After graduating college, I believed I was well prepared for my first real-world editing job at a national magazine. I’d been corrected and coached by wonderful teachers over the years—but somehow, it ratchets t […]

Whenever I have moved to a new house, I experience the same kind of organizational difficulties.

For example, if I am inspired to sit and write a story, but I can’t because my chair and desk are cluttered w […]

If you are—or want to be—a working professional writer, then it’s time to realize (or remember) that being able to write a great piece is winning only half the battle.

The other half is being able to sell it. […]

Did you know that your work is automatically covered by U.S. copyright law as soon as you set it in a fixed format? According to Title 17 of the U.S. Code, all works are protected under copyright law from the […]

I was reading a post this week in a community forum about an essay writer. She wanted to know how she could find “homes” for her work.

Instantly, I felt strongly that her question revealed the problem. She was […]

Don’t be fooled—I’m not referring to the price tag being small. What I’m saying is that the more granularity the better when compiling your estimate for services, particularly for a first-time client or someone […]

April Michelle Davis and her middle-grade book A Princess in Disguise held a second book signing at the Barnes & Noble, Short Pump Town Center, in Richmond, Virginia, on May 20, 2017. April Michelle was de […]

Sometimes you can be busy all day, but still not know what you actually accomplished, especially if you’re just reacting to external demands.
Whether your too-long to-do list is self-imposed or forced on you by […]

The Self-Publish Pledge

I’ve been working with self-published authors since 2009. This pledge sums up what I wish all authors knew before they published.

I, ____________________________ (state your name […]

Have you ever felt like life just keeps knocking you down and leaves you gasping for breath? We all have at times, because life doesn’t always play out the way we want or expect it to.
But we don’t have to let […]

June 1: National Say Something Nice Day. Make the day extra pleasant for your clients by sharing some nice words.

June 3: National Leave the Office Early Day. It may be celebrated on the first day of the week […]

We wanted to get to know Jake Poinier (NAIWE’s Freelance Expert) better, so last month we sat down with him. Here are some things he shared.

What is one thing that you learned about your craft the hard way, a […]

As journalists, our job is not to simply ask questions–but to ask the ones that get original comments and insights that inform the reader! While I don’t cover many topics that are controversial and don’t have […]

May: National Get Caught Reading Month. Wherever you go, the campaign challenges you to get caught reading.

First Week in May: Small businesses account for half of America’s workforce, and more new jobs come […]

April Michelle Davis and her middle-grade book A Princess in Disguise were featured at the Barnes & Noble, Short Pump Town Center, in Richmond, Virginia, on April 22, 2017. April Michelle was available to […]

On Thursday, I awoke to do what I always did, and that meant checking my numbers on Amazon and my engagement on Facebook and making sure to post.

You see, I had a few important things to share with my […]