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.
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.
Marketability = Market Value. Perhaps it’s more accurate to say…marketability = perceived market value.
“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 […]
I recently moved into a new apartment and was working on my electronic equipment budget when it struck me that my freelance work had appreciated in value in the past 12 months. After drawing up a list of items I need to buy, I worked on finding the money required. A profile sold to Bona magazine would pay for the new video machine, while a career article sold to Cosmopolitan would pay for the microwave oven. A personal essay on single parenting would replace my old washing machine. The realization that each piece I write could potentially buy me a brand new piece of furniture was exhilarating.
It’s that time of year again. With brand-new calendars and the joy of writing “2003” on our checks, we set writing goals for the year. Let’s see, “This year, I will actually finish the novel I started each of the last five years,” or maybe “This year I will send at least ten queries every […]
