Freelance writers are very much like prospectors, those itinerant gold seekers represented in popular fiction as solitary individuals searching the desert for gold and motivated by an irresistible dream of success. The good news is that the gold is really out there. There are nuggets of various sizes and rich veins of ore waiting to […]
At eight, I knew I wanted to be a writer. In class, I would write poems, riddles and stories. I loved writing.
It used to be that the label “self-published author” was loser-speak for “I couldn’t get published anywhere else.” Nobody likes to be rejected, but in the supply and demand crapshoot market of book publishing, hand selecting the next sure thing is an intuitive gamble that publishers must take. Many self-published authors step out on their […]
I’d come to the place in my career where I realized that my family didn’t need a famous mother. They didn’t need a literary genius. Good thing because I wasn’t either.
Most authors believe that getting on Oprah will make them a Millionaire and their book a bestseller. For your book and career to take-off like the last space shuttle, you must prepare to make the most of your appearance. Here are some hot tips to help you get invited as a guest on the show, […]
Maybe I’m paranoid, or maybe it’s good old common sense. Regardless of the reasoning, the other day I decided it was time to start taking a daily multi-vitamin. The one thing I noticed was that each box stressed the importance of taking one of these pills each and every day. Maybe the manufacturer just wanted […]
I receive dozens of e-mails each week asking, “OK. I love writing. But how do I get PAYING assignments!?!?” Depending on where you live, landing those paying jobs may not be as hard as you think. The secret is to start small and build from there. I began my writing career covering local city council […]
I recently had an Oprah moment. After my fair share of reporting on county-board ditch discussions, interviewing CEOs and staying up all night because I had an article deadline and I’d left it till the last minute AGAIN, I realized I don’t LIKE reporting, or interviewing, or querying markets with half-hearted ideas. At age 33, my nasty habit of letting life get in the way of self-discipline was always going to be a bad habit, unless I wrote what I felt passionate about — unless I found my niche.
This article may be freely reprinted/redistributed as long as the entire article and bio are included. As writers, much of our day is spent marketing and promoting our work. Every day? Some people are astonished when I answer that with a resounding, “Yes!” I spend a good part of each workday performing some sort of […]
Mom wanted me to be a writer. Dad wanted me to go into electronics. Sadly, they died before I made my mark doing both.
