Steph Auteri

How To Be Generous with Your Writing Community

14

Feb

Over at Project Happily Ever After, my blogger-buddy Alisa Bowman wrote a post I’m absolutely smitten with: How to Put the Love Back in Valentine’s Day. In it, she writes of one man’s quest to re-brand February 14 as Generosity Day, and then lists the ways in which we could all be more generous to each other. In this way, February 14 becomes more about giving than about getting (a fancy meal… sparkly jewelry… chocolates…).

I found the timing of this post fortuitous. Just last night, I was reading Patty Digh’sÂ Life is a Verb, which has an entire chapter on living life more generously. It had gotten me thinking about how I could be better, more generous, more open to others.

I’ve already written extensively on the powers of good karma within the writing community, and on how much of my freelance success can be attributed to the generosity of my fellow writers.

But just for today — Valentine’s Day — why don’t we all commit to doing at least one generous act for someone in our community.

Some suggestions:

RT, stumble, or pin another blogger’s post.
Pass along an article that you think would be helpful.
Forward along a job lead to someone you know is looking.
Email someone to tell them how much you love their work.
Share an editorial contact.
Let someone do up a guest post for your blog.
Rave about a fellow entrepreneur’s product or service, assuming you found it to be awesome.
Send a handwritten thank you card.
Review a fellow writer’s book on your blog.
Send your writing partner a word nerdy gift.

I could go on. But I haven’t had enough coffee yet.

Report back in the comments on your one, generous act today.

Filed Under: community, generosity, generous, Valentine's Day

Community: The Crucial Ingredient To Freelance Writing Success

10

Feb

By Steph Auteri

I like working alone. I prefer fuzzy slippers to pantyhose. And my commute these days is fantastic. But theseÂ aren’t the only reasons I chose freelancedom.

I’m an introvert, and having to be “on” for long periods of time leaves me exhausted. I also have social anxiety, and have had panic attacks while out in public. Working from home — quiet, calm, and with my three cats for company — makes me feel safe. I love that being a writer makes this possible.

But I credit my success — my ability to sustain this lifestyle — with the community I’ve built up around me. Through Twitter. Through Brazen Careerist and the Young Entrepreneur Council. Through past projects and jobs. Through this blog. So I was thrilled to get the chance to hang out in Carol Tice’s Freelance Writers Den, a virtual community for freelance writers, as a guest on her weekly podcast.

On my first visit to the Den, I kicked off my shoes and made myself comfortable. I wandered the forums, where there were active discussions going on about publications, marketing tactics, contract negotiations, and more. There were also forums dedicated to goal setting and accountability partners, and one board filled with writerly resources — a virtual library.

Over in the Learning Corner, I found links to e-courses on content mills, business and marketing basics, boosting rates, and building an online platform.

The events page was filled with info on Carol’s monthly webinars and weekly podcasts, like the one I’d been a guest on just yesterday. (p.s. If you weren’t able to make it, and would like to hear us chat about freelance startup plans, you can still register for the DenÂ and head on over to the Multimedia Shelf to access a recording.)

There was also a Junk-Free Job Board, specially curated to eliminate the flim-flam you typically find around the Internet.

Finally, I took a look at the other writers involved in running the den, and was duly impressed. Linda Formichelli, for example — one of my other fave writing gurus — is a fellow Den mother!

We all build community in different ways. Why?

Your community can give advice when you’re facing a particularly difficult writing conundrum.
Your community can share contacts, and even pass along job leads.
Your community can open your eyes to new and fantastic resources.
Your community can provide you with tough love, accountability, and critiques.
Your community can provide opportunities for pretty damn exciting collaborations.
Your community can keep you sane when your most in-depth conversations happen to occur between you and your cats.
If you build authentic connections among your community — and maintain them — you’ll eventually find that freelance writing success doesn’t have to be chased down. Instead, it comes to you.

If you’re curious about the Freelance Writers Den (and for more than just hearing my melodious voice on that podcast recording), I highly recommend registering to become a member. Freelancing can be a lonely endeavor. But we should strive to connect, and to support each other.

*This post contains affiliate links… but know that if I’m plugging something , I truly believe it’s holy-shit-fantastic.

Filed Under: carol tice, community, the freelance writers den

Been Writing for Years? You Still Have A Lot to Learn

3

Feb

By Steph Auteri

Many of you already know my writing history.

Awful poetry at the age of 5.

A part-time gig at a weekly newspaper at the age of 19.

Writing sex toy reviews by the age of 22.

And now, at the age of 31, I’ve created content for online magazines, alternative newspapers, both regional and national print magazines, and a slew of blogs.

Not too shabby.

What I’ve always wanted, however, is to write a book. A book that garners interest from traditional publishers, and that eventually ends up on the shelf at Barnes & Noble or McNally Jackson or the Trident Bookstore/Cafe.

Up until recently, however, I didn’t do a damn thing about it.

A year or so ago, however, I co-authored an ebook with sex counselor Ian Kerner. And after that sold surprisingly well, he asked me to ghostwrite an ebook for another client. Once I’d completed those two projects, it occurred to me: I just wrote two books. Maybe this whole long-form thing isn’t entirely out of the question.

So in the late summer / early fall, I began working on a book proposal and, at the end of November, I began querying agents. And then, almost immediately, I received a handful of responses from agents who were actually interested in seeing the full proposal.

As I’ve mentioned in the past, the rejections I subsequently received were both kind and constructive, and I filed their comments away in the back of my mind for future use. But it was my most recent rejection that rang especially true. What this brilliant agent told me was that my proposal was pretty solid… but my sample chapters were where it all fell apart. I was long on narrative and short on scene, making my chapters seem pretty flimsy. It touched upon something I had already suspected.

In Naked, Drunk, and Writing, Adair Lara wrote that “overly fluent writers, those to whom words come fast, have trouble going deep in their writing.”

It was true. I’d been spending so much time writing service pieces and listicles that I just didn’t know what it took to build a scene in a long-form book.

So though I’d read it only a year before, I read Lara’s book again, in its entirety. (It’s all about writing personal essays and memoirs, and has an entire chapter on scene-writing.) I also simultaneously read a memoir (Claire Dederer’s Poser), so I could pay extra attention to how other writers built scene and arc and character. Now, I’m ready for a massive rewrite (followed by a bit more slash and burn from my writing partner).

I’m not a terrible writer. Even though I began questioning my ability to write this book, and bemoaning the fact that I’d squandered my chances with several agents, I know there are areas in which I absolutely shine.

But even when you’ve been writing for years, there’s something new to learn, or something old and valuable to revisit.

Which aspects of writing do you feel you still have a lot to learn about?

Filed Under: criticism, critique, edit, education, learn, reject, revise, writing

How to Get Rid of Query Fear Once and For All

31

Jan

By Steph Auteri

In the five years since I first launched this blog — and in the 1.5 years since I began coaching — I’ve learned a thing or two about the things that can hold a freelancer back.

And aside from the lure of a smooshy couch, a good book, or a curated list of sparkly jewelry on Etsy, a lot of the roadblocks we put up around ourselves stem from the pitch process.

You’ve asked me so many questions about query letters over the years:

How do I find publications to pitch?

Which editor should I target?

What do I do if I have no clips/experience/personal connection?

How long should I wait before I follow up?

Is my letter really good enough to send out?Â

I had the same questions when I started out and, over the years, I developed my own system for making the pitch to publish process go smoother.

So what’s my trick to busting query fear?

For the past few months, Â I’ve been working on 5 Weeks to Freelance Awesome: An Action Plan, a workbook that takes you from idea generation to the building of your freelance brand. This workbook, which will be available for sale in the late spring, will be pretty damn fantastic. But as I worked on it, I couldn’t help but ask myself: Is there a way I can use this information to show gratitude to my loyal word nerd readers? Is there a way I can share this information with readers without ruining the big reveal?

Yesterday, I emailed Word Nerd News subscribers with a download link to Freelance Awesome: A Starter Kit, a FREE mini-workbook containing the five worksheets necessary to jumpstart your freelance writing career. These worksheets comprise the system I’ve put in place for making my own pitch process a helluva lot easier. I use them on an almost-daily basis.Â They help me:

generate story ideas
conduct market research
write kick-ass query letters, and
track pitches and assignments

These worksheets take the self-doubt out of story pitching, and help me keep the freelance momentum going.

Because I don’t want you to miss out, I encourage you to sign up for my mailing list as well. As a subscriber to Word Nerd News, you’ll receive instant access to my starter kit. Not only that, but you’ll receive a once-a-month email containing freelance success stories, solid advice, and valuable resources from around the web. I’d say it’s a win-win.

Once you’ve downloaded my .pdf-powered word glitter, I only ask one thing in return: If you find my starter kit helpful… if you think I have something valuable to offer… if you think my hair is pretty… if you think I could be a service to someone else you know, tell them to sign up for my mailing list, too.

(If you don’t want to sign up right now, you can always come back later. There’s a simple sign-up form in theÂ right-handÂ sidebar of this blog, and a sign-up button on my professional site as well.)

I should also tell you that, next week (Thursday, February 9 at 12 p.m. PST / 3 p.m. EST), I’ll be appearing on Carol Tice‘s weekly podcast, over at the FreelanceÂ Writer’s Den, to talk freelance startup plans. (You may recall that Carol is one of my favorite freelance writing bloggers.) This is a members-only event, so be sure to registerÂ beforehand!

Finally, I want to give a big thanks to Lyz Lenz, my writing partner, for ripping my workbook to shreds and then helping me put it back together again; Melanie Ostmo, a fantastic designer, for making my starter kit all sorts of pretty; and Milena Canizares, a former coaching client who was kind enough to read through my kit and give me her feedback before I shared it with the world.

Go forth and rock it, y’all.

Related: How To Pitch: The Basics

Filed Under: freelance awesome, productivity, Resources, shameless self-promotion, spreadsheet, starter kit, subscribe, template, word nerd news, workbook, worksheet

How To Break Through Your Work Block

13

Jan

By Steph Auteri

I’ve made a lot of excuses for myself over the past month:

I just finished several large projects; I deserve a break.

I’m distracted because I’m waiting on responses to my lit agent queries; can you blame me?

I’m suffering from Holiday Brain.

I’m suffering from S.A.D.

I’m suffering from this god-awful, nasty, lingering cold.

Poor excuses all, especially considering how much work I could’ve been doing based upon the goals I’d set out for myself.

I’ve been procrastinating on one project in particular: pulling together the notes for the ASJA panel I’m appearing on in the spring. (For more information, you can now find the lowdown on my Sex Writing panel here, on the tab for Saturday, April 28.)

Of course, when it comes to issues of procrastination, burnout, and rebooting, there’s a lot of advice out there: Step away from your work. Schedule in a walk, workout, or meal. Do something that nourishes your soul. Meditate. Etc.

But don’t these tips assume we’re all struggling for one, universal reason? Aren’t they all just temporary salves that don’t actually solve the underlying problem? Why else would we need to repeat them again and again (and again)?

Shouldn’t we be tackling the root of the problem?

Earlier this week, I started reading Julia Cameron’s The Artist’s Way (I know; I’m just 20 thousand years behind every other writer in the world), and began doing morning pages. On my very first morning, I found myself writing about the ASJA task I mentioned above, and about my true reasons for procrastinating. Somewhat miraculously, I was able to tease out the actual fears that were lurking behind my first reason for procrastinating: It’s far off, so I don’t yet feel any great sense of urgency.

One of those fears was in regard to my general horror in regard to public speaking. Will I be completely awkward? Will I be boring? Will I have a panic attack and lose consciousness?Â

But the greater fear was revealed to be about my own feelings of inferiority. Am I too small-time for the well-established writers who will be attending ASJA? Will attendees be disappointed? I don’t make all my money as a writer! I’ve only written for two national magazines! I’m the only one on this panel without a published book! Am I good enough for this?

Once I had targeted these fears, I started flipping them around, transforming them into affirmations:

I have accomplished so much as a writer.

This is a sex writing panel. I have been writing about sex for 10 years, in a variety of media. I have a lot of valuable information to share.

I have been successful in the ways I’ve been hoping for. I am making enough money for me.

I have co-authored an ebook with a well-known sex counselor, and receive royalties. This accomplishment should bring me just as much validitation as the other panelists’ books.

I have something unique to offer.

After concluding my morning pages, I made my way to my computer and opened up the blank document that was to contain all my notes for the ASJA panel. I spent the next five hours drawing up a preliminary script for my presentation, putting together an outline for all the information I wanted to include, and contacting past editors for publication-specific advice I could share with panel attendees.

I got into the zone and, when I was done, I felt good. Relieved. Productive. Accomplished.

Scheduling in breaks and taking care of yourself are good tips when you’re suffering from burnout.

But what if you’re suffering from imposter syndrome? Or boredom with a project? Or lack of faith? What then?

Have you been procrastinating on a specific project lately? Try to pinpoint the true cause of your ambivalence. Then treat that cause… not the symptom.

Filed Under: fear, imposter syndrome, motivation, procrastinate, productivity, writer's block

One Simple Trick for Effective Self-Editing

11

Jan

By Steph Auteri

On Monday, instead of getting a damn thing done, I took a bus into the city and headed downtown to (Le) Poisson Rouge, where Mike Geffner was hosting Titillating Tongues: NYC Erotica in Poetry & Prose. My favorite, sex-positive feminist was reading, and I was also excited to catch my very first glimpse of Rev Jen, a writer, performance artist, and elf I’d first become aware of when she was writing the old-school “I Did It For Science” column on Nerve.

Before we could bask in the awesome glow of the featured readers, however, there was an open mic.

I didn’t read, because I don’t write erotica (I just enjoy it recreationally, and ghostwrite essays that accompany erotica), but I enjoyed the mix of people who did have the balls to get up there (includingÂ my friend Claire, who had made a resolution to read, perform, and tell stories in a public setting).

And as I sat there and listened — impressed by how successful writing was about so much more than just the words — it occurred to me:

We should poetry slam all our writing before considering it Good.

Don’t freak out. I’m not suggesting you sign up for the next open mic night at your local coffee shop. (Lord knows I’m not going to.)

But what you should do before pronouncing a piece officially done is read it out loud. To workshop classmates. To a writing group. To your three incredibly intelligent cats. To yourself.

Why?

What I’m suggesting has nothing to do with critiques and constructive criticism (though those are helpful, too). Rather, reading your work out loud will help you hear things in it that you couldn’t perceive when you were just silently staring at your screen.

What should you listen for?

rhythm
flow
awkwardness
redundancies
cliches

In addition, you should ask yourself:

Would reading this to an audience be horrifically embarrassing?

Is this piece something I would be proud to share with others?

Does is feel good to read this out loud? Can I get into it? Can I groove with these words?

A good number of Monday night’s readers definitely grooved with their words. And their work was visibly the better for it. In the pauses and the chuckles and the facial expressions, their words became performance. Their words were alive.

Are your words alive?

Read them aloud to yourself. It will quickly become clear where the stutters and hesitations lie.

Self-editing? Suddenly easy.

Filed Under: open mic, poetry slam, self-editing, writing

Freelancing and Yoga Go Together Likeâ€¦ Nutella and Pound Cake

6

Jan

By Steph Auteri

I can't even do the pose pictured on my shirt without falling over.

Those of you who have been reading Freelancedom for awhile may have noticed a shift in tone recently.

Part of this has been due to a shift in focus, and in changing goals. Part of it has been due to the emotional/mental shift that comes with improved work/life balance, and with more consistent income (alleluia!).

But a big part of that shift has come from the fact that I now hit up my local yoga studio four to five days a week.

Is that crazy? Maybe. But I’ve come to realize that freelancing and yoga go together like Nutella and pound cake.

Let me explain. When I go to my morning and lunchtime yoga classes, I’m simultaneously pumped up for productivity and made more relaxed despite freelance-related stress. When I go to my evening class, focusing on the poses and meditating in savasana help me turn off my brain before bedtime. Yoga also helps me stretch out the muscles that perpetually ache after hours at the computer. And I’m healthier: mentally and physically. It’s been a long time since I’ve felt this good without the help of mood-stabilizing medication.

In fact, yoga has become such a big part of my life that I plan on entering a teacher training program in January 2013. Yoga won’t supplant writing and editing and coaching and singing, but it will become a big part of the mix.

But I know you came here to talk writing. And entrepreneurship. And the freelance life.

Still, I feel that there are a lot of writer-yogis out there, so I thought you might find this interesting.

Basically, to give the rest of you non-yogis a break, I’ve created a Tumblr on which I will now gush about everything yoga. It’s called OMmygod, and I think it’s OMazing (stop rolling your eyes).

Interesting, yoga-related links? Got it.

Fun, funny, and just-plain amazing yoga comics, photos, and videos? You bet.

A picture of me in headstand? Yes. I’ve allowed that to go out into the world.

Also, I’ve been kicking around the idea of planning a yoga/writing retreat for word nerds. Would any of you be interested in that? Let me know, and we can chat about making it the retreat you’ve been dreaming of.

Anyways. Yoga has changed my mindset, and I’ll continue bringing that new sensibility to my Freelancedom posts. I hope you don’t mind. But with this new outlet, I’m hoping I can keep things — dare I say it? — balanced.

How has your freelance focus shifted over the past few years?

Filed Under: balance, ommygod, shameless self-promotion, tumblr, yoga

One Simple Step To Landing More Work

4

Jan

By Steph Auteri

As mentioned previously, December always leaves me with a nasty case of Holiday Brain. I’m easily distracted. By twinkle lights. And Christmas cookies. And the DVR. My work output? Not optimal.

January 1 always has me eager to get back to work. At the same time, I’m so damn used to being lazy, I need to ease my way back in. Cautiously dip a toe into the water. In slow motion.

This past couple of weeks, I’ve definitely been working in slow motion. I’ve been sitting with stacks of magazines, flipping through for story idea inspiration. I’ve done up a couple of Freelancedom posts. I sat down with a directory of literary agents and planned my next moves for pitching my book proposal. I sang a funeral.

But the one low-key thing that’s led to tangible progress?

Reconnecting with others.

A casual, how-about-we email to a blogger-buddy led to a collaborative lecture proposal for an upcoming conference.

Another email landed meÂ my next smart cookie for January’s forthcoming edition of Word Nerd News.

A followup email to someone who had been considering career coaching in late November / early December has gotten me that much closer to a new coaching relationship.

Combination holiday/thank you cards led to a well-paying assignment just before Christmas, an update (and promise of forthcoming work) from another client, and the galley for a book I’d been eyeing.

A quick check-in with my fabulous writing partner gave me a strong lead on a possible designer for my e-workbook.

And query followups with two publications had editors asking me for more pitches.

I’m not suddenly rolling around in money, laughing maniacally as my cats look on, slightly alarmed. But it’s still not too shabby for January 4.

How can you easily reconnect with those in your network, leading to the possibility of future collaboration?

send a “what’s up?” email
suggest getting together for coffee… or for several glasses of pinot noir
send along a link to an interesting article or silly video that made you think of them
brainstorm fun-and-possibly-ridiculous ventures for the new year and ask your contacts to get involved
shoot an editor or client a thank you e-card (or opt for snail mail to give it an extra punch) to let them know how much you appreciate the opportunity to work with them
touch base with editors and clients about what they might need in the new year
send query followups
have a Skype powwow with your fellow freelancers to discuss plans for the new year

And… you know… whatever. This list is just a starting point.

Of course, reunions like these go smoother if you’ve been good about maintaining these relationships. Emailing someone you haven’t spoken to in 11 years? A little weird. (Though I’ve totally done it, mostly out of nostalgia. I have no shame.)

But you guys already knew that.

So. First action step for 2012? Reach out and touch someone.

But not in a creepy way.

Filed Under: correspondence, followup, reconnect

Spill It: Whatâ€™s Your Next Move?

27

Dec

By Steph Auteri

I’ve never been one to make a fuss out of New Year’s Eve, or to saddle myself with once-a-year resolutions. I reevaluate my goals almost every month, allowing each day to be a new beginning.

Still, after the overeating and undersleeping that is the holidays, I admit I feel especially compelled to ask myself:Â What’s next?

Otherwise, gravity and lack of inertia might keep me from ever resuming work again.

I feel especially dazed and bloated today. Last week, I baked seven pound cakes and six varieties of Christmas cookies. I chopped and pureed six cauliflowers and trimmed and roasted six pounds of Brussels sprouts to bring to Christmas dinner (an affair that lasted 8.5, long hours). Then, the day after Christmas, I hosted a dinner party at my condo. Because — apparently — I wasn’t yet tired of cooking and stuffing my face.

For the love of god, I need something new and exciting to pull me back into my work. So what’ll it be?

1. I received Sambuchino’s 2012 Guide to Literary Agents for Christmas, so I’m going to read through it and start my third wave of queries for my book proposal.

2. I’ve finished putting together a freebie I think you’ll really enjoy. I just need to find someone to make it pretty for me before it makes its grand debut. Anyone want to talk design and layout rates with me?

3. 2011 was filled with big projects from regular clients and, as a result, querying fell by the wayside. I’d like to make a big return to querying new markets, just to keep my mix of projects and assignments interesting.

4. This year, I’m going to push myself in new ways, even if it makes me want to projectile vomit. To that end, I’m going to start pulling together my panelist presentation for April’s ASJA conference, and also put together a proposal for another conference I’d like in on in May.

5. I know. I should be thinking about Word Nerd Networking. And I have chatted with several people about organizing a digital publishing panel, and a yoga + journaling workshop. But what I’ve really been daydreaming about is putting together a yoga and writing retreat. The place I went to the other month is open to proposals for new retreats. So I’m going to start chatting with other retreat organizers and taking a close look at other retreat agenda’s in an effort to design The Most Perfect Retreat Ever. Suggestions are welcome.

So what’s next for you?

Filed Under: career path, goal, new year, resolution, spill it

14

10

3

31

24

13

11

6

4

27