Dear Brain Pickers: I’m Flattered, But No

Dear Brain Pickers: I’m Flattered, But No

Brain picker–are you one? Throughout my career as a freelance writer and grant writer, I’ve been invited to coffee (which I typically end up paying for), or have been sent emails, by budding writers and entrepreneurs who want to know how I do what I do and...
How to Become a Writer

How to Become a Writer

“How did you become a writer?” I get asked this question a lot. In response, I talk about my love of reading (readers make good writers). I was one of those kids who would read until the wee hours, with a flashlight under the fortress of my blankets, when...
Gifts for Writers

Gifts for Writers

Gift-Giving Season is Upon us. If you are lucky to have a writer or three in your life and you are stumped for gift ideas, I have few suggestions that will be sure to keep their words flowing all year long. And, just maybe, you might want to add a few of these to your...
Copywriting, It’s Not Hard, Right?

Copywriting, It’s Not Hard, Right?

There is nothing to writing. All you do is sit down at a typewriter and bleed. ~Ernest Hemingway How hard can it be, this writing thing? As a professional writer, I often hear non-writers suggest that copywriting must be easy for me since I am so good at it. That...
Care and Feeding of the Writer’s Body

Care and Feeding of the Writer’s Body

You don’t need to be a master researcher to find lots of writing advice if you’re looking to hone your craft. A quick Web search reveals numerous articles, books, and manuals on how to be a better, faster, or more successful writer. These strategies and...