“The world continues to offer glittering prizes to those who have stout hearts and sharp swords.” – F. E. Smith, Born Jul. 12, 1872. The world ain’t gonna give you a prize for showing up. Unless you count “eventual surprise death” as a prize. The world actually doesn’t reward anything to anyone. Life isn’t a […]
The World Is Full of Treasure For You – But You Must Fight For It Read More »
“If you haven’t found something strange during the day, it hasn’t been much of a day.” – John Archibald Wheeler, Born Jul. 9, 1911. One of the features of life is that it will adapt to meet the challenges of the environment it finds itself in. A hard life will make a body strong. But
To Make Your Brain Beefy, You Have To Flex It Daily Read More »
“They didn’t want it good, they wanted it Wednesday.” – Robert A. Heinlein, Born Jul. 7, 1907. It’s about expectation. A professional writer needs to deliver work at the promised time. Deadlines aren’t soft targets. (I was never as good at this as I insist others should be.) It’s about consistency. If you publish regularly,
The Difference Between a Pro and a Clown: Hit That Deadline Read More »
“Without promotion, something terrible happens… nothing!” – P. T. Barnum, Born Jul. 5, 1810. This is true in all fields, but I mostly talk to marketing and writing freelancers who have this bizarre expectation that simply hanging up your shingle is going to get you customers and clients. Nope! The best product or service in
Waiting For Clients and Customers To Come To You Is Dumb As Hell Read More »
“The chief product of an automated society is a widespread and deepening sense of boredom.” – C. Northcote Parkinson, Born Jun. 30, 1909. We are drowning in a sea of data. More new data is created and recorded now every day than in centuries of history prior to the modern era. Information bombards us. Messages
Break the Pattern of Boredom By Daring To Be Interested Read More »
“When I was writing ‘Kitchen Confidential,’ I was in my 40s, I had never paid rent on time, I was 10 years behind on my taxes, I had never owned my own furniture or a car.” – Anthony Bourdain, Born Jun, 25, 1956. I didn’t start doing this “Cult of Copy” thing – my life’s
It’s Only Too Late To Start If You Woke Up Dead Today Read More »
“First, make yourself a reputation for being a creative genius.” – David Ogilvy, Born Jun, 23, 1911. I truncated this quote. Steps two and three only apply if you’re working with partners – if you want to know, look it up… For now, though, I want to focus on what Ogilvy said was his first
How to Become a Genius Without Being That Smart Read More »
“Stories in families are colossally important. Every family has stories: some funny, some proud, some embarrassing, some shameful. Knowing them is proof of belonging to the family.” – Salman Rushdie, Born Jun. 19, 1947. Belonging. People want it. Especially people online. Of the people online, especially the ones on social media. Social media is a
The “Cult of Copy” Is The Title of a Story and You’re The Main Character Read More »
“I am a big proponent of writing a great outline. That way you can avoid hitting a roadblock. There is no worse feeling than writing yourself into a corner but if you’ve figured it all out in the outline then you won’t have that problem.” – Michael Showalter, Born Jun. 17, 1970. Showalter is talking
How To Never Write Yourself Into a Dead End or Blind Alley Read More »
“I learned early in life that you get places by having the right enemies.” – John Shelby Spong, Born Jun. 16, 1931. Who or what do you hate? What will you absolutely not stand for? What are you sick of? What grinds your gears? What gets your goat? What gags your giraffe?… Not in general,
Show Prospects What You Stand Against, and They Presume You Stand For Them Read More »
