WARNING – Never Write For A Skinflint! By Katherine Swarts
Reverse sticker shock hit me at the rise of freelance blogging. Were online publishers serious about offering just $10 – 20 per article?
writing career advice
Why I Fired My Agent, And Turned To Self-Publishing By Anonymous
What encompasses more than half the battle of getting a book published? Obtaining a reputable agent. Some would argue those are kind odds about the reality of the game. I’m here to impart that it is a game, of the shell variety, a three-way chess match in which the unaware writer is the pawn…
6 Ways To Kill Your Freelance Writing Career Before It Begins By Shanon Lee
Starting a freelance writing career can be challenging. Creative careers often attract individuals fueled by passion, without the business acumen to sustain their efforts. Learning how to attract and retain clients, while remaining fulfilled by your work, is a delicate balance that can be achieved by avoiding these common beginner mistakes…
Publications That Pay NOTHING, And Take All Rights, Are ROTTEN! By Denise Reich
A few weeks ago a writer friend suggested that I check out one of her favorite publications. On the surface it looked promising. The journal presented itself as a socially conscious, humanitarian outfit. However, the writers’ guidelines told a different story…
DO THEY WANT MY BOOK TO FAIL?! When Traditional Publishers Treat New Authors Like (Bleep) By Anonymous
As I look back, I am stunned that the ignorant inquiries I made to my traditional publisher and literary agent did not create waves of guffaws and rollicking cackles. Upon the release of my first book by a traditional publisher, during a conference call, I queried the publisher and her henchmen about their promotional plans. Would there be some sort of tour maybe? A round of book signings in a few large cities perhaps? A few flights and hotel stays, at the publisher’s expense, of course, in the pursuit of boosting book sales? Silly me. The nerve! A publisher spending money promoting a new author’s book? Ha…
WHO Are YOU? Choosing a Pseudonym for Maximum Impact…and Sales! By Deborah Jeanne Sergeant
Your byline is important, not just in its frequency of appearance, but also in how it affects your income. Some writers operating writing businesses use a name other than their own if they pen web copy or advertising, for example. But for some types of writing, such as periodicals and books, your name is your brand identity…
The Rule of 5 for Writers By William Ballard
I learned the concept of the Rule of 5 at a seminar, “The Rule of 5 for Leadership,” by John Maxwell. Since then, I’ve heard the Rule of 5 for just about everything. The Rule of 5 is a list of the five key things that you must do every day in your business, in your writing, or whatever goal you may be pursuing…
Write to Excite! Let Your Enthusiasm Excite Editors and Readers. By Christine Laws
One way to increase income is to write and sell more. But, how do you overcome inertia? Consider what excites you…
Nautical Notes: Boating Magazines That Welcome Freelancers Aboard By Cyndi Perkins
Story opportunities are as densely packed as the crab traps that blanket Florida Bay. For the nautically minded writer, opportunities abound wherever mariners are enjoying their boats – or not enjoying their boats, i.e.: treating stinky waste-holding tanks, fixing balky engines or extricating the entangled lines of those pesky crab traps from propellers…
Getting and Giving a Second Chance By Christine Laws
A friend had recommended me to a curriculum publisher. Could I revise workbooks for fifth-grade science? I said that I would give it a try, and soon a big box appeared on my porch.
I eagerly delved into the materials: course samples, manuals on how to design curriculum, workbooks to revise, and the fifth-grade science textbook. The cover art featured a wise-looking owl. Was I wise enough to rewrite ten science workbooks?