It probably wouldn’t surprise you to hear that most authors don’t make a living off their writing. According to a 2014 survey, 54 percent of traditionally published authors and almost 80 percent of self-published authors make less than $1,000 per year, says The...
As artists — and by artists I mean anyone who creates: painters, entrepreneurs, coders, accountants even — we place high demands on our creativity. We expect it to be there on tap and ready to flow at a moment’s notice. This is both completely unreasonable and totally...
After months or years of painstaking work writing, editing, and crafting your book, it’s finally ready for the world. But how do you get people to read it? Maybe you’ve approached your local bookstores, posted it for sale online, and even plugged it on Facebook,...
What would your life be like if you said “yes” more often? That’s what powerhouse TV producer Shonda Rhimes wondered after her sister told her, “You never say ‘yes’ to anything.” These words shook Rhimes to her core and inspired her to accept her sister’s challenge:...
I’d like to introduce a concept I suspect many freelance writers can identify with: the panic nap. It’s a phenomenon that occurs when you have way too much to do, or a scary task on your to-do list. Instead of actually tackling the task at hand, anxiety makes your...
When I queried my first novel, I was looking for an agent, with the intent of pitching the “Big Five” publishers, and maybe some of the bigger small presses, if necessary. I got some bites for partial and full manuscripts, as well as some encouraging comments, but no...
When I had a baby last April, I was worried my freelance writing career would take a hit. But since having my son, I’ve been published in two of my dream publications and even landed a copywriting gig for a national chain! In many ways, being a mom has made me a much...
Hi, my name is Jessie, and I’m a writer. I can nail thriller scenes for novels, attention-grabbing article ledes, and persuasive product descriptions. Yet one form of writing repeatedly eludes me: business emails. Especially emails that involve my nemesis…...
Freelancing is often seen as the first step to entrepreneurship. But as a freelance writer you probably run a one-person business, trading time for money, while dreaming of living the laptop lifestyle, posting pictures from Mauritius and Thailand while working in your...
Recently, I wrote an article for a corporate newsletter that focused on BDPs, or best demonstrated practices, for sales professionals. Several seasoned veterans in the field shared their most successful strategies for sealing the deal. Trial and error was key, as it...
