Everything You Wanted to Know about Freelance Writing

Meet 4 writers/authors on the Blog Hop

Welcome to my blog hop where you will learn a little more about me and three other writers and authors:

• Tracey Allen (Sustainable/Gluten-free/Passive Solar)
• Luigi Benetton (Technology/Business)
• Heather Grace Stewart (Poet/Screenwriter), and of course, yours truly,
• Paul Lima (Freelance Writer, Author)

Based in Toronto, Ontario, I have been a professional writer and writing instructor for over 25 years.

A qualified adult educator, I develop and teach business writing, email writing, report writing, copywriting, media release writing and media interview training seminars for corporate and non-profit clients. I have conducted business writing, copywriting and business of freelance writing courses for adult education students at the University of Toronto, Humber College and George Brown College.

An experienced freelance writer, I write case studies, web content, media releases, promotional brochures, ad copy and speeches for corporate and non-profit clients. I have written business profiles and articles for numerous publications, including: the Globe and Mail, National Post, Toronto Star and other print and online publications.

I am the author of 15 books on business and promotional writing, the business of freelance writing, creative writing, writing non-fiction books and several other topics. You can read more about my books online.

My greatest success in writing, beyond my 20+ year freelance career, has been writing has been writing all my books, a solid first draft of each one, in under 60 days.

People sometimes ask me who has been my greatest writing influence. And I have to be honest, that’s a tough question to answer. I sometimes feel as if I am standing on the shoulders of every writer — non-fiction and fiction – that has come before me.

New authors often ask me for advice, and I quote what Margaret Atwood said at a conference when asked what advice she’d give new and aspiring writers: “Read,” she said. You want to read analytically to see what and how all those who have come before you have written their books. And then you want to apply what you’ve learned in a dedicated and disciplined manner. That doesn’t mean you have to write every day, although that doesn’t hurt. But at minimum you should pick a project you want to produce and schedule time to write it.

Once you’ve written it and published it – through a publisher or using self-publishing – you have to promote it. Even if a publisher publishes your book, a lot of the promotion effort falls on your shoulders. Social media (Facebook, Twitter, a blog) is one way to promote your book. Another way is public readings. If fiction, can you set up a reading at libraries and bookstores in your community. If non-fiction, who would be most interested in your book? Where do you find these people? Do they belong to an association or other organizations? Can you arrange readings through those groups?

All the best with your writing. If you have any questions, post them here or email paullima.com@gmail.com.