You’re about to work on your first big writing project. Whether it’s a novel, memoir, or short story, you don’t want everyone to know it’s your first (even if you’re shaking in your boots, just a little). Many first-time writers fall into traps that can decrease the...
Do you dream of being a columnist? Have you already started writing columns for local publications or your favorite online magazine? Column-writers know there is simply no truth to the persistent and romanticized image of the columnist: standing on a balcony in his...
Writing a book has always been at the top of my bucket list. On more than one occasion I’ve been known to say the words aloud: “I’m going to write a book someday.” I was a banker with a business degree, yet English had always been my thing. As a young student, I never...
Ah, the freelance life. Half the appeal of location-independent work is you can work from anywhere and everywhere. Since there are still a few weeks of summer left, many freelancers are longing to flock outdoors to meet their deadlines. But working outside isn’t...
Did you know you can sell a single piece of work over and over in perpetuity? Without a book deal or contract? We’ve talked about recurring revenue, but this strategy isn’t just for business-minded folk. It’s for you. When I was a baby freelancer, I got a bit of...
Hi! If you’re new to this column: I track my freelance income every month and share it with all of you. This is my third year of public income tracking, and my first year sharing my income with The Write Life. Do you ever think about your writing legacy? What you want...
An aspiring writer I’ll call Bob recently sent me a random “I love your blog; please read my work!” email — and about two dozen other bloggers also received the exact same message. I know this because he addressed it to us by regular carbon copy,...
It’s almost like having a baby — you understand that the first few months are difficult. You just don’t understand quite how difficult until you’re desperately trying to keep your head above water while you learn on the fly. Yes, I’m talking about the freelancing...
So you’re in the process of landing a new freelance writing gig, and during the discussion of duties and compensation, the editor mentions that the publication offers pageview bonuses. The more views your article gets, the more money you’ll receive. It’s an...
By a show of hands, how many of you try to balance paid writing with writing you love? Am I the only one burning out before I even get to my personal work? A few months ago I brought this up with a group of creative friends. Almost simultaneously they asked, “Have you...
