Getting Over That Blogging Hump

November 1, 2011

When I was a kid, I took piano lessons. So did my little sister and brother. None of us particularly enjoyed practicing at first. After a year or two, they both quit. I’m not sure why, but I kept with it. Soon I loved playing. I played all through high school and college. Even got […]

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Q&A: Writer Sean Platt on Making Money Online

October 31, 2011

If you're a writer interested in making money online, don’t miss these insights from author and entrepreneur Sean Platt. Sean writes everything from children's books to horror novels to landing pages for websites. He co-founded CIMedia, an independent publisher with a focus on writing and social media, and is a contributing writer for Copyblogger. But […]

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Writers’ Roundup: October 28

October 28, 2011

Happy Friday! Links from this week that stuck with me: Seth Godin asks, Are you working on YOUR agenda or someone else’s? Great reminder here about setting priorities. Great resource for freelancers spotted by MediaJobsDaily: The Open Notebook, a database of pitches that worked. The best self-help is realizing how lucky you are, says blogger […]

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The Juicy Money Details Behind Leaving My Job

October 26, 2011

Writing this post is what convinced me to start Solopreneur Secrets, a weekly letter about transitioning from employee to free agent. Check it out if you haven’t already. Last week I spent an hour Skyping with this guy. We’d never talked before. He saw an interview with me about becoming a slasher, felt like we […]

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Smart Ways to Use Twitter Lists

October 25, 2011

Lists are one of Twitter’s best features because they help you use Twitter strategically, rather than haphazardly. Do you use them yet? If you don’t, hopefully you’ll be convinced to get on that bandwagon by the end of this (short) email. Lists help you see tweets by certain people and drown out all the rest. […]

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The Secrets of Becoming a Solopreneur

October 24, 2011

Something big happened on Friday night. I got hit with an Idea. BOOM. And I started writing furiously. You know how that feels, right? I’d planned to wait until after the New Year to unveil my next product. I’ve been Scheming about a paid newsletter, but I wanted to have it all planned out and […]

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Writers’ Roundup: October 21

October 21, 2011

Welcome to Friday! Before we get started, check out my critique partner Peggy Frezon‘s new book, Dieting With My Dog, which released this week. What an accomplishment! This is Peggy’s first book, and I’ve watched her with admiration through every step of the publishing process, starting with when she landed her agent. I’m so proud […]

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How Following That Dream Can Help Your Career

October 19, 2011

If there’s one part of my new guide, How to Take a Career Break to Travel, that I get fired up about, it’s this: taking time out of the traditional workforce to travel does not have to kill your career. In fact, if you make this move strategically, it can actually help you professionally. This […]

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Guide Launch! How to Take a Career Break to Travel

October 17, 2011

Wow. Big day here! Today I’m launching How to Take a Career Break to Travel, a step-by-step guide to making your dream trip happen. This has been a long time coming. I left on my own Big Trip in June 2008 — which is when I started this blog — and backpacked solo through seven […]

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Writers’ Roundup: October 14

October 14, 2011

Happy Friday! Links from this week you might enjoy: New to freelancing? Avoid these mistakes, writer Thursday Bram says on Brazen Life. It’s as much about you as the book, says FundsforWriters’ Hope Clark. This is true now more than ever. Rose Egge, a 20-something who’s battling cancer, writes about how her work here is […]

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