Choosing one or more freelance writing niches is the best way to make a good living as a freelance writer in 2024. I’ve created a comprehensive course to help you do just that… “Find Your Freelance Writing Niches” Course Details Are… Over at this page. I discuss: Exactly what’s in the course The 30-day money-back […]
Should You Edit As You Write?
Should you edit as you write? It’s a question every writer must ask, and there is no set answer. It truly is a personal preference — you should do what works best for you.
How to Renegotiate a Freelance Writing Deadline
If you stay in the freelance writing business long enough, you’ll eventually have to renegotiate a deadline with your editor. Whether you are a freelance writer or a book author or you work for someone else, missing a work deadline is bad. I pride myself on meeting or beating deadlines, and I use that as […]
Top Interview Tips for Freelance Writers
As a freelance writer, you’ll frequently need to interview important people for magazine, newspaper, and website articles, or for a book you’re writing. In this post I’ll give you a comprehensive list of the five key aspects of the interview process.
Freelance Writers: The 11 Top Event-Networking Tips
Many freelance writers attend networking events in order to get the word out about their services and to land new clients. Networking is all about making quality connections with other people. In this post we’ll examine how you as a freelance writer can make good impressions on the people you meet face-to-face and increase the […]
Editor Silence Does NOT Mean Writer Rejection
One aspect of being a writer is dealing with silence from editors. Silence can mean rejection, but often it does not. Silent Editor Equals Writer Rejection? Let’s See… Here’s an e-mail I received recently from a purchaser of my ebook Writing College Textbook Supplements who was diligently applying my advice on how to connect with […]
Juggle Multiple Freelance Writing Projects Without Going Crazy
Ever have multiple freelance writing projects at the same time, all with tight deadlines? Here’s how to get them all done on time and still do a great job. How to Handle Multiple Freelance Writing Projects As some of you know, I’m a moderator in Carol Tice’s Freelance Writers Den. A while back, a Den […]
Are You a Freelance Writer? Here’s Why You Should Specialize…
Some may write for love, but most freelance writers write for money — and they’ll make more money when they specialize in one or more niches. Don’t misunderstand: I really enjoy my main freelance writing specialty. Creating college textbook curriculum components that help students learn better and instructors teach better is interesting and challenging, and […]
Article Publication Rights Guide for Freelance Writers
Hey freelance writer, are you confused by all the different types of article publication rights? You are not alone! Whether you’ve written an article for a print publication or an online website, or a combination of the two, the different types of rights can be confusing. However, you need to be clear on exactly what […]
Why Freelance Writers Must Avoid Perfectionism
As a freelance writer you definitely need to do high-quality work, but you need to know when to avoid perfectionism and stop working on an assignment, a story, or a blog post and call it good enough. There’s a saying I’ve encountered many times, a variation on a Voltaire quote: “Don’t let the perfect be […]
How Online Overload Harms Your Writing Career
As a writer and a human being, productivity and happiness are top priorities for me, and I was already aware of the negative effects of the Internet on my own cognitive processes and ability to feel fully alive when I read The Shallows: What the Internet is Doing to Our Brains several years ago. But The Shallows crystallized […]
Travel and Outdoor Freelance Writing: Tough Niches!
Being a successful travel writer or outdoor writer is a dream shared by many freelancers. However, only a small percentage of freelance writers will truly be successful at it, and by successful I mean able to support a middle-class lifestyle. Frustrations of a Beginning Travel/Outdoor Writer Below are excerpts I wrote in response to a […]
Should You “Fake It ‘Til You Make It”?
The saying “fake it ‘til you make it” is used way too often by way too many people posing as experts when in fact they know very little about what they’re doing. Fake It ‘Til You Make It… can be highly unethical. Would you want someone to rebuild the transmission in your car if they […]
The Best Freelance Writing Locations
We freelance writers can write in a variety of locations. However, we must pay attention to which locations give us the greatest productivity. I find that I’m happiest, and I get the most done on my freelance writing projects, when I vary my location. My Freelance Writing Locations Home Office I often spend the mornings […]
Does Your Freelance Writing Niche Have Busy Seasons?
Many freelance writing niches have particular times of the year when there’s more work available. You need to determine the seasonal rhythms of your niches so you are front and center of your existing clients and potential clients when it’s time to hand out those choice assignments. Freelance Writing Niche Seasons: Examples Freelance writers who specialize in […]
Why Be a Freelance Writer?
Why Be a Freelance Writer? This is an important question that all freelance writers should ask themselves. We’ll all give different answers, but we need to know what motivates us to pursue a career that can have a high level of uncertainty and significant amounts of frustration. Here are my top five reasons for why I […]
24 Logical Fallacies That Hurt Your Writing Career and Your Life
Most of us fall prey to logical fallacies, usually many times a day. However, clear thinking and analysis is crucial for making sense of all that affects us in our writing careers, our personal relationships, our interactions with our political system, and our daily decisions, large and small. This infographic clearly and succinctly lays out […]
Writing College Textbook Supplements, Third Edition, Is Here!
I’m pleased to announce the release of the third edition of Writing College Textbook Supplements: Developing Test Questions, Quiz Questions, Instructor Manuals, Lecture Outlines, and Other Curriculum Components. Most long-time readers know that this has been my main freelance writing niche for over two decades. This expanded and completely up-to-date edition details everything a freelance […]
Curriculum Development Companies: College and K-12
Curriculum development companies hire many freelance writers and curriculum developers to create supplements/ancillaries (test questions, lecture outlines, study guides, and much more) for textbooks at the college, high school, secondary, and primary levels. This post is based on Chapter One of my ebook Writing College Textbook Supplements, third edition, which discusses in-depth how to get […]
Major U.S. College Textbook Publishers That Hire Freelance Curriculum Content Creators
College textbook publishers have a great need for freelance writers to develop curriculum components such as test questions, quiz questions, lecture outlines, instructor manuals and student study guides. My ebook Writing College Textbook Supplements, third edition, describes in detail how to create these ancillary materials, and how to get hired by college textbook publishers and […]
6 Key Provisions Every Freelance Writing Contract Needs
I get it: Freelance writing contracts can be scary and confusing. And if you feel this fear and confusion, you’re not alone. Heck, maybe contracts scare you more than Pennywise the Dancing Clown. Although I’m not sure that’s possible. And because contracts seem confusing and scarier than a killer clown, it’s tempting to work without […]
50 Productivity Tips to Get More Writing Done
Most of these productivity tips are based on sound psychological science and will help you be more productive and get more writing done. My suggestion: look through the list and pick 2-3 tips that you know will make a significant difference in your productivity and apply them right now. My Top Three… 4. Clean your […]
Write Better by Relaxing More
Want to be a better writer? Relax! You hear it frequently. You may say it to yourself. And it’s very important. When you’re relaxed, you help keep your body healthy and you preserve energy that your mind needs to get your writing projects done. Here’s what you need to do… Proper Ergonomics I’ve written a […]
Create Time Blocks to Do the Small-But-Important Things
As a writer you need to write: that’s usually the most important activity for your career. But there are also many other important things that support your writing, and there are many important things that you need to for the rest of your life to flow smoothly. We’ve talked about scheduling time for doing your […]
New Edition of Writing College Textbook Supplements Coming Soon, Plus a Survey
This summer I’ve been working hard on the third edition of Writing College Textbook Supplements, the ebook that details how to succeed in my main niche, which is creating test and quiz questions, lecture outlines, instructor’s manuals, and student study guides for college textbooks. Already Bought a Previous Edition? Great! You’ll be getting a free copy […]
