Dancing While the Floor is Moving

It's official. Looking for a day job is now my day job.

I don't know why it's always been so hard for me to see how to make money by writing. Lots of people do it. I can see my professional life hovering on the horizon: a colorful patchwork of books, articles, this and that. But how to get from A to Z? For some reason my mind's got butterfingers.

Still, I think I'm getting closer. I've narrowed my search to three areas. The ubiquitous translation, writing articles for corporate magazines, and writing book reviews, which I just realized can actually be done for money.

If you're interested in investigating some avenues for yourself, I've started researching those last two activities with these basic texts: Top Dollar for Your Articles by Harry Husted and Get Paid to Read by Steve Weinberg (both edited by Bob Bly). 

My painting teacher once told me, "If you look inside a how-to book, you'll find you already know it." This may be true with painting, but I've found these how-to's very helpful in sorting out the first baby steps of professional writing--and calming me down besides.

In addition, today I'm starting to work with a packet by Angela Booth called Your Just-In-Time Cash Machine. Get past the title, if it grates. This looks like a very clear and helpful e-book about tip-toeing into marketing your services online.

The book includes a seven-day action plan, which I plan to implement starting today. I'll let you know how it goes.

On the creativity front, early next week, I'm moving from a big bedroom in my house to a cottage close by on the property. I'll have room there to set up a table for picture-booking and maybe even my tapestry loom. It involves a bit of pre-move room painting, but it's a cheerful little place with lots of windows and good energy.

My first loom-beaded necklace is almost done. Well, that means the necklace itself is beaded and now I have to figure out how to sew in all the warp threads and attach the clasp. Oh, and the fringe. It's ridiculously hard to photograph because of the shape of the loom, which is solid behind the warp and blocks the wonderful light that makes the piece worth looking at, but I'll keep at it and post pictures at the first opportunity. I may have to put it on for a photo session!

If you're wondering what loom beading is or would like to see the loom I'm using, here it is . Its name is Larry. Don't ask me why.

And now, back to the dance. Time to critique a fellow critter's novel in exchange for one on my own. I haven't said much about them, but these critiques are the most valuable input to my writing I've experienced in a very long time. I'm inching up to submission.

Do I have stars in my eyes?

And a-one and a-two...