Every writer whose work is subject to review — by editors, clients, or anyone — has experienced the phenomenon of receiving contradictory reviews. This creates great angst, because you can’t please everyone. For example: This happens so often it needs a name. Call it the reviewer squeeze: when you’re caught between people in authority whose…
“I quit.” These are words you should almost never utter as a ghostwriter. The reason is that busted ghostwriting relationships let clients down and will damage your reputation. Word will get around that you parachuted out and that will hurt you in the future. Writers who make their living exclusively on ghostwriting may be juggling…
Publishers and authors are panicking about the appropriate uses of AI. It’s a nuanced problem, because AI use creates issues of quality, copyrightability, and disclosure. Wiley, publisher of vast numbers of business books, has now published its extensive guidelines online for all to see. Wiley’s guidelines are a great start Given some of the shortsighted…
You want writing in a hurry? Great! I love to work fast. This could work out well. It could also be a disaster. Here’s what I need to complete a rush job (and you’ll find this applies to most good, fast writers). I actually prefer speedy writing If all the right pieces are in place,…
Newsletter 109. Building your career portfolio one fascinating project at a time. Plus, no more Lego custom orders, the problems with the federal design studio, three people to follow, three books to read, and one last chance to tell us about how much you love or hate AI. Making growth your portfolio objective You should…
Maybe you took a break this summer. Maybe you’re going back to work soon. Ask yourself: Am I happy doing what I’m doing? Am I happy working where I’m working? That book I was working on — is there something about it that I ought to change? If I could change something, what would I…
Newsletter 106: Writing incurs pain, but it’s up to you which pain to suffer and when. Plus, a new survey on AI and the Writing Profession, Bookshop.org surges, three people to follow, and three books to read. Writing? Choose your pain. Writing, like anything else that requires effort and growth, involves pain. The good news…
This is my father’s slide rule. For those unfamiliar with this vintage computing instrument, a slide rule was how scientists, engineers, and technicians did mathematical calculations for much of the twentieth century. You’d carefully align the sliding middle portion with outer frame and read the result off the scales, using the cursor (which was a…
If you have an idea, you can spend hours trying to find the right name for it. GoDaddy and NameCheap have efficient tools for searching domains. And Trademarkia will tell you who’s attempted to trademark the name, and for which services. That’s a lot easier than the real work of figuring out who would pay…