A byline doesn’t have to stay single forever.  Cowriting happens when writers put their thoughts together for articles or stories. Here’s more about the hows and whys of cowriting with another person, and how to make it work on paper. Why Cowriting is Useful  Cowriting means that writing responsibilities are split, and it can take a lot of the pressure off a lone author. I’ve spent a lot of time writing alone, but have also worked with other talented ones who have helped create some fantastic writing pieces. Simply, it helps. I’ve had days where I just can’t think, but the d ..read more

I read a site called Letters of Note that posts common letters from famous and uncommon people, and this week they posted one from Norman Lear who recently died at 101. He wrote and produced fantastic material way ahead of his time, dealing with the social mores of society and making it comical with a serious message. All in the Family was one. Maude, The Jeffersons, Mary Hartman, then the movies like Fried Green Tomatoes. In the letter this website posted from him to a fan’s daughter, we see just how well he views the human condition. https://news.lettersofnote.com/p/only-lisa-can-make-l ..read more

In my job I write emails on behalf of businesses to try and generate leads from other businesses. Here are some things I’ve learned that we could apply to writing query emails and subs… Make it easy for the recipient  When emailing an editor or agent, remember the relationship is asymmetrical: the message matters far more to you than to them. Therefore, make everything you can easier for the other person. Make it difficult for them to discard your query because you’ve been so spot on with your inquiry. Pretty much every other tip here circles back to this one. Keep it short and simple ..read more

I recently read an essay by an author who earned out her $20,000 advance in two years, which is amazing. What does that mean? They paid her a $20,000 advance when the book was sold to a traditional press, which meant she received no royalties until her advance earned itself out with sales. She did it. A lot of writers don’t, by the way. https://electricliterature.com/my-book-earned-out-in-two-years-and-nothing-happened/ The problem is, she thought in doing that she would have done something. She would have become a household name and become someone that agents and editors were interested in fo ..read more

My 17-year travel writing journey mantra is, “presell your travel stories before you visit your destination.”  Many travel writers go on trips without assignments. Then they’re faced with the uphill grind of selling their ideas after they return. I’m always surprised at this random approach, because it’s not good business. It’s difficult to sell stories after you travel. Instead, travel writers should snag assignment letters in advance. Additionally, I believe in preselling as many travel articles as possible. Here’s How to Presell Your Travel Stories Before You Travel  1.Select ..read more

By Orrin Konheim Considering I’ve devoted a significant portion of my life to writing about entertainment, I’m especially agog at the prospect of getting to meet a celebrity face-to-face (or on zoom or the telephone or whatever) and pepper them with questions. Even if I didn’t care about the cult of celebrity, interviewing a famous person pays off in numerous ways. The ability to get an article greenlit, to get page views on an article, or to up your profile are all enhanced with a famous name. Still. as a sensible reporter with a finite bandwidth to pursue my writing goals, I have to be pragm ..read more

It took me many years to give in to the idea that I was a writer, and a few more to discover the secret to my success. The first happened for me on an auspicious occasion: passing the hours beside my husband’s hospital bed. He was on a respirator after a massive heart attack, and at the time the extent of his recovery was unknown. As I listened to the beeping and whirring of the machines keeping him alive, a lightbulb clicked on in my brain. If I wasn’t going to write now, then when? During his recovery, (his disabilities don’t limit his quality of life, thank goodness) I tried writing at ..read more

A website shows who you are, where you’ve been, and what you offer to make someone’s life sweeter. Many writers think that having published someplace validates them. Some think that promising the moon will entice someone to hire them. You’ve got to give them something to study about you, and without a website or a very solid social media presence, your promises to do a good job appear rather diluted. You need a website: To show that you take your writing seriously. To demonstrate what you’ve achieved. To show your efforts moving forward. To post examples of your work. A lot of writers think pu ..read more

Starting my freelance career writing for content mills instilled the mindset that I had to say yes to every job and put up with anything my clients threw at me. Now after three years, I see the benefits of saying no and the opportunities this can lead to. It was frightening at first, but here are the signs I’ve become familiar with, telling me when to ditch a client. The workload keeps expanding Being approached on LinkedIn by a client asking if I wanted to write dating articles was an ego boost. However, the workload went from writing articles with light research and inserting keywords, to ex ..read more

Magazines use regular “contributing” writers for many reasons. They love having writers already on board who understand the needs of the readership and the publication.. To ask a publisher to give you a chance is to say you don’t feel you are valuable enough to earn markets on your prowess. . . and it says you need a hand-up versus being a writer hired on skill. Instead, you need to polish your material and make it glisten, all in the vein of what that publication needs. And you learn how to do that by studying the publication. If they turn you down, it’s because of a zillion reasons, some of ..read more