I’m a sucker for a free gift with purchase. In fact, I wait to buy my favorite Lancome or Estee Lauder beauty products until it’s bonus time. And I usually stock up on things like socks when the buy-one-get-one-free (BOGO) specials come along. For freelance writers, this proven marketing tactic is a great way to get new clients – or revitalize an existing client relationship that’s gone cold.
For most of my adult life, I’ve felt pulled in two career directions: renewable energy and freelance writing. Though my 9-to-5 job took me into the renewable energy world, I never gave up on my other passion. I sent pitches and articles all over town. On the good days, I received personal rejection notes. These, at least, were better than the generic “this isn’t quite right for us” or – even more prevalent – “no response” responses.
Richard bought me an iPhone for Mother’s Day months ago. I LOVE my iPhone! After dropping it numerous times on everything from the carpet to cement, I finally managed to kill it…by leaving it in my pocket one night. I realized it was missing the next morning and, after looking high and low, offered a reward to the child who could find it.
Author Thomas Rey Benjey filed a lawsuit against Amazon/BookSurge alleging copyright infringement.
This Week:
Books are my business. In the last seven to eight years, I’ve helped make people’s books come alive with manuscript editing, project managing books to print, graphic design and layout, and sometimes ghostwriting. So when a fellow member of an association – a friend – came to me to ask me to ghostwrite a manuscript, I didn’t turn him down.
When I first caught the writing bug in the Spring of 2006 I had no idea where to begin. Slow days at work were filled googling “writing tips” and “freelance writing” for information and inspiration. All this Internet research led me to varied websites, often with conflicting advice: write what you know vs. write what you like to read; writers must be readers vs. writers must be writers. I was confused to say the least. But as the vast, intricately linked world of the Internet would have it, just when I decided I was wasting my time, I stumbled upon a Yahoo group for writers that would change everything.
Last Friday, we jumped in the truck with Max and Mason and took a six-hour drive to Burlington, Vermont. The ride was absolutely gorgeous! Most of the fall leaves had already fallen but what remained were yellow and copper, painted amongst the evergreens and mountain rocks. There was snow at the top of Mount Washington. That was a treat to see! Driving through that part of the country, surrounded by colorful layers of mountains, cascading into the horizon, is beyond description. I was wondering what I’d done good recently to deserve being in that spot at that moment in time. God sure did some special work with his paintbrush on that stretch of highway!
After the Summer contest, I posted a missive about the common themes in entries submitted for the Summer 24-Hour Short Story Contest. We received lots of positive feedback so I’m doing it again this quarter.
Thanks!
Hi Angela,
I just have to tell you that you write the nicest acceptance letters of any editor I’ve worked with! You are so enthusiastic and encouraging! Thank you for making my day! 🙂
Diane Stark
