My Writing Week: Issue 6, Year 5

Hi all,

I’ve been busy writing and critiquing and marvelling at how many different problems my computer says it has. My computer was obviously designed by a politician, as it just can’t settle on any issue. It sometimes stalls when starting. I think it just needs a good cup of coffee dumped onto its CPU.

New Article for Divine.

I have been researching an article on free and cheap transport to medical appointments for people with disabilities. I’ve made lots of phone calls and left many messages, and only a few of these messages were returned. I guess the people who did not ring back were too busy leaving reminder messages for other people after they failed to call back.  

Freelancer.com: What a Rip-off.

I have been looking at freelance writing sites and one has confirmed my fears about most online writing jobs being total rips offs. On www.freelancer.com.au  I have seen jobs requiring 30 articles of 500 words with a pay rate of $30-$250 for the lot. Another job was to write a 2,000 – 10,000 word ebook, where they sent you the research. Pay rate for this one was $250 - $750. Writers are supposed to bid for these pathetically paying jobs. And always someone who is totally desperate or just doesn’t value their writing, bids the minimum value.   

The specs for the articles say software will be used check that the article isn’t plagiarised. But the scumbag job offerers probably wouldn’t have to do that if they paid a decent rate.

Critiquing a Non-Fiction Manuscript.

Last week I started critiquing a non-fiction manuscript for a friend who ran up Mount Fuji. It’s only 140,000 words, so it will take me a while. I am enjoying the story as he admits to having a lot of my traits. It begins with his efforts to get fit.   

My Novel Writing Efforts.

I have only been doing a bit of novel writing, nowhere near my goals. Last week I actually achieved 1000 words on one day. But I am supposed to do that on every weekday.

My computer problems didn’t help as I lost a file of the novel. Just as well the file only contained notes for that chapter. 

The characters are still in the damn shuttle. They were supposed to land on the planet two chapters ago. But then one character got clumsy and dropped her pistol. The novel is now at 76,800 words.

This week I had hoped to write an insightful piece on social media’s role in selling books, but that will have to wait until next week.