Many years past (thank Heaven), my friend Lee, in light of the many mornings he spent waiting for a cab with me after long nights of merriment only the young can appreciate, has been known to utter a begrudging, "Yeah, Trina is all about some cabs." Excusing the less-than-eloquent Southern vernacular, you at least have to give me credit for my hesitancy to put my life and the lives of others at stake due to my reluctance to part with a few dollars for safe passage home.

This is much less a pre-holiday pep-talk for the new year as is it a personal affirmation of (eeeK! where did that psychoanalysis jargon spring forth from?) that I am aware (and isn't that the very first step in recovery?) of many personal habits that are definitely keeping me from realizing my dreams and most importantly, I think keeping me from being able to fulfill my God-given destiny to touch people with the written word, for His glory and benefit. In other words, this is sort of a pre-holiday resolutions list; yet, the gist is far more important as, it is the result of deep, inner searching for more important changes such as weight, smoking and wearing make-up every day, pertinent though they may be.

Other things I am "all about" are new beginnings. I am the queen of fresh starts. I have made so many fresh starts the idea is actually starting to show hints of over-ripeness. However, it is in my nature to start a huge project with all the zeal of a young religious novitiate, only to walk away disllusioned when things don't go my way. Ok, at least give me a little more credit for being aware of this particular foible of mine, even if I am not necessarily ready to change my calcitrant ways as of yet.

One of the many things I appreciate about "fresh starts" is that we have an endless supply of them. Our lives are great big bags of blank canvases of all shapes, sizes and textures just waiting in delicious anticipation for some new new adventure to begin to come alive, and lived. A person could decided to change their lives completely in the next ten minutes. And then do it again ten minutes later. That's one of the great things about being analytical, creative creatures called humans. Throughout history, notable and forgotten individuals have decided they were not happy with the status quo in their lives, and to change it. Some of these most notorious choices have changed the course of history, some of them no one will ever remember, such as the millions of fresh starts that found their precipice on the shores of Ellis Island.

One of my more concrete, life-affecting bad habits is to make fresh starts, and often come in "like a ball of fire" as my (bar-none) most detested boss out in the "real" world attested to. I plunge into projects head-long, with all the fervor of a born-again thrice-convicted murderer. Often, though, my attention and exultation with my new project wanes, and alas, I depart from the formerly drastically important project, and move on to another, shiny as a bright new penny beckoning my attention.

Building an Enduring Blog Presence

The other day, my eight year-old daughter handed me her notebook she practices her times tables in and declared, "Mama, this is not easy." My daughter is actually a very bright little girl. She just made her first bad grade in her short school career so far, and she cried like she had lost her best friend. That's why I was shocked when she seemed ready to give up so easily. Granted, having only so far made it to third grade, she hasn't really had all that much difficult school work. Usually, though, she is a little more proactive in her educational endeavors. I explained to her school is not supposed to be "easy", that it is about learning, which means being challenged and tested.

That conversation with my little got me to thinking late that night. I see a lot of blogs come and go. I have seen many blogs come to the scene with a bang, then fizzle out like a journey-belabored star. What gives Darren Rowse and Jennifer Mattern their staying power? What do Deb Ng and Seth Godin know the rest of don't? While I won't pretend to know those blogging superstars' secrets of success, I will tell you there are some basic principles that will lay the ground work for a relevant, enduring blog.

Know what you want to accomplish
v Entertain
v Inform/Educate
v Enlighten
v Propagandize
v Sell

Establish goals to help yourself reach milestones to measure your progress
v Certain number of posts/day-week-month
v Certain number words/post
v Certain number followers by certain date
v Building amount of commentary

Establish a routine with regularly scheduled tasks
Each day of the week, do routine maintenance:
v Link check: check for broken links
v Culling your ______ list
v Checking for any aesthetic mishaps
v Promotional maintenance
v Re-tweeting old post at least once a month
v Advertising for guest bloggers every month

Always be on the lookout for creative ways to improve your blog
v New kinds of ads
v Add your own white papers, e-books, etc on sidebars
v Don't crowd too much on blog-makes it too busy and difficult to read

Now that you have taken care of the aesthetic and technical details, what about the stuff you actually write?

*Keep it fresh-Don't do what everyone else is doing (ok, everyone does this one, but it's practically a requirement on a list like this, and I would be remiss to leave it out).

Seriously, is there anything that hasn't been written about? According to an advertising executive interviewed for a television show a few years ago, there truly is nothing new under the sun. We just have to learn how to keep improving everything. If you are one of those that buy into the theory everything has already been written about then maybe you could try jazzing up some of your old posts with updates from new information that has been discovered since you first published it.

*Don't decorate to compensate-Keep it simple:

With all the pretty colors and cool fonts available to computer users these days, it’s hard to control the urge to decorate to compensate. While you do, of course, want visual appeal to draw the readers' eyes, after that you just better be a darn good writer. Keep in mind some basic facts about Internet readers. They generally have such a plethora of information available to them and so people have lost the ability to just read. Now they scan headlines, bullet points, and emboldened & italicized print to get the crux of the work. However, remember using all sorts of different font and paragraph formatting is going to clutter the view. Highlight your high points, but *keep it simple*.

*Even if you feel like you have nothing to say, stick to your schedule:

Try typing the most mindless rhetoric possible. For example, as a freelance writer for my blog I might start out with the following: "Freelance writing is when people pay you to writer but you only work for yourself and you have to pay self-employment taxes." Not exactly Shakespeare, right? That's ok because since I have allotted the time from my schedule to blog, then I'm going to blog.

What are some ways you made your blog into a successful blog? What are your suggestions for someone new to blogging? Leave a comment and tell other readers what your methods are.

The "Corner Office" Becomes the office.

Getting my very own office (minus one corner for a bed)! My step-son moved out to go to college, so I get his room for my office! We're going to leave a bed in the corner for him to crash in when he decides to come home, which he has already warned us won't be often. We have no reason not to believe him-he now lives one hour away and he hasn't been inside long enough to sit down since he started this semester. He said he is fine with me setting up my office in there. He pointed out there is little point in leaving the room empty for the (maybe) two days a school year he will spend here. I already have the color scheme picked out, as well as my desk and, well, everything else. My step-son even offered to come help me paint that end of the house, including his old room and the bathroom. I thought that was pretty cool.

So the "office" is officially becoming an office! No longer will I be tucked away in some corner, praying no one walks by and catches my laptop cord on their foot, or knocks a drink over on my keyboard. Now the rule will be: Stay out of Mama's office. Ok, scratch that. That sounds like I don't let my children near me when I'm working, which isn't true at all. If I'm working on a project and deep in thought, I'm a bear if one of them interrupts me, especially if my door is closed, but normally I leave my door open and turn on the radio on my alarm clock, with the volume turned down to where I can just make out what the song is. It provides good background noise to drown out my little ones.

I always hope to learn something in the process of writing. Many times I learn a lesson from my own writing, as I broaden the scope of my vision on different subjects. I guess this time I learned that while I have the drive (or acceptance) to grow (or not) my company and the ambition to go wherever the good Lord does (or doesn't) want me to go. I read last night that real writers have to have larger-than-life egos, and personality complexes, and essentially be theatrical and histrionic and full of themselves. This famous writer (whose name I, of course, cannot remember) went on to say that people who are meek and humble and full of just intentions will never make it as writers and eventually fail. I don't like to think that is true. Note I say I don't like to think.

Do You Express Your Beliefs in Your Writing & Networking?

I was reading my tweets and feeds this morning, and it occurred to me I have wondered since I got into this business how professional writers handle the distinction between their professional persona and their religious and political beliefs, for instance. I have been told by some people professionals in every industry, whether freelance or employee, should keep their beliefs to themselves and keep it business. Still others have said their religious beliefs, especially are an integral part of who they are, that it overflows into the workplace. They say this would be true even in a public work environment, should they not be working for themselves.

Since I began my career in freelance writing, I have read the work of others and seen a mixture of both points of view. There are those who put their name and face out there and say what they have to say and that's that. Then there are those who are more diplomatic, you might say, and choose to keep their professional life strictly on a professional level, regardless of whether they work in an office or a home office.

It is one of the ironies of the freedom of freelancing to think we are free to write whatever we choose for the most part, within the limits of the law, yet the views on whether or not to air strong opinions within the guise of your professional life vary from person to person. I supposed your decision would be based largely on the type writing you plan to do, and who your target audience is. If you are shooting for a twice-weekly analyst's seat on Bill O'Reilly, you better start spouting some strong opinion. If you prefer to keep your reputation strictly to that of a non-partisan contract employee, then it is probably best to keep strong personal opinion out of your writing.

Your target audience will determine your best course of action. If you are looking to catch the eye of a certain group, to be sure you should either be completely for them, or completely against them. If your aim is to get paid to write in a non-personal, completely autonomous way, then you should stick to writing facts. I asked the question on several of my blogging groups to find out the general consensus on personal ideologies in writing. What do you think? If you are a freelance writer, do you have a blog or other site where you express your beliefs publickly? Or, do you keep your two personas separate?

Here are the links to the group discussions on LinkedIn the question started...

Informed Ideas for Writers

LinkedEds & Writers

Writing Mafia

Welcome Back, September!

School Bells Are Calling My Name

The smell of fall is in the air. The kids are getting back on the buses (I know I'm not the only mom sighing in relief) and dragging around book bags and lunchboxes already. I waited for these days with bated anticipation throughout the summer. Well, to be fair I did, of course spend a lot of time with my girls. When it was time to sit down to work, and they were in my hair constantly, I dreamed of cool days and cooler nights with that singular spicy aroma that accompanies the arrival of the last days of the year. And school days. Those long, blissful days with a quiet house from when I get home from driving my girls to school until I have to go pick them up. Those scant seven hours are when I crank out work like a woman possessed. I plop down with my Coke, cigarettes (don't say it), and country music playing softly in the background, and I'm in another world until my husband comes home at lunch time. Half the time I ignore him and keep working. I love the school year, it's really great for my career.

What changes will the oncoming school year mean for your lifestyle and routine? My kids started to school August 8th, so I get a few more days than most of my writing counterparts. Our school years are planned with extra days interspersed because our weather is so crazy. You may be having a tornado one day, a flood the next week, a hurricane that caused the flood, and then and outside chance of snow just a few weeks later. My girls are able to continue to wear clothes they got in the summer to school for a couple of months, which is nice. I do buy them a few outfits and some new shoes, but the warm temperatures allow me more time to buy clothes for them as the year progresses.

Guarding Your Time Like Gold

If you have kids who are active and vibrant as mine are, then you probably understand my anticipation. During the fall and winter months I am able to make more money, simply because I have more time to work. I don't apply for as many jobs in the summer, nor am I able to take every job I'm offered, because I know I won't have the time. When fall rolls around, I start doing some work then, buddy. Everyone knows not to call me just to chat during the day. In fact during the week, they mostly let me call them. I'm nice about it, but I'm firm. It's no different than if I were at a "real' job. I can't sit around and talk all day if I expect to get things done. Too bad if others don't realize, care or understand that this thing is real, I'm doing this, it's happening, and it's my livelihood.

New Tricks for Somewhat Still-Young Dog

One thing I hope to do this fall season is start writing magazine articles and other seasonal stuff. I've only written a very few pieces about season subjects like Christmas. That is one of my learning projects, as I call stuff I assign to myself to learn about and grow more familiar with. What are some interesting new things you plan to try these last few days of the year?

NaNoWriMo, Here It Comes-O!

Finally, we can all start (snort, who hasn't already) anticipating NaNoWriMo, since it's just around the corner. Two months from today. Have you already got your plan ready for your novel, or are you just starting? Are you one of the insane ones who tries to wing it? I just got two big projects out of the way. Now all I have left is an important competition. So, I'm going to start working on my outline today. Except I still have no idea what my book is going to be about. Is that sad, or what?

I would love to know what changes the coming fall and holiday season brings for your life. Tell the rest of us about your plan for the last quarter of 2009, or how you bring together your NaNo plan.