business of writing

Read more about the article On Medium: An Evernote Productivity System for Creatives

On Medium: An Evernote Productivity System for Creatives

I've had a few people ask about my to-do list/productivity system recently, so I decided to write an in-depth post about it. It's basically an Evernote notebook that I set up based on David Allen's Getting Things Done method – essentially, a digital version of his series of folders and notes. In it, I plan out my tasks for the week and keep track of all the bigger picture projects I have going on in my life. As a bonus, because it's in Evernote, I can link to other notes and subfolders within the program. (I love Evernote.) For a long time…

Read more about the article New To Freelancing? The 3 Things I Wish I’d Known

New To Freelancing? The 3 Things I Wish I’d Known

Hey there! This post is part of a series of freelancing advice articles from various bloggers, coordinated by invoicing app Invoice2Go. If you're looking for a simple way to invoice through a phone app, definitely check them out. And as for all the usual disclosures: I'm not getting a cut of any sort – I just dig this project of theirs as a way to support the freelance community. :) I hate making mistakes. Ever since I was a kid, I’ve had a tendency to be way too hard on myself when I did something wrong – even if no one else noticed or…

Read more about the article What I Learned In My 2nd Year As A Full-Time Writer

What I Learned In My 2nd Year As A Full-Time Writer

My most popular post on this blog was last year’s look back at being a full-time writer in 2014. My goal in writing that post – and this one – is to share my story with others who are just dipping their toes into making a living with their writing. And, of course, others like me who are managing to make it pay the bills, but aren’t at “guru” status just yet. :) At the end of every year, I like to do a client analysis that helps me get a grasp on where I’m spending my time, and what are…

Read more about the article The Zen of a Writer’s Finances: Cheating the Feast or Famine Cycle

The Zen of a Writer’s Finances: Cheating the Feast or Famine Cycle

Am I kidding? "Writer's finances" and "zen" in the same sentence? For most writers I know, talking about the financials of how we make a living is completely antithetical to feeling calm and zen-like. There's the stress of finding paying gigs. Of selling stories. Of late checks. Of deadbeat clients. Things are messy and complicated, and far too close to the edge of total ruin than most of us would like to admit. Maybe you've already seen this Salon article about writers who are sponsored by their well-off partners. If not, give it a read. It's thoughtful – and thought-provoking. I'm…