Hello, hello! By golly, it's been a while. It has been a rather intense past few weeks but I finally get the breather today and wanted to share a video that really encouraged me and goes out to all my fellow budding writers out there (and just for the record "budding" is a long-term thing heh): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BI23U7U2aUY "But we knew that it didn't have the special thing that we wanted it to have and the thing, what to do is...Everybody goes through that. And for you to go … [Read more...]
Saturday
The Things That Could Be
March 19th, 2011
Important Work Things are happening in the next two weeks and I'm so excited about the possibilities and the encounters. Of course, this happening period has to take place just before I leave for a pretty long trip, and there are also Deadlines to be met so I'm hoping I juggle things well. What's different these days is that I put the "lepak" (chill) things on my "To Do" list along with the work stuff. So long walks, meditation, tea with good friends etc. all have equal priority as the work … [Read more...]
Friday
You Never Know
January 29th, 2010
'One of the arguments we often use for not writing is this: "I have nothing original to say. Whatever I might say. someone else has already said it, and better than I will every be able to." This, however, is not a good argument for not writing. Each human being is unique and original, and nobody has lived what we have lived. Furthermore, what we have lived, we have lived not just for ourselves but for others as well. Writing can be a creative and invigorating way to make our lives available to … [Read more...]
Thursday
Connections
October 8th, 2009
I'm not very good with self-help books. Mostly, I'm not very good in following their pointers, or even finishing reading them for that matter. However, one self-help book which I think helped nudge me to get cracking with the whole freelance thing was the Anti 9-5 Guide by Michelle Goodman. Once again, I wasn't very hardworking in following her advice, but I did finish reading this book because in general, I liked how she made it a point to cater to different types of self-employment and was … [Read more...]
Thursday
Live then write
September 17th, 2009
Someone shared this quote with me today: “The great thing is to last and get your work done and see and hear and learn and understand; and write when there is something that you know; and not before; and not too damned much after. Let those who want to save the world if you can get to see it clear and as a whole. Then any part you make will represent the whole if it’s made truly. The thing to do is work and learn to make it.” - Ernest Hemingway I like it though I don't totally … [Read more...]
Thursday
The Backstory
August 27th, 2009
Tym sent some linky support in the form of this article by Mridu Khullar. This entry was about her struggles while building up her freelance career. To me, this couldn't have come at a better time, because I'm probably right smack in the midst of the valley now in terms of "figuring things out". For the past few days, I've valiantly been trying to "stir" myself to be all the things a freelancer is supposed to be like - proactive, creative, disciplined - but I realise that this will takes time, a … [Read more...]
Sunday
Appreciation Mail
July 19th, 2009
Today, I will be going out to buy a huge stash of A4 manila envelopes and stamps. For the past 2 years, I have made it a point to ensure that I send copies of magazines to every person I interview and/or every PR person that provides me with information for my freelance editorial articles. Of course, I could just get the publication to mail copies to them directly - but more often than not, that takes a while to happen, if at all. So now, I just ask for X no. of copies from them and do the … [Read more...]