lwidmer | Words on the Page

Where’s Your Sizzle?

Posted on May 24, 2011 by lwidmer

What I’m reading: Sweet Thursday by John SteinbeckWhat’s on the iPod: Moving Clocks Run Slow by We Were Promised Jetpacks Interesting day yesterday – Mondays usually are. I had troubles getting going, but I managed most of my to-do list. Weird when that happens. I felt a little guilty for not working harder, but what…

Choosing Your Mentor Wisely

Posted on May 23, 2011 by lwidmer

What I’m reading: Sweet Thursday by John SteinbeckWhat’s on the iPod: Sign of the Times by The Clarks My car is back! Actually, it’s been working since Thursday. It was still dead when the mechanic got to it on Wednesday, which made the cause easier to find. It wouldn’t stay dead, however, but it was…

Worthy Tip: This Job, Not That Job

Posted on May 20, 2011 by lwidmer

What I’m reading: Sweet Thursday by John Steinbeck Yesterday was phone-and-email day. I had a bunch of interviews to conduct, and I finished contacting all the folks I’d met at the conference. Today I’m talking with one of them in more detail about what he’s looking for. Part of the work yesterday was putting together…

The Follow Through

Posted on May 19, 2011 by lwidmer

What I’m reading: Sweet Thursday by John Steinbeck I’m slowly getting back into my routine post-Vancouver and post-Mom. Yesterday was a good work day. I managed a number of interviews, some articles, and a few blog posts. Today, a little more of the same. Plus I have a few more business cards from the conference…

Stuff I’ve Learned

Posted on May 18, 2011 by lwidmer

What I’m reading: Sweet Thursday by John SteinbeckWhat’s on the iPod: Nothing. The car’s in the shop and the iPod is in the car. Why does it seem like I’m running through my days lately? Maybe because I am. I spent yesterday trying to get to phone interviews and doing everything else. But everything else…

Startups or Not

Posted on May 17, 2011 by lwidmer

What I’m reading: Guide to Human Conduct by P. R. SarkarWhat’s on the iPod: Better Together by Jack Johnson Back to normal. With Mom back home, I had about three hours uninterrupted to get some work done. I managed a good bit. I have a head start on the newsletter project, all parties contacted, and…

Forward Motion

Posted on May 16, 2011 by lwidmer

Thanks to everyone who participated, commented, and spread the word about Writers Worth Week. Thanks especially to those who hosted my blog posts last week. If you missed them, you can find them here: Cathy MillerKimberly BenAnne WaymanJenn MatternDevon EllingtonTiah BeautementZukiswa WannerDamaria Senne If you missed commenting on Friday or yours was one of the…

Writers Worth Week, Day Five: Bringing it Together

Posted on May 13, 2011 by lwidmer

I’d like to thank Blogger for giving me minor coronaries as it decided to break yesterday and only now get up and running. I have no idea if this post will even show as my last one from yesterday is still MIA. The final stop on the Writers Worth Week blog tour is the blog…

Writers Worth Week, Day Four: Define Your Target

Posted on May 12, 2011 by lwidmer

What I’m reading: Sweet Thursday by John SteinbeckWhat’s on the iPod: Tupelo Honey by Van Morrison Hurry on over to Jenn Mattern’s All Freelance Writing. Jenn, who is a writer and business person we should all emulate, has given yours truly the space to rant on about more things worth-related. Give her comment love, will…

Writers Worth Week, Day Three: Improve Yourself

Posted on May 11, 2011 by lwidmer

What I’m reading: Sweet Thursday by John SteinbeckWhat’s on the iPod: Summer Nights by Rascal Flatts I must be nuts. Riding the fumes of my business/vacation trip to Vancouver, I schedule Writers Worth Week. Then right smack in the middle of that miracle of scheduling – today – my mother arrives for a visit. I’m…

Fi

May 11, 2011

Lori – I've tried clicking on the link for Avid Writer and it's going to something written by Ralph someone or other with stupid comments on it ??????

Lori

May 11, 2011

My fault, Fi. Sorry. The link will work now. Thanks for letting me know.

Cathy

May 11, 2011

One of the things I try to do is regularly go out and find out how to do or use something I didn't know, then blog about it.

To make myself more accountable (because I have let this slide lately), I have an idea that I will roll out soon. I figure if I am committed to blogging about something new that I learned, I will be more inclined to follow through on that goal.

Lori

May 11, 2011

Cathy, that's an impressive accountability exercise. And what a neat way to make yourself an expert in a new area!

Irreverent Freelancer

May 11, 2011

Just helped spread the word. Have I told you lately how awesome you are?! LOL

Ashley

May 11, 2011

This is brilliant because it's so simple. Sometimes we as businesspeople get so involved in the business that we forget to make time for ourselves, which would make us more valuable to the business. I do several of these suggestions regularly to improve my skills. Being a part of your community, Lori, has been amazing, and I'm also a board member for the local chapter of the Association for Women in Communications. I've met so many wonderful people who are really supportive, and that has been the smartest thing I could have done for my business so far. That, and I try to make time to read something to improve my skills every day. It's been hard to keep up with that lately, but I'm getting back on track.

Lori

May 11, 2011

Kathy, thanks!!

At least you didn't say I was the wind beneath your wings! LOL

Super advice, Ashley! And you're right – we don't invest in ourselves very much. We work our hours, then switch off work altogether.

Paula

May 11, 2011

Since I was a baby, I've been known far and wide as Patient Paula. Patience can be a virtue, but it can also be a roadblock. That's why the area I've struggled with the most is holding others accountable.

I like to assume people will do as promised. The publisher who owes me for work done several months ago certainly didn't. I've been contacting him every week or so about payment, and have found myself growing increasingly impatient with him. Funny how that impatience finally got him to act. A couple weeks ago I said I would be forced to seek other means of collecting my fees if he didn't reply. He replied within minutes, saying I'd be paid the next week. I wasn't, so yesterday in honor of Writers' Worth Week, I sent a follow up e-mail, opening with, "Happy Writers' Worth Week! What a wonderful time to prove how much you value the writers whose words fill the pages of your magazines," and asking for a status update. He replied this morning saying he cut checks last night and mailed them this morning. I'll be patient a few days longer, to give them time to arrive.

I'll never be a micro manager, since 95% of the time people really do as they say. But I know I need to be more assertive with the 5% who keep dropping the ball.

Next up: My phone company. One year ago they hiked my DSL rates. When I complained they promised the new rate would be frozen for two years. Guess what? They raised it again.

Lori

May 11, 2011

Paula, I think patience has its limits, and you've done exactly the right thing. Now if he comes back saying "I don't understand why the check didn't arrive", that's when you insist on an overmighted check at HIS expense or your attorney will be calling. Watch him move then!

Kimberly Ben

May 11, 2011

Thanks again for sharing the awesome guest post today Lori. 🙂

Ronda Levine

May 11, 2011

I think that it's important to work on professional development – especially when you're a writer. No matter how long you've been working, you can always learn more and improve. I read widely, and I try to work with other writers so I can learn about what works well for them. I'm getting ready to apply to MFA programs so that I can further hone my fiction craft.

Wade Finnegan

May 11, 2011

I know marketing is my weakness. The social media is overwhelming and sending queries is daunting, but I'm learning. I leaned on Lori today for some help and she came through immediately. Thanks Lori! I'm going to take some patience from Paula and apply it to myself. I find myself frustrated that the money isn't rolling in faster. There is a learning curve and it takes awhile to climb it.

L.C. Gant

May 11, 2011

Paula, I'd be happy to take some of that patience off of your hands. Lord knows I could use it! I've been struggling with the lack of it quite a bit lately.

In a way, that's one of the advantages of living in the writing world, I think. It's a more level playing field than most. We're all working on something, or at least we should be. No one ever gets to the point where they truly "know it all."

Pamela Moeng

May 12, 2011

I can attest to the reading and asking advice. Self-teaching works for me. I type 60 wpm now. Years ago, I taught myself to type using my late dad's dog-eared, yellowing army issue typing manual – a leftover from his army days. Being never-too-proud-to-ask has also helped me tremendously. My longtime friend Damaria is also a writer and her advice, along with that gleaned from other writer friends and writing publications has assisted me to improve my skills and broaden my knowledge. This week your site, Lori, has given me new ideas and motivated me to work even harder at improving as well as marketing myself as a writer. Thank you!

Lori

May 12, 2011

Blogger hates me – all my comments are disappearing. I'll be back when it's behaving. Sorry. 🙁

Anne Wayman

May 12, 2011

Asking for help is my favorite these days… people truly love to help and I sure need help so it works for all concerned.

hugs