Turning Life Into Writing

[Elizabeth Ann West]

Okay, here is a writing idea. Take a vent you have about your life right now, and turn it into an article. I don't mean turn it into a venting article, but make yourself feel better by writing a piece because you KNOW a subject, because the negative is still there, but now there is a positive of an article possibly earning you money on it.

Here's mine. I'm struggling with my husband's graduate work. He is continuing his education and seeking a Master's in IT Management, so he is gone from 7 AM until 10 PM 2 nights a week. Online degree programs and the like are a hot topic right now, but there isn't anything out there about being the non-student spouse that I could find. So I wrote a piece about how to be supportive. It's all things I'm doing right now to support his education goals, which is good, but being 9 months pregnant, it's a little tough to be picking up the slack right now. So yes, I'm not happy it's hard, but I'm happy he is doing what he needs to do and it will benefit our family in the long run.

Any other vent to writing piece ideas out there?

[eek]

Yep. I have three pieces in the works, all begun last week, based on personal events this month: sibling rivalry, poison ivy remedies, and how to deal with a skunk that bombed the porch... I find relief in writing about personal experiences - boiled down to second or third person and generalized for the public, of course. If I really need to vent, I'll write a personal account and either save it for the journal file or glean from it some topic ideas.

Most of the topics I've chosen to write about in the past year were inspired by on-the-job training when we purchased ten acres with a run-down house, and then moved in shortly after in the midst of all the chaos. In some respects you can look at my past articles and get a brief history, minus most of the aggravation. Those articles have sold with varying success. The articles I thought might sell haven't yet (marriage tips for renovators), and the articles I thought were too ubiquitous to sell, sold almost immediately (painting 101, how to strip really old wallpaper, etc.).

We don't share much personal information here on the forum, but sometimes, when I see new articles pop up by fellow authors whose names I've come to recognize, I make assumptions about what must be happening in their life. Not that it's any business of mine. But I totally agree that using that energy and experience in your articles can translate to fresh writing that attracts a client's eye. If an article attracts MY eye, someone else is pretty sure to buy it. (And I've noticed I'm right, most of the time.)

Emma

[evie]

I love this idea. I think most of us do it naturally to a small extent, but I like the idea of turning it into a positive, helping others kind of idea.

I'm working on a couple of articles which are quite personal to me, one about how to be a successful 'work from home couple' (my partner and I are both freelance, and it can be quite difficult!) and another about sustaining a long distance relationship (we also went through that). I find it much easier to write articles when I feel passionate about the subject, and they're also usually quicker to write.

Thanks Elizabeth!
evie

[Elizabeth Ann West]

Okay so the article "How to Support A Spouse Continuing Education" was approved today at 10:48 AM. It is now 11:41 AM and the article sold full rights! Holy cow! I guess I did stumble on a hole in content.