Published on June 27, 2012
diversify your writing income
It’s not always easy to translate thoughts into words, and oftentimes as a freelance writer, it’s not even your thoughts that need to be translated, it is somebody else’s. Sometimes, the topics are familiar and sometimes they are dumbfounding. Quite often, it’s not a surprise to see a freelance writer wearing strange wigs or doing strange things during a write-up to get a “feel” of the unusual writing job that has been given to them. Here is a list of five unusual yet lucrative freelance writing jobs available to freelance writers…
Published on June 27, 2012
Ever since the death of my four-year-old Daniel in 1997, I wanted to write a book about grief and loss. As I grappled with my new bereaved life, daily yearning for my child, I submitted query letters to potential publishers. While some were interested, a few wrote back that they thought it was too soon to write a book of this nature. Too soon? ‘What did they know?’ I thought as I crafted another letter, hoping a different slant might work to get me a contract this time…
Published on June 20, 2012
All the kids came over for Father’s Day with the exception of Zach. We are going to be in Port Charlotte this week for a dentist appointment so we’ll be celebrating Father’s Day with him then. Justin cooked burgers for us that consisted of Pork Belly fried in Duck Fat and served over ground beef and caramelized onions. It was DELICIOUS! Sssshhh! Don’t tell our cardiologist!
Published on June 20, 2012
self-publishing
Ah, the large POD publishers will say just about anything to get your money, including offering ridiculous sales that look like good deals…until you do the math.
Published on June 20, 2012
Letters will return next week.
Published on June 20, 2012
book marketing
Without being cheesy or over-the-top, you can tactfully use current events to sell your story. In fact, many authors get their book ideas by reading the paper.
Published on June 20, 2012
A (local) man decided to do an anthology with the proceeds going to a charity. I submitted a poem and it was accepted with a small, simple contract offered. Everything was fine until the anthology came out and the man had listed himself and his wife as the authors of the book. Now, individual poems were listed by author but the cover / title page and back of title page showed the couple as authors.
Published on June 20, 2012
One of the reasons I am employed as a writer is because I talk to people — in the check-out line, the doctor’s office, the vet, the post office, the nail salon, to name a few — because I want people to know who I am and what I do, just in case they’re ever in need of one. How often have you been at a party to hear someone bellow, “Is there a writer in the house?” How about never? Gab, and you shall be rewarded. It doesn’t pay to be shy under any circumstances.
Published on June 13, 2012
We had a humdinger of a storm last weekend. We were first alerted when the news flashed a warning that there was a waterspout offshore and that the front of the storm would arrive in exactly 17 minutes. After chuckling about our first waterspout, we put made sure everything was secure outside and then I put helmets on Max and Mason and gave one to Frank (age 19) in case he needed one, too. Laugh all you want but I keep their bike helmets handy after reading THIS STORY.
Published on June 13, 2012
For the past six weeks, we’ve spent every spare moment judging the hundreds of entries submitted for the Spring, 2012 24-Hour Short Story Contest. In case you’re not familiar with our quarterly contest, this is how it works. On the date of the contest, at start-time, we send out the topic for that specific contest to all registered entrants, while also posting it online. Entrants then have 24 hours to write and submit their stories. The stories “must deal with the topic in some way to qualify” and they must not exceed the pre-assigned word count.
After reading the entries for each contest, we can see how difficult it is to come up with a unique plot when working with an assigned topic. But, inevitably, a few writers do manage to successfully break away from the pack.
So, today, taste the salt on your lips and feel the sun baking your skin…
