Hey everyone! When I started freelance writing, I had no idea how much paperwork and business stuff actually went into the job. It was a little – OK, a lot – overwhelming to learn all the details, especially when it came to information related to paying taxes. I recently bought a couple ebooks (complete with helpful templates) written by Angie Mohr, who’s a fellow freelance writer and an accountant. I’m learning so much that I simply had to share the details with everyone, so here they are:

(To purchase the ebooks or templates, follow this link to Angie’s blog. You can also find these books and others by Angie Mohr on Amazon.com.)

Managing a Freelance Writing Business: A Writer’s Guide to Building a Strong Company ($15.00)

• over 80 pages of great info for both new freelancers and veterans
• helps you to analyze your clientele to make sure you’re making top dollar from every word you write
• delves into all the back office issues that confuse many freelance writers, including setting up an accounting system, quoting, job tracking, and insurance

Chapter Listing:

1. Introduction
2. Should I Incorporate?
3. Accounting for Freelance Writers
4. Job & Query Tracking
5. Profitable Job Quoting
6. Insurance 101 for Freelancers
7. Dealing with Plagiarism and Copyright Infringement
8. Understanding Licensing Rights
9. Selling Your Writing Multiple Times

Tax Preparation & Planning for Freelance Writers ($15.00)

• over 75 pages of income tax information tailored to a freelance writer
• details what can and cannot be claimed for home office, auto and other freelance expenses
• puts an end to water cooler myths about what you can claim on your taxes
• helps to reduce the chance that you will be audited by the IRS
• helps you to reduce this year’s tax bill and plan for next year’s

Chapter Listing:

1. Setting Up an Income & Expense Tracking System
2. Freelance Writing Revenue
3. Home Office Expenses
4. Automobile Expenses
5. Direct Writing Expenses
6. Can I Write That Off?
7. Filling Out Schedule C
8. Minimizing Your Tax Bill
9. Tax Planning for Next Year

Customizable Excel Templates ($7.50)

1. Query tracking tool
2. Quoting calculator
3. Job tracking template
4. Home office expense calculator
5. Auto mileage log and expense tracker
6. Direct expenses template

SPECIAL Bundle Price: $25.00 (value $37.50)

• Includes both ebooks and the set of customizable Excel templates
• Everyone who buys the bundle will automatically receive the updated and expanded 2nd edition at no extra charge in time for next year’s tax season!

Again, if you’re interested in buying these great resources – and I think every freelancer will benefit greatly from them – hop over to Angie’s blog, Writing and Selling Non-fiction Books or visit Amazon.

All right! So I started this blog to write about writing, and then I became so busy with my writing that I neglected to write about it. Make sense? Don’t worry. I’m still trying to figure it out too.

Not that I’m complaining about being busy with my writing projects. I wouldn’t want it any other way. After all, I am a freelance writer. Those projects are my livelihood. And, right now, I am blessed to have a writing project – a nonfiction book that I’ll share more about once it’s complete – that satisfies much more than monetary needs. It also appeals to the natural teacher inside of me that desires to share knowledge and help others learn and grow. This project allows me the opportunity and the platform to do that.

Have I mentioned that I really love my job? I do.

But… in addition to being a freelance writer, I’m also a devoted wife and the mom of two awesome kids. Oh yeah, and I’m working on fulfilling my dream of becoming a novelist. Somewhere in there – in my free time – I’m also trying to actually have a life! If my fairy godmother were to appear today, would I ask for millions of dollars or an elaborate home? Nope. I’d ask for more hours, quiet and uninterrupted hours, in my day to accomplish everything and still have time left to relax and enjoy my family. The sad thing is, I’d probably just look at those extra hours as excuses to add even more things to my already full plate!

Since my fairy godmother is apparently on vacation and a thirteenth, fourteenth, and fifteenth hour haven’t been miraculously added to my clock, I am resolving to become a better steward of my time and energy. Today, with the help of my handy dandy Outlook schedule, I managed to have one of the most productive – possibly THE most – and least stressful work day I’ve had all year long. All because I simply took five minutes this morning to plot out a rough schedule of what I needed to accomplish and create self-imposed deadlines. There’s something about seeing what I need to do and how much I’ve actually completed to motivate me to work harder and more efficiently. Not only did I finish everything I needed to for the day, I also managed to squeeze in a few extras. And I had time to simply enjoy playing with my kids at the end of the day. That matters to me most of all.

So, I’ll be back tomorrow. But only after I finish creating my new schedule!

My mind is a pretzel!

Why do people spend more time stretching and exercising their bodies than their minds when it is the brain that controls everything the body does?

The thought came to me the other day while doing my morning yoga. I was lying on the ground, body twisted in a shape resembling a deform pretzel, attempting to do a little of both. With two children yakking in my ear and two big dogs hovering over my head trying to assess the situation, my mind was racing not relaxing! So, yes, when I was supposed to be clearing my mind from all thoughts, I had this one.

I need to find new ways to twist and stretch my mind as a writer. Sure, I’ve never been accused of being short on imagination (in fact, my imaginative mind has gotten me into trouble more than a few times). And coming up with new ideas doesn’t usually pose a problem either. But… what if I were to do these mind-stretching exercises and they allowed me to move further outside my comfort zone as writer? Or they might help me to develop a clearer sense of who I am as a writer and what my true voice is. And maybe, just maybe, I might find a perfect niche for me – possibly one I would have never before considered.

So, my search begins. I’m off to delve into the unknown depths of my semi-twisted mind and find ways to twist it some more. Wish me luck! I’ll keep you posted.

In the meantime, please share your thoughts and tips. What mind-stretching exercises work best for you as a writer, artist or musician?