The term Resident Scholars creates visions of poet laureates or literary masters in a college setting with anxious young protégés around their feet awaiting wise and noble direction. While very Victorian in thought, this picture is not the reality of today where resident scholars exist in every state. And while some may work at colleges, […]
Whether in Canada or the US, freelancers have two areas in which they are especially vulnerable: copyright infringement and payment; often the two go hand in hand. While outright theft of work may be difficult to avoid, a background check and a good contract will go a long way in protecting your rights. RESEARCH WHO […]
Here it is again, September. Like so many people I know Autumn is my favorite time of year. I remember the first real Fall-like day of 2001. The calendar said it was still summer, but driving to work that day the cool air, the crystal blue sky dotted with a few wispy clouds all said Fall was here. It was, as far as I was concerned, the first day of Autumn.
Ever watch your favorite sitcom on television and think: “I can write that.” Better yet, ever watch a mediocre sitcom and yell back to the screen… “This is so bad… I KNOW I can write better than that.” Well, there’s a chance you might be able to. Television writing pays very well. Beginning writers can […]
The Mystery of Castle Dawn. That was it. That was the title of my first body of work; in fact, those five words WERE the body of work. They came to me one day, in a flash of literary brilliance, during my fourth grade year and I knew right then I wanted to be a writer.
If you’re self-motivated and have a “funny bone” you can explore a career writing jokes, or “gags” for stand-up comics. Like fuel that runs a car, new and fresh jokes are the sustenance that keeps comics and their careers flourishing. They can never get enough of them. But they have to be great jokes. No […]
For the last 14 years, I’ve followed my heart and written whenever possible and about anything that struck my fancy. But it wasn’t until two years ago that I found the confidence, power, and opportunities that changed my writing income from less than $1500 a year with 60 sales to $12,000 a year part-time and 200 sales.
Stop looking at age as a deterrent! In fact, you should regard your more “mature” years as a gift—especially with regard to freelance writing.
Two years ago, I quit a perfectly good editing job at BusinessWeek magazine to be a freelance writer. Why? To have more flexibility, to spend more time with my children, and to never, ever sit through a Friday staff meeting again.
This morning I dashed down my driveway to get the morning paper. I’m not usually this excited to read the daily paper, but today’s edition is especially thrilling for me because it contains my first paid article for a newspaper.
