Author’s Corner

Welcome to 2007 - the Best Year ever for Freelance Writers!

This year flew by and I have no idea where the time has gone! It seems like I just got used to typing 2006 and now it’s time to discipline my fingers to find the 7 on my keypad.

Already 2007 is off to a great start with Writers on Call—a weekly subscription-based teleclass hosted by yours truly and full-time freelance writer Suzanne Lieurance. We’ll be teaching step-by-step how to set up and manage a freelance writing business and how to write a book. Also, Peter Bowerman and I will kick off Writers in the Sky Podcast with a fantastic show January 5^th about his latest book The Well-Fed Self-Publisher: How to Turn One Book into a Full-Time Living.

Listen to Peter’s introduction here

As I look back over 2006, I am grateful for my success as a freelance writer. My team and I enjoyed a year of productive activity and I’d like to share a few highlights with you here:

This newsletter began last April with only a dozen subscribers. Our newsletter now goes to more than 700 people each month.

Through a writing co-op group’s challenge I wrote more than 40 articles for ezinearticles.com and gained Platinum Expert status which gave me more notoriety in my field.

I edited or ghosted six books for clients this year and at least three of them (maybe four) have contracts with publishers or literary agents.

I completed the manuscript for my own book on stem cell research. Nightengale Press will be publishing Right to Recover: Winning the Political and Religious Wars over Stem Cell Research in America.

I had the privilege of being interviewed on several talk radio shows in 2006 about my writing business or books; I loved it so much I decided to start my own podcast. Writers in the Sky Podcast has had tremendous reception and my interview schedule is already booked through mid-April with experts such as Valerie Connelly of Nightengale Press, Bob Gussin of Oceanview Publishing, Suzanne Lieurance—the Working Writer’s Coach, and Pam Lontos—Public Relations Specialist, plus many other freelance writers and authors in a broad range of genres.

I earned the Toastmasters Advanced Leadership Award in July and I’m only three speech projects away from completing the requirements for my Distinguished Toastmaster Award.

Even with the tragic death of a beloved brother-in-law this past year, we have much to be grateful for as a family. My daughter announced her engagement last summer and plans to be married June 16, 2006. My son and his wife are expecting a baby. My grandson, Sidney, who will be six in February, looks forward to the arrival of his baby brother or sister. I also wait with excitement!

Write On! Creative Writing Services had a great year as a team. We now have seven full-time writers and four part-time writers, plus we have Jessica Dockter on board as our graphic designer allowing us to expand our services to cover the branding aspect and design needs of our clients. I’d like to brag on each of them.

Kate Garvey created the first booklet of her “People with Pets” series and was featured as a guest columnist in the Wisconsin State Journal. She created two web sites for her business, started a blog, wrote several articles on biotechnology, history, and created websites for small businesses, as well as developing web content for small businesses. Currently, she is putting in long hours as a technical writer for one of the largest farm cooperatives in the United States. Kate works with the document repository, writes company newsletters, creates quick reference guides documenting business procedures, and creates charts of work flow process. On a personal note she successfully moved from Nashville, Tennessee and settled into a new location in Madison, W. She also renovated two homes and continues to sell her real estate book on the Internet. It's been a great year.

Rosi Stewart co-authored a grant for a children’s charity group that provides medical care for uninsured and underinsured children infant to 18 years). The clinic will receive $125,000 over the next two years. She also received word that a second grant she had written has been funded by another major foundation.

Gordon Randall completed three romance articles, and edited and provided proofreading for several books.

Taryn Simpson completed a screenplay, three press releases, 25 articles, five academic papers, three bios, two brochures, three taglines, and wrote content for four blogs in addition to completing two books with four more in progress.

Barbara Sharp completed three books – a biography/memoir (one is being published by Nightengale Press), one speech, two resumes, two brochures, four romance articles, two medical articles and a confidential business review.

David Teems wins the Write On! Prize for accomplishing the most difficult writing task last year. He completed Bob Martin's book, BOTH SIDES OF THE FENCE: Corruption and Redemption in Chattanooga, Tennesse from the 1940s through the 1980s. Here is a photo of Bob Martin's materials before David converted them into a book that was accepted by a publisher. Thought you’d get a laugh (or a good cry).
David also completed his own novel LIKE THE WHOLE WORLD WAS SUMMER (not yet in publication).

Meet all our writers here.

As we network together for continued success in 2007, may we all help one another realize our potential and be a blessing to everyone we meet either online or in person.