Lordy lordy…I’ve been so off-track for the entire month of May that I’ve even fallen behind on spreading the link love. Let me make it up to you:
Archives for May 2009
Resource Roundup: 4 Time Management Applications
May 28, 2009 by 3 Comments
[Image via]
Since scheduling my days into blocks of time dedicated to specific projects, I’ve been much more productive (we’ll discount the latter half of May for a multitude of reasons…), miraculously finishing up projects that had previously kept on falling to the bottom of my list of priorities.
Hallelujah!
While I have my personal schedule stored only in my noggin, on my weaker days (like that day I got sucked into a Tales from the Darkside marathon after sitting in front of the TV for a lunch break), I probably could have benefited from some sort of time management application.
Because I hope you can succeed where I have failed, I present to you 4 time tracking applications that will help you stay on…well…track:
How To: Be the Boss
May 27, 2009 by Leave a Comment
When I first left my publishing job to freelance full-time, I thought I was leaving office hierarchy behind.
I soon realized, however, that I had to be my own boss, and eventually became the toughest one I’d ever had.
But leading a team of bloggers was an entirely different animal.
After the jump, what I learned about being the boss:
Product Placement: Follow Me @…
May 26, 2009 by 2 Comments
I’m a bit obsessed with the Twittersphere. I’m logged on 24/7 and use the site to promote my work, seek out sources, and network with other freelance writers. Plus, it helps me to maintain my sanity when I’m desperate for some small bit of human contact.
Why not use the site as a virtual business card as well?
Overcoming Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
May 12, 2009 by 19 Comments
I’ve been having trouble waking up lately, feeling not at all refreshed by my 8.5 hours of sleep.
And yesterday, I was only able to manage one flipping blog post.
After that, I couldn’t bring myself to care that not working meant not getting paid.
It’s not typically like this.
Link Love: May 8
May 8, 2009 by 3 Comments
It’s been a productive week. Since taking my hubby’s advice and scheduling my days into blocks of time for each project on my plate, I’ve been getting my blogging done more quickly, and I’ve finished up two projects that had been hanging over my head for weeks. And I’ve still had time to read! After the jump, some of my favorite articles and blog posts from the past week:
How-To: Work Through the Weekend
May 7, 2009 by 2 Comments
Last weekend, I spent the bulk of my time copy editing a manuscript. I have to be honest…it made me feel a little guilty, especially after the revelations of this post.
But sometimes, deadlines are deadlines and, if you’re prone to burning out quickly during the week, it sometimes helps to stretch out tasks into the weekend.
And so, as a counterpoint to my blissful weekend of slacking off, I present some tips for working through the weekend:
Going Unplugged: Impossible?
May 6, 2009 by 1 Comment
Earlier this week, one of the members of UPOD challenged all of us to give up our three greatest online addictions for an entire week. While the prospect intrigued me, I came to the conclusion that it would be impossible for me to do.
My three online addictions? Gmail (and the accompanying gchat), Google Reader, and Twitter. The thing is, I often use gchat to communicate with my team of MM bloggers; the scouring of other products blogs through my Google Reader is a necessity for my work; and, aside from using my Twitter account to promote my own work, I’ve also been tasked with managing MM’s Twitter account.
While I may occasionally have dreams of unplugging (very occasionally), my career is inextricably intertwined with the Internets.
And besides, wouldn’t it be more productive to just figure out how to manage my online time more effectively?
After the jump, several tips for doing just that:
Baring It All: Personal Essays Are Tough
May 5, 2009 by 10 Comments
Earlier this week, I bared it all in an essay I wrote for Nerve, on my experiences posing for a nude portrait.
Its publication was a long time coming: I first faced my fears by stripping down for a complete stranger, and then did up my essay in a frenzy of excitement and inspiration.
It was considered “too flippant,” and “not revelatory enough.” I rewrote it.
It was considered “too dark.” I rewrote it.
Nerve then got a new CEO, and my editors told me they were uncertain my essay would ever be published, because of the site’s possible new editorial direction.
I tried not to freak out.
Finally, it went up, slightly truncated. The entire process was far more traumatic than actually getting naked.
When I first started writing personal essays, I felt that nothing could be easier — or more fun — than writing about yourself. After the jump, find the reasons that baring it all (in writing) can be tougher than you think.
Freelancedom and Moral Ambiguity
May 4, 2009 by 3 Comments
[Photo via]
It can be tough to make money when you have a conscience.
Over the weekend, I asked tweeters whether they thought their feelings toward a manuscript’s subject matter subconsciously affected the way in which they edited it. I was slogging my way through a particularly arduous manuscript, and the contents weren’t helping matters. “You’re getting a paycheck,” my husband told me when I complained.
True enough. But have you ever found yourself turning down a project because of personal biases? Or turning down advertising dollars or freebies because you couldn’t bring yourself to endorse a profuct or service?
After the jump, various sources of freelance-y moral crossroads:
