Today I am hosting Kelly James-Enger, who was a mentor to me through her books and eventually in real life as a friend and colleague. I ‘m so glad to know Kelly because is a great role model for any writer, freelance or otherwise. Please help me welcome Kelly!
Introducing Kelly James-Enger
Kelly James-Enger “escaped from the law” in 1997 but she’s no fugitive. Since then, the former attorney has written more 800 articles for more than 60 national magazines and more than a dozen books, including Dollars and Deadlines: Make Money Writing Articles for Print and Online Markets, Six-Figure Freelancing: The Writer’s Guide to Making More Money, Second Edition, and Writer For Hire, 101 Secrets To Freelance Success.
Kelly is also a popular public speaker covering topics including stress management, time management, and healthy habits. An ACE-certified personal trainer, she loves helping people make positive changes in their lives. She lives outside Chicago with one husband, one son, one daughter, and one maniac golden retriever. Visit www.dollarsanddeadlines.blogspot.com for more information about Kelly.
Learn about Kelly’s Latest Books
Dollars and Deadlines: Make Money Writing Articles for Print and Online Markets
Love to write? Why not get paid to do so? Dollars and Deadlines: Make Money Writing Articles for Print and Online Markets shows you how to launch a freelance article writing career from scratch. Whether you want to freelance full-time or simply want to make extra money from home, you’ll learn how to:
- Come up with article ideas
- Identify potential markets for your work
- Pitch ideas to print and online markets
- Locate, contact, and interview expert and anecdotal sources
- Write different types of articles, including shorts, quizzes, profiles, and features
- Decipher and negotiate freelance contracts
- Operate as a business, not a hobby (and take legitimate tax deductions)
- Create your own writing templates
- Develop regular clients
- Take your writing career to the next level
Dollars and Deadlines takes you through a dozen of the author’s published articles, describing how they were originated, researched, and written. You’ll find dozens of templates and examples along with real-world advice to take you from an unpublished newbie to a published-and paid-freelance writer.
Six-Figure Freelancing: The Writer’s Guide to Making More Money, Second Edition
Forget writing for the thrill of seeing your name in print, or worse yet, for the “exposure.” Freelancers should be paid-and paid well-for their work. If you dream of making a good full-time living or a second income as a freelancer, you need more than writing ability. You need a businesslike mindset, the ability to locate and pitch lucrative markets, efficient work habits, and solid relationships with people in your industry. During the author’s first year of full-time freelancing, she only made $17,000. But by her sixth year, she cracked the six-figure mark.
After interviewing dozens of other six-figure freelancers, the author first published Six-Figure Freelancing: The Writer’s Guide to Making More Money in 2005. Now the book’s been revised and updated for its second edition. Six-Figure Freelancing will show you how to:
- Take a business-like approach to your freelance career
- Negotiate more writer-friendly contracts with editors and clients
- Identify lucrative freelance markets
- Pursue book projects
- Create your own writing templates
- Work more efficiently
- Create and maintain relationships with clients and colleagues
- Set short- and long-term goals
- Use social media to enhance your business and attract clients
- Branch into lucrative new freelance areas
- Sustain a successful long-term career
Even while the publishing world has undergone dramatic change, there are plenty of promising opportunities for freelancers. This updated, expanded version of Six-Figure Freelancing includes an entirely new section on markets; advice about using social media and blogging to build your career: more sample queries and templates: and the latest advice from successful six-figure freelancers you can use to sustain a long-term freelance career. Both new and experienced writers will benefit from the practical strategies it includes.
Writer For Hire: 101 Secrets To Freelance Success
There’s no shortage of books on crafting book proposals, writing novels, overcoming writer’s block, and getting in touch with one’s muse. But what about a book for writers who simply want to earn a regular paycheck? Writer for Hire is just the wisdom full- and part-time freelancers need. Author Kelly James-Enger details:
- 101 secrets to success, organized into five overarching strategies. You’ll be able to implement what you learn immediately.
- Invaluable advice on managing deadlines, querying effectively, working with clients, handling taxes, invoices, and more.
- Strategies for getting more writing gigs, including networking (in-person and online), establishing yourself as an expert, working more efficiently under tight deadlines, and handling rejection with confidence
I asked Kelly three questions about our giveaway’s theme topic, self-expression:
1. Is self-expression an important part of your life today, why or why not?
I think self-expression is an important part of any writer’s life, but as a freelancer who writes for a living, self-expression often takes second place to my client’s or editor’s needs. For example, I may be writing to match a market’s unique tone or ghostwriting for a client and writing in a voice that is his, not my own. That’s why I make time to write my “own” pieces, whether it’s an essay (I just had a piece published in the new book, Chicken Soup for the Soul Inspiration for Writers) or a novel. That’s when I can express what I want to say—not what I’m being paid to say—as a writer.
2. What does self-expression mean to you and how do you do it in the world?
As a writer, self-expression means letting your own voice shine through. As a person, I think it means being honest about how you are and being “authentic” (though I hate that word) in your day-to-day life. I am not advocating brutal honesty—most of the time, anyway—but being yourself instead of who think someone else (your partner, your parents, your kids, your peers, your friends, whoever) want you to be. For me, that means being goofy and loud and exuberant and positive, most of the time.
3. How does your self-expression impact the world—your family, your friends, your readers, and everyone else?
With my own books (as opposed to those I ghostwrite or coauthor), I am able to share information that will benefit readers. I tell the truth, especially when I’m writing about freelancing, which has become a platform for me. I tell readers how much money I make, how much markets pay, whether I’ve been able to negotiate contracts. I also admit my mistakes and failures, which makes me relatable (I hope!) and helps readers avoid doing the same things. I think I’ve helped hundreds (hopefully thousands) of writers launch freelance careers and make more money from their words and that’s inspiring and motivating to me—I really enjoy helping people whether as a writer, a trainer, a friend, or just a fellow human living here on earth.
And Now, Your Turn…
You remember how this works right?
Please read the complete rules at least once!
I ask you a question.
You answer in the comments for your chance to win a book each day.
Please just respond once, even if you make a typo. 
Answer in the comments in 50-200 words (no less and no more to qualify to win one of today’s books).
Do you have a lucky or a favorite number? What is it and why is do you consider it lucky or your favorite?
Ready, set, comment! I will hold the drawing tomorrow and post the results here in my blog.
Thanks for participating in the Writer Mama Every-Day-In-May Book Giveaway!
And thanks for spreading the word. We will be giving away great books by wonderful women authors all month.
View the complete list of authors and books.
View the giveaway Pinterest board.
Comments on this entry are closed.
I don’t believe in luck, therefore, no lucky numbers for me. I believe that everything happens for a reason and there are three forces in play in life, my choices, others’ choices, and God’s sovereignty over the universe. How and if God’s sovereignty guides everyone’s choices is theology that I’m not prepared to delve into, but I do believe that He has a larger plan for the universe and individuals’ lives who are seeking to know Him. His plans help to work things out for good for those who love him (see the book of New Testament book of Romans, chapter 8, verse 28). Luck and destiny have much more to do with my daily choices and about how others’ choices affect me and how I choose to respond to them. Yes, sometimes I am lucky. My son won $20 at a school fundraiser. That was lucky in that it was a good thing that happened to him. The odds were that he could win it and he did. Those chance good things that happen are special gifts from God. Am I lucky? Yes, but I don’t believe it has anything to do with numbers, how many cracks I step on, or if I have a routine at home plate.
I don’t have a lucky number and I don’t follow horoscopes, except to read mine an laugh once in a while! I do celebrate special dates (like the day I met my husband in a meeting — we’re coming up on the 10 year anniversary of our acquaintance!). And I get a little superstitious about timing of my freelance submissions because I dread the idea of having my queries or articles buried under a pile of junk mail. That’s not because I believe these times are unlucky, just that I think one has to play smart to stay out of the slush pile, especially these days when anyone can send in a query and most aren’t so good. Editors are hungry but overwhelmed.
I don’t have a lucky number, but if I ever have to chose a number whether it’s for yet another online password or to fill in a lottery ticket then I usually choose one of my children’s birthdates. It has nothing to do with luck but as my wonderful children are blessings I received each of the days they were born was a day well blessed.
Though I don’t rely on luck, I have two lucky numbers that have popped up more than any number in my life. First is 20. Day I was born. I love the even number. Second is 66. Weird story. I was with classmates at a pizza place where we were waiting on our orders. They asked my number. “66,” I said. They laughed because of the way I said it (imperfect speech due to hearing loss and a difficult number with the s and x). That number — ask my husband! — comes up often and in a lot of good situations. It’s also in my husband’s birthdate 🙂
13 is my lucky number. I’m not sure I believe in luck. It started out from my contrarian impulses when I was a kid. Besides, it wasn’t taken since most considered it unlucky. I don’t have any evidence that it has actually been lucky but I continue to regard it as my lucky number anyway. It is quite helpful since I don’t have any issues with Friday the 13th and often those days prove to be excellent for me.
I guess I really don’t have a lucky number. Like Libby, below, I don’t believe in luck. I really like the number 25, though. I have synesthesia, and my particular variety links color with letters and numbers. The number 25 has a beautiful mix of blue and green. In the same vein, I really don’t like the number 100 because it’s a bland mix of off white and white. Ick! And even though 25 is my favorite number, when asked for a pin number or a password I have a different set of numbers that I usually choose between. But with any number, how much I like it usually comes back to the color combination it presents me with.
Seven is my favorite number. I was born on the 7th of
September. I’m a Virgo, it suites me. I think that luck is often a case if being in the right place at the right time or being open to new
opportunities when they come along. Making the most of things is as good as luck.
My lucky number is the reverse of the last two digits of my birth year, which when multiplied give you my birthday. Is it really lucky? I don’t know, but I decided it would be a good age for me—and it was. It was probably a case of making my own luck, but it was fun.
When I was a child playing for various sports’ teams, I often chose my birth date (18) for my number to be considered “lucky.” Given I was an average athlete at best, I’m not so certain that strategy worked! As an adult, however, I find that I often encounter the number “1243” — usually by chance glancing at the clock at 12:43 (p.m. or a.m.!). Each time, it gives me a smile, as it was once an extension I dialed frequently: my then-suitor, now-husband’s extension from when we worked together before I stayed at home with our kids and he changed jobs. I can barely remember my own extension, even though I said it and typed it dozens of times a day, and I do not know his extension at his current position — but I will always know and love chancing upon 1243; it often reminds me to contact him with a quick note during a busy day.
I feel that opportunities come to us all the time, but only when we are ready for them, do we see them. I don’t really believe in luck or lucky numbers. My favorite number, though, has always been 15, which is my birthday. And here I thought I was unique! I had to chuckle reading so many other responses that gave birthdays as favorites. I like to think the day of our birth is somehow significant in a way we cannot comprehend, rather than a simple biological function. I felt this strongly when my girls were born, particulary the 2nd one (10days “late”) and the 3rd (1 week “early”.)
I guess if I have a lucky number it would be four, because we have four in our immediate family. Our little family works well together and has taken on a lot of challenges, including a cross country move last summer. New house, new schools, new state, and a move from the country to the suburbs that was a bit of culture shock for the kids. But with four, everyone has a partner and we can all work through everything together.
I don’t have a lucky number because I’m not one to consider that luck is important. However, I do like the number 7 because it represents completion or perfection in the Bible.
My lucky number is 22. It always has been, and I couldn’t even tell you why. Perhaps it’s because the very first crush I had wore that number on his football jersey. Perhaps it’s because so many significant events have happened in my life on the 22nd day of the month (like loss of my virginity on 5/22 in 19somethingsomething). Mostly I think it’s because I like the symmetry of those neat, tidy numbers. For some reason, the number 22 is a number that for me means promise and possibility.
I don’t really have a lucky number, but I do have a favorite. The only reason it is my favorite is because a friend of mine and I decided it was our favorite number in junior high. Five. Dorky me even had it put on the back of a jersey once, but I had them put “05” instead of just “5” — completely embarrassing then AND now.
I do have a lucky number, and it is 11. My birthday is 11-11. On 11-11-11, year before last, my woman friends had a weekend long party on the Oregon coast and dedicated the weekend to me for my birthday. We all wrote small notes on strips of paper about what we wanted to release from our lives, and what we wanted to invite into our lives. At 11:11:11 on 11-11, we threw the strips into the fire, sang and chanted, and then ate a delicious chocolate birthday cake that had 11 candles for me to blow out. It was such an awesome birthday, celebrating with my closest friends, and I was able to release some real obstacles from my life, and since then I have felt so much more open to the miracles that offer themselves to me every day.
My favorite is numbers are 5 and 15. I’m not sure it’s always lucky, but they are my favorite. Five was jersey number in volleyball and it served me well. I had a great serve, it would just clear the net. Every single time, the other team would yell “net” and ignore the ball. Score!
As for fifteen, I’m a middle child, born on the fifteenth of the March – The Ides of March, my poor mother, and the middle of each month just seems to be good to me.
My favorite number is 2. I can always remember it, I prefer simple even numbers, and I have 2 beautiful little girls. Thanks for all the tips! Your book has helped me tremendously as I am currently switching from practicing clinician to medical writer. I guess I can also say 2 is the number of professions I engage in. However, in reality it is 3 as motherhood outweighs all others and cannot be overlooked.
I don’t have a lucky number either. I believe that we make our own luck by working hard and opening our eyes to the opportunities around us. However I believe that if you think you are lucky and blessed, then it will come to pass. Whether you believe in a higher power or karma the energy that you put out will come back to you
I don’t believe in luck, either. Providence, or Divine intervention yes, but not luck. So no lucky number here. I don’t really have a favorite number either. But if I had to pick one, I’d pick 7 because of what it
represents in the Bible. I do marvel, though, at events happening in certain numerical fashion, like my brother’s 50th birthday being on 11/12/13.
My favorite number is undoubtedly the number SEVEN! It comes to mind so quickly when I am asked “to pick a number”. This numerical gem is used over 350 times in the Bible, most significantly in “God created the earth in seven days and rested on the seventh day.” That seventh day is pretty important when trying to maintain some sanity and peace in a busy life. So many times when “seven” or a form of it (seventy, seventh), is used it holds special meaning in Scripture. It’s an odd number and for reasons unknown, it is my favorite.
I don’t really have any numbers I would consider “lucky,” but when asked to choose a number, I always come up with the number five. I’m not really sure why! I guess because it is simple and easy to remember. I used to read horoscopes all the time when I was younger but I don’t really do it that much anymore. I’m also not sure about the idea that some people are just “lucky.” Success is based on a lot of hard work and perseverance, and I think you’ll find that most people who win a lot of contests also diligently also submit many entries before striking gold. But that’s just me:)
My lucky number is the one that appears the most often in my birthdate, but I don’t necessarily count on it to bring me luck as much as I just pretend that its frequent presence in my life is a fortunate and fun coincidence. Maybe I’d use it in lottery tickets if I bought such things, but I don’t. However, maybe I’ll get lucky here and win! 🙂
My lucky number is 13, but I’m hoping today is my lucky day to win this giveaway! 🙂 My birthday is on the 13th which is probably the reason why I like it. The number 13 always gets a bad rap, but knock on wood, I don’t think I’ve ever had a bad Friday the 13th. I remember I celebrated my 13th birthday on a Friday the 13th and that turned out okay! Haha! When I think of luck, I think of it as something random like winning a gamble. I’ve never taken my number very seriously like inducing my children to be born on days with the number 13 or that add up to that number, but I think it’s interesting that both my kids were born on odd numbers, too, and my husband also has a 3 in his birthday. Hmmm.
I was going to say 23 (coincidentally, I’m the 23rd commentor today), but it’s actually THREE that’s my favorite number.
I
used it in the name of my agency, c3PR, to represent the three services we provide: Concept, Content and Counsel. There’s also the 3 C’s business model (customer, competition, corporation), the 3 C’s of social media (content, community, commerce) and the 3 C’s of marketing automation (conversation,
collaboration, commitment).
I like it because the number three motivates groups of people to take action in synch, as in “get ready, get set, go! (Maybe that’s why Christina asks authors three questions.)
There are significant trinities in just about every religion and in sports, too. Triads are numerous in literature, especially in fairy tales. We’re indoctrinated at an early age with stories about the three little pigs, three blind mice, Goldilocks and the three bears, the three sisters in Cinderella and the three fairies in Sleeping Beauty.
Pythagoras considered three the noblest of all digits because
it represents all time (yesterday, today and tomorrow). The earth is the third planet from the sun. And I have three children. What could be more lucky than that!
The number 29 has always popped into my head when asked if I have a lucky or favorite number. I don’t really use it as a lucky number — like many of the other posters here, I believe we make our own good luck by being receptive to good things that come within our grasp.
I don’t really believe in luck because I was raised in a christian household. But I like to see what most call ‘luck’ as blessings from God and opportunities. Whenever I hear people talk about luck and blessings, I can’t help but to think about a poem/quote from Rumi:
“But listen to me. For one moment
quit being sad. Hear blessings
dropping their blossoms
around you.”- Rumi.
I personally sometimes feel that putting good/bad luck on a number or penny or an item, in some way you are giving it control over you. I think is stems from a childhood trauma that I can’t really remember now but I do remember the moment I realized that I was letting a common free or belief control me and I simply just changed my words. You could compare it to the number 4: in many Asian countries ( especially in China and Japan) it is concerned bad luck because it pronounced the same way for the word ‘death’. Therefore you may see a 10 story building with no ‘4th’ Floor because it has been skipped. But instead of seeing it as bad luck you could simply flip and say,’It’s a good number’ or just ‘It’s just a number.’
Gosh, I never even considered this question. And now I feel totally left out because I don’t have a lucky number. So how does one get to decade #5 without a lucky number, I’m wondering. Maybe it’s because I like ALL the numbers. Maybe it’s because I don’t want to rule any number out as a potentially lucky one. After all, if I choose one number over another one, it might mean another number becomes jealous, and THAT number is truly my lucky number, but it will never cast its spell on me now because I didn’t choose it. Now that I write this, perhaps we have the beginning of a children’s story.
Hands down, Meryl K. Evans, you gave the BEST response. Wish I could have been there at the pizza place! 🙂
My daughter is also born on the Ides of March, Diane. So don’t feel sorry for you mother. We are blessed! 🙂
Love this, Mary. You really owned it and made it your own and I’ll be darned if you didn’t create your own luck in doing so. 🙂
I am with you, Mar! 3 and 21 are my favorite numbers. And third runner up is 5 because it’s my birthday. The words in my maiden name reflect the Trinity. There are three in my family. 2+1=3. I didn’t used to think much of Numerology, but I read a book many years ago and it still comes back to me today. There were things, I read then that I did not understand about myself that have since come to light. I will see if I can come up with the name of the book for others who might be interested. I’m very sorry that I didn’t keep it.
I found it! It’s called, “The Life You Were Born To Live” by Dan Millman (the peaceful warrior guy). I am going to see if I can get my hands on this book and reread the part about my numbers and see what I think now.
My favorite number is 7, but not for any particular reason. I just happen to gravitate toward it. I would expect to prefer an even number, just because it’s even. But the first time I visited Russia my hostess and I picked up some flowers from a street vendor to give to a friend we were calling on. My hostess explained the bouquet needed to contain an odd number of flowers because the recipient represents the final flower, making it even. Ever since then I’ve liked odd numbers more. Plus the rule in decorating of using an odd number of items makes them appeal more to me. Maybe it’s the symmetry that comes with odd numbers.
You’re too generous, Debra. Thanks. Not sure you want to be there with a bunch of annoying 13-year-olds 🙂
I feel the same about 13.
Thanks. I’ll check out Dan’s book. Considering that there is at least some degree of order to the universe, it makes sense that some numbers and patterns of numbers are significant.
And speaking of numbers, what a fantastic number of responses this day’s contest received.
Hmm, my comment and try did not show up.