Getting Technical

Get It In Writing! was the first website I ever created; it was made from scratch. I jumped into HTML long before Google was invented.  It probably helped that I had taken computer programming years before and kept up on computer literacy over the years, but only in that I knew it was going to involve math somehow and appear complicated.

I remember the first few months with smiles, I had asked everyone I knew who owned a computer and had the Internet to click as much as possible on the link so I could watch my counter move.

It worked, though. Before you knew it, I merged with Writing Corner and ran them both through It Is Written, Ink, our corporation.  We enjoyed being celebrated in the covers of Writer's Digest Magazine and being asked to talk at writer's conferences. Our paper newsletter for unpublished and newly published writers was still free and being distributed in four countries. All good things come to an end; a couple of years later, my family lost our home and all the contents - including the business and computers - due to toxic mold.

It's been a decade now and I've gotten our lives back on track best I can.  The last thing I could afford to replace, a bed for myself, was bought last year and I couldn't be happier.  With the bed.

The website, now True Crime Fanatic, is bugging me.  Where I used to be able to crank out an entire 20 page website in  a weekend, it's taken me over a year to figure out how to make the front page look decent (forget about keeping it current, sheesh!).

I can plan the website (and I do) on paper, but I cannot get it to look that way on the computer.  Not even close.  That's how I used to do it and it worked beautifully. I could picture it, write it down, recreate it.

To make things easier (really?), last year, after purchasing the bed, I researched, then spent a huge chunk of money on Adobe's Dreamweaver, figuring what could be easier than a website program with what-you-see-is-what-you-get (WYSIWYG) action?

Thank God for tutorials online, Dummies Books, and nothing else, because it's been a year and I barely get it!  I understand CSS and what it's for, and it SEEMS like I get it... until I try to move forward.

Here I am, for the upteenth million time, trying to redesign something I can live with and will function up to its needs.

I'm reading everything, again and again, and it's nearly Greek to me.  And then I saw it.  I saw one thing and I'm hoping it will lead to other little things I overlooked. This thing is so silly and obvious, I'm not sure how I missed it.

Typeface and font size do NOT refer to the same things. WHAT?  In word processing, the tool I use far more than any other, you don't care about either because you simply change it to what you want and you can immediately see it. They can call it anything (a rose by any other name...) and you could still do it.

CSS is not like word processing.  In theory, it's EXCELLENT, but when you're as ignorant as I am, you wonder what the heck they were thinking changing all this technology on us.

Check it out, I can barely get past what the words look like.  If I go to change one letter, they all change!  If i want to center an image or a title but not the rest of the story, no way. I mean, there's a way, but not the way you used to do it.

I'm not going into that (for great information, go to the Site Wizard and pick up the Dreamweaver for Dummies I mentioned earlier), because as I mentioned, you will never learn how to build a website by me. But I will say that such a little thing, typeface and font size being explained so I understand CSS is an amazing thing.

Size does matter!  Well, when you are speaking of font size vs. typeface.  Okay, I'm rambling and not making sense. The whole point is this is one small tiny thing, but is enough to get in my way for a year. I read and reread, created and recreated (from scratch all the time, oh boy), and just this one little thing has slipped me up.

I'm laughing now, having gone from doing all hand coding and making it all work great to a beautifully set-up program and getting lost.  It's funny. Mostly.  Unless. You consider how much I was unable to help absolutely no one during this time (and if your website is a business and you were me, you can imagine this in dollar amounts) and I was so frustrated I was seriously depressed.  A year.

It never occurred to me that I might be misusing a term and it's worming it's way into everything I do (or am not doing), keeping me stuck in a rut...

Little things do count and often, in big ways.  Maybe you don't file (right away, correct?). Perhaps you let your bank account go unchecked.  These things are small enough, you assume you can "get to it" when the "feeling" comes over you.

I hate to get technical, but don't you have five minutes? Isn't that little thing little, because if it is, then that's all the more reason to take care of it right away.

In my defense, I couldn't do what I didn't know, but on the other hand, I never considered such a little thing being a downfall; I never looked.

Look, be aware, and stay on top of the little things.

Afterward

We're home after nearly a month being gone and $8000 lighter.  In normal circumstances, I'd have earned money while traveling, but being a military family, this was NOT the time to work on purpose (of course, working after we sent my husband ahead would have been welcomed!).  We're sending a soldier to a scary place for an entire year; we're not even sure he'll have much contact with us, as he had on the last deployment: time away from home was for him.  For us.

Home is good, but we're not out of the woods yet, as he can jet off at any time.  He's more important than any piece of work I do or dollar I can earn. Yet... I don't want to continue losing by being obsolete.  

Ah, the joy of working for yourself! 

Today, I'm solely working on emails and that's about it.  Not too much thinking and not too much making plans I'm unsure I can keep, but it DOES keep me moving forward.

Tomorrow? Perhaps phone calls and dusting. A month is enough time to need to sift through papers and making sure everything important is on top and less important things are filed.  Everything in place for when the time is right.

Random Organization Tips

Organization is about knowing where everything you need is at the moment you need it.  What are the five most important tools you use in your business? Can you, without showing physically nor while you are physically seeing everything, explain to a ten year old where to find each of those items?  If not,  reconsider your organization practices. 

 ~Keep a garbage can near the place you most open mail; throw unsolicited mail away immediately.

~If you set up any type of filing system and you find yourself buried in an unorganized paper mess, cut your losses and try a different method.  For instance, someone drowning in un-filed papers might simply relabel their file folders by months rather than by product, bills, receipts, etc.

~Consider using a file wallet for receipts until you know which file system works best for you.

~If you don't feel like doing something now, decide if you'll want to do it later. If not, either do it now and forget about it, or rethink what you're doing.

~Before you put off today what you can do tomorrow, figure out if late fees are involved if something comes up and you can't get to it.

~Don't put that there!  Not taking a moment to put things all the way away will add up to hours searching for that one thing you really need but can't find.

~It's worth your time and effort to set up a space, no matter how small, to designate for your work.  When you need something, it will always be there. 

~Invest in SPAM software if you do not use a big company email (such as Google's gmail), as SPAM is a time thief.

~Use a timer when "checking your email" or browsing the web "for work."  Give yourself five minutes to do what you need to do, then move on.  

~Use your Rolodex for all it's worth - store your passwords with the name and other important information for easy access; when you meet a potential client, use the front of your Rolodex card for name and contact information, use the back for notes that will mentally remind you who the person is and how you can be of help to each other

~Do you currently use gmail?  Google's gmail comes with a calendar that emails reminders when you want and sync's with most smart phones.  Better yet, if you are a Mac user, iCal will keep your days completely organized with a little help from you.

~Look at your calendar at the end of the evening (an hour before bed is great) and add to it if necessary; check out your calendar first thing in the morning - you will save valuable time by incorporating these two small things into your daily life (EXCELLENT for work and personal life)

~Clean up your desk top at the end of the day, this way you won't be tempted to avoid it the next day.

~Need more room?  Use a tall bookcase, a baker's rack, or even stacked crates to give you extra space (if you like the baker's rack in the picture, ask ME how to earn it free by hosting an online At Home America party). 

~Do you use your bedroom for your office space?  Without going into the ramifications of the office on your sleep, utilize all the space you can - use underbed boxes to store things you need, but do not use often.

~Use dry erase boards and/or cork boards near your workspace to keep important papers and information in constant view and easy access.  When you walk by, or sit down to work, you'll automatically be able to see what's urgent and deal with it.

~Unless you are expecting a specific text, resist the urge to "glance" at each text that comes in while working, if you have a hard time ignoring it and refuse to turn the phone off, schedule one minute each half hour to check your phone.

~Never be afraid to answer those who ask for favors "because you don't "really" work," or because you are home "all day long," with a strong and hardy "NO, thank you; I'm busy."

Taxes: Home Business

Home business owners, freelance writers and photographers, and direct sellers (in no particular order):

Please click on our TAX "label" for any information we may have published about taxes in general.  We are NOT a tax service, but we do have to file taxes like the rest of you. We're simply sharing what we wished someone shared with us (or... sharing what some lovely person HAS shared).  Always, always, ALWAYS, keep in mind that tax tips are only as good as the day they are written, but usually, they are great guides, regardless.

Taxes for Writers by Cyn Mason

"...legislation that creates the tax laws we are bound to has been active where authors (and artists and film makers as well) are concerned. It isn’t difficult to get tax advice regarding simple items such as what form to use and what records to keep. What is a lot harder to find is information about the particular legislation aimed directly at this industry. The law is easier to understand if you trace back the prior rules first."

IRS small business tax center:

http://www.irs.gov/businesses/small/index.html

IRS tax tips for direct sellers:

http://www.irs.gov/newsroom/article/0,,id=175146,00.html

IRS business use of home:

http://www.irs.gov/taxtopics/tc509.html

IRS home office deduction:

http://www.irs.gov/businesses/small/article/0,,id=204169,00.html

IRS deducting travel, entertainment, and gift expenses:

http://www.irs.gov/newsroom/article/0,,id=167363,00.html

Tax Lists for Writers by Riley & Associates:

"...The artistic temperament simply does not interface well with the exacting rule-filled world of federal and state taxation. Writers tend to avoid the whole matter and consequently leave themselves vulnerable to bad advice and to overpaying taxes. The secret to overcoming this phobia is to develop an understanding of the mechanisms of the tax code and some simple, effective ways of complying with this onerous task. I often use the analogy that you may not need to know how to fix your car but it is helpful to know how it basically works. In so doing you will pay less in taxes and you will be less likely to fall prey to erroneous tax information and disreputable [advisers]." 

Tax Tips for Writers: 

"... Freelance writers who have made any income the previous year will need to fill out a long 1040 as well as a Schedule C and a Schedule SE (self-employment tax) to report profit and loss. Keep in mind that if planning to deduct a lot of expenses, additional forms will need to be filled out as well. Consult a tax professional for extensive returns."

IRS: List of Guilds, etc.

http://www.irs.gov/businesses/small/industries/article/0,,id=100602,00.html

Direct Selling Association

Direct Selling 411

Nolo (Law for All):

The Home Office Tax Deduction

"...you can still deduct ordinary and necessary business expenses that you incur at home -- for instance, long-distance phone calls, a separate business telephone line, and the cost of office supplies and equipment. The above IRS rules apply only to the expenses of actually running and maintaining your home, such as utilities, rent, depreciation, home insurance, mortgage interest, real estate taxes, and repairs."

We'll add as we gain new insights and information and always, we'll label it as TAX so it's easy to find.

Organization: Simple Receipt Management for your Home Business

It's nearly tax time.  We've talked about organizing and managing your business, regardless of your space, time, and income; let's talk about receipts.

Receipts: can live without them, but for tax purposes (and refunds, returns, and exchanges), we will not.

For the sake of simplifying and working in a small space, let's try the easiest and smallest method available (aside of the computer program).  If your home business has become  so big you need a complete and elaborate method, not counting a computerized program, you may need to move your business to a separate location. While this receipt system can pretty much work for most businesses, it's not the best solution for a multi-million dollar business.

Using an inexpensive accordion file wallet with at least twelve tabs (each accordion wallet file shown here is under $4 and has 12 tabs), label one tab for each month (if you use a fiscal period, start with the first fiscal month).  Mark the front of the wallet with the year (when using fiscal years, use the actual year your twelve month file ends).

File each receipt into the corresponding tab, always filing each receipt behind the one that came before (this is an easy habit to get into and is more likely to find your receipts in dated order).

Make notes on the back of receipts and circle business items and amounts on the front. My businesses are small enough that I actually file ALL receipts in the wallet, even copies of the receipts I give away, and copies of items shipped to me.  Do what works for you.

Keep your wallet in the same place throughout the year; consistency makes for good habits.

At the end of the year, secure with elastic band or ribbon, tuck into your tax box or set aside until you're ready to file.  

Once taxes are filed, store your receipts, wallet and all, in a safe place for however long is necessary in your line of work.  

Many business owners scan and electronically file their receipts, throwing out the hard copy, however, the wallet is affordable enough to use a new one each year, keeping the old one for storage (this method also saves you time - no scanning and labeling).

Okay, do you understand the system?  Get a receipt; file a receipt.