Drawing a complete blank... sigh....

[FivetoNine]

Like many today, I'm in pretty desperate financial shape. Figured since the corporate world apparently doesn't want me, I will live the dream of becoming a freelance writer. I must pause and give CC some credit here: A week after I submitted my very first article, it sold. I must have walked on cloud nine for a month - LOL! Since then, it's slooooow going. I've sold several, but several others are just languishing in the library.

I just got notice of a sale of a piece I don't even remember writing. I'll bet that happens often around here. I'm a member of a few other content sites but they are the kind that are very rigid in format and structure and while the pay is steady, the stress level is high. You're never quite sure whether your article will be accepted so you're just cranking them out as fast as you can and hoping you don't get the dreaded "rewrite request" email. Needing a break from impending rejection, I wandered back over here and re-submitted an article I'd written as a response to a request months ago. It didn't get accepted the first time around and having re-read it, I completely understand. So I reworked it and sent it up again, and we'll see how it goes. In the meantime, I'm wracking my brain trying to think up some ideas for articles and nothing is coming to me. The request list is abysmal lately -- well, it is for ME, since most requests are things that I know nothing about nor am I interested in researching them.

I really need some cash to keep a roof over my head. What do you guys do when the well runs temporarily dry? (Hmmmm... now that I think about this, maybe I can figure out how to put all of this angst into an article that will sell. )

[businessgrl]

When times are bad, as they are now, I write about any topic that is needed. I may not particularly like the research, but I am learning something new. And I've learned not to be picky lately....about anything. 2 years of furloughs....followed by at least one more. The prospect is not good for my engineering career, so I'm exploring any type of writing I can do. Of course, I have my niche and certain topics I love to write about. But it's all about expanding your horizons as a writer and getting out of your comfort zone. Think about the greatest actors of all time....they took on multiple roles, rather than going for the same old romantic comedy.

[jak]

I'm a bit like you 5-9, in that I groan when I look at the request list. But I have noticed that when I get a specific commission from a client for something I'm ignorant about, I don't think twice about getting up to speed and meeting my deadline. The only difference from writing for a request here is that I'm guaranteed payment at the end of the month from a satisfied client, rather than being in a competition I may or may not win here, and a bit of a wait for my cash if not. I just need to use the same approach regardless, and be like businessgrl. I'm sure you could do that too.

Or you could write about things that are are happening in your life (in the second or third person of course), or in the news. I was once inspired by an item on a TV chat show and wrote an article that has sold here three times and is still earning on a revenue sharing site.

Best of luck to you.

[jadedragon]

Hey fivetonine - thanks for the blog post idea. You spurred me to write something tonight instead of heading to bed. Here is the result -How to Beat Writers Block.