By Sarah Merritt Ryan, www.SarahMerrittRyan.com

Whenever I tell people how I got started as a professional writer, I let them know about Triangle Association of Freelancers (TAF).  I talk about what an encouraging group this is, where everyone wants everyone else to succeed, where all types of writers are welcome, and all skill levels of writers are supported and encouraged. Joining TAF has led to a whole new career path for me.

My Success Through TAF – Let Me Count the Ways

It all started with the idea that I wanted to write what I wished I could have read during my early recovery after being diagnosed with schizophrenia. It’s something barely discussed or shared due to the stigma surrounding serious mental illness. Most people like me suffer in secrecy and isolation. The huge sticking point for me was whether I would put my name on my first post. It was my big secret that I had had psychotic breaks in the past.

1. I spoke with TAF founder Don Vaughan on the phone, and we talked about the pros and cons. While he made it clear the decision was mine, he did encourage me as a writer and assured me I have a lot to share that might help others. I made the decision to submit that blog post to a county site for the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), and the sky didn’t fall after all. So, then I wrote another post, and another. Each time one was published, I let the TAF listserv know, and the members all cheered me on. Then I thought, I’ll resubmit them to the national NAMI blog and see what happens. They published my posts as well. All of a sudden, I had a platform.
2. Then, a TAF member encouraged me to apply for a blog on Psychology Today. I saw it as a Hail Mary but did it anyway. I figured it said something about my belief in myself to go ahead and submit. Lo and behold, my pitch was accepted. I’ve been blogging on Psychology Today for almost three years now.
3. I explained to Don my dream of writing a memoir, and he connected me to a literary agent who liked my idea and asked me to write a book proposal. I wrote it and then proceeded to write the actual book. In the end, the agent was not able to sell it, but I am not discouraged. I’m now working with an independent editor on a full revision while continuing to build my platform. Then I will pursue some university press options.
4. TAF members Elaine Klonicki and Don Vaughan mentored me on my first article published with Writer’s Digest online, and Don helped me with an idea for my second publication with Writer’s Digest, this one for the print magazine. I even got to meet the editor-in-chief of Writer’s Digest, Amy Jones, in person at a Write Now! conference after publishing a piece in her magazine.
5. Before I joined TAF, I had published one poem. But then, through listserv postings and TAF member Lisa Tomey-Zonneveld, I learned of the existence of anthologies for poetry. I started writing poetry again and was published in several anthologies, including TAF Omnibus, the annual publication of poems and short stories by TAF.
6. I then took a big gulp and submitted a collection of sonnets I had been writing for over 20 years to Lisa Tomey-Zonneveld with Prolific Pulse Press. My first book-length work of poetry, “My Soul to Keep,” will be available in June 2026.
7. And it doesn’t stop there. I’ve always said I can’t write fiction because I didn’t think I could make a story up. But apparently I can! I submitted my first piece of fiction to “TAF Omnibus IV,” and the short story was accepted by Arlene Bice.
8. Because I learned from that experience that I can write fiction, and actually really enjoy it, I am now writing a romance novel about a woman with a psychotic disorder. And because I’m a part of TAF, I’m able to be a part of a romance writers’ subgroup where, once I have the courage, I will share what I’ve written with published romance writers to get their feedback.
9. Most recently, I have become a staff writer for magazines local to Raleigh – 5 West and Midtown Magazine – where I cover local stories. I learned of this opportunity and made the connection with both editors through the Write Now! Conference.

On top of all these ways that TAF has transformed me as a writer, I have made so many connections with other writers and made important friends. I think every writer needs a community that cheers for them. (Even better, I love that if I throw any question out there on the listserv, there is someone who has the answer and even seems to enjoy helping me.)

While I write for other people, honestly, it has truly been a healing process for me, too. I have found writing an excellent way to process my life, find my voice, and communicate my truth to others. It has helped me take pain and suffering and make meaning out of it.

My career progression since I joined TAF has helped me see the big picture in my life and assign a reason for my life post-illness, and not only that – it has given me the courage to finally disclose my illness to everyone who knows me. I am now using writing to process everything I went through with my mental health condition in a way that benefits other people. Because of how I have been mentored, encouraged and supported through TAF members, I now have a second career as a professional writer and speaker on psychotic disorders.

I feel incredibly fortunate to have found in TAF an organization that supports and encourages writers on their creative journeys, no matter what they choose to write about or how vulnerable they choose to be in their writing.

Sarah Merritt Ryan, MS, CPSS, is a blogger, poet, and memoirist who also speaks on recovery from mental illness. She writes for Psychology Today, Teva Pharmaceuticals, Nami.org, and Writer’s Digest. She speaks at major universities, mental health organizations, and various community groups. She was named Hometown Hero in 2024 for her contributions to the Raleigh-Durham area by The Courage Pro Women’s Soccer Team, Lenovo, and NAMI.

By Arlene Bice, arlenebice.com

It was the writers’ oft-mentioned fourth-grade assignment of detailing my family history that first set my heart on fire to be a writer. Back in the ‘50s, I loved the writing portion of all my school assignments. In high school, my work earned an invitation to work on the school newspaper, but an early marriage dashed any idea of being a writer.

Eventually, I became a stay-at-home mom of four, struggling to make ends meet with no room to think of paying for classes of any kind, and a husband who denied me the right. Being a professional writer was not an option open to me, but I kept focus on the written word through letter writing.

Life was very different pre-Internet. I wanted to be a storyteller or poet, but didn’t know how to begin. I was an avid reader, a collector of books, and kept the dream alive with a few friendships with impassioned writers.

As my kids grew older, I found temp jobs during school hours at elementary and middle school libraries. Always scrolling the “Want” ads in the newspaper, I later applied and was hired at the library of Rider College (now University) library. At least I was surrounded by books. I eventually shed the husband, but then my responsibilities increased. Because a higher income became more important, I changed jobs and waited tables from midnight to 7 a.m. I was the sole supporter of my four sons and a widowed mother. I buried the niggling tug to write, but it still lay beneath the surface.

That desire may have faded, but it never left me completely.

Soon, I moved on to working as a wholesale liquor sales rep, with my own $1,000 union card, one of only two women in the field. When the company was sold, I worked as a bartender. I finally got my high school equivalency certificate, worked in real estate sales as a broker, and then graduated to appraising for both residential and commercial properties. Writing was required in the appraisals, but it was not quite the writing I wanted to do. That job ended when interest rates changed and the market fell. Next, I opened a gift shop, and with my eternal love of books, expanded it to a bookshop of new, used, and rare books.

A writing group asked if they could meet in my bookshop after hours. “Sure,” I told them. They repeatedly invited me to sit in, but I thought it was too late for me. I thought the idea of being a writer was gone. I thought I was too old at 60. Then, a book salesman walked into my shop selling an Arcadia Publishing Co. Images of America series featuring a town just south of ours.

“We’re the town that has a great history!” I exclaimed. “We had two Signers of the Declaration living here!” I continued to rattle on about my great and wonderful Bordentown (NJ).

“Would you like to write a book for us?” he asked. And so, the dream was not dead, just asleep, and this salesman woke it up! Arcadia sent a pamphlet on exactly how to set up the book. That’s how I learned. My first book for them was published in 2002, followed by three more. Once that door was opened, there was no closing it again.

From that first book, I was inspired to write something different, this time influenced by my customers. Word went through the grapevine that I lived with ghosts in my house. That led to customers discussing ghosts in their homes, which led to my creating a Ghost Tour of Bordentown as a fundraiser for my business group. Tour folks wandered into my shop asking for a booklet about the ghost stories. I researched a nearby town’s monthly ghost tour and read the thin book about their resident ghosts. “Look at this,” I told the customer who stopped in to chat. “Look at these errors and misspellings! I could do better than this!”

“Why don’t you?” he commented. So, I did. My first indie-published book, “Ghosts of Bordentown,” 66 pages, covered 19 stories. My customer challenged me, and the writer came out victorious! It was expensive, but the ache was still present. It was another entrance into the writing life.

Through the writers’ group meeting in my shop, I joined the International Women Writing Guild (IWWG) and attended their annual conferences every year for the following 10 years. It set me on fire! We were 500 women at Skidmore College (I finally got to college) with nothing but talk about writing; classes about writing; and new, lifetime connections with writers. They were the most exhilarating times of my life. I vibrated, surrounded by others who loved words.

At that time, I expected to live out my life selling books. My life was perfect in my mind. That idea crashed when I “received” a message that woke me at 3 a.m. The voice told me, and my two cats, that I had to sell everything, which included an apartment house and property, and move.

That meant I also had to leave the three writing groups and a book discussion group I led. My bookshop was a social destination where I held wine & cheese parties, social and seasonal events, author book signings, and talks. I didn’t want to leave this life I loved!

Everything was sold and transferred within three weeks. A journalist friend walked into my shop to catch up on the latest. He was excited to buy my bookshop business, rent my apartment, and he even bought my Camaro. I was moving to the forests of North Carolina to become what I was meant to be — a full-time writer/publisher, and co-founder of First Friday Open Mic nights, etc., etc., etc.

Thinking back on those days, I realize the various jobs I held fed me a wealth of material and experience to draw from, but all that social/business clutter at the bookshop interfered with my being a full-time writer. The burning in my gut to write never left; it just lay there quietly waiting to be awakened. Age was no matter.

Lesson learned: life wasn’t over at 60. It was time to become the writer I was meant to be! My just-released book, “Poet Shot Dead,” will soon be followed by my first genealogy book, “Leafing the Family Tree: Mayflower Thru the Revolutionary War.” 

It goes to prove that when a burning desire to write is inside you, time does not dissolve it. When opportunities arise, step in and take charge. Know that when you are a writer at heart, writing will find its way to the surface by seeming coincidence or through your own perseverance, and then it just goes on and on…

Arlene S. Bice has published dozens of books. She received the Florence Poets Society Poet of Distinction Award and the Annual Literary Oakley Hall Award. Her poems were performed at the Kirby Theatre, and she has added short stories to her list of paranormal, historical, and poetry writings. She lives in Farmville, Virginia.

By Maya Spikes

It’s time to look back on 2025. Can you believe how quickly we’re moving through this decade?

Here are just some of the special moments that made 2025 a memorable year for TAF and its members:

In keeping with our desire to provide interesting and informative resources for writers, we continued publishing monthly posts on our TAF Blog. These essays and articles, written by members, cover many aspects of writing and publishing. This year, we had another eclectic mix of topics which included poetry, shadow writing, romance writing, mental health writing, and tips about avoiding scams. If you haven’t read it yet, check out our blog here.

In May, more than 100 aspiring and professional writers attended our annual Write Now! Conference. Our keynote speakers were New York Times best-selling author S.A. Cosby and writing coach and longtime publishing editor Tiffany Yates Martin. Conference sessions included: “A Sense Of Place: Travel Writing For Beginners” by Stephanie Elizondo Griest, “The Devil’s In The Details: Specificity In Nonfiction Writing” by Don Vaughan, “Fantasy Worldbuilding & Real-World Research” by Whitney Hill, “Using Poetry To Elevate Journalistic Writing” by Lisa Tomey-Zonneveld, “Throwing A Pitch That Lands” by David Menconi, and “Creative Marketing For Self-Publishers” by Rebecca Dalton.

In July, we welcomed the Heart of Carolina Romance Writers (HCRW), formerly a chapter of the Romance Writers of America, to TAF! Andrea Wenger, a longtime member of both organizations, realized they were a natural fit and suggested the merger. Both organizations focus on support, education, and networking for writers and authors. HCRW holds quarterly face-to-face events, a monthly Book-in-a-Week writing competition, and periodic educational webinars, now offered through TAF. We appreciate the expertise and other resources HCRW brings to TAF, and are enriched by the participation of these writers with big hearts!

In September, we continued our growing series of anthologies with the publication of The TAF Omnibus Vol. IV (Stories, Essays & Poems) edited by Arlene Bice. The TAF members who contributed their talents made this year’s collection our largest group anthology yet, coming in at just under 250 pages.

Throughout 2025, we continued our monthly meetings and hosted three TAF Talks, all via Zoom. Featured meeting speakers included author Nanette Vaughan, TAF founder Don Vaughan, Saturday Evening Post website editor Jennifer Bortel, children’s magazine editor Troy Brownstein, hurricane expert Jay Barnes, editor and romance author Andrea Wenger, and Wake County Public Libraries Director Tammy Baggett, along with Wake County Public Libraries Senior Library Manager Theresa Theall.

We also featured a special poetry workshop hosted by poet Lisa Tomey-Zonneveld, as well as a romance roundtable discussion with romance writers Sherri Hollister, LaVerne St. George, and Angela Rush.

Our first TAF Talk guest for this year was author S.A. Cosby. We also hosted our first Editor Roundtable during another TAF Talk with Therese Castillo (Veterinary Practice News), Jennifer Bortel (The Saturday Evening Post), Moriah Richard (Writer’s Digest), and Sheree Renee Thomas (The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction).

As we look forward to 2026, be sure to mark your calendar for next year’s Write Now! conference. Our conference planning committee is currently finalizing arrangements for this event, which will be held on Saturday, May 16, 2026, at The McKimmon Center in Raleigh. Keep an eye out for upcoming announcements about guest speakers, session topics, and other conference details! You can find updates on our conference page.

And finally, I want to express my gratitude and appreciation to all of our TAF members for making 2025 another successful year. Thank you for helping us maintain a growing community of professional writers who support and encourage each other in their creative endeavors.

I wish you much writing success in 2026 and beyond. Happy Holidays!

Maya Spikes

Executive Director, Triangle Association of Freelancers

By Sherry Comstock, www.sherrycomstock.com

Part One

Dinner is over, the dishwasher is loaded and dusk is falling. I sit in my armchair reading. My phone rings and I answer, even though I don’t recognize the number. I usually let these calls go to voicemail. But I didn’t tonight. A woman asks to speak to me and hesitates as I ask who’s calling. I get ready to do my usual “No, thank you” speech I reserve for telemarketers.

Quickly, the woman gives me her name and begins asking about my book, A Crazy Quilt Life. Her praise is effusive. “You tell your story so well and you speak to those who might be in similar situations.” She pauses before continuing. “Ah, it’s so wonderful that you share your wisdom with others.” She then tells me she’s a literary agent, Trixie Summers, and she has taken my book to evaluators at Simon and Schuster. I don’t have much knowledge of the workings of literary agents and publishers, but I’m pretty sure it doesn’t work like this. They work on commission and I’ve not signed a contract.

I begin taking notes to keep me focused as she rattles on. I know this isn’t the “real deal” — but I want to know what the catch is. It’s hard not to be excited. I mean, what indie author doesn’t want to catch the eye of someone like Simon and Schuster?

Trixie continues her spiel and I keep making notes. So far, she has asked nothing from me but goes on to quote exorbitant bonuses upon signing ($25,000), acceptance ($200,000) and publication ($100,000). The red flags are snapping in hurricane-force winds. She goes on to tell me the things she needs from me: my CV, my raw manuscript as a Word document, a book license and a high-resolution photograph.

When I question the book license, Trixie says it’s necessary for movie rights and translations. She suggests I speak with a lawyer about the license, but offers her team’s legal department, which might be able to help if I have difficulty. She continues to praise my book effusively,” but the way she inserts my name into her monologue makes me think of a script.

She asks for my email and I give her the one that’s everywhere on my social media accounts. I get a word in edgewise and ask for her contact information. More words of praise flow. She ends the call without giving it to me.

Part Two

Since I’ve taken this call on speaker, my husband has heard almost everything. He’s over the moon, excited that this “opportunity” might be real. He is indeed my biggest fan.I give us a few minutes to bask in the possibilities before I release the helium from the balloon.

I tell him something is “off” about this — that this is not how agents work. Authors seek agents, not the other way around. I have to look into this, I tell him. “Okay,” he says. Good, he’s beginning to hear what I’m saying.

Googling “Trixie Summers” leads me to a website belonging to an entity called The Literary Firm. It lists a physical address located in New York, but no phone number or email. There is a place to enter information if you wish to have an agent contact you. Nowhere on the site is there a list of clients represented or books the firm has helped publish. Seems odd. Even my website lists my published work.

I go back to Google and find a website called Writer Beware. It’s sponsored by the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers Association. Trixie shows up in a recent article. I’m not surprised. The article reports she has superimposed her photograph on that of another woman. I go back to the website and verify this fact. Forget the flags. Now the alarm bells are ringing. The sub’s captain is yelling “Dive! Dive!” over the ship’s com system.

I’m a bit angry, to say the least.Reading a few more blogs on the Writer Beware website, I find that scammers like this generally do a “bait and switch,” which leaves the author paying for additional services while nothing happens with their book.

Back on the patio with my husband, I let him know the deal. We’ve come across these things before. We’re both thankful she doesn’t have our bank information. For a few minutes, I speculate about calling Trixie Summers in the morning, just to tell her how I feel. Eventually, we agree it’s better to just leave this alone. I’m still angry that someone would prey on another person’s dreams.

Part Three

Sipping my coffee the next morning, I realize I’m still angry at such callousness. I peruse the Writer Beware blog, trying to educate myself. Nothing has been taken from me, so I don’t really have any legal recourse. I have to do something! I decide to write this story and use the names she gave me. I feel a little better as I start writing.

Around noon, Trixie’s email finds my inbox. It’s a repeat of last night’s phone call, with instructions for where to send the information she requested. I take a screenshot and resolve to comment on the Writers Beware blog. I move her email to the spam folder. After dinner, Trixie calls. I let it go to voicemail.

It’s now three days since the first call. My phone rings. Ah, that’s Trixie’s number. I let it go to voicemail. Soon I’ll have to block it, but for now, I’m chuckling as she keeps trying to land her fish. How long will she keep trying? I’m not sure I have enough patience if it lasts more than a day or two. Anyway, here’s to validation of the old saying, “If it seems to be too good to be true, it probably is.”

Sherry Comstock began her writing career after she retired from nursing. She is the current president of the Burlington Writers Club, and her works include: A Crazy Quilt Life: A Memoir, and a women’s fiction series: Low Tide, Against the Tide, and Riptides. Her blog and newsletter can be found on www.sherrycomstock.com.

By Elisa Lorello, http://www.elisalorello.com/

In 2007-2008, blogging was the thing. If you were an aspiring author, a more established author, editor, or publisher would advise you to “Start a blog so you can get your work out there and build a following before you publish your book.”

Professionals, literary agents, consultants, etc., also used blogs as a means of attracting clients, speaking engagements, and even book contracts.

Five years later, blogs were out and newsletters were in. Authors and entrepreneurs turned their attention to newsletters to launch and sell new books/products, services, and/or classes. Aspiring authors were now given tips and tricks to grow their newsletter lists with reader magnets, catchy content, cross-promotions, and contests.

However, many authors ultimately dreaded writing their monthly newsletters, and many newsletters wound up sitting unread in readers’ inboxes – or worse, sent directly to Spam folders.

Here’s the good news: Thanks to Substack, both blogs and newsletters have made a comeback, and with more creative potential than ever.

If you’re interested in exploring new avenues of creativity and connection, Substack has your back.

I am by no means an expert – I’ve been active on the platform for a year – but I can give you a basic introduction and an overview of Substack so you can determine if it’s the right platform for you.

Although Substack launched in 2017, it didn’t see exceptional growth until 2020-2021, during the pandemic. Despite the influx of high-profile writers to the platform with tens and even hundreds of thousands of subscribers, it’s still possible for lesser-known writers to carve out a space for themselves and provide readers with a meaningful experience.

What is Substack?

Generally speaking, Substack is a platform that combines the best of blogging and newsletters, allowing writers to publish content directly to subscribers’ email inboxes while also hosting it on a dedicated webpage. Think of it as a hybrid between a traditional blog and an email newsletter service, with social media features and SEO/monetization tools. Writers can publish content ranging from weekly newsletters to serialized fiction, podcasts, or long-form essays, building direct relationships with their audiences.

Here is a sampling of what you can do on Substack:

• Traditional newsletters: Weekly/monthly updates, insights
• Nonfiction: Blogs, essays, opinion pieces, journalism
• Fiction:
  • Novel excerpts and/or teasers
  • Short stories
  • Serialized fiction
• Podcasting: Audio content with built-in hosting
• Mixed media: Combining text, audio, and images
• Building community:
  • Notes (similar format to Twitter/X, Threads, BlueSky)
  • Comments and chat with readers
  • Cross-promotion and collaborative opportunities

You can take advantage of as many or as few of these features as you want, and tailor them to your needs or goals.

Some writers use Substack solely as their monthly newsletter platforms in the way one might use sites like Mailchimp or MailerLite. Others blog monthly, weekly, or even daily. And some use every feature available.

Monetization

Monetization on Substack can be seen as the frosting on the cake rather than the cake itself. It’s an option for those who want to be paid for their writing, and many writers use the paid option as a way to offer exclusive or bonus content.

Monetization especially works well if you have a problem-solving niche, such as educating people on how to invest in the stock market, or if you’re an author who writes serials in which you post the first installment for free and charge a subscription price for the remaining installments.

Some writers’ monetization efforts have been so successful that they’re able to make a full-time living from their Substack. And while I believe it’s absolutely possible to achieve, it also takes considerable time, effort, and trial-and-error; thus, I recommend setting realistic goals to achieve that big goal.

My Substack

I started my Substack blog series, Dancing When the Bomb Drops, a little over a year ago. Because I haven’t published a novel since 2022, I wanted to connect with my readers in a personal way.

In September of this year, I surpassed 100 subscribers, 10% of whom are paying subscribers. On the Substack continuum, that’s a modest (some might even call it meager) following. But one Substacker put it into perspective: “Imagine speaking to an audience of 100 people every month. Suddenly, that number is quite impressive.”

I’m currently deliberating on relocating my monthly author newsletter, which I’ve published via Mailchimp for at least eight years, to Substack, just to keep everything under one roof, so to speak. (And yes, you can import your email list from one platform to another.)

Subject Matter

Your Substack subject matter could be a pro and a con. You can showcase just about anything you want, be it your books, politics, cooking, etc. Some niches are so nuanced that it might be difficult to find your audience. Others, like writing craft, could be so ubiquitous that it might be a challenge to stand out.

My advice is always to write what most genuinely interests you and trust that your readers will find you. Of course, you want to give your readers the most value and connection you can, but I believe the first fan you need to please is yourself.

Also, keep in mind that you’re not limited to one Substack. If you have multiple interests, you can have multiple series or newsletters, or you can have subsets under one main umbrella. For example, in addition to Dancing When the Bomb Drops, I’m planning a subset that is more appealing to readers of my romantic comedy novels.

Is Substack Right for You?

So, how do you know if this is the right platform for you? Here are some pros and cons:

Pros:

• Direct audience ownership (although I recommend you save/update your subscriber list, should the platform ever fold or crash)
• Built-in email delivery: when someone subscribes, your posts go directly to their inbox
• An engaged community
• Multiple content formats
• Earning potential

Cons:

• Starting at zero: like the Kindle, the platform is flooded with content, and the competition for attention is staggering. Although there are ways to grow your following (Notes, reader magnets, cross-promotion with other writers, consistent posting, etc.), it takes time and effort to build momentum.
• Platform dependency (like any platform).
• It’s become like another social media platform in that algorithms often determine who sees what if they’re not subscribers.

First Step

I recommend you go to Substack and peruse subjects that are of interest to you or similar to what you already write about to get a feel for what’s already there and perhaps give you additional ideas. You can also check out (and subscribe!) to Dancing When the Bomb Drops to see my approach.

Substack has many resources about how to get started, use the platform’s features, and grow your following. Also, many creators’ Substacks are all about how to be successful on Substack.

Overall, I think Substack has the potential to be a writer’s paradise and, when you tailor it to your needs and interests, could be a fountain of opportunity. With planning, dedication, and attention, it’s a win-win for you and your audience.

Elisa Lorello is the international bestselling author of twelve novels and one memoir. Since 2010, she has sold over 500,000 units. In addition to being a speaker and teacher, she has been featured in the Charlotte Observer, Woman’s World magazine, the Montana Quarterly magazine, Writer’s Digest Online, Jane Friedman’s blog, and as a guest on multiple podcasts.

Learn more about her at her website.

By Karine Armen, http://photokarine.blogspot.com/p/authors-page.html

Are you more productive in the morning or the evening?

Can you write at a cafe, or do you need a quiet work area? 

By analyzing our personal working habits, we may be able to get more done.

Two years ago, I retired from teaching elementary school in Glendale, California. I traveled to many countries and started writing for a weekly newspaper covering art and cultural events. Despite having more time, balancing my schedule of socializing, writing, and physical activity was not easy. Self-discipline can be challenging. I needed a better routine.

A few weeks ago, I started attending my local community college. I signed up for two classes: “Creative Writing” and “Modern Dance.” To my surprise, since I started classes, I have felt more energized. I get up early, read, and write. Some friends say, “It’s good to keep busy.” That’s not why I registered for college courses; I was busy before that, but I needed structure and deadlines to keep me on track. 

During my teaching years, I was very active, going to writing workshops, art exhibitions, and film festivals. Many people were amazed by my energy back then. However, once I retired, I became concerned about my lack of energy and excessive sleep. After a few months of reflection and worry, I realized I needed to do more. Going back to school fit the bill.

In preparation for my classes, I decided I needed an environment more conducive to work. I cleaned my desk, computer, and writing corner. I prepared two tote bags — one for the writing class with a writing journal and the textbooks, and the other for the dance class that holds my jazz dance shoes and a small bottle of water. 

The other day, I had to complete a challenging assignment, and I finished it in a single day, feeling great. I’ve realized that the busier I am, and the more organized, the better I feel. 

Based on my own self-examination, I developed the following list to help other writers assess their work habits to determine whether they need tweaking.

Tips for Self-Awareness:

• When do you feel great? Pay attention when you smile and laugh more. 
• Do you need a quiet work area, or do you need background noise or music?
• When you complete many tasks in one day, do you feel energized or drained?
• How well do you listen to your body about when it’s time to slow down and relax, or at least schedule more breaks? 
• Do you feel excited about sharing your projects, or do you prefer to keep them a secret?

The answer to these questions can help you establish a framework for working at your best. Once you do this self-reflection, you can put a structure in place that supports your writing.

Suggestions for Improving Your Work Habits:

• Establish a work area. It needs to be clean and organized. Some people can work in clutter, but the time spent searching for books and papers could be better spent on writing or reading. 
• Take short breaks. Self-care and brain breaks are essential. 
• Drink water. Stay hydrated. Sometimes, when we are dehydrated, we think we are hungry. (Some people get angry when they are hungry.) 
• Have a Zoom or Google Meet group. Three times a week, I join via Google Meet with a few writers. We turn off our cameras and write for 45 minutes, then we debrief for 15 minutes. Having a set schedule gives me the incentive and the energy to get up early and be ready. 
• Keep a journal to record your ideas and reflections. Some writers call it “Seeds,” while Alice LaPlante refers to it as a “Black Box” to contain ideas. 

If we take the time to understand our likes and dislikes, desires and preferences, and set up our processes accordingly, we can be both more creative and more productive, which will allow us to enjoy the writing process even more. 

Karine Armen is a writer and photographer. On March 9, 2025, she had a book presentation in Cuenca, Spain. She was an elementary school teacher for 32 years and a social worker for six years. She has extensive travel experience and degrees in photography, social work, and educational administration. 

By Mike Rumble, www.rumblesrumblings.wordpress.com

I sat in a business seminar one time, and heard it said that “An organization is only as good as its leadership.” When it comes to TAF, we are very blessed to have Don Vaughan as our founder and the driving force behind the organization. I swear that if you look up “freelancer” in the dictionary, Don’s picture will be next to it.

The highlight of 2023 was that it was TAF’s 20th anniversary. One of the upcoming highlights for 2024 is that TAF’s yearly “Write Now!” conference will be held in person again on Saturday, April 27th, after a two-year hiatus due to Covid. I thought it would be interesting to interview Don and learn more about him and his storied freelance career. Due to our busy schedules, Don and I conversed over email. Here is our interview in full. . .

What inspired you to become a freelance writer?

I had wanted to be a writer since middle school, and became a staff writer with the Lake Worth Herald, a community weekly in my hometown of Lake Worth, Florida, while still in college. It was there that I truly honed my craft, learned how to write well on a deadline, and became immersed in all aspects of journalism — including freelance writing. I loved the idea of writing for national magazines and made my first freelance sales while working at the Herald to publications such as Cat Fancy, Bird Talk and Gambling Times. I continued to freelance when I transitioned from the Herald to a national health publication titled Your Health & Medical Bulletin, and later to the National Examiner, a midlist tabloid owned by Globe Communications. A change in editors at the Examiner sparked my decision to freelance full time, and I left the paper in September 1991 to do just that. I had around $3,000 in freelance assignments when I left the Examiner, and quickly found an abundance of work.

What challenges did you face starting out?

Pretty much the same challenges I face now, such as developing marketable ideas, finding appropriate markets for those ideas, and establishing relationships with new editors. The era in which I started freelancing was much different than the freelance world of today. I wrote my first articles on a manual typewriter and submitted my manuscripts through the mail. It was much easier to break into a new market back then, and you could count on editors to respond. That’s no longer the case today. One of my greatest frustrations is editors who never respond to a proposal. I find that very unprofessional, but it’s the nature of the beast now.

Over the course of your 40+ years as a freelance writer, what are some of your favorite articles?

It’s difficult to note a favorite, but my proudest accomplishment as a writer is my first sale to Mad Magazine in the early 2000s. I struggled mightily to break into that magazine, and when I finally did, I was over the moon. That sale was actually more rewarding than my first book sale.

There are a number of articles I’ve written that are memorable to me, such as a feature I wrote last year for Veterinary Practice News about the international effort to save the endangered northern white rhino from extinction (there are only two left in the world). Another is a feature on the history of film restoration and preservation, which came out in the January 2024 issue of The Saturday Evening Post. Both were really interesting to research and write.

One of my favorite aspects of being a freelance writer is the eclectic nature of the people I get to interview. Over the years I have interviewed hundreds of people from all walks of life, including Pearl Harbor survivors, astronauts, actors, artists, writers, comedians and more. The list of people I’ve had the pleasure of interviewing includes Neil de Grasse Tyson, Susan Orlean, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist C.J. Chivers, Peter Ostrum (Charlie Bucket in Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory), noted paleo artist William Stout and Congresswoman Gabby Giffords, who I interviewed shortly before she was shot.

What inspired you to start Triangle Association of Freelancers?

When I started to achieve a degree of success as a freelance writer, I felt it important to pay it forward by helping those who were new to the profession. Before moving to North Carolina in 1999, I taught a class on freelance writing through a continuing education program sponsored by the Palm Beach County, Florida, school system. I taught that class for several years, and established a group that would meet regularly to talk about our latest projects. I wanted to continue that when we moved to North Carolina, and a year or so after getting settled I started teaching Freelance Writing 101 through Wake Technical Community College. We started as a very small group meeting in the back of a Borders bookstore, and grew incrementally. One day, we decided to open the group to all area writers. That was the start of TAF. Today we have around 150 registered members, and are one of the largest writing organizations in North Carolina.

How did you feel as you watched the organization grow to what it has become today?

I’m incredibly proud of TAF and the many accomplishments of its members. TAF is one of my proudest achievements as a writer, and I’m thrilled at how much we have grown over the years. We have members throughout North Carolina and surrounding states, but also nationwide — we even have one member in Canada. I believe TAF is different from other writing organizations in that we are a welcoming and supportive family to writers both new and established. We’re a writing organization with heart.

Mike Rumble has been a member of TAF since 2008. He has had stories published in Chicken Soup for the Soul as well in two TAF anthologies. Mike is also a Certified Professional Resume Writer (CPRW). You can follow Mike’s writings on his blog: www.rumblesrumblings.wordpress.com.

Backstage joking before going on stage as Gooper in “Cat In A Hot Tin Roof” at Neuse Little Theatre in Smithfield

By Mike Rumble, www.rumblesrumblings.wordpress.com

There are two things I never thought I would do in my life: become a writer, and become a stage actor. Back when I was in high school, the world of business was where you wanted to aspire to, so I headed off to college to major in computer science with the dream of becoming the youngest Canadian-born president of IBM. (IBM in my case stands for “I Be Moron” for thinking that way!)

A dear friend and former coworker of mine introduced me to TAF in 2008. The group was small, but growing. What I liked most of all was that they met in coffee shops. . . definitely my kind of people. In 2011, I became a published writer, getting a short story of mine published in a Chicken Soup for the Soul book. In 2008, I also started volunteering at local community theatres, and after seeing the stage from the front of the theatre, started to audition and get roles in stage plays that enabled me to take on the title of “stage actor.” I’ve discovered something very interesting along the way: writers and stage actors have a lot in common!

• An actor auditions to get a role; a writer creates a query letter to get an assignment.
• An actor waits on pins and needles until the cast list comes out; a writer waits on pins and needles until the editor accepts the story idea.
• When rejected for a role, an actor starts looking for a new production; when a writer gets rejected, he tosses the letter in his rejection file and finds a new market to pitch to.
• When an actor is awarded a role, he starts by studying the script. When a writer is awarded an assignment, he starts by studying the topic and looking for sources.
• As an actor attends rehearsals, he is constantly revising and perfecting the role he is playing. As a writer works on his article, he is constantly revising and rewriting it until it is perfect.
• When the rehearsals are done and the show opens, people come to a theatre to see an actor’s performance. When a writer is finished and submits his final piece, people come to a bookstore and buy the book or publication so they can read the writer’s work.
• At the end of a show, an actor comes out to do a curtain call and bow for the audience. When a writer’s work is published, he too can take a bow to celebrate his accomplishment.

And what is the last thing that writer and actor have in common?  After a show closes, an actor cleans out his dressing room and gets ready to move on and audition for the next show. When a writer is done getting an article or story published, he finds another publication to pitch to, picks up his pen and starts writing again.

Oh, but there is one very last thing writers and actors have in common. . .they both use their talents to create works of art which inform, amuse, and inspire!

Mike has been a member of TAF since 2008. He has had stories published in Chicken Soup for the Soul as well in two TAF Anthologies. Mike is also a Certified Professional Resume Writer(CPRW). You can follow Mike’s writings at his blog: www.rumblesrumblings.wordpress.com.

Photo by Fizkes on Shutterstock

By Drew Becker, www.RealizationPress.com

After an initial examination, I sat in the medical office waiting to see the doctor for a consultation on my cataract surgery. My wife didn’t have her phone, so she was playing Wordle on mine. Another older gentleman joined us in the waiting area, taking a seat across from me. He wore a burgundy golf shirt, carried a four-wheel black walker, and sported a baseball cap with a PP logo. The two Ps intertwined, the one in front sky blue, the other dark blue. We nodded at each other.

“What are the initials on your hat?” I asked.

“They stand for Poly Prep School.”

My wife smiled knowingly, and I thought I vaguely recognized the name. Glancing again at him, I saw that his golf shirt was from an engineering company. I later looked up Poly Prep to find out it was one of the earliest prep schools, a prestigious school in Brooklyn, and its alums and attendees included people like Briton Hadden, co-founder of Time magazine, Arthur Levitt, chairperson of the US Securities and Exchange Commission and chairperson of the American Stock Exchange, and Record Producer Richard Perry. 

Without prompting, he continued. “After I left prep school, I had an invitation to play baseball for the New York Yankees. I tried out and might have played, but I told them I wanted to wear number 9 and they wouldn’t give it to me. The number had been retired after Roger Maris.”

“My goodness,” I replied. “So you were on the field at Yankee Stadium! Impressive. I grew up in Denver, which was home to the farm team for the Yankees, and saw some players who later were regulars and stars on the Yankee team.”

“I also had applied to Yale,” he added, “and got in by the skin of my teeth and with my baseball skills.”

He smiled at me. My wife had gone back to her game on my phone.

This character was engaging, but I wondered if he was spinning a yarn. However, I could not stop listening. His tone was rather matter of fact, not one of bragging, and his voice and demeanor seemed sincere.

I pressed him again to tell me more, but he changed the subject and wanted to know about my cataract surgery. After having surgery on my right eye, I’d returned to set up an appointment for the other eye. I explained my experience with the operation and recovery and then was called in to see the surgeon to discuss a date and what to do in the meantime.

I nodded to the man as I left. I could have gotten his information to continue the conversation later but was distracted. Here was a great story to write, but I missed the opportunity to take advantage. This is a great lesson for writers: that stories surround us daily and we must be ready to recognize them.

Don’t let your next opportunity pass you by.

Drew Becker has self-published five books including The Joyful Brand: Personal Branding for Writers Speakers and the Rest of Us, Write a Non-Fiction Book in 4 Weeks, and Interviewing Quick Guide. He has also been published in Writer’s Digest magazine and included in anthologies: Inspiration for Writers by Writers, Thriving Beyond the Storm, and The TAF Omnibus. He also mentors independent writers and has helped over 30 people publish through his company, Realization Press.

By Chanah Wizenberg

I’m a writer with dyslexia and ADD/ADHD (the “H” is intermittent, depending on the mood of my doctor). What motivated me to write this post was an emotional response I had to a discussion in our TAF Google group on this topic a few months ago: “What’s the grammar/style/editing beach you’re willing to die on?” More specifically, the answers to that question, which were turned into a post on this site titled Quirks that Irk.

It jettisoned me back to elementary school, bringing back feelings of anxiety, fear, and stupidity. At least that was the message I received from my teachers and the default used for students who failed to perform as well or better than their peers. 

My father was a university professor, and my mother a retired teacher. Therefore, the pressure was on to do well in school. Teaching myself how to read before kindergarten resulted from my powerful motivation and desire to do well. However, once I entered school, the teachers took control of how I learned, and I started falling behind. Problems spiraled from there, beginning with an argument with my first-grade teacher, which elevated to the level of shouting:

“How do you spell what?”

“W-A-T”!”  I replied.

It went back and forth until I was made to go sit in the corner because I did not see the letter “H” in the word when I read it, getting the spelling wrong every time. Spelling tests became a special kind of hell. That’s when the stomach and headaches began. 

Grammar lessons presented the most difficulty for me and were about as interesting as watching paint dry. It was bad enough the letters on the page jumped around, with some word endings attaching themselves to the following words. Sentences that continued onto the next line were especially tough since it took me forever to find my place. That was all hard enough, but then I had to learn grammar? It was too much.

To keep myself from dying of torture and boredom, I resorted to looking out the window and daydreaming, creating stories about the squirrels and birds and mystery stories about lost kids for a good part of class time. My teacher snapped me out of my reverie every so often, asking questions she knew I couldn’t answer. As a result, my mother was called in to meet with my teacher every week from grades 1-4. Teachers didn’t understand that girls with ADHD often show symptoms such as daydreaming and not being able to sit still. The savvier teachers had me run errands and clap the erasers outside to help me burn off energy. 

In second grade, an official examiner marched me down the hall to a small room where she conducted a thorough examination, which included IQ tests. The tests were untimed. With the pressure of time removed, I relaxed, finding the tests interesting and fun. I scored well above the average for children my age. That earned me the more permanent label of lazy.

Years later, I was properly diagnosed with not one but four learning issues: dyslexia, which impairs a person’s ability to decode, or associate letters and words with their corresponding speech sounds; dysgraphia, which interferes with all aspects of writing, including spelling, grammar, and punctuation; dyscalculia, which impairs a person’s ability to learn number-related concepts or perform calculations with symbols and functions; and ADHD.

I was relieved and thrilled to learn there was help for me. I became a successful college student at Hunter College in NYC, a City University of New York school, where I majored in English and creative writing with a minor in secondary education. 

The old wounds were still there, damaging my confidence. Yet, I persisted and persevered, making the dean’s list, then progressing to achieve cum laude, magna cum laude, and to my shock and delight, summa cum laude designations. That’s when I learned that success is the best revenge.

All these years later, grammar is still not my forte, and the quirks that irk us as writers both reminded me of what irks me, while also bringing home my insecurities. I still carry them, although these days most of the time, I manage to keep them submerged. There are times they rear up and smack me in the face, knocking me off kilter even though I’m published in several anthologies, magazines, and a few newspapers. But just like a ship at sea, no matter how hard the waves try to sink me, I get righted and sail… uh …write on.

What’s helped me? Technology! When I started using a computer with word a processor, it changed my life. Technology has been a lifesaver for my writing. Without it, I wouldn’t be writing now. ProWritingAid, Grammarly, and my MacBook Pro have been especially useful to me as a writer with dyslexia, dysgraphia, and ADD with an intermittent H.

~~~

Did you know there’s a World Dyslexia Day? Me either. Come October, check it out and if you’re quick to judge someone’s spelling, grammar, or usage, please remember my journey and don’t be too quick to condemn. They may be dealing with dyslexia. Just think about all the writers who have it: Octavia Butler, Agatha Christie, Jeanne Betancourt, John Erving, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Jules Verne, Octavia Spencer, Sherrilyn Kenyon, Benjamin Zephaniah, Sally Gardner, and Henry Winkler, to name a few.

Now what’s that squirrel up to?

Chanah Wizenberg received her BA from Hunter College in English and creative writing. Her work has been published in several anthologies and magazines, including but not limited to the Heron Clan Vol. 8, TAF Stays Home, Reflections & Revelations, Fines Lines, and Cary Magazine. She has been a professional ballerina, a pastry chef, and English teacher. She resides in Raleigh, North Carolina, with her dog, Asha, and her cat, Marmalade.

Note: The definitions of the diagnoses used in this post are from The University of Texas Permian Basin