Friday the 13th: My Lucky Day

I became a first-time NaNoWriMo winner yesterday! It’s the first time I’ve ever won anything in my life, so that’s exciting.

What did it take to become a winner? I had to write a 50,000 word novel in 30 days or less. And I did it. Moreover, I did it in only 13 days, thanks to a flowing plot concept and a great writing buddy that I met on Twitter.

Now it’s time to rest a bit, maybe for a day, before I begin mulling over my next big adventure.

Stay tuned.

 

 

Password? Which Password?!

You know you are long overdue on a blogpost when you sign in to WordPress, can’t remember your password (let alone your username) and have to have everything re-set so you can access your account.

Oh well. I refreshed my account and here I am. Better late than never?!

Unfortunately, I really have nothing to say. And I don’t expect it to be any different over the coming weeks.

That’s because my work life is amping up. I’ve landed several big projects lately; some of the largest engagements I’ve had in 19 years of freelancing. So I will be busy, busy. In addition, I’ve committed myself to participating in NaNoWriMo this year, for the first time.

I made the commitment to NaNoWriMo before I landed all this work. But I don’t want to quit before I even begin, so I’m trying to figure out how to juggle it all.

So, what is NaNoWriMo?

NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) is a seat-of-your-pants approach to novel writing. Participants begin writing November 1. The goal is to write a 175-page (50,000-word) novel by midnight, November 30. It’s a program for anyone who has thought fleetingly about writing a novel but has been scared away by the time and effort involved. Many published works, for example Water for Elephants began as a result of the NaNoWriMo contest. Truth be told, I’ve never really thought much about writing a novel. . .until I learned about this contest. But 50,000 words in a month is a huge goal. Last year, more than 100,000 people entered the contest. . . but only 15,000 finished.

Yikes.

Here’s where you can help…..

Please consider posting comments of encouragement throughout the coming weeks, even as simple as posting a sentence that states: “Keep writing!”

Like training for a first marathon, my only goal is to FINISH; to make it to the end. That’s considered a win. There are no prizes, no prestige, just the self-satisfaction that you completed a 50k word draft. It’s about quantity not quality. And if there is anything worth salvaging or editing, that’s to be worried about in the months that follow.

So thanks, in advance, for cheering me on and for any support you can provide. Trust me when I say, I look forward to hearing from you!

All Thumbs When it Comes to Backing Up Data!

I stumbled down stairs this morning. Poured a cup of coffee. Sat in front of my PC hoping to check my email. It’s the same routine I’ve done every morning, since who knows when? I clicked on the monitor button and noticed two blue words on the screen: No Signal.

Mmmh. That’s odd. I looked at my laptop and none of its buttons were lit up.

Mmmh. With my index finger I pushed the start button. And nothing happened. Not a whirrr. Not a hummmm. Nothing.

I quickly unplugged the laptop; then over and over and over again pressed the power button. More nothingness.

Overnight my laptop had died. And I was doomed.

I searched my still-sleepy brain trying to assess which of my most important files I needed to get my hands on. As a freelance writer, my livelihood is in that laptop and I have no IT department to cry to at times of emergency.

Of course, the first question you’re wondering is:  Well, didn’t you have a back-up??!!

Uh, yes I did, sortof. But then again, not really. My last full backup was on 6/29/09. I created it after I read a terrifying story of a woman who had lost years and years of family photos she had stored on her system. That article motivated me to create a comprehensive back-up of work files, photos, and financial data. It took almost 4 hours to copy all of the files onto a back-up hard drive.

So yes, in a way, I had copies of many key files and documents.

Problem was, I didn’t have copies of any recent items. Fortunately, I had just ended several big projects and had only been working on a small project over the last couple of days, which could easily be recreated. And I hadn’t yet started work on the several big projects I’m committed to over the coming months. Had I been deeply embroiled in that work, I would have been in serious trouble.

I pondered what I would hate to lose from my hard drive. Two items came to mind: our family’s Excel budget worksheet and our Quicken data. I’d become obsessed with that budget spreadsheet, spending hours color coding, updating, and refining the formulas. And I’d loaded so many transactions over the past few months into Quicken that it would have been painful to have lost that information.

None of the consequences are shocking. I have experienced hard drive failure before. I have lost data through the years, from PC issues as well as from unsaved documents that vanished during a system freeze. What is shocking is the fact that I have yet to learn from my mistakes or from commonplace warnings that I should back my data up regularly.

And frankly, I wouldn’t be surprised if you’re reading this and nodding your head in agreement. We all know backing up data is something we should do — like updating our Wills — yet my belief is that few of us ever do it.

I decided I needed a better strategy, one that I could actually implement.

If I have an aversion to backing up data, I don’t seem to have that same feeling about “copying” data. In fact, I copy and paste files all the time. I also save copies and versions of files. So I have decided that I will now work with a thumb or flashdrive at all times. I’ll identify “Works in Progress,” my critical project-related files and folders, along with a handful of important personal files. Then I’ll keep one current master copy on my hard drive with an updated copy on my thumb drive.

This will also enable me to be more portable in the event of another emergency. If necessary, I can simply take my thumb drive, move to one of my kids’ laptops, pop it in, and get back to work.

As it turns out, my laptop wasn’t really dead. Somehow the power cord wiggled loose during the night and the battery power drained, rendering it lifeless when I tried to power up this morning. All of my fretting was for not, but it taught me some important lessons. First, I suck at backing my data up regularly. Second, I need a better approach for protecting my files and staying operational. Third, I need to replace the daunting concept of “backing up data” with the far easier-to-manage concept of “copying files” in order for me to succeed. And finally, things go wiggle and bump in the night and sometimes there is no explanation as to why.

What would you decide to save and copy tonight?

Want to Build Your Project Pipeline? Consider Skipping Lunch

Recently, I was invited to join a networking group that meets weekly over lunch. The group is designed to facilitate connections and new business referrals. I was flattered to have been invited. (I always worry that I am not networking enough with people, face-to-face.)

At the same time, I am strapped with deadlines and loaded with work. How in the world would I be able to commit to weekly networking luncheons and still be able to get all my work done? And it was a commitment. The group had participation expectations. Missing 3 luncheons within a year was cause for dismissal.

All the other people in the networking group — all small business owners — were making the commitment to attend. Why was I so reluctant to commit as they had? I struggled with the dilemma over several days.

As I did, I focused on my work. For one project, I was actually working with the person who invited me to join the networking group. We met through a mutual client and were brought together as members of a team.  As we focused on our project work together, I noticed several differences in our work styles.

She was slow to repond to emails. She didn’t hear the urgency in the client’s requests. She wasn’t proactive in nudging the client along to meet his own desired deadlines. Days, and then weeks, drifted by without the end product being delivered. And the client started to grumble.

As harsh as it sounds, I couldn’t help but think, if she boosted her customer service skills, was more responsive to client and teammate requests, and operated more proactively, she might not need to work so hard at cultivating new business leads.

And maybe that’s why I’ve stayed so busy. The pressure I put on myself to be responsive and offer quick turnarounds and quality work has paid off. Giving clients great service has earned me the right to win more of their business. As a result, I rarely have a need to canvas for new clients. When I have, I’ve often been able to convert projects into long term accounts. My pipeline of repeat business has been steady and strong; and I’ve been at this freelance thing for more than 19 years.

For me it all points to customer service. If you can excel in your delivery, be reliable and add value, you can win long-term clients — reducing your need to constantly cultivate new business.

So if you are an independent consultant, consider the importance of customer service in your marketing efforts. Treat each client and each project as if it’s your top priority. Deliver on your promises. Be responsive. Listen to feedback. Strive to improve. And be there when your clients need you.

Of course, all of this may require you to skip luncheons and stay focused on the work at hand.

Fit & Debt-Free by 50!

I’m not even 47 years old yet. But this morning, as I huffed and puffed my way through an intense spinning class (my first time back to class after a long, 2-year hiatus) that mantra kept looping around my mind. I can easily get back to being more fit before I hit 50 (as long as I stay consistent.) However, becoming debt-free — no mortgage, no kids-at-college debt, no credit cards — will require every minute I have to pinch pennies and every ounce of discipline I can weigh between now and then.

Plus, “Fit & Debt Free by 47″ didn’t have the same ring to it, so the alliteration spun me up to the number 50.

So, there you have it. They say you should put pen to paper and write your goals down. Not only am I doing that but I’m letting the whole world know (or at least the few readers who check out this blog.)

In addition to setting my life course during my morning spin class, I remembered how goal-oriented I really am. There must be something about birthday milestones that get me focused on setting and achieving goals. When I was 39 I set a goal to run a half marathon before my 40th birthday. That was a particularly life-altering experience for me.

This new vision, specifically the debt-free aspect of it, may have a similar ability to transform. Of course, I have to achieve it (or come pretty darn close) for its full effects to be enjoyed.

Another realization I had is the importance that goals play in my ability to feel balanced. I need to be working towards something: a grander view of who I am, why I am here, and what I am doing to become a better me. Without the ability to stretch myself, measure, and reflect on progress, I start to feel lost.

Of course, people might disagree about the value of setting and achieving goals. Some may prefer a looser approach to self-improvement. That’s okay. Because one of my other intentions is to learn to be okay with who I am. So right now, I’m going to focus on nurturing the need in me to achieve.

How are you planning to celebrate your next birthday?

I Never Told Him. . .

I just returned from the saddest funeral. The son of friends died suddenly. One moment here, alive, loving, and laughing. A parent should never have to bury a child. Should never have to hug a casket to say goodbye.

I know it happens all of the time, through accidents, and war, and tragedy. But it defies all order and logic.

His parents gathered grace and strength to speak during the service. Sobbing periodically as they did, his father said, “I never told him he was my friend.” Sure he had told him he loved him, he was proud of him. He told him to work hard, to study hard, to run hard, to play hard. He had told him to take out the trash and cut the grass. But he had never told him what a great friend he was. In his tears you could hear the regret.

Just words. But words left unsaid.

And so at the father’s request, we all raised our hands in unison to the heavens and said, “Thank you for being our friend.”

And then we all cried.

Restoring Balance During Hectic Times

I have been swamped with deadlines, working long hours and juggling too many commitments.

So much for the lazy hazy days of summer.

But such is the life of a freelancer. These are the kind of problems a solopreneur like me wants to have, especially in a down economy.

At the same time, when work expands to fill every hour, all other pursuits grind to a halt. No time for blogging. Little time for tweeting. I’ve been lucky to get in a daily shower. Okay, that’s an over-statement, but you get the point. Life has not been balanced as of late.

I’ve found that the key to restoring balance is to try to tackle some of the small items on my “To Do” list; those that will lead to a sense of accomplishment. Most times that means marketing or social networking tasks because they seem to be the first to get pushed to the back burner when things heat up.

All of which explains why I’m writing this post today. I’m still busy and have several deadlines this afternoon; but I glimpsed a sliver of time between commitments when I could squeeze in some blogging. Maybe it won’t be my best post ever, but it will help me return to a rhythm of routine. Later this afternoon I also hope to catch up with my tweeps.

Of course, this approach goes against my nature, which is why it’s even more important for me to do. Because I’ve been writing so much lately, my natural tendency would be to use that sliver of time to step away from the computer. To take a nap. Or go chill in front of the TV.

But that won’t help me feel caught up — which is critical to my ability to feel balanced.  And napping while my long list of “to do’s” grows longer will only add to my anxiety. On the other hand, if I can cross a few off the list, then I can take a nap with a clear conscience. That will allow me to move from feeling productive to feeling balanced.

So for now, I’m checking “Write a new blogpost!” off my list. . . And I can say, “At least I got that done finally!”

What do you do to restore balance during hectic times? Leave a comment and let me know.

Twictionary: Play at Your Own Risk

If you’ve spent any time on Twitter, you may have noticed that it is spawning a new language: cute, quirky terms that denote common actions taken by Twitter users and which often feature the “Tw” prefix. The term “tweets” surely sparked the trend. Now, for example, there’s tweeple and tweeps to mean people and peeps (or friends), and a swift growing lexicon. There’s even an online database of these Twitter Terms.

It can be fun to watch new terms crop up and in fact, to create your own.

Recently, one of my new Twitter friends, @patweber, and I engaged in a game of Twictionary, in which we created our own terms. Our game evolved from a tweet stream in which we were discussing the tendency of many Twitterers to join and watch, rather than engage and tweet with others.

As Pat noted in a recent blog post, there were “Twisteners” and “Twatchers” – users who preferred to sit back, “hang around the edges for a while and observe.” I discovered in my list of followers, lots of “Twurkers” who also preferred to lurk and linger.

And, of course, I’ve noticed lots of “Twawkers” – those incessant marketers who keep trying to hawk their wares.

There are also some very thoughtful “Tweaders” and “Tweesearchers” – those who do a great job of conducting research on a variety of topics and passing along their interesting finds in link form within their tweets.

But on a side note, for a writer like me, playing a word game like this can get me in Twouble, as all my thoughts quickly turn to Twitspeak. It reminds me a lot of my time speaking Pig Latin, that language common among preteen girls, which first unearthed my addictive Twendencies.

So when I say to you, “Why not give our game a Twy?” I also add a cautionary note to make your game-playing time short and tweet.

Got a Skill? Turn It Into a Service.

Each day more and more people are losing jobs. According to recent reports, that trend may continue through the year. For me, it’s a flashback to when I lost my job in the early 1990s through downsizing.

At the time I was bitter. My hard work and long hours had not earned me the loyalty and stability I thought I deserved. Because I felt so jaded, I decided that if I could experience instability working for someone else, then I might as well experience it working for myself. Going freelance, I decided, was the only way to truly take control.

So I did. And in this economy, if your future looks shaky, you can choose to do the same.

Being your own boss, either as a solopreneur or a small business owner, can deliver a host of benefits. Yes, it’s hard work. But it is also empowering and exciting.

And even if you decide that being employed is critical to your well-being, you can still build a side or interim business around your passions and skills so that it provides an added measure of stability and income.

So how do you begin? Here are a few steps to get you started.

1. Take stock of your skills. One of the easiest ways to become your own boss is to take a current skill and turn it into a service. Most people don’t realize that many of the tasks they do at work can be leveraged into services. If the company you work for is selling your skills as services, then why can’t you? Skills  run the gamut from programming to writing to design to tutoring to housecleaning to bookkeeping. List the skills you have used at the office or at home. Which of them have been used to help others? These skills can be sold individually or grouped together to create a service offering.
2. List your passions. Perhaps you don’t want to focus on the skills you do at work and instead want to follow your heart. If so, then list the activities you love. If you love photography, consider how you might become a portrait, wedding or commercial photographer. If you love animals, consider becoming dog walker or pet sitter. If you love entertaining, perhaps you could become a party planner.
3. Clarify your offering. Once you have a few ideas, clarify what you might offer and to whom. Be sure you spend time outlining exactly who you believe will buy your services. Conduct research. Explore the competition. Get to know your audience and be specific about how your service might meet their needs.
4. Set your prices. As you conduct research, decide a pricepoint for your services. You may need to set an hourly rate or a range of rates to match different services. If there are competitors in your market, price your offerings slightly lower to help you land those first few jobs.
5. Hustle up some business. When you’re first starting out, the best place to begin selling your services is by networking. But that’s not the only way. You can market through flyers and online sites (Craigslist, eLance and Guru.com for example). The key, just like in job hunting, is to market your services each and every day.

Selling your skills is a low cost, low risk way to become your own boss. Hanging out a shingle for your services can be done overnight. And again, it can be done as a side-business or in tandem to looking for employment.  So really, why not give it a try? You may discover yourself growing and building a solopreneur business that evolves into the gig of your dreams.

I Get it Now! How Twitter Might Work for You

I’m new to Twitter. When I first joined a few months back I had no clue as to how to use it. As a fairly active user of Facebook (FB), Twitter seemed to be a pared down version of the FB status update  — which I rarely used.

I mean really. . .  apart from my own friends and family, who cares about my answer to the question: “What are you doing?”

And what do I care about what other strangers might be doing?

After a few unproductive sessions staring at my Twitter page, I abandoned it completely.

Then, media attention focused on the growing population of Twitter users and the CNN vs. Ashton Kutcher campaign. I decided to revisit Twitter; bound and determined to figure out what all the buzz was about.

The first several days I stumbled around trying to both find and lure followers. As my list of “tweeps” slowly grew, I noticed that some people’s tweets seemed to be theme-oriented. They weren’t just tweeting about what they ate for lunch. One tweeted motivational quotes and gems of spiritual inspiration. Another focused on ranting about the U.S. government. One explored issues related to small businesses and the web. A few more tried to SELL SELL SELL me something (and I quickly stopped following them.)

But woven throughout the majority of tweets was valuable information and a plethora of resource links to articles, webinars, and blogposts.

That’s when I got it! Or at least part of it. . .

Surround Yourself with the Like-Minded
If I made a conscious effort to find and follow tweeps who had specific interests similar to mine, then I would have an endless feed of content, thoughts, resource links, expert advice, and inspiration on subjects that matter to me. I could create my own custom network of researchers who would crawl the web in search of insightful material. Some would even create original content for me to enjoy. Then, once they posted a brief note (140 characters or less) about it, I’d be able to access it instantly. And post away they did. . . with dozens of tweets streaming in by the hour.

In essence, I’ve been able to use Twitter as a guide to all the latest and greatest information related to my work, my client’s interests, and my own personal pursuits.

Here are a few examples of what I’ve recently enjoyed, watched, learned, and explored, thanks to my new favorite tweeps:

• Live tweets from the commencement address at Harvard
• A webinar on how to use social media effectively
• Blog posts about search engine optimization, social networking, and marketing techniques for small businesses
• Images from the “Ashes and Snow” photography exhibit currently in Mexico
• Articles on energy healing, global consciousness, and meditation
• Web radio shows on teen dating and parenting
• The chance to get involved in a grassroots campaign to support the release of Laura Ling and Euna Lee
• Plus, a few great jokes!

It would be a full-time job for me to try to stay current on any of these subjects. With Twitter I don’t have to. The searching, sifting, and sorting is done for me. Plus, I get introduced to topics and viewpoints I may never have thought about. And it’s all done with a global perspective because my tweeps are located all over — in Japan, Sweden, England, France, New Zealand, Ireland, the U.S., and elsewhere.

Of course, there’s a whole other aspect of Twitter related to interacting and the building of relationships. But using it in that way is not the only way Twitter can be leveraged.

So, if all you want to do is lurk and learn — and have custom content delivered to your desktop — Twitter is the tool for you!

[Follow me on Twitter!]