Month: February 2018

Francis “Jim” Widmer: 1934-2018

Posted on February 21, 2018 by lwidmer

Funeral Blues  by W. H. Auden Stop all the clocks, cut off the telephone, Prevent the dog from barking with a juicy bone, Silence the pianos and with muffled drum Bring out the coffin, let the mourners come. Let aeroplanes circle moaning overhead Scribbling on the sky the message ‘He is Dead’. Put crepe bows […]

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How Corporate Pay Bands Can Help Freelance Writers Earn More

Posted on February 21, 2018 by lwidmer

What I’m listening to: Keep On by Portugal. The Man I was reading an article about how freelancers can stop undervaluing themselves (a subject after my own heart) when it occurred to me that corporations don’t have this problem. Let me rephrase — they don’t have a problem determining the value of each position. That […]

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Marketing Monday: A More Positive Freelance Writer

Posted on February 19, 2018 by lwidmer

What I’m listening to: Feel It Still by Portugal. The Man Monday once again, eh? How are you going to start your week? Hopefully with the attitude that today is your first step. It’s your New Year’s Day. It’s your day to redefine your business… Okay, I know. Too early in the week for that […]

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Your Freelance Writing Wake-up Call

Posted on February 15, 2018 by lwidmer

What I’m listening to: Don’t Stay by X Ambassadors Over on Anne Wayman’s About Freelance Writing forum, there was a discussion started by a writer who’d reached her breaking point. Though she may not have realized it, she was having a bit of an epiphany. She had realized how hard she was working and how […]

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RSS Feed Changes

Posted on February 14, 2018 by lwidmer

If you subscribe to the blog feed, you’ll notice some changes today. The new blog feed is more reader-friendly. And if you think Horatio Hornblower is now writing recipes for this blog, you’ll understand just how terrible I am at moving RSS feeds. Apologies for the recipe announcement (unless you like black bean balls, in […]

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The Manic Freelancer (and why you really shouldn’t be one)

Posted on February 13, 2018 by lwidmer

What I’m listening to: Kinda Fuzzy by Eels I was reading through Twitter feeds, LinkedIn groups, and blog feeds last week, and I saw it. There are a lot of freelance writers out there just throwing it together. Hey, I’m not one for a hyper-organized life either, but there are limits, you know? Having a […]

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Marketing Monday: Watch Your Tone

Posted on February 12, 2018 by lwidmer

I hope you’re enjoying these Marketing Monday posts. They’re fun for me, and they’re a way to help you mix up your marketing strategy a bit. Today’s topic is one that’s close to my heart. It’s a strategy I hit upon when listening to a real estate salesperson make a cold call way back in […]

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Free Advice Friday: Free Marketing for Freelancers

Posted on February 9, 2018 by lwidmer

What I’m listening to: Timeless by The Airborne Toxic Event Recently a family member expressed interest (and a little frustration) in starting a small business. He’s doing it right — starting with his circle of contacts, spreading word to their contacts, and using social media to get the word out. He’s also running into the […]

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Launching Your Freelance Idea

Posted on February 7, 2018 by lwidmer

What I’m reading: To the Bright Edge of the World by Eowyn Ivey What I’m listening to: No Hard Feelings by The Avett Brothers Wow. January just slid right by there, didn’t it? I spent it working remotely and spending time with my ailing father. He’s so ill he probably doesn’t know I was there […]

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