How a Writer Can Aggravate an Editor

The follow jaw-dropping (seriously — that’s what I did while reading it) email apparated in my inbox: My name is[deleted] and I am the online editor at [deleted]. I, along with the rest of the writing staff, write expert advice for small businesses and entrepreneurs. We have written for Entrepreneur.com, SCORE, American Express OPEN and … Read more

Guest Post: The Truth That Allows You to Lie

Candace Leigh Coulombe is the author of Second Grace: stories of fresh starts, second chances, and also running away and Mercy Seat: a novella of love, loss, redemption, and hagiography. Second Grace won the Compilations/Anthologies category of the 2010 Beach Book Festival and an Honorable Mention in the 2010 San Francisco Book Festival, and an … Read more

Reading That Helps Your Writing

I smiled when I read Daphne Gray-Grant’s October 5 issue of Power Writing. (I recommend the newsletter especially for writers.) She wrote, “Finally, one important P.S. I’m no longer a member of a book club because I dislike being told what to read — especially when there’s a deadline. If a book club works for … Read more

Guest Post: Published Author Seeks Agent

Welcome to meryl’s notes blog (this here place you’re lookin’ at) in Plano, Texas. We’re honored to be a stop in Margo Candela’s WOW! Women On Writing Blog tour. We’re giving away a copy of her book, Goodbye To All That. Read on to see how you can win. About Margo Candela: Margo Candela’s husband owes … Read more

How a Freelance Writer Prepares for Vacation

Image by Giampaolo Macorig via Flickr Those who know me well probably just fell out of their chairs seeing “vacation” in this post’s title. “Vacation” and “Meryl” don’t go together. I know. That’s pitiful, not a thing to brag about. Anyway, for the past couple of weeks, I’ve been getting harsh reminders why I don’t … Read more

How a Writer Deals with Work in the Summer

Image by merylk via Flickr I admit it. Summer break messes with my writing work that I work shorter hours, blog less and write fewer online articles. While I have one kid old enough to fend for herself (driving) and another going to day camp, summer still disrupts my schedule. For one, the day camp … Read more

5th Grade Graduation and HAGS

I Be One Decade Old Goodness gracious! This blog’s 10th birthday passed and I never noticed until today. My first blog post went up on June 1, 2000. This place is a decade old. What does that translate into Internet years? Anyway, thank you to every single pair of eyes for reading in the last … Read more

Guest Post: Cut the Cord, Writers!

Image via Wikipedia Writers tend to be  an insular lot. Let’s face it, we work on our own, stuck in our own headspace, most of the time. We sit in front of our computer, or if we’re particularly old school, typewriter, and venture nary a toe into the outside world. (Sometimes all day, sometimes all … Read more

Sell More: Cut the Ho-Hum Corporate Speak in Web Content

Woot knows how to entertain us with its content. The company — located within a couple of miles from me (!!!) — sells one product per day. Every product comes with smile-inducing descriptions. Since then, the company has added Woot-Offs! (selling one product until it runs out of stock, then selling another product, repeat until … Read more