"I kicked Barbie to the curb. Everything must go," the online auction headline said. Intrigued, I read on, amused at the tale of Ken and Barbie's "divorce." Just because the description was so amusing, I almost bid on the grimy plastic dollhouse - of dingy furniture and frizzy-haired dolls. At a garage sale I wouldn't have paid $10 for it all, so I was stunned to see it go for $50... …
Scoring top-name interviews adds some serious clout to your portfolio and helps you obtain assignments with better pay. But, at times, it can feel like well-known people live in an ivory tower slathered in Crisco. Here's how you can scale those slippery walls.…
Writing is a valuable craft. Writers can and do earn a lot of money from books, television shows, and speeches, as well as other types of written and oral content. Almost every website, video, or product has some type of written content so there should be plenty of opportunities for writers to find decent paying work. However, many writers complain that the keep running into low paying clients and content mills online... …
I can see the headline now: Struggling freelance writer catapulted into a deadly game of fraud and foreign assassins... …
When pulling art or photography from the Internet, most authors know to be careful about copyright protection. Most of the work found online cannot be copied without the expectation of a DMAC take-down notice from an artist's attorney, so most writers focus their searches on stock photo sites instead. These sites, usually owned by massive multimedia conglomerates, sell licenses to photographs and vector artwork at reasonable prices. Professional and DIY cover designers alike rely on stock sites as a source of affordable, safe art. Unfortunately, not all stock art is trustworthy... …
One of the first things freelancers, self-employed professionals, and entrepreneurs have to learn very, very quickly is the art of closing the deal. The problem is, despite having worked in the business for years, many freelance writers still don't realize that they're responsible for being proactive about this and that this business term - closing the deal - doesn't just apply to other businesses, but to everything they do. …
Back when I was in high school, I wanted to be a writer. I wanted to write what I wanted, when I wanted. I wanted it to be informational, yet conversational. I wanted to control when and what I wrote about, yet still have a consistent job... …
We're used to hearing the term in relation to finances with visions of bulls and bears dancing in our heads. But, let's expand our definition of market share a little bit. Once you've cornered your niche market, figured out what what your readers love, and capitalized on it, you nonetheless should be exercising a flexibility that leads to growth. Think hard on the following points... …
Montecito, California, just outside Santa Barbara, is practically paradise. Today (and from what I am told, virtually every day) it is sunny and bright, not a cloud in the deep blue sky. Palm trees decorate the parking lot, and a cool breeze sweeps across the front of the bookstore where I am sitting in a high-back chair before a table of books. I'm about to begin the final book event of my west coast tour for Tracks: A Novel in Stories. Tecolote Books in Montecito is kind enough to host me. …
People ask me all the time how I became a travel writer. My answer is: travel... …
What do you charge for website copy? What about blog articles? Do you charge per page or per word? How about a sales letter? What are your rates for those? Those are typical questions for clients to ask a writer these days... …
Copywriting and copyblogging are two highly lucrative writing fields yet too many freelance writers continue to "grind it out" at small-time blogs, "mom-and-pop" businesses and non-profits. In some cases, these freelance writers assume that they don't have the right credentials to land a corporate gig. In other cases, they are intimidated by the corporate world and its profit-centric terminology such as ROI, KPI, sales copy, landing page, marketing collateral, etc. However, aside from being prefaced by the word "copy," copywriting and copyblogging still involve writing well for an audience... …
You borrow books, you scan magazines. What else can the library do for you as an author? Two things... …
In 2001, I began to write my first fiction manuscript. Three years later, I'd established a website, and began to upload information about the title. Imagine my surprise and excitement when, not more than two months after my finishing it, an acquisition editor for a good-size publisher read my web excerpts, and requested the full manuscript. I remember I was beside myself with anxiety as I received nothing back... …
As profitable and satisfying as full-time freelancing can be, a part-time freelancing business has its merits, too. For one, you have the security of a salaried position to make it through the inevitable lean season. Also, depending on the job, you'll still be covered by employee health benefits - something many full-time freelancers still struggle with... …
How many people would ask a contractor to remodel their kitchen (a $20,000 job, or more), and expect the contractor to agree to be paid when you sold your home for a hefty price several years down the road? More significantly, how many contractors would take such an offer, knowing that the real estate market could tank, leaving the seller with less money than they anticipated and none left to pay your bill? …
The more time you spend completing paid writing assignments and the less time you spend looking for them, the more your income increases because your number of billable hours grows... …
Sometime between my 105th sent resume and 35th rejection letter as a freelancer, I've become a cynical, hate-filled spinster who doesn't even have a cat to fill me with love. It's a perfectly sensible attitude to adopt when you're an unemployed writer looking for work on the Internet. I've been burned by an "employer" on Craigslist so, when I heard about oDesk from a friend, its double-checking system sounded pretty safe... …
It pays well and it isn't too hard. Even if you're used to writing for magazines, your skills are transferable to this type of work... …
At the end of 2012, NBC reported that freelancers (across industries) now make up almost a third of workers in the U.S. But, the MBO Partners State of Independence Report around the same time pointed out that 30% of these independent workers are still worried about their future as freelancers, and 40% are worried about where their next job will come from... …
Technical writers come in two types: ones with scientific backgrounds and ones with writing backgrounds. Starting out, both types are at a disadvantage in delivering well-written technical materials...…
I started my book publishing career a dozen years ago at BookLocker.com, which is not a traditional publisher. So successful was Some Sunny Day - an account of family life when my father returned from overseas after the Second World War - that it led to a multi-book contract with a traditional publisher. And, that's where the heartache began... …
Many freelancers have that one client they love above all others. They're the VIP that pays on time, the customer who doesn't question his bill, the friend who gives you both steady work and the time of day. They're the rock upon which your business is built. When that rock disappears, negative thoughts start to run through your head. Anxiety starts creeping in, and your thoughts spiral down into panic. I know, because I've been there myself; and I can tell you this. Yes, your business can survive. And here's how... …
Steady work is survival for a freelancer - it means paying your rent, keeping the lights on, and eating. So, when you snag a regular client you want to hang onto them... …
There are two qualities that you need to get your work published: skill as a writer and the ability to generate unique, enthralling subject matter. However, different purposes require varying balances of these attributes... …
Much of the legal profession, and especially non-profit law firms, rely on instructional materials, such as "How-To" pamphlets and "Know Your Rights" brochures, to provide basic legal information to their clients. Here's where you come in: these pamphlets and brochures often appear to be slapped together without much effort or editing. …
Although I have obtained long-term and well-paying writing gigs through online ads, I've also read many ads that raised red flags. Here are a few signs you should not respond... …
Just two days before my event at the local library, the librarian called to touch base. "Now, you are the one who wanted to do a PowerPoint presentation, right?" Huh? Clearly she had me confused with another presenter. I had no plans for a PowerPoint, but the second I opened my mouth, I heard myself saying, "Sure. I'd like to do that." For two days, I rushed to create a presentation in connection with my fifth novel's release. Although I'd created a few PowerPoint presentations before for various teaching engagements, I'd never thought to do one for a novel... …
Literary legend has it that mystery writer Robert Parker sent a two-sentence query to the publisher of his first novel: "Here's my manuscript. Want to publish it?" While it was accepted--no doubt on the strength of the author's bestselling style--most wannabe-published writers need more than this to be taken seriously... …
Writers often jump at the prospect of work. They will jump through hoops, walk through fire, and compromise their core values just because there might be a chance of getting some work. They will often overlook important details about projects, which might cause them to never get paid or get any credit for their work. Writers need to think carefully before they say "I do" to any project. Experienced writers probably know all of this, but inexperienced writers often make a lot of mistakes in this area. Here are some things to consider before saying "I do" to any project... …
Notoriety and cash in the bank are still possible regardless of being time pressured, lacking confidence or losing motivation to complete that novel... …
Writers dream of big things for themselves and their careers. When faced with rejection or roadblocks, however, some writers abandon their dreams. This doesn't need to happen to you! If you want to make your dreams come true, you need to do what I did... …
Here is a simple, tried and true formula that I use to compose a "how to" book... …
