It seems as if I have come across some great writing sites in the past few months.

Here are the ones I keep going back to.

Make a Living Writing

Carol Tice is a successful freelancer who is committed to helping other writers earn more money from their writing. In addition to the Freelance Writer’s Den, she runs the Make a Living Writing blog, which provides free daily posts on marketing, writing skill, and more.

Direct Creative

Want to write razor-sharp and creative direct marketing copy? Then Dean Rieck’s blog is where you want to be. He provides tips for being more creative, editing your copy until it shines, and selling your services and those of your clients.

Words on the Page

Lori Widmer is another freelancer who wants to help her fellow freelancers value themselves and their writing so they can earn a better living. One of the strengths of Widmer’s blog is her focus on assessing your progress toward your writing and earning goals on a regular basis.

Advanced Fiction Writing

Author of Writing Fiction for Dummies, Randy Ingermanson provides detailed information to help writers craft better fiction. He takes some of the more complex concepts in fiction writing (such as the Motivation-Reaction Unit) and boils them down into manageable chunks. Sign up for Randy’s e-zine to get his tips delivered to your inbox.

What writer sites have you found recently?

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As 2011 draws to a close, what better way to look back at what we’ve done than gathering the top posts of the year?

5. The Demise of Borders

With the slow death of brick-and-mortar bookstores, I find it harder to find places that sell a wide selection of magazines. The library has some, and the local grocery stores have some, too. But I depended on Borders for some of the less common glossies. Where do you look at samples to help you target your pitches?

4. Essential Christmas Gifts for Writers

Be honest. How many of you looked at the post for gift ideas, and how many for ideas of things to buy yourself?

3. Book Review: Overcoming Underearning by Barbara Stanny

Book reviews continue to be a big draw. I really like this book because it addresses the emotions that lead people to accept less pay than what they are worth. This is a great message for writers who don’t ask for time to write, freelancers who take low-paying jobs, and staff writers who don’t ask for raises.

2. The Genesis of an Article

In this post, I discussed how I used an event in my life to write an article, which is posted at Pregnancy360.com, the web home of Pregnancy magazine. Pregnancy is now an online-only magazine.

1. Book Review: The Productive Writer by Sage Cohen

I really love this book. I continue to use Sage’s downloadable planning tools to help structure my time. If you haven’t read The Productive Writer yet, buy a copy or borrow it from your local library.

Now that we’ve looked at the best of 2011, let’s look forward to 2012. I plan to focus more on marketing and business writing topics in the coming year. What specifically would you like to see in those fields? Any other fields you would like me to cover? Let me know in the comments.

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What are your publication goals for the new year? Would you like to see your name in print in an education magazine or journal? I can help you with that.

I was on staff at the International Society for Technology in Education for 12 years. In that time, I worked on Learning & Leading with Technology, the association’s flagship magazine; the Journal of Research on Technology in Education, their peer-reviewed ed tech journal; the member newsletter; and various special interest group newsletters and journals. After leaving ISTE, I edited a collection of the best articles from Learning & Leading, which was published in 2009. During that time, I learned a lot about education and even more about education publishing.

The same basic advice applies to education periodicals as it does to any other periodical:

• Study the market
• Follow the guidelines
• When in doubt, ask the editor

But the education market has some specific needs, and this short report addresses them from the perspectives of the professional writer, the teacher looking to get published, and the businesses that provide products and services to the field. Publication in education periodicals can help all three of those stakeholder groups, and this report includes actionable items that can help you get your name in print.

Sign up here:

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Song writers do something amazing: they tell an entire story in 3 1/2 minutes. They do it under constraints that include the need to fit a specific structure (the melody of the song) and having to waste a certain number of their words on the repeating chorus. And they have to make it compelling to a large varied audience.

How do they do it? By making sure every word counts. Each word must build on the one before it and prepare for the one that comes next. There is no room for waste, so you have to pick the best, strongest words that convey the most meaning.

Here are a few examples of songs that do a great job of telling a story through vivid imagery.

“A Lifetime” by Better Than Ezra

In this song, the most vibrant imagery for me is the feeling of being a teenager, hanging out in a field with the car doors open so you can listen to the stereo with your friends. I always wonder exactly which REM song they were listening to.

“Out of Habit” by Ani DiFranco

Here, I feel as if I am sitting in that run-down diner drinking bad coffee and eating bad food.

“Tear in Your Hand” by Tori Amos

Here, the emotions of a woman recently dumped take the forefront. Amos does a great stream-of-consciousness brain dump of her flaws that could have driven away her partner.

Using These Examples to Improve Our Own Writing

Do you see how these songs never lose their focus on the story at hand? Do you see how the song writers chose the absolute most effective words in each line?

I see these lessons playing out in the editing phase. That first draft, whether it is a work of fiction, an article, or brochure copy, is for getting the gist on paper.

When we go back through to edit, we can do such things as change “an audience that includes people of all different backgrounds” to “a varied audience.”

What songs inspire you to use the language to your best advantage? Which songwriters do a great job telling their stories? How have you studied other types of writing to help you do a better job with your chosen genre?

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• Use Music to Motivate Your Writing

Here are some classic and timely gifts for the writers in your life (or for you).

On Writing by Stephen King
An oldie, but a goodie. King weaves writing advice with his life story to create an enjoyable biography and a great resource for writers who want to find their voice and prefect their craft.

The Writer’s Workout by Christina Katz
This book just came out on Kindle, and the print copies will be shipping shortly. Katz provides a day-by-day guide to growing a stronger and more lucrative writing career in one year. Using the metaphor of a workout coach, she guides you like a personal trainer for your writing career. The book balances exercises on craft and marketing so that you are working simultaneously on both.

The Well-Fed Writer by Peter Bowerman
Another oldie on the list, this book provides valuable insight into building a good-paying career as a freelance business writer. Because most freelancers balance their publication writing with business writing, this is a good resource for every writer, not just those who are ready to start building a book of business clients.

Moleskine Notebooks
These are some of the most luxurious and versatile sketch books and journals, and all of the different sizes and colors make them a good fit for most tastes.

iPad
Sure, there are tons of tablets on the market, but the iPad has the most apps and the form factor that a lot of people love. I like this instead of all of the dedicated e-readers on the market because it has apps for all of the major ebook stores as well as just about anything else you like to do.

Levenger pens
A lot of book authors like to use these for their autograph signings because they have fun designs, smooth writing, and quick-drying ink. If the writer in your life might need to plan for his or her big book signing extravaganza, make it special with one of these pens.

What are the best writing-related gifts you have ever given? Received?

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Overcoming Underearning is a combination narrative and workbook designed to help you break through your earning blocks and begin earning what you are worth.

It is no secret that many writers work for low wages, whether they are on staff, writing for revenue share sites, or taking low-paying freelance jobs. And many times, the reason these writers settle for these low wages comes down to a lack of confidence. Writers often fail to realize their own worth and, thus, settle for low wages.

Barbara Stanny would argue that this lack of self-confidence may be based on deep-seated beliefs that they are simply not the type of people who could ever earn a lot of money. She provides guided questions to help readers determine how their beliefs about money and the people who have it affect their own ability to earn more money.

This is not new territory. The popular self-help books Secrets of the Millionaire Mind and Rich Dad, Poor Dad both address how belief affects earning potential. But Stanny brings a new way of addressing those beliefs that I believe can be more effective. Where the Millionaire Mind and Rich Dad authors simply tell their readers to stop having negative beliefs about money, Stanny uses journal exercises and questionnaires to help readers understand where their beliefs came from and how they can address and change them.

These exercises are of particular use to writers who need to earn more money — we all journal already, so it is easy to add the guided  exercises to the regular rotation and use them to follow the steps Stanny outlines to break through our own personal earnings barriers.

Have you read this book? If so, how did the steps work for you?

What are your personal earnings challenges?

Like what you read here? Sign up to get each Jen’s Writing Journey post delivered by email.

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I like music. Okay, I love music. Almost as much as I love TV. And I frequently use music to set a mood while I am writing. I have playlists set up for my characters so that I can set myself into their frame of mind when I am trying to dig deep into their motivations. And I have playlists of tunes that motivate me to keep writing when I am working on nonfiction (aka the stuff that pays the bills).

I decided to share a few options for you today to help you move beyond any mental blocks you have and achieve the writing success you desire.

Fear

Whether we like to admit it or not, we writers are a fearful bunch. Sometimes we are afraid that we will be abject failures, getting laughed out of the room when we submit our writing to editors. But other times, we are actually afraid of success. We have no idea what we will do if some editors actually buys our pitch and assigns us an article. This song by Liz Phair captures that set of conflicting fears that can paralyze us.

If you find the live lyrics hard to understand, here is another recording.

Lack of Self-Worth

Often, we writers don’t believe we deserve to be successful. When you are feeling down on yourself, listen to this song.

Lack of Time and Energy

What about when you just can’t get into it. Take a minute to listen to these songs. Dance around and get your blood flowing. (I dare you to keep even your toe from tapping when either song is playing.) Then come back to your writing and see what you can do.

What music do you use to keep your words flowing?

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Do you want to earn more money as a freelance writer?

One of the best ways I have found is to learn from the people who are earning a a good living from their writing. The Freelance Writer’s Den, started by business writer Carol Tice, is a great place to get the tools and motivation you need to make more money.

A few weeks ago, I told you why I joined the Freelance Writer’s Den and what information and fellowship I am getting from my membership.

• Forum to share expertise
• Free e-courses on topics that help you earn more as a freelance writer
• Free weekly phone calls from industry leaders with live Q&A
• And more

This week is your last chance to join me in the Freelance Writer’s Den, because membership will be closing this Friday, October 28.

As a special bonus, everyone who joins before membership closes will have access to a freelance writing boot camp with Carol Tice at no charge. Non-members will have to pay $97 for this boot camp, so join before October 28 to get this course free. The 4-week boot camp will include targeted lessons and a story lab workshop with Tice and Renegade Writer Linda Formichelli.

Join the Freelance Writer’s Den today. Edited: The Freelance Writer’s Den is currently closed to new memberships. Find out more about the den in this month’s free open house call, How to Get Started as a Freelance Writer.

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Last month, I listened in on a free call offered by the Freelance Writer’s Den. It was a story idea lab featuring Carol Tice, founder of the Freelance Writer’s Den, and Linda Formichelli. I got tons of inspiration from the call, and I sent off a batch of pitches afterward.

I was then offered a free week on the Freelance Writer’s Den. I looked through the course offerings available at no charge to members, the upcoming weekly conference listing, and the forum of like-minded freelancers, and I decided to keep up with the membership after the week was over.

With my membership, I get access to some great weekly conferences, including a couple this past month on using Linked In to get business and how to design a professional writer’s site. I’ve made some changes to mine, and I am working on more to make sure I’m putting my best Internet foot forward.

This week, I am inviting you to learn how to earn more from writing pros on a free call this Wednesday at noon Pacific. Laurie Lewis, author of What to Charge: Pricing Strategies for Freelancers and Consultants, joins Carol Tice to talk about what you should charge for your freelance writing projects. Edited: The Freelance Writer’s Den is currently closed to new memberships. Find out more about the den in this month’s free open house call, How to Get Started as a Freelance Writer.

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I’m apparently on a reading kick and a time management kick, because I’ve got another book review focused on helping you make the most of your limited writing time.

Now, if you are a full-time writer, don’t stop reading. Chances are you could use a little help focusing your writing time on the most effective tasks, too.

Gretchen Roberts is a full-time mom and a part-time writer, yet she brings in a full-time income. I’ve heard of other writers who manage this, including Linda Formichelli. In Full-Time Income in Part-Time Hours, Roberts gives you quick tips you can implement to increase your income without increasing your work hours.

I read this book in one night, and in a lot of cases, I consider that a problem. For this book, though, it is a testament to its concise nature and focus on helping time-strapped writers.

In her 22 tips, Roberts offers some that go against the typical advice for writers. One that made me do a Scooby-Do-style “Huh?” was not to go after reprints. Typically, writers love to sell reprints to increase the amount of income they generate from a single article. Roberts argues, however, that the time spent on marketing reprints could instead be spent on generating higher-income assignments. Total income for the year is the most important factor.

Many freelance writers figure that they need to earn at least $100 per hour to make a living. For a part-time writer, that per hour rate is even higher. If you put in 20 hours a week, you need to net $200 per hour. If you are in the 15-hour range, even more. This means that you not only need to be fast, but that you also need to spend your time chasing big bucks and fast assignments rather than the pittance you can make on reprints.

Roberts has written a fast-reading book with easily implementable business advice for writers who have limited time to devote to writing or who just want to amp up their income without amping up their hours. I recommend it wholeheartedly.

Buy your copy from Amazon: Full-Time Income in Part-Time Hours: 22 Secrets to Writing Success in Under 40 Hours a Week

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