Sarahha Maker

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Thursday, 30 October 2008

Posted on 12:06 by Unknown
Isn't modern technology wonderful--until it isn't? We had Internet connection issues that dragged on for more than a week before resolution. I'm still tired from spending literally hours on the phone with tech support. Whew.

But I'm back up and running just in time to jump right in and try my hand at writing a novel in a month. November is National Novel Writing Month (http://www.nanowrimo.org), where you can win a "prize" by banging out a 50,000-word book in 30 days. The emphasis is on quantity rather than quality, granted, but there's something to be said for just getting it done.

Worrying too much about the craft or quality of something can become a hindrance if it stops you from actually getting the project done. Sometimes, everyone suffers from "writer's block"--even if you're not a writer. Whatever keeps you from starting that project or task or whatever because you don't have all your ducks in a row can be a block.

As a writer, I learned early on just to start writing, whether or not I had a lede or intro to my piece or not. Often, my articles start after the first few paragraphs, jumping to the meat of the story. Sometimes, my conclusions wait until the rest of the article is complete.

It will be interesting to not worry about the grammar or the content when tackling this project. I'm looking forward to seeing how writing 50,000 words in a month will jumpstart my creative juices again--and hopefully, I'll have something worth revisiting with my editor's pen.

Until next time,

Sarah
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Posted in Hired at Home, Sarah Hamaker, Working from home | No comments

Saturday, 4 October 2008

Meet the Author

Posted on 14:18 by Unknown
On Saturday, Oct. 11, I'll be signing books and answering your work-from-home questions at the Rainbow Parable Christian Book and Gift Store in Colonial Heights, Va. So if you're in the area, please stop by between noon and 3 p.m. I'd love to meet you!

Sarah
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Posted in Hired at Home, Sarah Hamaker, Working from home | No comments

Friday, 5 September 2008

Staying Home

Posted on 18:22 by Unknown
A recent Grand Avenue comic portrayed a woman who listed all of the errands she was running while her kids were in school. The punch line was that she was a stay-at-home mom who wasn’t staying home.

The same can be true about those of us who work from home: sometimes, our work-from-home jobs are not performed all the time at home. For example, while dog sitters, pet walkers, caterers, photographers and house cleaners might base their businesses at home, the work they do takes place in other locations.

For me, that’s the beauty of at-home businesses—you can do them anyplace, in your home office, at a client’s home or place of business, in the outdoors. Anyplace you can do your job works.

I’ve edited copy while sitting on my front porch watching my children draw with sidewalk chalk. I’ve written articles on my laptop at a local coffee shop. The ability to change venue can be invigorating and can boost your productivity and creativity.

I’ve grown to love the flexibility of working from home and, after nearly six years of working from home, can’t imagine going back to a nine-to-five office environment. And the ranks of people who feel like I do are growing, as telecommuting and at-home employment opportunities expand.

Until next time,

Sarah
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Posted in Hired at Home, Sarah Hamaker, Working from home | No comments

Thursday, 14 August 2008

On the Air, part 1

Posted on 07:34 by Unknown
My first radio interview about my book, Hired@Home, will be aired on WRMB-FM/Boynton Beach, Fla. The interview will be split over four days: Monday, Aug. 18, through Thursday, Aug. 21, at 7 a.m. ET. The “Mornings” show host, Audrey Altman, and I spoke several weeks ago about working from home, while my older children played downstairs and my youngest cooed in my arms:).

At the end of the week, the entire interview will be archived and available for downloading from the station’s Web site, http://www.mbn.org/GenMoody/default.asp?sectionID=F747DDC842B5443391F4920E02479579.

Take a listen!

Until next time,
Sarah
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Saturday, 2 August 2008

Heat Daze

Posted on 10:22 by Unknown
For me, the hardest part of summer is the heat and humidity. Virginia summers are chock-full of heat and humidity, and you’d think a native like myself would get used to it. But no, I still suffer through every summer wondering why God created a world that got so hot where I live.

But the worst part is the way the weather affects my wanting to do anything, from keeping up with the housework to playing with the children to going to the grocery store to cooking supper. And let’s not even begin to tackle writing, which requires thinking--that grows increasingly difficult the higher the thermometer and heat index rises.

As my brain turns to mush in August, usually the hottest month of the summer, I remember that I don’t have to wallow in despair. (And yes, we do have air conditioning, so on really hot days, I’m not suffering too much.) That God has provided the perfect remedy for the heat blues in his Word. That I have much to be thankful for, such as ice cream and cold drinks. A nearby community swimming pool. Fans and money to pay for the extra electricity used to run them and the AC.

And I’m thankful for a mind that can work despite the heat and humidity, one that I need to keep sharp and focused in order not to sink down into nothingness or boredom or just the plain old blahs. That it’s my duty to not complain but to rejoice in everything, even the dog days of summer.

So as summer blazes on, I will choose to be happy in my circumstances. I will choose not to allow the weather to influence my choices or attitudes. I will choose to glorify God in all things. And in so doing, I hope—and pray—to beat the summer heat.

Until next time,


Sarah
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Posted in Hired at Home, Sarah Hamaker, Working from home | No comments

Tuesday, 8 July 2008

The Mom Connection

Posted on 07:13 by Unknown
With the recent release of Hired@Home, several of the women I interviewed have blogged about the book. Check out Sandra Joseph’s blog at http://sandrajo.wordpress.com/2008/07/01/featured-in-hired-at-home/ and Rebecca Jean Rivera at http://strivingtoliveeachdayhisway.blogspot.com/.

Also, several people have inquired about contacting some of the work-at-home mothers I interviewed. Below is a directory of contact information for those women who wanted their information made public.

Julie Divine
The Elevation Group
www.theelevationgroup.com
Julie@theelevationgroup.com

Toni Friese
Blessings Unlimited Independent Consultant
6571 20th St N
St Cloud MN 56303
320-230-7646
www.blessingsdirect.comlukesmom16@hotmail.com

Lisa Harmon
McNamara & Company
2376 Ravenhill Drive
Raleigh NC 27615
919-413-5347
www.valueabode.com
lisaWharmon@gmail.com

Sandra Joseph
542 Sherritt Drive
Darlington, PA 16115
724-601-2377
www.sandrajo.wordpress.com
sandrajoseph@windstream.net

Martha Leone
703 455 6604
marthag86@verizon.net

Dixie Moore
Crickhollow Knitting
8427 Fletcher Bay Road
Bainbridge Island, WA. 98110
206-842-1402

Meagan Price
724-327-3026
meaganprice@alltel.net

Valerie Ottinger
byFaith magazine
1700 North Brown Road, Suite 105
Lawrenceville, GA 30043
678-825-1005
www.byfaithonline.comvottinger@byfaithonline.com

Carolyn Wayland
Wayland Window Treatments
Curtainscushions@aol.com

Leslie W. Whelchel, M.Ed.
Openbook Educational Therapy
20849 Driftwood Terrace
Potomac Falls, VA 20165
571-434-0990
www.openbook.us

Until next time,

Sarah
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Posted in Hired at Home, Sarah Hamaker, Working from home | No comments

Tuesday, 17 June 2008

Money Talks

Posted on 10:45 by Unknown
“Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Let the day’s own trouble be sufficient for the day.” Matthew 6:34 (ESV)

I recently lost a weekly freelance job, one that had provided a steady paycheck for 18 months. And even though in the back of my mind I knew it could end any moment, as I was a contract employee, the longer it went on, the more I “counted” on the income and work.

During that time, I had other freelance assignments (and wrote Hired@home), so I wasn’t exactly hurting for business. But nothing compared to knowing each week, I would make X amount of money.

With the loss of the weekly job—the company wasn’t unhappy with my work; the product I wrote took on a different form and thus my part became extinct—I began to think more fretfully about how to get more projects. Not that I had nothing on my calendar, as I did have several articles already assigned.

But I found myself starting to worry about how to replace that steady income before I remembered that it’s not my job to worry about what’s going to come tomorrow. That tomorrow’s worries are enough for that day, as Matthew’s Gospel puts it.

I needed to look to the past to see how well God had taken care of us financially, that it wasn’t all up to me to provide the additional income that made our lives a bit easier. My husband’s work provides just enough for us to pay our monthly expenses; my freelance work contributes to the niceties, things that we could do without.

While I need to do my part to seek out additional assignments whenever possible—and to fulfill my obligations to my current clients to the best of my ability—what I didn’t need to do was fret about the loss of income.

So I’ve stopped worrying (well, for the most part—it’s hard to do that completely!) and started rejoicing in what God has done and is doing in my freelance life. A much more refreshing way to live and work!

Until next time,

Sarah
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Posted in Hired at Home, Sarah Hamaker, Working from home | No comments
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