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Author: lwidmer

Guest Post: Put Your Own Writing First

Posted on by lwidmer

Ah, you thought I’d abandoned you completely, didn’t you? Thanks to a few of my closest cyber chums, I’ve left vapor trails and enough incredible content from these fine writers to keep you discussing/debating until I get back. Today’s post by Anne Wayman speaks directly to that awesome Craving Balance workshop Lisa Gates has going….

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Are You an Enabler?

Posted on by lwidmer

I have to thank Kathy Kehrli for this link to a post by Angela Hoy. Angela’s a champion in our profession – she has a system in place to chase down deadbeat clients and turn up the heat, getting many of them to pay. For that, we should all be bowing down and taking turns…

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Monthly Assessment – July

Posted on by lwidmer

It’s a day early, but I may be too busy tomorrow to post my monthly review. July started out rocky – most people are on vacation, so no real work to speak of. I sat with little to do until the second full week of this month. I decided to head up to Ontario to…

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Vacation Prep

Posted on by lwidmer

With vacation time drawing nearer, I spent the weekend planning, packing, and doing chores outside (and working). I pushed the lawn mower around Sunday and then made the stupid decision to wash and wax my car. I say stupid because it was 85 and insanely humid here. That wash/wax nearly put me in a hospital….

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Things I Ponder

Posted on by lwidmer

I’m totally overworked today (amen – I have work!), so I can’t give you long, thoughtful ponderings on writing. I can, however, share with you the junk in my brain that keeps me up nights. Add your own to the list. Oh, and if you have answers, I’d love to hear them! Why do banks…

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In Your Defense

Posted on by lwidmer

There’s a reason I stopped ghostwriting books. Well, there are several reasons – clients wanting to pay in royalties (if at all); expecting me to also publicize, market, and sell the book; wanting endless revisions even with a contract that stated otherwise; and the posse coming in to trash all the work the client and…

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Exhaustion and the Full Work Day

Posted on by lwidmer

It’s only 8 a.m. and I’m ready to drop back into bed. Didn’t sleep much at all last night. Between the hot/cold spells, the aches and pains (I feel so OLD some days), the pre-vacation brain waves, and the coming change in seasons that I can just feel, I was up beyond midnight. Like clockwork,…

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The Stress and Interruption Train

Posted on by lwidmer

Ouch. Once again this summer, my sinus infection is back. The minute my ear starts to hurt, I know. I should. It’s happened three times (four now) since May. I’d ignore it and simply overdose on Mucinex, but it doesn’t go away. But I can’t be sick. I’m too busy. How do you deal with…

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But What About How Much You’re Worth?

Posted on by lwidmer

My favorite Avid Writer Kimberly Ben has a great post up this week about why some freelancers (not her, so don’t give her grief) choose to work with content mills instead of traditional freelancing routes. The idea came to her after reading a discussion/debate on a forum where some writers were defending, even justifying their…

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Time Suckers

Posted on by lwidmer

Life coach and friend Lisa Gates has a wonderful workshop for women called Craving Balance. In it, she shows us how to reorder our priorities – not carve out time for things we want to do, but how to shift our focus so what we want is front-and-center. Amen, sister. It was one of the…

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  1. Krista Avatar
    Krista

    My parents live about three hours away from me. They go to my aunt's quite a bit (about an hour from me). The hardest for me is when they call on Tuesday or Wednesday and say, "we're coming tomorrow. Do you want us to pick you up on the way?" Most times I can shuffle some things around and swing it, but not always. When I say no I feel like they think I just don't want to spend time with them, even though I know they wouldn't make those kinds of assumptions if I had an office job.

    Reply
  2. Lisa Gates Avatar
    Lisa Gates

    Lori, thank you for the praise! Time for a real life example:

    You've got great boundaries. What I notice about how you work (at least for the work you've done for me) is that you schedule specific time to work on specific projects. You then tell clients when you're going to work on the project and when you expect it to be complete.

    And then you kept your word. That's more than good. It's great, fantastic, amazing. Unusual.

    I think this is a big reason why people are out of balance…they don't want to be held responsible for what they commit to, so they don't commit. This has a huge impact not only on our sense of wellbeing and completion, but on our wallets!

    Ahh, the crazy double binds.

    Excellent, beautiful work my friend!

    Reply
  3. Gabriella F. Avatar
    Gabriella F.

    I live in a six-unit condo, and it's common for neighbors to think I'll be here to meet contractors.

    Sometimes I don't mind because I'm on the board and like to ask questions of contractors myself.

    But it grinds me when one of my co-owners e-mails me and says, "X contractor is available Monday. Is there a time you can meet him?"

    I often say no, that I'm crazy crunched with interviews and writing. And I don't feel a bit guilty about it!

    Reply
  4. Lori Avatar
    Lori

    Gabriella, you shouldn't feel guilty (neither should you, Krista). They're asking you to take time away from your job to be there for them. Would they do the same for you? Doubtful.

    Krista, I suspect your parents know you can't drop it all and go play. It's okay to stop feeling guilty about that. 🙂

    Lisa, thank you for the kind words, hon! Those boundaries were hard won, but I protect them fiercely. The priorities during my work day are set in stone – no outside, unrelated forces will interfere without a tussle. Like you said, I keep my word. I don't care if that means marital rifts or kids hassling me – I have deadlines and dang it, I meet them.

    Reply
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