Reflections & Revelations-11 Mistakes I Made in 2011!

Experience is a great teacher.
And for those of us “resolving” to live better in 2012, a rewind to the past can help provide for a more prolific, passionate, progressive future.

Truth is, 2011 was a bag of mixed blessings for me.
Or to quote Dickens, “It was the best of times. It was the worst of times.”

I gained a few clients. I lost some.
My income projections were off.
My output exceeded my income.
And a tough economy served as a constant reminder that I should have “saved for a rainy day” sooner.

Still hardships can hold important lessons.

In an effort to provide a few “teachable moments”, I’ll share with you some reflections and revelations.

1. When it came to social media, I was somewhat of a recluse. Don’t get me wrong; I dig Tweets from my peeps. And I’ve made some great online connections. But I tend to be more “cerebral” than “social”. I’d really rather write than small talk. And 140 characters on most days wouldn’t even cover what I’ve had for breakfast. But I now think of social media like an “online water cooler” where a lot of cool conversations go on, and leads are shared . So I’ll be hanging out more in 2012, and sharing more of my popular posts from my Blog.

2. I worked harder, not smarter. Trust, choosing the right type of writing projects can be a great time saving device and an important strategy for overall success. Certain types of writing just categorically pay more than others. Copywriting typically pays more than article writing, while Blogging for corporate clients generally pays more than personal clients. Choose wisely.

3. I didn’t market enough. Like it or not, it can make or break a writing career.

4. My “go-get-em” plan didn’t have a “Plan B”.

5. I neglected to work on my book project and finding an agent for my work. It still lingers on my to-do list from last year.

6. I Blogged for free too often. Though I enjoyed the experience, the connections and the growth it provided, I’ll be a little more selective in 2012.

7. I didn’t enter enough contests. As most of you know, I threw my hat in the ring for The Top 10 Writing Blogs contest at Write to Done, and emerged as a finalist! It was big fun, and I even got the opportunity to do a guest post. Often overlooked, many contests provide “paydays” in the way of prizes, cash, and exposure. Here’s a site that offers info on various competitions: http://writingcontests.wordpress.com/

8. I didn’t follow enough writing Blogs. There really are some great ones out there, I recently discovered.

9. I didn’t comment enough on some really great sites due to time constraints. Some of yours are among them. Consider this my apology. :-)

10. I believed that hard work was the ticket to success. There’s so much more that factors into the freelancing equation: prayer, perseverance, politics, strategy.

11. I didn’t diversify my income enough. In 2012, my efforts will be divided into an array of projects and pursuits. As they say, “Never put all your eggs in one basket.”

How about you? What would you do differently?
Any lessons learned?
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