When my first novel came out, my publisher’s PR department had me write articles for magazines, websites and book bloggers to promote my book. It’s difficult to say exactly which pieces drove sales and put royalties in my pocket, but one thing was sure: I wrote a lot...
When freelance writers look for work, they often look in the same few places. They pitch their favorite blogs, they email the one client who hired them a year ago and they try to figure out which Craigslist posts are scams. Meanwhile, there’s writing all around you...
“I’m a writer.” Ah, the romance of the title. You declare your ownership of the pen, and suddenly whoever asked you what you “do” certainly pictures you sitting in a coffee shop, demurely sipping your cappuccino behind your fabulous (if a little weather-worn)...
A good freelancer knows when it’s time to say goodbye to a client in order to take on a bigger opportunity — but a good freelancer also knows that putting all of your eggs into one large client basket isn’t necessarily the best idea. Do you always have to drop a...
I’m an author. For writers who want to publish a book, the thought of uttering those words is a dream waiting to be explored. But for many, it never transfers to reality. Why? For some, it’s a lack of time. Or you’re not clear on what you should write about. For...
Most of us are hard at work, day in and day out, honing and perfecting the art of the written word. Something else many of us have perfected? The art of procrastination. You know the feeling. It’s time to sit down to work on your novel, publish that blog post or draft...
What’s the only thing better than dreaming about a profitable blog? Actually having a profitable blog. The question is how to make that happen. I was the hardest working, dirt-poor blogger out there. I hustled. I put in tons of hours. But I still didn’t...
When I first started freelancing, I burned out with alarming regularity. In those early days, I was working part-time at a desk job, part-time as a waitress, and picking up an increasing number of freelance clients as I built my business. The way I took breaks was by...
A year ago, I received a check for my first paid writing assignment. In college, I wrote for free for the student newspaper, a few travel blogs, and Thought Catalog. I had a ton of experience, but it took me a while to figure out how to get paid for my work. I didn’t...
“I could hear your voice on every page.” When a client tells me that’s what they’re hearing from readers, I know that I’ve done part of my job as their ghostwriter. The other part of the job is to craft an artful, compelling narrative with drive that makes a reader...
