It’s said that novelists are failed short story writers, and short story writers are failed poets. I don’t know I entirely agree — they’re all different modes of communicating — but there’s an element of truth in that sentiment.

Poems express ideas concisely, efficiently — and they take more skill to compose than longer works. For nonfiction and ad copy, the same thing should be true. Follow these links to a few poems I think could teach us a thing or two about our own medium…

William Henley’s “Invictus”

Richard Brautigan’s “Love Poem”

They don’t even have to be profound or moving to get the job done, for example

Ogden Nashs’s “The Turtle”

What are some of your favorite poems? Link or put in the comments below.

Today’s writing prompt is going to star you, that’s right, you.  Cheesy opening aside I am not kidding, you are the star of this writing assignment.  You are sitting at your desk when a mythical creature attacks.  You decide which creature but it can’t be easy to kill.  All that you have on your desk is your computer, a notepad, and a pen.  The battle is on.

With apologies to both Steven Covey and Captain Tagon, I’ll be doing a list of the behaviors that make for the best opportunities to succeed as a freelance writer.

Habit One: Professional Appearance

Yes, freelance writing often means telecommuting. Yes, that part of the job often finds me working in my jammies with a three-day stubble. Yes, this is one of the better parts of my job.

But.

You still have to maintain a professional appearance. The “face” you put forward to potential clients will determine whether or not they reach out and give you a chance to bid on what they want done.

• Is your website professional, well-written and easy to read?
• Do your social media pages include enough comments, likes and shares to demonstrate that you can compel readers into action?
• Are the photos on your page high-quality, with appropriate accreditation?
• Do you communicate using good grammar and professional protocols?
• Is there at least one professional photo of you on your website and each social media page?
• Can you provide references and testimonials?

If you have to answer “no” to any of those questions, then you have some targets for the next few weeks.

Physical appearance also matters whenever you’re soliciting work face-to-face, or meeting with clients in person or over video chat. I posted not long ago about being solicited for work at the grocery store by an intelligent, skilled woman who hadn’t dressed for the part.

Stay tuned for Habit Two: Professional Communication. Meanwhile, leave some comments about how having — or lacking — this habit has affected your business.

Photo Credit: Onomotomedia

So here’s the thing about James Cameron…

The first time I saw The Abyss, I spent the whole time thinking “Wow. This is pretty good, but I already saw 2001.

I watched Avatar thinking the same thing, only about Dances With Wolves.

Terminator 2 was almost a shot-for-shot remake of the first Terminator, only with better CGI and an obnoxious teenager.

BUT…

The Abyss is better than 2001. Superior pacing. Better acting. Stronger sense of plot, characterization and story. Avatar is way better than Dancing With Wolves. And T2 beat T1.

Cameron is gifted at taking an idea and running with it, of building on another’s work.

As writers, we can learn from this. We spend a lot of time trying to be “original” — as if there is any brand-new story under the sun. Maybe we should be more honest with ourselves and strive to do something derivative that’s so damn good it doesn’t matter.

Just my two cents. What do you all think?

J