Quiet Rebel Writer

Hello QRW readers! Happy Tuesday. I’m having a hard time getting much of anything done this week, what with all these unpacked boxes and general disarray around me. So let’s dive into some timely and helpful links together. Enjoy.

March Writing Blog Madness (and QRW made the list!):

It’s March, and in the USA, that means March Madness. The top 64 college basketball teams in the USA come together to compete to see who is the best. Well, I went to the University of Arizona, so my alma mater has already been eliminated from the tournament. That means I need to find my fun elsewhere. That is why I am bringing you March Writing Blog Madness! A field of 32 blogs about writing will gather to compete to see who is the best.

“So Which of Your Books Have I Read?” - Five Writing Myths Revealed:

There are a lot of myths out there about the writing profession. Now that I can officially call myself “professional,” I feel qualified to debunk a few. Here are some of the most prevalent ones that annoy me.

Research Sources for Writers: A Guide to Backing up Your Words:

I’m going to assume that most writers accept the value of solid research, even if they don’t always have the will, knowledge, resources, or time to gather and use it in their own writing.
So with the need for solid research established, this article will focus on how to find (on the internet), obtain, and use free and credible research.

Setting Guidelines for Turning Down Freelance Work:

Throughout the span of this blog’s existence, the question I’ve seen most is, “How can I find more/better freelance work?” To be sure, this is probably a key aspect for most freelancers, often causing them to accept work that is not necessarily profitable or within their talent scope. But hopefully, as your freelance business grows, you will begin to elicit more requests than you have time to attend to. So it helps to set some loose guidelines in determing what freelance work you will turn down.

New Site for Finding Sources: Help a Reporter:

Several months ago, I blogged about using social networking sites to find sources for articles. Well, last night I heard that Peter Shankman’s group “If I Can Help a Reporter, I Will” has outgrown facebook, so Peter created a website for his network.

Screwing Up:

We’ve talked plenty about what to do when you’re faced with client screw-ups and mistakes made in interpreting client wishes. What we’ve not talked much about is what to do when we make mistakes. We do, you know. Not every action is directly related to someone else’s inaction or miscommunication. Sometimes, we just screw up. So what do you do when you’re the one with the red face?

12 Ways to Practice Courage:

It’s key to remember the Doctrine of the Mean when reviewing this list. For every activity mentioned, there’s a way to overdo it, leading to rashness, and there’s a way to underdo it, leading to cowardice. Find that middle ground between the two and begin flourishing. This post is Part One of an 11 Part Megaseries that lists every virtue displayed here. My goal is to do one virtue a week until completed.

Plus there’s a killer blog you need to check out: Bella Rossa: A Writer/Comedian’s Blog. Elizabeth McQuern is a growing force in Chicago comedy and freelance writing, and an all-around cool person. Her blog is a welcoming and witty look into her personal life and her burgeoning professional life. While you’re there, check out her growing empire of blogs and websites, including The Bastion.

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