Published on July 17, 2013
writing career advice
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?
Published on June 12, 2013
book marketing, diversify your writing income, promoting your writing, writing career advice, writing tips
As the owner of WritersWeekly.com and BookLocker.com, writers and authors frequently add me to email notifications they send out when they update their website or blog. I’m happy to receive these and I often find interesting and intriguing tidbits in these individuals’ posts. Unfortunately, some of them have great blog posts or website articles but very boring email notifications so nobody opens them…
Published on June 5, 2013
writing career advice
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…
Published on May 15, 2013
writing career advice
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…
Published on November 21, 2012
Paying Markets for Writers, writing career advice
I woke up one day and said, “I want to write humor.” When I sat down at the keyboard, the one-liners and witticisms flew from my fingers like lightning flashes. Now I make tons of money with my laugh-a-second writing.
And if you believe that, I have a boat I’d like to sell you…
Published on September 26, 2012
writing career advice
Past clients usually make the best future clients. They’re already impressed with your work ethic, they know why you charge what you do and they love your style. You don’t have to dazzle them with flashy advertisements to reel them in, and you don’t have to walk on eggshells when you deal with them because you’re already familiar with the way they do business.
Published on July 25, 2012
writing career advice
Do you have to be paranoid when you deal with editors and publishers? No. Should you be aware of your rights, responsibilities and potential red flags? Yes.
Published on May 2, 2012
writing career advice
It’s tempting to put querying aside while you’re working on assignments, and then pick it up again when the work runs out. The problem is that, by then, it’s too late. You end up with a gap in your assignments – and your income.
Published on April 13, 2011
writing career advice
Before I launched my freelance copywriting business, I spent three full months planning my escape from corporate America. (Four months if you count the month I spent over-thinking whether I should quit my day job . . . or not.) I read Peter Bowerman’s book, The Well-Fed Writer, cover-to-cover. Twice. I built a website and created an online portfolio. I converted my rarely-used formal living room into an office. And I planned my business implementation strategy.
These early efforts paid off. Within 90 days of starting my business, I had replaced my full time income…
Published on January 5, 2011
writing career advice
At 40, after several years as a stay-at-home mom, I returned to college to complete my associate’s degree to make myself more marketable when I returned to the workforce. A medical secretary by default, most of my courses were business related. However, one of my electives, Newspaper Research and Reporting, put me on a new and unexpected career path…
