Author Archive: Laurie Pawlik-Kienlen
Laurie Pawlik-Kienlen is a full-time wordsmith and blogger in Vancouver, BC. Known as the Adventurous Writer, she created six "Quips and Tips" websites, and has written four "Quips and Tips" ebooks.
Overcome Writing Rejections and Failures – Tips From J.K. Rowling
All writers — no matter how successful — need to learn how to overcome writing failures and rejections. These tips for writers are based on J.K. Rowling’s Commencement Speech at Harvard, which was about failing in life, and succeeding as a writer. Rowling called this part of her speech “The Fringe Benefits of Failure.” “An exceptionally short-lived [...]
10 Solutions to the Most Common Writing Mistakes
These ten solutions to the most common writing mistakes apply to all types of writing: fiction, non-fiction, poetry, technical, etc. Writing tips like this can make you a better writer and self-editor…which increases your chances of getting published! But first, a writing quip: “Don’t write down to your readers,” writes Jack Bickham. “The ones dumber than [...]
When You’ve Written an Article Without a Contract
Freelance writers, never write an article without an article assignment! These writing tips will help you recover if you’ve written an article without an editorial contract. Here’s the question a fellow writer emailed me: “Months after I sent a query, the magazine editor wrote me back and said, “Oh! We’d love your article. Go forth, have at [...]
8 Networking Tips for Writers
These networking tips for writers will help you feel less isolated and alone – and they could help you earn more money as a freelance writer! Whether you love your isolation or not, you need to network if you want to be a successful freelance writer who actually earns her keep as a wordsmith. Before the networking tips, a [...]
A Reader’s Digest Editor’s 10 Writing Tips
Don’t miss these tips from my Reader’s Digest editor! She taught me more about writing articles and query letters than any other magazine editor I’ve worked with. Before the tips, a quip: “Newspaper editors are men who separate the wheat from the chaff, and print the chaff.” ~ Adlai Stevenson. Believe me: not all editors are this [...]
Tips for Freelancers – Dealing With the Ups and Downs of a Writing Career
No matter how successful freelance writers are, they’ll aways have ups and downs. The key to maintain long-term success is learning to ride those highs and lows without losing balance or momentum — which is what these tips are all about! Before the tips, a quip from Gloria Steinem: “As a profession, freelance writing is notoriously insecure,” [...]
How to Support a Family Member Who Writes
These tips will help you support a family member who writes; they’re from a fulltime freelancer who gets all the support could ever want! Before the tips, a writing quip: “I think marriage and writing books are very difficult to combine. If things don’t go well between you, then there’s a tendency for the partner to blame [...]
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