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Named to "Writer's Digest 101 Best Websites," this #SharingwithWriters blog is a way to connect with my readers and fellow writers, a way to give the teaching genes that populate my DNA free rein. Please join the conversation using the very tiny "comment" link. For those interested in editing and grammar, go to http://thefrugaleditor.blogspot.com.

Tuesday, September 29, 2015

My Brand of Inspiration. Ha!

You probably know that I rarely reach for inspiration other than what might just come our way through our own efforts.  Nevertheless, I ran this in the September issue of my SharingwithWriters newsletter and thought it would be fun to share with my SharingwithWriters blog visitors, too.

When my husband and I were running our own small chain of retail business, life was good. It was during retailing’s heyday and we were in the best of fields. Remember the Precious Moments craze? Beany Babies? Lladro Porcelain? 

Others in our industry—our fellow retailers, our representatives, our suppliers—were buying Ferraris and parking them in specially marked spaces in their business’s parking lots so everyone would know how successful they were. Well, you know me. Frugal. 

We saved, reinvested and felt pretty smart when the collectibles market collapsed. But it wasn’t long before the whole economy collapsed. Lesson here? The only thing you can count on is ups and downs. During the ups (your tenth book just hit The New York Times bestseller list!), savor it. But also save for a rainy day. Continue to offer a helping hand when you can to those in your profession (and others). And don’t sit back on your laurels. You’ll still have a dream beyond that NY Times list. Go for it!



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 Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of This Is the Place; Harkening: A Collection of Stories Remembered; Tracings, a chapbook of poetry; and how to books for writers including the award-winning second edition of, The Frugal Book Promoter: How to get nearly free publicity on your own or by partnering with your publisher; The multi award-winning second edition of The Frugal Editor; and Great Little Last Minute Editing Tips for Writers . The Great First Impression Book Proposal is her newest booklet for writers. She has three FRUGAL books for retailers including A Retailer’s Guide to Frugal In-Store Promotions: How To Increase Profits and Spit in the Eyes of Economic Downturns with Thrifty Events and Sales Techniques. Some of her other blogs are TheNewBookReview.blogspot.com, a blog where authors can recycle their favorite reviews. She also blogs at all things editing, grammar, formatting and more at The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor .

4 comments:

  1. Smart advice, Carolyn. The economy and market can change overnight. If you're smart with your money, you can ride out those times.

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  2. Seems money just doesn't inspire most people to save, only to spend. (-: Tx for dropping by @L. Diane Wolfe.

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  3. Wise words. I wish I had been more frugal with my screenwriting sales $$. But no regrets. Live and learn!

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  4. Marlan, sometimes the hard lessons are the ones that do us the most good. You have a long time ahead of you to practice this lesson learned! I have a friend who is still living off an advance for a screenplay back in the 70s. The film was never made but he's happy anyway! Ha!

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