It’s time to bloom. We are all driven by deadlines, even if we don’t always meet them – Christmas presents bought before the 24th of December (preferably), birthday cards posted to arrive neither too early nor too late, get into work before the boss, and finish that novel in your bottom drawer before you die, to name …
Are you worn down by the well-travelled path? How many times have you found yourself following a familiar working pattern, even though it no longer delivers the same level of positive results? The routine runs like clockwork – set-up, prospecting, emails, social media, yadda yadda. If you’re not paying careful attention to your business you …
A lightbulb moment without the bulb. Recently, a flurry of LinkedIn messages (thanks, all, by the way) reminded me that this is the anniversary month for daring to stick my head above the parapet and call myself a writer – for pay. I did things a little out of sequence, having previously reached two writing milestones:a) …
Hats Entertainment Freelance writing means different things to different people. But irrespective of whether you’re a blogger, a columnist, a copywriter, a feature writer or a ghostwriter, you will need to wear many hats if you want to thrive in business.Join me as we browse some the multiplicity of metaphorical millinery and indulge in a little hatter …
A friend once told me that part of a mechanic’s job was massaging the egos of car owners. “Yes, that’s a classic model.” “There’s never a problem getting spares for this one.” (And with good reason.) For freelance writers – and for most self-employed people, I imagine – there’s a lot of focus on service. Sometimes …
Magnolia needn’t be dull. No, not a promo for one of my excellent and delightfully affordable ebooks; instead, a pause for reflection. If writing teaches us anything, it’s that change is inevitable. The blank page, if worked upon, becomes a tentative piece of writing and then develops into something. (Even disillusionment is something!)The same is …
Whilst it’s undoubtedly true that the world of writing is a competitive one, it can also be a cooperative environment as well. And, while we often play the numbers game and look for a niche to nip into with the fervour of a Saturday shopper in a car park, writers are a community. I recently …
Dressing like Benjamin Franklinhasn’t helped my prose. I’m a big fan of goal setting. When it’s done with focus, even the act of defining what is important to you (and understanding why) significantly increases your chances of achieving it. A simplified version of the process (let’s call it coaching on the go) runs like this: …
Sometimes things just don’t add up. I posted recently about the ways, in my experience, that freelancers can add value. It prompted a few responses and a lively dialogue with professional copywriter Alasdair Murray. For the record, let me state that: 1. I enjoy being challenged, where it makes me think about what I’m communicating …
Key inventions that changed the world. No 24: The pooper scooper. All freelance writers have a perennial set of challenges to get their heads around: – Writing content to order. – Meeting deadlines. – Revising work where requirements have changed or were less than…ahem…fully defined. – Establishing which rights are being sold and who …
