Posts for The Urban Muse


Open Thread: What Are You Working On?

From The Urban Muse
July 14, 2010 at 9:59 am
It's always interesting to see what fellow freelancers are working on, so that's the topic of today's open thread. I'll start. Right now I'm juggling articles on careers and personal ... (more)

Craft a Killer Query, Boost Your Income & More

From The Urban Muse
July 12, 2010 at 10:21 am
Mr. Muse and I moved this weekend, so things are a little chaotic here on the home front. I have a long list of things to do today (both domestically and professionally), so I'll ... (more)

Guest Post: Gods Need Social networking, Too

From The Urban Muse
July 9, 2010 at 8:12 am
By Louise CurtisI love writing, because it gives me god-like powers. Since I write fantasy, even the climate is mine to choose. The only down side is that a lot of people enjoy ... (more)

Open Thread: Does Location Matter to Freelance Writers?

From The Urban Muse
July 7, 2010 at 8:36 am
Real estate agents are fond of this famous saying: "location, location, location." But one of the perks of freelance writing is that you can work from virtually anywhere with a ... (more)

Happy Fourth of July!

From The Urban Muse
July 4, 2010 at 9:00 am
Flickr photo courtesy of Craig StevensTo those of you in the United States, I hope you're having a safe, happy holiday weekend! And to the rest of you, your regularly scheduled ... (more)

Guest Post: All I Really Need to Know about Copywriting I Learned from Dave Marinaccio

From The Urban Muse
July 2, 2010 at 8:58 am
By Jillian ShawToday is my last day at the coolest job I've ever had. I'm a copywriter for the largest advertising agency in the Nation's capital - for a few more hours, at least.Two ... (more)

Open Thread: Would You Change Your Byline Post-Wedding?

From The Urban Muse
June 30, 2010 at 8:14 am
Mr. Muse asked me awhile back, "if we got married, would you change your name or do you think that would be too much of a professional handicap?" Good question (and no, we are ... (more)

Special Summer Offer for Freelance Writers

From The Urban Muse
June 28, 2010 at 8:55 am
Here in the Northern Hemisphere, summer is in full swing, and it's a great time for writers to catch up on reading, research new markets, and get their business on track for the ... (more)

How to Earn More, Amp Up Your Content & More

From The Urban Muse
June 25, 2010 at 8:48 am
Today is Mr. Muse's company picnic, so I'll only be available via BlackBerry (and only for client emergencies). Here are some of the best blog posts I've read over the past week ... (more)

Open Thread: What’s Your Collections Strategy?

From The Urban Muse
June 23, 2010 at 8:58 am
Collections. It's most freelancer's least favorite part of the job. But if we don't it, then we don't get paid. I've already covered red flags for freelancers to avoid and ways ... (more)

eBook Review - Quips and Tips for Successful Bloggers

From The Urban Muse
June 21, 2010 at 9:05 am
About a month ago, I reviewed Laurie Pawlik-Kienlen's eBook, 73 Ways to Fire Up (or Just Fire) Your Muse. Well, this blogging dynamo has just released a second eBook, this one ... (more)

Guest Post: Why Writers Need to Emerge From the Cocoon

From The Urban Muse
June 18, 2010 at 9:07 am
As a stay-at-home writer, your office is like a cocoon. It houses all the comforts that you wrap yourself in to escape to the world inside your head. You no doubt have a comfy, ... (more)

Open Thread: When Do You Say When?

From The Urban Muse
June 16, 2010 at 8:09 am
"Art is never finished, only abandoned."~Leonardo da Vinci Chantal, the blogger behind Writer Abroad, raised an interesting point yesterday: how do you know when you're done writing ... (more)

Why You Need a Freelance Resume

From The Urban Muse
June 14, 2010 at 8:59 am
FreelanceSwitch.com recently posed the question, “do you use a resume as a freelancer?” I answered yes, and I wanted to expand on my comment here, since I was shocked to be ... (more)

5 Q’s with Cara Lynn James, Author of Love on a Dime

From The Urban Muse
June 11, 2010 at 8:30 am
When I surveyed readers about what they'd like to see on the blog, some of you asked to hear more from debut novelists. Cara Lynn James' debut novel, Love on a Dime, came earlier ... (more)

Open Thread: What’s On Your Reading List?

From The Urban Muse
June 9, 2010 at 9:30 am
One of the great joys of summer is being able to read outdoors (yes, I know that some of you in California or Florida can do this year round ... good for you). I already have a ... (more)

6 Red Flags for Writers to Avoid in Online Ads

From The Urban Muse
June 7, 2010 at 9:21 am
I've already blogged about how writers can avoid online scams. Many writers avoid answering online ads because they fear being scammed (many are also skepticism about whether companies ... (more)

Guest Post: Eschew “How To” Writing Advice, Slow Down, and Observe

From The Urban Muse
June 4, 2010 at 8:44 am
By Jessica CortezPerhaps the biggest disease that has spread throughout the world of published books--more so than the vampire craze even--is the self-help and how-to epidemic. ... (more)

Open Thread: Hey! How’d You Get That Gig?

From The Urban Muse
June 2, 2010 at 8:25 am
People always ask how I find freelance clients. The simple answer? Everywhere! Seriously, I've landed projects from referrals, from answering online ads, even from participating ... (more)

Happy Memorial Day!

From The Urban Muse
May 31, 2010 at 11:04 am
I realize not all of you celebrate Memorial Day today, but wherever you are, I hope it's a good day! I'm using the holiday for some catch up work and some sunshine. I'll be back ... (more)

5 Ways to Avoid an “Uh Oh” Moment

From The Urban Muse
May 28, 2010 at 8:25 am
Confession: I made an embarrassing error this week when I called to follow-up with an editor. All was going well thanks to the voice mail script I'd written in advance (it's a ... (more)

Open Thread: Freelancers, How Do You Handle Vacations?

From The Urban Muse
May 26, 2010 at 8:36 am
Next week is Memorial Day, which kicks off vacation season for many of us. Some freelancers simply bring their laptops and smartphones on vacation, while others put up an out-of-office ... (more)

Guest Post: Writer’s Block is a Lie

From The Urban Muse
May 24, 2010 at 9:18 am
Last week, I asked readers what topics they'd like to see covered on this blog. Writer's block was among those topics, and, fortuitously, Daryl had already approached me with this ... (more)

Tips on Deciphering Client Speak, Dealing with Rejection & More

From The Urban Muse
May 21, 2010 at 11:06 am
Here in Boston, it is far too nice a day to be indoors blogging! So, once I finish up few client projects, I'm grabbing a long-neglected stack of magazines and heading outdoors. ... (more)

Open Thread: What do YOU want to read about?

From The Urban Muse
May 19, 2010 at 8:32 am
It's been a little over a year since I last posed this question. Most of you know you can email me or comment if you'd like to see something specific here on the blog. But today ... (more)