the business of writing

Why you should ditch Word and Google docs and give Airstory a try instead

Word is everywhere, but that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s any good. These are a few things that give me The Rage about it: the help function’s useless unless you speak fluent Microsoft Office. bullets, numbering and autocorrect are enigmas wrapped in conundrums it hasn’t moved on in years. We’ve just got used to it, and figured out a bunch of workarounds new versions […]

Book Review: May I Have Your Attention, Please? Your Guide to Business Writing That Charms, Captivates and Converts by Mish Slade

When it came to deciding what to call their copywriting business, Mish and Rob Slade went for Mortified Cow. (Unfortunately there’s no entertaining story about how it happened, because the couple just ‘pulled it out of the air’.) Mortified Cow’s a strategic choice. A take-no-prisoners kind of name that bangs a drum while yelling, ‘if […]

When Location Rebellion Goes Bad

In which our writer heroine perches on a huge, wobbly pilates ball and finds she can’t think of anything except falling off it. The best thing about being a freelance writer is that I can work from pretty much anywhere. Yup, I’m a location rebel. All I need is a reasonable internet connection and my […]

6 Reasons I Hate Posts with Numbers in the Titles

You’ve all seen them. You’ve all clicked on them. No use being coy, because I know it’s true – you clicked on this one, didn’t you? But I hate the things. I mean, list articles may be the most popular type of online article, but is this really a recommendation? In a world where the […]

Are Contracts Really Necessary for Freelance Writers? You Bet They Are. Here’s Why

Lately I’ve been devoting time, energy and money to the process of drawing up a set of contracts for my freelance writing services. If you’re a freelance creative, you should do the same. Why? Because I’m now convinced that a tightly drawn contract is worth more than its weight in the precious metal of your […]

Happy election day, everybody! Whatever your political hue, there's no denying that if you want to capture the public imagination, you've got to have … [Read More...] about Word of the Week: Rhetoric

Whenever people find out what I do, and usually when I first speak to clients, they tell me how much they hated English at school … [Read More...] about You’re a Writer. Oh Yes You Are

Walking IS Thinking: The Real Reason Walk to Work Week Probably Improved Your Performance

Today, like most days, I have a series of tight deadlines. You probably do, too, so you’re either reading this blog to get help or as a displacement … [Read More...] about Walking IS Thinking: The Real Reason Walk to Work Week Probably Improved Your Performance

Commonplace Books: A 5-Minute Introduction

So what is a commonplace book? Well, it’s kind of like the bullet journal’s much less hyped distant cousin. It’s not a productivity tool, more of a … [Read More...] about Commonplace Books: A 5-Minute Introduction

How to Write an Introduction: Your Three-Step Guide to Doing It Better, and Doing It Faster

Whatever you’re working on, you too can write excellent introductions by rethinking your writing process, and by taking a tip from … [Read More...] about How to Write an Introduction: Your Three-Step Guide to Doing It Better, and Doing It Faster

Are You Asking a Content Writer to do a Copywriter’s Job?

As a content and copywriter, I communicate with a large number of potential clients over the course of my working week. Most of them have absolutely … [Read More...] about Are You Asking a Content Writer to do a Copywriter’s Job?

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the business of writing

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