| #ffffff;" /> | | | | 5) Calculate the return of ‘psychic |
| You might not be used to depositing checks | | | | payment’ on the writing you do. These |
| earned by the sweat of your pen (yet). That | | | | include the side effects, or benefits, that you get |
| doesn’t mean you can’t start | | | | from doing something. Psychic payments from |
| becoming financially savvy with your writing. One | | | | writing could be: feeling of satisfaction with |
| of the top tips for becoming financially | | | | yourself, surge of power from expressing |
| empowered is to pay yourself first. How can you | | | | yourself, excitement over completing and |
| do that without incoming cash? Set your intention, | | | | submitting something. How do these |
| and take a little action. Here are eight fun steps to | | | | non-monetary rewards ‘pay’ you? |
| make money a part of your writing, even before | | | | 6) Take a tip from Jim Carrey, a supremely |
| you get paid from others. | | | | successful creative person. Carrey wrote himself |
| 1) Begin by setting your intention to marry | | | | a check for 20 million dollars and carried it in his |
| money with writing. Do this by opening a bank | | | | wallet during his struggling actor days. Try this for |
| account for your writing life. Get a savings | | | | yourself. Write a whopping check and in the |
| account and label it ‘writing’ or | | | | memo line, put Book Advance. Carry it around or |
| another inspiring name that will remind you of | | | | post it in your writing zone. |
| your intention. | | | | 7) Make your money goals clear. Write down |
| 2) Fund your account by paying yourself when | | | | when you’d like to put your work into the |
| you submit a query, finish a chapter, or achieve | | | | world for pay, what you’d like to get paid, |
| some other writing success. Don’t wait | | | | and what you’re willing to work for. Set a |
| for others to acknowledge your progress. It | | | | standard for yourself and stick to it. For instance, |
| doesn’t have to be a lot; even ten dollars | | | | your intention might look like this – After |
| for each success reminds you that you value | | | | January, 2006, I publish only for payment in |
| your efforts. | | | | money (not clips or copies). |
| 3) Use your writing funds to pay for contest | | | | 8) Get dreamy. What will you do with the money |
| entry fees, subscriptions, and all that postage | | | | you earn from writing? You might take a trip, pay |
| you’ll need to mail your monster-sized | | | | off your computer or fund a writer’s |
| manuscript. Or, earmark your account for a big | | | | conference. Write down your big vision of how |
| reward for your writing such as a writing retreat | | | | you will spend your hard-earned cash. I suggest |
| or conference. | | | | funneling the money back into your writing. |
| 4) How we spend our money reveals what we | | | | You will be surprised at the results of connecting |
| value. Keep track of your writing-related | | | | money to your creativity. By bringing awareness |
| expenditures. Make writing a priority and | | | | and financial focus to your writing, you prepare |
| investigate how you can shift your financial | | | | yourself for the day when others pay you for |
| priorities to support your writing. Keep a log of | | | | your words. Keep track of emotions, ideas, and |
| your writing money and see where you are | | | | external events that stem from your efforts. |
| spending more money than time on your writing. | | | | |