By Derek Walter
It's 11:30 at night, and I'm listening to a parrot sing on The Tonight Show. The vocal bird is a momentary distraction from the multiple tasks at hand – ones which would keep me from any sleep this night should I choose to tackle them all. There is that posting for my blog I wanted to finish, those two editors to e-mail back, that irritating source who won't return my messages, and of course, this posting. The totality of these tasks alone are not overwhelming, but when they must be juggled with a day job filled with needy third-grade students, it can make me wonder how much worth it this writing thing is after all.
Such is the life of the not-so-freelancer. Having inspiration for that right phrase or a new story idea in the middle of teaching nine-year-olds to divide. Hoping that I won't be too drained when the school day is over to work on my true passion – building my career and portfolio as a writer. So how does one balance these obligations? And is it possible to make the leap one day from teacher to writer? These are the questions I wrestle with, often without answers. There can only be drive, desire, hope, and inspiration. The writing life is a series of lows where hours, sometimes days go by feeling like a child who just can't quite stay balanced on his bicycle. Yet there also those highs – when your query is accepted, when you come up with a great idea to submit to your or another blog, or just the right symphony of words.
So how to balance it all? A few suggestions follow (none of which have I completely mastered)
Get organized
It may sound blasé, but being organized has been essential. After a day filled with reading groups, children who whine that they didn't get the ball enough during PE, and grading grammar assignments, I have to plan and be disciplined. Which of course means sometimes turning off the Xbox 360 or turning down an offer to get drinks.
It also means having the right organizational tools. I find Google Calendar (also called Gcal) worthwhile. It's an easy way to keep track of appointments and other obligations. The more I'm mobile, the more I feel some sort of smart phone, whether it's a Blackberry or iPhone is necessary for the aspiring freelancer.
Get online
While it would be nice to assume that you are an embryonic Hemmingway and clients and book deals will flock to you, reality is another matter.
It is essential you have your own web site . It gives you instant credibility and potential to display your portfolio. If you don't know the difference between HTML or BYOB, fret not. There are many quality hosts that have excellent templates which do not require much skill (I use 2mhost.com ). Plus buying a domain name and hosting are very inexpensive, sometimes as little as $5 a month.
Also, consider blogging. The blogosphere is so spread with topics, you can write on just about anything that is your interest. And if you're reading this post, then you already know there are multiple quality blogs devoted to writing. You can exhibit as much or little effort into web design as you wish. Blogger and Wordpress both offer free sites. Or if you have your own domain, consider downloading Wordpress to run your blog.
Keep track of your web success. Sitemeter is a great tool to get stats on how well your site is doing. Also, join Technorati and Digg to promote your site by getting involved with the online community where you can rank blogs and submit sites that you are a fan of.
Get out there
Clients and web site hits won't come to you – you have to make it happen! Offer to guest post on other sites (like I'm doing here) and post on other forums and blogs with your URL. Add other sites to your blogroll, and ask others to do the same. It means spending time online and signing up and keeping track with what is new in interactivity and discussion.
Also, post and share any coverage you get. At a recent political event I was at, I walked up to reporters and introduced myself, and secured several interviews. While it wasn't for writing, the same principle applies. You can't be shy and just hope people will discover you. Self-promotion is essential.
Perhaps you may know this life. Not yet a full-time writer, yet somehow not comfortable just labeling yourself by your day job. I live in the not yet, furiously working to become independent of the constraints of the 8-to-5 world. Maybe next time I hear a singing parrot on late-night television, I can be at ease knowing I don't have to wake up in six hours.
Derek Walter is a freelance writer in California. He blogs at The Pursuit