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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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ASJA 2024 Conference Preview: Your Guide to Changing Times
They say the only constant is change. Truer words could not be spoken about the…
Meet the Member: Merlisa Lawrence Corbett on Sports Writing, Memorable Stories, and More
Weekend nights when other University of South Florida students partied, Merlisa Lawrence Corbett could be…
Registration is Open for ASJA 2024 Conference and Client Connections
We’ve all heard the saying “the early bird catches the worm.” In the case of…
From the ASJA Archives: Moving from Employment to Self-Employment
This week, we delve into the ASJA archives to revisit past wisdom. In this post…
‘Beyonce of Books,’ SOS’ Shankman, and Champion of Change to Keynote ASJA 2024 Conference
Three media leaders whose work distinguishes them as luminaries and trendsetters will headline the ASJA…
ASJA Offers Members Scholarships to Ghostmasters Business of Ghostwriting Course
Two takeaways from Gathering of the Ghosts ghostwriting convention earlier this year: Convention cosponsors ASJA…
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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…
What's Coming Up in 2014?
As the professional association of independent nonfiction writers, ASJA has to stay current with the…
Writing Despite Grief
An early morning phone call brought the news of my mother’s death. Waves of nostalgia,…
Writers Need Not Work Alone
Sure, we’ve all heard that writing is solitary confinement. And it is. You don’t ask…
Mining Your Life for Content
In her latest work, This is the Story of a Happy Marriage (HarperCollins), a collection…
How Meditation Can Help Your Writing
This morning I meditated for a half hour before coming to my desk to write…
Cut and Paste
The other day I was revising an essay, moving paragraphs around with keystrokes and trying…
Last-minute holiday gifts for freelancers
Got a freelancer or two to shop for and missed getting something on Black Friday…
Showing, Not Telling, the Human Side of Science
I recently discovered one of the most thrilling – and terrifying – parts of book…
Why Join A LinkedIn Group?
Last time I looked, LinkedIn had 1,583,987 groups. I belong to 22 of them. Each…
Keeping the "I" in Inspiration
Starting at Home Plate In Little Women, Professor Baer tells Jo to “write what you…
Why Pro Writers Should Rock A Tagline
Everybody wants to be a freelance writer. The market is cluttered with wannabes willing to…
Why I Don't Have A Smartphone … Yet
It seems everyone has a Smartphone. Everyone but me. I’m holding out. I know the…
Inverse Wisdom for Authors
I came home from college after my freshman year and announced to my Mom that…
The Assignment That Saved My Life
“The Heart Fitness Test That Can Save Your Life” was, I’m reasonably certain, the first…
What Happens if the President Chews Gum? Or, Editors Hate Characters That Resemble Cardboard Cutouts
As a development editor, I come across many manuscripts that introduce every character with a…
Corporate Publishing vs. Traditional Freelancing: Author, Prepare Thyself
With freelancers bemoaning the present state of journalism, I can only offer the salvation that…