Writing Unleashed with Laura M. Harkins

The orange and red hues on the trees mark the beginning of my favorite season, fall. It also marks the prepping period for NaNoWriMo 2011. I’m excited to start my second NaNoWriMo challenge. Note cards with inspirational quotes and sheets of paper with story ideas and my research list cover every inch of my writing desk. The chaos focuses my attention on writing, instead of staring at the daydream-inducing empty spaces. As November approaches, my blog schedule needs to slow down while I get into crazy writing mode. I will post once a week on Thursdays from now until December. The new NaNoWriMo site  is up. I’m heading over there soon to start inputting my mystery novel info. Stop by and add me to your buddy list, LauraMCampbell . I’m going to need a lot of support to win this year! Now, I leave you with a poignant and funny article by Rebecca Makkai, “How To Find Your Story and Craft a Pitch in 10 Easy Steps (And You Can Even Do It Drunk!)" .   ...

Yes, I’ve cleverly disguised my desire for world domination with this writing blog.  Dream big or go home.  I heard this mantra once and I’ve been living it ever since.  My tireless research and undying effort is starting to pay off.  I’m proud to announce my first article “ 10 All-Time Great Family DVDs ” has officially been published in MetroKids magazine.  Score!   It’s all very exciting.  But as I’m a newbie to the publishing world, I am a bit confused by the changes in my introduction.  The editor polished my original sentences, but I wasn’t made aware of the changes.   Is this typical editor behavior? Well, now it’s time to start writing more articles and receiving money for my hard work.  I’m not too sure how to generate topics or how to pitch an idea to a magazine.  So, I’ve enrolled in Writer’s Digest’s Sell Freelance Articles Webinar on Thursday, February 10, 2011.  Score!  The class is $89....

I’ve been trying to put together a website and a name brand to help better sell my writing services.  Creating the name came easily after a short brainstorming session, but deciding what I offered was much harder.  My lack of confidence made me feel I wasn’t qualified to offer anything.  Then, I signed up on Linkedin  and while setting up my profile my thoughts started to come together. The site required a description of my job titles or expertise.  So, I sucked it up and went for it.  My profile lists my qualifications as: freelance writer, blogger and editor.  Write it down, make it happen.  I felt more confident knowing what I offered.  Everything in my profile then began to support my qualifications.  My confidence meter started to rise.   Ok, so I have a resume ready to go, but what about my actual skills?  Unfortunately, my daily writing has been lackluster and unproductive.  I’ve been slacking off, and if I con...