Just imagine: It’s 11 pm and your column is due by 6 am the following morning. You have no earthly idea what to write about so you stare at that white screen. You find yourself nodding off, wishing you could just go to bed! This is very real, folks. Idea generation is crucial for writing […]
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How to Approach Experts for an Interview
I saw a question in a Facebook group today that I thought you might have, as well. It went something like this: When you research a story that requires interviewing sources, how do you introduce yourself? … Do you just say you’re freelancer writing about a particular topic? Thanks! This is a great question! And, […]
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How Do I Become a Freelance Writer?
If you’ve always dreamed of seeing your name in lights, or at least a byline in a magazine, but have no idea where to begin, this post is for you. Some folks just start writing stories and sending them to editors, hoping for a bite. But that is putting the cart before the horse. […]
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3 New Year Planning Tips for Freelance Writers
If you’ve read this blog for a little while, you know that I am a planner addict. I have lived my life making lists and taking notes on little slips of paper. I’ve used planners, notebooks, 3×5 cards, Post-It notes, you name it, to organize my thoughts. I’ve tried digital and analog tools. I […]
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A Mega List of Resources for Writers
When I started my freelance career, I got most of my information from Writer’s Digest magazine. With no money for a subscription, I borrowed copies from the public library. When the library sold back issues for $2 a bundle, I bought up several years’ worth. I read those things until they were falling apart. […]
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5 Pitfalls to Avoid in Your Freelance Writing Business
I recently attended a training event for a direct sales company I represent in my very spare time. My upline was speaking about growing your business and he said, “You know how some folks sign up, tell their friends about the product, they try it and love it and tell their friends, and the next thing […]
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How to Charge for Your Writing
If you are entering the freelance world from a typical job, you may think of your pay as an hourly wage. Maybe, you are a salaried employee that earns so much per month or a salesperson that earns a percentage of each sale. Before reading further, I want you to take a deep breath […]
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How to Earn More Money with Your Writing
I’m super excited to be presenting again in January at the Roanoke Regional Writers Conference. The topic for my 2018 workshop is How to Earn More Money with Your Writing. I pitched this topic to the conference coordinator because, at this particular conference, most of the writers seem to be novelists wanting to leave their […]
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The Time Management Myth–Busted
When it comes to productivity, there is one myth that needs busting—the idea that you can manage your time. Everyone is given the same number of hours in a day—24. Oh, we all wish for more but that ain’t gonna happen. So, folks think they need to manage the hours in their days […]
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Where to Find Story Ideas
If you have been a freelance writer for any length of time, you know that your power lies in your ability to generate ideas. When you have no ideas to pitch to editors, you have no stories to write and, therefore, no money coming in. In the last ten years, I have found story ideas in […]
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