been on my mind every since. And, let me tell you, if Ice Cream for Breakfast by Tina Rivera doesn’t make you hug your loved ones just a little tighter or treat them to ice cream, I don’t know what will. Grab a Kleenex and head on over to Writer’s Digest  for a quick read. 

Freelancing: Preparing for the Self-Employed Version of Maternity Leave

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In about six weeks my little family of three is going to become a family of four. I can’t wait to welcome this new little bundle and I plan to use the next few weeks to wrap up some work projects and prepare for what I’m calling the self-employed version of maternity leave. 
 
This little miracle warrants my full attention, as will my little guy who will be facing an adjustment period of his own as he learns to share mommy’s time. But, building and maintaining a client list requires attention as well and isn’t something I can just put on autopilot for the summer. So, I plan to focus on slowing down versus stopping. Here is my approach:  
 
Communicate, Communicate, Communicate: I’ve already let me key clients know that I am planning to take off some time in June and July and will be ready to submit stories to them again in August. Knowing I am back on editorial calendars for the fall has helped ease my mind and makes sure we’re all on the same page. 
 
Be Flexible: As a full-time freelancer, my career is built on meeting my clients’ needs when they arise. Great opportunities are hard to pass up, and I have several steady clients that I plan to remain available to for last-minute projects and story edits during the summer. The biggest benefit of steady clients (for both of us) is that I know their style and I understand their needs. That will allow me to better plan my time and ensure I can meet their needs while still focusing on my growing family. 
 
Save Up: Freelancing means I will have to fund my own maternity leave. Luckily I was able to take on a few extra projects early in the year, and I married a CPA who does an excellent job of setting our family budget and ensuring we stick to it. I was also able to take on some extra projects earlier in the year, which will help with the budgeting.
 
Call for Backup: I’ve called in reinforcements for the summer (thank you, mom) to help me get settled in my new routine and allow me to tackle work projects.
 
I think a little advanced planning and preparation are going to go a long way in easing the transition as I become a mama of two. I’m sure I’ll learn a lot as I go—I always do. 

Reading: Getting Lost in Blogland

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My name is Mindy and I’m a blog addict. I freely admit that I love blogland. I can justify my blog reading in a number of ways—research, professional development, relationship building and sheer enjoyment (time spent doing something you enjoy isn’t wasted).
 
However, once I enter blogland, I can get easily distracted. One blog leads to another and another and another until I can’t even remember how I got there. The next thing I know it is midnight and I have to be up in five hours. 
 
In an effort to streamline my online reading, I just started using Google Reader. It has been out since late 2007, so I’m behind the times on this one, but I’m loving it. 
 
If you aren’t using it, here is the scoop. You create an account, subscribe to the blogs you read, and then Google Reader automatically shows you which blogs have new posts. I can read them right from Google’s page, which keeps me from clicking on blogrolls or delving into a blog’s archives—both of which add to the amount of time I spend online and contributes to the dark circles under my eyes in the morning. 
 

I do still love discovering new blogs and reading old posts. I won’t ever be able to give that up, but Google Reader helps me stay focused on my favorites. I also look forward to those times when I know I’ve finished everything on my to-do list and can journey into the black hole of blogland guilt free.  

Reading: My Love of Short Stories

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There is just something about short stories that I have always loved. Now that I’m a mom and my pleasure reading time is limited, I appreciate them even more. Short stories are there for me when I only have a few minutes to read and even if I’m running on empty, they never seem too overwhelming. 

 
I think the other reason I love short stories is that I know how hard it is to write them well. With limited space the authors have to keep the action moving, have precisely the right pace and pull us in right from the start. 
 
I just discovered Joyce Carol Oates’ 1966 short story "Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?” In just over 4,000 Oates tells a gripping story of Connie, a pretty typical teenager, and her encounter with a bad-boy type who turns out to be someone she did not expect. 
 
Oates said she was inspired to write the story after reading a story in Life magazine of young man who had enticed and killed three girls in Tucson, Arizona, during the early 1960s.
 
There are all kinds of analysis and study guides for the story online—just do a quick Google search. The story is a great example of fiction writing at its best and is, obviously, worth being studied. But, more than that, I think it is just a great read. So, if you have a few minutes, check it out here.  

A Little Chuckle

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No matter how many times I spy this sign at the drive thru at my local Burger King, I laugh. I’m not sure what cracks me up more, the unnecessary possessive on cashiers or the unnecessary quotation marks on receipt. Either way, it is funny! 

I made my hubby snap a picture of it one day and I’m pleased to say that it was featured on the "Blog" of "Unnecessary" Quotation Marks this week. Check it out here and then be sure to check out the Greatest Hits section on the side. It makes me laugh so hard I cry. 

The Personality Test

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I had always wanted to become a full-time freelancer—someday. I always worried about the typical issues that surround being self employed—no 401(k), no life insurance, no health insurance, etc., etc., etc. Leaving the comfort that came with the steady paycheck of an office job always seemed a little risky. But around the time my son turned one, I knew that for me the benefits of being self employed far outweighed the risks. At that point I also had a good network of contacts and had the experience and confidence that have helped make my venture a success. 
 
I think there are certain things you have to consider when deciding to venture out on your own—particularly with a home-based business. The most important is your personality. For those thinking of hanging their own shingle, ask yourselves these questions: 
 
Can you carve out time specifically for the business? 
Moms and dads especially can be drawn to self employment because of the flexibility it offers. But don’t think that you’ll be able to work without childcare. I can and do complete a lot of my writing after my son goes to bed at night, but there are a lot of things that have to be done during normal business hours. For me it would be impossible to interview a source or discuss a story with an editor while balancing my toddler on my lap. I wouldn’t be able to focus and I think it would be hard for clients to take me seriously. 
 
Do you need someone else to help you find structure? 
If you need someone else to help you stay on task, get organized or prioritize your projects, running your own business isn’t for you. You’ll be responsible for keeping projects straight, taking care of paperwork and getting the job done. You may be your own boss, but you’re going to be answering to a lot of other people. When I became a freelancer, I traded one boss for six (or more depending on how many clients I am working for at the time). 
 
Can you treat your business as a business? 
It is easy to forget about the business side that comes with running a business. I’m a writer. I write. But now I also track my income goals, invoice and file quarterly tax estimates. Successful business owners pay as much attention to the back-office tasks as they do with the product their selling. 

Punching Out

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I work at home. I have a home office with two desks—one for personal use and one for my business—and a separate e-mail so I’m not mixing my personal and work messages. Closing the door and stepping away should be relatively easy. However, the reality is that pending deadlines, my to-do list and the actual business portion of running an at-home business come calling at all hours of the day and every day of the week. 

This weekend I had the rare treat of actually punching out. My sweet hubby had a few days off last week, which meant he took on the household duties and gave me extra time to catch up on my to-do list, clear my desk and get three stories off ahead of my deadlines. As I shut down the computer on Friday evening, I realized I didn’t have anything I had to do over the weekend. 
 
So, instead of thinking about work, we grilled outside (our first grill fest of the year), hit the bookstore,  and delivered a dozen donuts to my hubby’s grandma for a leisurely breakfast of coffee and pink-frosted-and-sprinkled sweets. More than anything, I took time just to relax. 
 
I did sneak away for an hour or so to catch up on some business thank you cards that are long overdue, but penning a handwritten note is something I so rarely have time to do that it felt like a special treat. 
 
I need to start finding specific time to punch out and I’m going to spend the next month experimenting with different ways to streamline the business side of all that I do—expenses, invoicing, taxes, marketing. I’m going to be installing some new software, implementing more online tools and overhauling my current system of tracking expenses (something my CPA, who is also my husband, will appreciate). I’ll let you know how it goes and would love any tips you can share! 

When It Isn’t the Right Fit

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Every so often, a potential project comes along that just isn’t the right fit. As a freelancer, it is always hard to turn down work. But I’ve found that it is even worse to take on a project that I can’t commit to 100 percent or that doesn’t tap into the expertise I can bring to the table.
 
For the past few weeks I’ve been talking with a company about some opportunities they have available. I’ve enjoyed the people I talked to and think they would be great to work for, yet the project isn’t right for me at this time. As hard as it was to say no, it was great to walk away from a negotiation knowing that I’ve been completely honest and feeling like the other party was completely honest as well. It was the perfect example of how negotiations should go and how one can turn down a project while still leaving the door open for future opportunities. You never know when they might have the project that will align perfectly with my skills.