After college I started submitting personal essays to freelance newspaper columns that receive anywhere from 200 to 500 entries a week. In one, I wrote about a relationship falling apart as if it were a divorce. Another was a tribute to my family doctor on his retirement. A couple of my articles were published, which gave me hope that I might have some talent.
Tony Amato was a friend of mine. I worked with him on one of his many drafts of his book. That was years ago when he was still looking for a publisher. He received many offers from fly by night vanity publishers asking for thousands of dollars. Several friends suggested Tony try Booklocker.com. Now Tony […]
Everything is not always rosy here at the “Home Office.” With the blessing of having a financially successful home-based business also comes the dread of dealing with jerks on a frequent basis.
The Christmas my first book was being published, my younger daughter gave me a beautiful pen engraved, Johnnie Gaskill, Author. As I blinked back tears over the gift commemorating my arrival at that significant milepost, I realized I could never have reached that destination without the help of other writers.
Today we’re featuring a free excerpt from Writing Lessons Learned: We Learned The Hard Way So You Don’t Have To by Shelley Divnich Haggert and Linda Sherwood. The easy-to-read Q&A format of this book makes finding the answers to freelancing questions a breeze. In Writing Lessons Learned, the beginning writer receives sage advice from not […]
I never knew that one day I would become a freelance writer, had it not been for my father’s encouragement and belief in me. I was first published at the age of seven in a local children’s magazine. It was a small poem, with my photograph published alongside it.
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 […]
