This week’s worth-inducing tip attempts to undo what could be a genetic flaw, but that’s never stopped me from trying. Too often writers, mostly those at the beginning of their careers, will insert an apology alongside a proposal. Raise your hand if you’ve said or typed any of the following paraphrased lines: – “I’m sorry,…
Month: January 2010
Checks, Lies, and Silly Red Tape
Some of them are good – very good. I’m talking about the clients and pseudo-clients who cajole us into sticking our necks out or taking on work or working conditions that normally we’d run from. But haven’t we all said, “But they were so nice!” Yes, they were. It’s how they get you. By investing…
Partnering for Perfection
It’s been a bit of an angst-filled week so far. One of my newer projects isn’t going well, and it seems it’s more a matter of I-don’t-get-their-business-model rather than I can’t please them. The client is hanging in there with me and giving me some additional attention, which is great. I love when we all…
Myth Busting
It cracks me up to read writer advice columns sometimes. So many of them parrot what they think to be true without really considering if it holds up in practice. My least favorite: Write what you know. Considering that back a few decades ago when I first heard this advice I was living in the…
Manic Mondays
So far this morning the power has gone out and with these high winds, I suspect it’ll be more of the same all day. I’m fortunate that my deadlines are Friday. It’s going to be a long day. It was a long weekend, too. I was on edge – a client had written and expressed…
Worthy Tip: Stand Up
Welcome to Friday. If you’re like me, you look forward to weekends during the busy times especially. Today I’m floating on the remnants of the wonder-drug codeine and its counterpart penicillin. I’ll kill this sinus infection or myself. Either way, I’ll not be sick much longer. Today’s worthy tip: When dealing with client negotiations this…
Say Aaaaahhh
This has been the best week. Yes, I’ve been miserable with this cold/sinus infection, but when I open my email in the morning, I don’t tense up or stress. I smile. More signs that dropping those projects was a great idea. Because I fulfill my obligations, I still have residual edits coming in from this…
Recovering
I’m not talking about my recovery, but yours. Mistakes, errors in judgment, bad decisions just happen. Sometimes it’s because we’re inundated with too much work, sometimes it’s because we open our mouths and insert our foots, sometimes we take on something we’re not sure we can handle. It happens to everyone. How we recover, well,…
Thump, Thump, Thump
That’s the beat hammering out in my sinuses right now. Having had little sleep last night thanks to the sinus infection that’s taken over where the cold left off, I’m exhausted. I went to sleep with high hopes – I’d had a good day, little coughing, much healing. Then I made the mistake of lying…
Politically Speaking
Maybe it’s a new trend and I’m behind the curve, but I’ve been seeing a great deal of email correspondence, tweets, and bold statements lately from business colleagues expressing their political views in group emails or segmented business groups. Before you think I’m overreacting, know that these are people with whom I’ve worked but have…