Month: January 2020

The 5 missteps most new freelancers commit and how to avoid them

This is a general article on all freelance gigs, not just writing, but truth is truth, and the misstemps here are universal.

Alas, the treacherous freelancing path!
Alas, the treacherous path of the freelancer

by Nancy Van Brunt

If one of your New Year’s resolutions was to leave the corporate world to enjoy the flexibility and earnings potential of freelancing, you’re not alone. The “Freelancing in America: 2019” (FIA) study co-commissioned by Upwork and Freelancers Union found that, for the first time, half of the freelancer respondents said they view this way of working as a long-term career choice. The share of those who freelance full time increased from 17% in 2014 to 28% in 2019.

As the head of freelancer and agency success for Upwork, I see new independent professionals struggling with mistakes that limit their potential for finding satisfying, well-paying work. The good news is that you don’t have to fall prey to these missteps. Here’s how to start your freelance career on the right track. read article

Cartoon: Resolutions

TVWriter™’s all-time favorite artist/philosopher, Grant Snider, shares everybody’s fave New Year’s pass time – Resolutions.

But with a most creative twist.

read article

Hank Isaac on Cultural Confusion – Or Is It…Time Travel?

by Hank Isaac

Is It Possible to be a Time Traveler and Not Know It?

I find what people say and how they say it both generally fascinating and discouraging. read article

Ian McKellen’s Blog

Did you know that Sir Ian Mckellen, AKA Gandalf (or is it the other way around?) has his own blog? And that since 1999 he’s been telling his readers all about, well, a lot of things, including his experiences on on the Lord of the Rings set?

Well, you do now!

read article

12 Truths I Learned from Life and Writing

Anne Lamott does it all. She writes novels and nonfiction, speaks her progressive mind in public and private, and on the side she teaches the writing craft. We’re thrilled to be able to present her perspective.

by Anne Lamott

My seven-year-old grandson sleeps just down the hall from me, and he wakes up a lot of mornings and he says, “You know, this could be the best day ever.” And other times, in the middle of the night, he calls out in a tremulous voice, “Nana, will you ever get sick and die?”

I think this pretty much says it for me and for most of the people I know, that we’re a mixed grill of happy anticipation and dread. So I sat down a few days before my 61st birthday,and I decided to compile a list of everything I know for sure. There’s so little truth in the popular culture, and it’s good to be sure of a few things. read article