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10 Essential Freelance Writing Lessons

Posted on by lwidmer

What I’m reading: Fraud by Anita Brookner What’s on the iPod: What Happened by Corey Smith This has been the single most productive week I’ve had all year and it’s only Wednesday morning. I’ve finished one article, nearly finished another, have one more interview for a third, started on a fourth, and have interviews lined…

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Organization Times Three

Posted on by lwidmer

What’s on the iPod: Sweet Child O’ Mine by Guns ‘N Roses Weekends? Do people still have those? We are in full-blown wedding mode, and it’s about to get nuts. Saturday we were in Baltimore meeting one bride’s family. Sunday we were in Lancaster for another bride’s (my daughter’s) dress fitting. In two weeks we…

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Free Advice Friday: The Organized Writer

Posted on by lwidmer

What’s on the iPod: Corazon Espinado by Santana I’ve had quite the busy week. I started out with four article assignments. Now there are six. Luckily, the articles are practically writing themselves. Still, one or two topics are proving hard to find commentary for. So I worked instead on those I knew I could get…

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10 Avoidable Marketing Mistakes

Posted on by lwidmer

What’s on the iPod: Late March, Death March by Frightened Rabbit Piper welcoming us to the Tattoo What a weekend. It’s Tartan Week in New York City, and the festivities began Friday. We took part of the day off Friday and headed up for Saturday’s kirkin o’ the tartan and the parade, which we participate in…

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Free Advice Friday: This Job, Not That Job

Posted on by lwidmer

What’s on the iPod: Middle Brother by Middle Brother After a slow beginning, this year just became busy — really busy. I spent this week working on two articles, scheduling interviews for a third, and researching a fourth. Plus, I did a good bit of marketing. I heard from a few regular clients about work…

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Monthly Assessment: March 2014

Posted on by lwidmer

What’s on the iPod: How to Save a Life by The Fray I don’t remember blinking for that long. March is really over? Crazy, but here we are in April. I spent the weekend driving back home (300 miles/5 hours each way) for a bridal shower, then driving back in a snowstorm that ended 100…

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Free Advice Friday: Working with Magazines

Posted on by lwidmer

What’s on the iPod: Take Off Your Sunglasses by Ezra Furman & the Harpoons It was a heavy workweek. I have deadlines everywhere and plenty of assignments. I’d say TGIF, but there’s a lot to do before 5 pm. I did finish one article, but have one more to complete and two more to start….

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Marketing Redux: SWOT’s in it for You

Posted on by lwidmer

What’s on the iPod: I Will Wait by Mumford & Sons Aside from yet another forecasted snow storm expected today, this week is shaping up into a great ending to the month of March. I’d been waiting for some promised projects. They’re starting to come in now, as is new work I’d marketed for while…

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Free Advice Friday: The Client Discount Debate

Posted on by lwidmer

What’s on the iPod: The Wild Hunt by The Tallest Man on Earth It’s been a good week, albeit short. Even with Monday off for celebration and self-contained debauchery, I accomplished a good bit on my work list. I finished interviews for one article, started them for another, and organized a two-part article, which I…

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Grammar Gaffes Redux

Posted on by lwidmer

What’s on the iPod: Enter Sandman by Metallica There are times I’m just thrilled I don’t have to commute anymore. Yesterday was one of those days. Thanks to a huge sewer main break in Valley Forge Park, traffic, which is usually a huge pain during rush hour, was an absolute nightmare. It was ironic that…

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  1. Eileen Avatar
    Eileen

    Not a grammar mistake per se, but equally annoying: thinking the phrase "I could care less" means the same thing as "I couldn't care less." The latter is correct. The former makes me gnash my teeth and tear my clothing.

    Reply
  2. Lori Widmer Avatar
    Lori Widmer

    Oh, good one, Eileen. I can't stand that one, either. 🙂

    Reply
  3. Devon Ellington Avatar
    Devon Ellington

    Yup, all of those make me froth at the mouth, but especially when people mix up possessives and plurals. That's third grade level English. Anyone who graduated high school, much less college, should know the difference, or they should still be in the third grade.

    Unfortunately, the correlation I've noticed is those who can't be bothered to learn the above are the writers who also think they "don't need" an editor.

    Reply
  4. Sharon Hurley Hall Avatar
    Sharon Hurley Hall

    Yay! Thanks for the shout-out, Lori. I can never get enough of reading about grammar. Guess I'm in the right profession! 😉

    Reply
  5. Cathy Miller Avatar
    Cathy Miller

    Piggybacking on your it's/its, I have seen people add an apostrophe on the end of its – its' – there is no scenario where an apostrophe is added after its.

    An internet special that makes me laugh is when copy has loose instead of lose. I always say loose skin is what I am trying to lose. 😉

    Reply
  6. Lori Widmer Avatar
    Lori Widmer

    That's a funny one, Cathy! I see that a lot, too.

    Never understood that apostrophe dangling at the end of the word, either. Strange how we re-interpret the rules in such funky ways. 🙂

    Reply
  7. Lori Widmer Avatar
    Lori Widmer

    Sharon, you are very welcome. I love these posts, too. Although, Cathy was right; these posts are usually the ones where mistakes creep in. 🙂

    Devon, I think you're on to something. It's the armchair authors who want to pay you to praise them who seem to have the worst time of it with these types of mistakes. But I've seen writers who claim to know everything doing the same things. Makes me wonder how much those types really know.

    Reply
  8. Sandy Avatar
    Sandy

    You hit most of the biggies Lori. One that's very common but rarely pointed out is "try and do," as in "I will try and get it done today." It should be "try to get it done." (If you're definitely going to get it done, just drop the "try" altogether).

    Reply
  9. Paula Avatar
    Paula

    Eileen brought up one that makes my skin crawl. Every time I hear someone say they could care less, I say (or at least thing): If you could care less it means you actually do care!

    When my dad used to say that, I'd sort of squeal and say, "So you DO care!" He hated that, which of course was why I kept saying it.

    Reply
  10. Lori Widmer Avatar
    Lori Widmer

    Sandy, that's a good one! As Yoda says "Do or do not. There is no try." 🙂

    Your dad and I would have gotten along quite well, Paula. 🙂

    Reply
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