photo by Lisa Norwood

Here’s what I’ve learned.  Tell me if you think I’m wrong or right.  It seems like in the digital world particularly in the area of freelance writing, there is a wave of what I like to call “lit cliques.”  It’s kind of like being in high school, you know which group you belong-the geeks, the oddballs and you know which group you’d like to belong-the jocks, the popular crowd.

Well social networking on sites like LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter is kind of like a big popularity contest where top freelancers are in one corner and others left feeling like odd man out.  While there are exceptions to the rule (Sherry and John of Young House Love are nice to everyone!), there does seem to be bit of a hierarchy.

My question is this: what does it take to be “in the know” with all of you talented writers out there?  I’d love to step in your corner and relinquish my role as odd woman out.  I think social networking should be about making contacts at all levels of writing business.  We have a lot to gain from each other.

So tell me? Is it just me or are there genuine cliques in the online world?  And if there are, send me an email and maybe we can start our own…

photo by nickwheeleroz

MacKenzie Phillips shocking confession on Oprah startled the world!  At least it shocked me.  And though I don’t have quite a huge secret, I do suddenly have a desire to share a tiny one.  Here it is…I don’t like every writing job I get.  Phew!  It might not be a big secret but it’s a difficult one to say.  Being a freelance writer means I get to live my dream.  I get to work at home and make my own hours which means sleeping as long as I want and going to the gym when I please. Read the rest of this entry

photo via Great Beyond

There’s been a ton of buzz on the web lately about balance and schedules and how to keep up to par with the Jones’s, now that they too are all online.  So what’s the secret for getting things done when you are a stay at home freelancer like me?

Unfortunately, there’s no secret formula.  I admit that like everyone else I succumb to bouts of procrastination every now and again.  The lure of online sales, blog feeds and Twitter updates are hard to keep at bay especially when stress comes calling. Read the rest of this entry

In elementary school, we had to write a journal article entitled, “What is my worst habit.”  I cringed when I reread it, crossing my fingers that I didn’t declare something utterly embarrassing.  When I read “nail biter,” I thought “guess not much has changed.”

Although I have been known to grow these nails long enough to get a mani pedi once in awhile, I did choose a nail biter of a career so my habit is understandable.  What is it about writing that makes me bite the tips of my poor fingernails? Read the rest of this entry

1.  That you need be thick-skinned to handle a mind-blowing number of rejections but be thin-skinned enough to be an observant, sensitive, intuitive and honest writer.

2.  Publishers can get away with a lot like promising to pay you and then suddenly disappearing into thin air.

3.  That you need to have an insane amount of faith (comparable to the number of rejections you receive).

4.  That this would be the best and yet the hardest job of my life.  I’m talking 10 hrs a night and weekends.

5.  That you need to be good at everything (marketing, accounting, managing on top of writing, editing and social networking). Read the rest of this entry

You can check out my profile on LinkedIn but here are just a few things…

“Brandi is a Rock Star! Her duties were to schedule a team of 3 people to bring LLS into the community. Not only was she organized, on-target, she worked with little or no supervision. We explained her role in our Light The Night Walk and she took it and delivered. She was directly responsible for growing our program in the San Jose area by 50%.” 

-May 2008, Margie Boyce, Special Events Manager, The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society

Read the rest of this entry

to my professional website.  Browse around my new digs.  Take a spin.  Learn a little about lil’ ole me and about what I do.  As a freelance writer, I’m excited to share my past work as well as build upon my current portfolio.

If it’s web content writing you want, product descriptions, or articles for print, poetry, etc., I am happy to oblige you.  Weddings?  Baby showers?  Eco-friendly products?  I’m excited to assist you.  Just contact me and we can get started.