It’s Cyber Monday, time to start thinking about holiday spending (or maybe not). When you’re getting presents for everyone else on your shopping list this holiday, don’t forget to get yourself something too. Preferably it’ll be something to help you be smarter and more productive in your writing business but that is also cute and […]
Why good writing is all about context
More and more these days, good writing is all about context. When news cycles are measured in minutes or hours rather than days, unless you’re the one doing those news stories, your work as a writer is putting what’s happening into context. That’s especially the case for many bloggers, whose raison d’etre is commenting on […]
How to make money writing about the financial crisis
You’ve heard the expression, follow the money. Well, the silver lining of the U.S. economy sliding into the dumps is there’s plenty of work for business writers who know a mortgage-backed security from an adjustable rate mortgage. If you don’t fit that description now, you could. American University and Arizona State University’s Donald W. Reynolds […]
Multimedia myths debunked
There’s a lot more to learning interactive storytelling than simply figuring out how to operate a digital videocamera or creating a story board for a Web-based news package. But many writers, including freelancers, are still at the beginning of the learning curve, so there’s still a lot they have to learn. Rather, when it comes […]
Writing for free is not a business model
You see them every week on Craigslist, help wanted ads from publishers or Websites that need writers but can’t afford to pay – but you’ll get clips and the exposure will be great! And yet – I’ve never met a grocery store, credit card company or mortgage company that accepted “exposure” as payment. More information […]
Portland Wordstock book festival recap
I went to Portland’s Wordstock book festival over the weekend. John Hodgman, the PC in the “I’m a Mac, I’m a PC” ads, was one of the stars of a weekend that was filled with signings, readings, writing workshops and other book-related activities. In case you missed it, I wrote this guest post about Wordstock […]