Busy Busy Bee

Early in the month, I had applied for a writing gig about writing health articles. I had resisted it for a while, but eventually common sense won out.

I do medical transcription. I have internists, gastroenterologists, pediatricians, neurologists, orthopedic surgeons, psychiatrists, and psychologists I can call in for expert sources.

So I applied for the gig and promptly forgot about it.

One day last week, I got an e-mail stating they were interested in working for me but would like a health-related sample article rather than the writing- and freelance-related ones I had submitted.

I weighed the pros and cons. I researched the company. I finally decided to take the risk and do the sample article. If they took it and ran, shame on me. I submitted it, as requested, by Sunday evening.

They didn’t take it and run.

I got an e-mail Wednesday afternoon requesting an invoice and mailing information so they could send me a check. They liked the article! They also asked when I could start writing for them regularly.

Of course, I said, basically, “whenever you want me to.”

So I got another e-mail with a list of topics for my next assignments due by next Friday.

The point, other than I’m very happy to have a new gig and have some work coming in that’s not from the day job?

Persistence pays off. Keep on keeping on. Set goals for yourself and work towards them.

I’m still doing that. What I have now isn’t enough for me to go full-[time yet, but I’m working on it and definitely making progress.

Announcing…

Refilling the Well

Last Monday, January 5, I saw an ad on Craigslist (via Freelance Writing Jobs) looking for bloggers. I sent a letter of interest. Monday evening, I got a reply directing me to the Today.com site and their online application.

I thought about it for a minute. I knew the pay would be relatively low, but it was on a subject I’m very interested in. So I went ahead with the application.

Tuesday morning, I got an e-mail saying I had been approved. That afternoon, I set up the blog and first post. With the exception of yesterday, which was a very long day during which I did not have access to the Internet, I’ve put up an entry a day. I have had some criticism that it is too advertising-heavy. The only thing I can do about that is to say I’m sorry. That’s the way today.com sets it up and I have no control over it.

I invite you to visit, read a bit, and even leave a comment if you wish.

Two Things

He never comes here, but I have to say Happy Birthday to my brother. 

Now down to business. 

Yesterday, I finished chapter 18 of “Devon’s Wish.”  With my guesstimate, there should be two more chapters.  It doesn’t have to be 20 exactly, but that’s the way “Kiernan’s Curse” turned out, so I’m using that as my guide.  I should finish DW this week.

Speaking of KC, I’ve edited up through chapter 13 so I have about seven chapters left on it.  Then I can get the submission package and pitch ready.  The edits should be done by Monday by the way I’m figuring things.

Counting today, I only have eight days left here at the Writers’ Colony at Dairy Hollow.  People, really, if you’re considering applying for a residency, do it.  I can’t begin to explain everything I have gotten from this, but I will try as eventually (by December 1) I will have to do an article on it for the OWFI Report, newsletter for the Oklahoma Writers’ Federation, Inc.

Spreading My Wings

I’ve been doing a lot lately to promote myself and my writing (and to hopefully get me out of transcription).  This is because of the “Just Hit Send” challenge on the Absolute Write Water Cooler. 

I committed to 4 “sends” this month.  Right now, I’m at 15.

*Application for Axia College (a division of the University of Pheonix)

Application for Suite 101

Application for About.com Freelance Writing

2 paid blogging applications

*8 contest entries to the Ozark Creative Writers’ contest (although in the beginning, I was only counting this as 1 but each entry counts as a send of its own)

*My “Once Around the Web” column for the OWFI Report, the newsletter for the Oklahoma Writers’ Federation, Inc.

*The August contest entry for the AW Freelance Writing contest.

Whew!  I remembered them all. 

The ones I knew about/committed to at the beginning of the month are indicated by asterisks.

Hopefully I’ll keep this up.  Hopefully I’ll use it as the confidence-builder it has been so far and run with it.

Here’s a secret, guys…  I may pretend to have confidence, and in a lot of areas I do, but this isn’t an area I have it in.  I don’t know why.  I haven’t tried to figure it out.  I’m not sure I’m going to try to figure it out either.  I’m just going to keep on keeping on and hope it leads to paying assignments and gigs.

7-10 Days?

On one application I made, which I referred to in “Moving Right Along,” I was told they would respond via e-mail in 7-10 days.

Today marks day #9.  Though, I’m wondering if I should discount the weekend?  If that’s so, then today would only be #7.

I keep trying to tell myself that as part of the process, I should just apply, let go of it, and move on, but it’s not that easy.  I tend to get antsy/nervous even though I know I shouldn’t.

Years ago, I used to have a book called Let Go, Let God, which actually dealt with alcoholism.  (I picked it up at a book sale and didn’t look at the back cover for the blurb.)  I got it purely based on the title.  This seems like a good time to put the title’s advice to practice if I could let go of it.

I’m anxious about other applications I’ve made, too, but not like I am about this one.  If this one works out, I can quit transcription in the foreseeable future instead of god-knows-when.

I do need to let it go, though, because it (along with a couple other issues) is hampering my creativity.