by Susan Lovett | Aug 4, 2020 | Blog, Business Advice, Writing Career |
Writers find work in a variety of ways, dictated mostly by experience level and type of writing. In the nonfiction world, this may mean publications, blogs, websites, corporations, nonprofits, agencies, production houses, and more. This makes it more difficult to answer the question: how do I find work, especially during a pandemic when so many are out of work or are operating at lower capacity? Even given these challenges, there are ways to boost your chances, no matter your skill set or level.
by Susan Lovett | Jun 30, 2020 | Blog, Business Advice, Writing Career |
Being a freelance writer is a tough gig. Not because of the writing, though that has its own difficulties, but because of the business side of things. Through the many years I’ve been doing this, I have learned some tough lessons. Here are my top 12:
by Susan Lovett | Feb 13, 2018 | Blog, Business Advice, Freelancing, Writing, Writing Career |
It is conventional wisdom in the industry that all writers need a platform to succeed. While this isn’t necessarily the case, it is something that most writers will need to understand. The problem with this concept is that it suggests that having a platform is the most important part of publishing and it is not.
by Susan Lovett | Jan 23, 2018 | Blog, Business Advice, Freelancing, Writing Career |
Last week we talked about what being previously published means. This week we’re looking at options for work that falls into that category and your options for moving forward.
by Susan Lovett | Jan 16, 2018 | A Writer's Life, Blog, Business Advice, Freelancing, Writing, Writing Career |
You want to get your work out there. You want to gain an audience. You want to build a platform. And so you post. It’s so easy. There are countless platforms and opportunities from personal blogs and websites to sharing sites, like Wattpad, not to mention digital media outlets. The problem is reckless posting can undermine your ultimate goal.
by Susan Lovett | Nov 14, 2017 | Blog, Business Advice, Clients, Writing Career |
Tracking client work will save you time, money and frustration. Here is how I track my client work and clients.
by Susan Lovett | Nov 7, 2017 | Blog, Business Advice, Writing Career |
Like most writers, I love the research and writing parts of the job, but don’t care for the administrative tasks that come with the gig—doing the taxes, accounting, legal and tracking everything. It’s easy to let those things slide and I did when I first started out, until I learned better.
It is easier than you think to misplace vital information, lose track of invoices and payments, and forget to track what you send out into the publishing world. The only way to stay sane and solvent is to track everything. It will help your sanity too.
by Susan Lovett | Aug 15, 2017 | Blog, Business Advice, Freelancing, Writing Career |
Blogging is fun. I love writing my blog. But it is more than that. It’s a commitment to my readers and my industry. It’s a commitment I take seriously.
Writing a blog takes discipline. You owe your readers consistently good content that can be found on a regular basis. As a working writer, it’s not always easy to honor that commitment. Life gets in the way, which is why discipline matters. It helps to be organized too.
by Susan Lovett | Jul 25, 2017 | Blog, Business Advice, Freelancing, Writing Career |
No matter what you write, earning money from your writing means you are running a business. If you want to be serious about having a writing career, one that will allow you to pay your mortgage and eat, then you need to know what you are getting into and plan accordingly. Here are 15 tips for setting up a professional freelance writing business.
by Susan Lovett | Jul 11, 2017 | Blog, Business Advice, Freelancing, Writing Career |
Working with an editor is like any other business relationship. It requires professionalism and courtesy. Never forget that writing is a business. Just as you would hire a lawyer to negotiate your contracts, you need an editor to publish your work. They are there to partner with you to create something better.
by Susan Lovett | Jul 21, 2015 | Blog, Business Advice, Writing Career |
Trends come and go. It’s not difficult to track them, particularly in publishing. Scan the new releases book shelf at your local book shop and read book blurbs. You will identify the trends.
Publishing news and book reviews are a good source too.
The information is out there. The problem is that the information is dated by the time it reaches would-be writers. The trend began when the writers sat down to write the books, years before.
