Writers and Speakers often need to come up with humor quickly to meet a deadline or take advantage of topical material. Here’s how to do a fast funny… To write jokes fast, focus on the essentials. A formula helps. My formula for a joke is: Upset the Setup What you’re shooting for is a surprising […]
I make my income exclusively from writing from our family’s rural home in Indiana. This meets my personal definition of success.
Marketability = Market Value. Perhaps it’s more accurate to say…marketability = perceived market value.
If you don’t know exactly how much money you’re going to make before you write an article, then, chances are, you’re being taken for a ride. Never, ever write an article if you don’t know exactly how much you’re going to make before you start writing.
I received an email yesterday titled “Everyone can write, publish & earn rewards.” Sounds like an ad for frequent flier miles, doesn’t it? I knew what it was about, so I opened it feeling anxious to slam a site that believes writers don’t deserve to earn money for a living.
“How to get published,” read the course title in the community college brochure. At 57, I’d always loved writing but never considered selling my essays. I learned a lot from the course, but my publishing “career” would have to be put on hold.
You’ve achieved the goal of goals-your book is finally in print. You’ve celebrated, heaved a giant sigh of relief, and reveled in a bit of glory. Okay-so now what? Do you kick back, put up your feet, and live the life of Reilly? Certainly not! My dear authors, your work has just begun! It’s time […]
The Autobiography of Donna Kozik by Donna Kozik. It was my first work, written when I was about seven years old. It was complete with cover illustration, a Swingline stapler binding and thorough, albeit brief, storytelling. My mother thought it was the best thing she ever read.
Recently one of my students posed the question, “How do I become a fiction writer?” I thought about it for a while – there’s no real obvious answer. The urge to write fiction seems God-given for some, a learned skill for others. One thing is certain – it requires practice and a particular mindset. But, […]
You’ve come up with a great idea. You’ve got some unique characters. You think it might be possible that you’ve thought of a series. How do you convince a publisher? The publishing industry is driven by money just like any other. Publishers and writers both want to make a living. One time honored way to […]
