When I started freelancing, along with a full-time day job, I had a handful of small, regular blogging gigs. Each week, my entire freelancing to-do list fit on a single sheet of paper. That didn’t last long! Whether you’re freelancing part-time or full-time, chances...
As writers — whether aspiring or published — we often face the bitter criticism of our own minds before setting a single word to page or screen. We question the “worth” of our story, comparing it to every other story we’ve encountered. We minimize the...
If you’ve ever applied for a writing residency, retreat or fellowship, it sometimes feels intimidating to know your application is lumped into a pile with highly accomplished and well-established writers. As a young writer, the application alone was a big enough...
As a writer for local/regional magazines, I do most of my interviews via phone. I’m often writing for publications based a few counties away, so phone calls are the easiest interview option (especially for stories that pay, say, less than $100). There are many...
One of the great perks of being a freelance writer is the possibility of taking your work with you, wherever you go. But a few conditions make certain cities more conducive to a productive freelance life than others. Good internet, a creative and innovative...
Many aspiring authors often ask, “What’s it like to work with a book editor?” The short answer to this question is: It depends on which editor you’re working with. For instance, some editors would strike that last sentence because it ends with a preposition. Some...
Once you commit to starting a blog, the next important step to making your blog a success is to create compelling content to boost traffic and engagement. As a freelance writer and blogger, I always advise my clients to post one type of content more than anything...
It’s not difficult to see the correlation between freelance writers and salespeople. In both professions, success depends on a person’s ability find prospects and develop relationships with new clients. Yet somehow, most freelance writers don’t recognize the need to...
Are you the kind of writer who’s always worried about meeting deadlines? Do you begin every day with a to-do list and end it with only half of the items done? Do you get stuck working late, staying up all night with a draft or sending apology notes to editors? At...
When I am not being an author, my full-time job is in public relations. As one might imagine, the value of, say, being quoted in a magazine feature article, is harder to measure than most other marketing efforts. It’s pretty rare to see a direct jump in sales as a...
