Make Up Your Mind

September 15, 2020– The other day, while I was walking to the mailbox, I saw a squirrel trying to decide whether or not to cross the road. It went left, then right, then back left again, then right, then onto the road and boom…hit by a car. It was awful, and I felt so bad for the little critter. Perhaps we can learn something from the squirrel’s indecision and that not being able to decide quickly can be fatal for our business and our writing careers.

It reminds me of a time a couple of years ago. I was a guest speaker at a writer’s group and after the session I had a few students hang around to chat. We talked about all kinds of things, but something that stood out to me was the lack of decisiveness among one person in the group. We talked about a number of subjects and got on the topic of future goals. I asked the group what they would like to accomplish with their writing and what steps were they actively taking to meet those accomplishments.

One woman said that she had a goal of being a published author, but couldn’t decide which story to send in, which contest to submit to, which publisher to pitch to, or if she should sign up for a writing seminar. So, I asked her what she was going to do and she looked at me and said, “I waited too long…the contest is over, the publisher that was accepting my genre of writing has closed their submissions window, and the writing seminar was last week.”

Moral of the story? If you wait too long and are indecisive, you’ll miss your opportunity.  It’s important to make decisions with confidence and speed. Quick descision making skills are linked with success and it’s possible to overthink things to the point of destruction and in the squirrel’s case, death. So, why do people hesitate? Because they’re afraid of being wrong.

I don’t work with people who can’t decide; it costs time and money to hum and haw and think about things for too long. I prefer to work with those who take action.

Sheryl Sandberg said it best, “If you’re offered a seat on a rocket ship, don’t ask what seat! Just get on.”

Five minutes of action is worth more than a hundred hours of indescision. Don’t miss your chance!

 

Dealing with Critics…

December 7, 2018- Everyone is a critic. There are times when we all seem to think that we know better and that we know more when it comes to certain things; maybe we’re an expert in our field, or maybe we have many years of experience. The point is that there will always be someone who knows more than you.

Please remember that criticism when properly portrayed and worded can be extremely effective in helping us become better; publishers, like myself, often give constructive criticism to writers because we want them to apply what we’ve said to make them a better writer. It’s never, ever personal and is never meant to offend. I think that it’s a big problem in the world right now that people are unwilling to accept criticism. My only caveat is that the criticism given MUST be constructive, helpful, truthful, and kind. Also, I want to make this crystal clear: NEVER TAKE CRITICISM OR ADVICE FROM SOMEONE WHO IS NOT DOING BETTER THAN YOU. Read that sentence again.

As an author, publisher, and small business owner, you wouldn’t believe the hate mail I get. There’s always someone who is nasty, and mean, and has terrible things to say about what I’m doing or not doing, or what I should be doing, or what I’m offering or writing. I learned a long time ago that there are some people who always seem angry and continuously look for conflict. Walk away; the battle they are fighting isn’t with you, it’s with themselves. It’s important to remember this; you’re never going to be all things to all people, you’re never going to make everyone happy!  I’ve been on both ends of it, the receiving end and the giving end, and I’ve received some very brutal feedback from professionals as well as people who don’t think that I can do anything right. But, to the people who feel the need to criticize my business and the way that I run things, to those who are just downright horrible, don’t worry, I’m going to keep doing what I’m doing and your opinion is just that, your opinion. Thank goodness that for every person with something mean to say, there are ten others who love us.

Check yourself before you start to criticize someone else. If you’re the one receiving criticism, before you accept it, make sure that it’s truthful, constructive, and kind. If it’s not any of those things, take it with a grain of salt, and move on.

Wishing you every success,
X LLB

Freelance Writing for Money…

November 19, 2018– You read the headline correctly; you can make money by freelance writing…IF you do it correctly. Here’s what you need to know about starting your own writing business: (Also, I don’t think that I need to mention that you should be a writing professional in some capacity before starting your own writing for money business).

1. Decide what you are going to offer. Are you going to start a resume writing service? Are you going to edit people’s manuscripts? Are you going to write copy for a business such as a real estate office or medical center? Are you going to edit e-books before publication? There are so many things to choose from. I recommend choosing something that you’re really familiar and comfortable with to start, as your skills continue to develop, you can expand into new territories.
2. Set a price point. How much will you charge for your services? What is the timeline in which your work will be completed? Will you have a contract? Will you charge per word or per chapter or per project? Will you charge by the hour or a lump sum? I recommend having a clear idea of what your price includes and what it doesn’t and being straightforward with your clients so that there is no confusion and you aren’t spending hours working for free.
3. Find clients and writing projects. Now that you know what you’re offering and how much it will cost, you have to find clients for your business. Start by putting an ad on sites like Kijiji and Craig’s list. Also, get business cards printed and leave them wherever you go, like when you’re going out to dinner, leave a stack at the library on the front desk, hand them out to friends and family and encourage them to spread the word. Use social media to your advantage, put up samples of your work and your contact information as well as pricing. Brainstorm a list of businesses that could use your services if you’re offering copywriting. If you’re offering resume writing services, approach colleges, and universities. Make a list of all the people you know who could use what you have to offer and talk to them!
4. Ask for referrals. Once you’ve got your first client under your belt and they’re happy with your work, ask them if there’s anyone they know who could also benefit from your services. You can also ask them to post a review on social media with a link to your email or website; this will lend to your credibility and people tend to work with people that others have recommended and trust.

Remember, there are a lot of ways to get paid to write and we only touched on a couple of them in the above post; don’t forget that you can be paid by magazines and publications who are looking for submissions! Here’s to your success, happy writing!

X LLB

Special Opportunity for Our Canadian Friends!

November 13, 2018– I’m very excited to tell you that my company is expanding by the day; I have a unique opportunity, dear fellow Canadians, that I think you could be interested in! This is perfect for those who want to earn some extra Christmas Cash.
We are looking for ambassadors to join our growing team! Pandamonium Publishing House is looking for moms and dads who love to read and who believe that literacy matters. Our home based business opportunity is as easy as 1, 2, 3, and you can work as much or as little as you want.

Here’s all you have to do:

1) Send us an email inquiring about this post to pandapublishing8@gmail.com
2) We explain what we do, how the business works, and what we need from you. No multi-level marketing and you work from the comfort of your own home.
3) You decide if you want to do it and if we are a good fit for you. That’s it!

Contact us today. Pandamonium Publishing House, where reading and writing is exciting!