Back Up Your Backups

What if your computer were lost?

The other evening, after backing up the day’s work onto my flash drive, I realized it had been a week since I’d backed up my files onto my external hard drive. I should know better. You can’t have too many backups.

Decades ago, a co-worked told me a wildfire had once claimed his magazine’s office. In those days, before desktop computers, … Continue reading

Year-End Tasks

These little steps add up.

This time of year, the publishing business pauses. As people take vacations, offices operate with a skeleton staff. Until the start of the year, don’t expect any decisions.

But for freelancers, these weeks can prove essential — both to finish the old year well and to give the new one a solid start.

For me, they are weeks to accomplish vital, if … Continue reading

Meet Your Readers

What steps do you take to listen to your audience?

 Yesterday I had lunch with a large group of people from my target audience.Today I’m driving an hour and a half to spend time with an even larger group.

I have two goals, both essential to my task.

First, I simply want to establish rapport. Call it platform building. I want my readers to … Continue reading