Happy Thanksgiving, and… You're Fired (More on a Tough Economy)
Two days before Thanksgiving I received The Email; one of my retainer projects wasn’t going to be funded in 2009 – a victim, the client said, of the economic upheaval. No, the timing wasn’t great, but...
View ArticleThe Coming Writer's Bailout (or, Too Many Words to Fail)
A New York Times Book Review essay latches onto Bailoutmania with a humor piece focused on a mythical writer’s bailout, and like most humor, brushes up against a few bruised areas along the way. Still,...
View ArticleIn a Recession, Go Where the Budgets Are Growing
Some of you may have heard a little something about a recession, and while the Intertubes are awash in strategies for freelance survival during the downturn, I thought a little actual data might be...
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Oscar Mayer Ad Says It's "Blogworthy"– So Why Not Send Us To Their Blog?
You have to wonder what demographic Oscar Mayer’s aiming at with this new “Blogworthy” ad (scanned from Newsweek), though the real question is this: Is the mainstream really ready for Web 2.0-driven ad...
View ArticleEight Great Reasons I'm Still a Freelance Copywriter
I used to spontaneously craft lists just for fun, and today seems like the perfect day to revive the practice. And rather than beat around the bush, let’s just call this list the “Eight Gratifying...
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Have You Hugged Your Online Marketing Map Today?
Lately, there’s been precious little writing going on here – an odd reality given that you’ll find the word “writer” in this blog’s title. It’s not sloth. It’s a slew of new Web projects. A little...
View ArticleHow to Profit From Making… And Losing… That New Business Pitch
In the world of mega ad agencies, new business pitches are intense affairs; jobs hang in the balance (and more importantly, egos). For a freelancer or consultant, losing a new business pitch isn’t the...
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The Real Secret to Success as a Copywriter (or, What Darwin Said)
The emails come almost weekly. And while they take different routes, the copywriters sending them all pretty much end up in the same place: “How do I build a career as a copywriter?” The answer is not...
View ArticleAre You Surviving Upwards, Or Just Surviving? (Our Winter Solstice Post)
At 3:38 PM today (PST), the earth’s axis reaches its maximum tilt, and the Northern Hemisphere experiences what is supposed to be the shortest day (and longest night) of the year. From here on out, the...
View ArticleWalking Out On Your Day Job (And Into Freelancing): Two Simple Tips
I walked out of my last “regular” ad agency copywriting job on a Tuesday evening, and with no work lined up for the rest of the week (or any of the weeks after that), I’d suggest I was taking more than...
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