Have you ever heard the name H.L. Mencken? He was an American journalist, satirist, essayist… and just about any other “ist” you can think of when it comes to writing. He is considered one of the most influential American writers of the first half of the 20th century. He once said, “There are no dull subjects. There are only dull writers.”

It took me a good number of years of calling myself a writer before I really learned the lesson of those words. I would often declare a subject uninteresting and decide that nothing exciting could be written about it. I might begrudgingly take an assignment and only put minimal effort into it because I thought the subject was dull.

But I was wrong.

As time went on, and the more I learned about writing and my responsibilities as a writer (from books, courses, and some pretty harsh critics …), I changed my attitude and jumped on Mencken’s bandwagon. What makes a topic or subject interesting is the writer. And the tougher the challenges are to find interesting aspects of a seemingly uninteresting topic, the better writer you’ll become.

If you face what might seem like a dull topic, look at it from another perspective. Turn it upside down, inside out or 90 degrees to the left. Step away and look from afar. Step forward and look from within. Drop the attitude and adopt the courage to explore something you know little about. Then take your readers on that discovery mission with you.

When you bring curiosity to the writing table, you will always be presented with interesting and challenging subjects to write about.

What’s your New Year’s resolution? Lose weight? Stop smoking? Be more benevolent to others or understanding of your family’s annoying quirks?

It’s easy to make a resolution. What’s difficult is keeping it.

The only way to see a difference between this day and this day next year is to not only make a resolution but to answer the question, “how will I keep it?” How are you going to transform your resolution from a wish to a reality?

I’ll leave you to figure out if you will achieve your personal goals. But I want to encourage you to seriously make a writing resolution and put a plan in place to achieve it. Do you want to make more money? How about finding new clients? Perhaps you want to work for a company instead of on your own. Would you like to become a published author? Maybe you want to add a complementary service to offer clients you already have. Whatever your writing resolution is, here’s a quick five-step process to improve on the results: Read the rest of this entry

How do you prospect for potential clients? Or perhaps the more targeted question is, “Do you prospect for potential clients?” It is my experience that far too many freelance writers wait for referrals or “word of mouth” connections to get projects and assignments. If you’re happy with your results, don’t read today’s post because my intention today is to talk to those of you who struggle to find great projects that you choose and love doing. If that’s you, read on… Read the rest of this entry

I spent a lot of years as a copywriter. I wrote ads, brochure copy, website content, direct mail campaigns and developed a host of other marketing materials that informed, enticed and invited potential customers to notice the client company and its services and/or products.

When I first started, I agonized over what to say and how to say it. I met with the client, took notes and spent countless hours – days even – investing “think time” to craft just the right mix of words to represent the company to its audience.

It wasn’t until I was assigned to a creative team, led by a project manager who was a former (and in demand) copywriter for Fortune 100 companies, that I learned the secret to writing copy quickly, in the client’s voice, and on target with the audience. Here is what I observed—and learned—in that one, single meeting: Read the rest of this entry

“As a writer, words are your paint.

Use all the colors.”

    ~Rhys Alexander

It was nearly impossible this weekend to turn on the television or read/listen to the news without being reminded that Sunday marked the 10^th anniversary of the September 11, 2001, attacks on the United States of America. From memorials to pictorials; from historic accounts to personal accounts, we were all taken back to the places we were and the feelings we felt on that horrific day.

Despite our economic challenges and all the political bickering about how to overcome them, I’m proud to be an American. My grandfather came to the U.S. from Poland at the age of 22 in search of something better and passed his belief in the promise of this country on to his sons and daughters, who passed them on to my generation. He journeyed into the unknown to sweep the first brush stroke across the canvas of a new family portrait. His hardships made our lives better. The attacks on September 11^th were meant to destroy but, instead, strengthened a nation built by men and women who also believed in the promise of this country.

I’m also proud to be one small part of a profession that finds the words to detail those news stories, documentaries, memoirs, and commentaries. As writers, we find the words to express our and others’ thoughts. As writers, we verbalize emotions that we and others feel. As writers, we share a talent and skill that can connect a group, a community, a nation and a world.

I know my Monday Muse ezine and this blog have a global reach and there are disasters worldwide that have affected each and every one of you in some way. Today’s post isn’t about making money or finding clients. Today I simply encourage you to capture your story of an event that has affected you personally or changed your view of the world you live in. You have the talent to document history of your or your family’s experience even if it will only be read by you.

Add your distinct colors to your family’s portrait.

If you like, feel free to share some of your thoughts in the Comments section of this post.