Let’s see… no particular focus this morning, at least not at the moment.

Contract Worker, a b5media blog, almost always seems to have something relevant for freelance writers and editors. Take, for example: Why Self-Promotion is a Must

Copyblogger is another mainstay, even if you’re not writing copy. In fact, I can’t think of a genre that wouldn’t often benefit from this blog.
Georgianne Nienaber, investigative environmental writer is just flat amazing. Her work almost makes me which I’d become an investigative reporter.
Chris Garrett who writes about “The Business of Blogging and New Media.” often has interesting and valuable things to day to …read more

I’m occasionally asked if it’s okay to use a blog to promote your writing/editing business. My answer is an emphatic YES!
Brian Clark over at Copyblogger.com has a great post called The Blogger’s Guide to Indirect Selling. There he outlines the different journeys people who are reading your blog may take to become paying customers.
It’s a worthy read, and way down at the bottom he’s got a subtle pitch for his newest program, Teaching Sells. I’m signed up; you might want to too. Early registration price ends at midnight tonight.
Write well and often,

Two newsletters:
Abundant Freelance Writing – a resource for …read more

Tom Johnson blogs about technical writing at I’d Rather Be Writing. It’s been years since I’ve done any tech writing but it’s a viable source of freelance writing income.
Tom covers a wide variety of subjects. One I liked is his post on Twenty Usability Tips for Your Blog. Much of it is simple common sense, which is always good to review. Other tips give you insight into how readers use blogs and some of it gives clues about how folks read on screen.
Take a look, and if you’re a tech writer or want to be, bookmark this one.
Write well and …read more

Kristen King, an editor, writer and forum member, has totally redesigned her Inkthinker blog – visually it looks good.
But you know what I like best about it? Is that the content is really featured… two columns that are easy to scan. Shows off her ability and her information well.
There’s a ton of info there for writers and bloggers… check it out.
Write well and often,

Two newsletters:
Abundant Freelance Writing – a resource for freelance writers including 3x a week job postings.
Writing With Vision – for those who want to get a book written.

A couple of days ago I posted a link to writing blog proposals. Today I’ve found another resource aimed at the same thing. Darren Rowse, creator of problogger and a true expert on all thing blogging, has 11 tips for getting a blog writing job in his article titled How to Apply for a Blog Job.
The article is based on his conversations with folks who hire bloggers. He has access to these employers because they post blog jobs and he’s famous in the blogosphere. He also makes it clear that there are fewer blog jobs than applicants. If …read more

It seems as if there are more and more blog jobs of one sort or another. Some pay only revenue share, some pay per post, some require x number of posts and pay monthly, etc.
I got started in blogging when I was the Freelance Writing Guide over at About.com and they changed the way we posted our articles to a blogging format. I still don’t see About.com as a blog, but I guess, at least in one sense, it is.
Shortly after I was let go, an acquaintance started a small blogging network which I joined. It evolved and was bought …read more

On the whole, I find as a freelance writer I’m swimming in ideas. But every now and again I get stuck.
For example, I do a blog for seniors. Twice a week I have to come up with two ideas – something that will generally appeal to the over 50 crowd and something about the bank (Senior BofI) I’m doing the blog for.
This morning, in spite of two cups of coffee and a delightful conversation with a friend, I couldn’t find a single idea about or for seniors in my head. With the deadline looming, rather than panic, I simply looked …read more

Audrey Owen, editor at Writer’s Helper and great professional editor has started what she calls a bloglet – apparently a bloglet is a blog that doesn’t allow comments.
Anyway, it’s a collection of comments, news, and help about editing and publishing. It’s called simply enought, Editor’s Blog.
Write (and edit) well and often,

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Michael Stelzner, creator of the Writing White Papers Blog, has been running a contest for the top 10 blogs for writers in 2006. This is one of those things I’ve been vaguely aware of and had intended to check out and maybe to some politicking in hopes of making the list. But the truth is, I never got around to it.
Guess what, The Golden Pencil made it anyway, as number 7 with this entry:
Anne Wayman’s The Golden Pencil: Wayman provides gold nuggets of information to freelance writers.
I’m delighted… now, on to explore the other winners. (Thanks, Michael!)
Write well and often,

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Carson Brackney over at the Content Done Better Blog read The Freelance Writers Manifesto and, not sure he liked what he was reading, contacted co-author Patricia Skinner who agreed to answer his questions. It makes an interesting, if a bit long read.
Like Carson, I appreciate Patricia’s passion and I think I’ve got a bit more sympathy for what she’s trying to accomplish than he does. No, I don’t mean Carson wants writers to be paid poorly – he’s just a bit more of a fan of a free market than I am. That said, I certainly don’t want some authority …read more