“You can play a shoestring if you’re sincere.” – John Coltrane, Born Sep. 23, 1926. Don’t let anything be an excuse that keeps you from doing what you want to do. “I only have an hour a day.” “I need a better computer.” “I’m working on my game plan.” “I was busy this weekend.” “I […]
Put a Pin in Those Excuses. Instead: Produce. Publish. Profit. Read More »
“There is no magic in all the world like that magic when you sell your first bit of writing.” – Rosamunde Pilcher, Born Sep. 22, 1924. Oh Rosamunde, you poor dear. The magic that exceeds your claim is the feeling when your words can sell things – yours or those produced by others – sell
If Your Wish is for Riches, Rub Pencil to Paper Instead of Polishing Magic Lamps Read More »
“The rules are simple. Take your work, but never yourself, seriously. Pour in the love and whatever skill you have, and it will come out.” – Chuck Jones, Born Sep. 21, 1912. So many people WANT success. But they don’t want to succeed. Because “succeed” is a verb, and that means you have to DO
“Success” can be a Dream, but SUCCEEDING is an Action Plan Read More »
“Perseverance is not a long race; it is many short races one after the other.” – Walter Elliot, Born Sep. 19, 1888. How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time. If you have a massive project, which will take days (if not weeks) to accomplish, many people lack the organization and willpower
Success Might Seem 1000 Miles Away, But How Many Miles Did You Walk Today? Read More »
“I was a pretty good imitator of Roy Acuff, but then I found out they already had a Roy Acuff, so I started singin’ like myself.” – Hank Williams, Born Sep. 17, 1923. When you get started in a field you want to pursue, it’s completely valid to begin as an imitator of the most
Become Yourself By Imitating All Your Heroes At Once Read More »
“A merchant who approaches business with the idea of serving the public well has nothing to fear from the competition.” – James Cash Penney, Born Sep. 16, 1875. Well, J. Cash, I think times have changed. Service is still key. But you no longer need to be concerned with serving “the public” at large. We
Figure Out Who You Will Serve, And Then Satisfy Them (Fully and Repeatedly) Read More »
“I finally got to the point where I decided I don’t care if it’s good art or bad art – it’s what I do. I enjoy doing it, and people like it.” – Margaret Keane, Born Sept. 15, 1927. There is a fear when people start a freelance career, especially in a field like copywriting.
The Only Opinions About Your Copy That Matter Are… Read More »
“Don’t try to be different. Just be good. To be good is different enough.” – Arthur Freed, Born Sept. 9, 1894. I don’t know that I agree exactly with this. Being different can definitely be valuable. But I don’t think you have to worry about being unique or special in that way when you’re starting
Worry Less About Being Unique, Just Focus on Being Good (By Just Doing Good) Read More »
“But the power of science lies in open publication, which, with the rise of the Internet, is no longer constrained by the price of paper.” – Michael Shermer, Born Sep. 8, 1954. This technological fact of publication has changed the face of advertising, too. No more paying for printing prep. No more collating. No more
Modern Tech Makes Many of Your Perceived Limits Into Bullshittery Read More »
“I can’t write without that urgency. Something is wrong if it takes more than five days to finish a screenplay. A story created this way will always be full of life.” – Werner Herzog, Born Sep. 5, 1942. Whatever you’re working on, you’re probably taking too long. Do it faster. Stop honking around. Focus on
If You Want to Write Better, Practice Writing Faster Read More »
