Freelance writer and editor. Made in Ohio, based in Berlin.
Back in August, amid moving and other craziness, I got a last-minute invite to talk at Weapons of Mass Creation in Cleveland. It was one of those moments where against better judgment I said YES, and it worked out great. They just posted the video of my talk, so I’m posting it here! (I sound […]
MoreThis piece in the New York Times yesterday about writers getting asked to work for free reminded me about the ongoing struggle freelancers have to get paid. I’m a big believer in fiscal transparency — to the point where I’ve been known to ask people questions about money that I later realized were super awkward. But […]
MoreA consumer packaged goods expert recently divulged to me that she never, ever looks at her competition. That really took me by surprise, because I always over-research everything. (My local branch librarians know all about me and my extensive interlibrary loan requests.) Instead of looking at the competition, she told me, she examines parallels. What […]
MoreQ. Do you have any tips for networking? I’ve debated asking a fellow freelancer about getting work, but I’m afraid of stepping on her toes. A. When I started freelancing, I thought that meeting other freelancers was the best way to get gigs. They get gigs, and I want gigs, so they can give me some […]
MoreInspired by Neil Gaiman’s two-of-three rule, I made a two-of-three rule specifically for pitching magazine articles.
MoreDesigning a great lottery logo isn’t easy. You’ve got to convey the idea that the average person could win a crap ton of cash — and that you’re not completely throwing your money away by entering. I collected all the U.S. state lottery logos I could find (plus an international one), both new and old. […]
More