First aid for freelancers, art as space, plus wonderful book recommendations.
Plus: The Q2 Planning Workshop Is Next Thursday!
The Clothesline is written by a real person: Me! I’m Vanessa Chiasson, a freelance writer and business coach based in Ottawa, Canada. I write travel and human interest narratives primarily for North American print and online outlets and I love reading, birds, beach glass, lattes, and nachos. I’m scared of roosters, dislike olives, and I cannot wink. You can check out my coaching services here and follow me on Instagram and LinkedIn.
Hey there! An extra big welcome to all the new members who found this community through the freelance basics for beginners workshop. I’m so glad you’re here!
Upcoming Events
Feeling stuck in a rut with your writing? Struggling to stay focused? You're not alone. But here's the thing: you have the power to change that narrative. How? By joining me for the Q2 Planning Workshop on the morning of Thursday, March 28th. Don't let another quarter slip away without working on your goals.
Do you struggle with what you should say about your business – and how you should say it? Join me, Lara Wellman, Becky Stanisic in the 6-week Illuminate Your Biz course that will transform how you think about your work starting April 22nd.
Don’t Forget!
Paid subscribers have exclusive access to my monthly pitching power hour. Share words of encouragement, enjoy quiet time to work on your pitches, and benefit from ideas on where to place your work. We meet on the first Tuesday of the month - so I’ll see you next on April 2nd! Subscription rates start at $5 US a month (about $7 Cnd).
Food For Thought
Podcasts by tech bros aren’t my usual listening material, but there is one that I dip in and out of on occasion. I don’t exactly expect to hear any proclamations that lead to a tremendous personal epiphany, so I was surprised by my reaction when the host shared a story about taking time away from a tech conference to visit an art gallery. His colleagues were surprised he was going to such an untechy activity, but he saw its value. “Art creates space,” he said.
That is precisely how I feel. Art creates space. Space in my head to think. Space in my heart to feel. I used to prioritize going to art galleries all the time when I travelled. Frankly, they were often free, which appealed to my frugal soul and empty pockets. But there was more to it than that. There was a richness that was all mine, a reserve I rarely tap into these days unless I have a specific assignment. Given that I don’t often write about art, I seldom request gallery stops when I travel with a tourism board because I know that visit wouldn’t be for me, the individual, but for me, the working writer. And now I’m thinking of all the space I’ve denied myself because of it.
(The podcast host then went on to name-drop a bunch of celebrities, and I have since reverted to my original opinion of him.)
I didn’t know what to do with the revelation that art creates space until a colleague mentioned that they have a client whose business is teaching first aid courses. So many jobs require first aid certifications, and these guys have found a way of offering the training online. Ingenious! If only we all had such an easy product. Just sell the thing that people have no choice but to buy! It made me think of what first aid for freelancers would look like. What would be our life-saving skills? What should we pack in our first aid kits?
My first aid kit would contain art, the time to see it and think about it without needing to do anything about it. I’ve been beating myself up about not selling more stories about the things to see and do in Paris, but maybe that was the point all along. I just went to see all that art and let it create space.
I saw much of it on a rainy day, and my feet and hair were damp. My body was uncomfortably sweaty under the unbreathable raincoat. I was fuelled by six very expensive macarons because I managed to find myself in the one Paris neighbourhood without an ordinary bakery. I followed up that meal a few hours later with a feast of nachos at a Hard Rock Cafe because that is what you should do, even in Paris, when it’s “International Nacho Day,” the one fake holiday we should all observe.
I had space to feel both awe and anger at Monet’s water lilies in the Musée de l’Orangerie. Awe, at just how spectacularly big they were and how many versions he painted. Anger that people were trying to capture something as monumental as this on their phones. Anger that I wasn’t doing the same, that I wasn’t taking a moment to say, “I, too, was here.” Awe at myself for taking the time to walk through and see them all again, an uncharacteristic act of patience for someone who never slows down to smell the roses.
So, art needs to go in my kit. Maybe nachos and macarons do too.
In my planning days, I often start by asking everyone to share some of the incredible things that have gone well for them in the preceding quarter. While I’m sure I’m still going to incorporate that, I also want to talk about first aid for freelancers. What gives us space? What gives us life? How do we stop the bleeding when we’ve been hung out to dry? What restarts our hearts after a story breaks them? And who’s gonna pay for all this training?
I hope you’ll join me next Thursday, March 28, at 9:00 AM EST. We’ll spend two hours working on our goals, strategies, and formulas for the coming quarter. And we’ll make sure our first aid kits are well stocked.
BTW… this is what lovely person said after our autumn planning day.
What I’ve Been Reading
Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore by Robin Sloan: Young love, old books, modern code breaking, all in a fast-paced, cheerful read set in San Francisco.
Death Comes To Marlow by Robert Thorogood: The second instalment in a cozy British murder mystery featuring a skinny-dipping, whiskey-drinking, crossword-clue-drafting senior and an unlikely band of friends. I read the first instalment in Paris, via audiobook, on the very day I was walking around to all the art galleries in the rain!
Flying Solo by Linda Holmes: A different kind of small town romance, set against the settling of an estate, an arts-and-crafts mystery, and a fierce set of friends.
Arsenic and Adobo by Mia P. Manansala: This charming cozy mystery was a bit slow to get into but I was really hooked by the end. I love that the author included a lot of recipes to compliment the setting (a family run American-Filipino restaurant). Fun fact: My book club friend recommended that I eat President’s Choice Filipino Adobo potato chips while reading this and it was a delicious decision. Hurrah for fun chip flavours!
One Good Thing by Alexandra Potter: When you get divorced and run away to rural England, there’s only one thing to do: Adopt a scraggly dog with a penchant for chewing throw cushions.
And this delightful story…
PS Don’t forget your freebies!
12 Ways To Repurpose Old Content (awesome for bloggers, if I do say so myself!)
FREE travel budget template: You can download it free by clicking here. If you love travel lists like me, this is your resource.