FREELANCE WRITING: STATE OF NOTHINGNESS

I am given a special request to write about live streaming. It’s still on my queue and I am just staring at it. The gray area does not want to work anymore. I am tired. I just like to hang loose and do some bubbling. I am too fed up with the techie stuff. It is nice to do something different and lighthearted like this post.

With just four days away, preparations for family celebrations are now in full gear. Everybody is abuzz --- going to and fro, finalizing the last minute details before D-Day. They don’t include me anymore in the preparations. The last time they did, I chopped the “litson” (roasted pig) into small portions and gave it away for the squatter families nearby. After that fiasco, I am out of the most menial task in the kitchen.

So, here I am staring at the blank computer screen, cranking my head to write about live streaming. But nothing comes out. Only nothingness and a blank space.

#freelance_writing

#state-of-nothingness

Onli in da Pilipins: A Writer's Journal
Copyright © csmiravite™. All Rights Reserved

FREELANCE WRITING, COFFEE, AND ME

cappuccino coffee

I do freelance writing, once in a while, if I have the time. It is just my laptop and several cups of coffee that keeps me company when I work. Just recently, I suddenly woke up from my work table, not knowing that I slept. I was too fagged out that I just slumped in my seat without realizing it. By the time I woke up, several hours have passed. Writing several articles sapped my energy--- that I slept like a log.

Zzzzzz……. I was in dreamland and I didn’t even know how I got there!

I looked for coffee and there was nothing in my cupboard! Nothing to brew and there was not even a sachet left of instant coffee!

This is one sorry state that I can’t do anything about since it's 12 midnight in my part of the world. I don’t like to go out only to find non-human characters lurking in the streets.

All I have is my laptop, that I felt got surprised too when I woke up. It probably knew that I was tired---that it went on a sleep mode the minute that I dozed off, as well. I have to waken myself, but all that's left in my pantry was half a crate of Zambales mangoes. I got a few, put it in a blender, threw in some ice, and I had enough mango fruit slush to waken the dead!

Mango Slush Drink
Photo credit: By Author

Freelance writing is one of the fastest ways to earn money online. If you get commissioned to do five to ten articles at a time, that would give you enough money for weekly groceries. Response is immediate and you earn fast. No ifs or buts. It is a virtual market place, run by the concept of ---you work, we pay.

Any downside to it? Oh, yes! You may get a request for rewrite or outright rejection.

I guess, that all goes down with the territory! Now, if I only can find where to get that cup of coffee...
Have a good day everyone!

Photo credit: Pixabay.com by skeez

Onli in da Pilipins: A Writer's Journal
Copyright © csmiravite™. All Rights Reserved

Writing a Marketing Campaign

I looked at the document that was sent to me by a client for re-write. I stared at it, and stared some more, and yelled,

"Uughht! This marketing campaign stinks!"

You don’t use high fallutin’ words when you make a sales pitch! You don’t go around the bush to confuse your prospective buyer! When you attempt to make a sale, you go direct to the point and zero in on what you want. Everything should be written in simple English that can be understood by a 4th grader. Literary writing is different from business writing. Heck! a sales pitch is even different from any kind of writing!

My client is a learned man, who happens to be a licensed real estate broker. The only good thing about our relationship is that he listens to me. I hope he listens to me this time. The marketing campaign draft  that he sent me looks like a thesis for a masteral degree. After revision, he will not recognize this draft when I am done with it!

I hope he doesn't fire me, though!

Ohlala! LOL!

Have a good day everyone! Just having fun here!

#marketing_campaign

Photo credit: Pixabay.com by Geralt

writer_csm

Onli in da Pilipins: A Writer's Journal
Copyright © csmiravite™. All Rights Reserved

Problems with Plagiarism in Online Content

View of Tagaytay Highlands
Photo credit: Maryann Suller Macatlang

Writing portals are faced with plagiarism in online content many times. This morning, I rested for a little while, and decided to read several business articles on one site. I noticed two to three posters doing superb work on financial investments and stock trading. Since I do a lot of work on this niche, I decided to go over their work. They were superb! I have not seen anything like it except on the Economic Review or the Washington Post.

What I did next was to look at the profile pages and see the background of the writers. I read  their previous postings so as to know more about them. There was nothing said in their profile. I noticed that one writer has a different writing style for every post, and that made me wonder if he wrote all of the articles himself.

The other one came up with such superb work, that I knew  right away that I have read them somewhere. Voila! The plagiarism checker revealed that it was copied from the internet ---verbatim. If you are 24 years old, with no track record in finance work, and writes like the financial gurus of Wall Street ---nobody is going to believe you. It’s either you are a financial whiz, or you copied the whole darned thing from cyberspace!

Old Ifugao carving of a man counting his produce
Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons/Public Domain

These types of online submissions should have been rejected outright. I don’t think Google is going to like them over the long term. Having so many problematic contents at one portal is a dangerous thing. With the recent Google Panda update, the presence of numerous plagiarized content on a site would be detrimental --- like, having their Adsense removed.

Let us hope that writing sites install an auto –check feature that would stop problematic contents from being submitted. Plagiarism is a blatant insult to the reader and the entire writing community.

Have a good day everyone! :)

#plagiarism
#online writing

writer_csm

Onli in da Pilipins: A Writer's Journal
Copyright © csmiravite™. All Rights Reserved

Procrastination In Freelance Writing

Looking at a Blank Wall

Procrastination in Freelance writing spells ---disaster. It is when you have a deadline to meet, but your mind does no go along with your body. You just stare at the blank screen and do nothing. It is not because you don't know what to write about; it is the body that does not follow the commands of the brain. I have a 2,000 word report that was due yesterday. I am still looking at it and not doing anything. I started to write the 1st two paragraphs, and it was ok. I have no difficulty doing it. This is something that I am familiar with, but why am I just staring at it now?

I have to force myself to finish this work or I will have an angry employer to contend with. I cannot let this "despicable thing" defeat me. I have to work and put words on that blank screen. If I need to bleed my brains dry just to do it, I will do it. It is my body that is acting up again. I have to do it....I need to do it.... no ifs.....no buts. This is work. This is not an ego trip. I need to work to retain this client. I need to work to earn my keep. I need to work, because this is what I do ---write. Just yapping about when my mind seems to go nowhere. So here I am staring on a blank wall...

Would this be a case of a Writer's Block?

Looking at the clean computer slate, Things start gnashing with your brain grunting, The deadline puts severe strain like a piercing blade, You want to move, but is left wanting. There is a need to act but you're very late, The brain is dead and the body is panting, Unable to move, like being stuck in a cave, Let me soar into the skies as I go flying. Unlock you fool! Unwind if necessary, This is an ailment, and sounds like a cacophony, The zealot in you can crank this up in no time, It's just your bed that beckons you to lie. To think of clouds with a mind that wanders in flight, A deep resolve to survive through this putrid night, So, move those nimble fingers to touch the keys, And let this mighty task be finish at ease!

#procrastination
#freelance-writing
#writers-block

Photo credit: Pixabay.com

Onli in da Pilipins: A Writer's Journal
Copyright © csmiravite™. All Rights Reserved 

One Ghostly Apparition

I saw her silently opening the door, walking airily as she tiptoed to watch my computer monitor. She sigh with disgust as she read what's on the screen.

"You're losing steam, my friend! You have to push that brain of yours to continue writing. You're stagnating. There is nothing but blurry particles coming out of your system. Write...write...write!" she blurted out relentlessly.

I looked at her from the corners of my eye, and saw a pesky apparition that I have battled with a couple of times before. I say to her, "Go away! You disturb my peace." But, to my dismay, she didn't move an inch.

I turned around to angrily confront her. I was stunned, as I watched in horror a mirror image of myself, staring at me with cold and blood-shot eyes! A piercing scream came out from nowhere...and I woke up!

It was just a dream.


+writing
+apparition

Photo credit: pixabay.com

Onli in da Pilipins: A Writer's Journal
Copyright © csmiravite™. All Rights Reserved

Writer's Dilemma: Procrastination

 

 

Procrastination in Freelance writing spells ---disaster. It is when you have a deadline to meet, but your mind does not go along with your body. You just stare at the blank screen and do nothing. It is not because you don't know what to write; it is the body that does not want to move. I have a 2,000 word report that was due yesterday. I am still looking at it and not doing anything. I started to write the 1st two paragraphs, and it was ok. I have no difficulty doing it. This is something that I am familiar with, but here I am just staring at it.

I have to force myself to finish this work or I will have an angry employer who will be bombarding me with emails. I cannot let this "despicable thing" defeat me. I have to work and put words on that blank screen. If I need to bleed my brains dry just to do it, I will do it. It is my body acting up again, with this wayward behavior. I have to do it....I need to do it.... no ifs..... no buts. This is work. This is not an ego trip. I need to work to retain this client. I need to work to earn my keeps. I need to work, because that is what I do. I write.

Just yapping about.....when my mind seems to go nowhere. Bubblews say, you write your world. Oh, here is mine. It is nothing but a blank wall!

Good evening everyone! It is 11pm, Manila time and I need to go back and work.

Have a good day everyone! :D

Photo credit: pixabay.com by Stevebidmead

 

 

writer_csm



Onli in da Pilipins: A Writer's Journal
Copyright © csmiravite™. All Rights Reserved


Republished from bubblews.com with nom de plume, avila_fajardo

 

 

 

 

Freelance Writing: Work, Compensation, and the Christian Faith

 

 

 

Author’s Note: The bubblews site was down for a few hours. It prompted a 705 error. Horrible! I wrote this post when the site was down, before doing my next round of assignments in another portal. Good it is up and running now! 

ON WORK, COMPENSATION, & CHRISTIAN FAITH

This is the first week in my almost two years as freelance writer that I earned much. Not really much, but this week tops it all. This trend is going to last till next week. How I did it is pretty much the same way as how others do it----I view my current project as if it will be my last work on earth. Hence, it has to be the best that I can do at the moment.

It has been a long and hard climb, of keeping the faith and driving myself to excel in a craft which is not my first passion. At the back of my head, I know that I am first and foremost –--an Accountant. It is my reality where I can swim most confidently in an ocean that I call home. Writing is a passion, and I didn’t know that it is one, until circumstances forced me into it.

I got another round of assignments just this minute, and it will keep me busy for sometime. What is the topic all about? No, it is not about stock trading or the techie stuff that I usually crank out. It is coming up with a book--- of Christian Prayers. Fifty prayers for everyday experiences at 150 words each. I did not know that my faith can drive me to this extreme. I love my God and I adhere to my faith. But writing a whole book of prayers ---is something I never imagine that I can do.

I am ever thankful to the Lord and Master for all the gifts that He has given this faithful servant. I am happy that I still walk God’s path towards eternal life where I will find my Master’s abode.

In Jesus Name, I pray.

Amen

Have a Blessed Day everyone!

Photo credit: pixabay.com by Iwona_Olczyk

 

writer_csm

 

Onli in da Pilipins: A Writer's Journal
Copyright © csmiravite™. All Rights Reserved


Republished from bubblews.com with nom de plume, avila_fajardo
 

Sun Broadband: One Significant Day of a Writer

What happened today? Nothing really, just these…….

My BroadBand Connection Gone Bonkers

I woke at around noontime to find my sun broadband dead as a dodo. I cannot connect online! All work assignments for submission today have been re-scheduled for tomorrow. Real nasty! I tried to fix it myself, but nothing happened. I had to go to the nearby mall to inquire if there was something wrong at their end --- well, I was right. They had glitches from noontime till around 7pm today. Woe to freelance writers, that’s money down the drain for us!

Offer from Academe

I got a call from one university south of Manila, to join their faculty in Accountancy on a full time basis this coming semester. The school is run by Rotarian fathers and they need a faculty to handle their higher accounting subjects. This is my area of expertise, but I have to refuse. There are still many things that I have to do. I have not gone headway into the Accounting outsourcing work, that I had planned for a year now. Another offer was to teach Cost Accounting to Financial Management students. Again the subject matter is my forte, but I know that I will have problems with non-accountancy students. It is always hard for them to grasp accounting in a manufacturing set-up, and that's difficult for me.

RECAPITULATION

I have not done much today and may do several articles tonight. The physical world can sometimes get into our online work, that if we can't schedule it adroitly, either one of them suffers in the long haul.

Have a good day everyone! :D

+Broadband
+Batik
+Academe
+Financial-management
+Cost-accounting


writer_csm

Photo credit: pixabay.com by  Hochspannung

Onli in da Pilipins: A Writer's Journal
Copyright © csmiravite™. All Rights Reserved





Republished from bubblews.com with nom de plume, avila_fajardo