Write Right

The Writing Life

Erin Beasley

Are We Becoming too Reliant on Emoticons?

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Emoticons.The other day, I asked people what they thought about using emoticons in professional correspondence. The answers I received were unsurprising; flat-out refusals abounded as well as a few responses that offered a more balanced perspective. Emoticons could be allowable if the professional contact was known well, possibly outside professional circles. Even then, most of the responders expressed a hesitance toward using them. It just seemed not quite professional or undercut the image they were trying to portray.

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Of Perfectionists and Pressure

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Under PressureRemember to strive for the best, but it isn’t the end of the world if you don’t make it. Don’t burn yourself out striving for perfection. – Mom*

Perfectionists tend to put a lot of pressure on themselves. They have the pressure of doing everything perfectly. If they learn to cope with that particular pressure, they then face another one: the pressure of accomplishing goals and projects with unrealistic time frames. If they fail on either front, they’re likely to tailspin. They lose whatever confidence they have. They berate themselves. They forget that they’re human. They forget that they’re not called to a standard of perfection but to a standard of grace.

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You Can’t Pay Bills with Publicity

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Cat plays with bill.Here’s the deal: I don’t work for free. I don’t work for publicity. I don’t work for exposure. I don’t work for promises and pipe dreams. The price tag for any of my work, be it writing, editing, or the occasional drawing, has a price tag attached to it. Hint: it doesn’t say “free.” I work for real, solid money even if it’s the digital sort deposited into my PayPal account. Unless I’m volunteering my time and talents, which I do, I expect to be paid with the sort of revenue that can be used to pay bills and purchase essential items like diabetes supplies and groceries.

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5 Christmas Stocking Stuffers for Writers

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The stockings were hung with care.When it comes to Christmas, writers sometimes prepare for an onslaught of Moleskins and pens. Nothing is wrong with those gifts, especially for writers who use Moleskins and nice pens, but the gifts can become – how can one say it tactfully? – a little old. It’s a bit like knowing one is going to receive yet another pair of socks from Grandma. One says “thank you” outwardly but groans inwardly. The gift may be needed if one’s socks have holes in the toes or heels, but it’s not necessarily a gift designed to elicit jubilation.

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