Frank (age 21) is in school, and wants to be a surgeon. He’s been on the Dean’s List since his first semester of college (he works very hard), is a waiter, and recently applied to volunteer at one of the local hospitals. On his first day at the hospital this week, he was offered a paying, part-time job in the surgery department!
Your response to the would-be playwright was financially enlightening, but don’t discourage too much. Anyone who has a real passion for the theatre, the power of observation, research ability and talent to write convincing dialogue should try their hand at writing for the stage…
It was November of 2009, and just 3 months after I’d lost my corporate job and my apartment. I had spent six years as a technical writer but, as a former English major, I didn’t feel like I was “legit.”
So, while I was cooped up in an upstairs bedroom at my parents’ house with my two cats, I created a dinky website for myself that would eventually become my business…
The rain and cold finally went away this week. It was 86 here yesterday! Unfortunately, Max and Mason both came down with a cold so they’re stuck inside, sniffling, coughing, and drinking warm tea. Since I spoil them rotten when they’re sick, I don’t think they mind too much. The older kids say I’m going to turn them into little hypochondriacs. My response is, “I spoiled you, too, and you turned out just fine!”
A writer contacted me last week, pitching an article on how freelancers can become successful playwrights or screenwriters. Now, I’ve been in this business long enough to know that profitable freelance playwriting and screenwriting is about as common as becoming a highly paid actor…
Letters will return next week.
If you create anything from marketing collateral to blogs to journal articles, then you are a commercial writer. And, the commercial writer’s playground is LinkedIn when it comes to social networking…
There are pieces–short fiction and memoirs–on my web site that I want to submit to paying markets. Are those pieces considered “published” and therefore ineligible? If so, would they become eligible if I remove them?
One of my first assignments as a writer was preparing monthly shopping, dining and events columns for a city magazine. The work wasn’t exciting but it was steady. I’d been doing it for several months when the editor telephoned. The magazine was planning a special edition for an international sporting event the city was hosting and the editor wanted me to write the features for it. She asked me to work up article ideas, and bring them to a meeting the following month. I was thrilled…
