When it rains, it pours. My first taste of success happened a year ago, in April 2001. My essay “The Silk Robe” won in the 2001 National Literature Competition sponsored by American Mothers, Inc. The essay about my Mom placed first in North Dakota and second at the National level. Seven months later, my booklet “The Silk Robe” was published.
These days, publishers and editors can be pretty creative when coming up with reasons to not pay writers. We’ve heard it all at WritersWeekly.com Warnings!
I’ve only written one query letter in my life. Never got so much as a form letter response. I’ve never written a manuscript proposal or created an outline for anything. Yet, I’m a writer. It’s in my blood and in my dreams. The fuel was there and fear kept me from igniting it until this winter.
Freelancers do what they do for a variety of reasons, not the least of which is to make a living. Some writers have been going at it for years without seeing a desired monetary return on their efforts. As if rejections aren’t depressing enough, the lack of checks coming in the mail can make them […]
I didn’t think so two years ago before I had my son, Weston. The office environment suited me well. I was working for a women’s organization and writing for its magazine. There were weekly planning meetings, phone interviews and research projects to occupy five days a week.
Working as a sales representative for an educational publisher has opened up an entirely new world of learning for me. I have been able to peer into the publishing process, the types of books written and the latest trends across the nation, much like a medical student is able to view the fine art of […]
Starting in the second grade when I learned how to print, I loved writing. To take the ideas from my head and put them on paper excited me. Whether it was keeping a diary or writing long newsy letters to Grandma, I loved it. But as I got older things changed. We’ve all had the naysayers in our lives. Teachers, family members, and an ex-spouse all dismissed my writing as a waste of my time.
I started writing for money over 20 years ago. I had no experience, no direction, no formal training, no money, and a wife and two kids who depended on me for sustenance and covering. I lived in a small town in Florida, and worked on a coffee table in the corner of my bedroom, using […]
I’ve been a writer at heart since the age of 10. My love of writing led me to major in Journalism. After graduation, I worked in marketing and graphic design. I was happiest when I was writing, but the positions I held were not writing-focused. In order to break into the writing field, I decided I had to do something different.
Food, glorious food! There, I have your attention. We all love food, as it nourishes more than just our bodies. From memories of Mom’s homemade cookies waiting when we returned home from school, to a favorite comfort food that consoles us when we’re down, food is an enduring passion for millions of people. Now, turn […]
