Freelance Writing Mamas

By Terez Howard

Lately, I’ve been losing steam.  Earlier this year, I was a super fast locomotive.  Recently, I’ve been that broken down excuse for a train car that a 7-year-old could outrun.  It could have been my action-packed summer, complete with trips to St. Louis, Columbus, Cleveland, New Jersey, New York and Virginia Beach, not to mention a princess party.

When I got back to my computer and my routine, I had no desire to look at the keyboard.  I did not want to work.  I did not want to write.

Have you ever felt like this?

Doctor, get the defibrillator

I felt like I needed zapped back into shape.  So, I took an honest look at my freelance writing business and said to myself, “What doI need to do to get excited about this?”

My answer: Revamp!

That’s right.  Freelance Writing Mamas is about to undergo some serious changes.  Right now, it’s top secret.  But I can reveal that the blog will cover specific ways to get discovered as a freelance writer.

Now, I’m excited!

About the author

Terez Howard operates TheWriteBloggers, a professional blogging service which builds clients’ authority status and net visibility.

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What I Leared From My Toddler appears every Friday at freelancewritingmamas.com.

By Terez Howard

Who knew that the highlight of a visit to the aquarium would be face painting?  The moment that Micah saw that she could get her face painted, that was all she begged to do.  Forget about the sharks and jellyfish.  This girl wanted her face painted.

After a great deal of deliberation, she chose the cheetah design.  I suggested we ask the artists if they could make her a pink cheetah since pink was her favorite color of the week.

You?  A pink cheetah?

No, you don’t need to run to Wal-Mart and buy a face painting set.  You might get a few double takes in the office.  Even if you’re in a home office, your family might be concerned when they see you looking like a pink cheetah.

Instead, think outside the box.  How can you be different?

• Arrange to barter your services.
• Have a contest and free giveaways.
• Try a new form of marketing, like social marketing.  Start a blog.  Do a Youtube video.
• Make a connection with your competition and learn from each other.  Maybe, the two of you could collaborate on something.
• Encourage other people to join you in a challenge, like blogging every day for a month.
• Lastly, do your job well.  (It’s a given, but I had to mention it).

My toddler teaches

Micah was too proud about being a pink cheetah.  She ran all through the Cheesecake Factory with her wild face.

Be proud of being different.  Step out of your comfort zone.

About the author

Terez Howard operates TheWriteBloggers, a professional blogging service which builds clients’ authority status and net visibility.

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By Jael Strong

“The Twenty Minute Creativity Project” is a weekly challenge designed to spur creative approaches to every day obstacles.

Week Eighteen Challenge:  In twenty minutes, write a piece of fiction based upon a prompt randomly snatched from a stack of possible prompts.  The piece of fiction should be exactly 300 words.

Prompt:  West End (Start the timer!)

Each morning, Billy Morton, who lives on the north end of town, wakes up one hour and forty-seven minutes earlier than necessary.  He pets his dog , eats breakfast, brushes his teeth, takes his shower, and locks his door as he leaves his house at three minutes after seven.

Billy drives for thirty minutes with a smile smothering his otherwise grim disposition contemplating the bliss that awaits him at the west end of town.  The journey is silent except for the squeaking wobbling joints of his car, but Billy clicks along to the music in his head.

By seven thirty-eight, Billy is in line at the coffee shop at the west end of town.  While many of the men spend the ten minute wait thinking about the beautiful girl  who hands them their coffee cup, Billy isn’t thinking of her at all.  His mind is still singing along to the soundtrack in his mind.

At seven forty-eight, Billy sits at his table, sipping his coffee as he waits for five minutes to pass.  The seconds tick horribly along to the beat in Billy’s head and then, in slow motion, Lucinda strides in.

Lucinda, whom he had met by chance months earlier when he had lost his way and came to this coffee shop for directions, doesn’t remember that Billy had accidentally collided with her, spilling her coffee onto her sundress.  She doesn’t remember Billy at all.  But each morning, Billy Morton, who lives on the north end of town, wakes up one hour and forty-seven minutes earlier than necessary to see Lucinda for twenty-five minutes before he drives thirty minutes back to his office on the north end of town, only to arrive twelve minutes early, the two minutes allotted for eye contact and casual conversation not used at all.

My blurb:  Have a suggestion for a creativity challenge?  Please, feel free to forward it to me!

About the Author
Jael Strong is a writer for TheWriteBloggers, a company dedicated to creating professional blogging content for increased internet visibility.

By Terez Howard

About a month ago, my husband and I took our daughter to American Girl Place in Manhattan.  I remember pining over those dolls when I was child.  I never got one because they were far too expensive.  Now, my little girl has her very own little doll.

I’d never been to the store before.  It’s not just about the dolls, which come in a range of colors and hair textures.  American Girl has everything for the dolls, from a Sabbath set to a hammock to retainers (yes, for the doll’s teeth!).

And yet, every little doodad in that store is overpriced.  The quality of the dolls and their little accessories is not worth that much money.  I’d say it’s one step up from dollar store quality.

But, it’s not about quality.  It’s about the experience, so I’ve been told.  And yes, my family had a great experience.  Micah got pictures with her Bitty Baby and ate a meal with her little Micah.  (She named the doll after herself).  It was fun.

It is original

I don’t know of any other store in the country like it.  American Girl has cornered the market on originality.  So even though I don’t agree with the company’s super high prices, I will buy from them.  There’s nothing like it.

That originality is something every business should strive to achieve.  As a writer, I’m still searching to corner my own slice of originality.

If a business has something that distinguishes it apart from others, customers will flock to it because it’s novel.  Sure, I could have gotten my daughter a dollar store doll and little bath tub.  But the dollar store doesn’t have a portrait studio or restaurant.

It’s all about the experience.  It’s original.

About the author

Terez Howard operates TheWriteBloggers, a professional blogging service which builds clients’ authority status and net visibility.

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By Jael Strong

“Are we there yet?”

“No.  We have quite a bit to go.”

Flash forward five minutes.  “Are we there yet?”

“Nope.  Not there yet.”

Another five minutes pass.  “Are we there yet?”

“No.  We aren’t even close.”

This may sound like an interchange between an anxious seven year old and her parents, but in reality, it’s the inner dialogue of an anxious entrepreneur.   In our great desire to see our dreams achieved, we often suffer from intense anxiety to see that dream accomplished.  Of course, how long it takes to achieve our entrepreneurial goals has much to do with us, and just like a literal journey, there are many choices as to how we get to our destination. You could:

Take a jet.  This can be a very satisfying choice.  Making a list of business goals and then setting fast-paced deadlines can help you to achieve your goals earlier, but you are also more likely to face disappointment as you see unaccomplished deadlines pass you by.  Don’t take the jet unless your are sure you won’t hit much in the way of turbulence.

Take a car.  This middle of the road approach won’t get you anywhere fast, but it is a nice middle of the road approach.  Taking the time to map out your course, noting possible detours along the way, and setting a reasonable pace will probably ultimately save you time and money.  And you won’t have to suffer through watching deadlines pass you by.

Walk.  This is not recommended for the impatient.  You aren’t likely to suffer many setbacks if you set deadlines that provide sufficient time for accomplishment.  On the other hand, you may get frustrated watching others pass you by at breakneck speeds.

No matter how fast paced you decide to approach your goals, the important thing is that you do set goals and deadlines along the path in your journey to your destination.   Knowing where you want to go and where to start from is nothing if you don’t know how you will get from one place to the other.  So select your mode of transportation and get going!

About the Author
Jael Strong is a writer for TheWriteBloggers, a company dedicated to creating professional blogging content for increased internet visibility.

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Note: What I Learned From My Toddlers appears every Friday at freelancewritingmamas.com.

By Terez Howard

The Atlantic Ocean’s waves are not particularly vicious when the water is only ankle deep.  But to my 3-year-old, those waves were a mile high.  During part of every day of our vacation, we went to the beach.

Day 1: Micah cries when the water hits her feet and begs to return to the sand.
Day 2: Micah goes in the ocean when my husband or I hold her in shallow water.
Day 3: Micah stands in the ocean water and lets the waves hit her while hand in hand with my husband and me.
Day 4: Micah allows Daddy to go in deeper water (up to his waist) while holding her.  She admits that she likes it.

Try something new

I am all about trying new things.  I change my hairstyles from month to month, sometimes week to week.  I will try foods I’ve never eaten before, foods some people will never put in their mouths.  I will even try foods I’ve decided I don’t like, just to see if my taste buds have changed.

Business is the same.  New businesses, old businesses… all businesses need to make changes to keep up with these changing times.  It could mean making a Twitter schedule, planning a YouTube video or reaching your potential clients at local club meetings.

My toddler teaches

The key to riding these fierce waves is starting slow.  At first, my daughter didn’t want to have any parts of the ocean, even if the water only hit her ankles.  She slowly got acclimated to it.

So when you set out to try something new, start small and build up.  Soon, you’ll be riding the waves on a body board.

About the author

Terez Howard operates TheWriteBloggers, a professional blogging service which builds clients’ authority status and net visibility.

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What I Learned From My Toddler: Let Them Do Their Own Thing

What I Learned From My Toddler: See Yourself Where You Want To Be

By Terez Howard

My family went on vacation earlier this month at Virginia Beach.  We’ve never been there before.

Personally, I was shocked at the number of bikinis that dotted this family resort area.  Women of all shapes and sizes donned bikinis.  These swimsuits were not limited to the beach area.  People wore them in restaurants, on boat rides, through the hotel and when shopping.  If you weren’t in your bikini, like you were actually wearing clothing, you stood out.

Some women must have weighed more than 300 pounds and had no qualms about showing their skin.  They confidently basked in the sun.

That got me thinking about business.  A business owner has to be confident with the product or service she offers.  She knows that even if it is a bit out of the ordinary or strange, she will confidently present her product or service to the public.

Don’t convince yourself that you are inferior, especially if you’re doing your best to run an honest business.  No, don’t be shy in your bikini.

About the author

Terez Howard operates TheWriteBloggers, a professional blogging service which builds clients’ authority status and net visibility.

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‘Seinfeld’ Teaches You To Be Honest

By Jael Strong

So, you know where you are and you don’t like it.  You know where you need to be, monetarily. You know how much money you need to suit your current lifestyle and budget.  But if your goal is monetary, there are many paths that lead to the bottom line.  What you need is, not a dream built out of green paper, but a dream made of what matters to you.  And that could be anything!  So, grab a pen and paper and start answering the difficult questions.

What is most important to you?
What makes you smile?  What makes you laugh?  What makes you happy?
How much time do you want to spend “working”?
How would you spend your ideal day? With whom would you spend it?
What would you sacrifice (Cable?  A new car? Cigarettes?) to achieve your ideal life?

Notice, the answers to these questions will be different for everybody, but none of them are based on money.  True, when you are building a new business, money is a concern, but in reality the way to shape a dream is to look at what matters to you and how you want to live your life.  Money is not the answer to building your dream, but a tool to achieving your ideals.  Along the same lines, whatever business you choose to develop will not bring you lasting satisfaction.  Building a business around what matters most to you will lead to satisfaction and, done right, will give you the incentive needed to push ahead toward your dream.

About the Author
Jael Strong is a writer for TheWriteBloggers, a company dedicated to creating professional blogging content for increased internet visibility.

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Note: What I Learned From My Toddler appears every Friday at freelancewritingmamas.com.

By Terez Howard

It’s the same frustrating routine.  I sit her at the table to eat.  I know my daughter’s hungry, maybe even starving.  She talks, giggles, plays and then cries she wants “something else” (code for: dessert), when she hasn’t touched a bite of her food.

I must sound like a broken record.  I always tell my toddler, “If you don’t eat your food, you can’t have something else.”

Micah might try to fight the system.  But it is quite strict.  She oftentimes gets out of her booster seat with her dish full of food because she refuses to eat (even though her plate might have pizza on it, every kid’s favorite!).

Your loss, I think to myself.

Let them go

Your customers and even potential clients might have an idea that seems to be the best… in their eyes.  In your eyes, you can see the error of their ways.  Perhaps you just disagree with their methods and means.

I once responded to a listing on the Warrior Forum that said this marketing guru guy was going to help me build a website and make a ton of money.  He only took 10 students for free.  Although I was leery, I signed up.  I didn’t think I could lose.

Well, he wanted the 10 of us to sign up for a particular website host, so he could get the affiliate sales, of course, even if we already had a host.  Then, there was another something we needed to purchase, and once again, we had to use his link so that he could get the affiliate sales again.  That didn’t bother me as much as the following.

He plainly stated that he would be using black hat marketing techniques.  This is an unethical way of ranking high on Google quickly.  Then once you get caught, your site gets banned.  He claimed the best marketers used at least a little black hat SEO.

I was done.  I refuse to participate in any unethical means to make money.  It’s deceptive.  And so what if “everybody’s doing it”?  So since everyone is jumping off a bridge, I’m suppose to, too?

My toddler teaches

Micah usually ends up feasting at snack time when she refuses to eat her other meals.  In the meantime, if she wants to be hungry, she can go on ahead.

The same is true for the businesspeople who get ahead any way that they can.  Let them do their thing.  I’m not going down with them.

About the author

Terez Howard operates TheWriteBloggers, a professional blogging service which builds clients’ authority status and net visibility.

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 What I Learned From My Toddler: Never Underestimate Your Potential

What I Learned From My Toddler: Celebrate Your Little Victories

By Jael Strong

“The Twenty Minute Creativity Project” is a weekly challenge designed to spur creative approaches to every day obstacles.

Week Seventeen Challenge:  In twenty minutes, write a play around the premises set by an outside party.

Number of characters: 3

Setting:  a church, Saturday afternoon

Topic: Salamanders

Father McCauley:  It isn’t really appropriate Sister.  I’m sure if I think about it long enough, something better will come up.

Sister Joann:  Not appropriate?  Didn’t we see one last night, slithering about?

Father McCauley:  Hmm?  Last night?  I don’t recall.  Are you sure about that?  Perhaps you are thinking of someone else.

Sister Eleanor:  After supper, we did see one slither under Sister Joann’s bed, but it was just that one.  And we were there for three more hours at least, and didn’t see any more.  If it was a big problem, you would think we would have seen more after so many hours had gone by.  Right Sister?

Father McCauley:  Three hours, you say?

Sister Joann:  Discussing prayer and the like.  And I’m sure if you had been paying attention, Sister Eleanor, you would have noticed several more of those vile creatures slithering about.

Sister Eleanor:  But I was paying attention Sister Joann.  I cared so much for your welfare that as I passed Father McCauley in the hall I informed him of how disconcerted you are over the creature slithering about it your room.

Sister Joann:  Vile creatures!

Father McCauley:  In the hall?  After ten?  Perhaps you are thinking of someone else.

Sister Joann:  Disgusting, slithering about!
Sister Eleanor:  No, Father!  It was you, just outside of Sister Joann’s room.  Just as I left, you appeared.  Perhaps you were going to her?

Father McCauley:  Going to Sister Joann?  As you were coming out?

Sister Eleanor:  Perhaps to hear her file a complaint regarding the slithering she experienced in her room.

Father McCauley:  Quite right.  Perhaps.

Sister Joann:  Oh, those nasty slithering creatures.

Sister Eleanor:  It is terrible what goes on in there!

Father McCauley:  Terrible?

Sister Eleanor: It disturbs her so.  She rarely can sleep on account of the slithering.

Sister Joann:  Those children!

Father McCauley:  Children?!

Sister Joann:  The children.

Sister Eleanor:  There, there.  Sister Joann feels certain that the children have brought those disgusting creatures here.  And that is why they were slithering about.

Sister Joann:  Abominable what goes on in there.  The children!  They slip them under the door, I think!

Father McCauley: Abominable.

Sister Joann:  Disgusting, slithering things!

Sister Eleanor: Go on in there, and I am sure you will see one for yourself.

Father McCauley:  Into Sister Joann’s room?

Sister Joann:  Not now!

Sister Eleanor:  To see the creature slithering about.

Father McCauley:  Perhaps it would be appropriate.

Sister Joann:  Not now!

Father McCauley:  Perhaps it would be appropriate, Sister.  The sermon should certainly be on the topic suggested, the disgusting creature, or creatures, slithering about in Sister Joann’s room.

My blurb:  Have a suggestion for a creativity challenge?  Please, feel free to forward it to me!

About the Author
Jael Strong is a writer for TheWriteBloggers, a company dedicated to creating professional blogging content for increased internet visibility.

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