Freedom Writing Has Moved!

I am proud to announce that Freedom Writing has moved to Dreamhost! This site will remain here, and all the posts, giveaways, e-books, etc. have been transferred there.

I have redirected the feedburner RSS feed to freedomwriting.com. However, if you are reading this in RSS, you can change your subscription by clicking here.

I will check back here until January 8th, to ensure all comments are entered into the SOCB E-book Giveaway, and/or into the Blog Showcase.

I want to thank you all for making this blog a great success, and I look forward to getting to know you better at my new home!

~Kimberlee

Blog Showcase Week #1 – Iowadawg’s Blawg

This week’s featured blog is from close to home, a fellow Iowa dweller! Joe is a Texan living in Iowa [insert witty joke here!] and the author of Iowadawg’s Blawg. Joe is a great guy to chat with, and he and his wife (the Iowa native) have ten grandkids! Wow!

Is it just me, or do all Texans have a love of football that far surpasses mere mortals? Joe gives a smart dose of the latest Iowa Hawkeyes game, at the Outback Bowl! (Go Hawks!)

He doesn’t deny his Texas roots, of course. He gives us all a reminder of the day Texas graciously allowed itself to join the Union. We should all thank Texas for all the unique things it has given us. Oil, wide open spaces, and a few presidents.

Speaking of, Joe has compiled his own State of the Union address, made up of political cartoons. I had a good laugh at all of these, and I think you will too.

Overall, Iowadawg’s Blog has a mixed bag of razor wit, sharpshooting facts, and a smattering of everyday life. (Well, as everyday as it gets for a Texan in Iowa!) Go show Joe some love, and get ready for a good time.

~Kimberlee

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Join in the Freedom Writing Blog Showcase!

Enter for your chance at a free copy of Sincere Online Community Building!

Do you want to learn more about community building? Pick up a copy of Sincere Online Community Building for more information.

Sincere Online Community Building Giveaway!

First, I want to thank everyone who has purchased the e-book so far! You are on your way to building a genuine and exciting online community!

I also want to thank Michele Tune for writing a rocking interview of me at Writing the Cyber Highway. You are one awesome writer!

The Sincere Online Community Building e-book is now at its regular price of $24.95 after the holiday special.

But wait! What if you wanted to a get a copy of it at the low price, but missed the opportunity in all the holiday hustle and bustle?

I am giving away (for FREE!) 4 copies of this outstanding e-book! Here’s how to enter:

Leave a comment here – 1 Entry Tell us how you plan to strengthen your community in 2009

Tweet about the giveaway – 1 Entry Leave an additional comment with the link to your tweet.

Subscribe to the blog – 1 Entry Leave an additional comment telling that you subscribed!

Blog about the giveaway – 1 Entry Leave an additional comment linking to your blog post.

So you have 4 chances to win!

The contest will run through January 8th, 6 am Central time. I will use random.org to pick the four winners.

Of course, if you just can’t wait another moment, feel free to get your copy now.

Let everyone know that you believe in the power of a growing, sincere online community! Join in the e-book giveaway today.

~Kimberlee

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Join in the Freedom Writing Blog Showcase!

Enter for your chance at a free copy of Sincere Online Community Building!

Do you want to learn more about community building? Pick up a copy of Sincere Online Community Building for more information.

What the World Needs Now is Love

Image by a wolf in sheep’s clothing

Wait, I’m doing two posts in one day? What’s that about?

Well, it is the start of a fantastic year, and I want to share my enthusiasm with everyone.

Unfortunately, there’s a lot of not so great stuff that’s been going on lately. With lots of layoffs in 2008, and more on the way (I heard Microsoft is planning to cut thousands of their workforce) a lot of people are hurt, worried, and scrambling for a new path.

If you are a freelancer right now, you may not have traditional work worries, but your finances may be tight at the moment too. That’s okay. We are all in need of new solutions and new ideas to push past the 2008 slump.

Some people, with the traditional dog-eat-dog scarcity mentality, are becoming bitter and aggressive in their new ventures. It is an understandable reaction, as the uncertainty of our lives can strike fear into the hearts of many people.

Yet I do not think this is necessary. In the online community, there are so many ways to make a living, and a good one at times. It takes a lot of work, even the “smart instead of hard” work. You will invest a lot of sweat and tears in your efforts, and the results may not be immediate.

We need to build each other up during these times. We need to push each other on to greatness, even if we don’t see ourselves in a stable position yet. When we promote each other, we will all succeed.

Many people find this difficult. They still believe that life is a stiff competition, with clear winners and losers. Yet with all the options available to us, we can all win. We may not be the first runner across the finish line, yet as long as we cross it, we will have succeeded.

Here’s an example: two freelance writers (who are also friends) apply for a job. One gets the job, one doesn’t. The first writer has crossed the finish line first. Many times, this is the end of the story.

However, if there is a spirit of community, the first writer might recommend the second to additional clients in search of new writers (since he is busy with his new job.) Then, the second writer gets a writing job, and has also crossed the finish line of success.

In a scarcity mindset, this doesn’t happen.

The first writer would keep all his new client contacts to himself, and not share his potential for success with his friends. He may take on additional jobs, hoarding the potential income for himself. He might even take the new jobs, and become overloaded and burnt out.

In that scenario, nobody wins.

I want to remind you all, that the online community is a powerful and beautiful thing. It gives us the needed support, even in the roughest times. It can bring us cheer and motivation, when we aren’t at our best.

In short, you can’t go wrong with community.

Spread the love to all your online friends and acquaintences. Do what you can to help them, and we will all get through this year. Together.

~Kimberlee

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Join in the Freedom Writing Blog Showcase!

Do you want to learn more about community building? Pick up a copy of Sincere Online Community Building for more information.

Freedom Writing Blog Showcase Launch!

Image by Jeff Kubina

Writers benefit the most from a sense of community. We spend many days and nights at home, without the camaraderie of our co-workers. There are many times when it is just you and the blank page, and you never quite feel so alone until that moment.

We don’t have the benefit of working with fellow writers and going out for for a few drinks after our 9 to 5 shift. Although online forums and Twitter help to bridge the gap, it is hard to shake the feeling that we are alone.

In honor of the new year and the spirit of community building, I am giving you the opportunity to be showcased on a new regular feature here at Freedom Writing.

The Freedom Writing Blog Showcase will be a weekly service, where anyone can learn more about you and your blog. I will take a handful of blogs each Saturday, and write a bit about the awesome content available there.

How can you have your blog on the Blog Showcase? It’s so easy! Just leave a comment linking to your blog and telling us all a little bit about it.

That’s it! Each week I will pick a few blogs and tell all my readers about you!

I look forward to reading all your outstanding blogs! Be sure to tell us a little about yourselves too. Thanks for participating!

~Kimberlee

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Do you want to learn more about community building? Pick up a copy of Sincere Online Community Building for more information.