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…
We haven’t been going out to eat much lately. It’s cold (definitely the coldest winter we’ve had since moving to Florida). It’s rained more this winter than the previous two years. The boys have had a string of colds, like the rest of the kids in the country. Honestly, by the time the sun sets, I just can’t bring myself to leave when it’s so cozy inside.
But, we did venture out on Sunday. We met Zach and his girlfriend for dinner at a steakhouse we really like…
When you were a teenager, did you ever have friends who tried to trick their parents? Perhaps your girlfriend told her mother things like:
“Don’t you remember, Mom? You said we could stay out an hour late tonight!”
“But, Mom, you told me just last week that I could use your credit card at the mall!”
“Mother, you promised to pay me $10 for babysitting, not $8!”
Of course, these mothers probably thought they were developing early dementia. I didn’t fall for those shenanigans from our kids. (At least, I don’t think I did!)
Unfortunately, some people still use similar tactics in the business world…
