A great way to start the week.

A few words of wisdom from Roy Williams. Read them. If they don’t move you, put down your pen and go get a job in a teller window at your local bank.
It fits in with the very first post I made on this blog: take action. You can’t insulate your way to success. Read, then [...]

“Why the Weekend Promts?”

I’ve had a bunch of new writer’s join up lately (welcome, all!), and several have asked why I have the “StartStrong” and “End with the beginning in mind” coming in on the weekends?
Well, because not everyone’s work is limited to the weekdays. Back when I was keeping the kids out of daycare, I did the [...]

A Few Words on Shelter

Earlier this week, I was in the woods. Yesterday, I spent most of the morning in the coffee shop I mention on the home page of the site (this picture was taken during the lull between breakfast and dinner…I didn’t want to freak people out by just snapping random photos).

So…what does my shelter look like?
Well, [...]

Hungry?

I haven’t written much about the importance of creativity and ideas (a.k.a Food) in freelancing, yet. But it is one of the four essential elements to true success.
Clear, concise writing is only half of the battle when it comes to writing good copy. I know, I know, there’s a quote going around “if you have [...]

Rates, Continued

Sorry, I thought I was done with this, but I’m not.
Writer’s I know it can be hard asking for such large sums of money. Believe me, I do. And I talk to plenty of writers who just feel plain guilty when the time comes to talk project fees.  And that’s understandable.
I mean, we’re writers. We [...]

“What do I charge?”

This is probably the single biggest question I hear on a regular basis. It takes many forms.

What should my hourly rate be?
What should I charge for a brochure?
What’s the going rate for a business plan?
Am I charging enough for this?
What will a client pay for ________?

My answer is always the same (sometimes to the frustration [...]

Just for the record, this site isn’t about survival

Don’t get me wrong, I’m all for survival. And when I go camping, I’m one of those nutjob minimalsists who feels guilty about carrying a tent and a sleeping bag. But it’s not because I have anything against comfort.
Look, when you go into the wilderness with a five-pound pack instead of a 50-pound pack, there [...]

Want to Succeed? Remember, this is a Service Industry

Okay, so here is the second biggest tip I can give you (after “get off your butt and do something.”). This one tip can shift your entire attitude from “struggling to keep your head above water” to “sunning yourself on the beach”: under-promise and over-deliver.
*Gasp*
I can hear it now. “But Danny,” you say. “You have [...]

Okay…I’ll let you in on a little secret

…yesterday was not the first time I’ve worked along that trail.
It was the first time I’ve been able to bill for the time hiking into an out of that spot. But the truth is, as a freelancer, you can work from just about anywhere. I’ve worked from the middle of the woods, in parks and [...]

Isn’t this the best job in the world?

I mean, look…this was my office today.

Which, I suppose, makes this the water cooler.
I’m working on a job for an outdoor gear store. So, to get inspiration, I took a hike. To prove I was working, here’s a picture of my ULPO (Ultra-light Portable Office).

You’ll see the Moleskine unlined notebook, the e-mail enabled cell phone, [...]

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