With all the submission opportunities Dawn has been posting lately, you will know there is more to writing than just writing for yourself. However, when you start writing for money, writing is not always as easy. Writing for someone else’s requirements means you may have to modify your writing style to suit a particular audience, write to a schedule to meet a client’s deadline, or learn new writing tricks.

Writing can become like any other job – sometimes enjoyable, and sometimes just a hard slog. Maintaining your passion for writing can be difficult at times, but it doesn’t have to be. Here are three ideas for renewing your passion for writing:

Take a Break

Everyone needs a vacation or a holiday sometimes. Take a couple of days off from writing and see if you feel refreshed for writing again. If you can’t take a couple of days off, give yourself a mental break when the going gets tough. Go for a walk and get some fresh air and exercise. When you come back to the computer, you’ll find the writing flows again.

 Write Something for Yourself

Give yourself just 15 minutes to write for yourself to start each day. This gets your creative juices flowing and helps you to settle down to writing other things.

 Find Your Passion for What You ARE Writing

Write for jobs that you find interesting. As a freelancer, you are free to choose which jobs you accept and which to ignore. Find jobs on topics you personally find interesting. Sometimes though, it is better to pay the bills than to turn down writing gigs. If you cannot find the topic interesting in itself, focus on the craft of writing. Put your creative energy and passion into writing the most interesting article you can by using language and writing techniques.

Whatever it takes, remember the passion you first felt for writing and renew your passion for what you doing.

 HayleyWriter

http://www.expandingcreations.com

http://www.animalwellnessmagazine.com/p/awsubmit.htm

Scottish Home & Country Call for Submissions
Scottish Home & Country accept articles on a variety of subjects. Readers enjoy features on crafts, personal histories, social history, health, travel, cookery, general women’s interests, etc. Instructional craft articles are also welcome but must include clear illustrations. They pay £20-£60 for up to 1000 words. View website for details.

http://www.swri.org.uk/magazine/contributors.html

Motley Fool Seeks Finance Writers
Fool.co.uk seeks freelance writers for the research and writing of substantial elements of online Fool content with a particular focus on share/company analysis and investing strategies. The writer will balance factual analysis with the Foolish mission of education, amusement, and enrichment. The writer must be able to take complex investing issues and translate them through clear language with a touch of humour, fun, and pizzazz when appropriate (and that’s most of the time). Ideally, they prefer writers who have at least a few years’ (successful!) experience of running their investment portfolio, that can generate the majority of their article ideas and have the capacity to regularly produce between 2-4 articles a week of 600-800 words. View website for more details.

https://tbe.taleo.net/NA6/ats/careers/requisition.jsp?org=TMF&cws=3&rid=189

Call for Self-Sufficiency Articles
BackHome is the magazine that delivers useful do-it-yourself information on sustainable, self-reliant living. Since 1990, BackHome has been the authority for those interested in taking control of their own lives. The bi-monthly issues are packed with clear, practical information on mortgage-free building, solar and renewable energy, chemical-free gardening, wholesome cooking, home business, homeschooling, small livestock, vehicle and workshop projects, and family activities. In general, they will consider any article that will help readers improve the quality of life—for themselves, their families, their community, and their environment. At present base rate of pay is $35 a printed page, payable upon publication. They pay extra for good clear photographs. View website for contact details.

http://www.backhomemagazine.com/guidlines.htm

Woman Alive Call for Submissions
UK Christian magazine, `Woman Alive’, seeks to encourage and inspire women in their faith. Editor, Jackie Stead, welcomes articles on a variety of topics from relationships to health and well-being. Pay starts at £70 per page. See website for submission guidelines.

http://www.womanalive.co.uk/static.aspx?k=about

Mother Earth News Seeking Contributions
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Mother Earth News is a bimonthly magazine that promotes more self-sufficient, financially independent and environmentally aware lifestyles. Readers range in age from the early teens to 90-plus. They welcome articles and quality photographs for two departments: “Country Lore” and “Firsthand Reports from the Field.” “Country Lore” presents handy how-to tips of 100 to 300 words; payment is $25 to $50 per published item. “Firsthand Reports from the Field” are first-person stories (1,500 to 2,000 words) about sustainable lifestyles of all sorts; payment is $150 per published piece. View website for details.

http://www.ogdenpubs.com/writers/men.html

Wend Calls for Submissions
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Wend is namely interested in first person accounts of literate adventure travel with a social/anthropological/environmental awareness that permeates throughout the story. Stories are about ordinary people doing extraordinary things, not extraordinary people doing ordinary things. All departments pay 25 cents a word, plus photos. View website for contact details. http://www.wendmag.com/writersguide

I don’t know what else to call it but rejection, yes it is a learning opportunity but right now as I look at the other writers article it doesn’t feel like an opportunity for anything. I am sitting here stinging. I did not realize that the word count and title are only suggestive and I took them literally. So I wrote 1,450 words on a subject that I know pretty well but even so 1,450 words about anything can be hard to write. The article that was accepted was about 900 or so words and the title was not the title the customer had suggested. I learned from this experience but I am not sure that I want to keep on trying to write for CC.

Which brings me to the reason I wrote this blog to begin with. I like to write and my friends have enjoyed my little “notes” on face book, where I just comment on the human condition and sometimes share short stories. I do not write articles as a rule and now I am wondering just why I ever thought I could do it in the first place.

I am very discouraged this morning and maybe I expect too much too soon. If this blog is a bummer, I am sorry. I just thought sharing the good and the bad about what I learn along the way is a true reflection of the life and times of a Newbie Writer.

Previously, we had a blog post about dealing with rejections and that is something that does happen to every professional (and not quite so professional) writer. Instead of calling it a rejection, which has negative connotations, call it a lesson you can learn. This has hope for the future.

When I first graduated with a degree in Communications (print journalism), I thought I knew everything there was to know about writing. How wrong I was! I have continuously been working on honing and polishing my writing skills ever since. I have learned more about writing in the past 18 months than I did in my three years at university.

I’m beginning to realize that when we stop learning, we stop writing. Whatever format you like to write, there is always some way you can improve your writing. You can experiment with new structures and formats, you can learn grammar rules, and you can learn how to bring your characters to life. You can learn to re-structure your writing so that it speaks to a specific audience, you can learn new words and increase your vocabulary, and you can learn the skills of description.

I have a challenge for each of you. We’ve been challenged to write at least 100 words a day, and that’s a good challenge. If 100 words is too little, challenge yourself to write more, but give yourself a reasonable goal that suits your time commitments. My challenge to newbie writers is to find something to learn every month. You may spend a while reviewing a particular grammar rule, such as where to use commas, or you may want to try writing in a new style. You may like to try an online writing course where you receive feedback on your writing.

Whatever method you choose to learn about the craft and skill of writing, you will find that your writing continuously improves over time. I hope I never stop learning!

HayleyWriter

My website www.expandingcreations.com offers online training courses and resources for freelance writers.

New US Magazine Seeks Writers
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New North-American lifestyle publication is looking for writers. Illustrious Magazine, a gentleman’s guide to the finer things in life, is seeking people who have experience in writing articles, and editorials. Chosen candidates would be selected for fashion, business, technology, and entertainment categories.
Please submit resume, examples of your work, along with your area of expertise to: nbryan@illustriousmagazine.com

Nonfiction and Fiction Required
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Dragondreamz Publications is currently looking for fiction and non-fiction for inclusion in their first periodical, Full Armor Magazine, which is set to debut in June 2010. It will be published quarterly and includes fantasy, slipstream, and mystery stories with a strong Christian-Judean message; or Christian-Judean symbolism at the core of the story. Think in terms of Narnia, Lord of the Rings, and Oscar Wilde…etc. They are also considering: Spiritual Poetry (any style; up to 20 lines) and Non-fiction pieces (testimonials, book/film/music reviews and short essays). A token payment is offered: $0.01 per word for stories up to 3,000 words for both fiction and non-fiction. $1.00 per line for poetry. View website for details.

http://www.dragondreamzpublications.info/submissions.html

Restaurant Reviewers Wanted in the UK
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Itchy is working with the malaysiakitchen.co.uk to promote Malaysian food throughout the UK. They are looking for talented journalists who would be interested in taking part in some restaurant reviews. They are currently looking for writers from the following cities: Surrey / Birmingham / Manchester / Chester / Brighton / Nottingham / Canterbury / Coventry / Norwich / Edinburgh / Glasgow / Stratford Upon Avon / Warwick / Milton Keynes / Peterborough. Please email your interest and CV, stating which city you are based in, to Emma Salt, Editor at: editor@itchyonline.com

http://www.dragondreamzpublications.info/submissions.html

Writers Wanted to Write Tutorials
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Tuts+ welcomes written tutorials on a range of creative niches including Photoshop and Graphics, Vectors and Illustration, Web Development and Design, Motion Graphics, Flash and ActionScript, Computer Graphics, Photography and Audio Production. If you have the skill to write an excellent tutorial for one Tuts+ then they’d like to hear from you. They pay $150 for each tutorial that is accepted, and you’ll have the honor of being published on the best tutorial blog network around! View website: http://tutsplus.com/about/write-a-tutorial/

The Oldie Seeks Submissions
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UK based The Oldie is an antidote to youth culture but, more importantly, a magazine with emphasis on good writing, humour and quality illustration. Well-written articles on any subject are always welcome at The Oldie and they are particularly interested in pieces for our ‘I Once Met’, and ‘rant’ slots. View website for details.

http://www.theoldie.co.uk/detail.php?item_id=162&page_id=30

Personal Experience Essays Wanted
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Underwired publishes personal essays (800-1200 words) every month and is always looking for new contributors. Essays should somehow relate to the chosen theme for the month and be on topics of interest to women. Underwired buys one-time rights, and payment is $100. http://www.underwiredmagazine.com/submission-guidelines-mainmenu-39.html

Call for Short Stories and Poems – Australian Authors Only
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We are a media agency and have just launched our new project “The Story Bag”.

“The Story Bag” will create a new and innovative channel for authors in Australia to reach the public. We produce different kinds of bags and cups that have a piece of literature – a short story, a poem or a short saying – on one side of the bag and a content rich, engaging advertisement on the other.

The bags are distributed by cafés, wine stores and retail outlets.

All published work of authors will be paid.

http://www.storybag.com.au

Yep, life is extremely busy for me at the moment and that got me thinking about how I manage my time as a freelancer. I can’t just assume all the work is just going to happen (no, I don’t own a magic wand that I can wave and just have the work done in an instant, nor does my godmother have fairy powers, and no matter how often I rub that lamp, no genie has yet appeared), so I have to figure out ways to manage my time and make time for the important things.

I’ve figured out a few tricks that might help you if you have time management issues too.

Make and keep a list of your current tasks. Prioritise each task according to its importance. How you figure out what is important is whole other blog, but it’s up to you. Figure out your priorities. Include things on the list like spending time with the important people in your life (socialising activities), time out for yourself (and exercise), and the work and other (housecleaning) tasks you have to do on a regular basis. Then prioritise your list – for me, housecleaning ALWAYS comes last!

 Don’t plan every minute of the day, but allocate tasks to each day in a kind of daily to do list. Don’t think you can work every single minute – it just won’t happen, so allocate a reasonable amount of work you can achieve in the time you have available that day. If you know you are going out for a lunch (that will take up most of the afternoon as you chat), don’t plan 10 hours of writing on that day. You may find it helpful to allocate tasks at the start of the week for the whole week and then update daily.

Figure out your own body clock and when you are most productive. Plan to get most of your work done at those times. Plan tasks that are less important or less urgent in the times you are less active. For me, I work best in the afternoons (or at least after 10am when my brain has really had time to wake up), so I try to write then. That’s when my creative juices are really flowing. I usually check my emails early in the morning and plan my day, so I can get my brain thinking about the writing I have to do, as a running commentary in the back of my head, while I do the more mundane tasks of administration. Then I work actively from 10am until about 10pm* with a few breaks for lunch, dinner and relaxation. (*at the moment, but hopefully it will be more like 7pm in the near future).

Working when my brain is most active means that I can achieve a lot more writing in the time. When I try to write when I am too tired, I find the words don’t make much sense and I can spend an hour trying to find the right phrase for a sentence. When I am full of energy, the words just flow from my brain to my fingers and onto the page. And yes, I wrote this blog after 10am!

Hope this helps you find time to enter submissions for all those lovely jobs Dawn keeps posting!

 Hayley

http://www.expandingcreations.com