Everyone knows that freelancers pitching for business need to make sure their sites and social media presence look sharp and professional. But have you considered that, as a potential client of a freelancer, you need to curate your own image, too? How I vet potential clients Two things: First, freelancers like me hate to waste…
Writing is easy. Planning is hard. Research is time-consuming. Ideation comes from experience. Those four thoughts, taken together, are the fundamental theorem of nonfiction writing. Imagine a book chapter. (It’s not very different if it’s an article or a blog post — the same thing applies.) Ideation can often happen quickly. One moment you don’t…
Sometimes your managers ask you to do something outside the range of what you’ve done before. Do it. Even if you’re afraid of failing. This has happened to me multiple times in my career, and it always paid off — although often not right away. Odd jobs I was a technical writer at my first…
This article was originally published in Ragan’s PR Daily. Will AI tools like ChatGPT write your copy and take your job? Or will they just make you more productive? I recently tapped social media to connect with some of the world’s most effective business writers: authors of successful business books. They shared tips on how…
Meetings and travel impair productivity. Writing, editing, revising, and research are all activities better conducted solo. The presence of others is a detriment. Tools like Google Sheets, Google Docs, and Microsoft Word Track Changes make it possible to collaborate virtually and asynchronously. It’s a good idea to meet regularly with clients to discuss your work,…
You wrote something awesome. Then it comes back from reviewers with markup all over it. Inevitably, the sad trombone plays in your mind’s ear — you might feel angry, resentful, upset, or depressed. Go ahead, own that reaction for a moment or two. But now you have to revise the draft. And it’s time to…
You can spend your life avoiding the unknown. You will fail. Or you can embrace it fully — but not recklessly. In 1995, I faced the unknown. I was hired as a technology analyst. I had no idea if I could actually do the job. I thought, “I have enough trouble analyzing the prospects of…
As a freelancer, should you spend half your time marketing yourself? I’ve heard that suggestion, and I have to say, it sounds tedious as hell. Supposedly, you have to advertise and also network like mad. Plus, find opportunities to give speeches and promote yourself. You know, “hustle.” This fills the top of your “funnel” with…
This is what I expect from my writing collaborators, and what they can expect from me. Only philistines violate these principles. These are the rules. If you follow them, we can work together; welcome to the fellowship of the writing community. If you don’t follow them, I want nothing to do with you, and I…