Is writing every day a bad idea?

We've all heard the arguments: Practice makes perfect. Writing every day will force us to develop a habit. It's a great way to get over writer's block. Writing more improves writing. It achieves the aim, gets the job done. We've all believed it. Even tried it. We start off by setting ourselves ambitious goals. After doing the maths we arrive at a magic number. An "ideal" goal. Like writing 2000 words a day. Perhaps for the first few days we even manage it. And we feel proud of ourselves. Gradually, though, we start to slip up. Miss a day here, two there. An ill child. A surprise visit. An overflowing...

Read the full article in the November 2015 issue of Writing World

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Request to read the original article via email for just 99p! (T&C apply)

1050 words
Nonfiction
US publication

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Words from the Wise

"OH, yes!  I was just thinking along these lines recently - ... the idea that you can get something meaningful done when you're carving off a 15-minute sliver of time here or trying to write something in line there.  Creativity does NOT come in 15-minute spurts."

Moira Allen

Publisher

Writing World

Go mobile

According to tech monitor SmallBizTrends.com, over 60% of online traffic now comes from mobile devices.

Unbeknownst to you, your own website may—right now!—be looking like a bad bowl of alphabet soup: text indecipherably tiny, images disproportionately huge, menus misaligned and the contact form stretched out of bounds of a finger-tap. There goes your chance of that interested editor getting in touch with you for a possible commission or that writers' group wishing to purchase your book in bulk for their next reading project!

With more people buying smart phones every day, you need...

Read the full article in the October 2015 issue of Funds For Writers

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Request to read the original article via email for just 99p! (T&C apply)

600 words
Nonfiction
US publication

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Words from the Wise

"Occasionally an exceptional piece may be listed on the website under Latest FFW Tips."
- from Funds for Writers

"A well written and well researched article"
Mary Cummings
Editor
Work Your Way

"I like the concept"
Hope Clark
Editor
Funds For Writers

Cursive handwriting -- Should it stay or go?

'Did you get the pasta?' I ask my husband as soon as he arrives home after work.

'What pasta?' He says dumping the grocery bag on the floor.

I roll my eyes and whip out the shopping list I'd written for him. 'Pasta. Look. It says right here. P-A-S-T-A. You didn't get it then?'

'That's supposed to be pasta? I thought it was paste. I got that new brand of toothpaste, two for the price of one!'

So, we're going to have leftovers for dinner tonight, but very clean teeth. Can I really blame him?

I remember filling out reams of pages practising my cursive writing in school. Beautiful exercise books and work...

Read the full article in the Education Guide 2015 issue of Carolina Parent

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Request to read the original article via email for just 99p! (T&C apply)

940 words
Nonfiction
US publication

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Words from the Wise

"I like your writing style... This is a very well-written and entertaining article that I’d like to use."
Beth Shugg
Editor
Carolina Parent

"Yet another well-written article"
Melody Tan
Associate Editor
Signs Of The Times

"I think this would be a good article for our audience... It sounds insightful for navigating the 21st century."
Shelli Simons
Associate Editor
Texas Home School Coalition Review

"I actually am interested in the topic of this article. Especially since it includes both sides. "
Kimberly Fischer
Editor
Arizona Parenting

Earn more money by artful negotiation

Want more money? Don't hesitate; negotiate! Whether you are looking for higher salary at work, greater price on a house or better paying freelance assignments, the principles of negotiation remain the same.

1. Assess yourself.

How long have you been in business? You can command a higher price if you're a veteran than if you're a novice. While some magazines welcome the fresh approach that new writers bring, many prefer to work with established writers for their experience and professionalism.

2. Assess the market.

What is the magazine's budget? Where do they get their funding from? How...

Read the full article in the October 2015 issue of Funds For Writers

or

Request to read the original article via email for just 99p! (T&C apply)

600 words
Nonfiction
US publication

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Words from the Wise

"Occasionally an exceptional piece may be listed on the website under Latest FFW Tips."
- from Funds for Writers

"I love it!  It's fabulous! Excellent"

Moira Allen

Publisher

Writing World

Dealing with success

Imagine getting a story accepted today. Yay! Now imagine getting another one accepted tomorrow. Fabulous, right? And now imagine getting yet another one accepted the day after. OMG, are you kidding? Totally awesome! But wait, there's one more acceptance waiting for you the following day, another one the next day and one more, and one more, and so on... until days turn into weeks into months into a year and soon you've had all your stories accepted for publication. It sounds thrilling now, but how would you be feeling at the end of the year? As excited as before? It's not too difficult to guess...

Read the full article in the October 2015 issue of Writing World

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Request to read the original article via email for just 99p! (T&C apply)

1115 words
Nonfiction
US publication

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Words from the Wise

"Dang. I REALLY like it... I really like the issue of complacency."

Moira Allen

Publisher

Writing World

Debora's Pen

Enjoy the full cartoon in the Autumn 2015 issue of Thema

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Request to see the original cartoon via email for just 99p! (T&C apply)

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NEW!
Enjoy this and other Debora's Pen cartoons via email FREE every month! Just sign up for our newsletter. (T&C apply)

6 panels, 1 cartoon

Humour/Writing

US publication

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Words from the Wise

"I fell in love with Debora... Thought you'd (all) appreciate relating to her writing issues... I've started trying to put some logos/photos in the feature piece, and your little girl seemed perfect... I think Debora is very cute. Clean and to the point. You ought to start a newsletter about Debora - brief with a lesson of sort. I think writers would love it. Excited about reading them!"

C. Hope Clark

Editor

Funds For Writers

"I enjoyed your cartoon series"

Brian Scott

Editor

Freelance Writing

"These are cute, I like them."

Lee H. Wilson

Art Editor

Feathertale Review

"Charming! I obviously like the cartoon, tailored-made to fit the theme, even including the date of the emails to coincide with the publication of the journal."

Virginia Howard

Editor

Thema

"This is cool"

Linda Formichelli

Editor

The Renegade Writer

"That was a good comic you sent me. I liked the line drawings, and I thought it was clever."

Bill Kenower

Editor-in-Chief

Author Magazine

"These are definitely cute... I love it! I absolutely love it!"

Moira Allen

Publisher

Writing World

"These are very well constructed and interesting"

Leon Ogroske

Editor

Writers' Journal

"These are adorable!"

Nicole Cliffe

Editor

The Toast

The movie star

The year is 1975. The place is Ramanagara, Karnataka in south India. It is high noon. A beautiful woman driving a tanga is being hotly pursued by villainous men on horseback. The woman’s attire – a short blouse with an exposed midriff fashionably cut, a long colourful skirt with sequins sewn in and embroidered mirror-work, and a long flimsy veil that billows out behind her – indicates that she is the local village belle. Her mare is white as the bleached teeth of a grinning model, swift of foot, and trying her best to get away from the pursuers, but she is steadily tiring. Yet the woman urges her on...

Read the full article in the September 2015 issue of Equus

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Request to read the original article via email for just 99p! (T&C apply)

1000 words
Nonfiction/Real fiction
US publication

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Words from the Wise

"I just read some of your other stories online, which I enjoyed very much. Although we realize you don't have a lot of experience with horses, we would appreciate working with you again, should you have something in this vein."

Laurie Bonner

Senior Editor
Equus

"A nice piece"

Sarah Jenkins

Content Director
Horse & Hound

"I enjoyed reading it."

Emily Trahair

Editor
Planet

"Our editors placed your piece on the long-list for the next issue and wanted to pass on how much they enjoyed your work"

Dr Lucy Dougan
Research/Administrative Officer
Westerly

"(Your piece) is very well written"

Gwen Davies

Editor
New Welsh Review

"This is an interesting piece"

Lisa Girault

from the offices of
The Monthly