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. 

Living: Saying Goodnight

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The bedtime routine with my little guy often turns into a power struggle. That little one doesn’t know how lucky he is to get so much uninterrupted sleep! He also doesn’t realize that the full night of sleep he gets results in more smiles and happy moments the next day–for both of us. 
 
Last night was particularly challenging. On my guy’s third trip to the bathroom (within ten minutes), I was helping him pull up his pajama bottoms when he put his hand on my shoulder and said, "One day I will be a grown up and then I will stay in bed all night long." Sometimes my guy knows exactly what to say to calm my frazzled nerves. 
 
His little words reminded me that these moments are fleeting. As hard as bedtimes can be, they are only a blink of the eye in the grand scheme of life. One day he will be a grown up. He will stay in bed all night long, he will brush his teeth without a fuss and he won’t need me to remind him to eat his chicken. But he also won’t ask to snuggle me for just five more minutes or tell me he misses me when he is at school. I won’t get to applaud him for jumping over a crack in the sidewalk, kiss him goodbye in front of his friends or make his day by handing him two Tic-Tacs. 
 

The days are long but the years are short. So tonight when my guy asks for a drink of water, an extra book or a few more minutes of snuggles, I’m going to try to be a little more patient. 

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.  

Living: Learning the Ropes at Soccer

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Three weeks ago I became a soccer mom. When did my little guy become old enough for this? I still don’t think it is possible. 

He is learning to be a part of a team, how to dribble a soccer ball and how to score a goal. But I’m learning, too. 


I’m learning to stand back and cheer from the sidelines. 



I’m learning to let the coach do the coaching. 



I’m learning that toddlers are easily distracted from the task at hand, which also means I’m learning to capture the little moments of the game from afar so I don’t become one of those distractions. 



I’m learning that crackers and a water bottle are soccer necessities. 

 

And I’m learning how to get through a whole game without shedding a tear when I catch special moments like this one. It isn’t easy. 

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.  

Freelancing: The Benefits of a List

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“First comes thought; then organization of that thought, into ideas and plans; then transformation of those plans into reality. The beginning, as you will observe, is in your imagination.” —Napoleon Hill 

I couldn’t survive without my many lists. Each day before I start working, I review my list of projects and deadlines and the steps I need to take for each to ensure it is done on time. I also try to look out one or two weeks and compare my work to-do list with my family to-do list. School holidays and personal commitments can alter how much time I can devote to my projects on certain days, so a high-level view is as important as a detailed daily list. Prioritizing the list helps me stay on top of projects. And sometimes, it makes all the difference in the world. 
 

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.