Welcome back and Happy Thursday my friends! What shall we talk about today? I know…how about taking chances?
QUOTE OF THE DAY
“I believe in taking chances and living your life. Sometimes doors open and others close and you have to figure out which one you’re going to take. I’m always for the one that’s challenging.”
Gisele Bundchen
Rarely does a day go by when I am not approached by someone who says their writing career is going nowhere and they don’t know what to do about it. Well I know the one thing you shouldn’t do and that is to remain stagnant.
What is the worst thing that can happen if a new idea does not work out? It fails! Oh well! We will never know if a new approach will work unless we work it.
This new online world is a learning ground for us all. Half the time I don’t have a clue what I am doing, but I keep doing something in hopes that I’ll hit the mother lode and find success. I keep trying new angles. My new Exploring the Back Roads series is an example. Who knows if a collaborative effort of travel articles will help or not? I certainly don’t know, but there is only one way to find out and that is do it.
One of my best writing buddies is Mike Pugh, or Cloud Explorer online. Mike is constantly trying new things. His latest gig is Bubblews, but he has spent countless hours making videos for YouTube with limited success. Next month who knows what he will try, but I guarantee you he will try something. Mike doesn’t have an ounce of quit in him, and he will always have my respect because of it.
That leads me to my two tips of the day.
TIP OF THE DAY #1
Improve your writing skills. This is a broad-ranging tip but one I don’t think enough writers pay attention to. You can have the greatest marketing idea in the world, but if you are a terrible writer people will leave you in droves.
TIP OF THE DAY #2
If you have writing skills then find a unique way to package those skills. Don’t be part of the flock that includes hundreds of thousands of other writers; find your own path and make it work. If you write recipes then find a new angle; if you write travel articles do the same. Find a way to showcase your unique qualities as a writer, and if you fail then try something else.
SITE OF THE DAY
My friend Suzette has a lovely blog that certainly does not get enough visitors. Here it is for your reading enjoyment.
PROMPT OF THE DAY
Inspired by this? Then write about it. J
MONEY SITE OF THE DAY
Writer’s Weekly is looking for new articles. They pay $60 per 600 word article, and lately they are looking for “success” stories. Check them out here.
MORE NEXT WEEK
I want you inspired. I want you to spread those wings and prepare for lift off. I don’t want to hear about the challenges; I want to hear about your solutions. What are you going to do to find success with your writing?
Bill
“Helping writers to spread their wings and fly.”
Billybuc
Artistry With Words 
Totally know Mike and his videos and he really has been quite successful with them. Seems like so many are over at Bubblews now, but I still just can’t seem to get into for whatever reason. Again though you are so right about taking chances as a writer, but still being able to write in your own true voice. Seriously, try my best with this with whatever I write and make sure to relate to my readers as much as I can. Thanks Bill for sharing your thoughts on this and Happy Thursday now!
Janine, I understand the attraction to Bubblews but it will never be for me….I wish everyone well over there but I have some serious reservations about that site. I’m fine right where I am. 🙂 Thanks my friend.
Sometimes I feel as if you’re sending me a personal, virtual nudge when you write these posts – Or maybe it’s my conscience. 🙂 Either way.
Great post as always.
Marissa
Marissa, you have an incredible life ahead of you. If these posts help you in any way then I am very happy. 🙂
I love the tips in this blog, Bill.
Yesterday, I had lunch with some friends and got a job out of it! One of my friends, who joined us, has property on the Intracoastal, complete with furnished double-wide trailer, a private dock and two boats. She and her husband rent their waterfront house out for several months out of the year. She has hired me to draw up a welcome package for her renters and also wants me to create a listing (she’s been working with a realtor – the ad has expired). Who knew taking a day off from writing and learning would result in a job?
How cool is that, Sha? I love hearing things like that; you just never know where a job will come from. Hooray!
And the cool thing is, this one’s not a scam! 🙂 Because she’s a longtime friend and is caring for a husband who has Alzheimer’s, I told her to tell me what she can afford when she asked me what I charge. She’s paying me $200 for layout. I think that’s pretty cool!
I think that’s VERY cool, Sha!
I agree Bill.
A writer gotta find her/his niche in this wild world.
CloudExplorer is a wonderful example and am happy about his determination to keep spreading his wings in different directions.
will check out Suzette’s site.
Also, that money is amazing $60 for 600 words…wow!
I have been charging 18$ for 600 words…gosh!! Feel underpaid..lol
Check them out, Ruchira. Who knows, right? It might as well be you making the money.
Happy Thursday to you as well! Mike is wonderful! Off to check out the sites you have posted!
Thank you Audrey! I’m so glad that you appreciate Mike. The man will be successful eventually and he will have earned every ounce of recognition.
Oh, BB, you inspire me. 🙂
Try a different angle? Yes…ever since starting back to grad school, I knew my angle was going to be different. I still think about writing for HP, but I’m always torn: I love writing on my own site.
To that end, yeah…instead of the self-publish e-book route, I definitely have other plans…unless they don’t pan out. Believe it or not, this current project I’m working on have LOTS to do with my Spanish and Anthro backgrounds. Don’t know how it’ll pan out just yet, but one of my all-time favorite authors and inspirational authors was Sue Harrison who wrote a book (now out of print) called Mother Earth Father Sky. I read it when I was 12 and never forgot how much it moved me. Harrison was an anthropologist who studied the Eskimos and wrote historical fiction novels. Ever since then…I don’t know…I’ve always hoped I could inspire others the way she did me.
HUGS!
Cyndi, it’s interesting where our inspiration comes from. Some seemingly insignificant event or book-reading and our lives are forever altered. I love that story; thank you for sharing it with me lil Sis!
Dearest Bill-bro! The most wonderful thing happened yesterday. A publisher from the UK (a friend of my graphic artist) read the first story and really, really liked it! They lean HARD on the romance vs erotica – and i tend to go the, er other way, but – she said she would accept any work from me that meets their criteria.
the best part is that she’s allowing me to participate in private seminars taht her pub. house holds.
Finally – some formal writing lessons for me! I’m terrified, but, moving forward and TAKING CHANCES (the point of all this drivel..lol)
Les, that is fantastic news my friend. I am so happy for you. Crossings fingers and praying to the gods that this is just the beginning of great things for you. Way to go, Sis!
Increasing writing skills and trying a new angle? Yes… Bill you’re speaking my language here! 🙂 After working at that ad agency and being thrown in at the deep end… it was a wake up call to say the least. Writing blogs is easy (ish), writing articles is about the same. But I’m learning so much more about putting words together and how a single word swap can change the whole meaning of the brand or idea. I’m also learning to be more critical of my work – in terms of spelling and grammar. Not that it was ever bad before, but now it needs to be perfect! As for the direction… I’m always exploring and trying new things to see what works. I can’t imagine next year will be any different. Although, I seem to make a habit of doing that and not finishing things. So I’m committed to finishing a novel (Cyndi’s YeroWriteO), and a recipe book. In between that, I’ll be trying to build onto my two blogs, freelance and paint. So, so excited! It’s strange to be pulled out of one situation and put back to where you were – almost being told, “TRY AGAIN!” lol 😉 Well, that’s how I’m looking at it. It’s for a reason and I know I can do better, simplify things and really make a go of it. I’ll just have to keep on coming back here for my daily inspiration!
Thanks so much for the comment on my health blog 🙂 I get out about 2 posts on there a week and really trying to grow it. I think there’s potential there, but it needs a lot more work and I need to be committed to spreading the word better (in a non in-your-face way of course!). I really want to help people become healthier and more positive. Same goes for the career blog. Oh well, we’ll see what happens. Enough babbling, have an awesome weekend my friend!
Mel, I’m always happy when you stop by so babble all you want. 🙂 I have to be more careful sorting through emails; I don’t know how many of your blogs I have missed simply because I didn’t recognize the name of the blog. It is well done and well written; now we just have to get more people interested in it.
Best wishes to you my friend; I know you will be fine in time.
Have a wonderful weekend…well, Sunday….:)
Came back to see if you’d written anything else (trying not to miss much, lol) and avoiding coursework. It took me FORever to finish a discourse analysis of the Spanish spoken in my classroom (shoot me now…hahaha).
ANYWAYS, this topic suddenly has new meaning for me. I’m finding I need a bit of courage. Courage? Yes. See, I’m tackling something I’ve never done before: historical fiction combined with regular fiction. It’s scary taking on something epic from history. It’s even scarier still thinking about how a world audience might take it. The amount of research (though I’m LOVING that, haha) and putting it all together isn’t really the hard part. The hard part is stringing all those words together so that the writing isn’t flat and that the words actually breathe, have life and dimension. It’s one thing to write a blog post or article, but a novel? Thousands upon thousands of words? I trust myself. I have to. But I have to set my reservations aside each time I write and just write, hoping that the way I put words together, the particular way I weave a story is going to be liked by someone somewhere.
But then again, who am I kidding? I’m writing for myself. And when you write what you want to read, interesting things happen. 😉
The first historical fiction that I read and loved was the Civil War trilogy by Bruce Catton. The man was a genius and my love of that war came from his brilliant novels….one of which won the Pulitzer. And yes for certain, if you are writing for yourself then very interesting things can happen.
I guess nothing ventured nothing gained, right? You’re such a great source of inspiration…I came to visit for a little:) lol. I’m still processing all the how tos and what fors and behind whose barn doors …for me it’s been a slow growing but steady in progress so I’m satisfied at the moment. Still, I could do better…I know, I know:) lol. Have a great day Bill!
Kelly, I see quite a few blogs over the course of a week, and yours is one of my favorites. You have an excellent writer’s voice and common sense that makes you a joy to read. Be very satisfied with where you are my friend. Thank you!