Authors Archives | Solutions By Stewart

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Here’s How to Build Your Freelance Writing Portfolio from Scratch

Post category:Authors Freelance Writing
Reading time:11 mins read

Even if you think you have no writing experience. Are you struggling to build your freelance writing portfolio? If you can remember what it was like to get your first job in high school or maybe in college, every interviewer asked about your previous experience. But when you’re looking for your first job, how can you talk about your experience? The same thing is often true for…

Just Say YES

The One Thing I’m Grateful For Today is Past Hardships

Post category:Authors Vision & Purpose
Reading time:5 mins read

There were many times I didn’t think I’d make it through. I had two children by the age of 21, their father wanted no part of it. I was on my own. I was working full time and returned to college when my oldest two were still in diapers. I took a full load of courses and was grateful to pick up a work study job on campus.…

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What’s in a Freelance Pitch?

Post category:Authors Freelance Writing
Reading time:10 mins read

My answer to the most common question I hear from freelance writers. The one thing to understand before you search for freelance writing jobs is that editors who are reading your freelance pitch are busy. It’s the same for CEOs, website owners, and solopreneurs. Their schedules leave them very little time to peruse their email inbox for article ideas. If you want your freelance pitch to be…

Should You Create a Personal or Business Brand?

Post category:Authors Marketing
Reading time:9 mins read

Part of what I do as a business owner is to teach live tech help calls where writers and other small business creatives can learn how to use the software they need to run their businesses better online. One question that always comes up involves whether to create a personal or business brand. The members of my very first tech help group - I call them my "guinea pig"…

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A True Writer Never Stops Learning

Post category:Authors
Reading time:14 mins read

8 Ways to Make Your Writing Better There are a variety of reasons people take up writing. You may write as a creative outlet, to heal past trauma, for income or as a hobby. I've discovered a true writer never stops learning. For me, writing has become my full-time income. I love writing and sharing knowledge which is why I worked so hard to figure out how…

It’s Time for You!

Post category:Authors Self Publishing Vision & Purpose
Reading time:3 mins read

I'm so glad you're here. There comes a time in every woman's life when we realize there's more to life than what we're doing. For me that time first happened in 2003. As a single mom, it became clear there was more to life than working and taking care of my children. A friend reminded me to "make time for you." I started freelancing, but without guidance…

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Here’s What Can Happen When You Dream Big

Post category:Authors Self Publishing Vision & Purpose
Reading time:9 mins read

If you've ever felt afraid to let yourself dream big, maybe this will ease your fears. I spent ten years working with low income women and youth before I made the decision to relocate to Cleveland and work with homeless veterans. As a case manager for a veteran’s re-employment program, I was assigned to the largest men’s shelter downtown. There were nearly 400 men there most nights.…

Set Smart Goals and Boost Your Chance of Success

Post category:Authors Marketing Self Publishing Vision & Purpose
Reading time:8 mins read

One trick from the 1950’s you must use in your modern business to avoid failure. It may come as a surprise to you that a process to set smart goals which originated in the 1950’s could still be effective in your modern writing career or business. But believe it or not, without this one technique, your business is setup for failure. The SMART process of goal setting became…

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Self-Publishing and Why Authors Must Understand the Basics

Post category:Authors Marketing Self Publishing
Reading time:6 mins read

Plus the two things you must get right when you self-publish. I just had a conversation recently with a client about self-publishing. I’ll admit I’m not a book marketer. I’m not a self-publishing expert. But I’m a working writer who studied the self-publishing industry extensively when I wanted to self-publish my own novel. In fact, at one point I wanted to be a book marketer and help…