Notes from Minnesota

I'm all about freebies this week.

First... and totally off topic... I recently discovered that my oldie favorite “Pop up Video” is rocking and rolling on the Internet again.

I'm scurrying finishing up some big projects so I'm leaving you with some video enjoyment mixed with a ton of writing freebies. Here's your first link. Then scroll down the page for a ton of other freebie resources to get your creative juices flowing. Enjoy!

Beth

P.S. Woops! Almost forgot. Here's the video link. Oh. And don't whittle away too much time there!

http://tinyurl.com/2g92j5

Beth's Hot Pick of the Week

Happy Holidays! This week's Hot Pick of the Week won't set you back a thin dime.

On Tuesday night, December 11 at 8 PM Eastern Time, join me, Freelancer Extraordinaire Victoria Rosendahl, and 2006 AWAI Copywriter of the Year Donna Doyle (otherwise known as the 3Chix) at our freebie teleseminar, "Things You've Wanted to Know about Freelancing ... But Were Afraid to Ask".

Pass this one on to your friends; the more the merrier. We'll even be opening up the phone lines to take your questions. Stroll over to get in on this freebie: http://3Chix.com/teleseminar.html

See you December 11!!

The November Issue of The Creative Mindset Newsletter

If you've ever wondered what makes one website profitable and another one tank... you'll find out this month.

I cover all things concerning website creation from fonts to colors. I also talk about your potential readership along with a big dollop of mindset.

I cover essential information you need to be aware of before you start writing.

Sign up today and get your own issue mailed to your physical address, free meditations, teleseminars, downloads, and a big February surprise.

Here's the link: http://filbertpublishing.com/creative.html

P.S. Did you know that every single subscriber to the Creative Mindset Newsletter will receive Filbert Publishing's next meditation CD titled, “Blasting Through Writing Blocks”? You missed the last one, don't miss the next. Also, you'll get in on every Writing Etc. teleseminar absolutely free. Sign up today to get all the juicy info.


The Year Ahead

Beth Ann Erickson

It’s been an interesting year to say the least.

Newspapers and magazines are cutting back on staff in record numbers. Readership declines.

On the same token, book publishing is booming with a new title released somewhere in the world every thirty seconds.

POD companies like Author House, XLibris, Publish America and others are thriving, living off the dreams of newbie writers, collecting fees right and left with little regard for quality and readership.

It’s odd to have been working in this biz long enough to watch the transformation from careful manuscript selection to “let’s collect as many author fees as we can and forget about selling books” mentality.

In the harsh light of reality it’s easy to forget why you entered this biz in the first place. You get something published, you feel that rush of grateful appreciation, then you’re slammed with living expenses, responsible to keep selling more to keep cash flowing.

It’s a difficult cycle… especially for a creative person.

And here’s where I zero in on my point: as the economy tightens… and with evaporating readerships, the decline of the dollar, with gas prices rising, with words like “inflation” and “recession” whispered in the same sentence, national debt exploding at a million bucks every 30 seconds… now’s the time to consider your plans for ’08.

The trick to developing a strong freelance biz is knowledge. Knowledge combined with action is… well it’s downright explosive.

That’s why savvy writers will barely notice the slow down in the economy while those who’ve neglected these all important skills will fall out of the profession, continually languishing in the “wanna-be” category.

It sounds harsh. And I apologize for using blunt words, but that’s the reality we’re facing.

I formed Filbert Publishing to give freelancers as many tools as possible to succeed. To that end, we have some awesome resources including a ton of freebies you may not be aware of. So it’s in this spirit of expanding your knowledge that I draw you attention to our current list of free resources starting with these:

I’ve got two free e-courses posted. The first is based on my 101 Low Cost (and No Cost) Techniques To Turbo Charge Your Freelance Income. The second is designed to keep your mindset in check. It’s amazing to consider how your state of mind can influence your success. In fact, I just read an interesting report that stated the number one reason for business failures online was focus, motivation, and belief… you guessed it… mindset. Check out these courses.

Secondly, you can mull over 40 fre* articles. They’re here.

Next, if you’re a particularly brave hearted soul, dig through these back issues of Writing Etc. It’s possible you’ve missed some great information buried in these gems.

If you want to sharpen your copywriting skills, check out my (yes it’s free) Copywriter Mastermind group. We're just gearing up to write a book together. They’re a great bunch.

Finally, as my holiday gift to you, I’ve joined with Freelancer Extraordinaire Victoria Rosendahl and 2006 AWAI Copywriter of the year Donna Doyle (we call ourselves the 3Chix) to bring you a free holiday teleseminar. Details are here.

Whew! That’ll keep you busy for a while!

As for ’08 and all the projected tragedy that may or may not accompany it, well, we’ll discuss those challenges as they arise.

In the mean time, sharpen your marketing skills. Gather knowledge. Combine everything with smart action.

Sign up for a few of these freebies. And enjoy!

See ya next time,

Beth

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Beth Ann Erickson is the “Queen Bee” of Filbert Publishing. She’s also the author of numerous titles including “101 No Cost and Low Cost Secrets To Turbo Charge Your Freelance Income.” Pick up your copy today at http://filbertpublishing.com/101.html She’s also a busy copywriter, speaker, and publisher of Writing Etc., the free e-mag for writers. 

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I Recommend:

Writing For Dollars! The FREE ezine for writers featuring tips, tricks and ideas for selling what you write. Receive the FREE ebook, 83 WAYS TO MAKE MONEY WRITING when you subscribe. Email to subscribe@writingfordollars.com -*-

http://www.WritingForDollars.com

WRITERS FIND MARKETS EASILY - Worldwide Freelance has a NEW fully-searchable Markets Database. Discover writing markets from North America, Europe, Australia and other places. It's free, so come and try it out

here: http://www.worldwidefreelance.com

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