The Writer's Block

5 Must Haves to Start a Writing Career

2012-01-27T05:48:00.000-08:00

by Alyssa Ast

I'm often asked, what do you need in order to start a a writing a career? Many are often worried, because they have little to no experience as a writer, only a desire to become one. You don't have to have any experience to become a writer. Take me for example, when I began my writing career, all I had was the passion for the art, a pen and a piece of paper. I don't even have a high school diploma, which may be discouraging to many, but it's not a set back at all. As long as you can create comprehensive sentences that are informative and engaging, you have the foundation to one day be a great writer. But how do you get started? What do you need to begin a writing career? Well, I think there are 5 must haves you need to start a writing career.

Website
If you plan to start a writing career, you will need a website. A website is essential because it allows clients to find you. Plus, it's a way you can connect with your readers and fellow writers. A website should highlight your services, your writing background and any relevant information to help your career grow. Your website should be updated regularly. To drive traffic to your website, don't for get to backlink and link build when possible.

If you don't know anything about websites, that's ok. Don't have the money to spend on a website? That's okay too. You can create free websites or low cost websites using web hosts such as Blogger.com and Wordpress.com. Setting up a website on these hosts are easy. It's a good place to start when developing a website for your writing career.

You can also have business cards ordered to match your website. Hand your business cards out as often as possible to develop a steady clientele.

Blog
Another must have to start a writing career is a blog. You can also set up free blogs on Blogger.com and Wordpress.com. You can even connect your blog to your website. A blog is a very informal type of writing. You can share whatever you want however you want. Although a blog may not seem like much, it is. A blog provides you with experience and credibility in the writing world. A blog's an essential component for a writing career.

Credibility
In order to start a writing career, you must maintain credibility. Your website and blog must have a creditable appearance. If you're on social networking sites, which you will need to be to grow your career, make sure you uphold a creditable profile and network because you never know who will be looking at it. If a client or potential client stumbles across your Facebook pages and finds a bunch of half naked and drunk pictures, they will probably find another, more creditable writer to meet their needs.

Motivation
You need to have a high level of motivation when starting your writing career. You need to have the desire and motivation to put in the hard work needed to push your career forward. You'll also need to develop a thick skin against critiques, editors and readers because not everyone is going to love your work; however, that comes with the writing territory and aids with your growth as a writer. You can't give up no matter what.

Patience
When starting a writing career, you must have patience. You won't start making a full time income overnight. It takes time and determination to stick with it to develop profitable results. A writing career won't make you rich right off the bat, but you can't give up. Overtime, as your skills grow so will your income. Don't become discouraged if you don't start making money right away. Stay with it because in the long run your hard work and time will pay off.

This is my list of must haves for starting a writing career, what are some of yours?

Happy Writing!

The Kite Runner-- Book Review

2012-01-25T05:38:00.000-08:00

by Alyssa Ast

Taking us from Afghanistan in the final days of the monarchy to the present, The Kite Runner is the unforgettable, beautifully told story of the friendship between two boys growing up in Kabul. Raised in the same household and sharing the same wet nurse, Amir and Hassan nonetheless grow up in different worlds: Amir is the son of a prominent and wealthy man, while Hassan, the son of Amir's father's servant, is a Hazara, member of a shunned ethnic minority. Their intertwined lives, and their fates, reflect the eventual tragedy of the world around them. When the Soviets invade and Amir and his father flee the country for a new life in California, Amir thinks that he has escaped his past. And yet he cannot leave the memory of Hassan behind him.

The Kite Runner is a novel about friendship, betrayal, and the price of loyalty. It is about the bonds between fathers and sons, and the power of their lies. Written against a history that has not been told in fiction before, The Kite Runner describes the rich culture and beauty of a land in the process of being destroyed. But with the devastation, Khaled Hosseini also gives us hope: through the novel's faith in the power of reading and storytelling, and in the possibilities he shows for redemption. Information courtesy of http://www.khaledhosseini.com/index.htm

A little over a year ago, I read A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini. I enjoyed the book so much, I just couldn't wait to read the author's first book, The Kite Runner. I quickly purchased the book, yet it sat on my bookshelf collecting dust for nearly a year. Finally, I just couldn't resist any longer and began reading The Kite Runner.

I loved The Kite Runner just as much as I loved A Thousand Splendid Suns. I couldn't put it down. What I love about author Khaled Hosseini's books is that fact he presents the other side of cultures, which we often forget about. After 9/11, many Americans began to view Muslims differently. Many Americans began to stereotype Muslims. These books let us see their side to situations, that not all are bad, like those responsible for the 9/11 attacks.

The Kite Runner and A Thousand Splendid Suns are beautify written. They are engaging, descriptive, suspenseful, heartbreaking and heartwarming. The author does an exceptional job connecting the reader with the characters, making the reader feel each characters' joy, pain, excitement and every other natural emotion.

If you haven't done so already, I recommended that you read The Kite Runner and A Thousand Splendid Suns. I promise, you won't regret reading them.

Have you read either of these novels? What did you think about them?

Happy Writing!

Plagued by Writer Burn Out

2012-01-23T06:11:00.000-08:00

by Alyssa Ast

I've mentioned in previous blog posts that my writing career has really taken off over the past few months. My career, on top of juggling a family of six, has me running full speed ahead. Moments to sit down and relax are few and far between. I have no choice but to work long hours in order to get everything done each day, and then add in my family responsibilities on top of that...whew! It's rough. The way I've been going, I knew it was just a matter of time before I would suffer from a writer burn out.

Hit by Writer Burn Out
Over the past couple of weeks, I noticed I was beginning to get rather sluggish. Last week, I had to scrape myself out of bed every morning and force myself to make my fingers move across the keyboard to work. By Wednesday, I had full blown writer burn out. I couldn't sleep and I couldn't think. This wasn't just hurting my ability to work, but my family as well. I couldn't bring myself to do the dishes, cook dinner or anything at all. My body and mind felt like a ton of bricks, and any movement or any action that required the slightest bit of mental activity just wasn't possible.

For a couple of days I tired to ignore it. I sat in front of the computer trying to will myself to work. I would look over at the stove and hope with all my might that dinner would magically appear. I just couldn't seem to shake the rut I had fallen into.

When I talked to my Grandmother, she said she knew it was going to happen eventually because of the fast pace I was maintaining. Her advice-- take a nap. My close friend said she also wasn't surprised it was happening. Her advice-- take a nap. A nap? When was I going to find the time to take a nap? I had so much to do. There was no way I was going to squeeze in time to take a nap. But after sitting in front of the computer for about 3 hours and only sending out 2 emails, I realized, either way, I wasn't going to be getting anything done, so what was the harm? Besides, I was soooo tired.

So, I took a nap. A nice long nap. This first nap I've taken in probably close to a year. And when I woke up, that ton of bricks that had been crushing my body and brain was gone. I felt so much better. It's crazy to think how just a few hours of sleep had made such a big difference, but it did. I felt so much better. Shortly after, I sat down at the computer and was finally able to work, without feeling forced. Afterwards, I cleaned the house, again, without feeling forced. For the first time in a while I felt productive, really and truly productive.

It just amazes me how something so simple made such a huge difference. It proves, you need to listen to your body in order to prevent writer burn out. Plus, it's just bad for your overall health to be forcing yourself the way I was. It doesn't do anyone any good, especially yourself, to ignore the signs your body is throwing in your face.

So now I know. Next time I start feeling sluggish and worn out, I need to stop! Stop, get some sleep and rejuvenate myself. In the long run, stopping to take a little "me time" will make me far more productive than forcing myself to work through the exhaustion.

How do you avoid writer burn out? If it hits, what do you do to overcome it?

Happy Writing!

Growing as a Writer

2012-01-16T08:41:00.000-08:00

by Alyssa Ast

Practice makes perfect, right? Well, then it takes practice to become a great writer. The more you write, the greater your skills as a writer become. When you grow as a writer, you take time to strengthen your weak points. However, not everyone takes the time to do this or acknowledge that they have areas that need improvement. This is a problem. No one is perfect, and everyone has room for improvement, especially when it comes to your skills as a writer. You must improve your weak points in order to grow as a writer.

Looking Back
It's not easy to admit we have flaws in our writing, and we may not always see them. But, if you take the time to look back on some of the work you wrote one or two years ago, you'll clearly see which aspects of your writing have improved. This reinforces the fact, you have current areas you could be improving. When I look back at some of the work I wrote a couple of years ago, I cringe at it, but what's funny is I thought it was some of my best work at the time. I'm sure the same thing will happen when I look back again in a few months at my current work. Even though I cringe at my past work, I love the fact I can clearly see where my writing has improved and the fact that I'm growing as a writer.

Learn More
One way to help your writing skills grow, is to simply learn more. Take time periodically to read blogs or books about writing and grammar. Then, take what you have learned and put it to use. It's not that difficult. Sure, at first it may take a little bit of extra time while proofreading and writing to fix the mistakes you've made, but in a short time, it will become second nature to you, and you'll no longer be making those mistakes.

Read More
A great way to improve your writing is by reading. Since we are writers, we love reading. So you can learn to improve your writing by doing a task you love. Reading anything will help you improve your week areas. Whether you notice it or not, as you read you learn more about maintaining a certain tone or voice, you learn about building engaging characters and much more. If you pay a little more attention, you'll learn more about sentence structure, punctuation and grammar.

Learn from Friends
You can also improve your writing by learning from your friends. Find some friends you know who aren't afraid to be brutally honest. Have them read your work and evaluate the areas of your writing that they liked and didn't like. Do this with a few friends, and then you can create a list of areas that need improvement.

If you have writer friends, read some of their work. By doing so, you can see where their strong and weak points are, then take a look at your work to see if you're doing some of the same things.

So, here's my challenge for you:

Evaluate your work. Find a weak point you want to improve and work on it for the remainder of the month. At the end of the month, I want a report on your experience-- how you decided on what area to improve, how you did it, and if you're happy about the change.

For the remainder of the month, I'm going to work on that pesty comma a little bit more.

Happy Writing!

1st Week of 2012

2012-01-09T06:27:00.000-08:00

by Alyssa Ast

Did you survive the 1st week of 2012? As I watched social networking statuses by fellow writers, I noticed some had a great week, and some had a bad week as the year kicked off. Overall, I would say I had a pretty great week. Of course, this only increases my excitement for what the year holds.

Nothing exceptional or really out of the ordinary occurred this week, other than the fact I remained productive Monday thru Friday for once. I didn't procrastinate, stayed on schedule and worked my little butt off the entire week through. This never happens. By Wednesday, my motivation to work begins to slip, and by Friday, I usually give up working entirely. But not last week. It may not seem like a huge accomplishment, but for me it is. If I'm able to keep this pace up every week for the entire year, I certainly could accomplish a lot. But as of right now, I know that's simply wishful thinking.

Because I reminded productive this week, I had a lot of extra time to spend with my family, which of course is an awesome thing. It's very rare for me to have a couple of free hours at the end of the day where I can spend with the kids and not be thinking about all the work I should be doing at the same time. I was actually able to sit there and really truly enjoy playing with them without stressing out.

I didn't do anything different this week for these things to happen. I thinks it's because I started the week with an enormous positive attitude. So, that's my plan for this week and hopefully everything continues.

How was your 1st week of 2012? How's this week looking for you so far?

Happy Writing!

Everyone has a story to share...

2012-01-05T08:14:00.000-08:00

by Alyssa Ast

I've always believed everyone has a story to share. Everyone has an experience in life that at least one person can relate to in one way or another. Everyone has a story that can inspire at least one person. Everyone has a story that let's others know they aren't alone. The Chicken Soup for the Soul Book series is proof of that. However, most people aren't aware they have the story inside of them, and if they are aware, they are often uncomfortable sharing it, despite knowing it can have an affect on others. Or, as a client recently brought to my attention, some just don't know how to go about sharing their story.

Everyone has a story to share
Deep within everyone, there's a story that needs to be revealed. Everyone has the potential to teach others a life lesson that can't be learned from books. Unfortunately, many people are reluctant or have no desire to share their story. As a result, their experience and the lessons they learned are often taken to the grave. This happens all too often because that story that disappears when the person's life expires could very well have been the story that changed some one's life.

A client of mine recently brought something to my attention. When I heard it, I was kind of taken off guard a little but couldn't agree with him more. Yes, there are some people who are reluctant to share their stories, but there are others who desperately want to, they just don't know how to do it. As he said, "Not everyone is a writer, and not everyone knows how to put their thoughts on paper." He said, "If there were writers out there who offered to share these stories for people, the problem would be solved." And, he was right!

Have you ever come across a writer who has offered these services? I haven't. This really hit home for me and has inspired me. I think this would be an amazing and successful service to offer people, even if there isn't an income involved. The fact you're helping someone share their story and helping someone else because that story was told is awesome. Talk about a great way to use the skills you were given in life to give back to others.

Although I don't have the time to do this now, it's definitely embedded in my head. I'm going to continue to put some thought into it and develop a plan to put this service to action.

What are your thoughts about this? Do you think it would actually be a good service to offer? Why do you think others aren't already offering it?

Happy Writing!

Bringing in the New Year!

2012-01-02T08:54:00.000-08:00

by Alyssa Ast

2011 was an awesome year for me, not just with my career, but my family as well. At the start of 2011, I just knew it was going to be awesome, and it was. I now have the exact same feeling about 2012. I KNOW it's going to be an amazing year, and I can't wait to see what the year holds. One thing I've learned over the past few years, is the mentality you have throughout the year creates the positive changes you achieve. So, I'm starting the year with a big smile on my face, a positive attitude and going at it with full force.

Looking back on 2011
2011 was an amazing year in so many ways. Our family grew from 5 to 6, we moved into an awesome house, and both mine and my husband's career grew. I had some pretty big goals set for 2011. Some I accomplished, and some I didn't; however, I think it was still a very successful year, despite a few set backs. It kind of made me sad to see the year end because it was so good to me and my family, but I know 2012 holds bigger things in store for us.

Looking ahead to 2012
For 2012, I kind of adjusted the way I set my goals. Last year, I had a ton of tiny goals and a few big goals. I ended up accomplishing the big goals, but very few of the little ones. So, for 2012, I'm sticking with big goals only, and if I accomplish some little milestones in the process, I certainly won't complain. I'm so excited for this year. I look back on 2011 at all the great things that have happened, and just KNOW even better things are in store for 2012.

It's all about keeping the right attitude, even when things may not be perfect.

And, if you haven't done so already, set your goals for 2012!!

How do you feel about 2012? What do you see in store for you this year?

Happy Writing!

Attack of the Computer Virus!

2011-12-26T13:19:00.000-08:00

by Alyssa Ast

Well, Saturday I had my first experience with a computer virus, and I must say, I hope it's my last-- although I know it probably won't be. I intended to take the entire weekend off to spend with my family, but when I turned on my computer Saturday morning to check email, I noticed I was being attacked by a killer computer virus. I ended up fighting it almost all Saturday, which was beyond frustrating, but I can now say I'm virus free!

Attack of the Computer Virus
Everything was going normally while I was on my computer when all of the sudden this stupid box popped up stating that Windows 7 2012 Internet Security had detected 28 threats on my computer that were stealing all of my passwords and what not, and in order to save them I had to purchase this software. I almost fell for it, but I closed the window and it instantly popped up again saying there were now 34 threats. Now I knew it was fake, especially since I didn't have Windows 7 Security (I don't think).

Then the fun started. The virus had blocked all access to Internet Explorer, my control panel--everything! I couldn't open anything on my computer at all. It really wasn't much of a surprise to end up with a virus because I let my virus protection expire and kept putting off updating it, so I knew at some point it was going to happen. Anyway, I updated my protection hoping it would remove the virus, but no such luck. I renewed the service but couldn't update the software because the virus wouldn't let me on the internet to complete the download.

At this point I just about had a full break down. Everything I need is on this computer. Everything! Because I just shelled out a fortune for Christmas, I don't have the money to go buy a new computer, and well, I just can't survive without a computer. I thought I was doomed, and each minute this virus was invading my computer all of my personal information was being sucked away to who knows where. Luckily, my friend found information on the virus, and it turns out is was nothing but a pesty virus that's difficult to remove. It didn't actually steal any information, it's just designed to scare you.

After about 7 hours of fighting this computer virus, I finally had to do a system restore to remove the stupid thing. I was really hesitant to do it because I was afraid of what I was going to lose, but I really didn't have a choice. I'm still a a little worried about what I have lost on my computer from having to do the system restore, but it's better than having the stupid computer virus.

So, here's my lesson for you all:

1. Don't let your virus protection expire
2. Save everything important in your email or in an online database.

After dealing with the possibility of losing my work computer, I've come to the decision I need to buy a laptop or something as my "just in case" computer. Plus, it's time for a new one anyway.

Have you ever had to deal with a computer virus? Did your computer survive?

Happy Writing!

Do I Need to Relocate My Home Office?

2011-12-21T05:53:00.000-08:00

by Alyssa Ast

When I began my writing career, my office consisted of sitting at the coffee table with a stack of assorted papers, pens, notepads and my ancient laptop. Eventually, I realized the kids just "helped" me way too much. So, when I received my first "big" writing paycheck I went out and bought a desk. My office was then moved into my bedroom. When the kids gave me the chance to work, I was really productive in my little corner office. I could shut my bedroom door, drown out their loudness and work without them stealing my papers and pens.

This form of office worked well for a while, but I eventually had to move my desk into the living room because I couldn't work as much as I would have liked because I couldn't keep an eye on the kids when I was locked up in my bedroom. The living room has been my office now for a couple of years, and despite the kids "helping" and dealing with their loudness breaking my train of thought, it's worked for the most part.

But now, as my writing career continues to grow, it turns out my little project in my free time has turned into a full time career. I can no longer work around the kids schedule. I have to work 6-8 hours a day despite what they are doing. Yes, I can still stop to fill up cups, do homework, make sandwiches and stop to play from time to time, but my need for long term quiet time has increased. I'm getting desperate for quiet time so I can work uninterrupted. Plus, I'm on the phone numerous times each day with work related calls. Where do I take these calls? Usually sitting on the front porch because it's quiet, but when its 30 degrees outside, it's really not too much fun.

This puts me in quite a pickle. I can't tell my career to slow down. I can't force my kids to leave me alone so I can work. I can't get an office outside of the home because I don't trust anyone to watch my kids other than me. So, what am I supposed to do?

I'm debating about moving my desk back into my bedroom, but again, I can't watch the kids from there. What is a writer and mother to do?

Hire someone to come in to watch the kids for me while I work. Not an option...

Stop sleeping so I can stay up all night to work uninterrupted? Not an option....

I'm at a loss. I guess until the magic solution appears, I'm going to have to grit my teeth and push forward. I love my kids, but at least I have my ear buds to help me out when my husband's home to lend a hand so I can work.

Maybe I should just break down and buy a new laptop so I can take refuge in my room when given the chance.

How do you handle having a home office and children?

Happy Writing!

What has your writing done for you?

2011-12-18T13:10:00.000-08:00

By Alyssa Ast

A writing career offers so much more than just an income. My writing career has taken me more places than just advancements in my career. The results of my writing passion have trickled down throughout every aspect of my life, causing positive changes with each career accomplishment. So, what has your writing done for you?

Family
The results of my writing career can be seen throughout my family. Not only does my writing income provide part of the financial stability for our household, but it teaches my children you can follow your passions in life to become successful. One day, when my children are old enough to understand what it is I do, I hope they are able to see they can do anything they put their mind to. My writing benefits my relationship with my husband because it provides me with fulfillment, which of course makes me happy, resulting in a happy relationship. It also shows positive results in my extended family as well. I know my writing has made my family proud of me and shows I can life up to my potential in life. I'm doing what I was meant to do, and what they knew I was meant to do longer than I have known myself.

Personal
My writing has provided me with positive personal growth as well. With each writing accomplishment, my own satisfaction with who I am increases. It makes me content with who I am and what I do. Waking up in the morning to do what I love is excellent for my state-of-mind and overall well being.

Friends
Through my writing career, I've come into contact with people I wouldn't have met otherwise. I made some pretty awesome friends that I'm very thankful to have. The fact that we share a passion for writing is just an added benefit of the friendship they bring.

Career
Of course my writing has offered me a career. I get to do what I love, provide for my family and build a promising career future. I'm not just working a "job." I'm doing what I love for a living. What more could you ask for?

Since I began my writing career, my life has changed so much in so many areas. So, what about you? What has your writing done for you?

Happy Writing!

Running in a Hamster Wheel

2011-12-12T13:03:00.000-08:00

by Alyssa Ast

For the last few weeks, I feel like I'm running in a hamster wheel and can't get off. Things with my writing keep picking up, as well as family commitments. Just when an end appears to be in sight, and I can jump off my little wheel to relax, I'm once again ambushed. I just keep going and going and going, and at some point, I'm going to become exhausted and totally crash and burn. Am I doing anything to prevent this? Not really because I love where my career is headed, and I love the changes happening with my family. But I'm wondering if I'm setting myself up for a mental break down in one form or another.

Running As Fast As I Can
I'm always running with full force, but lately I seem to be running harder and trying my hardest not to fall. I know I can't keep this momentum up forever, but I'm so pleased with how well things are going I just can't seem to stop myself from stepping my pace up one more beat. The only thing is, I've been stepping it up every day, and I know there's going to come a point where I can only do so much.

So what do I do? Tell my writing career to stop for a minute so I can breath? Tell my family, nope we can't go out today? I really could use a clone.

How do you keep yourself from falling off your hamster wheel?

Happy Writing!

Grammar Police: Is My Analness Rubbing Off?

2011-12-07T07:09:00.000-08:00

by Alyssa Ast

The older my son becomes, the more I wonder if my analness is rubbing off on him. When I hear or see someone use poor grammar, especially with common mistakes, I cringe and shudder. Often, before I can stop myself, I end up correcting them, because everyone should know it's "specific" not "pacific." Although my husband's verbal skills aren't horrible, he's often ambushed by me correcting him. I don't know why I do it. I just can't seem to stop myself.

Since my oldest son started school, I now see him doing the same thing. And sadly, my husband is taking it from my son now too. It's somewhat comical to me, but when my 6 year old tells my husband that he needs to go back to kindergarten, I don't think he finds it as amusing as I do.

Mr. Know It All
Now that my son can read, he's turned into a Mr. Know It All. He's actually turned into the grammar police in the house. Just the other day, my husband used "ain't," which he often does just to annoy me, and my son quickly informed him, "Ain't isn't a word!" Now that he's learned the difference between using "an" and "a," he's constantly telling his siblings the correct form to use when talking.

The other day, my husband was helping him with his homework, and they came across the word "smock." My husband said, "shmock." Well, how foolish of him. My son proceeded to inform him it's smock because it doesn't have "sh" in front, and everyone knows "s" says sssssss and "sh" says shhhh, which is when he informed my husband he needs to go back to school.

I have to admit, I'm proud he's developing such a firm grasp of the language at such a young age, but I do fear my analness is rubbing off on him. I don't know if it's necessarily a bad thing, but I know he's driving everyone in the house crazy-- just as I do. Plus, his teacher has reported that he's often telling her that he thinks she's wrong because "read" and "read" aren't the same. Everyone knows it should be "red" and the other should be "reed."

...And, yes I know, analness isn't a word.

So what do you think? Is my analness rubbing off? Is he developing a bad habit?

Happy Writing!

Why It's Important to Google Yourself

2011-12-05T11:01:00.000-08:00

by Alyssa Ast

During extreme moments of boredom and sometimes out of pure curiosity, I Google myself. Although it cures my nagging urges of curiosity and boredom, there are other reasons I Google myself. It's very important to Google yourself from time to time because it allows you to see how well your content and websites rank, where you've ended up in the world, and if people are stealing your work, which has happened to me a few times.

Content and Website Ranking
If you're interested in search engine optimization like I am, Googling yourself is a great way to see which pieces of content is ranking the best. It gives you an idea of what you're doing right and what you're doing wrong. Plus, you can see your writer/author website's competition by how well your site is ranking over other writer/author websites. It's a great way to determine SEO areas you need to improve.

Where Are You?
You know where your content is published, but you never really know where it has ended up unless you Google yourself. Googling yourself allows you to see who has mentioned you, your work and shared your links. If you're an author, you may have some reviews out there that you may not even be aware of until you Google yourself. A few months ago, I noticed my book sales increase dramatically. After Googling myself, I found a site that listed my book in the top 100 best books for SEO. I never would have known if I hadn't Googled myself.

Thieves
There are sites and writers who won't hesitate to steal your work or publish it without your permission. Googling yourself allows you to catch these thieves. I've had this done a handful of times and the only way I learned about it was because I took the time to Google myself.

It really is important to Google yourself from time to time. Don't just view the first couple of pages. Take the time to skim over as many as possible because you never know what your going to stumble across.

Why do you think it's important to Google yourself? What have you found?

Happy Writing!

Is Google's Panda Platform Killing Content Mills?

2011-12-02T05:27:00.000-08:00

by Alyssa Ast

It's no secret that the unleashing of Google's Panda platform has wrecked havoc throughout the online writing world, causing many writers and companies to change the way they do business in order to survive. Even though the waters have seemed to calm after the original sting of the Panda changes, the results of the new platform are becoming apparent with full force among the writers who work for common content mills. It appears these content mills are struggling to stay afloat, but is it a direct result of the Panda changes?

Is Google Panda Killing Content Mills?
Many people are wondering if Google's Panda is killing content mills, or are they going under for another reason? Content mills have a bad image by most because they require a ton of work for little pay, and they don't hire the best of writers. The content usually lacks quality and relevant facts. Now, I know this isn't the case with every writer who writes for content mills because I know so pretty great writers who haven't broken free from the mills yet. But, it you think about the majority of content mills and the writers who are fine with the pay and requirements, you can clearly see these mills should be banned for taking advantage of writers, which in one way, pretty much dooms content mills to fail.

Yet, many are blaming the demise of content mills on Google's Panda platform, stating the new requirements are just too much for the mills, directly causing them to go under. However, if content mills hired good writers and payed them well, you would think they would have a fighting chance at surviving, right?

In my opinion, yes Google's Panda is causing many of the content mills to go under, but I don't feel it's directly the platform's fault, but instead the content mills. If the content mills stopped walking all over writers who are happy to earn one or two cents per word and up the stakes of the content's quality, they could overcome the platform and succeed. But, I guess some habits are just hard to break, or they mills feel it's just not worth the money.

What do you think? Do you think Google's Panda platform is to blame for the demise of content mills, or are content mills to blame for simply being cheap?

Happy Writing!

Looking Back on 2011

2011-11-30T05:19:00.000-08:00

by Alyssa Ast

Of course, now that I've just gotten the hang of writing 2011 as a date, the year is quickly coming to an end. I had some pretty big career goals in mind for this year, some of which I've met and others changed as the year progressed. Looking back on 2011, I say it was a very successful year for me. Was it as successful as I had hoped? Maybe, but it has been successful in many other areas I hadn't planned for.

Looking Back on 2011
As far as my freelance writing, big changes occurred this year. I did leave the content mills fully behind; however, I didn't test the waters of print publications as I had hoped, with the exception of being published in the Chicken Soup for the Soul: New Moms book. I landed the most clients this year than any other year I have been writing, and even extended my services to include social marketing. All in all, my income goal has been met, even if I didn't get there the way I thought I would.

I planned to have more books published this year, but that didn't happen either. My freelance career really took off, leaving little time for my side projects. However, I did finish one book, even if it hasn't been published yet, and I have a plan in mind for another book I will start writing next year. My book sales definitely surpassed what I ever imagined, and I released The Fundamentals of SEO for the Average Joe in additional formats this year. So once again, success in my book, even if all of my goals in this area haven't been accomplished exactly as I had planned.

Looking back on 2011, I say it's been another very productive and successful year. I once again see big things in store for 2012, even if they don't happen according to plan. And, we will see how long it takes me to get the hang of writing 2012 on everything.

Looking back on 2011, what was your year like? Did you accomplish all of your goals?

Happy Writing!

You're Not a Writer...You're a Re-Writer

2011-11-28T05:08:00.000-08:00

by Alyssa Ast

Let's face it, not everyone is a natural born writer, even though many people try to be-- no offense anyone. It's easy to distinguish the natural writers from the "other" writers because of many little signs that stick out, although, they may not be recognizable to the average Joe. One way, I can always tell the natural writers from the others writers, is by topic ideas and the way content is written. Often, the unnatural writers feed off of the ideas of others without adding their own creative niche to the topic. In short, they simply re-write someone else's content, often including the exact same key points, tone, etc. When I see this, I want to jump through the computer screen and scream, "You're not a writer! You're a re-writer!"

Writer vs. Re-writer
Yes, I know, re-writing content for clients is part of the job description, but that shouldn't be the case with everything you write. Yes, I understand there are times we struggle with topic ideas and browse the work of others to try to piece together an idea. But, even then, your content should have some unique points, some creative points that aren't found in the sources you viewed. If you lack creativity, writing isn't the job for you.

When I see some one's work that's clearly someone else's work that has just been rewritten, my respect for that writer decreases, as well as their credibility. Quite honestly, I consider it to be a loathsome practice. I've had numerous pieces of my content rewritten, and I know what it feels like to have someone, basically, steal your ideas...your words. Some people don't even bother to change phrases or formatting from the work they have re-written. It's a very dishonest method of writing, in my opinion.

So, if you're struggling to find topic ideas, don't steal them from someone else, and if you do, be sure you're able to add a unique touch to it to make it yours, not someone elses. You discredit the writer who put in the effort to make that unique piece of content by stealing their ideas, and in the end, you're not a writer, you're a re-writer.

I know I'm not alone with this one. I know there are many writers who have been a victim of a "copy cat." How do you deal with copy cats stealing your ideas?

Happy Writing!

A Steady Flow of Thoughts

2011-11-16T06:01:00.000-08:00

by Alyssa Ast

Some days my brain seems to be unbalanced. One day, I'll be overwhelmed with thoughts, while the next day, it seems like I have thought every thought there is to think. It seems like it should be a steady flow of thoughts, but it's not. You would think, some of the thoughts from the days I'm flooded with ideas would carry over to the days I can't think of anything, even what I want to eat for breakfast. But no, it doesn't work that way. Is it writers block? No, I don't think so. I think some days my brain just works too hard and is exhausted from the day before.

A Steady Flow of Thoughts
As you're reading this, I'm sure you're thinking this must be one of the days where I can't think of anything. It's somewhat true, but not really because I can't seem to think of anything else to write, but this post. Is it a boring post? I'm sure it probably is, but for some reason my brain is compelled to write it. You know how it is, you just have to write about one thing before you can move onto something else because your brain just won't allow it to happen any other way.

It would certainly be nice if I had a steady flow of thoughts on a daily basis, but alas, it just doesn't seem to work that way.

So. now that I'm sure you're bored out of your mind by my insane rambling, are many of your days like this as well? Or, are you one of the lucky ones who has a never ending supply of a steady flow of thoughts?

Happy Writing!

When Helping Becomes Too Much

2011-11-14T06:00:00.000-08:00

by Alyssa Ast

As writers, we all posses different skills. As our careers grow, we acquire skills that newbies don't have. Often we are asked to help newbies for different reasons. Help them touch up their website, criticize their work or even help them learn a new skill to promote their writing career. I don't know about you, but I normally say yes when I'm asked for help because I remember being in that exact same spot just a short time ago. It's a way to give back, in my opinion. However, I don't always have the time to help, and as a result, I often become irritated with the amount of help some newbies ask of me. Some don't seem to understand, that although I don't mind helping, I do have other work to do; and therefore, I'm limited on the amount of time I can spend helping them out.

When Helping Becomes Too Much
For a while, I was being asked to help others so much I thought I would begin charging for mentoring, but it just didn't seem right. Yes, I do lose a lot of time, and my work often suffers when I do help the newbies, but to charge them for my time just doesn't seem to sit right. Yes, I take an income loss in some way helping out, but there are many writers who have helped me along the way and didn't charge me a penny--although, they probably could have.

I guess the main problem is, there needs to be a line drawn between helping and when helping becomes too much. I don't mind answering questions from time to time and pointing people in the right direction. But, when the emails begin causing me aggravation because I'm constantly being ambushed by them when I don't have the time, helping becomes too much.

I understand writers have questions and want their career to move forward, but there needs to be an equal understanding that my time is valuable. When asking for help, you need to be careful you aren't taking advantage of that help by just pushing it too far. If you can find the answer on Google, like you can almost always do, avoid sending out that extra email for the answer.

A career won't more forward without any effort involved. Hard work must be put into it. Next time you feel the need to ask for help, make sure you really need the help and aren't just taking the easy road because you know you have someone who will answer the question for you, allowing you to have a few more minutes to your day.

I think it's a consideration issue, or maybe a professional etiquette to only ask for help when you truly need it. And be sure not to take advantage of that help, because it is after all, free advice for you, but not for the writer offering it.

How do you handle situations when helping others becomes too much? Do you grit your teeth and deal with it, or do you just have to say, "I'm sorry, but I don't have the time?"

Happy Writing!

What do you write?

2011-11-11T05:07:00.000-08:00

by Alyssa Ast

The most annoying question I'm asked when people find out I'm a writer is, "what do you write?"And then, after I tell them what I do they just stare at me completely lost for words and end up more confused about what I do than when I first started talking. Not to mention the dumbfounded looks I receive when people ask me what types of books I've published. I guess SEO and SEM just aren't what people were hoping for. Next time someone asks me what I write, maybe I should just take the easy way out and tell them "words" or "sentences."

What do you write?
I really dread when people are about to ask me what I write because there's no easy answer. Writing involves so much that nonwriters just can't understand what we do in one or two simple sentences. If I say I'm an author, the next questions that follow are, "oh, what have you published" or "is it a book I would know about?" What am I supposed to say? No, you probably haven't unless you're into SEMPO. And if I say they are about marketing and SEO, I just get a disappointed, "oh."

Then, if I say I write articles or online content, the question is, "about what?" Sigh, there's just no easy answer at all. I could go into all the details about everything I write, but the poor person asking the question would probably get scared by my rambling and run away to never talk to me again.

No one understands what we do other than fellow writers. Nonwriters just don't seem to connect with what we do or our work like other writers do, which can be very frustrating at times. But hey, if someone told be they were a researcher or scientist, I'm sure I would ask, "what do you research?" Their answer would probably leave me just as dumbfounded as those who ask me what I write.

So what do you write? How do you answer this question without confusing people?

Happy Writing!

Twitter Addict

2011-11-09T05:43:00.000-08:00

by Alyssa Ast

As much as I used to dislike Twitter, I must admit...I'm now a Twitter addict! I used to hate Twitter and avoid it, but now I find myself wandering over to Twitter whenever I can. The professional benefits of a Twitter account are numerous, and you can quickly see the results of Twitter use, which is why I've become a Twitter addict.

Why I didn't like Twitter

Even though I've had a Twitter account for many years, I never really used it unless I had to. It took me a long time to see the appeal. It seemed so confusing and really limited on site capabilities. However, now that I understand how to use the site, it's actually quite simple and there are numerous capabilities, which I continue to discover every day. I still wish the site had a "like" button similar to Facebook and hope to some day be able to use more characters in tweets and messages, but no big deal.

Why I've Become a Twitter Addict

I love Twitter because the results of your marketing efforts are instant. The more active you are, the faster the results occur. Almost instantly, you notice an increase in followers, retweets, mentions and page views. And the more you use Twitter, the better it becomes.

One Twitter feature I love, is the fact you can target a certain audience directly. Plus, you can keep track of the audience that follows you, allowing you to clearly see where you need to make changes and what areas you're doing correctly. It allows you to build a relevant audience and make the connections you need to promote your writing career.

What sold me right away with Twitter, was when I learned you can optimize your Twitter profile and tweets. If you know me, you know I get weak in the knees when I hear search engine optimization. When I learned SEO could be used on Twitter, that was all I needed to become an addict.

Twitter is a great way to promote your work and your career. The page views to your online work sky rocket with Twitter use. Not to mention the contacts you make through the site. Job opportunities become available and your work reaches a much broader audience; thus, increasing your profit and career potentials.

Even though my Twitter account sat neglected for many years, the cobs webs have been dusted off, and it's become a daily tool for my writing career. If you haven't done so already, I highly encourage you to create a Twitter account. You never know, you just might become a Twitter addict as well.

Are you on Twitter? What do you like or dislike about the site? Share your account link with me, I will follow back!

Happy Writing!

There's Only 24 Hours in a Day

2011-11-07T05:26:00.000-08:00

by Alyssa Ast

Since the start of my writing career, I've always wished there were more than 24 hours in a day because it seems like I never have enough time to spend with my family or working. Each day feels so limited because there's only 24 hours in a day. But, the other day I took some time to evaluate exactly how I'm spending each hour throughout the day, and I realized if I practiced better time management 24 hours in a day is actually plenty.

There's Only 24 Hours in a Day
A couple of years ago, I kept my days very well planned out and scheduled to try to fit everything in. But after a while, I realized this method just didn't work for my family. It caused my writing or my family to suffer. Plus, I was always exhausted. So, I threw my tightly planned schedule out the window, and I've just sort of done whatever whenever for the past couple of years. But now I'm realizing this isn't working for me either. I'm far less productive this way, and it feels like there just isn't enough time in each day. I seem to always be one or two steps behind on everything, which increases my stress level as my productivity decreases.

So, a couple of days ago, I spent time writing down what I have to do work wise each day. Then, I wrote down how long each task should take me. After doing the math, I realized I should be getting way more done in half of the time I spend doing it. If I quit procrastinating and focused on working, I should be able to get far more done each day. I think this method will work well for me, timing each task, because I work better under deadlines. This provides me with a very doable schedule that I think I can actually stick to. And wouldn't you know it, I actually found out I have many more hours in my day that I could be using.

So that's it:

Stop procrastinating.
Stop wasting time.
Stick to a set time to complete each task.

I know some tasks may take longer than I planned and others will take less time than I planned, but overall, I think this method is going to work out very well for me.

How do you balance your family time and writing time? How are your time management skills?

Happy Writing!

The WM Freelance Writers Connection's Job Board: Get listed or get hired!

2011-10-24T12:52:00.000-07:00

I know I've mentioned the many features the WM Freelance Writers Connection offers, but there's one I've left out-- the job board.

The WM Freelance Writers Connection offers a free job board for writers to search for gigs and a place for employers to post their ad seeking services. Here are the benefits and how it works:

For Writers:
Browse an easy to navigate list containing a wide variety of writing related jobs and projects, which are updated every day. It's free to search and free to apply. Simply head over the The WM Freelance Writers Connection and click the "Jobs" tab.

For Employers
You can have your ad listed for only $10, and we will run for a period of 10 days. Simply go to the WM Freelance Writers Connections Job Board and follow the prompt to have your ad posted immediately. Have your ad viewed by writers from all backgrounds to find the perfect writer for your project.

A Glimpse of My Life

2011-10-19T13:10:00.000-07:00

by Alyssa Ast

I've been asked many times how I balance a writing career and being a mother to my four children. I wouldn't exactly call it balanced, but here's a glimpse of my life:

5:30 AM- The alarm clock goes off. I really should get up, but after getting up with the baby 3 times last night I smack the snooze button and go back to sleep.

6:00 AM- Husband, "Aren't you going to get up?" Crap, I slept through the snooze, and now I'm getting a late start. I drag myself out of bed, stumble to the kitchen to grab an energy drink and plop down in my computer chair to check email. How's it possible to get 80 emails overnight? Must wait for caffeine to kick in before I can sort through this ambush of emails.

6:30 AM- Caffeine has kicked in. Time to get started on these emails before the kids wake up BANG! Well, there goes my chance as the baby throws his bottle at the bedroom door to tell me he's ready to terrorize the house. Get him up and changed, rush off to the bathroom to make myself look halfway human before the rest of the kids are up.

7:00 AM- Kids are all up, breakfast is on the table. Time to make the most of the 15 minutes while they eat to get through these emails. Almost done when, "Mommy, it was an accident." Head over to clean up the spilled juice when I hear my inbox chime...another 5 emails have just come in.

7:30 AM- Kids are getting dressed for school, time to finish these emails. Get through the last one when my daughter asks me to do her hair, while my son is chasing me around asking if his shoes are on the right feet and my other son's nose is bleeding once again. Not to mention the baby has taken his diaper off and is streaking through the house.

8:00 AM- Kids are all dressed and ready to go. Wish I could hop on the computer for 5 minutes to check my Facebook pages, but it's going to have to wait because the kids need their lunches made.

9:00 AM- 2 of the 4 kids are at school and 3 hours to work before lunch. Motivation has set in with full force, time to put my nose to the grind stone and get busy. I quickly go over my to do list for the day to figure out what to do first. Pick an article. Yes! I can do this in 30 minutes but, "Mommy, Nathan stinks!" Change the baby, come back to work, crap, there went my train of thought and focus goes out the window. After 15 minutes, I get back on track, spend the rest of the morning crossing things off my to do list when I look up at the clock...

12:15 PM- My son's complaining because I worked 15 minutes past lunch time. Make lunch, get laundry started, hope to get a couple of social media tasks accomplished before the kids finish lunch. Too late, the baby has thrown his lunch on the floor. Looks like I now have to mop the kitchen, which I really don't have time for today. Put baby down for a nap...

1:30 PM- Baby is finally asleep. Son is occupied for the time being, even though he made the living room look like a tornado hit in the process. 1 hour left before I need to clean up the house. Force myself to work even though I wish I could take a nap. Get a lot accomplished, even if it wasn't everything I wanted to, yet it was still progress.

2:30 PM- Time to clean up before the husband comes home. Bribe my son to clean up his mess in the living room. Wish I could finish that last project for today, but it's going to have to wait because the dishes are calling my name.

3:30 PM- House is clean. 15 minutes before husband gets home. Go to sit down to check emails when I hear BANG...baby is awake

4:15 PM- Kids and hubby are home. 45 minutes to get homework done before I have to start dinner. Fold laundry while I help the kids with their homework...one kid is finished by the time I get the first load folded. Second kid's pencil broke, run to the computer to check emails while he sharpens it. Look at the clock, time it ticking, really need to get dinner started.

5:30 PM- Dinner is done. Homework is finished except for the kids reading and spelling words. Sit down on the floor to occupy the baby while the older kids spell and read, but glance over at the computer, "Man, I really need to get that project done."

5:50 PM- Kids are playing. Time to get some marketing done. 20 minutes in the phone rings. Ignore it! Ignore it! But I answer it...bad move, lost 20 minutes of work time.

6:30 PM- Time to get the kids in the shower and clothes out for school the next day. In between showers I'm typing as many sentences as I can to finish this last article. Go back to read it over and nothing makes sense. Needs to be rewritten, but going to have to wait until after kids are in bed.

7:30 PM- Kids are in bed..whewwwww. Now I can work. Rewrite the article, begin proofing it when BANG, baby doesn't think it's bedtime yet. Go get the baby, sit back down to work when husband asks, "Are you going to be working much longer?" Want to say yes, but know I need to spend time with him. "Only a few more minutes," I answer.

8:00 PM- Article finished and submitted. Baby back in bed. A million thoughts a minute as I have a growing to do list. It's going to be a long night. I deserve a break...just a short one. Sit down on the couch to spend a few minutes with the husband.

8:45 PM- Crap! I still have work to do, but the couch is so inviting. I try to get up, I really do but my body just won't move. All desire and motivation to finish the day's work as left the room, even though the agonizing thoughts of "You'll regret it in the morning" take over. I give up for the night, but there's the laundry on the love seat I folded earlier that needs put away. I really should put it away but it can wait until the morning...at least it got folded.

10:00 PM- Took a shower and feel more awake than I have all day. I should get work done since I have a slight urge to do so, but it's already 10! If I don't sleep now I'm going to regret it. Lay down to go to sleep but all I can think about it the work I didn't finish and what I have to do tomorrow. I have an entire article written in my head by 12 AM, just needs put on paper, satisfied I finally drift off to sleep.

1:00 AM- What seems like seconds later the baby is up and screaming. Give him a bottle and he goes to sleep. As soon as my head hits the pillow, my oldest son wakes up coughing...sigh, he's going to need a breathing treatment. Get the breathing treatment set up, may as well get some work done while I wait for the treatment to finish.

1:30 AM- Half of the article that was in my head when I laid down is now typed. Now wide awake I want to keep working as I send my son back to bed, but the rest of the kids will be up in only a few hours and I will never survive the day if I don't get any sleep.

3:00 AM- Get 1 hour of sleep and the baby is up again. He's fussy and doesn't want to go to sleep, so I take him to bed with me. I know, big no no but I am sooooo tired.

3:30 AM- Baby is once again asleep so I put him back to bed. Only 2 hours until the alarm clock goes off...MUST SLEEP! Drift off to sleep when I hear BEEP BEEP BEEP. Time to start all over.

When I first began my writing career, I tried to schedule my writing and my family, but I quickly learned it just doesn't work that way. Either your writing will suffer or your family will suffer.

The key is to use every opportunity you see as a chance to get some writing done, even if it means only writing 1 or 2 sentences.

How do you balance your family life with your writing?

Happy Writing!

Bigger Paycheck Equals a Bigger Headache

2011-10-17T15:18:00.000-07:00

by Alyssa Ast

Now, that my income has increased by quite a bit thanks to better clients, I've quickly learned a bigger income also causes a bigger headache. The stress level of my daily work has increased along with my paycheck, as well as the pressure to do better. I love the fact that I'm making a lot more money, but I'm also overwhelmed beyond belief and feel like I'm stretched to the max from every direction.

Bigger Paycheck Equals Bigger Headache
A bigger paycheck also appears to cause me to have less time. My work load has actually decreased, but it seems like now there really aren't enough hours in the day. I feel like I'm always one step behind where I should be each day and feel as though I just can't catch up. You know how it goes, you cross one thing off of the to do list and two more tasks appear. With the smaller clients, I never felt this way. Yes, my time was limited, but I felt like I was far more productive than I am now.

Also, a bigger paycheck means I have less time to procrastinate. Before I could wait until the very last minute to get a deadline in, whereas, now I feel rushed to get each task done as quickly as possible. As a result, my stress level has sky rocketed.

Before if I lost a client, no big deal, but now if I lose a client there will be a huge bite taken from my income that will be difficult to replace. So now I'm stressed out over maintaining customer satisfaction to an even greater extent.

Sure, I always hoped to get to this point with my writing career, but no one ever told me how stressful it would be.

How do you deal with the stress?

Happy Writing!

Changing gears for a while-- freelance writer or social media?

2011-10-10T11:45:00.000-07:00

by Alyssa Ast

Although my job description usually says "freelance writer" or "journalist," it seems to be changing gears for a little while, and it now includes "social media." But that's goes hand-in-hand with writing, right? Well, maybe not, but it's paying the bills so whatever works.

This new social media gig I landed is definitely worth the pay check, but it's eating up a ton of my time so my writing has kind of been on hold for the past couple of weeks. As if I didn't spend enough time on social networking sites before, I sure do spend a ton of time on them now...but I'm not complaining, really I'm not. I'm just searching for time to write.

I need to re-balance my life and my new job description. I don't want to be just a social media person, and I don't want to be just a writer. I need to find a happy medium where I can balance them both to bring in a decent income from both jobs.

Life certainly likes to throw curve balls. Just when I thought I had my career path figured out, I decided to change things up. Will I stick with social media forever and pursue other clients? I don't know, but for now it's working even if my writing seems to have taken the backseat lately.

Do you do social media and write? How do you balance it?

Happy Writing...or um...networking