I woke up with a gigantic zit on my chin.

My high school reunion is just a couple of weeks away and I knew if I left that monstrosity alone it would end up getting even bigger. Big enough, in fact, to warrant its own ZIP code.

I needed to get an early start today on some work but, seriously, this huge-o zit just wouldn’t let me focus. It hurt, darn it.

So I popped it. (Ewww.)

Blessed relief.

Sometimes you just gotta get the junk out before things can get back to normal.

And so it is with writing.

If you’ve struggled (even a bit) with formulating your ideas, finishing (or starting) a project, or nailing the copy, perhaps there’s some junk you need to get out before you can move on.

Junk can be circumstantial, such as a cluttered desk or disorganized office, or it can be situational, such as dealing with a family emergency or work crisis.

While I don’t believe in becoming too distracted from our productive work, sometimes it helps to deal with the thing that’s bugging us the most so we can get back to the task at hand or, better yet, break through to new ideas.

Here’s a plan for clearing out the junk and making way for good ideas and great copy:

1. Take 5 minutes to decide what’s niggling you. It may be more than one thing so make a list if you have to.
2. Decide one action you can take right now to eliminate it — and do it.
3. Make a list of other actions to take (if necessary) and plan for them in your day or on your calendar.
4. Focus for 15-60 minutes on idea generation, brainstorming or writing.
5. If the “thing” is still niggling at you, take another action or two or three, but limit your dealing of it to one hour.

That’s it. That should free up your mind and energy at least in the short term. Repeat as often as necessary.

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My schedule got all wonky today. An old/new client postponed a meeting and a rush project came to a screeching halt (for the moment). I don’t mind. I always have plenty of projects going on and appreciate the opportunity to pick the one I feel like working on vs. the one on deadline.

While working a bit on my home-study web content/copywriting course, I got to the part about generating ideas. That led me to start a blog post about finding content in the everyday, which led me to thinking about blogs I like and why, which led me to revising my original post to the one you’re reading now.

Whew. A bit circuitous, but that’s how ideas work most times.

And it proves my point, which is that by writing about something very ordinary that happened to me (working a blog post), I can share an idea that may prove helpful to you (write about your everyday life no matter who you are or what your blog is about).

My favorite bloggers do just that. Leo Babauta, Brian Clark and Alaina Sheer continually, constantly and consistently write stuff worth reading because they write about their lives and how it relates to you and to me.

Business and political blogs, on the other hand, have a tendency to slog, drone and drag their way through post after post with a self-serving agenda.

Who wants to read that?

So I propose a business and political blog revolution.

I propose that business and political bloggers (CEOs, politicians, their ghostwriters and the like) stop writing about their business or agenda — and start writing about their life and the application of it to the rest of us.

Wouldn’t it be more interesting to read about Carly Fiorina the woman on the campaign trail than to read a deadly, dull post that goes something like this: “During this morning’s event, Fiorina rode in a parade vehicle alongside Huntington Beach City Councilman Gil Coerper; Councilman Coerper’s son, Major Michael Coerper …”

Oh, joy and rapture. Carly road in a parade vehicle. (Who even talks like that?)

Instead, do what Carly doesn’t do and use your blog to let people live inside your world (at least part of it for a little while).

Tell us something personal and meaningful and then make a point about it.

Let us get to know you, the person with ideas — instead force-feeding us the prim, proper and staid persona you want to project.

Agree or disagree?

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Ever since I bought a Venus Embrace razor, I shave my legs daily.

It’s soooo easy.

No soap.
No shaving cream.
Just zip, zip, done.

But recently I noticed my old razor sitting forlornly on a shelf in the medicine cabinet. And, along with it, three unused blades.

Frugality taunted me.

So, I temporarily retired the Venus Embrace and, ahem, embraced my old razor.

But the darn thing has a too-small handle.
It has a super-small shaving head.
There’s no handy-dandy shower holder.
And there’s no slime bar.

(Gillette calls it a “ribbon of moisture” but, hey, they’re not on my client list, so as a consumer, I call it “slime bar.”)

It’s a real pain to shave with the new/old razor.
And so I don’t.
Well, not often, anyway.

The problem is not the razor.

The problem is that it’s the WRONG TOOL for the job (shaving in the shower vs. shaving in the tub).

Which got me to thinking …

That’s what happens to writers: sometimes we use the wrong tool for the job.

And it doesn’t work as well — or as easily — as the right tool.

Take, for example, a thesaurus.

This one is good.
But this one is even better.

Why?

Because one is more literal and one is more thought provoking.

One gives me easy options but the other forces me to be more creative.
And that makes me a better writer.

Which tools do you use? Which tools make you a better writer — and which tools need to be dumped from your toolbox?

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A colleague shared with me the other day how frustrated and disappointed she was with hiring freelance writers and marketing consultants to help with her business. I asked what she thought the problem was and she shared some very specific things with me.

What she said neither shocked nor surprised me. Unfortunately, I hear it all the time from clients who hire me to fix or clean up the aftermath of hiring the wrong person.

Let me say upfront that some freelancers are just plain awful at their craft; others are well intentioned; and still others make excellent partners. And just because someone is good at what they do, does not mean they’ll be the right partner for you.

I could literally write a book about when and how to hire a freelancer — and when not to. So, for brevity’s sake, let’s just look at the topic based on what my colleague shared.

Here’s what she said made her blood boil:

Freelancers who are copywriters but try to be marketing consultants

Marketing communications “consultants” or “coaches” who recommend the same cookie-cutter approach for B2B that they recommend for B2C

Those who are so into social media that they make social media the focus of their conversation before they really understand my business

Yikes. I winced at those. It’s embarrassing to me as a consultant/coach/freelancer to have others tarnish my beloved profession.

As a consultant experienced in both B2B and B2C marketing and communications, I know how challenging it can be to distinguish the two. In fact, I’m working with a client who is using a big, fancy New York agency and we’ve had to repeatedly remind them that our end-customer is not the consumer. The distinction can be a fine line, and I’m of the opinion that social media and e-communication is changing even the B2B space. (More on that another time.)

But, that’s no excuse for delivering shoddy, ineffective copy. And there’s never an excuse for delivering templated anything.

So, here are my suggestions for avoiding what my colleague had to endure:

1. Find and qualify. Get referrals from peers and colleagues, networking groups, etc. But don’t stop there. Do some additional research. Visit their web site, Google their name, set a Google alert, pre-screen by phone before meeting them face-to-face, do a reference check, compare them to others, etc., etc., etc. Be thorough in your research. My own toolbox contains a simple pre-screen questionnaire that I use to qualify clients. Know what your  expectations are before you start looking for someone who can meet them. And remember, it’s rare to find someone who can “do it all.” You may need multiple partners to accomplish your goals. For example, I know some about social media, but it’s not my area of expertise — and I tell my clients that. If your potential partner says, “yes, yes, yes” and claims to be an expert in anything and everything, run for the hills … at least be sure to do additional research. Do they know the difference between PR and publicity? Are they accredited in their niche? How long have they been offering the service and in what capacity? Interview them and research their background thoroughly. Of course, balance that with the fact that until you’ve hired them, there’s a limited amount of time they can invest with you. Be respectful of their time and circumstances while you do due diligence.
2. Perform a gut check. If their web site copy sounds like hype, perhaps it is. If you hear nice things about them with an underlying “be cautious” tone, don’t ignore it. Do not talk your way into or out of a partnership. You should be genuinely excited about who you’re going to work with. In my own business, I only work with people who seem as though they’ll value my contribution and respect my time. I’m not in the business of doing rush jobs, for example. There are plenty of great freelancers who cover that niche. I’m not one of them so I would not be the best partner for a client who has a hurry-up need. If a potential client tells me it’s not a rush job but I still get the sense that it is, I heed the warning. Doing a gut check saves me and my potential client a lot of heartache. Here’s another example from my own business: Like many freelancers, I typically invoice new clients one-third of estimated hours and wait for payment before getting started. Clients who balk at my terms are a red flag for me. Now, I’m not saying every freelancer should do that, but it works well for me and, more importantly, it helps me vet my clientele.
3. Do your part. Sometimes, like it or not, the issue is with you, not your consultant or freelancer. How’s your communication? Do you hand off work and disappear, only to come back at the 11th hour? Touch base, schedule status updates, set guidelines and milestones. Your job is to manage the expectations of the project. Even the most independent professional cannot operate in a vacuum. I recently ended a client relationship for that very reason. My client simply would not engage with me, nor would she delegate that responsibility to someone on her staff. While I’m very flexible in how I work with people, I will not sit idly and listen to the sound of crickets. It’s a deal breaker for me.
4. Remember you get what you pay for. While price is not necessarily equated to quality, it can be an indicator. Great partners charge a fair market rate that’s probably on the high end. While my hourly rate is competitive, I’m certainly not the lowest priced freelancer around. Why? Because I’m worth what I charge. I write fast. Very fast. I write well. I deliver results. And I charge accordingly. When considering hourly  or project rates, consider the time your project could take. A $45/hour freelancer may take three times as long as, say, a $90/hour freelancer. (Not always, of course, but keep it in mind.)

Okay, so I could keep going and going. I have opinions about these things! :)

Bottom line? Do your research, trust your gut, set and manage expectations, take the plunge and learn from your mistakes.

Share your freelance/consultant horror and success stories with me by leaving a comment.

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