When I first started my career as a full-time freelance writer, I didn’t know what I was doing. I made a ton of mistakes. I still do. But in looking back, I realized I neglected one thing. Myself. I’ve been reading Julia Cameron’s classic book The Artist’s Way. It’s taught me how the decisions we [...]
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This post was inspired by two writers. If Cathy Miller’s post and Michelle Rafter’s post got married, then in my warped mind, they’d created this baby of a post. I don’t know if this is a Hawaii thing, but my friends and family loved the 12 Days of Christmas (the song, not just the real thing). [...]
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{guest post written by: Mahesh Raj Mohan} I’ve always liked the concept of a mentor: a sagacious master of an art, craft, or trade who passes knowledge to seekers, students, and adventurers. Bonus points if s/he is a kind person who patiently corrects rookie mistakes and helps an apprentice grow. Teachers usually fill that role [...]
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Sometimes when I’m creating, I feel a heaviness upon me. There’s a gorilla of a being sitting on my shoulders weighing me and my creativity down. Know him? He’s the guy that: says your writing isn’t good enough takes a kernel of negativity and rolls into a wave of self-defeating thoughts tells you you’ll never [...]
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It’s almost Halloween, but I’m not talking literal here. {Though I must admit the visual of a glow-in-the-dark pen, a notebook and a flashlight sound pretty cool to me.} What I’m talking about is what happens when you write with your mind half-conscious, semi-aware. Even as a full-time writer and someone who writes every day, [...]
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One moment we’re filled with ideas. The next we’re digging for dirt under rocks all in a desperate attempt to discover that next big idea. If you’re feeling stuck about what to do for your next novel scene or big article idea, check out my latest article for The Writer magazine. I brainstormed 4 fresh [...]
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When I wrote this list of easy ways I increased my chance to freelance writing success, I neglected something BIG. In fact, it was the number one thing that helped launch my career. And the fastest. Just this past March, I wrote about how I was on the fence about this one. Looking back, I’m [...]
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Instead of an A for excellent, they probably should have given you a P-for perfectionist. You know who you are. You spend an inordinate amount of time perfecting your craft. You have been known to make basketballs out of your shoddy pieces of work. If anyone asked your friends of your family, what they admire [...]
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While I’m hardly one to call myself a success (unlike this couple), I have picked up a few learn-as-you-go tips that have seriously change my career and my life. To be honest, my freelancing career started without any preparation, focus or long-term planning. I basically decided one day that it was time to stop waiting [...]
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When I first started telling people I was going to quit my full-time job and go freelance, I think they heard “rogue” instead. It’s as if I just announced I was going to make a living making balloon animals or shooting to outer space. It’s hard to explain their expression-a mix of disbelief, pity and [...]