Write Now Editing

7 Tips for Never Missing a Deadline

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You dazzle a potential client, win his trust, then sign that editing contract. You know what to do, you know how to do it, now you just have to do the work on time.

The problem? You’re fifteen minutes late to everything. You hit snooze four times every morning. How are you going to meet your deadline (and not miss it)? Try this:

  1. Set your own deadline. Don’t work by your client’s deadline, set your own, and set it at least 20 percent earlier than your client wants. Do you have six weeks to edit? Give yourself five. Is your turn around one week? Do it in five days.
  2. Write down your deadline. Put it in your planner, write it on your calendar, and leave yourself sticky notes. Make sure that you see it every day. It’s not optional or negotiable – it’s in writing, it’s in your face. Memorize it.
  3. Start working immediately. Don’t wait to start editing. As soon as you have the document, get to work.
  4. Work until it’s done. Just because you have five weeks (not six!) to finish your work doesn’t mean you should take that much time. You started your work right away, finish it right away!
  5. Communicate with your client. Let your client know how the work is going. Send an email when you finish the first quarter of the book, then again when you’re halfway through. This adds a level of accountability so you’re not tempted to skip #3 and #4.
  6. Cut yourself off. Does Facebook distract you? Stay away from it until you finish your work. Do you get sucked in to Fixer Upper marathons when you turn on the TV? Take the batteries out of your remote. Eliminate the things that steal your concentration.
  7. Reward yourself. Allow yourself something as a reward will inspire you to finish the work faster. No mani/pedis until it’s done. No pizza until you’ve returned the manuscript. You can’t go see that movie you’ve been waiting for until you reach the end.

Not all of these will work for you, but experiment with them until you find the motivator that works. When you find it, own it! Make it a regular part of your life and apply it to every deadline.

Entrepreneur Interview: Allison Fab Howell, FAB Over

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Setting up your online presence is easy, but these days videos are the trend in social media engagement. That can stir up some anxiety (in women and men) when you think about stepping in front of the camera. That’s how Allison “FAB” Howell felt, but she didn’t let it stop her. Instead, she combined all of her passions to help other female entrepreneurs feel more confident in themselves. Here’s Allison’s story.

Welcome to Write Now Edits! Please, tell us about your business. Please include what you do, when you started your own business, and why.
My name is Allison “FAB” Howell- social worker by day, Life Stylist by night. As a Life Stylist, I empower female entrepreneurs who have been hiding behind old photos and stock images to work through insecurities about their appearance so they’re confident and at ease when it comes to sharing their FABulous business & gifts with the world. I do this through Life Style Coaching and online courses (using my background in fashion, makeup, psychology, social work).

However, I didn’t start with this clarity. When I was a little girl, I wanted to be a teacher, and artist, and a singer. I used to design clothes for my Barbies, and began making my own jewelry at the age of nine.

In college, the teacher interest morphed into psychology as I struggled with anxiety and depression. But I wanted something more hands-on, so I ended up changing my major to Social Work. I helped pay my way through school with retail jobs in fashion. After graduation and an internship, I got a “real” social worker, because that’s what I thought I was supposed to do.

But my passion for creativity never went away. I was a freelance makeup artist and tried my hand at network marketing with a few cosmetics companies.  I eventually began designing and selling my jewelry as a business while growing my family and continuing my 9-5 (which is really a 7:30-5, plus the commute… *go ahead an laugh, I do too each time I type it and dream of starting work at 9 a.m.).

But something always felt off.

I spent years trying to fit everyone else’s version of “trendy” or “professional,” only to feel out of place and insecure.

Living in a poverty-stricken small rural town for nine years, I knew the key to a successful business could be found online, but I was scared to show up as me, not to mention exhausted from everyday life.  It seemed like SO much work to get all dolled up to record a video, and I feared that people wouldn’t take me seriously if I showed up in my pajamas.

Eventually I learned to feel comfortable in my own skin and stop living by everyone else’s style and business “rules.” I began teaching people what I had learned through my years in fashion, makeup, psychology, social work. A coach suggested Personal Appearance Branding, and here we are.

It’s SO important to me to share this message that God placed in my heart because I believe that true beauty is a gift from our creator and shines through our spirit. That’s why real beauty is not boastful, prideful or selfish – it’s the fullest expression of God’s light in our world. It’s not only about makeup, clothes, and accessories, but a strong connection with spirit and self, expressed through our smile, appearance, and personality.  When we see our beauty as an expression of that, we can allow it to shine through us in all ways, and share it as service to others.

What has been your biggest struggle in launching your business/career?
Clarity! In case you didn’t notice from my journey above, I’m definitely multi-passionate! So I try to help everyone. But when I’m not clear on my own messaging, people don’t take me seriously as business owner.  

How did/are you overcoming it?
I’ve worked with a few different coaches and have been in masterminds that have been very helpful. But one key piece has been learning to lean into God more and trust the process. It’s definitely something I’m still working on and probably will always need reminders/guidance with.

What’s surprised you the most about working for yourself?
How much accountability I need. I never realized how important it was for me in all areas of my life. As I’ve grown as an entrepreneur, I’ve also grown as a person and become more aware of what does and doesn’t work for me. Even though I need alone time (true introvert at heart) , it’s imperative that I share my goals/desires with others and have regular check-ins to keep moving forward.

What’s your favorite part of this kind of work?
Seeing the transformation! It’s my absolute favorite thing in all the jobs that I’ve had, but especially as a Life Stylist. The moment when my clients are filled with FABulous confidence to move forward and share their own gifts with the world is SO rewarding! Just thinking about it puts a smile on my face!

Is there any one event/moment that helped you move from starting your own business to making a living with your own business?
In full transparency, I am still working my full-time job as well. However, the moment I became clear on how I really (deep down inside) want to and am being divinely guided to use my gifts to best serve the world, everything began to fall into place.

If you could give a new freelance workers/entrepreneurs one piece of advice, what would it be?
Trust the small voice inside of you (you know more than you give yourself credit for) & find someone you admire to help guide you (as a coach) along the way.

If you could do one thing differently in your career, what would it be?
I would have gotten clearer/trusted myself/taken more deliberate inspired action earlier in the process instead of second guessing myself along the way. However, I believe that all things are working for my good (it’s actually a little song I sing to myself  based on Romans 8:28) so I’m trusting the process.

What’s your favorite kind of work? Why?
I love helping my clients identify the themes/trends in what they want, especially when it comes to their style. When I see a Pinterest board full of different things that they love, my brain automatically starts connecting the dots of their style & seeing it come to life.

When I was little, my parents used to buy, restore, and refinish antique furniture. I’ve always had a eye for the potential (the beauty that lies in the midst of the chaos). So helping other people see it too (and then the lightbulbs that go off in their life) is incredibly rewarding!

What does your work space/office look like?
I have a desk in the upstairs loft/open area of our house (next to the kids’ TV). The desk is white and decorated with pops of color and glitter decor (glitter background on my vision board, a rainbow calendar, a hot pink mouse). Pretty much my business in a nutshell- haha.

What does your work day look like?
I get up half an hour before I need to get ready for work (between 5:30 & 6 a.m.) and start with a few minutes of gratitude. Then I begin posting/engaging on social media. I leave for my social work job around 7 a.m and don’t get home until about 5:45 p.m. While I’m there, I do as much Life Styling as possible on my breaks, and my lunches are often filled with connection calls or a Facebook Live.

When I get home in the evening, we try to have dinner together as a family and watch one of our favorite shows (pre-recorded of course!) before  it’s time to prep for the next day (get clothes ready for everyone, check our schedules, plan lunchs, etc). Once the kids are in their rooms winding down to sleep, my husband often works on his studies (he’s taking classes online) and I do content creation, check emails, and follow up with clients before heading to bed around 9:30 or 10 p.m.. I’m a crazy person if I don’t get enough sleep!

What’s your go-to snack when you need one?
I really love something with crunch! My favorite is Flaming Hot Cheetos, but I also love tortilla chips. And I ALWAYS have a tall glass of water with me (wherever I go). I can’t stress enough how key water is to feeling FABulous!

Is there anything else you’d like to add?
Thanks for taking the time chat with me through these thought- provoking questions. If you’d like to know more (I’m usually an open book), feel free to reach out through my website or come find me in the Find Your FAB group on Facebook. It’s where  I love to share my random quirks & insights about how amazing I think every woman already is and help them discover what their version of FABulous looks & feels like.

If you’d like to learn more about Allison and what she does, checkout her website (fabover.com) or connect with her on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

How to Spot a Bad Virtual Assistant

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It’s been a busy summer, and it’s only getting busier. With that in mind, I decided to call in reinforcements. Unfortunately, they haven’t quite worked out as I’d hoped. For starters, my editorial assistant doesn’t edit as much as she sits there.

Then there’s my transcriptionist. I had hoped for help typing out documents and notes. Instead, he’s incredibly needy and not at all helpful.

I went a step further and hired an office manager to keep those two in line, but … well …

There’s no doubt in my mind that I should have had job descriptions in place before I hired this bunch of yahoos. Now I’m stuck with them. If you’re in the market for a good virtual assistant, make sure you’re specific about what you need and expect, otherwise you might end up in a mess like me.

Now get out there and enjoy your summer!

Making Your Blog Post Beautiful by Sierra Kellermeyer

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Have you ever found a blog post on Pinterest that really excited you?

For me, it’s usually a recipe with a mouthwatering photo of something I want to get in my belly IMMEDIATELY. However, if I click the link and find myself on a cluttered, unappealing blog post, my excitement immediately plummets. It’s even worse if the writer has made it hard to find the information I want.

Now instead of fantasizing about my dinner, my mental energy is being used to sort through large chunks of text and oversized images. Sigh. I’m not even hungry anymore. I’m certainly not going to go look for more posts on this blog.

What should this experience look like? Let’s start from the same place:

I see an appealing post on Pinterest, and I click through. This time, I find myself on a clean, well-designed website.

I’m greeted by a simple but beautiful image introducing the blog post and confirming I’m in the right place. I scroll quickly down the post, scanning the headers, happy to see the post covers several points I’m interested in, and all of the images included are relevant but not overpowering. Excited by the appearance of a thorough and professional article, I begin to read, and the airy layout helps me read quickly without losing my place or tiring my eyes.

By the end of the article, I’m so pleased with the content I explore the rest of the website.

As you can see, the design of your blog posts can be a big determining factor in whether a casual reader becomes a fan. But it doesn’t take a design degree to make your blog beautiful – just implement these tips.

Text

The text in your blog is obviously the most important element – it’s what your readers are, well, reading!

Headers

Your blog post should have at least three different text styles: title, header, and body. If it works with your writing style, adding subheaders can dramatically increase your post’s skimmability.

Each text style should be distinct from each other – the most basic way to achieve that is through size.

I recommend starting with your body text and increasing the size of the subsequent styles by 50%. So if your body text was 12pt, your subheadings would be 18pt, headers 24 pt, and title 30pt.

You can also play around with color, capitalization, and weight.

Layout

It’s a common temptation to format blog posts like they’re a high school essay; each paragraph needs at least three sentences, no fragments, etc.

But no one’s grading your blog posts, and your audience cares more about how easy your blog is to read than how well you stuck to MLA or APA format.

Since blog posts are read through screens, consider how tired our eyes get when staring at a screen. To make your post easy on the eyes, break up your paragraphs and leave plenty of white space between paragraphs.

Link

This is a simple, but important tip: make your links a different color from your text.

If you just underline your links, I won’t be sure if you’re emphasizing the words, or if it’s an actual link.

Color also makes it easy to find if your reader is scrolling back through your article looking for a link you mentioned.

Images

Beautiful images can make your blog post more visually engaging, but remember, images are supporting elements, not the main event. (Unless you’re a photographer.)

Title Image

I’m a strong advocate for having a title image for each of your blog posts – but not so that you have an image to pin on Pinterest.

Title images are a great way to bring your branding into your blog post, and it sets the tone for the article.

They also keep your blog from looking plain, or like a wall of text, both of which can turn off readers.

Explanatory Images

If you’re blogging about an event you went to, a food you ate, or giving a tutorial, you should include images of what you’re talking about.

In general, if you can include relevant images, it’s going to make your readers more engaged.

Just be sure to size your images appropriately – they shouldn’t fill the screen.

Hidden Pinterest Image

Now, having beautiful graphics to pin to lead others to your blog post is important, but the tall, vertical images that do best on Pinterest don’t always work within the design of your blog post. But here’s a little trick to embed your image in your blog post so that it can’t be seen on the post, but appears as a pinnable image.

Just plug this code into your blog post, and, ta-da! – a hidden pinnable image:

<div style=display:none;><img src=”(your image url)”></div>

Sidebar

Now, there’s no rule that you have to have a sidebar.

You can choose not to use one and put your information into the footer instead of a sidebar. This is a great option for streamlining your reader’s experience.

K.I.S.S.

If you do choose to include a sidebar in your blog, keep this acronym in mind: Keep It Simple, Stupid.

Remember your blog post is the main event and your sidebar is secondary.

Don’t include any flashy images that draw attention away from your post, and don’t overwhelm your readers with too much information.

Highlight Reel

What should be included in your sidebar is your highlight reel: information most relevant to your readers.

I generally suggest a short bio, one paid offer, and 3-5 of your best posts.

Footer

The footer is an often overlooked, but powerful, part of your blog design. No blog should be without a footer.

Next Steps

The most important part of your blog’s footer is what you immediately follow your blog post with. Assuming your reader loved your post (I’m sure they did) they’ll want more from you – and it’s you’re job to tell them how to get more.

Some next step options include:

  • Encouraging them to sign up for your email list
  • Suggesting related posts on your blog
  • Asking them a question for them to answer in the comments
  • Promoting one of your paid offers

Relevant Information

If you chose to forgo the sidebar, your footer is where you should shift your highlight reel.

You don’t want to overshadow the next steps you’re leading your reader to.

Include who you are and what you do as a quick introduction to your reader. If at all possible, include a photo of yourself to make your reader feel like they know you.

—

Sierra Kellermeyer is a brand designer who helps businesses increase their perceived value and professionalism through strategic brand design, allowing them to attract more high-level clients and feel more confident getting visible online.

Website: http://www.skellermeyerdesigns.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/skellermeyerdesigns/

About Me

About Me

Copywriter. Editor. Your right-hand scribe.   Karin grew up along the Lake Michigan shoreline, the product of a small farming community. An athlete, musician, thespian, and Tetris master, she graduated Valedictorian of her high school class before earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in English from Hillsdale College. A life-long reader and writer, Karin wrote a novel in 2007 after … [more]

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Copywriting

Copywriting

Karin understood my advertising and marketing writing needs and accomplished the project in record time. She asked all the right questions up front to equip herself with enough … [more]

Editing

Fiction Coaching

Fiction-Writing Coach

Whether you have an idea that needs development or skills that need honing,  I will work with you to strengthen your writing and help prepare it for publication. No need to have a complete … [more]

Resources

Resources

Press Release Tool Kit Stop waiting and hoping for people to notice you and your organization! With this Press Release Tool Kit, you’ll learn to apply the step-by-step process I use to … [more]