Care and Feeding of a Client (Part 1 of 2)

Care and Feeding of a Client (Part 1 of 2)

Freelance writers need clients. They are the lifeblood of a strong freelance business. They pay the bills and keep the dream alive. As such, it pays to take care of them and nurture those relationships.

For the purpose of this article, I will lump editors and publishers (both traditional and online) in with clients. The tips below work for anyone who hires you to write for them.

15 Tricks for Proofreading Your Work

15 Tricks for Proofreading Your Work

You’ve finished your project and hit send. Then you notice an error. It’s the worst feeling when you find the mistake after submission. Those tiny errors haunt writers, which is why proofreading is an essential step for everyone. It doesn’t matter whether you’ve written an email, presentation or novel. It needs to be error-free.

Start of School: How a Box of Pencils Inspires Better Writing and Renewed Passion for Freelancing

Start of School: How a Box of Pencils Inspires Better Writing and Renewed Passion for Freelancing

The sight of school supplies lined up in boxes in colorful store displays brings back memories. There is something magical seeing those pencils sharpened and ready to write new words and stories. It’s a writer’s dream. Even when I was a grade school student, I loved the colors and feel of pencils. Later, I became obsessed with pens and have boxes of them stashed in my office supply closet.

They contain possibilities. Words still unwritten. Stories begging to be released.

The Five Phases of Big Picture Editing

The Five Phases of Big Picture Editing

Editing can be fun, but it also can be tough. It’s an emotional phase of the writing process that can batter a writer’s spirit. Not all of the time. There will be projects that are easy to write and edit, but I’m not talking about those projects today. Today I’m talking about those larger beasts that tear at a writer’s soul. The projects that make us question whether we can write and why we want to do this in the first place. Those projects are the ones that test our resolve to write.

The Throughline: What It Is, Why You Need One, and How You Create One (Part 2 of 2)

The Throughline: What Is It, Why You Need One, and How You Create One (Part 1 of 2)

The throughline is a single thread that winds through your story and off which everything else hangs. It drives the writing and organizes the plot, action and character development. The throughline is the main motivation driving the protagonist toward the ending. It is what holds your story together so it can be a story instead of a random collection of anecdotes and scenes. A good throughline is how you propel your story forward in a way that makes sense.

Three Questions to Ask Yourself If You Want to Be a Writer

Three Questions to Ask Yourself If You Want to Be a Writer

Lots of people talk about writing and being a writer. They dream about book signings and being famous, the photo on the back of the cover, the money. What few do is embrace what it takes to get there. The hard days/nights of work and the roller coaster of emotions that are inevitable. Even fewer actually sit down and write.

If you want to be one of this small group, ask yourself these three questions: