Category Archives for Articles

5 Shrewd Ways to Get Honest Feedback about Your Writing

Let me take a wild guess: Because you enjoy writing, you’ve always dreamed about making a living with it.

After all, friends and family members tell you how much they love and enjoy your writing every time you share it with them, so it must be good enough.

Am I right so far?

But now that you’re ready to become a professional writer, you’re suddenly reading everywhere you turn that it’s dangerous to depend on the people closest to you for feedback on your writing. One, they may not know enough about writing to give you relevant and useful feedback. Two, even if they are knowledgeable, they might be less than honest about any negative feedback they have, to avoid hurting your feelings.

And now, you’re completely off-balance because you don’t know who else to ask, or where else you can go to get honest feedback on your writing. Since I’ve been in your shoes before, I understand how you feel.

But there is good news!

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Pros and Cons of Using a Pen Name

Using a pen name (also known as a pseudonym, literary double, or nom de plume) is a writing tradition that is both old and widespread. Many of the classic authors we are familiar with wrote and published using a pen name—Mark Twain (Samuel Clemens) being one characteristic example.

The reasons behind using a pen name can vary. Sometimes, one’s real name might be considered too long or too difficult to pronounce. “Alisa Zinov’yevna Rosenbaum” would’ve been a challenge for a publisher (and a nightmare for a cover designer), so “Ayn Rand” was preferred. 

Moreover, some famous female authors have opted for a pen name to hide their gender, in order to be taken more seriously. Examples include George Eliot (Mary Ann Evans), Currer and Ellis Bell (Charlotte and Emily Brontë), and James Tiptree Jr. (Alice Bradley Sheldon).

Using a pen name can have some important benefits regarding marketing and publishing. Plus, using a pen name can help your writing—for reasons you might not readily appreciate, as I’ll explain later in the post.

However, here’s a crucial question: Can using a pen name also hurt your writing?

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How To Write Well While Writing for SEO

I’ve been in so many rooms of writers, editors, and journalists who roll their eyes at the mention of search engine optimization (SEO). As a lot, we tend to be appalled that we must deign to taint our creations with keywords to appease the “Almighty Algorithm.” 

We seem to believe there’s good writing … and then there’s SEO writing. That’s probably because most advice on writing for SEO is about numbers and algorithms. It makes you assume search engines only like boring, robotic, and even awkward writing. That’s not true (anymore).

Good writers should love SEO. Not just out of obligation, but because it helps you make better content—and it’s not as complicated as it seems.

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How Traveling Can Be More Than Just a Trip Away For Writers

There’s nothing quite like traveling. Everyone loves warmer climates, exciting new adventures, and experiences abroad. Right?

Well, I do. Obviously, I can’t vouch for everyone, but I’m sure the vast majority out there would tend to agree with me. Strawberry daiquiris and ice-cream sundaes all around! What’s not to like? 

But, (cough), excuse me just one second. Can I have all writers’ attention for a moment, please? 

I hate to be the one to interrupt a snappy glass of red and platter of sushi. Where are my manners? But I’ve gotta put this out there before you get a little dizzy from the red stuff:

Traveling can be a lot more than just enjoying the luxury of eating saffron scallops at a four-star restaurant in Paris, or stuffing your face with toasted marshmallows around a campfire in Miyajima. For writers, there’s so much more to it than that. 

As a writer, traveling has been a great opportunity to come up with something fresh for blogs, websites, or publications I’ve submitted articles to.

When you travel, you can take stacks of inspiration and creativity from your travels for your next writing project. 

You should write about it, in fact. 

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