It’s February, which means it’s already started for me. Marketing for the upcoming conference, that is. Used to be I’d just blanket the conference lists with email letters of introduction (LOIs). Sure, I got plenty of work out of it. I also wasted a lot of time doing it. From years of marketing to this…
The Introvert’s Guide to Building a Freelance Writing Business
Don’t you love all the great advice you find on blogs and in articles? If you do all the reading and really absorb what’s being said, you’ll have a great blueprint for achieving a successful freelance writing business. The steps go something like this: Study your market, including prospective clients Write a killer letter of…
Writers Worth: Turning Fear into Opportunity
Join Paula Hendrickson and me today at NOON ET for another Twitter chat! Use the #WWMChat hashtag and be part of the conversation! It’s been a while since we’ve had a guest post, particularly one that carries forward the theme of Writers Worth. This month, Sharon Hurley Hall returns to the blog to share another story of…
The Writer’s Guide to Handling Scope Creep
So John hires you to write his website content. The next conversation goes something like this: Oh by the way, could you check all the links to make sure they’re working? Then maybe he adds this: Oh, that survey on there is old. Could you write three more for me? Sorry, forgot to mention this…
4 Marketing Mistakes Freelancers Make
I was reading through a few blog post articles yesterday when I came across great marketing advice. It was sensible, and it was advice I’d given here a number of times. Yet I wasn’t buying it from this particular blogger. That’s because I’d been the target of one of this blogger’s marketing campaigns. And I…
Freelance Writer’s Guide to Achieving Goals
A number of years back, I decided to set a reading goal on Goodreads. I was going to read thirty books in a year. I figured I’d reinvent my reading habit and get to some of these thousands of books I have (not exaggerating). I did it. I read 30 books. And you know what?…
How Frank Honesty Can Win Freelance Clients
I love the beginning of a new year, but not for the new-beginnings-and-resolutions-aplenty stuff. I love it for another reason — Potential clients reach out. The Christmas presents are barely opened before I start getting notes. It makes sense; people want to line up their projects and contractors now so that at the stroke of…
Finding Balance in an Unbalanced Freelance World
Hey, you. Writer — what are you doing here? Same thing I’m doing, I bet. When the client work comes in and you have some free time, you get a head start. I plan to give an hour of my time off to a favorite client this morning, then off to enjoy the rest of…
A Freelance Writer’s Year of Gratitude
Today is my second favorite day on the calendar — the shortest day of the year. It’s all uphill from here! My very favorite is the longest day — in the summer, no less, which is my favorite season. For this day, I am grateful. In fact, today’s post isn’t the usual end-of-the-year hurry-up-and-make-resolutions-now post….
Losing Your Freelance Sh*t While Remaining a Pro
You know the feeling: You’re running to beat deadlines, you have a holiday flying up on you faster than expected, you have yet to book that flight, someone’s playing Christmas music over and over and…. Did I just hear your last nerve snap? Wait, no. That was mine. Go on. Admit it. You’re losing your…