I think goal setting is important, especially for my freelance writing business. I’ve written several posts about goal setting and the best ways to achieve goals, but this time I’m focusing on what other freelancers have to say. I’ve perused many of my favorite blogs and chosen the following recent posts for the wide variety […]
Why Good Writing Clients Are Hard to Find but Easy to Keep
The other day, a guy I know who just started a digital-marketing agency told me he’d like to broaden his income stream with freelance writing. It’s a great idea because freelance writing can be lucrative if you know where to look — that’s why so many lawyers, doctors and other professionals write on the side […]
My Review of Carol Tice’s Freelance Writers Den
Carol Tice’s Freelance Writers Den is a membership site dedicated to helping people serious about freelance writing increase their chances of success. The site opened in July 2011, and as a charter member and then as a moderator, I’ve watched closely what Carol has done — and I’m quite impressed. In this review I explain […]
13 Top Techniques For Achieving Your Goals
It’s not so hard to set good goals. What’s hard is actually following through on what you need to do to make those goals reality. But there are important techniques to keep you on track so you can achieve your goals… 1. Review Your Goals Daily It’s very important that you review your goals every […]
Leave Freelance Writing for a Full-Time Job?
Should you leave freelance writing for a full-time job? This is a dilemma many freelance writers face, including some who have been freelancing for a long time and have had significant success. There are many ways to approach the question, and the answer will be different depending on the individual and the specifics of the […]
8 Simple Steps to Writing Faster
We all want to write faster, as long as we can still write well. This infographic lays out eight steps for quickly creating articles and blog posts, but the process also applies to many other types of writing. I have a more detailed post on how to write faster, but I overall agree with the points […]
Get More Writing Done By Simplifying Your Life
Freelance writers’ lives are usually quite busy. But busy with what? Often we are busy doing things that don’t matter, or actually detract from our lives. And that’s why we should practice simplicity. Simplicity, simplicity, simplicity! I say, let your affairs be as two or three, and not a hundred or a thousand; instead of […]
Successful Freelance Writers Write Well
If you want to be a successful freelance writer, you must write well. You don’t have to be a perfectionist, but you do need to write clearly and with very few punctuation, grammar, and spelling errors. You can learn to do this through studying the English language and proper writing and editing techniques. And learning […]
Why I Am Taking a Short Blogging Break
I’m going to Costa Rica for 5 weeks. That’s why! And it’s going to be a true vacation: no work and very little time on the Internet. My only connection to the wider world will be through my Kindle Fire HD 7, and that’s only when I’m around a wireless connection AND I feel there […]
Download My Podcasts About Writing Textbook Supplements
Writing supplemental materials for college textbooks has been my main freelance writing niche for over twenty years. I love the intellectual stimulation, plus I’ve made a decent income that has allowed me to live wherever I want, including three years on Kauai in the Hawaiian Islands. This post shares two podcasts… My Interview with the Text and Academic […]
How to Coauthor a Book
Collaborating with a coauthor on a book or other writing project is often an excellent idea; however, it can also lead to major problems. I’ll examine the benefits of coauthoring first before moving on to point out the potential perils. 3 Reasons Why You Should Coauthor The Coauthor Has Expertise or Knowledge You Don’t This is […]
Time Management and Productivity Twitter Hashtags
Effective time management and high productivity are very important to me and most readers here at Productive Writers. That’s why I put together this list of the most important relevant hashtags for Twitter and Google+. Using Twitter Hashtags You can use these hashtags for your own tweets and Google+ shares, or you can use them […]
The Top 27 Ways to Increase Your Writing Willpower
How strong is your willpower? Do you do what you should, when you should, whether you feel like it or not — whether it’s for your writing or any other task large or small in your life? Do you have strong self-control? Perhaps the most important factor that determines whether or not you are a […]
Does a Freelance Writer Need a Post Office Box?
Why would a freelance writer or any other home-based worker want a post office box? Well, as a freelancer who has a home address and can easily get home delivery, I’ve chosen to have all my mail go to my post office box. Here’s why… The Advantages of a Post Office Box #1, If You Rent If you’re […]
Why I Don’t Have a Smartphone
I spend a lot of time on the computer completing my freelance writing projects, and I also spend significant time on the Internet dealing with my multiple blogs, promoting my services on LinkedIn, and networking with other writers and entrepreneurial types on Twitter, Google Plus, forums, and other blogs. But when I’m not on my computer, I […]
When and How a Freelance Writer Should Hire Help
When you become successful enough as a freelance writer, you’ll need to consider when and how to hire people so that you can become even more successful and make even more money. When Should You Hire Help? Here’s the simple Hiring-Outside-Help Maxim: Assuming you can get as much work as you want at your preferred hourly […]
The Science and Psychology of Why You Procrastinate
Do you know the science and psychology of why you procrastinate? Hey, we all do it. The goal, though, is to do it less and less so we can become more and more successful as freelance writers or whatever it is we do for a living. I’ve laid out 50 ways you can overcome procrastination […]
How Freelance Writers Calculate Their Hourly Rates
You’re a freelance writer because you want to make money. However, you need to be clear on how much money you want to make, how you will go about earning it, and all the factors that affect your earning power. Two crucial concepts for understanding the relationship between your time and your compensation are your […]
Join the Freelance Writers Den Now!
The Freelance Writers Den is now open to new members. All beginning and intermediate freelance writers will benefit immensely from joining the Freelance Writers Den. Just in case you haven’t heard about the Den, it’s a top-notch membership site with several hundred members. It’s run by seasoned veterans Carol Tice and Linda Formichelli and it includes […]
Why You Need Much More Time Offline
Increasing numbers of scientific studies show that we need to spend far less time online and more time offline, preferably outside getting exercise and engaging directly with the world rather than immersed in the Internet and fooling around with our smartphones. It’s one of my key themes here at Productive Writers. Not only will offline time […]
30 Rules for Creating Good Multiple-Choice Questions
Multiple-choice questions are one of the most widely used methods of testing students’ knowledge. If you are a freelance writer for higher education or K-12 companies, you could be creating student assessment questions for a test bank, for a student study guide, or for a student companion website — or you may be a teacher […]
The 17 Best Ways to Boost Your LinkedIn Profile
All freelance writers should know by now that LinkedIn is a key tool for finding clients, getting found by clients, and just being able to present yourself professionally on the number-one business networking site on the planet. I found this great infographic, reproduced here with the kind permission of Neal Schaffer. It lays out 17 […]
How Freelance Writers Can Keep Editors Happy
We freelance writers thrive with quality, long-lasting relationships with editors. So we need to know how to keep them happy so they keep hiring us, and we also need to know what to do if one of our favorites leaves her position with the company. I’m taking the perspective of a freelance writer who creates […]
Freelance Writer Specialties: 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 […]
Successful Freelance Writers Do These Small Things Early
Planning is essential in all aspects of your life, including your freelance writing. My focus here is on the little things that make a big difference when you do them early. This cuts two ways: some things done early result in a big payoff you otherwise wouldn’t have gotten, while some things done late will […]
