Category: Blogs and Websites
How to Stand Out in the Slush Pile
Standing out in the slush pile is one of the key ways to get published as a freelance writer, novelist, or poet! When you send story ideas or book proposals to editors and publishers, you need to float to the top – and stay there. New research reveals one way to get people to remember your writing; it’s a [...]
8 Freelance Writing Tips for Print Magazines
These eight freelance writing tips for print magazines represent some of the best lessons I’ve learned from the “school of hard knocks.” As a successful full-time writer without a Journalism degree, I’ve learned a great deal about writers’ rights, contracts, editing, sourcing, and pitching and selling articles. Before the tips, a quip from Natalie Goldberg: “A student in a workshop walked up to [...]
Should Writers Blog? O Yes – 7 Benefits of Blogging for Writers
Yes, writers should blog! Here are the benefits of blogging for writers, which include improving writing skills, building a strong writing platform, networking, and getting more stuff published. Before the tips, a quip: “Write with no one looking over your shoulder,” says Barbara Kingsolver. “Don’t try to figure out what other people want to hear from you; figure [...]
Earn Money by Writing Articles for Magazines as a Freelance Writer
These tips for earning money by writing articles are based on a reader’s questions about freelancing for magazines. Here, I discuss writing successful query letters, finding writers’ guidelines, researching magazines, and taking writing classes….and all my answers revolve around earning money by writing articles! Gotta love it. Before the tips, here’s a writing quip from Elmore Leonard: “I [...]
10 Tips for Starting a New Blog for Writers
These ten tips for starting a new blog for writers are from my own experience; I created six “Quips and Tips” blogs on WordPress. Most of my themes were created by Solostream – they make great themes, and offer fantastic support. And here are the top 10 things I’ve learned from creating my blogs. But before the tips, a quip! Substitute the words “starting a [...]
Sample of a Successful Query Letter to Reader’s Digest
Here’s the query letter that landed me my first article to Reader’s Digest – it’s a sample of a successful query letter that you can use to win your own writing assignments! Even though I broke a couple of “writing rules”, I sold the article and still write for Reader’s Digest regularly. But first, a quip: “I’m not a very good writer, but I’m [...]
Writing Web Content – How to Use Keywords and Optimize Online Writing
Writing blog posts and web articles that attract readers is easier when you know how to use keywords and optimize your online writing! These tips for writing web content include search engine optimization (SEO), effective article titles, keyword phrasing, and more… Here’s what a fellow web writer asked me — she’s a new Suite101 contributing writer: “Help! [...]
Ready to Start Blogging? 5 Steps to Setting Up a Blog for Writers
Of course you’re ready to start blogging – it’s a blast! I learned these steps to setting up a blog the hard way – by creating a series of Quips and Tips blogs. Quips and Tips for Achieving Your Goals was my first site (I think…or was Successful Writers first? They all smoosh together). The learning curve [...]
For a Profitable Writing Career – 10 Steps to Making Money as a Freelance Writer
Making a living as a freelance writer - building a profitable writing career - is possible, especially if you learn from successful writers! These are the steps I took to make money writing; I’ve been earning a solid living as a writer for three years (and I started out in the slowest economy ever!). Before the tips, a quip: “Imitation is the [...]
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