Latest posts
Work-Write Balance
/ 2023-09-22Writers make a living in different ways. I am lucky enough (and struggled hard enough) to have a job that includes writing: an anthropologist who works in academic research. And yet I found myself wanting to write more and differently, to be creative, to produce fiction and creative nonfiction in... Read More
Your Real Voice…and AI
/ 2023-09-22The world is grappling with adopting AI in all aspects of itself. We, of course, are concerned about it infiltrating our writing. All over the web, we see writers bragging about using AI to write better. They are claiming that putting their ideas into a program, and accepting what comes... Read More
Data Analyzers: Using Facts to Sell Your Fiction
/ 2023-09-16by Angela Yuriko Smith As an author, having a marketing plan is essential to earning money from your books. It's not enough to rely on your perceptions, as this can lead to flimsy publishing plans that fall apart in the face of unforeseen events. Instead, you need to base your... Read More
The Old Writer
/ 2023-09-16I spoke to a library group this week, and one man stood out in the audience. I wish I'd gotten his name and contact information. He was 80 years old, a retired engineer, and he'd written creatively his entire life. He'd written many shorts, poetry, and five novels. He said... Read More
The Accidental Columnist – How to Land a Regular Newspaper Gig
/ 2023-09-08The stability of a consistent paycheck eludes many freelance writers, but scribbling out a regular column in a local rag can help address this shortcoming and provide a fulfilling sense of community connectedness. It is also more attainable than you think. (Look at the amount of your local daily's content... Read More
When Writing Becomes Content
/ 2023-09-01Modern writing often goes on the internet first, and isn’t just on the tactile, tangible page anymore. When writing becomes online content, the pitch is also about the characteristics of website reading - and not just about landing a good idea. Here’s how to pitch and write content for online... Read More
Black Hat Copywriting
/ 2023-08-18Alarm bells went off when a copywriting agency asked me to write a testimonial about MyPillow, a product known for buying their reviews. Black hat copywriting is everywhere, and is meant to manipulate consumers (and swing search engines). Here’s why I left the job the moment I realized their game.... Read More
Uncle Sam Is My Most Lucrative Technical Writing Client
/ 2023-08-18It was never my dream to become a technical writer for government. However, government clients like the Department of Defense (DoD), the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), and Montana State University have taught me a valuable skillset and provided me with steady bread and butter for seven years, allowing time... Read More
Bookstore Readings from the Bookstore’s Perspective
/ 2023-08-04What should I know about author readings and book signings from the point of view of bookstores? Glad you asked. From my fifteen years working at Op Cit Bookstore in Taos, NM, I’ve learned quite a bit, being an author myself. Formerly called Moby Dickens, the locally-owned and independent shop has been... Read More
On Critiquing Nicely
/ 2023-08-04Based on a couple of inquiries, I wanted to share my response about tricks on ways to critique. Once I finished replying, I realized I'd written an editorial. Never waste words, I say, so with a few touch ups, here is my take on how to critique someone else's work... Read More
