Best of December 2018 | A Round Up of Resources for Writers & Bloggers

Happy New Year!

I honestly can't believe how fast 2018 flew by. Many new and exciting things took place over the course of last year, that's for sure. There were mostly highs with a few lows mixed in, but overall I'm very pleased with how 2018 went and I'm really looking forward to accomplishing so many more things in 2019.

As far as December, I wasn't able to devote as much time to my blog and business goals I would have liked. I can't really complain though, because that was all due to the holidays and being busy with client work. I was still able to write a few blog posts, read some great books, explore other blogs, and find some really great resources.

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Blog posts I published in December

1. 10 Ways to Deal With Imposter 
2. 20+ Ways to Promote Your Opt-in Freebie
3. 10 New Year's Resolutions for Freelancers to Rock 2019
4. How to Create a Freelance Writer Website & Writing Portfolio

I also completed my blog series, How to Start & Grow Your Email List. Check out the directory below!

1. 5 Reasons You Need an Email List
2. 10 Easy Ways to Grow Your Email List
3. How to Create an Opt-in Freebie Your Audience Will Love
4. 20+ Ways to Promote Your Opt-in Freebie

Free Tools I've Been Loving

• Grammarly – I've been using the Grammarly Chrome Extension and it's been awesome. It works kind of like spellcheck does but I like it because it picks up on more grammar and structure mistakes than regular spellcheck. It also has a built-in thesaurus, which comes in handy.
• The Ultimate Tax Guide for Freelancers – This is an awesome resource for freelancers to prepare for the upcoming tax season.
• And Co – And Co is specifically designed for freelancers and has tools for invoicing and time tracking, among other things. It's kind of like a mashup of Wave and Trello with a mix of tracking software.
• HelloSign – I use HelloSign for having clients sign contracts and creative briefs electronically. It's extremely easy to use and gives you an update when the client views the document. It also comes in handy when a client requires a tax form to be filled out and sent back.

My Favorite Blog Posts in December

• Why You Should Invest In Your Blog: 6 Investments You Should Be Making (The Millenial Bull)
• How to Write an Epic A-Z Blog Post Series (Lisa Tanner Writes)
• How to Be Insanely Productive and Crush Your Goals (Twins Mommy)
• 3 Ways to Legally Protect Your Website, Blog, and Online Business (A Self Guru)
• 11 Podcasts Every Freelancer Should Be Listening To (Contenta)

Books I Loved in December

• No Exit by Taylor Adams* – I read this one from cover to cover…I seriously couldn't put it down once I started it and I even sent a text to a friend demanding she buy it and read it so we could talk about it!
• An Anonymous Girl by Greer Hendricks & Sarah Pekkenan* – Their newest book since The Wife Between Us does not disappoint!
• The Miracle Morning by Hal Elrod – This book will definitely be going in my next round up of books for freelancers.

*These were my December Book of the Month Club picks. Sign up to be a BOTM member using my link and get a free book!

Magic Moment of December

I was asked to write a guest blog post for Trendy Simple Life! This will be my first guest post since starting my blog, so I'm very excited. Once it's been published I will insert the link here, so be sure to check back!

Update 1/14/19 – The post is now live! Click to read my 10 tips for finding inspiration when you feel stuck!

December Goal Review

I'm going to be totally honest here and tell you I didn't accomplish very many of my December goals. As expected, December was a VERY busy month between the holidays and last-minute client work for the year.

January Goals

Because I expect January to be just as busy as December was, I'm trying to be a little more realistic with my goals and not overextend myself in January. Here's what I've got on the table in the coming month.

Business Goals

1. Finish designing and writing the copy for katiejenison.com
2. Create an email opt-in for katiejenison.com
3. Send 6 cold emails and grow client roster
4. Update the House to Home Facebook Page

Blog Goals

1. Launch new resource library
2. Write 4 new blog posts
3. Complete Pixistock's course, The Intentional Brand
4. Launch my new series, Creatives in the Spotlight, which will feature interviews with creative entrepreneurs

Alright, I think that's everything. Be sure to check out my previous roundups to see the other freebies and goodies I've recommended in the past!