It started with an email from a local contact. They needed a writer onsite. Yea, that’s not happening. I declined, saying if the client needed someone on a virtual basis, I might be interested. The response: yes, they’re quite open to virtual arrangements. Except…. The time commitment and the pay; neither were going to work for…
4 Must-have Elements of Trade Magazine Writing
I love it when people say “Trade writing is boring.” Actually, I don’t love it. The “boring” part is not true. What’s boring about finding an interesting angle to a technically challenging topic? What’s boring about making it reader-friendly? What’s boring about making people remember that article because you, the writer, went out of your…
The Most Profitable Freelance Writing Niche
I saw something on Twitter yesterday that made me click. It was a blog post promising the most profitable freelance writing niches right now. I read through the list. Uh huh. Some of them I agreed with. But all of them sounded limiting. I won’t fault the blogger for pointing out what in essence is…
Your Freelance Writing Continuous Improvement Plan
Today is more of an interactive post. Consider it homework that will actually make a difference to your freelance writing business. “Become addicted to constant and never-ending improvement.” – Anthony J. D’Angelo I saw a bastardized version of this quote on Twitter and did some researching to make sure it was attributed correctly. It wasn’t,…
The Freelance Writing Readjustment
Here’s the thing about a freelance writing career — You go along building a client base, you get comfortable with how things are going, and you ride it out. Or you slap it together every day and cross your fingers. Which one are you? In many ways, both of those methods are shortchanging your potential….
Writers Worth: This Job, Not That Job
Happy Veterans Day to all who have served. We appreciate you. It must be the time of year for weirdness. Paula Hendrickson sent me a job listing that was pretty awful. It was going to be today’s post. However, as bad as the one she sent was, this one was so, so much worse. Time…
Fair Pricing and the Freelance Writer
Lately, I’ve been enjoying Walt Kania’s posts over at The Freelancery blog. Maybe it’s because Walt has been focused on pricing recently, which is a perennial concern for writers. His most recent post delves into what a “fair price” may be. It’s a question I ask myself quite a lot. I bet you do, too….
The Response Your Freelance Writing Business Doesn’t Need
Today. Vote. Got it? If you don’t, you lose all right to complain, in my opinion. Had a great weekend, one in which I was able to meet Joy Drohan. She was in the area with her children for a sports event, and we met for lunch afterward. What a great person! Joy is someone…
How to Quit Your Freelance Writing Career
Look online right now — Twitter, LinkedIn, Reddit, you name it. I guarantee you you’ll find at least five articles telling you how to start a freelance writing career. Or if freelance writing is for you. But no one has told you how to quit one. Until now. Say what? That’s right — I’m about…
Finding the Right Freelance Writing Course
Recently a family member was looking for a course or a school for art instruction. This isn’t a beginner, but someone who wants to improve on skills already learned. They did it the right way — they looked at the schools that were touting the best results. Funny how even the best schools can disappoint….