Do you wait for inspiration to strike before you write, or sit down on a regular basis and write regardless of how you feel? It’s great to feel inspired — to be almost obsessed with your writing, eager to get words down as quickly as possible. When you’re really...
Ever considered using Scrivener to organize your writing? Or maybe you’ve tried the tool, but want to learn to better use all its bells and whistles? We’re here to help! We’ve asked Joseph Michael, also known as the Scrivener Coach, to teach The Write Life community...
Even if you’ve spent weeks crafting the perfect personal essay — and friends and family have declared it brilliant, compelling, powerful prose — that doesn’t mean it’s a shoo-in for publication. On the contrary. Editors have limited space for...
You can accomplish a lot with your words. You can earn a living, build a brand, even become location independent, all by wielding your writerly capabilities to engage, inspire and persuade. And thanks to a new trend, you can now also use your words to win a fully...
“A ghostwriter.” “So, do y—” “No, I don’t write about ghosts. And I don’t wear a sheet with holes cut out for eyes while I write.” “That’s not what …” “Yes it is, and you know it.” “OK. You got me. So what do you actually do then?” “I write books for other...
Every publisher and literary agent will tell you that responsibility for the success of your book rests heavily upon you, its author. Although traditional media campaigns still play an important role in the marketing plans for new books, they are no longer enough. To...
Everyone has their own personal writing demon — and some writers have several of them. Maybe yours is a lack of confidence. Or it might be that you battle resistance. Perhaps you fight against an inner critic; more than a few writers struggle with the nagging...
Most writers find it necessary to work in quiet places where they can concentrate in silence. Jonathan Franzen has been known to write in a room with no electronics, no WiFi, nothing but a chair and a table. On occasion, he’s even blindfolded himself and plugged up...
Hi! If you’re new to this column: I’m tracking my freelance income every month and sharing 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. April was tax month, which meant I did a lot of...
Ever considered looking on Craiglist or Fiverr for freelance writing gigs? These sites probably aren’t top of mind for most writers; we tend to think of them as offering low-paying opportunities, or worse, scams. But check out writer Kristen Lawrence’s story: she used...
