Tweet I’ve been juggling two boys under two and working on an upcoming article for Hawaii Business magazine. Plus, I’m still writing for Psych Central. I won’t lie. It’s a lot. Some days feel near impossible. But there is joy and pleasure in pursuing the written word so I do so happily even if I have to muster stored energy (which may or may not require a cup of Jo). This weekend I got to do something thrilling. Taking a break from dirty diapers would be a vacation in itself. But I also got to attend the 18th Biennial Conference on…
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Tweet Guest post by: Nikolas Baron Every writer knows that grammar is important. However, grammar is the strongest determining factor in the success or failure of a freelance writer. If you are thinking of a freelance writing career, grammar can be a friend or foe. Here are three reasons why: 1. You are the only one on your team. Let’s say you’re a staff writer for a widely-read magazine. You might start writing an article by telling your assistant what to research. Once you receive the report, you work your magic and crank out a stunning page-turner on the subject at…
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Tweet Nonfiction writers can glean insight from Barbara Walters advice on Oprah’s Master Class. After years of interviewing celebrities and past presidents, she shares a few of her inside secrets for a successful interview. Curiosity. Curiosity may have killed the cat. But it makes an interviewer’s career. Walters says, “I think that the interviewer/correspondent should have curiosity. If you don’t have curiosity, you’re not going to make it. Listen. Good listening skills are a dying art. We’re often so busy trying to think up the next genius question, we miss out on important revelations, body language and the truth behind what our subjects…
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Tweet {by guest blogger: Marcia Zina Mager, The Write Coach} One of my all time favorite quotes about the writing process comes from one of the world’s greatest painters, Vincent Van Gogh. “Mediocre I do not despise at all. And one does not rise above that mark by despising what is mediocre. In my opinion one must begin by at least having some respect for the mediocre and know that it already means something and that it is only reached through great difficulty.” Whether you’ve written for decades or are just beginning, Van Gogh’s insightful wisdom can take you far…
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Tweet by: Carrie L. Lewis People involved in the writing business are lovers of words. Let’s face it. Whether you write fiction or non-fiction, are an agent, a publisher, or an editor, there’s something about the written word that really gets you fired up. The way each person responds to the written word is different, of course, but they all share a common interest. Writers are most interested in creation. Getting their thoughts and ideas on paper in the most compelling manner possible. Editors, while intrigued by language, usually also have a passion for detail and accuracy, something the writer may…
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Tweet This post came at a perfect time! After just spilling my guts about how I sometimes fake it as a writer, I received the post below from author and editor Sarah Nagel who I’ve been following on Twitter. It gives practical advice to overcome the self-doubt that writers and all creatives face. I’m so grateful to have her here. You’re going to gain a lot from this post. by: guest blogger The first time I saw my name in print, I was ridiculously excited. I yelped and called my sister over to the magazine rack to show her the…
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Tweet By: Guest Blogger Danielle McGaw Freelance writers often ask if Twitter is worth their time. It is – if you use it consistently. If you stop by Twitter a couple times a week, read a few tweets, maybe send out a tweet about your latest blog post and then leave, not to be seen again for many days or maybe even weeks…I’m sorry but you’re just wasting time. But that’s not to say that you need to dedicate hours of your day to using Twitter. You can manage your Twitter account very easily in 15 minutes a day or…
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Tweet The number one thing preventing you from completing that manuscript? FEAR. Getting your words on paper is one thing, but dealing with all of the scary feelings you have about doing so is another. No matter how many online or in-person classes you take, you will never accomplish your writing goals unless you first deal with that dreaded four letter F-word. Creativity coach Robert Ressler, Ph.D. says, “Fear is behind all the things that we sometimes describe as our problem.” These are problems you might label as writer’s block, procrastination, the inability to complete a project, being undisciplined. Ressler says…
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Tweet Finding the perfect writing or creative coach can feel as effortless as looking for a needle in a haystack. Type “writing coach” and you will suddenly feel inundated with too much information. If Google could only use its keyword magic to help you find “the one” that will help you get your writing on track, get that manuscript completed, out the door and give you the oomph you need to start on that project you’ve been meaning to get working on. Instead, I’ve done the next best thing and wrangled together two coaches, a writing and a creative coach…
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Tweet {photo by} You’ve worked really hard on writing that book, conceiving a new idea or blogging, but you still haven’t seen results with your efforts. Literary agent Kevin Small who I interviewed in part I of this post, sets us straight this time with the unintentional mistakes you could be making that’s sabotaging your career. 1. You’re undisciplined. Yikes. Has Mr. Small been reading my blogs? Yes, folks. He didn’t quite say that us writers are “lazy.” In fact, he said he wouldn’t use that word, but that we have a tendency to be “undisciplined.” I would like to…