Dana Sitar's Blog, page 12

The 500 Hats of Freelancer Cubbins

The title of this article is a Dr. Seuss reference — partly because I wanted to lighten things up before we got into the nitty-gritty details of the many, many duties you’ll be taking on in your life as a freelancer… But also because I really liked Seuss’ The 500 Hats of Bartholomew Cubbins as a child. Perhaps even more than Bartholomew and the Oobleck! (Don’t judge).

Taking on the numerous hats a freelancer must wear can be a little scary. I know. But it’s less scary when you know what y...

On Writing This Week: How to Self-Publish a Bestseller + more

Here’s what we loved on the internet this week:

How to Self-Publish a Bestseller: Publishing 3.0

by James Altucher

I strongly believe everyone reading … has the content inside of them to write a book. If you want to stand out in a world of content, you need to underline your expertise. Publishing a book is not just putting your thoughts on a blog post. It’s an event. It shows your best curated thoughts and it shows customers, clients, investors, friends and lovers what the most important things...

Share Your Personal Story in an Impactful Way

Once I knew I had a story to tell, I couldn’t contain it anymore. I had to bear my real self.

That was three years ago.

At the time, I was still a really guarded person. I had just left the verbally abusive terrain I’d been subjected to for over a decade; and suddenly I was thrust into a new foreign land. For the first time, I was able to experience true freedom. I had the opportunity to share my experiences. I was afforded a chance to shed light on my past pains.

But I was still a little g...

On Writing This Week: Book Marketing Project + more

Here’s what we loved on the internet this week:

Book Marketing Project: Create a Mailing List Freebie and Write Your Welcome Email

by Toni at Duolit Self-Publishing Team

Each month, we’ll give you a project, one concrete thing you can do to move forward your book marketing goals and build your fanbase. We’ll share all the steps and resources you need along the way, so all you have to do is fill in the blanks (and actually do the work)…

This month, we’re going to help you write an introduction ema...

One Blogger’s 10-Step Ebook Publishing Process

by Kevin Cole (@performdestiny)

In June I decided to do something that scared the crap out of me: I wanted to write an ebook.

I’d never written anything longer than 2,000 words, and I had no idea what I was doing. But each day I would take action, and each day the book started taking form.

It took me two months to go from start to finish, and through just doing it, I learned this process:

Step 1: Ask Yourself the Big Questions

To create the foundation for your book, ask yourself:

What is my core me...

On Writing This Week: How to Be Unique + more

Here’s what we loved on the internet this week:
How I Cured My Anxiety

by Charlie Hoehn

My anxiety lasted for more than a year. It affected how I breathed, how I thought, how I ate, how I slept, and how I talked. I was serious and tired and afraid, all the time. I wanted so badly to return to my normal, lively, care-free, confident self. But I didn’t know how to shake it.

I tried everything to fix myself: meditation, yoga, high-intensity workouts, long runs, therapy, therapy books, keeping a jour...

4 Blog Strategy Blunders that Could Cost You Readers

In my last post, I laid out some of the common blog design mistakes that automatically make your blog look amateurish. (If you haven’t yet read it, I’d suggest checking it out, as getting your blog’s look in shape is the first step in creating a forum that will let your awesome content shine.)

Now onto the next lesson: How to keep readers coming to your site to see that awesome content.

Many new bloggers commit the same blunders in writing, communicating with your audience, and your overall blo...

On Writing This Week: How to Keep a Library of Books + more

Here’s some stuff we loved on the internet this week:

How to Keep a Library of (Physical) Books

by Ryan Holiday at Thought Catalog

The hardest part of my most recent move: figuring how to transport nearly 1,500 books. All the rest of our stuff–in the age of IKEA–turned out to be easier to sell on Craigslist or throw away than to move. But the books? Something had to be done.

They are my life and my livelihood. Read more >>

How Crowdfunding Will Change The World, Part 4: Entrepreneurship

by Tucker M...

Tips + Tricks to Get in Touch with the Right Marketing or Editorial Contact

I find myself seeking out contacts at various companies quite a bit. Sometimes I want to work with the company as a writer or online marketer, and I’m looking for the right marketing contact. Other times I’m working on behalf of a partner, trying to place a guest blog post or maybe partner on a joint campaign. Or maybe I just have a question or need to conduct an interview.

Because I know I’m not the only one who spends serious Google time trying to find the right person at each company to mee...

On Writing This Week: 5 Career Lessons from Sesame Street + more

5 Career Lessons from Sesame Street

by Renya Remli at All Groan Up

We all loved Sesame Street. With its outlandish characters, lessons of caring and sharing and subtle political messages (what?), it was as much a staple of our childhoods as apple pie and grass burns from falling off the water slide.

Now you’re a grown up (yes, sorry, you have to be) and you’ve entered the workforce, here are five of the valuable Sesame Street lessons that you can apply to your own career. Read more >>

Progress on...