Published on February 15, 2006
Last week, I received two letters from readers complimenting us on only running quality job ads. While I do occasionally screw up and get “had” by a bad one, I try very hard each week to avoid the questionable/seedy ads, and only run ads that are for real companies that pay writers real money.
I admit I get pretty upset when I see my writing website colleagues running ads that are obviously questionable or unethical, if not downright scams (pay per click, term paper mills, etc.) and, unfortunately, when I write to them to complain, they usually ignore my emails…
Published on February 15, 2006
I love your site. It’s very fun and informative. Do you know of a good manuscript editing service?
Published on February 8, 2006
We’ve had a really unusual winter this year. As I am writing this, there is no snow on the ground. Yes, that’s right. It’s supposed to be the coldest, nastiest time of the year for Mainers. But, it was in the 50’s last weekend, sunny, breezy, and downrights Springish! I ran errands on Saturday and didn’t even need a sweater.
Published on February 8, 2006

We recently ran an article on low-paying Bottom Feeders. Basically, there are people, with seemingly no business experience, who are starting fledgling websites online and offering ridiculously low fees to writers. Unfortunately, sometimes new writers don’t know any better and find themselves spending hours writing an article that will bring in less than $10. They then learn they’ve sold all rights to the greedy company. In some cases, they may even find their articles online later, appearing under somebody’s else’s name. (If a firm buys all rights, they can do pretty much whatever they please with it, including putting their name on the article.) Some people buy articles for pennies and turn around and sell them for hundreds.
Published on February 8, 2006
This Week:
- Thanks For Help With Unprofessional Publisher
- Writing Shorts
Published on February 8, 2006

Admit it. You are a successful freelance writer or journalist. You enjoy a great relationship with the same editors and write for the same publications. It’s a great life. In fact, make that a darn wonderful life. Why change it? Because in today’s world it’s easier than ever to move beyond your own backyard and out into that big, bold world of untapped markets.
Published on February 8, 2006
While I consider myself a fairly good salesperson, I am eighty years old and wonder if self-marketing is for me. I wonder if I have the physical energy to get involved in self-publishing.
At the same time I have come to trust WritersWeekly in a number of areas. But I still wonder, Can an old man market a book?
Published on February 8, 2006
A few weeks ago I noticed an article in WritersWeekly by Jimmy Moore in which he talked about how blogging was helping him build a market for his book. The piece rang a bell for me because it closely parallels my experience with podcasting. The American Oxford Dictionary declared “podcast” to be its word of the year for 2005. In a little over a year, the technology went from non-existent to hosting thousands of shows (National Public Radio alone puts out 234 podcasts).
Published on February 1, 2006
At the new sonogram, she was MUCH bigger and they couldn’t get her entire body on the screen at one time. She was moving her mouth (chewing) for a few minutes, and later was sucking on her finger. Max thought that was just the neatest thing in the world. (He thought the blue goo they put on my belly was pretty neat, too.) Needless to say, we were all absolutely shocked into hysterics, when the technician panned over Izzy again and a very prominent, very large…
Published on February 1, 2006
This Week:
- Baby Sign Language
- Thanks for Contract Advice
- Autograph Scam