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blogging, freelance writing tips, north carolina writers, poetry, speaking engagements, writing, writing for magazines, writing goals, writing life, writing prompts
Photo courtesy of my boyfriend. At Tiffany & Co. in NY.
The hip thing to do at year’s end is to take a look back. The blogosphere is brimming with self-reflecting posts. Let’s be hip!
- I learned there is only one free place to host a free writing event in New York. This past weekend I was in New York City. I taught a free seminar for writers at New York Public Library’s Jefferson Market location in Greenwich Village. Thanks to the kind people at the New York Writer’s Coalition for referring me to the spot. (I phoned 41 places before I found this library. Other libraries quoted me $75 to host the free event. Other quotes ranged up to $1,600. Yes, for a FREE community event! I love North Carolina even more now!)
- I learned my writing business offers a much better work-life balance when I concentrate on blogs. This year I slowly re-focused my work, reducing the number of magazine assignments in my pipeline and instead growing the network of businesses I write web content for. Last year I had 5-6 article deadlines revolving every month and my schedule was at the whim of multiple interviews (often in different time zones), usually with 3-8 sources per article. Now I am much more selective with the articles I pitch and write.
Here are the writing highlights of the year by month:
January – Met Leigh Stein, author of The Fallback Plan, at Flyleaf Books.
February – I proposed my first web writing class for Wake County School’s Lifelong Learning program and taught it in May.
March – Started a YouTube channel with videos for writers.
April – One of three poets selected for Carrboro’s “Poetry on Your Plate” event.
May – Triangle Writers celebrated its 300th member.
June – Met with Pam Taylor and helped her outline her blog launch of A Poet’s Double Life.
July – Finally hosted a writing workshop that appealed to all five senses.
August – Got to meet the force behind Renaissance Rebecca while in Asheville to teach writing classes. (Also spent a week in Maine on a volunteer vacation.)
September – poetrySPARK
November – Triangle Writers celebrated its 350th member! (And I got my motorcycle license.)
December – First writing seminar in NY complete.
I have absolutely no resolutions for the New Year–except one: I will make it a point to send a poem to at least one literary journal every month. That is something that I have completely taken off my priority list, but I’m ready to start submitting again!
I love that helping me create my blog was one of YOUR highlights of the year. It certainly was mine. TL, You continue to inspire me!
PT
Yes, Pam, I loved helping you get the ball rolling. 🙂 I remember when it was just a little idea – now it’s pushed you to submit to journals and publicly post your poems!
I just discovered your blog yesterday which is such a shame since you were practically in my backyard this past weekend doing a free writing seminar. GAH!!! Anyway, it’s awesome to *meet* you and I have a lot to learn from you as a writer who is also looking to break away from corporate and do more writing gigs. Best wishes and hope you had a great time in NYC!
Hi Charlotte, good to ‘meet’ you here too – sorry you missed the seminar! I will be back in the spring to host another one. 🙂
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