How are you coming along with your goals?

[smbwallace]

Some of you guys had some really great goals for this year and I'm wondering how you are coming along with them! Do share how you are doing!

:wav:

I just had a very simple goal for this year since last year was very unproductive: get some work done!! So far, so good. In the last month I've eliminated two jobs which gives me more time to focus on a job/client that allows me to write as much or as little as I like. Being as they pay well for the work, I want to write as much as I can for them! I have fewer jobs/clients than I've had in a long time (one newsletter job and two newspaper jobs) but there is plenty of work with them and if not there is room to add another one.

I am happy with what is going on so far this year work-wise. I hope you all are doing great too.

:wav:

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[judilynn]

Hi Michelle!

I was doing pretty good with my goals. But we are about to move and that has thrown me way off. I am continuing to write. In a way it's my sanity point, but ...

Between kids, appts, movers and the various other things that come with this, it is hard to find all the hours in the day to get it done.

I can't wait till we get settled. I will have my own space to sit and write!!!

[tam2005]

Sounds exciting Judi! I'm sure you'll be glad when you are all moved. I hope things go smoothly for you. :)

[UpAndAtEm]

Hey everyone!

It's been a while! I've been super busy promoting my latest booklet title and the response has been truly phenomenal! Things are about to heat up even more as I'm about to go national. I've discovered some things along the way which, incredibly, have added to my success. I'd be overwhelmed by it all if there were time, but between all the calls, mailings, emails, negotiations, and just general keeping up with the business I haven't had a chance to catch my breath let alone really think about what I'm doing! :D

My fourth title is now in progress. It's still sketchy right now, so I'll update you more on that later.

I know some of you were interested in the program I'm putting together for writers. There's alot of planning going into this so it's going to take some time. It may be a few more months before everything is finalized and ready to go. I'm putting my best into this program, and that means it can't be rushed.

Other than that I'm busy with marketing my business, consulting, and creating promotional booklets for other companies.

It's great to see each of you achieving your goals! And it's great to be part of such a successful group of writers!

[tam2005]

HI Kim,

You certainly sounds like you have been really busy. I'm excited for you. I have not posted anything in the goal buddy thread in quite awhile...but I've been writing quite a few articles lately. And there are still more to come.

I'm also a guest author on another blog. Something I said I didn't have time for. Hmmm... lol :huh:

[UpAndAtEm]

Hi Tammy.

It sounds like you've been busy too! That's great that you're writing articles. Are you writing them for publications such as magazines, or for websites, or what?

Being a guest on someone else's blog is an honor, no matter whose blog it is. So it's great you've been invited to do that.

Keep it up! I know I'll be hearing more great things from you in the near future!

[tam2005]

Hey Kim,

It sounds like you've been busy too! That's great that you're writing articles. Are you writing them for publications such as magazines, or for websites, or what?

I write for my own website content, eHow.com, Associatedcontent.com...(not much writing for them anymore, have to get back with it), article directories (article marketing), and my blogs.

However, I need to write more parenting articles for my parenting blog. Having a slight problem with getting ideas for that one. Time is an obstacle too! lol I need more hours in a day for sure. :wall:

How are your booklets coming along?

[UpAndAtEm]

Tammy,

If you don't mind my asking, how are you making any money with your writing? Am I missing something? I know AC pays a little, but it's barely a drop in the bucket. And unless your blog is super popular and you're able to charge a killing for advertising, you probably aren't making anything there either. Are you charging a fee for the articles on your website? I'm just curious.

As for the booklets, I am amazed at how well my third title is doing. I'm promoting it nationally, and so far it's been very well received. Mostly, I'm marketing the booklet to the medical community (a huge national market!), but I've got several deals in the works with some very large companies outside the medical community too. I expect to have some very exciting news in the next few months, but right now it's all hush hush - until the deal is finalized and the press releases come out.

Meanwhile, I'm also writing my fourth title, which I'll use to promote my own company but will also be available to quantity buyers. Never a dull moment in this business! And I haven't forgotten about the writer's program either. It's in the works. I just need 10 of me to get it all done!

Well, that's my little update for now. One thing's for sure -as long as you just keep going and don't quit you will reach your goals. You may not get there exactly like you planned, and some of your goals may even change (my entire company changed and went through a re-structure back in October), but don't quit and you'll have what you want.

[UpAndAtEm]

Hey everyone!

Something funny happened this morning and I thought I'd share.

My husband decided to start taking the bus to work, and today was his first day. This meant waking me up at the crack of dawn to get our son on the school bus (my husband's former job). So, My husband went out the door, and I wandered, bleary eyed, downstairs to make breakfast.

Nearly an hour after my son left for school, I got a phone call. I was certain it must be the school, because nobody else ever calls me at 8:00am. So, with the tv blaring in the background for my girls, and me in the middle of a mouthful of food, I answered the phone. "Hello?"

To my utter shock, the voice on the other end said, "Hi. You guys sent us a booklet and we'd like to know how much they are so we can place an order." "Gulp!" I scrambled for words and motioned my older daughter to turn off the tv. "Sure," I said, trying to regain my composure. "I'd be happy to send you a rate sheet of our quantity discounts. How many are you thinking of ordering?" I expected the voice on the other end to give me a small number of 10 - 20 given my experience with her kind of office. "We'll probably order 500 for now," she replied. 500!!! It was all I could do to maintain my professionalism and not start dancing in the middle of my kitchen! I hung up the phone and made a beeline for my computer.

A little while after sending the rate sheet, I received an email. The lady now wanted an order form so she could submit it to her accounting department and they could cut a check. A check!!! Whoo hoo!!! A check!!! A Big, fat, beautiful check for 500 copies of my writing! My booklet! And they didn't even ask me to remove my name or company information, which means it will remain in the booklets and go out to whoever receives them. You just never know when you'll get a call from someone who got a copy and wants to place an order!

This is my largest sale to date, and it came after only a couple of calls to this office. I just love it when people "get it" and have it together! But, there is a lesson here too. I've now realized that I must rush to my office phone from now, no matter what time of day it is, because you just never know who will be on the other end of the line!

So, anyone else have an interesting story to tell?

[tam2005]

Hey Kim,

So, anyone else have an interesting story to tell?

Nope...nothing interesting here. lol ;)

Congrats to you for such a tall order!! Exciting. :t10: I wish you a lot more.

With my writing...you are correct, AC doesn't pay much. But it's also a way to market. I've gotten some traffic from it.

Same way with eHow. But with eHow, you can earn more.

Are you charging a fee for the articles on your website? I'm just curious.

No, not at all. Search engines love fresh content.

[judilynn]

Sounds like both you ladies are doing wonderful! Way to go on your order Kim! Aren't those out of the blue phone calls a great way to start your day??

Tammy you are so right about search engines and content. You wouldn't believe how much traffic I get from an article I have on Associated Content about Apple Cider Vinegar! Though I haven't written for them in ages I still get monthly checks for pages views and mostly that article. I put a re-written version on my website and what I noticed is that is the way a lot of people have found my website. Article marketing can really boast your traffic to your site and in turn be a positive for your business!

I love to see my writing/WAHM friends doing so well! I have been slacking on my writing, to much packing to do. 5 more days and movers will be here. After the furniture is gone I will be able to concentrate a bit better.

I have a question, has anyone here ever entered a writing contest? I am seriously considering doing one, and wondered if anyone had any tips or hints? TIA!

[tam2005]

Hi Judi,

Sounds like the moving is going smoothly? I hope. :)

I've never entered a writing contest. Are you going to start a contest or enter in one? Sounds exciting either way. ;)

[UpAndAtEm]

Tammy, thanks. I am still thrilled! The wonderful thing about it is, sooner or later that company will run out of booklets and need more, which means this can work into many sales over many years with this company. Now, imagine many companies like this one placing orders, then running out and needing more, and you can see where it's going! :t10:

Judi, it's nice to see you haven't fallen off the planet! :D This wasn't really an out of the blue order. I had contacted the company two or three times. I just hadn't gotten an answer from them. I really didn't expect things to happen as fast as they did, but I'm plenty happy about it! Good luck with your move, by the way.

Well, ladies, I'm off to get some writing done for writers. Yep, I'm getting the writer's program done I've been talking about. It was third on my list and just got moved up to second place when I found out I may have a super huge deal coming through very soon. I need to be ready to take advantage of that one. If it all goes as planned there will be some great publicity from it for me and my business, and I want to have the product ready to offer.

Take care and keep writing!

[judilynn]

Nope I haven't fallen off the edge of the earth. Maybe under a few moving boxes. in a month though it will all be over!

I am entering a writing contest that is sponsored by a magazine that I read. I started reading a really great book. It is called Writer Mama. I wrote a review on my blog http://judithldavis.com/blog/a-recommendation/ One of the things that she recommends for writers is getting published in print magazines. The winner of this contest gets their story published.

Now I don't have my hopes set really high. That old saying many will enter, few will win, but ... I am going to find some more to enter as well. Sooner or later I will have one win or have a piece I have written published. That will give me some ... I can't think of the word right now, I need more coffee.

Once I get moved and settled I plan to start working seriously on the re-writes of my novel too.

[tam2005]

Judi, I wish you lots of luck with this. I hope you win! :t10:

Sounds like you are going to be quite busy with your writing once you get settled. :)