I love to write and It has always been my idea of the dream job, but I could never figure out how to make it profitable enough to do it full-time instead of teaching. I remember wondering where did I start to find success and how could I carve out the time.

Since I retired I have learned so much about writing and marketing myself. I used to think the most important thing I could do was to create content, but if no one is reading the content it is useless. I have put together the following tips that I hope will help you on your journey as a writer.

Know who you are.

It took me many years to figure out what kind of writer I was. I kept trying to go where the money was, but it wasn’t the type of writing I wanted to do. I am finally at a spot where I write pieces that I hope will help people and I also write about my passions which include writing, reading, running, and animals. When you can answer who are you as a writer it will make everything seem clearer.

why are you unique?

What makes your writing special? Why should I take the time to read it? How can you help others with what you have written?

Become an expert.

Usually, when you are passionate about something you are knowledgeable about it. I know a lot about running because I am an avid runner myself and I love encouraging others to pick it up as a sport. What can you talk about like an expert?

Create a plan.

Make a plan for how you are going to make writing work for you. Do you want to make money as a writer, or do you only want to see your articles published? Do you have some ideas and goals to get where you want to be?

Have a portfolio/blog.

When you write for publications they may want to see clips of your works or they want to see your blog or website. They may love your article or book, but they also may want to know some more about you. A blog is very useful to engage readers. There are lots of options out there so shop around. You can see mine at www.jenniferswriting.org

Have a page with your info.

When you write a book this is called your sell sheet and it has information about links where readers can access your book. It is a good idea to do this for all or some of your work in case you need to show a publisher what you have done or to publish on social media for exposure.

Create a writer’s footprint.

When someone googles your name you want to have enough content out there that some of your articles come up. I had written over 80 articles for our local paper, so my youngest said, “Mom, I googled your name and you came up as news!”

Your local media is always looking for writers, so consider writing a few articles for free to get your name out there and look for online platforms for writers.

Master social media

I use Linked In, Facebook, Tik Tok, Instagram, and Pinterest, but you have other choices. Social media is a huge way to market your writing. When you write an article, send the link to your social media accounts. Talk about your writing and include links where readers can access it.

Use the profiles in your accounts to attract readers.

Build a presence by engaging with readers and giving them relatable content.

Seek a mentor.

Find someone who is successful and ask for help. A mentor can help you avoid some of the common mistakes.

Have a growth mindset.

I still have so much to learn about writing but I am willing to learn new things and I love trying new ways to make my writing more accessible.

Serve others.

The average reader is looking for information, help, inspiration, or all three. Write content that is going to serve your readers in some way.

Be patient.

Of all the advice I have heard I hear this the most and it is probably the best advice to give. Most writing success comes slowly as you grow and build your followers. Don’t give up because you never know when something wonderful will happen in your writing life.

If you asked me what I think the worse character trait is I would say hatefulness. I never understand why someone needs to be mean, and how being a hater benefits you. I know most hateful people are acting from hurt or feeling less than themselves, but I have spent many moments in disbelief about what someone said or did. The problem is there are times when I have shown the dark side of my personality as well. I have judged, criticized, laughed at, and made comparisons when I had no right to do that. So, If I want to see less hatefulness I should start with myself, right? Here are a few things I do to remind myself that kindness is the better choice over hatefulness every time.

Filter your words.

Have you ever said something without thinking about it first and you realize that without meaning to you have insulted the person in front of you? This is why I need someone to invent the verbal delete button. I do my best to take a breath and think about my reply before my inside voice comes roaring into the world. It’s a work in progress.

Find a positive.

Instead of judging someone find a positive about them and focus on that. We all have weaknesses, but we also have good qualities and you might find yourself liking someone more as you look for the good.

Look beyond yourself.

If you only focus on yourself you are missing out on learning about some interesting people. The next time you have a conversation focus on asking them questions about them instead of talking about yourself.

Avoid comparisons.

I notice that hatefulness often blossoms after jealousy. When someone sees something he wishes he had the hateful comments begin.

Practice gratitude.

If we spend more time looking at the blessings we have in our lives we won’t be so quick to criticize others.

We can all benefit from more kindness and fewer haters, so I hope you will join me in doing your best to avoid hatefulness in your own life.

I taught French and a sprinkling of Spanish for 40 years. During that time there were many experiences that I am grateful for and a few I could have done without having. Teaching allowed me to learn as much as I taught, and I met some amazing people along the way. Here are my top ten memories.

The burning van.

I had only been teaching for three years when I had a nasty scare while driving a school van. It was a beautiful spring day and I had to drive my lacrosse team to a school two hours away. As we were driving, I smelled something burning. I asked the girl in the front seat to look out of her window to see if she saw anything. She said, “I see sparks coming from the tire.” I pulled over thinking maybe we had a flat tire. I asked Julie again to step out and look. She came back and said very calmly, “Mrs. Bonn, I think you need to come to look.” I came around to the front and saw flames coming out of the engine. I opened the side door and said calmly, “Girls, I need you to all get out and move away from the van down the road. We kept moving farther down the road. A bystander came over to me and said, “Did you hear the second gas tank explode?” I kept asking myself if I had done everything I could to keep the girls safe. The firetruck came and the fire station sent a van to bring us to the station. The headmaster came and took us for ice cream and then took us to see the van. It was a burnt-out shell. When my husband came home it hit me that all of us could have died in that van. I started to shake and couldn’t stop for a long time.

The French trip when we drove.

I went on 18 school trips to France and some of them were more memorable than others. One of the ones I will never forget is when we drove. I am a nervous driver in the best of circumstances, so imagine me driving in France. I also need to mention that this was before cell phones and GPS so every day I was terrified that I would lose the other teachers in their vans. There were three vans and I drove a very comfortable car. The students in my car and I became family as we navigated through some adventures. I went the wrong way on an exit ramp but managed to turn around quickly, we reenacted the car scene in European vacation as we kept circling the same area in Avignon trying to reach our hotel because there were so many one-way streets. It was also rush hour. There was an older couple on the sidewalk and we were stopped in traffic, so I asked the boy in the front to ask how to get to our street. I told him how to say it in French, and he said it perfectly. I didn’t hear what the couple said because I was so focused on not wrecking and praying that I would someday see our group again. The couple walked away, and I said, “What did they say?” Frank looked at me and said, “You’re kidding right? I didn’t understand a word they said!” Lol. Suddenly one of our vans popped out of a side street gesturing wildly at us, so we followed them and finally arrived at our hotel.

The funniest moment was when we were leaving a parking garage. One of the vans was driven by Madame, our group leader. Madame was about four feet tall, tough as nails, and as no-nonsense as you can be. Madame was in front of us and as we were leaving the parking garage she discovered the van was too high for the exit because of a sunroof. Madame decided we were going through anyway and she floored the van sheering off the sunroof which landed in front of our car. Frank jumped out put the sunroof in our trunk and yelled, “We are all good Madame!” and off we went. We were trying not to laugh because we knew Madame was upset, but that only made us laugh more, and then a boy in the van stuck his hand out of the roof and waved to us and Madame hit a speed bump too fast and we watched the boy in the back take air while gripping his boom box.

Le Réveillon

Le Réveillon is the name for the Christmas dinner in France. One year, I thought it would be fun to have a potluck version of the dinner. I invited everyone to the French program and their families. We set up tables in the alumni center and decorated it for Christmas. I remember being so nervous that no one would come, or that there wouldn’t be enough food, but each year there were more people and the tables were overflowing with food. I asked several students to sing in French as well.

The dinner was a chance to show that the French program is alive and well. It also gave parents a chance to make connections with other parents, it allowed everyone to show some culinary skills, and parents could see their students perform.

When I changed schools, the dinner became an anticipated event, and the parents of seniors asked me for invitations for the next year. I always felt like a member of a family who was surrounded by love.

The last French trip

On my last trip, we had 32 participants. I was so nervous about taking that many people, but everyone stepped up to help at some point during our stay including two girls with Global passes who went through customs ahead of us and collected all our luggage, so it was waiting when we came through. (Our bags had tags for the trip, so they were easy to spot) I was so proud of everyone. We had incredible food, I’m not sure we could have laughed more, and I enjoyed watching everyone enjoy the country I love. I remember in one café, two of my students were in the back and I told the waitress I would pay for them. She asked me if they were my daughters, and I said they were my students, but I thought of them as my daughters too. You cannot go on a trip like that without feeling like family in the end.

The teacher’s trip to Belgium

One school where I taught offered me a chance to go on a trip to Belgium for teachers. The school paid for everything because the headmaster knew I would take what I learned and use it in the classroom. I am so grateful for that chance to travel and learn.

Language competitions

When I taught in North Georgia, we used to go to a world language competition at Western Carolina University. There were competitions in trivia, art, music, video, and theater. We became very good at knowing how to win, and one year we swept the whole competition. Here are a few of the moments I remember.

When freshman, Guleus Edwards sang Bring him home in French and a lady in the front row started to cry, and when he finished the applause exploded. Guleus performed every year. I think it was his junior year when we wrote a French rap. The scene was a wax museum with famous French singers as statues. The two people visiting would put a coin in and the singer would come alive. When Guleus performed the rap as M. C. Solaar, the applause was deafening. When I went into the bathroom after, the girls were all talking about how cool he was.

We re-enacted the battle scene from Les Misérables, made funny videos, and enjoyed using our language skills and our other interests.

The funny moments

There have been so many funny moments and I will always believe that laughter makes everything better. Here are a few.

One day, we had just finished a craft project and the students were back at their desks. A student asked me a question and I was looking at him while I was walking across the room. The only problem was I forgot about the plastic craft boxes and I was wearing tall platform shoes. My foot went into one of the boxes, I slipped, and I went down hard. I jumped back up and threw my arms in the air and said, “whoo! I’m o.k.” There was complete and utter silence which made me feel even more foolish. The next day, they told me they were horrified when I fell, and they thought I was hurt.

I have worn 2 different earrings and two different shoes, and I have had the bottom of a shoe disintegrate.

We had a guest writer from France come to visit and she did not speak any English. I told the students the day before she came that when you are in front of a native speaker for the first time you forget your name. She came into my French 3 class, turned to the quietest boy in the room, and asked him in French what his name was. He was frozen like a deer in headlights. His friend whispered, “Your name is Josh.” He said, “Oh, Je m’appelle Josh.”

Coaching

I have coached cross-country skiing, field hockey, lacrosse, and soccer, but my favorite was cross-country running. I had so much fun with our team. Many of the students were with me from 6th grade through 12th so we were like family. I will always treasure those moments.

A.P. Class

I have always been the only French teacher, so by the time a student entered A.P. we knew each other fairly well. A.P. French is taught by themes and there are some topics that can be controversial, so not only did the students learn French, but they also learned how to respect each other’s opinions.

Forty years of teaching gave me so many memories as well as giving me the opportunity to meet amazing people. I am so grateful I had the opportunity to teach.

When we talk about aging we usually think about the negatives. Those moments when we walk into a room and forget why we came, the aches and pains of a well-used body, so is everything about aging negative? The answer can be no depending on an individual’s situation because there are many benefits to aging. Here are a few.

Discounts

There are quite a few senior discounts and some start as early as 55. We have a wonderful thrift store in my town and my daughter always wants to go on senior day so she can use my discount. Many restaurants offer discounts, and some colleges offer free classes to seniors.

Priorities have changed.

By the time most of us have reached our sixties, we have figured out where our priorities should be. I used to put most of my energy into my job, but now I know my family needs more of that time,

Life slows down.

Hopefully, by your sixties, you will be able to retire and take life a little slower. You have a chance to work on interests you may have been too busy to do earlier.

Gratitude

As we become older and hopefully wiser we realize how blessed we are with what we have in our lives. Practicing an attitude of gratitude can help both our mental and physical health.

Acceptance of self

At a certain age, I realized that no matter what I did someone would judge me for it, so I needed to be the best version of myself I could be and people are free to like or dislike me.

Different perspectives

I know this is different for everyone, but I have seen many older friends soften their judgment of things and people. Maybe it only takes all those years to find the compassion to work on understanding both sides of a situation.

More time

When I was working full time I never felt like I had enough time for anything. Now that I’m retired I can choose to spend my time as I wish. I was surprised at how much my family needed my time. I love being able to focus completely on my husband, children, and grandchildren.

I hope you can see the positives among the challenges that aging brings.

I was catching up with my friend Raleigh today and we were talking about what we had done this week. I mentioned I had struggled mentally, and he asked me what I meant. I explained I had been busier than normal, so I was tired every day and when I am very tired I become cranky and I start to listen to my head voices telling me I am less than enough. Raleigh responded that everyone has a certain level of inner turmoil, so we started to brainstorm what was on our list of causes for inner turmoil and what we could do about it.

Self-doubt

I have struggled with this my whole life. When I was a teacher and we had student surveys if I received 10 good reviews and one bad one, I would always focus on the bad one. I am always my worse critic, so how can I change that? I can make affirmations and be kinder to myself. I can also save kind notes that others have sent me, and I can realize that I need to laugh at myself more instead of worrying about what others think about me. What do you do to fight the negativity that sometimes sneaks into our minds?

Fear

Raleigh thinks I’m tough, but I am afraid to do a lot of things. Last summer I had my first A-fib attack, and every time I go to a race now I am nervous I will have another one. I am racing, but there is always the fear that something will happen. I am going to continue to do what I love, but I have medicine in a running pouch around my waist and my friends all know about my heart issues.

I do my best to step out of my comfort zone if it is something that will help me grow. There are some things like cliff diving that I am going to be content to avoid while maintaining a healthy fear. I know it also helps me when I see other people showing courage by doing things that might make them nervous, but they have decided to do because they don’t want fear to hold them back.

The future

I worry about my own future as well as the future of our country. I think we all worry about being healthy financially and if we are taking care of our families adequately. We try to foresee any issues that might arise in the future.

I am worried about our country because I feel as if we have lost our minds a little. There are things that in my opinion defy logic and just when I think that the public will see how ludicrous something is the situation becomes even more bizarre. I will continue to see both sides of every argument and stay informed on the issues.

Family

Family can be so important in our lives but there are also moments when they can be a lot. Sometimes I think I need to run away for a few hours so I can come back with a fresh perspective on the crazy in front of me.

Health

Our health influences everything else in our life, so we should all be doing our best to keep our bodies and minds strong. I know I’m not the only one who feels like it is a constant struggle to keep all the body parts functioning properly.

I know this sounds like complaining, but it is important to talk with someone about our mental health. We don’t have any trouble talking about aches and pains, but it is just as important to discuss when we are in a mental funk.

I understand that using my computer to write is a timesaver, but I still love sitting with a great journal and a set of pens to create my first draft. I love the feel of suede and leather, or the look of a colorful handcrafted one. My family doesn’t understand why I have so many, and they definitely don’t understand why I head straight to the journal section in a bookstore. They always ask me why I want another one when I have so many.

Journals can be used for so much more than writing articles. Here are a few ways you can use yours.

Travel

When you go on an amazing trip there will be some memories you will never forget, but there are other important ones you will forget if you don’t write them down. Insert pictures from the trip and use them to help you remember.

Chronicle a life.

When each of my children and my grandson were born I started a journal to talk about their lives. I included pictures for each phase. When they turn 18 they are given the book. I didn’t realize that it would be as much a present to me as it was to them. There are so many special times that I would have forgotten if I had not written in the journal throughout their lives.

Express emotions

Journals are a great way to express your feelings. You can write whatever you want without worrying about hurting feelings or having to watch your words. Writing is an excellent way to release emotions that may be building inside you.

Observations

I carry a smaller journal in my purse to write down thoughts or pieces of information I need to remember like dates, names, and numbers. I also write down to-do lists or thoughts I don’t want to forget.

Track progress

Journals can be used to track progress for everything from your running program to learning the guitar. It is always encouraging to see improvements and writing them down will allow you to track your progress.

Writing

Of course, they can be used to write your articles and stories. I have a very ornate one with a gold clasp that I am using to write a romance, a midnight blue one that I used for a children’s book, and a sunshine yellow one that has my running book inside.

I hope if you share my love of journals you will explore the possibilities of how they can be used, and I will look for you in my favorite section of the bookstore.

If you have read any of my articles about my dog Bandit, you know that caring for him has been a learning experience for me. He is different from the other dogs I have had, and I am doing my best to take good care of him, but I spend a lot of time thinking about what that good care looks like.

This morning I was thinking about whether I need to put him on anxiety medicine. He is a high-energy dog and I know that is a quality of his breed, but sometimes it crosses the line from high energy to manic. He gets a look on his face that says, “If you don’t take me outside and let me run now, I might explode.

My question is does he only have crazy amounts of energy, or is he anxious? My idea of anxiety involves fear when you are faced with something outside your comfort zone. We had a German shepherd/collie mix that was afraid of storms. Leo knew a storm was coming before we did, and he would try to squish his 90 lb. frame under the couch. We used to leave him and our other dog in a pen at work. There was a covered patio where they could go if it rained. One day we had a bad storm and both dogs were waiting for us on the porch when we came home. John said, “How did they get out of the pen?” We went to look and saw that the gate was a twisted heap of metal off to the side. It looked like the incredible hulk had ripped it off. We could not figure out how Leo did that, and he didn’t even have a scratch from his battle with the gate. That is a case of putting anxious energy to good use. This is also a clear case of a dog who is anxious.

So, even if you have a clear case of an anxious dog how do you know if you should use medication? The Good Therapy website states to consult your vet before doing anything especially if your dog shows extreme fear of being left alone, shows obsessive behavior like constant licking and symptoms like excessive panting, drooling, or pacing.  

There are also quite a few ways to help your dog without medications. Here are a few ideas.

Exercise your dog.

Use calming coats or t-shirts.

Give them plenty of physical contact.

Play music for them when you are away.

Use the Adaptil home diffuser which uses pheromones to help with their fears.

I hope this helps and I hope you will check with your vet to find the answers to any questions.

One of my favorite writers on the writing platform Medium, Dani Montage just wrote a wonderful article about self-promotion while introducing herself to others on Medium. I think it is a wonderful idea to do that and I know I love to read the personal stories of others on here, so I decided to write mine.

I have enjoyed playing with words for as long as I can remember. In elementary school, I loved to make up poems and rhymes. In middle school, I was socially awkward and reading and stories were my escape. Our town library looked like a stone castle complete with a very scary basement.

In high school, I realized that as long as I could write for a project or an assessment I would be o.k. I enjoyed any writing assignment. I had an English teacher my senior year named Mr. Chaffee. He was the most intelligent, elegant, aloof man I knew. Everyone respected him and to be honest was slightly afraid of him. It was an honor to be in his class. One day, he was passing out our essays and he stopped at my desk and said so kindly, “You are a good writer.” I’m sure he had no idea how important those words were to me. I had low self-esteem, and I didn’t think I was good at much of anything. I have replayed that moment after countless moments of rejection, or self-doubt.

When I went to college, I was originally going to be an English teacher, but my French teacher recommended me to study abroad in France, and after a year there it made more sense for me to be a French teacher. I was a teacher for forty years, but I kept trying to find a way to write full-time and make writing my career.

When I first started writing I was afraid to show my writing to anyone. I was sure no one would like it and then I would be afraid to write again. My first article that was published was for a local paper. It was about how poorly we treat the elderly in our country. The editor was a very kind woman who told me she would love for me to write more articles for the paper. I was so excited, but she was replaced the next week, so that opportunity fell through.

Because a full-time job and a family took most of my time I would write some and then stop. I did my best to find time to write and I was lucky to have some articles published here and there. I wrote a teaching guide called Stay Away from the Girl’s Bathroom and I self-published it through Deeds Publishing, but I had no idea how to market it. I still have about 100 copies.

When I retired two years ago I finally found time to write. Loving, Healing Press published my book, 101 Tips to Lighten Your Burden last year, I have a children’s book coming out in July, and I am finishing up a running book, so I am loving that I have this time to devote to something I love.

Two things that bother me are I have not discovered yet how to make writing profitable. Dani mentioned she only made $200 on Medium last year, well, I only made $30. Either my writing is really bad, or I haven’t figured out how to get people to read it. I still love being on Medium though for many reasons. My other issue is I have never received much support from my family for my writing. My oldest encourages me because she knows I love it, but no one in my family has ever read anything I have written. When something I’ve written is accepted for publication and I’m excited, the reaction I receive from them is underwhelming. I know I’m being a baby, but I wish they supported my dream more.

Anyways, that’s my writing journey to this point. I hope you can find some time to read my articles and help me make writing more profitable next year!!!!

What are the words that sneak into your writing more times than they should? They are the words we are comfortable using but we know are either not needed or overused. I have a few that are always showing up on my pages even though I know I should either avoid them or substitute them with a better word. Even though I use Grammarly and reread what I have written there will still be several staring at me. Let me tell you what mine are and how you can avoid these words if you have the same issues.

· I think.

I was told in high school not to say this because if I’m stating it then I obviously think it, but my redundant self can’t seem to stop using it. When I reread what I write I eliminate those words unless it makes sense to use them. Here is an example of when I should eliminate them and another when It sounds better if I use them.

Example 1 I think my mom wanted me to become an ambassador at the United Nations. She did, so I can take I think out of the sentence.

Example 2 I think Martha is wrong. It would sound too judgmental if I took it out in this sentence.

· That

I use this too much because I am a French teacher and that is used more often in French to connect sentences. There are times when it sounds better to me to use it, but most of the time I know I need to eliminate it.

Example 1 She knows that I will be there. I need to eliminate that in this case.

Example 2 I wanted to teach the runners that running can be fun.

· Just

Just can be replaced most of the time with only, but I always find my writing full of this word before I edit.

Example I wanted to just tell him the truth will sound much better if I replace just with only.

· Sometimes/someone

Find alternative words for these words so you don’t repeat yourself too much.

Here are a few you can use.

Sometimes 

From time to time 

Now and then 

Once in a while

At times

Periodically

Occasionally

Someone

somebody

anyone

· Try

I had an editor that told me to try is a failure verb. Say what you are going to do instead of saying you will try.

I recently had an editor tell me her pet peeve was when writers start sentences with it. She said her novels had 70,000 words, and she never started a sentence with it. I decided at that moment I could never show her any of my writing because all of my sentences that started with it would send her over the edge.

What are the words that slip into your writing that you know you need to weed out?

When I first started running I thought you could only consider your run a good one if you ran the whole way. I know now that walking here and there is nothing to be ashamed of because walking can enhance your running. Here are a few bits of proof that walking is a valuable part of many runners’ routines.

Jeff Galloway, marathoner extraordinaire says that using run/walk intervals can help you run longer because you have a short rest as you are walking. In my first marathon in Atlanta, I was going up what seemed like the 100th hill when I started to walk. The man next to me said, “Are you doing the Jeff Galloway method?” I said, “Sir, I am doing the I want to survive method.”

At almost any race longer than three miles you can hear runners’ walk/run apps going off to signal it is time to walk or run. It isn’t only something that someone does because of exhaustion, it is a well-timed plan to help someone complete a race.

The first time I went to an ultra-marathon I knew I would have to walk after 26.2 and I was worried the other runners would judge me. I was happy to discover that most runners walked at some point, and some walked the whole distance. My friend Raleigh said, “A mile is a mile no matter how you get there.”

Many runners find if they can walk, the experience is more enjoyable, and if you enjoy what you are doing you will do it more consistently and reap more benefits.

When I tore my meniscus, walking was all I could do. I wanted to keep my legs strong, so I did strength training, but I also walked hills as often as possible. When I ran my first race after healing I was surprised that I wasn’t sore at all after, and I am sure it is because of the walking.

My friend told me yesterday that he never thought he was supposed to walk during a run, but when he realized it would actually benefit him he started to work out more. I hope more people will give running a try if they recognize it is o.k. to walk during the runs.