Dana Sitar's Blog, page 5

A Day in the Life of a Writer on the Road

I was invited recently to carry the baton for One Woman Shop’s Instagram to show “a day in the life of a female solopreneur”. Inspired by colleagues and friends who had carried the baton before me – and, inevitably, by my desire to share every passing bit of my life with people who might actually care –I was excited to participate in this simple but powerful project.

Then I realized: There’s no such thing as “a day in the life” of Dana Sitar. I don’t have a typical work day, a self-made routin...

Read My #GetGutsy Essay in Jessica Lawlor’s New Ebook!

I’m so excited to share this book release today. Jessica Lawlor has pulled together the stories fromthose of us who participated in the 2014 #GetGutsy essay contest to create this cool inspiring ebook.

Pick up this free ebook, join this kickass community, and be inspired by the nearly 20 people who agreed to share their very personal stories with the world.

When you dive into the book, you’ll read compelling essays about:

Overcoming depression
Quitting a soul-sucking job to pursue a dream
Moving t...

Why I’m Charging Next to Nothing for My New Ebook Publishing Workshop

Earlier this month I asked Writer’s Bucket List readers what you want to learn more about this fall – and, once again, you overwhelmingly respondedebook publishing.

Y’all know you want to write an ebook, but your life seems filled with barriers to keep that from happening.

You don’t have TIME to write an ebook.
You can’tfindthe MOTIVATION to work on an ebook.
You don’t have a lot of MONEY to invest in your writing career right now.

I listened to these concerns and created an ebook publishingworksh...

Stuff I’m Doing and Places I’m Going

So much joy and despair since I last posted here. I’ll work backwards, because that’s how my brain thinks.

I started a podcast.

Something about being home alone and breaking up with a girl while S got laid on the road made me feel invisible, so I remedied that by forcing my voice into the ether of the internet.

On the podcast, S and I talk about comedy, sex, polyamory, relationships, writing, and life. My mom’s going to hear about this stuff soon . . . and that scares me. Don’t tell her.Git for...

Don’t Listen to Dream Squashers

This post was originally published at JodyLamb.com. Jody is the author of Easter Ann Peters’ Operation Cool and a passionate advocate for kids and families with alcoholic loved ones. Her spunky blog and infectious positivity have been a wonderful boost on days when I need a smile and a bit of writerly camaraderie.

This fall, I’m looking back at the bloggers who have been generous enough over the past few years to invite me into their communities and support my work as I’ve grown. Thanks for t...

P.S. Come the Fuck Home

I love you so much I want to punch you in the throat for how hard it hurts to miss you.

Stefan and I are not a cutesy couple. We live our lives on social media because we need people to care about us, but we never post the stuff like, I’m the luckiest girl in the world – look at us kissing in this selfie!

I’m not saying that stuff is stupid. It’s kind of stupid. It’s just not for us.

Comics with girlfriends or wives will sometimes take a moment on Facebook, away from Joan Rivers jokes and ice bu...

How the Cloud Puts “Free” in “Freelancing”

I have a confession to make: I’m a bit of a cheapskate.

It’s a leftover habit from college, where I squeaked by every day with just enough cash in my wallet for the bus home and a cheap meal. In fact, the first day they raised the bus fare, I had to bum change from one of my fellow passengers!

I’ve improved much since then, but old habits die hard. And it’s a good thing, because this habit was good preparation for the feast-or-famine life of a freelancer.

As a freelancer, you have to run a tight...

A Writer on Vacation

“Jeffrey!”

“Get up, we gotta get going!”

A rough voice rattled me from my three-hour-long slumber.

With sleep still crusted in the corners of my eyes, I poured my six-foot frame into the passenger’s seat of my dad’s pickup. It was 2 a.m. on a Friday. A time when no diurnal creature should ever function.

A pair of grueling twelve-hour drives, choppy waters, and fresh fish would consume the next seven days of my life. Fishing boat in tow, we set out for the wild north of Ontario, Canada.

Arriving at...

What Makes You REALLY a Writer?

Are you REALLY a writer?

I realized recently that, while I hear a lot of peopletalking about writing, but that doesn’t always make them “a writer” in my mind. One thing that will nab them the title, to me, is when they talk knowingly aboutrejection.

Dealing with rejection as a writer means you’re trying. You’re working. You’re getting something on the page and sharing it – you can’t be rejected without putting in the effort.

[Tweet="'You can't be rejected as a writer until you put in the e...

4 Reasons Cheap Freelance Clients Aren’t Worth Your Time (Even if You’re Desperate for Cash!)

Source

Last month,I made a horrible mistake.

Freelance writing has been my sole source of income for several years now. Not to mention I was raised by freelancers! I really,reallyshould have known better.

But, I panicked.

Some unexpected expenses came up that my current client roster wouldn’t be able to cover. And I’d already tapped out my “emergency” funds. So, when a former client came around with some “easy” work, I accepted…for less than a quarter ofmy cheapest rate.

To drive that last point h...