AUTHOR INTERVIEW: Ellis Chase

Searching for a career?

 

You'll not want to miss this interview, or Chase's new book!

 

Tell me a about yourself. What got you started in writing?

 

I’d been writing professional articles for years for various publications, but I have to admit now that I always found it painful. All that editing made me nuts.  I’m not the most patient person. My wife and a very close friend, a writer, encouraged/nagged me to put it all together in a book, because they both liked the style, and thought the content would help people in career transition. Many false starts later, I finally completed a draft last summer. 

How and where do you write? Do you prefer a lap top or do you prefer writing freehand?

I use my laptop. As I mentioned earlier, I’m an impatient guy, and the thought of longhand would probably make me give up after one page or so. 

What's your favorite part about writing? Your least favorite part about writing? 

I like the idea of organizing my thoughts, making complex ideas palatable, and visualizing how it will all come together. I like the first edit; beyond that, it’s agony. I get intensely bored with my own material and can’t read it as much as is necessary. I was extremely fortunate to have some excellent editors around me.  Otherwise, I can’t imagine how I would have finished the thing. 

 
What types of marketing do you do to promote your writing? 

I’ve learned a great deal from my publisher and some more from clients in the publishing industry about how to approach the marketing. I’ve actually learned not to hate Twitter, which was quite a feat, and continue to admire and utilize LinkedIn and many LinkedIn groups. Blogging has turned out to be my favorite type of writing, because it’s fast and this material doesn’t require extensive editing. I have one major obstacle to overcome –an inherent distaste and mistrust of Facebook. I’m also planning to do some broadcast media, which is comfortable and easy for me. 

How do you schedule your writing time? When do you write? 

I like to write first thing in the morning, highly caffeinated. My best ideas and my sharpest thinking occur at that time. 

What are you currently working on? Do you have a new book out?  

No new book in the works yet, but I’m thinking about several concepts.

 

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/dp/0988877929/

Do you have a project on the back burner? Tell me about it. 

I’m planning to expand my public speaking engagements. I’ve always loved teaching and speaking more than anything, and will begin this push in the fall. 

What would you tell a beginning writer who wants to publish but doesn't believe he/she has enough talent? 

I’d advise the young writer to do the same thing I tell all my clients, which is to develop a trusted network of experts and professionals in the field and get some feedback on the validity of the idea. If there are enough trusted advisors who are encouraging, move forward. If  

there aren’t, figure out a way (classes? writing programs?) to get better. 

  

***

Thank you, Ellis!

To learn more about Ellis...

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/dp/0988877929/

Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/345206

Website:   http://www.ellischase.com

Website: http://www.isothefunforeverjob.com/

Blog/Ask Ellis: http://www.isothefunforeverjob.com/ask-ellis.html

Twitter: @ellischase2

 

 

 

 

Writing as a Career

For years we (my husband and I) have struggled to put food on the table, and while he has always been the mainstay, I have also tried to have something going on the sidelines.

For the most part I worked retail and that included the retail hours at the local home improvement store. I hated that job. Or maybe I didn't hate it exactly, it was just hard for me to enjoy it. I was attending school at the time (in my 40s) for my degree in Mass Communication, and I found myself studying for tests in between customers and letting my heart wander into overgrown writing paths.

Since starting school and having a job too, I'd done little writing for myself. The writing I did came from assignments that had to be done and often brought me little joy.

I have since discovered that writing as a career is an interesting thing. To really make it work you must be well known and the writing you do must be satisfactory or better. And in order to be well known and to have good writing, you must not only make time to write but you must know how to market or know someone who knows how to market for you--more money.

Photo by: Beat Machine, courtesy of Flickr

Though I can say now that the majority of my time is delegated to writing and marketing, this has not always been the case. Still, in my minds eye I could see myself living out my writing career dream.

My writing career really began that moment years ago when I was sick and pregnant and needed something to take my mind off of it. It continued as I raised my children, went back to school, and began my own writing services company.

The moment I began to take my writing seriously, the seed called "writing" planted itself in the ground and began to grow. I had some time in the beginning to pursue it, less time later to grow it, but as the plant has grown and I have been more focused on this dream, I have been given more opportunities to pursue it as a career.
You may have experienced this yourself or maybe you're struggling with kids, those dangling participles that keep hanging on your legs every time you sit down to write.



Photo by: eekoliteW, courtesy of Flickr

Believe me, I know how you feel. But don't give up. Continue to see your career in writing as a reality; work your way to it, sort of like climbing that mountain, eager to see the top. When you get there, call out to me, I am still working my way through the trees.

10 Ways to Set Limits as a Writer in Business

I don't know about you, but it's difficult to set limits as a writer. What will I write? How much do I expect to be paid? Should I do this for free?

Books are a great help in deciding what to write about and how much to charge
Photo by: Angela Shupe, courtesy of Flickr

But limits are important, especially when you get the feeling in your gut that you're taking too little money for that blogging assignment or you can't quite understand why you'd need to pay someone for doing a book review--especially when most of them come for free.

When I began my writing business a little over a year ago, I was a bit afraid that I really didn't know what I was doing. And quite frankly, I wasn't. But through trial and error and some wonderful successes I have discovered a few things about myself. I...

1. give a discount to a repeat client.
2. do things for free or at a discount only if they feel "right."
3. give my clients more than they ask for. If they are expecting a mentoring session, I make sure they leave with a fantastic handout or something else rewarding.
4. am beginning to get paid what I'm worth. This number will change as I garner more confidence and experience. I am not afraid to up my pay scale when it's time. I know it when it's time.
5. take in the criticism. This will help me and my business grow. 
6. am honest with my clients about their work and progress and give them the courage to continue.
7. have created some postcards that I can hand out about my business. Business cards don't have room for that extra specific information I LOVE to share.
8. don't get discouraged if others are telling me to get a "real" job. This is my "real" job.
9. am proactive. I use social media outlets to get my name and what I do out there. I work on not being afraid to talk about what I do and the happiness it gives me.



Setting limits is like a wall with a narrow opening. Only the best stuff gets through.
Photo by: easylocum, courtesy of Flickr

10. write what is right for me. I try not to take on a job that doesn't feel right, whether that is a ghostwriting assignment or a mentoring client that isn't a good fit. 

Setting limits as a writer in business means that you're taking good care of yourself. No, you're not a doormat; neither do you gather in work that doesn't meet up with your expectations or approval. You're a writer in business.