freelance writing -

16Sep 2014 by Dianna L. Gunn

5 Great Resources For Writers

Writing

As September draws to a close the time has come for me to really start planning for Nanowrimo--and to help other aspiring novelists do the same. Next week I'll be diving into the subject of how to plan a novel and prepare for a crazy month of quick writing. Of course, not every writer wants to do Nanowrimo. Some people are naturally slow writers, other people are deep in edits, and others simply don't like the idea. And some of you will simply want to continue reading about other topics. Since I know you all have different writing processes--and different goals--I've compiled a list of writing resources to keep your mind busy while I'm focused on Nanowrimo(after signing up for my newsletter so you can be reminded when it's over). The…

30Apr 2014 by Dianna L. Gunn

3 Reasons Fiction Writers Should Consider Freelancing

Freelance Writing

Do you toil away at a day job you don't like to pay bills while fantasizing about a career as a novelist? Do you daydream about working from home and being able to sit at your computer all day--without your boss hovering over you to make sure you get the work done? Freelance writing might be the solution. Even if you love your day job and don't want to become a full time freelance writer, it's a good idea to try your hand at freelance writing. For one thing, you'll notice people think of you differently when you tell them you've actually gotten paid to write before. It's frustrating because every great novel took years to write, but people don't take you seriously if you're not published. Still, it only…

28Apr 2014 by Dianna L. Gunn

Your Daily Marketing Schedule

Goal setting, Writing

Now that you've decided which social media networks to focus on and where you hope to make guest appearances, it's time to create a daily marketing plan for the next month. Some activities, like scheduling promotional social media posts, should be done once or twice a month for best results, but you should incorporate time for marketing in your schedule every day. Why it's important to market daily Even if your blog already has several hundred followers, even if you're selling books well or making a decent living from freelance writing, you need to market yourself every day. Word of mouth is great, but marketing your books and blog yourself is the only way you can guarantee an increase in followers. This is especially true early on--eventually you will experience…

19Aug 2013 by Dianna L. Gunn

Focus in on what really matters

Blog Stuff, Novels, Short Fiction, Writing

As a writer with a limitless imagination and an interesting life, it's easy to get caught up in too many projects at once and to end up abandoning things you really want to work on. It's something I do all the time, and this summer I've done it yet again, and realized that I need to change course to truly create the future I want. When you know exactly what you want, it's tempting to try to force it all at once, but life doesn't work like that. You need to choose two or three projects to focus on at a time, no more. You might even want to try focusing on one project at a time depending on your schedule and the kind of person you are. I don't…

03Apr 2013 by Jordan Clary

Travel Writing From Home

Guest Post

by Jordan Clary Travel writing might conjure up images of exotic resorts, luxury cruises or riding across sand dunes on a camel, and while, travel writing can, indeed, open up some of amazing experiences, it’s not necessary to travel far or even travel at all to write and sell articles. You can start with your own city, neighborhood or even backyard to find ideas for travel stories. Every place is a destination for someone and you are the best expert on your area. Learn to look at your own town with new eyes. What might a visitor like to do? What are the local products? Are there any specialized niches you can fit into? Most of the ‘rules’ for travel writing are the same as for anything else. A well-written,…

06Jul 2012 by diannagunn

Summer Goals 2012–Building a Writing Career

Blog Stuff, Goal setting, Inspirational, Writing

I decided to interrupt my series of prompts and markets by talking about creating writing goals for the summer. It's important to set goals for yourself as a writer, both short term and long term--and to revise them regularly. The turning of the seasons is usually a good marker for when you should revise your goals. Summer also brings with it vacations for many people--particularly students and teachers--and it's important for writers to utilize that time in the best way possible. So today I'd like to walk you through my summer goals through 2012--and to explain how each of them will contribute to my long-term writing career. My main goal: to build a name for myself and start getting regular assignments from as many paid publications as possible. This is…