Could it be accountability? One of the pitfalls of the typical creative process is that it’s a mostly solitary endeavor. You set your own goals and deadlines and are accountable to yourself alone if you miss them. Awesome, right? I ...READ»
Think of having a good, deep talk with your best friend—could be your spouse, your old college roommate, or your childhood companion. You’re sitting together over drinks, most of your dinner eaten, and you’re talking candidly. ...READ»
Most books have only one author’s name on the cover. And most people think of those authors as solitary creatures working alone in a dim room, surrounded by books and clutter and haloed in the glow of a computer screen. Although a ...READ»
In the immediate panic of a recession, most companies try to save money by reducing their labor force. But according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the unemployment rate remained steady at about 9.4% throughout June and July. This ...READ»
A huge part of running a successful business is being proactive—responding to e-mails as soon as possible, returning phone calls within the same business day, presenting new ideas for clients to consider, finishing projects ahead of ...READ»
Not long ago, any business that functioned primarily over the Internet was looked at with suspicion, even straight-up mistrust; many times, rightfully so. But these days, the Internet has given legitimate businesses a virtually ...READ»
Is it a coincidence that Bill Gates, Steve Jobs and Eric Schmidt (a.k.a. the founder of Google) are all avid chess players? Probably not. Building a brilliant brand is a game of strategy—a game that these men have mastered with ...READ»
A blog might be the most powerful tool in your marketing toolbox, but it needs to be promoted as well. Here are 25 proven methods to driving more qualified leads to your blog.READ»
Have you ever thought about what the cover of your published book would look like? Of course you have. Just like you’ve thought very carefully about (and described) what your characters look like, what the setting reveals—all the ...READ»
Everyone needs an iPhone app. Or so you'd think, give the launch of a new Web service called SWebapps. The site, which launched officially today, allows you to quickly and easily roll your own iPhone app and get it into the App Store ...READ»
When it comes to money, most creatives entering into business make the mistake of selling themselves short. They worry about competing with the cheapest guys out there instead of pricing their work at a point that is both fair and ...READ»
When you work in a creative field, your work speaks for itself. In fact, it’s the only thing that can speak for it. No amount of clever marketing, self-promotion, or even outstanding recommendations can take the place of a portfolio ...READ»
Another great call with Annie Hart this morning. This past week, I had one of my favorite writers draw up a small section of the screenplay version of my story. It was fascinating to read my thoughts in someone else’s ...READ»
In the beginning of setting up a creative business, quantity is pretty tempting. Quantity as in more clients and more output. Because that can only lead to more money and more success, right? Not necessarily.Chasing every lead you ...READ»
So
this week on my story adventure I felt way out of sorts and really bad
that I have had little to no time to devote to my story. Annie and I
brainstormed and came up with an exploratory solution. What I do ...READ»
Mari Smith is a Relationship Marketing Specialist and a natural-born networker. Fast Company recently called her the Pied Piper of the online world. I had a chance recently to interview Mari and talk about how small businesses can get started with social media marketing and leverage it to grow their business, and what the future of social media might look like.READ»
This should go without saying, but I’ll say it anyway: Without customers paying for the product or service you provide, you’re not a businessperson; you’re a hobbyist. Yet many creatives have the most trouble seeing their work ...READ»
Well, the why is easy: You won’t make any money and will be stuck in a dead-end day job forever while you toil away for your art in obscurity.Harsh? Yes. True? Hell, yes.See, we creatives—writers, painters, illustrators, actors, ...READ»
Many people are under the impression that with creating always comes joy. Wrong! Most of the time, the emotional journey of creating starts with agony. Agony at not getting it right, at not finishing on time, at not remembering every ...READ»
Adding 10 per day, I'll be listing 200 ways to get funding for green business. From bootstrapping to angel investors and Grants there is plenty of money to go around! Check it out!READ»
Here’s the rudest, cruelest awakening to telling your story in
writing: Most of the time, you will feel like you’re failing. Like what
you’re spewing out onto paper (or screen) is the lamest, most cliché,
least ...READ»
The crux of writing a successful (interesting, moving, powerful, life-changing) memoir is, of course, being able to remember the experiences that shaped a certain period of your life. But you have to do more than simply recall those ...READ»
