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Issue 22 June 201310 Really GoodReasons to Quit YourJob and Start YourOwn Writing BusinessGo Paperless (and BoostEfficiency!) in 3 Steps8 Tips to MakeSure Your QueryBarefoot Writer Valerie Leroyer kayaking nearGets ThroughSalt Spring Island in British Columbia, CanadaPLUS: Writer’s Guide to Adding Visuals: Free Web Tools Tips for Creating, Editing, and Converting Images Howto Craft a Business Vision that Attracts Clients The BestRetirement: Bonus Income and a Sense of Purpose
in this issueJune 2013features591520Living the Writer’s LifeKendy Sproul and Mac Bull: Whysteady forward motion brings bigpayoffsInterview with a Barefoot WriterMichael Katz on the profoundadvantage you already haveFeatured Essay10 Reasons to quit your job and startyour writing businessBarefoot Writing OpportunityA proven way to make a predictable,steady income every monthFeatured Interviewee Michael Katz makesclimbing to great heights look easy Departments3What You’ll Learn In This IssueWhy writer’s life benefits keep on coming28The Barefoot Writing ChallengeHow do you overcome writer’s block?8Reader PollWhat gets you most excited about theBarefoot Writer lifestyle?29Become a Better WriterHow to craft a business vision thatattracts clients18Barefoot Living in the CloudSave 2,000 a year on paper and becomemore efficient33Monthly MotivatorProof you’re never too old to live thewriter’s life23Cover Photo ContestYou could be our next cover model!3624Thinking Like A WriterUse “Baby Announcements” to get yourwriting business noticedAsk AWAIWhen to call yourself a professional andhow to connect with your prospect3825Cool Tools50 Web tools for creating and convertingimages: Part 1Events CalendarFor writers looking to land paid clientsfast 4027Did You Know?How to make sure your query getsthrough to a clientThe GlickenThe best retirement: bonus income anda sense of purposeThe Bar efoot Wr iter Page 2 june 2013
what you’ll learn in this issueWhere to Focus Your WritingEnergy for the Biggest PayoffIf you’ve ever questioned the wisdom of quitting a normal, stablejob to pursue life as a BarefootWriter, you’re not alone. But asyou’ll see in this issue, even thosewho begin with doubts are astounded by the hidden benefits.Michael Katz, our featured interviewee, says it best in his essay on“10 Really Good Reasons to QuitYour Job and Start Your Own Writing Business.” Hereflects on his own transition to self-employmentand calls it his defining moment, both as a professional and individual.Not all of us take that route, of course. There arethose like Marianne Foscarini, who found joy, purpose, and payoff in professional writing after she’dretired from the working world.And there are folks like me, who follow the romantic dream of writing and don’t give much thoughtto the idea of self-employment. It wasn’t till myearnings increased more than 400% in one year —from 24,000 to six figures — that I realized howessential it is to treat this dream like a business.I’ve since faced a lot of hard-learned lessons. Butthose lessons aren’t necessarily about writing.Publishers: Katie Yeakle andRebecca MatterExecutive Editor: Mindy McHorseLayout: Mike KlassenThey’re about the steady pursuit of living by yourown principles and having the power to chooseyour friends, colleagues, and even your businessmodel.Barefoot Writing gives you a window into who youwant to be as a person and how you want to liveyour life. Focus on that as you write, and the projects will follow.We’re here to help, bringing you everything fromtips on how to launch your writing business andget your queries noticed to guidance on refiningyour vision.After all, it’s essential to focus on both aspects ofthis lifestyle — business intelligence and guidingmeaning. But at the end of the day, always returnto the question of what gets you most excitedabout the Barefoot Writer lifestyle, whether it wasto escape a job, follow a dream, or find purpose.Focus your energy there, and the benefits willkeep coming.To your writing success,Mindy McHorseExecutive Editor, The Barefoot Writeraskmindy@thebarefootwriter.comPublished by :American Writers & Artists Inc.245 NE 4th Avenue, Suite 102Delray Beach, FL 33483Questions?Contact Member Services:www.awaionline.com/contact866-879-2924 or 561-278-5557 American Writers & Artists Inc., 2013. All rights reserved.Protected by copyright laws of the United States and international treaties.The Bar efoot Wr iter Page 3 june 2013
featured contributors18Christina Gillick (“How Barefoot Writers Can Save 2,000 a Year and BecomeMore Efficient”) is a direct-response copywriter who specializes in web copy,emails, and autoresponders. Her niche is personal development training companies. Recently, she added Nightingale-Conant to her client list. She lives on a farmin Texas with her husband, Nick. When she’s not writing, she likes karaoke, bakingcupcakes, and spending time outdoors.33Sally Eastwood (“You’re Never Too Old to Begin Life as a Writer”) is one of thoserare breeds of people who loved her corporate career, but after almost threedecades of meetings and business travel, she yearned to spend time at homenurturing her creative side. She now writes with her two dogs at her feet anda view of the ocean in Laguna Beach, California. Sally’s first book: “101 Things toLove About Laguna Beach” will be published in October 2013. Photo by April Brian,Laguna Beach40When Marianne Foscarini (“Retired With Bonus Income and a Sense of Purpose”) first earned her communications certificate at a Toronto college, she wasconvinced she could never be a copywriter. It took the AWAI programs to makeher realize she just needed to better understand her reader’s wants, needs, anddesires. She transitioned from journalism in 2010 and is now freelancing fromMarkham, Ontario, Canada.Get Involved with The Barefoot Writer!4 Ways to Make the Most of Your Membership:1. Want to call yourself a published writer?Then write an essay for this month’s Barefoot Writing Challenge contest.Plus, you could win 100 and if your writing style impresses us, you might even be asked to write for The Barefoot Writer! See page 29 for more details.2. Are you living the writer’s life?Show us! Submit a photo of your life as a Barefoot Writer.You could win a 100 Amazon gift card for snapping asimple photo. And, you’ll get to call yourself a cover model find out how on page 27.3. Care to help other writers?Chime in on our Reader Poll. Each month’s poll results helpyou understand your fellow writers. They also help us better tailor our content to your needs. Go to page 14.4. Have something to share?Submit any thoughts, questions, opinions, or stories aboutyour own writer’s life to info@thebarefootwriter.com.The Bar efoot Wr iter Page 4 june 2013
living the writer’s lifeBarefoot Writers ComeFrom All Walks Of Life Proof that Steady Forward MotionLeads to VictoryKendy Sproul’s story shares something incommon with that of most other professional writers. That is, she had to put aside the idea ofwhat she thought her writer’s life would be in order to embrace the life waiting for her. Now thatshe’s there, she’s able to enjoy the freedom andpay that comes from Barefoot Writing, while alsopursuing an independent book writing project.What type of paid writing work do you do?As a freelance web copywriter, I’ve written everything for my clients from landing pages and SEOwebsite copy to email marketing, blogging, online ads, article marketing, online catalog copy,and sales pages.What’s been your biggest accomplishment sofar as a writer?My biggest accomplishment so far as a writer ishaving my articles featured on Nick Usborne’swebsite, Freelance Writing Success, alongside bigname copywriters such as Bob Bly, Michael Stelzner, Ed Gandia, Steve Slaunwhite, Mark Ford(also known by his pen name, Michael Masterson), Clayton Makepeace, and others.What other writing projects or goals do youhave on your horizon?Kendy and her husband heading out for a mid-weekpleasure ride from their home in Central OregonI am currently working on a transformationalbook for women that I hope to have out sometimeThe Bar efoot Wr iter Page 5 june 2013
living the writer’s life (continued)late summer or earlyfall.How has your lifebeen different thanwhat you’d imaginedwhen you startedfreelancing?My life has taken several twists and turnssince I began freelancing. I started outthinking I would bea direct-mail copywriter, and while Ihave done some writA fun-filled day catchinging in that area, it’sCoho salmon off the coastnot where I landed.of Newport, OregonThen I decided I wasgoing to pursue social media marketing, again tofind that alone was not the area for me. Now I’mimmersed in online copywriting, I have great clients, and I’m making good money working thehours I want to.How do you personally define and measuresuccess as a writer?Every day that I can keep my seat in my chair andpractice my craft is a successful day for me. However, hearing my clients praise my work helpsdrive that successful feeling home.What single piece of advice would you sharewith someone who’s just starting out in theworld of paid, professional writing?My advice to someone who is just starting out isto create a daily writing schedule and stick to it. Ifyou’ve got paid work, great, work on that duringyour scheduled writing time. If you don’t, thenwork on pieces for your portfolio, your own marketing, or anything that keeps you in your chairand writing for the entire time. Make writing adaily habit and success will soon follow.Why Writing Gives this EntrepreneurMore Opportunities Than Ever BeforeOne of the most alluring aspects of life as aBarefoot Writer is the flexibility — you cansupport yourself and live anywhere you please.Writer Mac Bull is a living example of this. Afterfalling in love with the culture and countryside ofJapan, he needed a way to support himself once histeaching job ended. Writing was the answer, andcombined with Mac’s own entrepreneurial spirit,it’s been the reason he’s able to live the life of hisdreams — in a location of his choosing — whilesatisfying his eternal desire to write. Enjoy his story, and be sure to note Mac’s advice to new writers.What attracted you to life as a writer?I think the attraction is the ability to create. Tocraft a story or evensales copy that speaksto the reader, knowing that there is power behind your wordsand the way you usethem — a power toevoke emotions, drivea sale, or even arouseanger. That’s very intriguing to me.What do you lovemost about living inJapan?The Bar efoot Wr iter Page 6 june 2013Mac in a Japanese librarydoing client work
living the writer’s life (continued)I love the challenge of living in a culture that is sodifferent from our Western standards. And yet,as people, there are still cultural norms that crosscultural and international boundaries. It’s reallyfunny when you see a phrase like, “two birds withone stone,” and then find the Japanese languageequivalent 一石二鳥 (iseki-ni-cho) is exactly thesame. That wows me.What’s your secret to finding clients, and arethey international or local to Japan?As a Japanese-speaking American writer livingin Japan, positioning myself as an “international solution” was both logical and beneficial forbroader self-marketing. Learning how has beenthe challenge.But taking on the language and culture of Japan has made me fearless, and fearlessness hasbeen critical to my efforts. Cold-calling a firmin France, for instance, was easier for me thantrying to find my way home when lost in Osaka. true story. When the receptionist answeredin French, I simply responded in English, and Iquickly learned English is fairly common in business globally. You can check targeted clients’websites for language options.To get to the heart of the question, if I have a secret to finding clients, web search is the startingpoint followed by a process I call “wild marketing.” Letters are good, email is good, but I makea point of using everything I can including directmail, social media, and new ideas as they occur .and I never stop. Even when I have projects going.That helps to keep the pipeline full. My motto:“Be brave . and throw stuff at them with BOTHhands.”Will you share your proudest moment as awriter?I think my proudest moment was to see my firstjob go live. When I saw the company post thewebsite copy I wrote, I was tickled with wild joyfrom head to toe. Getting paid only made it moreexciting.Here’s Mac dressed as Santa for volunteerwork at a Japanese kindergartenWhat’s your preferred niche and why did youchoose it?My preferred niche is industrial supplies. Tools,supplies, and machines. It stems from hands-onfactory work that I did years ago back in the U.S.So it clicks.In addition, I also do translation. I cover bothEnglish to Japanese and Japanese to English.Do you eat any special Japanese foods as partof your writing process?Not really. Chocolate and coffee are my secret.Although I do power up with Japanese herbaland vitamin supplements. But that’s more to stayhealthy and sharp.What’s your advice to someone just startingout?It can be tough to get started. There are frustrations. There are failures and blind alleys. Thereare even mistakes. Learn from them all andNEVER GIVE UP. The Bar efoot Wr iter Page 7 june 2013
reader pollHere are your May Poll Results!We asked: What client acquisition strategy do you find works best?You ive eventsand conferencesWriting on spec11%7%6%6%Trade magazine adsOnline job boardsYour professionalwriter websiteBartering6%4%0%LinkedIn profileSpecial report orother give-awaydocumentCold-callingCraigslist postsFacebook biz pageknow toeklide’w,thnomThisWhat gets you most excited about theBarefoot Writer lifestyle? The ability to work from home, orwherever Meeting other creative professionals Bonus income Taking vacations without havingto ask permission You can be your own boss Unlimited ceiling
zner, Ed Gandia, Steve Slaunwhite, Mark Ford (also known by his pen name, Michael Master-son), Clayton Makepeace, and others. What other writing projects or goals do you have on your horizon? I am currently working on a transformational book for women that I hope to have out sometime Kendy and her husband heading out for a mid-week
