Do you want my picture password?
Apr 18, 2008 Book work, work work work
If you do, just ask. I have yet to say no to anyone. I just want to control who looks at ‘em because I had issue with people swiping them or hotlinking. Keeping them behind a password means they won’t show up on google searches and that anyone wondering through my blog will have to make an effort to browse. But if you read her and want it I’ll be happy to share. (You can also friend me on facebook because I have pics there but on myspace, there aren’t any of the kids’ faces. I don’t like myspace all that much.)
It’s 10am and I’m already halfway through my must-do work for the day. Is this because I’m super-quick? Or because I’m low on work? A combination of the two, my friends. I am speedy but I also only have two jobs to get done today and I already put one to bed.
Thank you for the comments and emails in support of my book efforts; they are very appreciated! My plan as of now is to print out the table of contents and stare at it for awhile to see what I want to write in it. I may hit up another agent on my list but I think I want to write another chapter first. Way back when I had an agent approach me after reading an article I wrote (and it was one logic board disaster and a couple of email systems ago so I’ve lost her contact info) so it makes sense to try to place something from the book and see if it scares up interest. No rush. I’m working on ZEN CAREER MINDING. Seems like urgency and fear aren’t the terrific motivators I’d thought they might be.
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Tags: literary agents, platform, working from home, writing books, writing life
Writing for love and money
Apr 11, 2008 Writing
Get this. I’m supposed to deliver this talk in June for the Greater Columbus Arts Council:
Becoming a Working Artist: What it Takes to Make a Living (Workshop)
June 25, 11:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
GCAC Large Conference Room, 100 East Broad Street, Ste. 2250
Writer Dawn Friedman will talk about her switch from part-time writer to full-time freelancer and family breadwinner. She will discuss the challenges of balancing artistic and financial needs and share the way she learned to market her job skills through marketing her creative self. Space is limited to 25 attendees, so pre-registration is required by June 13 to attend this informative event.
And of course that came into my email and my addled insecure little brain shouted, “Fraud!” at itself because I was invited to do this during a particularly high point of my life last year and today happens to be a rather low point of my life this year. (That sounds overly dramatic — I mean I’m having a week where I spend a lot of time worrying.)
See, I made sure my work calendar would be clear while I was in Portland (for the most part) and kinda forgot to line up work for the weeks after, which means down the line there the mailbox will be woefully empty of checks. Oops. That reminds me — any of y’all got any writing you need written? Because I’ve got a keyboard right here and I’m not afraid to use it!
As you can see, I’m hustling. And the meetings are revving back up and soon (one hopes) the email box will be filling up with assignments again.
I know one thing I’ll talk about at the workshop is branding because I absolutely absolutely absolutely think that branding is vital to consider in a creative career although it might not seem quite like it on the surface. Branding is such a shallow word for such an important thing, which is that you (I) need to understand how people see you (me). The difference between a working (as in trying to make a living) artist and a corporation is that the corporation is something of a slave to its brand and an artist isn’t but an artist still needs to understand the message her work is sending in order to understand how to get more work.
I mean, this is as simple as saying if you’ve built a reputation as a sculptor and now you’re working in pastels, you have to understand that some folks will have a hard time visualizing your work outside of the sculpture box they’ve set you in and this may play into how they feel about giving you a grant or a show or a commission. It doesn’t mean that once you sculpt you must always sculpt; it means that understanding what you’re up against in other people’s minds will help you get around those barriers.
What I’ve realized recently is that I’ve built a pretty good platform within the adoption community and now I face the danger of limiting myself (i.e., only speaking to the adoption community) and that I need to concentrate on my brand as Writer. Because I’m not an adoption writer — I’m a writer who writes about adoption an awful lot. But I want to have room to write about other things and (importantly because of the message I want to send) I want to write about adoption for more than just an adoption audience.
Is this making sense?
These are two things that I think confuse other writers: branding and marketing. And these are huge things. Once you’ve understood your brand, you have to understand how to market yourself (I am confused by this myself and am working hard to get clear on it, which means sifting through a whole bucket of neuroses. So fun, this artist stuff). Some of it — the marketing — is obvious like knowing which clips to mention in a pitch to this market or that. But some of it is hard like knowing how to hammer down the doors when I have huge emotional roadblocks to pitching. (What is up with that??? I’ve been pitching for, what, 8 years now? And still — the horror!)
Oh and if you want to come to my talk even though I’m outing myself as a person afraid to give it, hit up the good folks at the GCAC. I’ll be awfully glad to have you.
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Tags: brand, creative, freelance, freelancing, GCAC, marketing, money, platform, Portland, Workshop, Writing
Finally feeling settled
Apr 4, 2008 Writing
I’m still sick but I’m finally feeling like I’m really home and looking forward to next week and being back in the swing of things. I upgraded wordpress (went off without a hitch) and really like the new interface. For those of you who don’t like change — there’s a lot of change. Lots of ajax (the coding that makes things look all smooth and pretty like on facebook) and new colors but things aren’t in their usual place and it looks like uploading photos isn’t working for me. (I may need to disable some plugins.)
I had some good working news this morning and some good working news this afternoon. Neither are sure things but either one of them goes through it’ll be a rocking good time. I’m trying to work out what my commitments are and whether or not I really can take on blogging for adoption.com. Part of it depends on whether or not I get this new client on board because if I do, my time will be seriously limited. Plus there are some contract issues for me but that’s my problem, (which is to say that the boss-women over there are — in internet speak — teh awesome).
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Gazing out at the clothesline
Apr 2, 2008 Writing, work work work
I’m sitting at the kitchen table waiting for my appointment to show up (I’m meeting them here instead of down in the dark, dank office) and feeling exhausted but accomplished. Half the travel laundry is done (my clothes and Madison’s clothes) and mine is hanging out to dry. I got some new skirts for me at the Hanna outlet — finally found some above the knee so I can look like I actually live in the new millennium — and they’re swinging in the wind, too. The kids are roller skating.
I am very very very tired. Madison celebrated the homecoming by wetting the bed. This is the downside of the family bed seeing as how she was rammed into my back when she did it. We all needed changing after that. So we’re humming on about five hours of sleep but Noah got the full eight so he’s chipper and patient with us.
I’m trying to make some work decisions but am feeling too addled to make sense of it. It’s sort of this platform struggle where I’m trying to figure out how much energy to throw that way and how much energy to spend on other things. Truth is, I came back from this trip pretty discouraged.
I’m not sure why this is although I have some theories. Surely part of it is that I was hoping to have my income more settled a year into freelancing and while my income has grown, it hasn’t settled. I’m still chasing clients (although not as much) and I’m still chasing checks (because not every client chooses to pay on time). I wanted to have a bigger safety net and for that I need a bigger income.
Brett’s brothers (and his little brother’s wife — the one we stayed with) are in similar straits since none of them have employers; they all work for themselves. A heady dinner topic on our trip was “So what are you doing about health insurance?”
I think I need to make a more concentrated effort to pay attention to the creative side of my career. It’s been neglected as of late because I’m afraid to take too much time away from the commercial side of things. I think I need to get over that and let things lie for a bit since I’m getting burned out. After all, one of the reasons I wanted to do things this way is that I need a job where I can change-up as needed.
I’ve been reading about INFPs and jobs ‘cuz I find it reassuring and validating. Like why I get so angst-y about some of my clients (wondering if I’m selling out and gnashing my teeth about it) and why I feel conflicted about making money and why I crumple up into a little ball when I think about all the self-promotion a gal needs to do to get ahead these days and why I have the attention span of a gnat. If you read it, you can also appreciate some of the whys and wherefores of my blogging (every bit of it resonates from the need for meaning to the need for recognition — but not too much — and the disorganization):
At work, INFPs contribute their creativity, their value system, and their ability to work with others. They are able to see the larger picture and how specific programs fit in. They do not dwell on the trivialities or the details. Their job must be fun, although not raucous, and it must be meaningful to them. They need a strong purpose in their work. They want to be recognized and valued, without undue attention given to them. They may become embarrassed when make the center of attention. As a result, they may undersell their strengths in order to avoid being singled out and made to feel conspicuous. They would rather have their worth be noticed gradually over time.
INFPs like to work with cooperative people committed to the same values that they are. They can become bothered when they see others working at cross purposes, especially when conflict is overt. They do not like competition or bureaucracy. They need privacy. Calm and quiet appeal to them, as does time and space for reflection. People usually like working with INFPs even though they may not know them well.
INFPs are quite disorganized. But when tasks at hand are important and best done in an organized way, INFPs strive to do so. Practicality is not a driving force for INFPs. Things that traditionally belong together may not be placed together because the INFP does not see it as necessary. They have trouble finishing what they start because of their perfectionistic nature. When they do finish a project, they may not consider it done ‘for good.’ Projects can always be improved upon, revised, and reworked, and therefore INFPs find it hard to bring tasks to closure. Because they are able to visualize the finished product long before it is done, the actual completion is of less importance.
INFPs prefer occupations in which they can be involved in making the world better. Having their heart in their work is important to them. These occupations also allow for an element of creativity and flexibility. INFPs are particularly interested to be counselor, editor, education consultant, English teacher, fine arts teacher, journalist, psychologist, religious educator, social scientist, social worker, teacher, writer, and other occupations that engage their values.
and
At work, INFPs are adaptable, welcome new ideas and new information, are well aware of people and their feelings, and relate well to most, albeit with some psychological distance. INFPs dislike telephone interruptions and work well alone, as well as with others. They are patient with complicated situations, but impatient with routine details. They can make errors of fact, but seldom of values. Their career choices may be toward the ministry, missionary work, college teaching, psychiatry, architecture, psychology-and away from business. They seem willing and usually are able to apply themselves scholastically to gain the necessary training for professional work, often doing better in college than in high school. They have a natural interest in scholarly activities and demonstrate, as do the other NF’s, a remarkable facility for languages. Often they hear a calling to go forth into the world to help others; they seem willing to make the necessary personal sacrifices involved in responding to that call, even if it means asking others to do likewise. INFPs can make outstanding novelists and character actors, for they are able to efface their own personalities in their portrayal of a character in a way other types cannot.
from INFP the Dreamer
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Tags: career angst, career choices, career options, creative, high school, infp, Madison, Noah, platform
My big old site
Feb 7, 2008 Blogging
I think I need to start taking down some archives. My site is just too big, my database is just too complicated. I think that what I’d like to do is whittle things down and streamline it. The reason NOT to do it just yet is that the ridiculous size of my archives gives me great search engine juice and frankly, I need my hits to stay up while I work on selling my book.
So that’s another reason I hope to sell my book. Fame, fortune and a smaller blog. (Truthfully I do not expect fame or fortune — just more opportunity. But a smaller blog, now that’s a realistic goal!)
I’ve got a bunch of work to do but want to write an Actual Blog Entry today if I clear my desk soon enough. Here’s hoping!!
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Tags: archives, blog disasters, platform, wordpress