Paul Gillin writes the NewspaperDeathWatch blog and it’s safe to say, he’s never been busier. As print advertising continues to plummet and online ads have yet to pick up the slack, papers are cutting frequency, shrinking geographic distribution, laying off workers – really doing anything and everything they can to cut costs – and anticipating […]
Analyze where the year's freelance work came from
As the days count down to the New Year, it’s a good time to reflect on the last 365 days of work. I came back to writing full time in September 2007, so this was my first full year of work. By most measures, it was a good year. I reconnected with several clients I’d […]
Freelancers' business wish list for 2009
If you’re going to spend money on your writing business in 2009, what’s at the top of your wish list? That’s the question I posed to writers on LinkedIn a couple weeks ago. The answers I got were as varied as the writing businesses of the people who replied. Many freelance writers are upgrading faster […]
How to work on a snow day
UPDATE – Dec. 19, 2008 – It snowed all week. Five snow days in a row off school. More snow predicted to fall before Christmas. Running out of things to keep kids occupied. Someone suggested letting kids play with these online games for all ages. * * * We interrupt our regularly scheduled program – […]
WordCount weekly news recap
Bad news continues for news companies. Tribune Co. filed for Chapter 11 federal bankruptcy protection, freezing deferred compensation payments to former employees and making it uncertain whether freelancers with unpaid invoices will get their money from the Chicago Tribune and Los Angeles Times. Listener-supported radio news hasn’t escaped the current downturn. This week National Public […]
The big myths of freelance writing
Contrary to popular belief, most freelance writers don’t roll out of bed at 10, work in PJs and bunny slippers or take pen to paper only when the mood strikes. Jen Miller, a New Jersey girl as well as being an author, blogger and freelance writer, deflates these and other popular myths about writers who […]