President’s Letter: The Power of ASJA
Our economy has been dancing on the edges of recession for a while now. One…
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ASJA Confidential
Welcome to the ASJA blog, where you’ll get current information about ASJA’s programs, as well as special features on the business and art of nonfiction freelance writing.
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Musings About ASJA Volunteerism
It seems like we never have enough time to do everything we need and want…
Announcing the Gathering of the Ghosts Ghostwriting Conference Jan. 22, 2024
ASJA and Gotham Ghostwriters are cosponsoring the Gathering of the Ghosts, the first-of-its-kind national convention of ghostwriting…
In Memoriam: Milton C. Toby, 1949-2023
Milton C. Toby was a Renaissance man who embraced life and never did anything halfway….
10 Ways to Wrangle Rewrites
If I think about it, I’m not a ghostwriter, I’m a ghost rewriter. As someone…
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No Sweat: Six Ways to Build Your Fitness-Writing Muscles
You don’t have to complete Ironman triathlons, bench-press your own body weight, or have washboard…
Inside the ASJA2014 Long-Form Narrative Panel
Anytime you assemble a crew like we had for the state of the long-form narrative…
Write Tweets People Read
What’s the secret behind a good Tweet? At this year’s ASJA conference, panelists Leslie Poston,…
A Ghost's Story: Can You Make a Living Writing Other People's Books?
The “Secrets of the Ghosts: Expanding Your Writing Horizons by Ghostwriting, Editing, and Promoting Books” panel for the…
Easy Ways to Market Yourself
As writers, we often don’t consider marketing our work as a way to secure new…
Finding Work You Love
Work advice that aims to reduce risk is all too common. We’ve all heard it….
The Basics of Online Retailers for Self-Publishers
Thinking about self-publishing and want to know about the biggest retailers for your digital and…
Baby Formula and Copyright Infringement
I woke up this morning thinking about copyright infringement, baby formula and Nigerian scam artists…
How to Maintain Momentum During Down Times
We all know this business is feast or famine, and when the down times hit,…
What You Should Know about WEAF and Why It Needs You
I hope you never need financial aid from ASJA’s Writers Emergency Assistance Fund, but you…
The Three Biggest Sources of Ghostwriting Work
Any writer in search of more work knows the market for well-paying, and even not-so-well-paying…
The Trouble with Sitting
Writers, I learned recently, need to train like athletes. We don’t get a free pass…
It's Not the Words, It's the Mileage
When a writer wants to break into a new market or squeeze another article into…
Faces in the Crowd — Live Readings Sharpen Your Prose
Ever tell a joke and misplace one word? The punch line comes and lays there….
Why I Write for Zero Cents Per Word
Soon after I moved to Chicago in the mid-1960s, those heady days of civil rights…
Letting a Passion Redefine Your Writing Career
They say having a child changes everything. Well, writing a memoir about raising your child…
ASJA2014: Expand Your Reach! Offers Freelancers New Ways to Earn a Living
Whether you’ve been a freelance writer for 20 years or two months, there’s no better…
When You Have a Full Plate
Are you like many freelance writers and take on too much, ignoring symptoms of stress…
It's Easy Being Active
Being chosen to head an ASJA chapter is easy. Just head for the ladies’ room. …
What is Marketing?
When I started my BlogTalkRadio show on cost-effective marketing, Piggy Bank Promotions (PBP), in 2011,…
New Simplified Home Office Tax Deduction: Writers, Do the Math!
Any freelance writer who spends hours calculating business use of home expenses for their tax…
Out of My Own Way: Listening to Critics and Rewriting My Masterpieces
I had a degree in math, and a passion for writing poetry. As a brand-new…
Finding Inspiration When You're Stuck
You’re stuck – you’re sitting at your computer with a blank screen and no brilliant…
Writing for Everyone
“What are you working on now?” a friend recently asked me. “A little bit of…
Ready for Your National TV Appearance?
What would you do if you got a call to appear on a national news…
7 Surprises About Freelance Writing
Freelance writing is a very different proposition from working full-time in a newsroom. In an…
7 Things You Can Do to Promote Your Book As Soon As You Finish the First Draft
Authors often ask, “When should I start promoting my book?” “Now” is usually a safe…