Thanking the stars

On Monday night it took me nearly 3 hours just to open the post. Straight away I was able to get rid of 3 piles. 1. straight in the rubbish; 2. straight in the recycle bin; 3. shredded and then into the recycle bin. The shredded pile took the remainder of the 3rd hour and filled 4 shredder bins or 1 dustbin liner.

I was able to dispatch a 4th pile pretty much straight away too, into an envelope and off to someone else, while pile no 5 went straight into the filing folder. That left pile no 6 for “reading later”, and pile no 7 for “dealing with NOW”. That was the urgent stuff I was looking for.

I’ve never had so many piles …

It was quite traumatic, I must admit. But it was nice to get my 2 mailing trays back (in and out) and the now-vanished pile of post was good Feng Shui.

I really, really need to get into the habit of touching the post just once – whether that means shredding or binning or recycling it straight away or, heaven forbid, actually dealing with it immediately.

Of course, the filing pile is now a different story. I’m going to have to do daily 5-minute bursts to try and get that shifted. I’m almost certain I have another pile of filing shoved away in a cupboard somewhere too.

I finally sank into a bath at 10:45pm, but at least it was another job jobbed and it did feel good to have the clear desk and all that rubbish gone.

On Tuesday, when the post came in, I touched it once … and shredded, recycled and binned straight away. That felt good too.

Tuesday was a glorious day and as I’d finished the proofreading job I was scheduled to finish, written and filed the walks report, met an obligation in town, and delivered one of those urgent forms I needed to fill in NOW, I decided I fancied and deserved a nice run to the seaside. Rufus had a great time there, we had fish and chips, a lovely walk along the beach, and we headed home at a reasonable time.

But halfway along the motorway the car cut out and I managed to limp onto the hard shoulder. We waited for over an hour for the AA to come out but he could only do a recovery, and he was close to his driving hours too, so we also had to give him a 45 minute break. He got us home for about 1am.

On Monday I was talking to the Universe; today I’m thanking stars. But I have a lot to be thankful for – for being in the AA, for the motorway being relatively empty, for not losing control of the car, for the dog not escaping across the carriageway, for not being alone, for nothing crashing into us on the hard shoulder, and for getting home safely. It could have been so much worse.

We had to abandon the car outside someone’s house, but my lovely mechanic has been out this morning to collect it, identified the problem, and will look at it as soon as he can. Meanwhile, and if it’s too expensive, I’m grounded again. But we’re all safe.

I couldn’t hand-deliver the job I finished yesterday, so that will be going via the post office later on this afternoon.

Today a new job landed on my desk – I touched it once, put it straight into my work folder and disposed of the packaging. Now I have to decide whether to crack on with that one, and therefore invoice it quickly, or carry on with the plan and write up the first chapter of my non-fiction.

I’m a bit tired, so I’m doing pc and internet admin stuff for now. I’ll see how I feel later on today and decide then.

Friday – the planets …

A chat with the Universe

Oh my goodness. I know it’s been a while but this whole interface has changed. It definitely wasn’t like this on Friday. I wonder why this happens. And I wonder why they can’t leave anything alone.

Anyway, Saturday was a very busy day in that I didn’t even surface for air. I surrounded myself with my diary, with my dates dictionaries, with my folklore calendar, with article-writing textbooks, with notebooks, the lot. And I sat down and I planned for England.

I had a really productive day and I created a schedule whereby, for example, right now (June) I should be “thinking” December, “querying” November, and “writing” October.

Then I went through the diaries and the almanacs to see what’s happening in those 3 months.

I’ve identified some upcoming anniversaries that interest me and that I hope I may be able to interest a magazine editor or 3 in as well.

I’ve identified some October and November topics I can write some speculative fiction for.

And I identified some imminent annual events locally that I can attend and photograph now, research after, and query in December in time for next year when they come around again.

I also decided on which subjects to initially specialise in and honed my list to incorporate as many anniversaries and events that come under those subjects (traditions & customs and great days out).

Yes, folks, the freelancing hat is back on and I’m hoping to get back into it with a vengeance.

Then I went through all of my outstanding WiP – short stories, RTEs, fillers – to see what can be finished now and submitted, and what can be slotted in for completion to the WiP file.

I also filled the diary and noted when I have some holes in the workload. Some of those holes can be plugged immediately with some work someone has specifically been waiting for but that won’t earn me any dosh just yet, so it was a low priority. However, it should earn me a nice crust at some point and I need to invest some time in that.

For the rest, I did some Cosmic Ordering, and I had a jolly good chat with the Universe about new work and people who owe me money.

Yesterday was a day off as it was Father’s Day and I was down in Birmingham with the dog.

Today I was up and at ‘em and raring to go and I started a brand new job that should only take me a couple of days.

I fielded 4 telephone calls – four! I don’t normally get that many in a whole week let alone a day, and a single morning at that. And I received 2 very nice emails. One was informing me that a payment only authorised last week has been released, that should hit my bank account tomorrow. The other was asking if I’d like another editing job …

Remember that jolly good chat with the Universe? Well, case rests, mi’lud.

This evening I have some admin to do. I have this heap big massive pile of post and I know there are at least 2 forms in there I need to complete quite urgently. I keep trying to keep on top of the post pile, but it takes over every single time. I need to learn the touch-it-once principle, I really do.

I have a book to proofread, a book to edit and a book to start writing. I also have a walks report to write and submit plus whatever other writing WiP I can fit in this week. Yup, that’s this week’s to-do list …

This week is nicely full and on Sunday, weather permitting, I’m off for a ride around some of those imminent local annual events armed with my camera and my dog. I’ve ordered nice weather too, so I can take lots of lovely pictures. Let’s hope the Universe continues to be so accommodating.

A bit of a rut

I’ve been in a bit of a rut. I find that when people owe me money, I get distracted. I get distracted because when everybody does it, basically I have no money, and I really do struggle to function with no money. In May just one client paid me. Another went on holiday for 14 days and forgot to pay me before they went. Others just dragged their feet. This left me in quite dire circumstances for most of May and, as a knock-on, also for June.

It’s not as if I haven’t done the work and don’t have money due. I think it’s downright rude when clients don’t know my personal circumstances. Perhaps they think I do my work as part of a little hobby, seeing as I do it from home, and clearly I don’t need the money or I’d have a proper job. Whatever, it’s just not fair.

Anyway, I’m not going whinge and moan. But I do need to ensure it doesn’t become a regular event. It’s just that when I’m distracted, I don’t work as well; and when I don’t work as well, I seem to lose interest in getting the work in too.

So now I have daily and weekly targets. I’d already upped my weekly wage minimum requirement, but with folk choosing not to pay me that didn’t work very well either. Instead I need to send something out every day – every working day – be it a completed job (edited novel, proof-read book, written book proposal), a short story, an article, a pitch for an article, a filler, a puzzle, a bid for a job.

This week I’ve sent out 2 brand new short stories. I’ve been editing a novel, I’m proofreading a book, and I’ve bid for 14 jobs. I already have a RTE (reader’s true experience) stewing, ready to be sent next week, and a long, nostalgic article doing the same.

I’ve printed off a magazine’s latest guidelines to see what I can come up with plus an anthology’s upcoming projects to see if there’s something I can send to them.

I’ve bought some of the red-top magazines to see what fillers and readers’ letters they’re actively looking for at the moment. And I have an article pitch currently stewing for one of the specials I write for. A special I used to write for has asked me for some ideas, and another special in the same field has also asked me for ideas. I need to get the ideas hat on.

I’m checking the job board every day (just one now, I do actually get enough work from the one, when they pay me, the others don’t seem to be so professionally run) and I’m back doing the daily competitions – well, I live in hope and I have won some very nice nights out that I wouldn’t normally be able to afford.

I’m writing a sample chapter for the non-fiction book as I really really really really need to get the updated proposal off and, hopefully, the contract sorted, and I’m writing the sequel to Night Crawler.

I’m also fielding and prioritising creditors. Fortunately, most of them are reasonable people and, for the past 5 years, I’ve had an impeccable record. It is a juggle, though, and a distraction I could do without.

Not having anything very uplifting to blog about, that’s probably why I’ve been quiet. A collective kick up the bum might be a useful thing just now, and thanks in advance to those who oblige.

This picture is on the June page of my calendar. It was taken on a walk from Locke Park to Worsborough Country Park, Barnsley.

Forgetful Friday

I didn’t forget to post on Friday. Well, I did. But only because I didn’t get around to logging on to the computer again.

I’m in the middle of another job, another one I’m catching up with, but it’s a lot easier than the last one. But I want to get it back to the client so she can continue working on it.

However, as I can see an end to the current workload, I’ve done a blitz on the job boards and found more than 40 jobs that suited my skill-set and my personal budget. About 4 have been declined, because I’m in the wrong country, but a few have now come back asking for more information.

The WIP currently consists of a novel to edit, 2 non-fictions to proof-read, 1 non-fiction to write, plus the assessment I’m in the middle of. And, of course, my 1,000 words a day in May on small projects. I also believe that another favourite client may have the next novel with me shortly. Oh yes, and I’ve had an enquiry via the website too. So I’m going to blitz the current workload as well, to get the work invoiced and the deck cleared.

We’re having a bank holiday weekend here in the UK and, for once, the weather is gorgeous. I’ve taken the dog out on a few good walks over the past few days, and that coupled with the heat has really knocked him out. Beautiful.

I’ve also been baking – I made a low fat jam sponge and a homestyle wholemeal loaf – and I’ve started to cook proper meals again, you know with potatoes, and meat, and vegetables, and things. I’ve also discovered a salad that I like – rocket, baby plum tomatoes and cucumber chunks – so I’ve been having that with home-made pizza (made last weekend) or jacket potatoes with cheese.

About 4 weeks ago I lost around 10lb in weight. Since then it’s been up and down and up and down, by a few pounds here or there, but the 10lb has stayed off. I need to get a few more off, and I’m working on it. But even when the scales haven’t shown a change, my clothes have and so have my energy levels.

On Saturday I had so much energy, I was up early, put a washload through, hung it out and brought it in, walked the dog, did some shopping, baked, cooked, kept on top of the washing up, changed the beds, and did some work.

Sundays and bank holiday Mondays are now programmed into me that a lie-in is obligatory. But once again I did some washing, two loads this time, hung it out, fetched it in and put it away. My laundry basket is now empty.

Today is off to a slow start, but I want to do a few more hours on the current WIP, walk the dog, and then maybe – maybe – head off to a teatime gig. Teatime gigs are a bit rubbish for me as they really do cut my day in half. But I’ve not been to a gig in ages, this is a fun band, and I’ve not seen my friends in ages.

I have no tax disc for my car at the moment, but I’ll take the confirmation email saying it’s paid and on its way just in case I get stopped. If I do my work, the gig will be a reward.

Enjoy the holiday sunshine.

May to-do list

Here is my to-do list for May:

• 2 bank holiday weekends
• proof-read new client novel
• write sample chapter for own non-fiction
• proof-read non-fiction #1
• write 1,000 words every day (1k a day in May)
• weekly walks’ reports for 6 local newspapers
• daily dog walk
• edit new historical fiction
• proof-read non-fiction #2
• update gig list weekly
• weekly banking
• weekly diary work
• hair appointment
• weekly invoices/book-keeping
• 2 trips to Birmingham
• ad-hoc work as it comes in from new contract
• MOT car
• surf job boards daily
• attend 2 gigs
• 1 Do Diddle Day

Here is May’s picture on the calendars.

Greylag Geese, Cleethorpes

How went April?

So how did I do in April?

• 1 week’s holiday 
  
• write 1,000 words every day
• update price list 
  
• author and proof-reader edits on historical fiction #1 
  
• weekly walks’ reports for 6 local newspapers
• daily dog walk
• edit 145,000-word auto-biography
• update gig list weekly
• weekly banking
• proof-read non-fiction #1 – c/f
• proof-read new client novel - c/f
• write sample chapter for own non-fiction - c/f
• weekly diary work
• 2 x dental appointments (shudder)
• GP appointment 
  
• hair appointment
• weekly invoices/book-keeping
• author and proof-reader edits on historical fiction #2
• 1 x trip to Birmingham
• ad-hoc work as it comes in from new contract

Extras

• final author edits on historical fiction #1 √
• additional trip to Birmingham √
• quote on 3 invited jobs √
• take car for new exhaust √

And finally, 30k in 30 days …

30k in 30 days

Historically, although I’ve always been über-busy, even when I was a prolific and constant freelance writer, writing for my own pleasure has always taken a back seat. If I have paid or contracted work to do, that work always gets done first.

For years I’ve been trying to carve out regular time for my own writing pleasure, but always the paid gigs come along and take priority.

These days the “day job” is the editing and proof-reading I do for other people. This pays the bills, it covers the mortgage, it enables me to have a car, and it means we eat – or most of the time at least. I don’t drink or smoke, it’s not a fast car, I don’t even dye my hair any more, and I don’t have package – or any kind of – holidays. I really do work to live and, most of the time, I make ends meet.

I lost the last day job in May 2011, and the first year was spent doing jobs around the house and gradually kick-starting the freelance career again, building up work and contracts. On 6 April 2012, I officially became self-employed again, after a 6-year break, and it’s taken the whole year to get the balance right between working and getting that work in. And in April 2013, I decided it was time to prioritise my pleasure writing again, particularly as some of it will be paid writing eventually.

I set myself a challenge to write 30,000 words over 30 days in April – 30k in 30 days – thinking that, once again, my own writing would get pushed aside to make way for the paid gigs. But do you know, I seem to have done it. There’s still one day left, but a quick look at the word meter in the side bar reveals just how well I’ve done it, considering my previous output had been zero.

So, aside from the word count accomplishment, in April only I’ve also completed eight separate items (short stories, articles, fillers) and with one day to go have written a perfectly respectable 28,922 words.

I’ll definitely do it again in May (1k a Day in May) and may even raise the bar, but we shall see about that. April got particularly busy and I’m still catching up on both lost time and a job taking much, much longer than I thought it would.

Do Diddle Day
As it turned out, and in case you didn’t notice, I did take my Do Diddle Day off last Friday after all. I finished the long job at around midnight on Thursday, and then burned out, quite simply. I didn’t have a diddle in me, let alone anything else. So I took the day off and spent it doing whatever I felt like.

That started with a lie-in until midday. I was shattered and I slept despite next door having a new hot water system fitted. The dog barked a bit, and there were drilling and cutting noises, but I was zonked out.

When I surfaced, I took the dog to Pugney’s Water Park near Wakefield for a good run, but when I got home I thought my car exhaust might be blowing a bit. I dropped the dog off and did some shopping – and treated myself for all of my hard work – but by the time I came home from the supermarket there was no “thought” about it. My exhaust was definitely blowing.

There was nothing I could do about it then, though. So I chilled in front of the telly for the next 5 or 6 hours, pigging chocolate and swilling cider. I needed the time out.

The weekend
I’d promised one of my editors that I’d catch up with a job on Saturday, but I ended up taking my car in to the garage to be looked at. I was supposed to be going out to Leeds on Saturday night, and to Birmingham on Sunday, but I didn’t want to risk it if the exhaust pipe might drop off at any moment.

While they looked at the car, I nipped up to have a chat and a cuppa with the gig buddy, who has a shop nearby, and when I went back, the mechanic confirmed my fears. I need a new exhaust. Or the front and middle sections at least.

This is not good. And it meant I had to cancel my trips to Leeds and to Birmingham.

The car’s going in tomorrow morning and I’m going to take some work to do in the library. Then I’ll collect the car, collect the dog, and head down to Birmingham anyway for the rest of the day. They said if I can get my car in for 8:30am (har har – and there was me thinking I’d given up early mornings), then it will be ready by 12 noon. That still gives me time to have a couple of hours with my mom and dad.

The promised job was worked on on Sunday, with me not going gallivanting about after all, and delivered late last night. I’ve had enough of these late nights for now. They don’t make Diane a very happy bunny; in fact, I get quite grumpy when I don’t get enough sleep.

Looking ahead
My April achievements will be up tomorrow, it being the last day of the month, and my May to-do list will be up on Wednesday, it being the first day of the new month. Some of my April jobs have moved along to May, and that 1k a Day in May will have started too.

So, hopefully, I’ll see you Friday.