Staying Healthy

Health (Photo credit: 401K)

Staying healthy is an important aspect of life. It can be difficult to do this when you have a solitary freelance career, depending on your concentration. A writer spends a lot of time sitting. A photographer may not be placing themselves in enough social situations.

There are many areas of your life that contribute to your overall health, and you will want to concentrate on each regularly.

Physical Health: This includes regular visits to a doctor. Set up an appointment now, just to be sure all is well. Be sure to discuss all the ways to stay healthy with your caregiver.

Mental Health: Your mind is important, so you will want to keep it working well. Be positive. Be happy. Learn the skills necessary to do this, and seek help if necessary.

Spiritual Health: Whatever your beliefs, you have to stay true to them. Figure out what you believe, and what you don’t believe.

Family Health: Keeping your family, and your interactions with them, healthy is just as important as keeping yourself healthy. Be sure that everyone is working on the areas where they need help.

Fitness: Being an active person is important to your overall health. Fitness routines help your body to remain strong. Talk to a doctor about how you can best be active.

Nutrition: Eating healthy is also important, and a nutritionist may be helpful in teaching you how to eat healthy for you.

Look at your lifestyle and figure out if there are things you can do to make yourself healthier.

Do them

For more information: National Women’s Health Week

Shannon L. Buck

Necessary Writing Tools

English: Two A7 (2.9″ X 4.1″) form factor spiral-bound notebooks on top of an A5 (5.8″ X 8.3″) form factor spiral-bound notebook. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

What tools you use will depend highly on your personality, budget and writing style. They may include index cards, pens or pencils, highlighters, a laptop and a dozen notebooks, or simply a desk top computer, along with a pen and some paper for note taking and idea generation.

I have gone through phases, using different tools in each. Right now, I find these items necessary to help me keep track of everything and do my writing:

• laptop, with a sticky notes program

• pens

• notepads

• a series of notebooks

• file folders and a file holder

• poster board/ old posters or large calendars

• tape

• clipboards

• yellow legal pads

Each of the tools has a purpose for me. For example:

• The poster board hung on the wall gives me a visual (and daily reminder) of certain tasks that need to be done throughout the month. I write categorized lists on each months board, and check off tasks as they are completed.

• The sticky note program allows me to easy take notes from the internet until I can get them into the appropriate notebook.

• The clip boards help me to make lists of tasks that need to be done on my blogs, as well as for the challenges that I create. These are then hung on my wall as another visual.

What tools do you find essential to your freelance business?

Shannon L. Buck

No Wireless Internet Access? Dial Up Not Sufficient?

Don’t let these obstacles stand in your way.

I do not have a phone line where I rent my room, and there is no wireless access.

While I am unable to have internet access whenever I want, I am getting pretty good at scheduling for the use of wireless at other places. I do this in a number of ways.

When “Wireless” Isn’t Really Wireless (Photo credit: ericabiz)

• The public library is not far from me. They close at 7:00 two evenings a week, and 5:00 three evenings. Then they are open a few hours on Saturdays. However, my work schedule does not always give me a full day or two to spend there.

• The university library, depending on the time of the year, is open later and on more days each week. I utilize this library when I can.

• The inn where I work has wireless access, which I can access during my lunch break, and after I am done working each day.

Find the areas where you can get wireless access, and come up with a schedule for utilizing them. When you cannot access service, work on tasks that can be completed offline.

Shannon L. Buck

 

Finding Time for A Freelance Career

“Writing”, 22 November 2008 (Photo credit: dr_ed_needs_a_bicycle)

It can sometimes be difficult to find time to work on a freelance business, if you have another job as well or family responsibilities. I work a ‘day job’ then come home to work on my writing business, clean my home, run my errands and try to relax. Sometimes, I would rather be relaxing than working on the business. And I rarely have time to hang out and enjoy the company of friends and family.

With two daughters grown and out on their own, you’d think I would have plenty of time for the writing business. This is not always the case, though. I try to keep up with everything, but it is hard.

I try to schedule out time whenever I can, though. I do want to concentrate more on fiction writing this year, and keep up with the freelance work. I usually have two days off, and these are generally spent writing part of the day and at the library working on other writing tasks the rest.

The important thing to remember is that you cannot do everything. Don’t stress because you don’t have enough time for the business, just keep plucking away at it.

Possible goals may be:

• Work on the freelance career at least half the day on days off from the ‘day job’.

• Spend a couple hours in the evenings, after coming home from work.

• Keep a notebook available to make notes in, so as not to forget the important business tasks.

• Bring the laptop to work, so tasks can be worked on at lunch or while waiting for the bus.

• Schedule specific days for writing, and other days for internet use. (I do not have internet at home, so I have to schedule online use around my job and two separate libraries.)

Do what you can, in between or doing other tasks. For instance:

• Brainstorm business ideas while watching television during the evening hours.

• Do other household chores while doing laundry, so you can have time later to work on a story.

How do you fond time for a freelance career?

Shannon L. Buck

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• Year 3 Wrap Up (howtolivethefreelancelife.wordpress.com)

My At-Home Work Space

MSI laptop computer (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Last December I moved to a new area. One where I could be closer to my daughter who is in college. Because she graduates in a couple years, I decided to just rent a room. I share a bathroom with others, bit I do have a small refrigerator, microwave, a couple of hotplates and a crock pot in my room. I also have a kitchen table and chairs.

This table is where I usually work. I do not really eat at it, unless I have company, so I can keep the necessary items for my freelance business out on the table, including my laptop. The table sits right in front of a huge window, making it easy for me to look outside when I like.

I sit at one end, with my laptop in front of me, and my project notebook, a general to-do list, and a pen next to me. The other end of the table holds a neat pile of my other project notebooks, with a notepad for notes placed on top so I can quickly jot down ideas.

The only things I don’t have are a phone line and wireless internet… For internet use, I have to go elsewhere. I am looking into options, though.

Where do you like to work when at home?

Shannon L. Buck

Year 4 Financial Goals

This year I will make a million dollars

LOL

Spotify Logo (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

We can all hope, right?

I do not really have a specific amount that I want to earn from my writing this year. In all honesty, my success as a freelancer does not have anything to do with money. It has to do with what I accomplish, and how happy I am with those accomplishments.

However, some monetary rewards are necessary to keep the motivation on track, so I do plan to earn money from my ventures. To begin I am thinking about the long haul, rather than immediate gratification. Revenue share articles, eBooks, eCourses and Special Reports give me income over time, as long as I keep them timely. I have started this process, and am beginning to see the results.

I already earn enough from these ventures to pay for a few extras that I like, such as Netflix and and Spotify. I would like to widen the number of things that my writing money pays for, so the income from my ‘day job’ can be used for other things – things important to me, rather than just the bills and some food.

I have a lot of work to do to pull this off. Eventually I want my writing income to pay all the bills, food and other necessities. Then my ‘day job’ income will be all mine, so I can take time off more often to do some traveling. Traveling writing is something that I really would like to try.

What are your financial goals?

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Year 4 Fiction Goals

If you go down to the woods today… (Photo credit: c@rljones)

Year 4 Fiction Goals

To recap, I published a few short stories in 2011. I was very excited about this. Each of these stories will be published in one of three books of short stories, though each book will have many more stories as well. The stories can be found at:

The Haunted Dinner Party

“Be Careful of Those Woods”

Alone

Serenita

The Woman in the Woods

The Woods

One of these books is finished, barring a couple more edit runs, and I want to get it published during Year 4.

The second is about one-fourth complete, and I have my notes for stories that I want to add on it. This will take up the bulk of my fiction creativity this year , and I am excited to resume the project.

A third book of short stories will be worked on somewhat during Year 4, then (hopefully) finished in Year 5. This book includes stories outside my main genre, so is taking me more time than I originally thought. I am having fun with it, though.

Happy writing!!!!

Shannon L. Buck

Year 4 Non Fiction Goals

A Picture of a eBook Español: Foto de eBook Беларуская: Фотаздымак электроннай кнігі Русский: Фотография электронной книги (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

My non fiction goals for Year 4 are mostly concentrated around this blog. I have important eBooks, mini Ebooks, eCourses and Special Reports that I want to provide all of you, besides the ones that you can already find in the sidebar.

I am very excited to get these written and published, so I can share them with you.

I would also like to get some audio and video workshops up and running for you here on the blog, but can’t really do this without internet access here at home. There is no wireless here, and I do not have a phone line for dial up. I am looking into a couple options, and hoping for the best. Wish me luck!

Of course, I want to publish a few more cookbooks for the Frugal Recipes blog, and create an eBook for the Living the Low-Income Life blog if I have time. These two blogs are very important to me. I would also like to incorporate audio and video aspects on these blogs as well.

And, I will be adding a lot of content to my channels on Examiner.com: Bangor Single Moms, Bangor Easy Meals and Bangor Frugal living. I also have a food column that I want to get going again, and two newsletters.

Pretty lofty goals, I know

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Welcome to Year 4!

Last year was a big year for me, in many ways. I am very pleased with my accomplishments, that have set me up for a great Year 4

This year I start off being used to working with the two factors listed in the Year 3 Wrap Up

“Writing”, 22 November 2008 (Photo credit: dr_ed_needs_a_bicycle)

post, so I have a (somewhat) schedule and will be able to schedule more time for the writing of articles. Most of these will be written ahead of time, so they are ready when the time comes to publish them. For example, Halloween articles will be written in September and Thanksgiving ones in October. This puts me a little ahead of the game.

Most of my freelance income will likely come from revenue share opportunities around the web, starting with the many, many articles that have already been published. I will also add to the growing number of these articles each month.

I am looking to expand my opportunities for writing articles, and possibly eBooks, for others.

I want to concentrate on getting that first book of short stories published, as well as resume work on the next two books, and to look into what it takes to sell photographs online. I have much to do for both ventures, and am very excited.

A marketing/promotional plan for the first book of short stories (finished last year) will also be necessary, so I will be doing more research in how to go about those tasks. I am getting more and more excited for this, the more I learn.

This blog is another aspect of my freelance career that I will be working on. I am planning more eBooks, etc., as well as posts and challenges. I hope you will all enjoy what I put into it.

Have a great freelance year, no matter what it is that you do! I know I will

Shannon L. Buck

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Year 3 Wrap Up

Writing (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Wow. This past year brought many accomplishments. I am pretty pleased by this. I worked hard, even though I have had to work around not having home internet, and around working a ‘day job’. The list is a good one

• I created new blogs.

• I expanded on and updated existing blogs.

• I finished my first book of short stories.

• I published quite a few short stories online.

• I started my second and third books of short stories, as well as a few nonfiction ones.

• I have come up with a list, and descriptions, for quite a few new short stories.

• I have come up with a few story lines for novels, and am getting the outlines done.

• I have learned new marketing and promotion skills, though I still have a long way to go with this.

• I have researched traditional/online book publishing.

• I am still writing blog posts for Frugal Recipes: Spending Less to Eat Healthy and Living the Low-Income Life, Keeping in contact with fans, and trying to help as many people as I can both on the blogs and through email.

• I have fans

• I acquired a couple more channels to write for on Examiner.com, bringing me to three: Bangor Single Mom, Bangor Easy Cooking and Bangor Frugal Living. All of which are useful to those outside the Bangor area, as well as within.

• Etc., Etc.

My income from writing has gone down some due to two factors:

1. Having the day job. During mid spring to the beginning of winter, this job takes up a whole lot of time. However, winter and early spring brings me a little extra time off.

2. No at-home access to the internet. I have to work around the hours of two different libraries.

As for freelance writing… I am keeping up with this, but I also want to concentrate on fiction writing. I love writing stories.

And photography… still taking photos and planning to share some of them with you all this year.

All-in-all, I am pleased with my progress over the past year. Are you pleased with yours?

Shannon L. Buck

Freelance Ponderings and Advice: Issue # 14 Posted

The most recent issue to the Freelance Ponderings and Advice newsletter has been published and is ready for your enjoyment

Writing Fiction

Happy reading!

Shannon L. Buck

May Starts Year 4

May 2012 starts year 4 of How to live the freelance life. As you can see, I have deleted all posts except those from the recent Write Your Own eBook Challenge, which can be completed any time. These posts will remain on the site through at least, April 2013.

This month I begin adding new content, starting with a year end wrap up for year 3, my new goals and a welcome post for the current year, then moving on to new topics.

This is going to be a great year!

Shannon L. Buck