Obsessive freelance writers: do you need a good jolt of electricity?

I love writers — that’s a given. I’d also dearly love the ability to reach out from my computer screen and give some writers a good shake, or even a jolt with a taser.

Many writers just spend too much time THINKING, rather than writing.

Here’s a tip: thinking too much just gives you a headache. WRITING gets you where you want to go — stop thinking so much, and keep writing. There are only so many hours in the day, and if you’re “thinking” you’re wasting good writing time. (By the way, what most writers call “thinking” isn’t thinking at all — it’s simple worrying, which is a colossal waste of time. Stop worrying and do stuff. It’s unlikely that anything you write will actually kill you.)

One of my favorite acronyms for many years has been DDT: Do, Don’t Think.

Just do.

But what if you’re doing it wrong, or the wrong thing? (This seems to be a common concern.) Don’t worry about it — you’re right where you should be, doing what you should be doing. Keep doing it, and suddenly you’ll get a jolt of inspiration… which can feel like an electric shock.

Even if what you’re doing/ writing seems utterly futile…

Apropos of which, gapingvoid: “cartoons drawn on the back of business cards”: introducing futilemarketing.com says:

“I was thinking recently how most of the stuff I’m most proud of, started off as acts of futility.

-Drawing cartoons on the back of business cards started off as an act of futility.
-Getting an English tailor to blog in the hope of selling more $5,000 suits started off as an act of futility.
-Launching a national UK supermarket wine via the blogosphere started off as an act of futility.”

Yes, there are times when your writing can seem futile. That’s because you don’t know, until you know. So KEEP WRITING… you may get a jolt of electricity when your “futile” project suddenly takes off.

What writers are currently worrying about (from my email archive)

The recession

Recessions, believe it or not, are good for writers. Here’s what my assistant Julia said when she responded to a writer considering Sell Your Writing Online NOW (SYWON); he was worried about his ability to sell his Web writing during a recession:

The recession/ depression is a fact of life. Business goes on, however. Looked at one way, it’s positively Darwinian. The short answer is that MORE businesses are flocking to the Web to get the most bang for their buck, so more work for writers.

Great points, Julia.

Recession or not, keep writing — and making money.

Is blogging a “get rich quick scheme”, or a good way to make a supplemental income?

Blogging is a business, done right. It’s a get rich slowly scheme…

You can make much more than a supplemental income. Some bloggers are making six figures. So It’s very possible to make a great income.

But let’s be clear…. you need to study, and work for this income. There’s no “get rich quick” about it.

A blog is a business and an asset. let’s say you create a blog on your own domain and you get tired of it after 6 months. Depending on the niche, you can sell the blog for a good price – say anywhere from
$2000 to $50,000 or more depending on various factors, like traffic, regular readers, and blog income.

Is blogging hard work? “I hear that bloggers have 60-hour weeks”?

I know a pro blogger who blogs for an hour a day and is making $5000 a month. Most pro bloggers work ten to 20 hours a week. What the heck would they do for 60 hours? Someone is spinning you a line with the “60 hours a week” statement.

Stop worrying: write, even if it seems futile

I guarantee you, you’ll be amazed at the results.

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