Marketing
This Woman Created Her Own Writing Conference — Here’s How You Can, Too
In 2018, I launched the Belize Writers Conference (BWC).
It was a dream of mine to start a writing conference and introduce fellow writers to my beautiful Caribbean birthplace.
Although I was raised in California, my ties to Belize are strong. I knew there had not been a novel published internationally by a Belizean since the 1980s. As an author, book coach and avid reader, I also wanted to promote the literary arts in Belize.
I decided to focus the conference on introducing writers to literary agents, since so many writers (including myself) are often misinformed about the process of trying to publish a book with a traditional publisher.
Podcasting for Writers: How to Grow Your Freelance Biz By Starting a Podcast
Much like blogs, podcasts started out more or less with a large group of hobbyists who wanted to talk about their interests. Eventually, also like blogging, podcasting took on a life of its own and established itself as a viable new medium.
These days, the podcasting landscape is robust and interesting for millions of listeners, including writers. You may already have a few favorite writing podcasts, and if so, you understand the appeal of this typically casual, conversational format.
Podcasts aren’t just great for your listening pleasure, though — they could make a valuable addition to your own marketing efforts. Just think: many podcast audiences are already full of your ideal clients and customers.
Freelancing
Freelance Writing Contracts: What You Need to Know to Protect Yourself and Your Work
Do you start wincing with anxiety when it comes to contracts for your freelance writing jobs? Or are you unsure about all that legalese from big-time lawyers at ginormous companies that sounds like you’ll be roasted over hot coals if you put a comma in the wrong place?
Getting sweaty palms over freelance writing contracts is one of the biggest struggles I see writers have; from newbies all the way up to seasoned content marketers. But drilling down and understanding what these complex clauses mean, why they’re becoming more frequent in our contracts and what steps to take if your potential client pushes back on your changes can give you a lot of confidence when it comes to signing on the bottom line.
How to Break Into the Lucrative World of Grant Writing
As a freelance writer, you’re likely constantly searching for well-paying, recurring gigs. But often the pickings are slim. You might feel stuck with one-off assignments that pay only meager returns.
That’s where grant writing offers a huge opportunity.
I started grant writing as a college intern, then for a small after-school nonprofit program, and never looked back. Now, 13 years later, I run a seven-person team at Professional Grant Writers, and we work with organizations around the world to develop and maintain robust grant writing programs.
Blogging
A Writer’s Guide to Mastering SEO: How to Choose Keywords and Rank on Google
Even if you don’t know the first thing about SEO writing, you’ve likely heard the buzz.
SEO is a great (and free!) way to get traffic to your website or blog. But from the outside looking in, it can feel absolutely intimidating.
So what exactly is SEO writing, and why is it time to get on board? And how do you even write an SEO post? I’ll start with the basics.
Write About Your Furry Friends: 18 Pet Publications That Want Your Stories
Your dog is the smartest and cat is the cuddliest. Surely, you have a tale or two about the time Charlie ate the couch cushions, or Daisy unboxed the UPS delivery.
Pets can be a wonderful inspiration, and there are many outlets looking for your stories.
Study the magazine or website to get a feel for the tone and content. If you’re writing an expository feature, be sure to research fully and use accurate citations. If you are working on a personal story, write from the heart. Good hi-res photos are usually welcome.
Publishing
Working With a Literary Agent: 6 Things You Shouldn’t Expect Them To Do
There’s a lot of things that agents do: sell books, edit, negotiate, offer advice and consultation. However, there are a lot of things that don’t fall within our purview. We hope to help guide you on your career path and offer suggestions when to consult other experts (lawyers, accountants etc).
While most agents handle a wide range of support to their clients sometimes writers build up unrealistic expectations for an agent’s range of work. Literary agents aren’t magicians; we hate to admit it, but there are some limitations to what we can do.
Since we’ve already reviewed what you can expect from your literary agent, here’s what not to expect.
Should You Self-Publish Your Book? 5 Essential Questions to Help You Decide
You’ve penned a book you’re proud of, and now you’re ready to share it with the world. But first, you have a question: Is it better to self-publish or get a publisher?
Maybe you want to become the next Sarah Dessen of YA fiction, or perhaps you created a series you know will rival the book-to-movie successes of “Hunger Games” and “Harry Potter.”
Either way, you should know that no road to authorship is paved with gold. It doesn’t matter if you decide to self-publish your book or do so traditionally — there are pros and cons to both routes.
While authors who self-publish boast the wonders of creative control and higher royalties, they also bemoan the uphill climb it can be to reach an audience. Authors who publish traditionally say mainstream success is the only way to go, all the while relishing the ability to have a say in final book decisions.
Craft
60 Fantastic Writers Conferences for Authors, Bloggers and Freelancers
Because COVID-19 has drastically changed the world we live in, many of these conferences may be canceled, postponed, or moved partially or entirely online. Check with conference organizers for details.
Ready to connect with literary agents, editors and fellow writers at a writers conference?
If you’re tired of learning about interesting opportunities just a little too late, bookmark this list of annual writers conferences (both in the U.S. and international) for future planning, so you can join in on the mingling, learning and inspiration.
And while some of these conferences might not happen next year as planned due to the pandemic, many have moved online becoming even more accessible for those who want to attend.
A Win for the Oxford Comma: This Lawsuit Shows Why It’s So Important
Who cares about the Oxford comma?
The answer historically has been grammar nerds, Strunk & White and those who follow the infamous Chicago vs. AP writing style guide debate.
After this lawsuit a few years ago, we added dairy driver to the list.
That’s because an appellate court ruled in favor of Maine dairy drivers in a labor dispute that hinged on the oft-debated piece of punctuation.
For anyone who’s ever wondered what all the fuss is about over Oxford commas, the circuit judge’s 2017 opinion says it all: “For want of a comma, we have this case.”