Increasing Income

Short-Term Money is Killing Me

I got into freelance writing for a simple reason: I needed to earn money. There was no barrier to entry. I could set up a website, start chasing clients and wind up with money in the bank at the end of the week, provided that I wrote quickly enough. And freelance writing has done well [...]

Read the full article

Ask Me Anything: Responding to Referrals

Mel asks, What’s the etiquette on responses when a friend recommends you to one of their clients and CC’s you on the e-mail? Do I say hi, say anything? They sent along my web site url, so they know where to find my work, not sure how I can reach out and make friends. Following [...]

Read the full article

Finding the Other Skill Sets You Need to Build Up Your Writing Business

Thumbnail image for Finding the Other Skill Sets You Need to Build Up Your Writing Business

Unless your entire business model is querying editors and sending out articles from here to eternity, you need skills beyond simply writing. Just what those skills are depends on your business, of course. For me, the technical aspects of setting up a new website and designing it are important — I know just enough about [...]

Read the full article

Just Remember, There is a Chicken Magazine

Thumbnail image for Just Remember, There is a Chicken Magazine

I like to go to bookstores and browse through magazines. I get new ideas for articles, find new markets and even occasionally find something I want to read. Recently I saw Chicken Magazine, which was dedicated to providing recipes on how to cook chicken. I came home and ran a search for ‘chicken magazine’ — [...]

Read the full article

What You Need to Move Forward: Your Answers

Last week, I asked you for what questions you need answered to be able to move forward with your writing career. The big questions I received are below — there were a couple that were fairly simple, so I’ve brought them together into one. How can I better manage my time, both so I can [...]

Read the full article

Kickstarter: An opportunity for writers?

Thumbnail image for Kickstarter: An opportunity for writers?

What would you say if you could post a creative idea somewhere and get people to agree to pay you a small amount in order to complete it? That’s the concept behind Kickstarter, generally speaking. Users are able to describe their concept creative project in some detail, offer certain returns for their supporters (like a [...]

Read the full article

What Do You Need to Move Forward with YOUR Writing Business?

Last month, I took a month off from most of the work I do for clients because I needed some time to get my head screwed on straight. I love writing and the fact that I make a living from lining words up in a row never fails to amaze me. But I needed to [...]

Read the full article

Ask Me Anything: Higher Paying Blogging Gigs

Karen Kefauver asks, Can you suggest where more seasoned writers like me may look for these higher end markets($100 a post? )? What URLS do you find these posts at? Or are they all word of mouth? I mentioned recently that I receive $100 or more a post for most of my blogging work, despite [...]

Read the full article

Why Would a Writer Need a Coach — An Interview with Ali Hale

Thumbnail image for Why Would a Writer Need a Coach — An Interview with Ali Hale

There are a wide variety of ways to use writing skills and build a business. I had the chance to chat with Ali Luke on the new coaching service she’s rolling out to help other writers. Full disclosure: Ali is my partner over at ConstructivelyProductive and I think she’s absolutely awesome. 1. How can a [...]

Read the full article

Ebyline: Raising the Bar for Online Content?

Thumbnail image for Ebyline: Raising the Bar for Online Content?

The general consensus among professional writers is that content mills are pulling down standards for online writing (personally, I think the content mill debate is more complex). As a response, Ebyline has launched as a content marketplace directed specifically at professional journalists. The goal is to work with editors (hopefully at name-brand publications) to assign [...]

Read the full article

← Previous Entries