I have to admit...I was getting pretty antzy yesterday about the slow trickle of money that has been coming my way for writing gigs. I know, I know....we're are knee deep into the Holiday season and people aren't really thinking about needing a writer at this particular time. At least it's not number one on their list.
So, with the help of my trusty Virtual Assistant, I have her plowing through the Chamber of Commerce listings with an email template I gave her and I am DETERMINED to make this thing work. I've also been accepted as a ghostwriter for Arbor Books...but as the publisher said, "I'm way down the list".
I can do this. Failure is NOT a Freaking option.
More Musings Later-
Wednesday, November 29, 2006
Wednesday, November 22, 2006
If You REALLY want to analyze my personality....
Advanced Global Personality Test Results
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personality tests by similarminds.com
Monday, November 20, 2006
How about those Titans?
Okay, they have sucked the majority of the season, but man, have they come a long way. They beat the Philadelphia Eagles for God's sake on Sunday! Not just eeking by, mind you. They gave them a good ole fashioned butt kicking.
I like my little stocky man, Travis Henry, my long drink of water quarterback, Vince Young and my run the kickoffs to at least the 30 yardline, Bobby Wade.
Pacman? Haynesworth? Sometimes I think Floyd Reese goes shopping for football players at "Thugs R Us". I wish they would get rid of Pacman.
By the way, got a compliment (at least, I'm taking it that way) from a friend on Sunday. I usually go to her apartment and sit on her couch and root for my Titans. She is bored silly cause she is from Connecticut. She keeps silently wondering, What time do the New England Patriots come on? Anyway, I stayed home this past weekend and she told me she honestly missed my cursing and screaming while the Titans were on.
She said she actually watched the game and thought to herself, okay, if Taryn were sitting here, she would say &*(&&!!!! ###&*(((&%!!!!!!!!!!!
Awwwww, isn't that nice? GO TITANS (Can you tell I kinda like football?)
I like my little stocky man, Travis Henry, my long drink of water quarterback, Vince Young and my run the kickoffs to at least the 30 yardline, Bobby Wade.
Pacman? Haynesworth? Sometimes I think Floyd Reese goes shopping for football players at "Thugs R Us". I wish they would get rid of Pacman.
By the way, got a compliment (at least, I'm taking it that way) from a friend on Sunday. I usually go to her apartment and sit on her couch and root for my Titans. She is bored silly cause she is from Connecticut. She keeps silently wondering, What time do the New England Patriots come on? Anyway, I stayed home this past weekend and she told me she honestly missed my cursing and screaming while the Titans were on.
She said she actually watched the game and thought to herself, okay, if Taryn were sitting here, she would say &*(&&!!!! ###&*(((&%!!!!!!!!!!!
Awwwww, isn't that nice? GO TITANS (Can you tell I kinda like football?)
To Blog of Old, or to Blog in Beta, That is the Question.
How come I am the only blogger out there that hasn't gotten the "invite" to move my existing blogs over to the Beta Blogger? (Say it 3 times fast and it sounds like you are talking about a certain kind of high blood pressure medicine. I'm old, aren't I?)
Anyway, it seems my writer friends are just zippity doo-dahing over to the Beta Blogger and their profiles and links are posted where they are supposed to be. Mine, however, are SUPPOSED to be positioned at the side ----------> are really located at the end of all my posts. Somebody would have to be REALLY interested in what I have to say to scroll way down there and I'm not naive enough to believe that everyone is thinking to themselves, "Oooohhhh, I have to scroll down and see what links this sarcastic writer likes...." C'mon, I wasn't born yesterday.
Forget trying to post pictures.....it takes forever. Am I being punished by the Blogging gods?
More musings later-
Anyway, it seems my writer friends are just zippity doo-dahing over to the Beta Blogger and their profiles and links are posted where they are supposed to be. Mine, however, are SUPPOSED to be positioned at the side ----------> are really located at the end of all my posts. Somebody would have to be REALLY interested in what I have to say to scroll way down there and I'm not naive enough to believe that everyone is thinking to themselves, "Oooohhhh, I have to scroll down and see what links this sarcastic writer likes...." C'mon, I wasn't born yesterday.
Forget trying to post pictures.....it takes forever. Am I being punished by the Blogging gods?
More musings later-
Monday, November 13, 2006
So You Want to Be A Freelance Writer?
If you enjoy articles such as this, please be sure to visit me on Ezine Articles. Vote for my article and leave a comment if you would be so kind.....
You're in Love with the idea of being a writer....
Sitting in front of your pc screen, watching the blinking cursor as your fingers lightly rest on the home keys of your keyboard. You imagine that your words will spill on to your document by the multitudes as your fingers dance across the keyboard. Inspiration is running high and concocting a first rate article or book is effortless.
Isn't that the way a freelance writer works? Hardly. Well, except for the part about watching the cursor blink. How do you know you have what it takes to be a professional writer? Is there any supernatural sign that signals destiny? Yes and no. Maybe your Aunt Trudy told you that your last short story was fantastic, but have you gotten feedback from writers? In any event, I have noticed that there are certain qualities and characteristics that successful writers have that enable them to be successful.
The Top 5 Successful Qualities and Traits of a Freelance Writer
5. Opportunistic - A good writer will seek out opportunities and act upon them without hesitation. Is there a writer's group starting up? or is the local java shop showcasing poets? You can bet the successful writer will be there to not only listen to other's work, but to meet other writers. There is always a networking opportunity for future writing gigs.
4. Analytical - That's not to say that writers are mathmeticians at heart. They are analytical in determining what needs work within their own writing. A good writer will try to use both sides of their brain, the creative side AND the logic/analytical side of the brain. They analyze their strengths and weaknesses and write accordingly.
3. Marketing - Writers worth their salt know that marketing themselves is crucial to building their name and reputation. They constantly are searching for ways to stand out in the crowd and gain recognition. They will be the first to scour the business section of the paper for business networking opportunities and practice their elevator speech relentlessly.
2. Determined - Writers are a determined bunch. This quality enables them to push forward when inspiration seems to have dried up, work to better themselves by attending seminars on writing skills or whatever skill needs honing. Some people call this trait, "Stubborn".
And Finally...
1. "No" is not in their vocabulary - A good writer will never accept one opinion as a reason to quit. There will be plenty of critics that will be frank and downright brutal in their analysis of your writing. Perhaps they suggest taking up basketweaving for a hobby. The writer will assume the critic had a bad day and should take up basketweaving.
The ultimate lesson is to be objective, learn from others and do not allow others to have more control over yourself than you.
Happy Writing!
Taryn Simpson is a published author and freelance writer with over 15 years of HR experience. Ms. Simpson owns her own writing company, Simpson - E Publishing which offers clients ghostwriting of novels/articles, web content, brochures, newsletters, press releases and more. Sign up to recieve her free newsletter for writer's tips and news on her website http://www.simpson-epublishing.com./ To learn more about this writer, feel free to visit her online presskit: http://www.tarynsimpson.com/
More Musings Later-
You're in Love with the idea of being a writer....
Sitting in front of your pc screen, watching the blinking cursor as your fingers lightly rest on the home keys of your keyboard. You imagine that your words will spill on to your document by the multitudes as your fingers dance across the keyboard. Inspiration is running high and concocting a first rate article or book is effortless.
Isn't that the way a freelance writer works? Hardly. Well, except for the part about watching the cursor blink. How do you know you have what it takes to be a professional writer? Is there any supernatural sign that signals destiny? Yes and no. Maybe your Aunt Trudy told you that your last short story was fantastic, but have you gotten feedback from writers? In any event, I have noticed that there are certain qualities and characteristics that successful writers have that enable them to be successful.
The Top 5 Successful Qualities and Traits of a Freelance Writer
5. Opportunistic - A good writer will seek out opportunities and act upon them without hesitation. Is there a writer's group starting up? or is the local java shop showcasing poets? You can bet the successful writer will be there to not only listen to other's work, but to meet other writers. There is always a networking opportunity for future writing gigs.
4. Analytical - That's not to say that writers are mathmeticians at heart. They are analytical in determining what needs work within their own writing. A good writer will try to use both sides of their brain, the creative side AND the logic/analytical side of the brain. They analyze their strengths and weaknesses and write accordingly.
3. Marketing - Writers worth their salt know that marketing themselves is crucial to building their name and reputation. They constantly are searching for ways to stand out in the crowd and gain recognition. They will be the first to scour the business section of the paper for business networking opportunities and practice their elevator speech relentlessly.
2. Determined - Writers are a determined bunch. This quality enables them to push forward when inspiration seems to have dried up, work to better themselves by attending seminars on writing skills or whatever skill needs honing. Some people call this trait, "Stubborn".
And Finally...
1. "No" is not in their vocabulary - A good writer will never accept one opinion as a reason to quit. There will be plenty of critics that will be frank and downright brutal in their analysis of your writing. Perhaps they suggest taking up basketweaving for a hobby. The writer will assume the critic had a bad day and should take up basketweaving.
The ultimate lesson is to be objective, learn from others and do not allow others to have more control over yourself than you.
Happy Writing!
Taryn Simpson is a published author and freelance writer with over 15 years of HR experience. Ms. Simpson owns her own writing company, Simpson - E Publishing which offers clients ghostwriting of novels/articles, web content, brochures, newsletters, press releases and more. Sign up to recieve her free newsletter for writer's tips and news on her website http://www.simpson-epublishing.com./ To learn more about this writer, feel free to visit her online presskit: http://www.tarynsimpson.com/
More Musings Later-
Tuesday, November 07, 2006
I'm Taryn Simpson, and I approve this message.
Ok folks, is anyone as sick of the political barbing as I am? If I see one more dirty commercial, one more blond bimbo telling Harold Ford, Jr. "Harold, Call me!" I believe I will puke. Where's Ann Richards when you need her? (God Rest her Soul). She would have told you to kiss her *ss and smile while doing it. I miss Ann Richards.
It seems that the older I get, the dirtier and more vicious the races get. Lord, I am not looking forward to the presidential race coming up. Rest assured that when it comes time to vote, I will be one of the first in line to vote and then I will come home, turn off the news and watch some Cosby reruns. Heck, maybe I Love Lucy would be good.
Anything but politics. By the way, if I could vote Rush Limbaugh off radio, I would have done it.
I'm Taryn Simpson and I approve this blog.
More Musings Later-
It seems that the older I get, the dirtier and more vicious the races get. Lord, I am not looking forward to the presidential race coming up. Rest assured that when it comes time to vote, I will be one of the first in line to vote and then I will come home, turn off the news and watch some Cosby reruns. Heck, maybe I Love Lucy would be good.
Anything but politics. By the way, if I could vote Rush Limbaugh off radio, I would have done it.
I'm Taryn Simpson and I approve this blog.
More Musings Later-
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