Writing with Jennifer

Check out this article from Berkeley News.  It's about a study that showed how conservatives and liberals had emotional reactions when they heard certain "hot button" words.  I love this. Why didn't I get a Ph.D. in rhetoric? (It's because I'm kind of lazy and also I had children) If you've studied persuasive writing at all, you know that there are buzz words you can include to make the reader think, and ultimately do, what you want. Certain words compel people to take action, especially to get out their wallets. In that same way, you can play upon people's natural leanings with your choice of words. That's one reason it's critical to know your audience.  Now there is that overlapping area between compelling and lying (using the words "sale" and "quality" are great ways of getting attention but they might be completely false... words like "quality," "terrific," "best" are particularly useful if ...

Don't we all dream of a month in a little cabin away from it all in the woods or by the sea where we can sit and write all day, taking short breaks only to walk along the shore or enjoy the homemade soup that our unseen care-taker brings to the door just when we are ready for it?  That's how I could do NaNoWriMo. Instead, I am in a too-small house with beloved, but needy, pets (no comma) and children who demand my time. I have a cell phone, a television, and a reliable connection to the time-wasting black hole that is the holy internet.  What could go wrong?  We all face different types of distractions. Mine fall into 4 basic categories.  1. Frustrating Surprises I hate surprise distractions. It is completely unnerving to me to be all set to work and then have something sprung upon m me that I cannot come up with a plan to make go away.  Example: My children have the task of keeping our little box clean. I noticed that one of the cats decided to ignore the litte...

Now that NaNoWriMo has fully begun (what election?), the art of the outline has likely come into play.  Many writers use outlines when tackling a big project like a 50,000-word novel or another significant piece of writing. It's helpful to have a roadmap to keep the big picture in your head and give you a resource to turn to when you run into a brick wall and are trying to figure out what comes next.  Some writers don't do an outline at all. They prefer to just write and see where the story takes them. They may or may not have an end game or landmarks in mind. This is a great approach where creativity rules supreme but in my experience, it reduces the chances of the whole thing actually coming together as a whole.  On the other end of the spectrum is being too rigid with your structure. Every fiction writer knows that sometimes a character hijacks a story, and the author is just along for the ride. It's almost always best to ride that wave as far as you can because that c...

Before the COVID hit, I spent some time working for a small publishing company. I went into it as a writer, not knowing what publishing was all about. I learned a lot. For example, there are approximately 7 million kinds of paper (Okay, I might be exaggerating, but it's a lot!) My job was to help walk authors through the process from start to finish. Here are a few things I learned that are crucial to writers.  You need editors.  I spoke to so many writers who told me that their manuscripts were "already edited." None of them were right. That's because most people have not invested in a professional editor, and editing is often still needed even after a professional has been over the work.  At a minimum, you need a couple of different types of editors on your team. A developmental editor is one who looks at plot, consistency, story flow, character arcs, and other literary elements of the work. That person may also notice spelling and grammar issues, but that's not...

Great writers need great tools. Here are some that I use often. Grammarly Proofreading for spelling and grammar is essential. No matter how much education you have in editing and no matter how many times you've looked over your own work, you are likely to miss something. That's where Grammarly comes in. No, it's not perfect and it doesn't replace a human proofreader. But it's a helpful tool.  Hemingway Editor Simply paste in your work, and you'll get instant feedback about passive voice, adverbs, and how hard your work is to read. You'll also get insight into the reading level of your writing. The site is free to use online, but you can also pay $19.99 to have it downloaded to your desktop.  Omni Writing Calculator If your writing goals are overwhelming you, a site like this can help. This calculator tracks how many words you need to write each day in order to meet your goals. You set the goal and the date, and the calculator will tell you what you need to d...

One way to make your articles stand out is to add quotes from people who know what they're talking about. It's a simple way of instantly elevating your content.  You don't have to go after anyone famous here. Just consider who you know.  If you're writing about cat care, ask your vet to chime in. If you want to write about gardening, head down to the local garden center. Most people will be willing to talk to you. Some might be intimidated at first, but reassure them that they can just speak normally.  In the event that you don't know someone personally who can speak to your topic, reach out to friends on social media. Somebody always knows somebody.  Identify your expert source by name and business. (Dr. Barbara Catlover of the Feline Hospital in Catsville, New Jersey says, "If a cat hisses, it means you are about to be bitten.") It's that simple. 

There are several different ways to score freelance writing gigs.  Research writer's guidelines for a specific publication and send a pitch Cold pitch blogs and publications Cold pitch business owners about website copy Apply for jobs on a freelance writing job board.  This post is about the 4th option. Here's a quick list of my favorite places to look for freelance jobs.  ProBlogger ProBlogger is my favorite. I'm not sure why, but the listings tend to be straightforward, and the site is easy to navigate. It's free to search and apply to jobs, and I have had good luck with the listings being legit.  BloggingPro I like this one, too, but I haven't been as successful here for some reason. It's similar to ProBlogger - easy to navigate and free to use.  FreelancWritingGigs Another similar job board.  FreelanceWriting Yes, they are all different sites. They just seem to be exactly the same.  SimplyHired The listings here tend to be for more long-term jobs t...

In my last post , I discussed content mills and why you might want to use one as a freelance writer. Here I'm going to list some popular content mills that are appropriate for writers beginning their freelance careers. These sites do require you to apply and may ask for samples of your work, but you don't need a publishing background to write for them.  Of course, information on these sites could change at any time. Content mills come and go on the regular. They've been known to disappear completely or suddenly shake up their platforms. So be sure to do your research on any of these sites that interest you.  Mills for Beginners Zerys This is a platform that is good for writers who want more experience. It doesn't pay much. Current reports are that most writers start at less than one cent per word but can work up to about 4 cents per word. Writers grab jobs from a list and are ranked with stars.  OneSpace This is another good option for those new to freelancing, but you ...

Most beginning authors shy away from cold pitching, and there's a good reason for that. It hardly ever works. But when it does, it's an absolutely fantastic feeling.  Cold pitching is where you send an article or a query for an article or story to an editor who hasn't asked for it. This might happen if you have something to contribute to a publication but you can't find any writer's guidelines. So you track down the email of the right editor, and you pitch your idea.  The reason cold pitches rarely result in a home run is that magazine editors have tons of articles pitched to them nearly every day of their professional lives (and probably most days in their personal lives as well).  Here are some tips for the cold pitch.  Do your homework. Make sure you've looked everywhere for those writer's guidelines. If they exist, the editor will expect you to use them.  Know that your pitch is right for the publication. If you are going to gain that editor's attent...

If you've done some writing, you may have heard the term "beta reader." A beta reader is just someone who reads your work before it's published and gives you some feedback. It's as simple as that. Beta readers are like a focus group where you can test out your project to see how it is received.  Having beta readers is important if you are serious about selling your work. You need to understand how other people are seeing and processing what you've written before you thrust your writing out into the world in general. Ideally, you'll have several beta readers who represent different aspects of your target audience.  Where do you get a beta reader? This is where things get trickier. There are many sources for beta readers, but some are more valuable than others.  People you know Chances are that someone in your life is willing to read your work and give you some thoughts and opinions. The problem is that someone who knows you is already coming at your writing...

I have always been a writer, but I have only recently discovered a talent for helping others in their adventures with words. While working for a small publishing company, I recognized a drive within me to help others elevate their skills while continuing to grow my own. That's how I decided to offer writing services. But it does present a few challenges for someone like me.  I'm an intense introvert. It's something I love about myself. I don't need a lot of social interaction. In fact, it drains me. But it has become clear to me that being an exceptional writer sometimes requires community.  I've worked with many authors as a ghostwriter and developmental editor, and I have found great satisfaction in helping other writers achieve their dreams of creating art and being published.  Do you need some community to help you with your writing? I can offer my services as a ghostwriter, developmental editor, beta reader, or writing coach. Fill out the contact form below, an...