being a professional writer
This Simple Morning Habit Can Make Your Day Happier and More Creative
“How you spend your morning can often tell you what kind of day you are going to have.” — Lemony Snicket Morning habits are important because they set the tone for the rest of the day. That’s why I start every morning with the same activity: I write 5 positive moments from the day BEFORE. In…
Read MoreHow To Enjoy Content Creation Instead Of Stressing About It
Had a lovely chat with Marc Guberti, as a guest on his popular Breakthrough Success podcast. Our main topic of conversation was how to enjoy content creation instead of stressing about it. I kicked things off by assuring listeners that there’s a do-able path forward to a place where you earn enough to feel successful,…
Read MoreWhy I’m Not Afraid of Being Replaced By AI Writing Tools Like ChatGPT
AI writing tools like ChatGPT are designed to respond to questions using fluent English syntax. You enter a prompt and the algorithm responds with a bunch of words written in natural language. It’s a cool trick. ChatGPT and the pack of competing AI nipping at its heels are impressive, from a technology perspective. They write…
Read MoreCapitalizing Titles: How To Navigate Conflicting Rules And Make Sensible Choices
There are a ridiculous number of rules when it comes to capitalizing titles. Every major style guide has its own recommendations. So far as I can tell, the only thing they all agree on is that the first word in a sentence should be capitalized! As a content writer, I’ve spent a maddening amount of…
Read More6 Punctuation Mistakes That Annoy Readers And How To Fix Them
“In writing, punctuation plays the role of body language. It helps readers hear the way you want to be heard.” ― Russell Baker GOOD punctuation is something most readers take for granted. In my 20+ years of writing, I’ve never had someone leave a comment raving about the perfection of my punctuation. If you’re doing it right,…
Read More7 Tips To Avoid Accidental Plagiarism When Writing Content
In school, we were taught to think of plagiarism as a type of cheating. It was something BAD students did. They stole information and text from various sources and deliberately tried to pass it off as their own work. As a professional writer (and a decent human being), I know how to avoid that kind…
Read More7 Simple Strategies To Stop Thinking About Work All The Time
There’s nothing inherently wrong with thinking about work when you’re not at work. Sometimes I come up with great ideas – and solve problems – while I’m driving somewhere (or soaking in the tub). But when you can’t stop those work thoughts from rattling around in your head, you’ve got a problem. Because not being able…
Read More15 Excuses For NOT Writing And How To Move Past Them
I’ve been a professional content writer for more than 20 years. And I’ve made ALL the excuses for not writing, including (but certainly not limited to): Your excuses may be different than mine. They may be better than mine. But here’s the thing… Regardless of what excuses you’re using, the end result is still the…
Read MoreHow To Handle Client Criticism Of Your Writing Like A Pro
Having someone criticize your writing sucks. It doesn’t suck less simply because you’re writing business-related content for a paying client. In fact, it’s arguably more upsetting because you can’t choose to ignore them. Whether you agree or disagree with client input, you have to take it seriously. And you may have to change your words…
Read MoreHow to Stop Writing Mediocre Words: 186 Better Ways to Say “Great”
How often do you toss the word “great” into a sentence, without really thinking about it? A great product, great service, great opportunity… yadda, yadda, yadda. “Great” is the written equivalent of toast with butter. It’s familiar and it feels like you’re adding something to the plate, but there’s almost no taste to it. I’m…
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