Tweet What you write is worth the effort. Even if it never gets published. Anywhere. Even if not a single person lays their eyes upon it. Even if no one emails you, calls you or messages you that it’s the best thing they’ve ever written. It’s worth it even if it’s the worst thing you’ve ever wrote. Even if it follows hundreds of rejection slips. Even if it’s tucked in a drawer, never leaves your computer or your laptop. It’s worth it simply for the act of writing itself. Let your words write itself. Don’t judge it. Don’t tear it…
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Tweet Going to the SCBWI Hawaii Chapter Conference was well-worth the Benjamin this weekend. I learned a ton about fiction-a topic I rarely write about. It was an eye-opening experience teaching me all the mistakes I’m making and probably will make in my fiction future. I thought I’d save you the expense by sharing all the secrets I learned this weekend. So close your wallets and pull up your laptop. It’s going to get good right now. 1) Showing off. It’s tempting to be like a peacock and show off your feathers. But puffing up your ego with superfluous verbiage…
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Tweet Your muse. That nefarious, unpredictable, fickle elf (but don’t tell her that, I want to get on her good side!). Many writers say you don’t need one. Just put fingers to keyboard and type. Me? I need one. When I write when I’m fatigued, when I’m ill, when I’m uninspired, my work is kind of trashy. Ends up being deleted the next day. In my opinion, sick days are best for transcribing and editing. But there are secret ways I’ve learned to ease the muse out. It’s the reason why I’ve been bubbling up with ideas lately. I can’t…
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Tweet The Internet would have you believe we’re all shiny, happy writers. We’re perfect and typo free. The truth is the longer we’ve been in business and the more successful we are, the more mistakes we’ve accumulated. In the 7 years I’ve been doing this, I’ve pumped out prose for companies and publications I’m pretty proud of. That doesn’t mean I haven’t made my share of embarrassing mistakes. Here are 2 I hope you never have to make: 1) Applying to everything. When I first found jobs online, actual writing jobs, I got a little apply happy. In other words,…
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Tweet It’s not over once you get that writing gig. To sustain a prosperous freelance writing career, you need to do more than get a job. You’re going to need to work hard at cultivating a mutually satisfying relationship so editors and clients will want to call you the next time a writing job comes around. How do you do it? Here are 4 agreements (inspired by Don Miguel Ruiz’s book The Four Agreements: A Practical Guide to Personal Freedom) to help you be that editor/client’s next go-to writer: 1) Be impeccable with your word. Being impeccable with your word means…
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Tweet Since Valentine’s Day is just around the corner, I’d thought it’d best to cover the topic of how to make an editor fall in love with you your writing. The key is to approach your new connection as you would a new relationship. Most writers take for granted how busy editors are and they send off an email as if they were already well-acquainted. But it’s a process. Take it slow and you’ll skip the fling and end up in a long, mutually satisfying relationship. 1) Get to know them.You don’t want to come across as a stalker so…
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Tweet If these words were on the endangered, threatened and extinction list, I wouldn’t miss them for a second. kick-ass juicy awesome amazing literally sexy twerk hashtag delicious random What words are on your hit list? *Over on The Inspiring Bee, I’m teaching you how to do the easiest Valentine’s Day onesies ever. Seriously! They hardly need instructions.
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Tweet You’re a writer. Fiction, nonfiction it’s all the same. Or is it? To me, they feel like two different literary monsters. One’s like breathing. The other? It’s what I imagine skydiving would feel like. Super fun and exhilarating, but also vomit-inducing. Which one you experience all depends on your comfort level. For me, nonfiction is safe. There are research, experts, facts to back up my words. Fiction? Fiction is like free falling. I never know where my imagination will take me. It’s part thrilling, part walking on the edge scary. When I’m feeling particularly insecure, my left-brain tries to…
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Tweet I’m pretty sure you’re going to be disappointed when you read this. Why? Because the title made you think you’re getting the answer to quick, fast, and easy success. I’m going to be honest with you. Although books and blogs like to sell you sexy solutions, the truth is it’s all a marketing ploy to nab your cash. I know because I fell for it too. Truthfully, just like there’s no secret to holiday weight loss, there’s no secret to doing well in freelance writing. Here’s the bottom line: You want to do well? You need to leave an…
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Tweet I always post a Christmas wish list for writers every year. One year I even made a little holiday ditty. This year with a new baby and a writing business, I don’t have much time to create a song or free marketing tips for you writers out there. But you can check out this old post for that. This post is all about the fun things we writers secretly wish for at Christmas. Let it inspire you to find the perfect gift for the writer friend, employee or consultant on your list. 1) For old school fun: writing utensils Why?…