One of the things I love most about writing on the internet is the speed at which you get feedback about what you've written. I always find it interesting to see which parts of an article people really zero in on. And more often than not, the thing zeroed in on is not the point I am trying to make. Rather, it is a single thought or concept, among many, I've expressed on the way to making said … [Read more...]
Over the last six months I have lost count of the times someone has shared a problem with me and I have felt completely and utterly useless. No mind blowing solutions to offer. No brilliant advice. Just an ear to lend. And while an ear is sometimes all people want or need, I do like to be of actual help (beyond listening) and I like having something to offer by way of a solution. For this … [Read more...]
Over the last few months I have been doing a lot of work on my writing. I have been talking with mentors and getting my words critiqued. And boy oh boy has it been … interesting. The feedback from these people has been pretty universal. “There’s nothing wrong with your writing Kelly. You form sentences nicely. You tell stories nicely. You wrap things up nicely. It’s all very … … [Read more...]
What do readers want? If a reader can’t tell the difference between a piece written by a punter versus a professional paid writer, and doesn’t care, then writing as a paid profession might be about to change dramatically. I am just going to give you a second to process this fairly cogent point that Rachel made in response to this post. Blogging (and I guess the internet in general) has … [Read more...]
It’s no secret that we live in the information age. Want to write a book? There is a boatload of advice out there for you to ponder and process. Want to build a rocket ship? Ditto. Want to be successful in business, sport, life, parenting, playing marbles? Well there’s an e-book for that! If you are an information junkie, the internet is your playground. And I have spent some quality time … [Read more...]
Recently I caught up with a friend and we got talking about how she has gone part-time at work so she can do more freelancing. The aim of course is to be able to support herself full-time as a freelancer and she’s decided this next six months is make or break. Happily though, if it doesn’t work out, she can always go back to work full-time. That’s a nice safety net isn’t it? The problem … [Read more...]
The other day I was listening to something on the internet (I think it was this) when one of the speakers casually mentioned something that triggered a blinding ‘OF COURSE’ moment for me. And that comment was: Successful people genuinely want other people to be successful too. So simple, so understated and yet … so true. This of course set my mind wandering over all the people I have … [Read more...]
mer·i·toc·ra·cy n.: A system in which advancement is based on individual ability or achievement. Given we live in a country where the national sport is tearing successful people down, it’s easy to understand why Australians are so bad at being tall poppies. Unlike our counterparts in the US we continually labour under the assumption that life is a meritocracy. In the simplest terms this … [Read more...]
Happy Mother's Day to all you lovely mums today! I just had to share a little something that I collaborated on with the super-cool Andrea from Fox in Flats this week. The words are by Andrea and her lovely readers, the design is by me with my Smile Collective hat on. Best of all, it's free to download so go on - download it. It's for all those days that you find yourself bemoaning the loss of your … [Read more...]
One of the most read posts ever on this blog is one I wrote in late February entitled “What do you do with all the despair?” In it, I describe the fact that I choose to live in a bubble in order to shield myself from the wall to wall despair that the media chooses to unload on us on a daily basis. My heart just can’t cope with it all, yet I feel a little selfish in taking that approach. … [Read more...]
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