Apps for Freelance Writers

Posted September 25, 2013 by Elizabeth & filed under General writing, Job, Social Media, Writing. | Add Comment

Don’t lose that thought!

Here is a quick review of three apps for freelance writers that make my life easier.

Voice Memos – There are lots of audio recording apps out there but this one is included on your iPhone so you had better be using it! I use it to record ideas that pop into my head while driving but don’t hesitate to use it during interviews or while you’re exercising for inspiration. It has also come in handy when I read manuscripts as a part of the great Facebook group Readers Aloud.

Easy Release – Many editors want you to include photographs with your story ideas and photographs mean you need photo releases. This app costs a little bit of money, but a lawsuit costs a lot more.

Square – I have three self-published books and host workshops, attend events and network. And I never have cash on hand. So I make it easy for potential buyers to become actual customers by always carrying my Square card reader. I can take payments anywhere and never have to worry about providing change. There is a fee per transaction, but for me, if someone didn’t have cash I wouldn’t sell a book at all, so I’ll take the fee.

[Update about Square: If you have upgraded to iOS7 you may need to adjust your microphone in order to swipe payment cards with your card reader. The steps are: 1. Go to Settings > Privacy > Microphone 2. Turn on the Square Register slider 3. Relaunch Square Register and swipe away!]

If you don’t have a smartphone and you’re just starting out as a freelance writer, the cost of the phone may seem prohibitive. But I have found that my smartphone makes it easier for me to make money and better serve my clients. I do contract work that would not be possible without my RingCentral and Dropbox apps. I use my camera all the time to snap photos of magazines I want to query, possible sources I want to interview, or something that inspires a fiction piece.

I’m not claiming you can only be successful as a freelance writer if you have a smartphone and rely on technology but I do think there are serious benefits.

There are many other apps for freelance writers that are useful. What app do you use the most?

Kids Lunch Box Ideas (by kids)

Posted September 23, 2013 by Elizabeth & filed under Food, General writing, Parenting. | Add Comment

Do you frequently look for kids lunch box ideas? Do your food choices differ from what your kids would choose?

For a school assignment my six-year-old had to draw what he would pack in his lunch box if he were in charge:

A pretty healthy lunch!

When he explained his drawing, I was pleasantly surprised. He ‘packed’ a Nutella sandwich, rice cake, square pretzels, a green apple and a water bottle.

I love these lunch box ideas.

My husband and I enjoy the convenience of the school lunch but I prefer to have a little more input on what my boys eat, at least until I can really can an understanding of how healthy our school district’s lunches are. I’m learning more from Let’s Move Pittsburgh about how to understand what is offered by our school’s food services program.

But for now, I want our boys to pack more often than they buy. After seeing this drawing, I feel like my effort to teach them about healthy food choices is having some good results. I like that when they are told to make their own choices, the choices include at least one fruit! That’s not too bad! I feel like I can give my boys some input on their lunches and I can continue to present them with good options.

I’m hopeful that we are building healthy kids lunch box ideas!

Storytelling and Story-selling

Posted September 10, 2013 by Elizabeth & filed under Big Ideas, Inspiration, Writing. | Add Comment

Storytelling that works.

Let’s talk about storytelling and story-selling.

Take a moment and click on the image above and read the text on the back of these three bottles of shampoo, conditioner and body lotion.

Storytellers weave magic with their words and transport their listeners to other lands, ignite dreams in their hearts, bring out tears and laughter, desire and rage. Storytellers move worlds with words. Storytellers exist in every age, every culture. In the modern world, some of the best storytellers are in marketing and business writing.

Not too long ago I read two excellent books about the art of storytelling and how it applies to marketing. Both The Idea Writers: Copywriting in a New Media and Marketing Era and Ogilvy on Advertising hammered home to me that good ad writing is really storytelling that makes consumers want to buy the product, or as I like to call it “story-selling.”

Whenever you’re writing for an audience, you’re selling something. You’re selling the premise of the book, the authenticity of the characters, the believability of the climax and the satisfaction offered by the ending. The same goes for when you’re writing copy for a product or an argument in an article. The writer must sell the story.

That’s why I snapped a photo of these shampoo bottles from our hotel in San Francisco. The story on the back of these tiny bottles sold me on the product. I kept them to remind that even with an extremely limited space careful word selection can suggest powerful emotions. Consider Hemingway’s iconic six word story: “Baby shoes for sale. Never worn.” So moving, so evocative, so short. (I love it so much I hosted my own six word story contest.) Also, those shampoo bottles made me laugh. People love to laugh.

What’s the shortest but most effective story you’ve ever written?

Fun Family Dinners at Skinny Pete’s in Pittsburgh

Posted September 4, 2013 by Elizabeth & filed under Food, Parenting. | Add Comment

Join us for the first of many fun family dinners at Skinny Pete’s (click on Events) in Pittsburgh on Monday evening, September 16, 2013 starting at 5:30pm. Parents get to enjoy a peaceful meal while their children are happily engaged in creating a a self-portrait flatbread from healthy, fresh, local ingredients!

We know the more that children encounter fresh foods, the more they are involved with cooking and selecting the ingredients of their meal, the more likely they are to try something good that’s good for them!

All kids also get a copy of My Food Notebook to record what foods they tried.

Fun family dinners aren’t just a dream – they are happening right here in Pittsburgh! Join us!

Fun Family Dinners this September!

Enjoy a great meal with the family!

Fun Food for Your Picky Preschooler

Posted September 3, 2013 by Elizabeth & filed under Books for Kids, Events, Food, Parenting. | Add Comment

I know it’s tough to to the parent of a picky preschooler. They are not at the age when you can reason with them and their tastes change so quickly, it can feel so frustrating. But there’s another way to approach the challenge: make it fun.

I was so lucky to visit a Bright Horizons class this summer and bring one of my Tasting Party workshops. There was more than one picky preschooler in attendance. I was bringing some new foods to them to try so we decided to make it fun. Making pizza on a stick all by themselves was a delightful adventure. Take a look at these brave little faces!

Do it yourself – it tastes better!

Fun for these kids means hands-on and the opportunity to examine the food options as much as possible before tasting it.They looked closely at the food, smelled it, touched it and then finally nibbled and tried! More than one child tried tomatoes for the first time. Not everybody liked them but they were giggling and chatting and no one whined! Can you imagine that kind of dinner?

No one can resist food on a stick

Recipe for Success: Best Brain Food for College Success

Posted August 25, 2013 by Elizabeth & filed under Food, Job, Parenting, Recipe for Success. | Add Comment

Understanding the importance of brain food is not rocket science. Enough research has proven the value of breakfast and a balanced diet not just for kids but for adults, too. I do believe what we eat can impact our total well-being. If you want your kids to do well in school and if you want to get through work or a workout without feeling like a total zombie, then you must pay attention to what you put in your mouth.

So when Nicole from The Best Colleges contacted me about this infographic and asked me to review it, I happily agreed. And I felt that her advice was useful not just for college students but for anyone looking to do their best.

I was dismayed to read about the amount of fast food college students eat but relieved that coffee and dark chocolate (in moderation) can boost memory and reduce stress.

Since my own children are still in elementary and preschool, I control most of what they eat and include a lot of brain food. But parents of college students have to trust their children will adopt or continue good habits. I remember reasonably healthy options offered in my college dining hall, but when I moved off-campus and had to cook for myself an unhealthy amount of pepperoni Hot Pockets entered the picture. And what about campuses in big cities that might be in food deserts?

Did your nutrition get worse when you were in college? Does anyone know of colleges including farmer’s markets or increasing fresh produce options in campus eateries?

Boost Your Brain!

Favorite Bedtime Books

Posted August 20, 2013 by Elizabeth & filed under Book Review, Books for Kids, General writing, Inspiration, Writing. | Add Comment

I recently joined the Society of Children’s Books Writers and Illustrators and my first few meetings have me thinking about my favorite bedtime books. I have a quite a few. In fact many of my favorite bedtime books have no words! But instead of making a list of which books I love, I am actually going to discuss a style of book that I don’t really care for from the perspective of a parent at bedtime: the list book.

I don’t mind these books during middle of the day quiet time, car trips, in waiting rooms, etc. But I do mind their lack of plot, story arc, characters, and most importantly the lack of an ending. At bedtime, I need stories to end. That’s one main reason the Can You See What I See and Where’s Waldo books – while fun!- are not approved bedtime reading, at least with me.

Reasonable Bedtime Book

An example of a good list book

Some list books are great. For example, Richard Scarry produces the absolute best and manages to incorporate a gentle, funny storyline that guides readers through his adorably illustrated pages.

Here’s an inside spread from The Best Word Book Ever. I love breakfast, so I chose this particular page showing Kenny Bear waking up and enjoying a hearty meal to start the day. Delightful!

Scarry’s other books, especially Cars and Trucks and Things that Go, do a nice job of combining huge lists of recognizable objects and easy words for children to learn with an entertaining and light-hearted storyline. If I were so inclined to write a list book, this would be the style I’d choose.

Ridiculous Bedtime Books

Here are two examples of list books that drive me crazy:

Don’t touch the flaps.

Sparkle no substance.

In the first book by Fisher-Price, we get to see toys in action in a little town. There’s barely any text but there are lots of flaps to lift, pull and tear. My kids do rip the flaps and then cry and beg me to repair them but later they pick at the tape and tear them again. Also, struggling to open the flaps prolongs the agony of reading this list book at bedtime. (And I absolutely cannot help my child lift the flaps or they freak out because they want to do it themselves!!)

The second book is irritating to me from the perspective of an aspiring writer. Some publishing company out there (more than one, truthfully) churns out these books and sells them to kids and grandparents who can’t resist the sparkle and cashes checks. While many writers I know work hard to get their excellent writing recognized. And writers like me wonder if there is any hope for a good storybook in today’s market.

My favorite bedtime books don’t just keep kids busy and they don’t push learning shapes, colors and numbers on kids – but there is a place for those kinds of books. Just not at bedtime.

Truly, my favorite bedtime books capture the imagination but also speak to what a child really knows and feels in their world. It’s an art and it’s magic and it sends them off to sleep and dream, while I head off to write and dream!

Are there books you absolutely won’t read to your child at bedtime?

Helpful Resources for Freelance Writing

Posted July 25, 2013 by Elizabeth & filed under Inspiration, Writing. | Add Comment

The keys to great freelance writing

Do you belong to a community that improves your freelance writing? I’ve found that freelance writers tend to be very supportive of each other. They don’t mind offering help to other writers and sharing effective resources. There are several communities that I rely on for help, from in person meetings right here in my neighborhood to people all around the world.

The Business of Freelance Writing

If you’re a freelance writer looking for some useful resources to grow your understanding of marketing, web site design, contract negotiations and more I recommend The Freelance Writer’s Den and The Renegade Writer.

The Art of Freelance Writing

If you’re looking for places to hone your literary skills as a fiction writer or even a creative non-fiction writer, check out Scribophile. I also love the classes available at Women on Writing. Their blog posts are definitely useful, too. For children’s writers the place to be is the Society of Children’s Books Writer’s and Illustrators.

Social Media Freelance Writing Communities

There are lots of great resources with active social media accounts for professionals looking to improve their freelance writing skills and their business. One of my favorites are Studio 30, a group that not only offers writing prompts weekly but shares the posts of members on social media for increased engagement and feedback. StThe other favorite is Readers Aloud. This unique Facebook group offers members the invaluable opportunity to submit their work, have it read aloud by another member and recorded as an audio file. Listening to one of my stories read by an incredible narrator was an unbelievably powerful way to tackle a round of revisions.

What communities do you use to improve your freelance writing, from the business perspective and the artistic approach?

Trying New Foods

Posted July 20, 2013 by Elizabeth & filed under Food, Inspiration. | Add Comment

Not everyone likes trying new foods. It’s funny that while my husband and I will be adventurous about our eating out and about and restaurants, we often exchange nervous looks when our CSA serves up a vegetable that neither of us are used to using.

Enter the red cabbage.

Nothing scary here

It’s actually quite beautiful when you look at it up close. I did a tiny bit of reading and found a simple recipe that I could make without too many opportunities for mistakes. For me, trying new foods needs to be simple.

A work of food art

The recipe is simple. Chop the cabbage. Add some lemon juice and warm up some chicken or vegetable broth. Cover and steam the cabbage for about 5 minutes. When it’s done you can add garlic, salt and pepper, ginger, sesame…all kinds of flavors. So easy my three year old helped me cook it.

The color of this cabbage was exciting for my son.

If you’re looking for ways to add color to dinner and interested in trying new foods, this isn’t a bad choice. The flavor is mild and it’s not too hard to clean or chop. Apparently the lemon juice keeps the cabbage from turning blue while cooking.

Trying new foods – Some like it hot!

The Taste Test

The real test came when the steamed cabbage appeared on the dinner table. We don’t pretend to our kids that we like every food we serve for dinner. We think it’s important that they see us actually trying new foods. We want them to know we understand how they feel when they’re encountering something new and that’s it’s tricky for us, too.

Trying new foods is easy for some people

We had salmon, pasta and sauce and red cabbage for dinner tonight. My three year old eagerly scooped some on his plate because he helped cook the cabbage. My husband and I tried it and found it to be mild and possibly improved by the addition of some zinger flavors like ginger or even soy sauce. My picky eater chose not to try it today (but that doesn’t mean he won’t later). My oldest took a tiny taste then grabbed a bigger bowl to enjoy a larger portion!

Tricks For Picky Eaters – Why they don’t work

Posted July 18, 2013 by Elizabeth & filed under Books for Kids, Food. | Add Comment

Me and my picky eater enjoying an honest meal

Parents, if there is one piece advice I wish you would follow it’s this: Tricks for picky eaters don’t work.

My picky eater recently discovered he likes fresh spinach with ranch dressing. He won’t take it cooked on pizza or mixed in with pasta, but if I set aside a few fresh leaves on his plate and he’ll chomp it down. Another entry in his copy of My Food Notebook! This kid usually avoids salads and fresh vegetables with a passion, so this was a huge victory for healthy eating.

But when we ran out of fresh spinach and our CSA sent us Romaine lettuce, we were faced with a dilemma.

Do we put the Romaine on his plate and tell him it’s spinach?

That’s when I realized: Tricks for picky eaters are not worth it.

Setting aside the dishonesty for a moment, just do the math.

He already likes spinach. If he likes Romaine, too, that’s 1+1 = 2 new fresh healthy foods to enjoy!

He already likes spinach. If we tell him the Romaine is spinach and he decides he doesn’t like it, that’s 1-1 = 0. We’ve just lost a food.

Honesty is the best policy. And you know what? He tried the Romaine because it looked like spinach, and he gave it a so-so rating. That’s better than a no!

Hidden Vegetables

Some parents hide vegetables in recipes in order to get their children to eat healthy, nutritious foods. I’m not throwing stones here, Moms and Dads. I’ve done it. I’m just saying that the payoffs for a kid understanding that they actually like healthy foods are big.

Imagine the bliss of seeing your child voluntarily eat fresh fruits and vegetables! Don’t trick your picky eater into eating them, help them find a way to enjoy them.

There are plenty of posts about tricks for picky eaters, but I’d rather help my kids learn ways to try new things. I believe it will help them when they are at school, at friend’s homes, at restaurants and more.

Simple ways to help picky eaters:

Prepare the vegetable in a variety of ways.
Ask the child to help you select the vegetable.
Involve your child in cutting, cooking and serving the vegetable.
Celebrate each time they try a new vegetable – don’t punish them for not trying it.