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

By Don Vaughan, www.donaldvaughan.com

I love anniversaries, and not just the one I celebrate each June with my lovely wife. No, I’m talking about the celebration of more newsworthy events, the kind that can mean big bucks for savvy writers.

Over the years, I have received numerous assignments from magazines large and small pegged on special anniversaries. They’re fun to research and write, and can be quite lucrative. The key is to uncover events that other writers may not be privy to, and have something fresh to say about them. Here are additional tips to help you cash in on your calendar:

Know what’s going on when.

Most writers pitch ideas pegged on traditional holidays such as Thanksgiving and Christmas. Instead, ask yourself: what unique anniversaries will be occurring this year and, even more importantly, next year? That’s the kind of advance planning that can pay off big time. A quick online search of “anniversaries+(specific year)” can reveal a plethora of potential article pegs. 

Explore your personal interests.

We all have things in our lives that we’re passionate about. These interests help make us who we are, and they can help us make money, too, in the form of marketable ideas–especially pitch-worthy anniversaries. For example, I’m a big fan of Edgar Rice Burroughs, so I knew early on that 2012 was the centennial anniversary of the first appearance of Tarzan in All-Story Magazine. I pitched various ideas pegged on this seminal pop culture event to an eclectic array of national magazines and received three assignments: a 12,500-word oral appreciation for Filmfax, in which I interviewed artists and others with a Burroughs connection; a profile of ERB for Famous Monsters of Filmland; and a feature on Tarzan movies for Videoscope.

I’m also a big military history buff, an interest that has resulted in numerous assignments from Military Officer Magazine and other publications. In early 2011 I pitched several ideas hooked on the 70^th anniversary of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. The idea my editor selected was an “I Was There” piece in which I profiled three Pearl Harbor survivors. Similarly, I came across a mention of the Navy Experimental Diving Unit on The History Channel. I did a little digging and found that 2012 was the 85^th anniversary of NEDU’s founding. While the unit’s history and accomplishments were certainly newsworthy, the fact that I had an anniversary on which to peg the article sealed the deal.

These examples are a few years old, but illustrate well the tremendous potential of looking within for anniversary-related ideas. In many cases, anniversary ideas are cyclical, meaning they can be re-examined every five or ten years.

Think locally as well as nationally.

While exploring anniversaries with a national hook, don’t ignore the anniversaries in your own back yard. For example, is a prominent local church soon to celebrate the 100^th anniversary of its founding? That’s newsworthy, and a great idea to pitch to regional magazines. 

Cast a wide net.

I pitched aspects of the centennial anniversary of Tarzan to everyone from Boys’ Life to Romantic Times (yes, Tarzan of the Apes is, at heart, a love story). I knew I wouldn’t get an assignment from everyone, but I dramatically increased my chances by pitching broadly and appropriately. And even if I got rejected, it opened the door to future proposals. 

Avoid low-hanging fruit.

By that, I mean the easy ideas that every hack will be pitching related to a specific holiday or anniversary. Instead, find something new and exciting. Rather than pitch a standard profile of ERB to Filmfax, for example, I decided to take a different approach: interviews with famous artists and writers regarding their appreciation of Burroughs’ works. The resulting article was a heart-warming tribute that also provided me with the opportunity to talk to creators I’ve long admired.   

Pitch early.

Because of lengthy editorial lead times, most magazines want anniversary-related queries at least four to six months in advance. If you’re unsure when to pitch, consult submission guidelines or ask the editor how far out they work. Also, ask to see the magazine’s editorial calendar for the coming year. It could give you some ideas regarding appropriate anniversary pitches.

(This article originally appeared in slightly different form in Writer’s Digest magazine.)

Don Vaughan has been a full-time freelance writer since 1991. During that time he has published more than 2,500 articles and columns in an eclectic array of publications, including Writer’s Digest, Encyclopedia Britannica and MAD Magazine. Don is the founder of Triangle Association of Freelancers.

By Deanna Martinez-Bey and Elaine Klonicki

Writers are often advised to set reasonable goals for themselves. The key word in that sentence is—you guessed it—reasonable!

If you’re writing an article or blog or are contributing content to a site, you will likely be given a deadline by your editor. External deadlines serve to keep us on track. Even if you write your own blog, hopefully you have established a set schedule and are trying to keep to it so your readers know what to expect.

But if you’re writing a book, especially your first one, you may not have a good understanding of how to structure your time and set appropriate goals to get yourself to the finish line.

Chances are writing a 250-300-page novel will take you more than a couple of months to write. But how long? A quick internet search reveals that, on average, it takes four to six months to write a book (six to eight months for first-time writers). In our experience, it takes most writers, many of whom have full-time jobs, much longer. This does not include the editing and proofreading process, which can take several additional months. For more on what to expect when planning a book, check out this Masterclass article.

No matter what you’re working on, it’s good to have goals, but it’s important to make sure they are suitable for your life. For some, writing several hours every day is a reasonable goal. For others, every other day or twice a week may be more attainable.

Look at your calendar and consider your other commitments, then set your goals accordingly. Even 30 minutes a day is better than going two weeks without writing.

You may have to experiment to see what works best for you. Keep in mind that something is better than nothing. It’s easy to keep the momentum going if you are writing at least somewhat regularly.

Do you have a completion date in mind for your book? Start there and work backwards to see how often you’ll need to work, and for how long, to hit that date. Then, decide when you can fit in time to write. Come up with a monthly plan and then break it down further into weekly and daily goals. Consider creating a monthly calendar to schedule your writing time. To design and print a custom monthly calendar, click here.

Some writers prefer to use page count as a marker rather than time. Either way works. Just be honest with yourself about what you can accomplish. This article has some additional tips for setting achievable goals.

Once you determine your writing benchmarks and figure out a schedule, it’s important to make writing a priority. Strive to be consistent. This is the only way to attain your goals. You may have to forego some other activities, or miss out on a bit of family fun, but just imagine how happy your future self will be at having written a few chapters. It’s exhilarating to watch a book come alive!

Check in with yourself regularly to see how you’re doing. Many writers use an accountability partner—often another writer who understands the struggles. If you allow yourself to be vulnerable, you can share with each other what’s working and what’s holding you back and come up with some workable solutions.

If you get stuck on the organization of your nonfiction project, or a plot or character issue with your fiction work, consider hiring a book coach or a developmental editor to help you push through a blockage or work through a sticky issue. TAF has a number of skilled editors in our membership who work in various genres. If you’re looking for someone to hire, check out our “Find a Freelancer” page here. If you don’t have the funds, a critique group can serve a similar purpose.

Remember to celebrate when you reach milestones. Give yourself a well-deserved pat on the back from time to time. Share your news with your writing group or your friends. Writing can be a lonely venture and sometimes a few encouraging words from others is all it takes to reset your energy level.

That said, don’t beat yourself up if you fall short on reaching the goals you have established for yourself. Life happens! Instead, decide to start back up tomorrow and try again.

One way to hold yourself accountable is to use tools as reminders. Think about what would feel most comfortable. Do you need to set an alarm on your phone to cue you that it’s time to get started? One TAF member uses a time management tool known as the Pomodoro technique. The idea is to split work tasks into intervals (known as “pomodoros,” named after a tomato-shaped kitchen timer), with breaks in between. The typical sequence is 25 minutes of work followed by a five-minute rest period. Using a timer and scheduling frequent breaks where you grab some water or do some stretching can help keep you from getting overwhelmed. Some writers record their page count after each interval, and try to increase their productivity by “besting” themselves from week to week. For more details about this technique, including the story of how it was developed, see this article.

Establishing good habits is the key. Anything that trains your brain that it’s time to get to work can help.

To recap:

• Set reasonable goals.
• Figure out a workable schedule.
• Carve out time to write each week.
• Sit your butt in the chair and write.

It really is that simple.

Deanna Martinez-Bey is an author, pastry chef, social media manager, and writer of all things food. With sixteen published books under her belt, articles published in multiple magazines, and a certified cottage bakery, everything she does revolves around food and writing. Deanna believes that people bond over good food and books!

Elaine Klonicki is a freelance writer and certified copy editor. She has been published in The News & Observer, Military Officer magazine, Boys’ Life, Midtown magazine, and WAKE Living magazine. The author of All on Account of You: A True WWII Love Story, Elaine blogs about positive psychology and personal growth at www.TheAuthenticLane.com.

by Michaela J. Lawlor

Writing is hard. If it were easy, everyone would do it.”

I’ve heard this quote millions of times, but I cannot say I know who the original author is.

The same thing can be said about Master of Fine Arts (MFA) programs, but allow me to rephrase it a bit:

“Completing your MFA is hard. If it were easy, every writer would do it.”

So, if you’ve been there and done that, congratulations! Give yourself a pat on the back. You did it! And it is no small feat.

I received my MFA in December of 2021, so I’m still sort of fresh out of the gate — war torn and battle scarred. It was a doozy.

I attended Western Connecticut State University’s low-residency MFA in Creative and Professional Writing. I decided to go for my MFA in Writing because writing has always been part of my life. It is something I’ve always enjoyed doing, and now, it’s blossomed into a wonderful career.

I originally wasn’t planning to go back to school, but I had met the MFA coordinator at WCSU who really sold me on the program. I loved the fact that it was low-residency, the one-on-one mentor approach, and the focus on both creative and professional genres. I felt it would allow me to write in all my areas of interests, and that it did.

 I took the fast track and completed my MFA in two years by going to school full time, though I wish I had paced myself and gone part-time to finish in four years. Hindsight is 20/20!

Completing my MFA took a ton of energy out of me, especially since I began my program in January 2020 (yeah, during the apocalypse) and for a period afterward, I didn’t want to write anything at all. I felt like I blacked out.

Did I just do that? Did I really just write an entire MFA thesis?

I remember feeling a wave of imposter syndrome. Even though I completed this great feat of writing — my feature screenplay — I immediately started to talk down to myself.

Sure, you wrote it…but it sucks. And you haven’t written anything else since then, fraud.

My internal critic nagged at me incessantly in the months following my MFA. I was exhausted. I wondered when I would put words on the page again. I’m so grateful that I’ve overcome that slump and become more productive with my writing. I had to remind myself that I just went through the grueling process of graduate school, so I came to terms with the space I gave myself from my writing.

Keyword, gave.

It’s important to allow yourself the gift of time and space. It’s easy to get burnt out if you’re firing on all cylinders all the time. Since that post-MFA slump, I found my way back to my writing and I feel more excited than ever about the projects I’m working on.

Here are a few things I have found helpful while navigating this post-MFA writing life:

• Find your people.

Community is everything. It’s important to find trusted friends and peers in the #WritingCommunity who share your values for the craft, love, and practice of writing. Have meaningful conversations. Start a book club. Form a small writing group where you can exchange writing and give feedback. Writing friends are a fantastic support system.

• Go to writing workshops.

Writing workshops can be a great way to feel jazzed about writing. Attending a workshop — whether it’s in person, online, free, or paid — can be a great way to spark imagination. The speaker may offer up some new ideas and approaches to writing to help you reframe your thinking if you feel like you’re in a rut.

• Do something other than writing that enriches you.

For me, exercise it what does the trick —  a long bike ride or hike, usually. Enriching experiences are so important for sparking creativity. They can be found anywhere, and you may have to try a few things to find what clicks: crafts, travel, cooking, birdwatching, learning a language or a new skill. Whatever it is, take notes of how you feel when you engage in your other hobbies.

• Keep a journal.

Journals are a great way to decompress. You can be totally lax — just word vomit onto the page. How was your day? How did you feel today? What did you accomplish? Sometimes, getting out those “superficial” or “mundane” thoughts and feelings can unclog the pores of your more serious writing endeavors. It’s like taking a deep breath and letting go of tension. So Zen.

• Take a break and don’t beat yourself up for it.

This one is self-explanatory (and in my opinion one of the most important). Not everyone is built to write every day and that is completely fine. You can’t pour from an empty cup, so if it’s not there, don’t try to force it. Stepping away can be the greatest gift to yourself and your sanity sometimes. When you come back, you’ll likely feel refreshed and can think more clearly.

I hope you find these tips helpful and maybe they’ll help you gain a new perspective on how to approach your writing if you’re ever feeling stuck. I’d love to hear your thoughts on what strategies have worked for you after your MFA. Good luck in all your writing adventures. You got this!

Michaela J. Lawlor received her MFA in Creative and Professional Writing from Western Connecticut State University where she studied screenwriting and journalism. She’s currently working as a freelance writer and is writing a novel. When she’s not writing, Michaela is an avid mountain/gravel biker and bikepacker and serves on the board of the Fairfield County chapter of the New England Mountain Bike Association. Michaela can be found on Instagram and TikTok @michaelajlawlor.

By Lee Soeburn

What’s the most irksome grammatical quirk you can’t ignore? You know grammar rules are made to be broken, are all subjective, and you recognize style plays a role. But if you catch yourself making this “mistake” or see it in someone else’s work, your heart immediately screams: “ARGH, my nemesis! Foiled yet again!”

TAF got the new year started off right with this fun, conversational ice breaker. The inbox of a Taffy (the nickname of TAF members), is periodically pinged with writing conversations, questions and comments. Most emails involve resource-sharing or event announcements; some are excited threads of congratulations for a recent Taffy publication. TAF builds and maintains community among its far-flung members, many who’ve never met in person, through these emails. Most threads have around five responses, decent engagement for a group of over 150 writers.

The “Quirks that Irk” thread had over 30 responses! Here’s a highlight reel. Let us know if you feel some of these irks and/or share your own in the comments!

“For me, it’s the very real difference between ‘fewer’ and ‘less.’ They are not interchangeable… Here’s an easy way to remember: If you can count something, it’s fewer. If you can’t, it’s less. “I own fewer fish now because my new aquarium holds less water than my previous aquarium.”

– Don V.

“I was taught ‘don’t say in 25 words what you can say in 10.’ I guess this is a lesson in editing. Don’t know if this is less or fewer.”

– Laura A.

“Split infinitives – ‘to energetically drum’ makes my hands hurt because I think it is important ‘to drum energetically.’ … We who love the writing craft spot cracks in the structure all the time.” 

– Margaret T. 

“My pet peeve is the over use of ‘that.’ In a six-sentence paragraph I was reading the word was used five times. For example, ‘Mary said that she was going to the store.’ Why use ‘that’?”

– Renee F.

“Mine is ‘really.’ ‘It was a really great game and we got home really late.’ (I find this word ‘really’ lame).”

– Mark T.

Kristy S.’s reminder was particularly useful to me in writing this blog post: “Per AP style: Periods and commas always go within the quotation marks. Dashes, semicolons, question marks and exclamation points go within the quotation marks when they apply to the quoted matter only. They go outside when they apply to the whole sentence.”

One member used many exclamation points to decry “passive voice is so pervasive!!” Here’s a good example:

Passive: “I was passed on the winding road by a woman in a light blue sedan.”

Active: “A woman in a light blue sedan passed me on the winding road.”

Meanwhile, mid-level managers better watch out! Some members of the group dislike capitalizing your professional titles. “I don’t care if you’re Chairman of the Board or the Head Janitor, your title is not Upper Case.” Many among TAF begrudgingly accepted that capitalized titles are ubiquitous and here to stay, with one commenter warning: “Woe be to the writer who stands between a c-level executive and their capitalized title!”

The thread was passionate. “Setting me off on an internal rant,” said a Taffy.

The Oxford comma was both beloved and loathed. “I hate an Oxford comma with the fire of a thousand suns,” replied one member, while others admitted to using the controversial comma.

Overall, the group approached the whole grammar quirks subject humorously, “I highly recommend Weird Al’s ‘Word Crimes’,” suggested a Taffy, “for those of you who need a laugh on this subject.” Another member shared the YouTube link to the song with a hopeful request: “Maybe we’ll do a sing-along at Write Now! 2024!” 

Don V. referred to these quirks as the grammatical “beach you’re willing to die on.” A fellow Taffy, and full-time editor, Rita L., shared some words of wisdom which provided a more objective perspective to our subjectively irksome quirks thread:

“Verrryyy interesting. I’ve been editing professionally for more than three decades. All I can say is, I want to lie, not die, on the beach. Meet the writer where s/he is. Look at the message; then, clean up the bad grammar but don’t scrub it so hard that the writer’s voice disappears. Rules are meant to be broken. That said, I attack any instance of unclear meaning with an axe.”

This beachy sentiment embodied the overall spirit of the “Quirks that Irk” conversation.

“Exactly! I’d far prefer to lie on one too! I’m sure I’m grammatically (and otherwise) incorrect fairly frequently, and I am thankful for editors who can fix it after the fact! Very thankful!”

– Lee C.

Don’t we all want to lie on the grammar beach together, basking in the many-faceted sun of our collective and individual creativity? Come join our TAF writing community for more metaphorical beaches and fun conversations! 

Lee Soeburn is a writer of resumes, grants, and other advancement materials. She also writes memoir, personal essays and fanfiction. She is living a scary human life and chooses, every single day, to write rose-colored prose. Her goal is to humanize our truly dehumanizing experiences. She hopes people will feel seen in her words and that she will create safe spaces to have hard conversations.

By Kristy Stevenson, KristyStevenson.com

Dear Current (and Future) TAF Members:

Did you know that one of the benefits of your membership is inclusion in our Find A Freelancer bank of professional profiles? Many members have landed paying gigs after being found here – you could be next!

It’s fast. It’s easy. And it’s a great first step toward building a professional online presence. This is your opportunity to build a business card-size preview, and then a more detailed profile visitors can review upon click-thru. Your business card is important as if it’s empty, visitors may think your profile is as well – and they may not delve further. Remember to check for typos, as visitors will be looking at you as a potential writer/editor!

With complete control to customize your profile and make it visual and interactive, you can include a picture gallery, description, and social media links. Share as much information as you’re comfortable with, and revise whenever you want to announce a new sale or any other update. And it’s all included as a member benefit!

Here’s what a dynamic profile can look like:

Each profile also includes access to: a private messaging system to protect your email address (until you’re ready to share with clients); the ability to advertise deals you’re offering; a map with geo search; and the opportunity to collect recommendations via  a simple “thumbs up” or a more detailed testimonial regarding your work.

You are also invited to choose business categories your work falls into. Be sure to select at least one category as visitors can use this functionality to search for freelancers who fit their criteria. Category selection can be done during new member registration, or active members can simply log in any time to manage their account.

And speaking of searches, the directory’s intelligent search engine delivers results by recognizing related words and ranking results using keywords and phrases in each of the profiles. Visitors can even search by location and distance to quickly focus on the area you’re in.

We’d love to know more about you! If you haven’t had a chance, visit Find A Freelancer to learn more about the services your colleagues offer, and increase your membership ROI by completing your profile today. Just log in to the Member Portal to get started.

[If you’re interested in joining TAF, click this link; or, if you have questions about your membership, please contact our Membership Director.]

Kristy Stevenson is an independent contributing writer, editor, and storyteller. A TAF member since 2006, she currently serves as the organization’s Public Relations Director. When not on deadline, she draws inspiration from travel and journaling for scrapbook and genealogy endeavors. You can learn more about Kristy’s writing and editing experience, as well as the way she helps companies communicate through both short- and long-term solutions, by visiting KristyStevenson.com.

Meeting Details

Date: Wednesday, April 29, 2020

Time: Zoom opens at 7:00pm; Meeting starts at 7:15pm

Zoom access: Details will be published in the Google group

The Program: An Exploration of Political Journalism

Who is your most trusted political news source? Do you still rely on the mainstream media or have you headed elsewhere? Do you have any interest in writing about politics? 

The year 2020 is a big one in American politics with arguably one of the most interesting presidential election seasons in decades (it has more plot twists than a Netflix hit series). So what better time to explore political journalism in all its many forms?

Veteran journalist and producer Alison Hill has covered politics for over two decades on both sides of the Atlantic as a newspaper reporter, television investigative journalist, TV producer, independent filmmaker, freelance writer and BBC radio commentator/analyst. Alison will talk about the different elections and political issues she’s covered over the years, the politicians she’s filmed and interviewed and some of her escapades, like the time she talked her way into a Clinton rally without a press pass!

Alison will also discuss how political reporting has changed over the past decade or so, with more sensationalist mainstream coverage and the advent of social media, and how various forms of “new” journalism, mostly online, have impacted the news cycle. 

Political journalism and coverage encompass many mediums, broadcast (television and radio), print, and numerous online resources. And the types of coverage include straight-up news reporting, commentary, investigative, blogging, opinion and discussion (such as television or radio talk shows.) We’ll take a look at some of these types of journalism and explore how we as freelance writers can approach political coverage. 

About Alison Hill

ALISON HILL has covered U.S. politics for more than 20 years, in various journalistic roles. She’s a regular guest commentator on BBC radio news and TV shows discussing U.S. politics and breaking news. She was a senior public affairs producer for a PBS station in Denver, Colorado, developing, writing and producing live and taped studio-based roundtable discussion shows and segments, with extensive coverage of local, national and international issues and U.S. elections. Alison also covered politics as an independent filmmaker and more recently as a freelance writer—mostly writing opinion pieces and listicles. She has filmed Obama (twice), John Kerry (twice), Hillary Clinton, and Bill Clinton and has interviewed many top politicians, either one-on-one or for show appearances, including presidential hopeful Gary Hart and former governors John Hickenlooper and Dick Lamm. 

While working for the Smithsonian in 2009, Alison was one of three guest panelists on a special BBC studio audience show shot at the Newseum in Washington D.C., appearing on stage with the First Minister of Wales and fielding audience questions about U.S. politics. 

And in 2010 she was an associate producer for a Welsh documentary about the mid-term elections,  traveling around five states with a crew from Tinopolis and Adam Price, a well-known and openly gay former Member of Parliament (MP) and current leader of Plaid Cymru (the Party of Wales). 

In the UK Alison covered local and national elections (among other issues and stories) as an investigative journalist for a renowned current affairs TV series, including special outside broadcasts. She also wrote and produced show segments, did in-studio appearances and stand-ups, and was often invited to European Union events, where she once chatted with Neil Kinnock, the Labour Party leader who ran against Margaret Thatcher for Prime Minister in the late 80s.

Some of Alison’s journalistic highlights include: interviewing Michael Moore at the Bowling for Columbine premiere; interviewing Jason Alexander about young voters during the contentious 2004 election season; an in-studio interview with one of the few female Baghdad City Council members in 2004; and snagging an exclusive interview with the real-life hero of Hotel Rwanda, Paul Rusesabagina, for another PBS show she produced on international issues.