Death of a Coffeehouse

Image by Jeroen van Oostrom

Last Friday, I met a friend at my favorite local coffeehouse, Caffe Felice.  The place was packed, and I had to move quickly to score us a table.  Practically since it opened, it's been my go-to place for writing and meeting people.  A central, public location that's never too noisy but not so quiet that you feel uncomfortable having a conversation. The coffee was fantastic, the owners were friendly...

Yesterday, following an appointment, I decided to go down there for a couple hours with my netbook to get some writing work done.  As I pulled into the Landing, I noticed that the parking was easier than usual.  Well, that's nice, I thought.  I should have no problem getting a table today.  I was lost in my own thoughts until I approached the door.  A brightly colored bouquet caught my eyes, threaded through the door handles.  A printed sign hung on both doors:  Closed.

I looked at the bouquet.  Had somebody died?  There was a card tucked into the flowers.  I hunkered down a little bit to read it.  I don't remember the exact words, but the writer essentially expressed her regret at the "unnecessary death of a small business and a fine addition to the Landing."  I stood there for a moment as the reality sank in.  It was gone.  My favorite writing and meeting place had vanished, suddenly, somehow, between last Friday and today.

I drove home, hoping to find some answers as to what had happened.  They were gone from Facebook (I had, of course, friended them).  Their website only linked to a domain name directory.  I found no links on Google that even mentioned that they had closed, only articles about their opening two years ago and the usual review sites.

What went wrong?  I'm racking my brain, but I can only think of a few things:

• Over the past year, their hours had slowly decreased.  At one time, they had been open until 9 pm, making them the perfect place to spend time before a late movie (which I had done), a meeting place for a book club (which I had also done), and getting a little evening work done while the kiddo was at Scouts (guess what?).  Slowly, the time they were open slipped back until they were open until 8 (which eliminated the book club option and the Scouts option), and then 7.  My visits decreased, since that evening availability was no longer there.
• The place was always packed, but I've been witness to people coming in with food from the 5 Guys up the street, eating their lunch, then leaving without buying anything at all.  Really, could you be more rude?  I always made a point of purchasing something when I went in, a coffee, an iced tea, oatmeal, a bagel... Were others not so considerate?  Was the free wi-fi slowly killing them while giving the appearance of a bustling business?
• While searching for answers on Google, I noticed that some person had written an utterly scathing review of Caffe Felice and proceeded to place it on practically every review site available.  I read through the review and came to the conclusion that the person writing it was... well, a jerk.  The owner, not one to suffer fools, was apparently quite open in letting him know that.  I can't say I don't blame her.  Isn't that part of the joy of owning your own business though?  Not having to kiss up to anyone you don't want to?  Did she need to do a better job of playing the "customer is always right" game?

I don't know the answer, and all of this is merely speculation.  I am sad, and I wish I could find out what happened.  I'm sure that there's a lesson to be learned here for small businesses or anyone who is their own boss.  

What is the lesson here?

Why I Don't Outsource Transcription

Photo by Brandon Sigma

As you may have noticed, I love interviews.  I don't love the transcription process quite as much, though.  It can be incredibly time consuming and monotonous.  Transcribing an interview is one of the times that writing really feels like work.

Some time ago, I was involved in a discussion on a writer's board about the value of transcribing interviews.  I just won't do it.  Why?  If transcription is such a nuisance, why don't I just outsource it and carry on with my writing?

Here's my main reasons:

1.  I'm seriously cheap.

Quality transcription is expensive.  At this point in my writing career, I just can't afford it.  Period.  But I think that even if I could afford it, I still wouldn't.  I don't want to spend money paying someone else to do something I can do myself.

2.  It's a great way to review the subject.

Listening to the interview again as I transcribe keeps the information fresh in my mind.  It also helps me find little nuggets of wisdom that I might have missed the first time.  I can use the time to really think about what quotes I want to include and how to incorporate the interview into my finished piece.

3.  I'm kind of paranoid about transcription.

In a previous job incarnation, I had to rely on transcribed pieces to do my job.  I was horrified at how many errors I found.  While sometimes the errors were funny, sometimes they were scary, since doctors also relied on these transcriptions, which were a part of the patient's permanent medical record.  The doctors were supposed to review the transcriptions before they approved them, but it didn't appear to happen very often.  Some of the scary mistakes I found were centered around doses that sounded similar, but could potentially kill.  For example, a common error was 15 vs. 50.  Said out loud they do sound alike.  But when the patient's normal dose of insulin is 15 units, a 50 unit dose could do some real damage.

While my articles aren't likely to kill or maim anyone (I hope!), I still want my information to be accurate.  I don't want to misquote anyone or state a false statistic.

Interviews Part Four: How Will You Conduct Your Interview?

I prefer face-to-face interviews.
Photo by Ambro

Are you  planning to interview face-to-face, via telephone or by email?  Each one has definite advantages and disadvantages.  Keep in mind that sometimes what is a clear advantage to you will create a hassle for your interview subjects.  You want to make this process easy for them as well, as you may wish to interview them again in the future.

Email Interviews


As a writer, these are likely the easiest type of interviews to conduct.  You craft your questions, send them out and poof!  like magic, you have a handy set of information to read through, in a format that allows you to copy and paste quotes, if you so desire.  Sounds great, right?  Here's the dark side:

• If your interview subject isn't a very proficient writer, you may get a lot of garble that you need to "translate."
• If your interview subject doesn't like to write, they may resent the extra work.
• You don't have the opportunity to ask other questions based on the answers your interview subject gives you.  This is actually the email interview's crucial flaw.  Often interview subjects will bring up some piece of information about the topic you might not have even considered.  But to follow up, you'll need to send another email, and then you risk annoying your interview subject.

Phone Interviews

I really don't like phone interviews, and I avoid them if at all possible.  Part of the problem is just that I flat out don't like the phone and I have a hard time hearing people on the other line.  That's kind of my own personal problem, but if you are anything like me, you probably won't like a phone interview either.  I also like to record interviews (always ask your interview subjects for permission to record an interview!), and that's difficult to do on a phone without special equipment.  

I also don't like that I can't read someone's expression when they are answering the question.  That can tell you a lot about what they think of the question, which, if you are observant, may allow you to change your line of questioning a bit or interpret the answer differently.  

So what are the positives about phone interviews?  They're convenient.  You can easily fit one in without having to leave the house, dressed in your jammies even, if you so desire.  They're convenient for the interview subject as well.  They can just write you in on their schedule, not have to go anywhere, and go right back to what they're doing when the interview is complete.  

Face-to-Face Interviews

Far and away, my favorite interview.  While it means you have to make yourself presentable and leave the confines of your comfy office (maybe not altogether a bad thing), it's really the best way to have full communication with your interview subject.  If you are meeting them at their place of business, it's also respectful to them and convenient for them.  You can take advantage of any openings they give you and go down extra paths that the interview opens up (time permitting, of course).  Even better, they may be able to bring someone else helpful to the interview, who can shed additional light on the subject.  To me, a face-to-face interview always feels like a friendly conversation between two people who are both interested in the same subject.  

Interviews Part Two: Asking for the Interview

I prefer to email my potential interview subjects.
Image by Stuart Miles

Now that you've chosen your interview subjects, you need to somehow convince them that they are eager to speak to you.  This can be a little bit tricky, but a little honesty and flattery go a long way.  The main key here is to let your potential interviewee know that you have a problem and they are the only ones who can help you solve it.  This may or may not be true, but if you can get them to feel like they are the gatekeepers of knowledge, you will pique their interest and stroke their ego a bit at the same time.  And don't we all want to be special?

1.  I like to approach a potential interviewee via email.  It isn't intrusive and they are free to get back to me at their convenience.  The other benefit to this is that I can carefully craft exactly what I want to say and not have to worry about getting caught off-guard.  A possible drawback to this method is that it can be slightly impersonal, but I think that as long as you aren't sending a form letter, you should be just fine.  We are all pretty comfortable with email at this point, after all, and I think the benefits far outweigh the drawbacks.  If you don't hear back within a few days, though, I do recommend a followup phone call.

2. Explain your problem.  Tell your subject exactly what your article is going to be about and why they have such a unique viewpoint.  Going back to my article example, the director of special education is one of the people who actually makes the policies (following legal guidelines, of course).  She also sits in on the IEP meetings for many of the kids entering secondary schools, so by this point, she's seen it all.  She really is in a unique position -- she clearly wants to do right by these kids, but she has to do so while adhering to the guidelines.  The professional advocate has sat in on possibly hundreds of these meetings, but has a completely different perspective than the school district.  I want to capture that, and I want to let her know that she is going to be the counterpoint in this article.

3.  Hand out a touch of flattery.  We all like to know that we are important.  If you've met the person you are interviewing, remind them of that and point out something positive about them.  I met the director of special education at my son's last IEP review and I was impressed by how concerned she seemed to be about the situation and how dedicated she seemed to finding solutions, so I told her that.  I have worked with the advocate and learned a ton from her about working within the system, so I told her that.  Nothing untrue, and letting your subject know his or her value can go a long way.

4.  Check your tone.  Use a respectful tone, regardless of how well you know your subject.  Your subject may need to request permission from a higher-up to grant you the interview, especially if they work for a large company or agency.  If your email gets forwarded up to a boss or media representative, you need to consider how they will receive it.  I don't think you'll get approval for "Hey man, I'm gonna write an article about how to screw over the district rofl!!! You in??????  See ya later, you up for drinks???"  Keep it professional.

Interviews Part One: Choosing Your Victims, I Mean Interviewees

Picking the perfect interview subject takes your article to a higher level.
Image by vichie81

One of my favorite research resources for articles is an expert interview.  An interview from someone who really knows their stuff doesn't just provide soundbites for the article, it can often provide thought-provoking extras and maybe even send the article off on a completely new tangent.  Without the interview, we might be just rehashing the same old research someone else already conducted, providing no new viewpoints or information.

I like to reach for the top when I go after an interview.  I want to get the most influential person I can, the person who is making the policies and who has the power to create change.  I want people who are working on the subject every day, from every angle.  I want people opposing viewpoints, I want controversy.

Sometimes I have a vague idea for an article and I conduct an interview just to see what ideas pop up.  I got a great article out of an interview I conducted with my son's Boy Scout leader.  It turned into my first feature story, and I'm very proud of it.

This time around, I have a very specific idea of where I want to go.  I'm writing an article about advocating for kids on the autism spectrum.  I know from my own experience and from other moms I talk to that dealing with the schools is difficult.  Even though we are supposed to be on the same team, it often feels like we aren't.  I work with a professional advocate to navigate the system.

When picking my interview subjects, I decided to snag the exact people who are at odds with each other.  I want the director of special education for the school district and the director of the advocacy program.  Two rivals, facing off.  I'm looking forward to hearing what each one has to say, where their opinions are the same, and where they differ.  Finding the common ground is going to be the meat of the article, but figuring out why there are differences in the first place might not only make some nice garnish, but could even provide fodder for a second piece.

Link Love!

Yours truly is a guest poster now!

Come see my post (a follow-up to "The Productivity Game") over at Anne Wayman's excellent site.

The First Line Blues

Despite our fears, the possibilities of a blank page are endless.

Photo by nuttakit.

The fear of the dreaded first line can paralyze me for hours.  It seems like every source on writing warns you that the first line of whatever you write is the most critical and will make or break whatever you have written, whether its your fiction magnum opus or a quick bit of advertising.  Screw up that first line, you are warned, and you've completely lost your reader and (it is implied) probably your career, your home and your first born.  With that kind of pressure, no wonder it can sometimes be tough to get going in the morning!

Plus, think of all those amazing opening lines you are probably competing with:

"There was a boy called Eustace Clarence Scrubb, and he almost deserved it."  Voyage of the Dawn Treader, C.S. Lewis

"It was a pleasure to burn."  Fahrenheit 451, Ray Bradbury

"In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit."  The Hobbit, J.R.R. Tolkein

"The man in black fled across the desert and the gunslinger followed."  The Gunslinger, Stephen King

These are a few of my personal favorite opening lines from novels.  Despite the difference in genres, they all have something in common -- they really make you want to read the next line.  Who deserves to be called Eustace Clarence Scrubb?  What are we burning and why is it so enjoyable?  What in the world is a hobbit?  Why is the man in black fleeing -- and who is he?

So when I first face that blank Word document (or Blogger New Post screen), I sometimes falter.  What do I want you to do?  I want you to understand what I'm saying, stick around for the entire post, hopefully want to hear more from me.  If I'm writing for a client, I want the reader to be interested in the client, look around the website and, ultimately, buy something.

The English language can be an overwhelming tool to use.  But the next great opening line is just waiting to be written.

The Productivity Game

Still looking for that magic feather...

Photo by scottchan

Too many mornings I've sat down at my desk, ready to get started raking in the dough... and instead found myself goofing off on Facebook or looking at funny pictures of cats.  To anyone looking in, it might look as if I have nothing to do when it's really the total opposite.

Do I start on the article for the client?
Do I work on a post for this blog?
Do I work on a post for the financial blog?
Do I update my website?
Do I work on some marketing?
Do I work on my e-book?
Do I edit the novel?
Do I query some articles?
Do I write that game review on my back burner?

I could actually keep going on this list.

If I have a pressing deadline, that can usually point me in one direction, but once that's done, I'm caught back up in what my mother calls the "paralysis of analysis."  Too many options, and no idea which should take precedence over another.  Plus, I still have books and blogs to read, classes to take, games to play....

I didn't realize how much it was bothering me (or how much it could potentially be losing me) until I actually had a dream about it the other night.  I dreamed that I had downloaded some kind of magic worksheet that allowed me to properly prioritize my projects, put things into perspective, and allowed me to quadruple my daily output.  I was a writer on fire!  When I woke up, I actually hit Google trying to see if such a magic productivity worksheet actually existed.  Of course, in this same dream I had gorgeous straight hair and looked like Sarah Michelle Gellar, but I figured at least part of it might be a possibility.

Alas, such a worksheet does not appear to exist.  I did find a book called The Productive Writer, and a number of worksheets that go along with it, and I downloaded the book onto the Kindle.  Unfortunately, my Kindle decided to go belly up so I haven't made it past the introduction yet.  The kind people at Amazon are sending me a replacement and I'll hopefully have more insight at that point.

In the meantime, I'll continue using my workaround.  I make a list of my options, attempt to rank them by importance, and dig in.  Perhaps, in time, I'll invent my own magic productivity worksheet.  I doubt I really need it, though.  It's likely something along the lines of Dumbo's feather -- all I need is the belief that I can fly, the feather just helps to focus that belief.

Although it would still be nice to look like Sarah Michelle Gellar.  Oh well.

How do you organize your projects?

When Life Gets in the Way of the Writing

Coping with the rainy days.

Photo by:  Vlado

Life happens.  This is a fact.  And sometimes events transpire to take us away from our careers as writers -- maybe for a couple of days, maybe for a month or more.  As self-employed professionals, we don't have options like FMLA to fall back on, so what can we do to make sure we still have a career to return to?

Before a crisis ever happens, it's important to establish good record-keeping habits. You should always know which clients you are working for and when their deadlines are.  Don't try to trust this to your memory.  When the you-know-what hits the fan, the memory is the first thing to go and you are bound to forget names, dates and topics.  Do yourself a favor now and create a calendar of deadlines you can easily refer to and keep it updated.

When the Crisis Happens


1.  Check your calendar.  Do you have deadlines in the next few days?  Can you realistically get any of this work done?  If you are going to be away from your desk to deal with the situation, it is unlikely. It is also unlikely that any work you produce in the midst of the crisis is going to be your best, which means you would be shortchanging your client who is paying for your best work.  Additionally, having a looming deadline while you are coping with chaos is also likely to ratchet up your stress level and that's the last thing you need.  Work is important, but so are you, and you need to take time to manage your own needs.

2.  Contact those clients.  Send out an email to each client whose deadlines fall during this period.  It doesn't have to be long, but you absolutely must contact them as soon as you possibly can.  Let them know that you will not be able to make deadline.  You don't have to give them the gory details -- these are clients after all, not your closest friends.  If you give them all the details you are apt to scare them off.  However, it is okay to let them know that a personal situation has come up -- as long as this isn't something that happens every week.  If crises are happening day after day, you will get a reputation for being flaky, and you do not want that.  Clients are human beings, though, and will likely be understanding when you ask for an extended deadline because of an emergency.  Why send an email instead of a phone call?  A client on the phone may try to convince you to "just do that one piece."  In a vulnerable state, you may feel guilty and accept, adding to the stress of the situation.  It's harder to lay a guilt-trip by email.

3.  Enlist help.  Your clients may have their own deadlines, and you don't want to put them in a bind.  If any of the deadlines cannot be moved forward, the work must get done.  Contact any freelance writer friends you have and pay them to do the work.  Yes, you may lose out on some cash, but you will retain the client.  Services like Textbroker may help out in a pinch, but don't go too cheap.  Hire the best.  Your client deserves it.

4.  Stick to the new deadlines.  You've bought yourself some time to deal with the immediate crisis.  If you and the client have agreed on new deadlines, you absolutely must make those deadlines.  Try to push them back again and you will lose the client.  Get help if you need it, but do whatever you need to do to get the work done.

5.  Write.  This may sound contradictory to all the previous advice, and perhaps a little callous, but a crisis can provide incredible fodder for a writer.  Writing, after all, is what we do.  It's who we are.  If you have learned something from a crisis, pass it on.  Others will, eventually, cope with the same thing.  Even if all you write down is titles for future pieces, get them in your notebook.  You may even find it therapeutic to write out your feelings about what is happening, and sometimes detaching enough to write a "how to" article can give you perspective to cope with the unfolding chaos.  Plus, writing a little every day, even just a paragraph, will keep the gears well-lubricated and ready for when you get back to work.

How to Start Your Own Business in Five Simple Steps

Do you know how many books are written on this subject?  It's a little bit terrifying.  I've found that you can actually boil it all down into five simple steps:

1.  Come up with an idea.
2.  File your business license.
3.  Order your business cards.
4.  Read everything you can find on the subject.
5.  Panic.

Wait, what?  Panic?  It's funny how easy it all seems at first.  Truth be told, there's a lot of work to do.  I've been busy laying my foundations.  I'm getting a bit more done everyday, and things are falling into place.  Instead of becoming overwhelmed by how much I have to do, it's time to focus on how much I've already done and what I've managed to accomplish.

Here's what I've done since I first started looking at this whole crazy plan, way back in November:

• Written nearly 600 separate articles on every subject under the sun (it seems).
• Received glowing reviews from many clients, including this one a piece today:  "Well written and fast. Thank you so much for a great article."
• Hired for a steady stream of direct orders.
• Been promoted to Senior Reviewer at DailySource.
• Earned a certificate in professional proofreading.
• Picked up as the gaming columnist for Comics Bulletin.

I'll be heading to PAX Prime with media credentials (and I have the schedule for that all blocked out -- going to be some great articles coming out of that one!).  I have interviews booked with a number of gaming outlets, and I've figured out which panels I plan to see (Helllooo, Wil Wheaton!).

So what's left?  Here's what's coming down the pike...

• I'm creating a report about attracting customers to small businesses.
• I'll be offering up a monthly newsletter (send me an email or comment and I'll add you to my mailing list).
• A series of letters offering my services to local clients.

And that's where things will get interesting.