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  • How To Use Sensory Language In Your Writing

    How To Use Sensory Language In Your Writing

    The term “sensory language” refers to language used in writing that connects the readers to real life senses—touch, sight, sound, smell, and taste.

    Writing with sensory language falls into the “show don’t tell” realm of writing advice, where painting a vivid picture of what you want your reader to see is much more impactful than just listing the facts of that scene.

    Mastering writing with sensory language can elevate your prose, help your audience empathize with your characters, and create an overall more engaging story.

    Let’s look at some examples and tips for how to use sensory language in your writing.

    Why is sensory language important?

    Using sensory language is important in creative writing for lots of reasons, including the ones listed above. Here are a few more areas of improvement you can achieve by writing with the senses.

    Make your writing more engaging.

    Using sensory language can plug your reader into the scene. Impactful description can make them feel like they’re actually experiencing the story. Writing with a robust range of senses helps with reader immersion.

    When the reader is immersed, they’ll read for longer, and they’ll become more engaged with your story. An engaged reader is a loyal reader.

    *Here are tips to write clearly.

    Help your audience connect with the characters.

    Sensory description can help your reader feel closer to your characters. In a way, effective description should help your audience empathize with your characters, because they have a better grasp of exactly what the character is feeling through the tangible description.

    Reveal things about your characters and their perspectives.

    Not only can sensory language help your audience connect with the characters, but it can also reveal things about your characters. What you choose to describe and which senses you choose to include can reveal their personalities, goals, and perspectives.

    Set the scene.

    Setting up a scene with sensory language as opposed to straight listing of facts just makes a scene more fun to read. Your description sets the atmosphere of the scene, which can strongly affect your reader’s emotions!

    Here’s a video that talks more in-depth about atmosphere and how to create it with sensory language:

    Sensory language brings your story to life and lets your readers walk in the character’s shoes to really experience the story.

    Examples of Sensory Language

    Here are the general categories of sensory language, plus examples of how they might be employed.

    1. Sight

    Sight covers anything your character sees, obviously. It describes objects in view, visual textures, colors, lighting, dimension, perspective.

    Visual description is the most frequently used and most important sense to write with. The other senses build a more complex and immersive atmosphere, but sight is the absolute minimum for a scene to be understandable.

    2. Smell

    Smell can convey a lot of different things! A bad smell can make a room really uncomfortable. It can be distracting, it can give you a headache. If you’re dropping a character in an uneasy scene, using an off-putting smell is a great way to get your readers to connect with that emotion.

    Olfactory memory is one of the most powerful emotional triggers, but it becomes tricky to write about because you can’t actually trigger an olfactory memory with words, obviously. But you can try to emulate that emotional trigger by writing about common scents that your target demographic will most likely be familiar with.

    3. Taste

    You’ll typically see taste employed when a character is eating, but don’t overlook environmental tastes! Some smells sit on the tongue or the back of the throat, which make taste and smell related. If you’re writing with one, you’re likely writing with the other.

    4. Sound

    Sound is anything the character hears. Trees rustling in the wind, squirrels chittering, a child singing, a car honking. To enhance a sound, consider the effects that auditory sensation would have on your character.

    A character blasts the stereo in their car—can they feel it rattling up their spine? Maybe their speakers peak and the additional screech pulls goosebumps to their skin. Is it vibrating the floor of the car?

    Your character hears a loud and close scream that jolts them from sleep—how did that sound affect their body? Are they startled, shaking, heart pounding? Or are they groggy and confused?

    After you describe the sound, ask yourself how that sound is affecting your character.

    5. Touch

    Touch involves anything your character can feel. Pain, pleasure, and everything in between.

    Physical feeling can also include internal reactions. Things like nervous energy, nausea, fear and other strong emotions, dizziness, and hunger also count as touch sensory descriptions.

    6. Kinesthesia

    Kinesthesia is the general feeling of movement. These descriptions might fall into touch as well, but it specifically refers to the sensation of motion. Like a heart pounding, wind beating against your clothes, blinking rapidly.

    7. Combo moves!

    It’s great to twist more than one sense together to enhance a description.

    Smell and taste are very closely related—if you’re describing one, it’s easy to mesh them together for a more rounded description. It’s so natural for these to come in a pair that writers often do this by accident.

    Similarly, many of the same words can be used for touch and sight—you can say something feels or looks like something. Like a bunny can look fluffy and feel fluffy. A cockburr can look and feel spiky. The way you describe visual elements often comes with the implication of a physical feeling.

    Smell can affect touch as well! Something can smell warm and comforting, which would reflect in how your character feels physically. It could sting their throat or their eyes. It could make them anxious and their chest tight.

    Sight can affect touch—think of a bright light suddenly shone on you.

    Taste can affect touch—think spicy food. Or something like a description of ice cream, where your character will taste it and significantly feel the cold.

    A quick trick to combine senses is to ask yourself how the sensory input would physically affect your character.

    How to write sensory language

    So we know why sensory language is important, and we know what is included in sensory language—now how do we write with it?

    Check out this video about writing strong scene descriptions.

    1. Develop the idea of the thing you’re describing.

    In order to effectively describe something, we need to know exactly what it is. Picture the thing in your mind. Imagine the smell, tastes, feeling of it. What does it look like where it is? How is it lit? What context does it hold in the scene?

    Once you clearly know the thing you’re describing, you can convey that idea to your readers. If you can’t “picture” it in your head, it likely won’t translate to words effectively.

    2. Be clear on what it is.

    “Show don’t tell” is often a helpful bit of advice to make us write with concrete imagery, but also make sure that you state what the object/thing is that you’re describing. It’s great to state the facts of the scene in plain language, then get into the weeds of your character’s sensual experience.

    3. Consider which senses are relevant.

    Not all sensory descriptions will enhance a scene. If you try to hit all five every time, you’ll likely overdo it. Think of which senses are important to convey the tone, mood, and character perspective. Which senses would be the most overwhelming in that setting? What would the character notice first?

    For example, if your character has been dropped in a sewer, it’s probably too dark to see much right away, but they’d definitely smell it! That scene should likely be written olfactory-first, because that sense would be the most overwhelming.

    After that, they might notice the sounds—water dripping, rats scurrying, maybe the sound of pumps depending on where in the sewer they are.

    With smell and sound covered, enough time has probably passed for your character’s eyes to adjust to the dark. Now what do they see?

    Describing the scene in that order puts the reader in the character’s shoes, experiencing the environment at the same pace.

    4. Connect the description and senses to the character or story.

    Make sure the senses you chose to include are relevant to the character, scene, and story.

    Remember: In a POV character’s scene, we should see (and hear and smell and taste and feel) what they’re noticing. Think about what your character would be noticing and why, then incorporate that into your sensory language choices.

    5. Don’t overdo it.

    Many new writers tend to “checklist” things like their sensory language—they’ll think of how the scene looks, sounds, tastes, smells, and feels, and they’ll describe all of those things in sequence.

    That method could be a fine way to get your first draft out! But with revisions, try to nail down which descriptions are relevant for the character and/or scene. Trim back the descriptions that aren’t serving your story in any way.

    Another way to avoid the “checklist” feeling is to combine your senses. Like we covered earlier, there are many situations where senses overlap. Combining them can make it seem less formulaic, plus add uniqueness to your description.

    6. Let it sit, then read it over.

    As with any effective prose, the real writing happens in the revisions. Don’t rush it!

    Let your scene sit for a while, then look it over again and see how you like it. That might mean taking a break over the weekend, or it might mean setting your project aside for a month or two. Every writer and project is different, but make sure you take some amount of space from your book before you come back to polish up your sensory language.

    Writing with sensory language

    is always worth the time and consideration. Think of your description as the container you’re presenting the gift of your story in—if your container is lackluster, boring, or confusing, your recipient is less likely to open the box.

    Clean prose with intentional sensory language is like a good book cover. If the presentation is sloppy, you might lose readers before they can give you a chance. So invest time and effort in your language, and happy writing!

    TWL. CTA. Book Outline Template
  • How to Become A Paid Writer: 9 Great Options

    How to Become A Paid Writer: 9 Great Options

    Interested in learning how to become a paid writer?

    When most people think about professional writers, they imagine someone in a cabin in the woods, typing away on an old-school typewriter.

    You might be surprised at all the different options available for professional writing. It’s not just books!

    Not only are there a wide variety of career options, there are a wide variety of styles as well. You could be more creative, more professional, get to travel, work in your pajamas, or anything else you want to do.

    The possibilities for becoming a paid writer are truly endless.

    This article will dive into a ton of options for people who want to become writers and will go over some of the ways you can get started with each.

    How to Become A Paid Writer – The Options

    Keep in mind, even with all of these options there are different niches and paths you can take where different types of writing will overlap.

    For example, you could be a freelance technical blogger instead of just a general freelance writer. Finding ways to mix and match can also help you stand out as a writer as well.

    Let’s dive into each of the types of writing, how to know if they might be a good fit, and how to get your foot in the door so you can learn how to become a writer.

    Freelance writing

    With freelance writing, you’re pretty much able to get your foot in the door of any industry or type of writing you choose.

    You could choose to start freelancing until you find a company or niche that lights you up and then choose to become an employee again. You could also just choose to ride out the freelancing journey.

    What makes freelance writing different, though, is that you’re captain of your own ship and need to treat your work like a business.

    That means, you’ll need to find clients, learn how to keep track of your own finances, and stay on top of your deadlines.

    For the most part, you can be a freelance writer in almost any of the type of writing we will list down below. That’s exciting, but you’ll also need to narrow down the options you want to try so you know what you want to pursue first.

    If you want to get into freelance writing, you’ll need to be self-disciplined and feel excited about the thought of pitching clients and networking. You might also consider finding a niche or specialty so you can stand out from other freelance writers.

    Blogging

    With choosing to be a blogger, you have two main choices: you can run your own blog or write blogs for other companies.

    Of course, you also have the option to do both, but you will want to keep both options in mind as you think about getting into blogging work.

    Keep in mind, they both have their challenges but if you choose to run your own blog, you’re going to have to learn a lot more skills than you would just as someone who writes for blogs. You’ll need to learn SEO, you’ll have to buy a domain and hosting, and you’ll need to learn general marketing skills to get your website off the ground.

    On the flip side, writing for blogs means you’ll need to be able to find clients and you’ll have to have some kind of initial portfolio to show off.

    If you want to get into blogging, you’ll need to learn about SEO, how to style blogs to interest and attract readers, and figure out which industries or niches you want to write for so you can start pitching.

    Nonfiction writing

    Nonfiction writing includes a wide variety of writing industries from journalism to nonfiction books. You could write biographies, historical books, instructional-type writing, humor, life stories, philosophy, and more.

    Essentially, nonfiction writing includes all writing that doesn’t have a fictional narrative. It’s based on real events and real people.

    As you can imagine, this covers a lot of different industries and types of writing out there.

    If you want to get into nonfiction writing, you’ll have to love the art of research and putting true stories together in a way that is interesting or helpful to other people.

    Fiction writing

    Fiction writing is narrative writing that often includes a story. If you want to get into fiction writing, you will need a creative mind and a story to tell.

    If you are that person who dreams about writing a story that inspires others or lights up someone’s imagination, this is where you’ll focus.

    You’ll have to write out your story and start putting it together piece by piece. Once you do that, you’ll need to either start finding a publishing company or choose to self-publish.

    Children’s books

    Writing children’s stories might be a great fit for you if you have a creative mind and you love to tell children’s stories.

    Similarly to getting into fiction writing, you’ll need to come up with unique stories, but it needs to be ones that children love to read. You will also need to either have some kind of artistic skills or pair up with someone who can draw your story to make it come to life.

    Almost all children’s books have art or pictures inside of them, so that’s an essential piece you’ll need to include.

    Technical writing

    For anyone who loves to deep-dive into software, products, or services, technical writing might be a good choice.

    You will need to break down complex topics, such as how to install software on a computer, into understandable, easy steps that the average person could follow.

    To break into this type of writing, you’ll need to study technical manuals and possibly pick an industry or type of technical writing you want to cover.

    Creative writing

    If you’re a creative person who doesn’t want to write technical jargon, diving into the creative writing world might be a perfect fit for you.

    You could do anything from poetry to short stories to even creative advertisements.

    There are so many ways you can use creativity and a joy of storytelling in almost any kind of writing. You just need to know if you’d rather be a creative writer or a more professional writer, since that will help you narrow down what kind of opportunities to pursue.

    Proposal and grant writing

    Proposal and grant writing is rewarding because you are often helping nonprofits raise money through grants.

    If you want to get into grant writing, one of the best ways to get your foot in the door is to start to network with nonprofits you feel passionate about so you can get on their radar.

    You will also need to learn how to format proposals and grants correctly, as it is a strict industry where even the slightest error can disqualify a nonprofit. You’ll need a sharp eye to catch any errors along the way.

    Business writing and copywriting

    If you have an interest in business, marketing, and psychology, you might succeed in the world of business writing.

    Business writing is a bigger umbrella for all kinds of writing that a business could need.

    Copywriting is also under this umbrella, as it’s persuasive writing with the goal of getting readers to take action. Both of these types of writing will require you to understand marketing and buyer’s psychology.

    If you want to get into this type of writing, you will need to study marketing and sales. Along with that, you’ll need to start networking with companies to get your foot in the door to write for them.

    how to become a writer

    Conclusion

    There are so many ways you can get started as a paid freelance writer and ultimately make a career out of writing. More than ever before, you have options. Now the hard question is: What will you choose?

    Don’t be afraid to try a few or all of them out to find a good fit!

    If you’re interested in becoming a paid freelancer, check out the Freelance Writers Den.

  • Top Cozy Mystery Authors (+3 New Authors to Read)

    Top Cozy Mystery Authors (+3 New Authors to Read)

    Mystery books are always fun to read and finding new authors can give you a ton of new books to read in the future. If you like this genre of books, you’re most likely on the hunt for the top cozy mystery authors.

    Cozy mystery is its own genre of books that spark memories of watching old Murder, She Wrote shows. They’re under the umbrella of true crime but without any of the violence that comes with typical mysteries.

    These books are often also part of whole series so people can really get into a character and a world that the author has built.

    If you’re a fan of true crime but find the cases too gory or overwhelming at times, cozy mysteries might be a great alternative for you. The killer is almost always caught, too, giving some closure to each story and book.

    We’ve put together a list of top cozy mystery authors. Some were from the past and paved the way for this genre to thrive. Some are current writers and stories for you to dive into. Either way, it will give you a whole new list of books to add to your reading piles.

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    What are cozy mystery books?

    Cozy mystery are books that are a sub-genre of crime fiction. While they still are mysteries, they don’t usually contain much (or any) sex, profanity, or violence.

    In lots of crime fiction books, sex and violence are key to the plot or overall story of the book. There are few violent police chase scenes, if any at all. They rarely revolve around serial killers or any kind of related crimes.

    Essentially, you could never make them into the type of movie where there are tons of chase scenes, guns, and blood.

    Cozy mystery books are often modeled after the Golden Age of detective fiction.

    You’ll find that most of these books take place in small towns and often with detectives who are amateur sleuths. Instead of using complicated detective techniques or forensics, they often solve crimes through intuition and talking to people in the town.

    Because they’re not usually law enforcement, people are more likely to talk to them with their guard down, getting insights others could not.

    They also almost always are based in a small town or village, giving more of an intimate atmosphere. It’s important the town is interesting and the main character is likable, since that will prompt readers to come back and read more of their books in the series.

    While it’s not a book, the famous Murder, She Wrote starring Angela Lansbury is one of the most well-known shows of all time that embody the type of feel of cozy mysteries. Most of us can imagine what that show was like and how it was a calm show about solving mysteries with likable characters.

    Throughout the years, we have seen the genre begin to grow and start to push some boundaries on the topics that they cover, which is adding more to the ongoing debate of which books are still considered cozy mysteries or not.

    Top Cozy Mystery Authors

    Let’s take a look at some of the top cozy mystery authors of all time for you to check out. Then, we’ll dive into some of the top cozy mystery series so you can find a new story to hook you in. From there, we’ll go over some new series for you to check out from newer authors.

    Agatha Christie

    No list would ever be complete without mentioning the top cozy mystery author of all time, Agatha Christie. She is the one who lead the way for this genre to thrive and all of the authors who came after her to have a new genre to write books for.

    One of her most well-known characters is Miss Marple who starred in a ton of her books. The first book she makes an appearance in is The Murder at the Vicarage. It’s a character that evolves over time but her stories and role stay the same through all of the novels.

    There are twelve books in total with Miss Marple as the main star. That gives you more than enough books to dive into, fill your reading bucket, and revisit the classics that started the trend.

    Lilian Jackson Braun

    Lilian Jackson Braun wrote the famous The Cat Who series which spans over 29 different books featuring a reporter named Jim Qwilleran and his two cats.

    It’s a wonderful series that gives you more than enough stories to read.

    Dorothy L. Sayers

    As the writer of the Lord Peter Wimsey book series, she is considered one of the original four “Queens of Crime” book authors. She has quite a few other books as well, but the 14 books about Lord Peter Wimsey are her longest cozy mysteries.

    It should be noted that a lot of the women who were the leaders of this genre were criticized for almost writing books that were “too fluffy” instead of being what they called “serious crime novels”.

    Cozy Mystery Series

    If you’re looking for a series or book to dive into and become obsessed with, let’s look at some of the options out there.

    Keep in mind, there are so many mystery series that this list is only scratching the surface of the ones out there.

    Gethsemane Brown Series by Alexa Gordon

    Starting with the first book, Murder in G Major, we meet Gethsemane Brown, who is an African-American classical musician and expatriate to an Irish village. Travel through southwestern Ireland in this 4-part paranormal series.

    The Southern Vampire Mysteries by Charlaine Harris

    The Southern Vampire Mysteries is a series that spans over 13 books and is most well-known for being the series behind the show, True Blood.

    Cat in the Stacks Series by Dean James

    The Cat in the Stacks mystery series is a 15-part series set in the South. We meet Charlie Harris, who is a local librarian, and his cat named Diesel. It’s up to Charlie and Diesel to solve the local murder mysteries in the town and figure out the age old “Who done it?” question.

    New Cozy Books and Authors

    Now that we’ve covered some of the most famous authors and the biggest series, let’s go over some of the newer cozy mystery authors and their books.

    Killer Content by Olivia Blacke

    Set in New York, we meet Odessa who is trying to solve the murder of a fellow. Cops have declared this case just a simple accident but she knows there’s something more to it.

    Dial A for Aunties by Jesse Q Sutanto

    What happens when your mom and your meddling aunts help you get rid of a body after a terrible blind date? Well, if you read this book, you’ll find out exactly how this unfolds. It’s both a comedy and a mystery, so you can enjoy the best of both worlds.

    A Sprinkling of Murder by Daryl Wood Gerber

    In this book, we meet Courtney. She lost her mother when she was young and stopped believing in magic. As an adult, she is thrust into a mystery when the neighboring business owner ends up dead. She must now find her way back to her magic roots and solve the crime before her life falls apart.

    What to do next

    Are you looking to write your own book or start your writing career?

    Get the book template outline!

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  • How To Become A Literary Agent

    How To Become A Literary Agent

    If you want know how to become a literary agent, you have a great goal. Agents are the link between the writer and the publisher, and largely responsible for making a book go from the writer’s hands into the hands of the public. 

    Without literary agents, traditionally published authors would have an extremely difficult time getting published. If you are passionate about books, writing, interacting with others, and pitching projects you are passionate about, becoming a literary agent could be the perfect step for you.

    There is a process you can follow to help you reach your goals, salary expectations, and of course, a training pathway. In this article, we discuss all three:

    • Process
    • Salary Expectations
    • Training Pathway 

    Ready to dive in and get familiar with how to pursue your dream? Let’s go! 

    Process

    When choosing to become a literary agent, it’s important to follow three core steps. You could dive in and work to figure it out as you go, but to succeed long term, it’s crucial to set yourself up for success. 

    #1 – Familiarize yourself with the process.

    There are quite a few steps between the conception of a book idea and its final publication. As an agent, it’s your job to understand these steps, be able to articulate them to your client, and help them through the process. Below is a brief but not all-inclusive overview: 

    • Writer writes the book and proposal 
    • Agent shops the manuscript to acquisition editors 
    • The acquisition editor (if they like the book) research the writer’s platform and comparative titles
    • Acquisitions editor sets up a meeting with the publication board (pub board) and presents their findings
    • Often, an acquisition editor may contact the agent at this time and bring them up to speed on their progress 
    • Pub board votes on the project (either unanimous or majority vote)
    • If the vote goes through, the agent is notified and calls their client 

    Next, network with others in the industry. 

    #2 – Network.

    The more industry professionals you know, the higher your chances of engaging with the right writers, acquisitions editors, and publishers. If you want to become an agent but lack contacts, networking is a great way to start.

    Attend writing conferences, join live webinars, create a Twitter account and join the #WritingCommunity, or reach out to writing groups. The more people you know, the better your chances of becoming an agent and securing the right book deals with the right publishing houses.

    #3 – Intern with a professional agent.

    Even if you are post high school or college, an internship can be a great way to get your foot in the door and learn the process. Just as when you start a new job, you are trained, when learning how to become an agent, it’s helpful to have an agent train you.

    Working with a senior agent allows you to see the behind-the-scenes of the process, take notes on how agents and writers work together, and see details of the job you may otherwise miss. An internship, paid or unpaid, is an invaluable way to get hands-on experience in your desired job role.

    Salary Expectations

    Most agents require about a 15% commission rate on the published works of their clients. This commission is all-inclusive, meaning it encompasses anything from film rights to audiobook rights. 

    Note that the commission rate will likely be higher for you if the work includes a language translation or foreign rights sales.

    This commission fee is one reason why it is crucial to take on a client list you believe in and are passionate about helping. It is also crucial to vet writers before taking them on. Ask yourself the following questions before taking on a writer:

    • Are they hard workers? 
    • Is writing more of a side hobby or is it a career goal they’re willing to work for?
    • Are they actively learning how to write better, networking, and building their platform?

    An agent and writer contractual relationship may last for at least two years, so make sure you work with writers you truly do want to work with.

    Training Pathway 

    The pathway to becoming an agent varies person to person, but there are a few key steps you can start taking today to journey closer to your goal. Many of these steps are simply self-educating on the multifaceted industry that is publishing: 

    #1 – Learn what good writing is.

    If you want to make that 15% commission selling your client’s work, it’s important they are a great writer. Learn the difference between bad writing, good writing, and what makes writing truly great. 

    Learn to pick up the difference between passive and active writing. Identify first and third person stories and why each one used a different tense. 

    #2 – Learn about proposals.

    Your client’s book proposal can make or break the possibility of a great book deal. Learn what goes into developing a strong marketing plan, why endorsers matter, and the various checklists a writer needs to follow when including competitive titles. 

    #3 – Learn about acquisitions.

    As an agent, it will be your job to submit your client’s book proposal to an acquisitions editor. Knowing what they enjoy, what they are looking for, and the genres a particular house accepts is vital to you and your client’s success.

    Additionally, knowing when to pitch is an important element of successful pitching. Does December seem like a great month to pitch?* Make sure you know these answers. 

    *(December is typically not the best time to pitch because most publishers wind down their acquisitions between Thanksgiving and New Years.) 

    #4 – Get familiar with pitching (don’t apologize).

    There is a difference between pitching an idea, apologizing for adding to an editor’s inbox, and ending with “I completely understand if you do not want this title.” 

    Instead, learn how to pitch boldly, know the worth of your client’s idea, and pitch it well. Understand how to tread the line between being professional and personal, and learn the art of saying as much as possible with as few words as necessary.

    Take Your First Step Today

    If this article seemed a little overwhelming, don’t let it stop you from pursuing your dream. Yes, there was a lot of content, but you don’t need to pursue it all at once! In fact, it’s likely better to take it one step at a time.

    Rather than try to master each of the above steps, focus on one to educate yourself on today. Buy a book on how to write a great proposal or browse the web for free articles on the topic. Learn what goes into a proposal, and maybe try writing one yourself. 

    This will allow you to empathize with future clients while giving you concrete experience. The better you know how to complete the steps on your own, the more you can encourage your clients in the right direction.

    Becoming an agent is an exciting endeavor. You get to bridge the gap between their dream and its reality. This is not something to take lightly, but neither is it something to let overwhelm you. Enjoy the process of learning how to become an agent, signing on your first client, and don’t forget to celebrate when you both earn that first book contract!  

    Read here to find how people search for literary agents.

    TWL. CTA. Book Outline Template
  • 5 Quick Literary Agent Tips — Where And How to Find One

    5 Quick Literary Agent Tips — Where And How to Find One

    If you want to become an author, you’re going to need to find a literary agent. Agents can help you not only get your book ready to be published, but they can help you get your foot in the door to potential publishers.

    Finding a publishing company on your own versus trying to find one through an agent can be a much different experience. Most agents know people at publishing companies or they have a reputation for finding great books, so you can leverage their reputation to get your book published.

    The question is, how can you find a good agent and get them to represent your book?

    In this article, we’ll be going over literary agent tips. You will learn what they do, how you can find one, what you need to know as a writer, how to pitch one, and more.

    What Does A Literary Agent Do?

    Literary agents are the middle man between you and a publisher. They’re the ones who help get your manuscript in front of publishers who could publish your book.

    Once you find a publisher, they will often be the one to help you go through the process of putting all the publishing details together, such as negotiating contracts, putting together a solid manuscript, and fighting for you to get paid what you’re worth.

    If you feel comfortable pitching and negotiating with publishers, you might not need an agent. However, most writers just want to be creative and write instead of having to do everything else that comes with getting a book published. In that case, you’ll need an agent.

    Plus, agents can save you a ton of time since they know the industry and people in it, so they can get right down to business. If your agent has a good reputation, people in the industry are more likely to talk to them compared to a new author they don’t know.

    How Literary Agents Help You Get Published

    Not only do literary agents help you find a publisher, but they also help you prepare before you even begin the pitching process.

    Good agents will help you prepare your manuscript and make sure it’s ready to impress potential publishers. They will know how to position your book in a way that will intrigue publishers so your book has a better chance of being picked.

    Some of the biggest publishing companies will often only speak to agents and rarely take any individual manuscripts from independent authors.

    Keep in mind, most agents make their money through commissions so they are going to fight to get you the best deal as an author possible. Due to the commissions, some authors choose to self publish because it can be quite a big percentage.

    Generally, agents receive a 15% commission on book deals.

    Literary Agent Tips

    If you’re ready to commit and find a literary agent, let’s go over how you can get in touch with one and prepare to pitch them.

    Above all, you’re going to want to focus on finding an agent that has a good track record and is a good fit for your type of book. You want an agent who understands your style and is ready to promote it on your behalf.

    Otherwise, you could waste a ton of time talking to and trying to pitch agents that won’t help you publish your book.

    Different Types of Literary Agents

    There are different types of agents out there, depending on what kind you need or what kind of book you intend to publish.

    For the most part, you will find an agent that works on their own agenda.

    Some of those include the ones who just want to make a quick buck, the ones who want to help you perfect your art, and the ones who want to work with you long-term.

    They will all offer different things, so it’s important to sit down and ask yourself what you need out of an agent. Do you need more support? Someone tough at negotiating? Someone to help guide you? Someone you want to build a career-long relationship with?

    Answering those questions will help you find a good fit.

    Where to Find Literary Agents

    Let’s dive into where to find an agent that could be a good fit for you.

    Literary agent databases

    There are databases all over the internet with lists of agents you could get in touch with.

    Some sites include:

    Twitter

    Twitter is a popular platform for authors and agents to find each other. You’ll want to join writing groups and keyword search various agents on that platform to connect.

    This can also help you keep up to date with the editors you might want to work with. You can know when they’re looking for new writers, other passions they might have, and stay in contact with them.

    You might find certain hashtags, lists, or Twitter Spaces related to publishing. It might take a bit to find the ones that are a good fit, but it will be worth every second of work if you are able to sell your book.

    Networking events

    There are plenty of literary networking events that you could attend. Meeting someone face to face has such a bigger impact than a faceless email.

    You will want to spend the time to improve your elevator pitch before you attend an event. Having a solid reason why editors should be involved and excited about your book will help you stand out among the other writers out there.

    How to Pitch A Literary Agent

    You will need to make sure you do your research before you start to pitch to an agent. You’ll need to know the basics of who they are, what other types of books and authors they already represent, and why you would be a good addition to their list.

    The last thing you’ll want to do is pitch an agent who isn’t interested in your genre or style, mainly because you’ll just end up spinning your wheels trying to have them pick you.

    Instead, you’ll want to pitch agents where they would already want to pick you based on a certain number of factors.

    If you’re going to do the hard work of reaching out to them, you might as well make sure to stack the odds in your favor.

    Creating Your Query Letter

    While there are a lot of common errors with query letters, there isn’t always a set way to formulate these. However, there are some guidelines you can work within.

    First, you’ll want to make sure it’s no more than two or three paragraphs. You want to grab attention as fast as possible and keep your pitch right to the point.

    Once you know the general length, you’ll want to make sure you cover:

    • Why they should be interested in your book
    • A very quick summary of what your book is about
    • Why you think that agent is a good fit for you
    • Information about who you are (if you’ve won any writing awards, this is the time to mention them)
    • A manuscript (only if requested as some do not accept them without request)

    Be sure to make each of the queries personalized. Too many writers just send the same one over and over and then wonder why they don’t hear back from anyone.

    Related:

    Staying Persistent

    Keep in mind, you will often have to send hundreds of pitches and queries to get a response from an editor, especially if you’re a first-time author.

    Rarely will you hit it out of the park in your first few pitches.

    You should keep building your brand, keep writing, and keep pitching. All you need is one of them to say yes, but you will need to stay persistent.

  • How To Use Affiliate Marketing On Your Writing Website

    How To Use Affiliate Marketing On Your Writing Website

    Whatever form you use to publish your books, traditional or self-publishing, affiliate marketing is a great way to earn a second income stream through your platform. With countless books being published in both spheres, daily, making money from writing can feel daunting. 

    However, being an author today is quite similar to being an entrepreneur. Gone are the days when writers sat down at their desk, handwrote their manuscript, and mailed it in to the publisher, only to repeat the process.

    Today, author’s largely rely on platform to make sales, but marketing is not the only way to bring in revenue from your books. Affiliate marketing could be a helpful method to look into, and could be conducive to your making a lucrative career from your author website.

    In this article, we cover the following: 

    Ready to monetize your website, engage with other brands, and give your readers new opportunities? So how to use affiliate marketing on Your writing website? Let’s first lay the foundation of what exactly this form of marketing is. 

    What Is Affiliate Marketing?

    Affiliate marketing is a way for writers to earn a commission based on their promotion of a product or service with a different company. Since companies want marketing, and writers want revenue, affiliate marketing is the common ground between the two.

    This form of marketing is results-based. Usually it relies on one of three points of contact between the author and their audience for the author to earn a commission:

    • A sale (a course, a book, etc.)
    • A lead (such as readers opting in to a lead magnet)
    • Clicks (signing up for a webinar, free class, etc.)

    An additional bonus to adding this stream of income to your website is that there are traditionally little to zero start-up costs. For instance, you’re in business if a company:

    • Reaches out to you
    • Asks you to be a “brand ambassador”
    • Invites you to use a unique coupon code 
    • Tells you to promote the code to your followers
    • Ensures you will earn a commission for any sales with the code

    This is another form of affiliate marketing common to social media and specifically, influencers. But how much can you actually earn using your platform to market other brands? Is it worth it to saturate your own, curated platform for a commission of sales you may or may not make?

    How Much You Can Earn?

    According to one site, statista estimates the affiliate marketing industry will be worth $8.2 billion by 2022, up from $5.4 billion in 2017. However, the way you execute affiliate marketing largely determines if you can create and grow it as a successful income stream. We will dive into this in a little bit.

    That said, what you earn is entirely based on commission. You can’t rely on a steady income, and how you market products, who makes up your audience, and even the trends in the economy can influence the amount of commissions you receive. 

    If you have a large platform, market effectively, and your audience has disposable income to use on the products or services, you can expect to do well. The percentage of commission you make will vary company to company, so make sure it is an acceptable percentage before you agree.

    However, Payscale researched over 7,000 profiles and reported the average salary for an affiliate marketer was over $53,000. Remember, this was the average annual salary, and Payscale also reported that a large number of affiliate marketers make much more.

    What Are Some Examples?

    Three concrete examples of affiliate marketing are as follows.

    #1 – Pay per sale: This may be one of the most common examples for ways in which affiliate marketers make their commission. When you make a sale for the company, the company pays you a percentage. 

    #2 – Pay per action: Marketers want their audience to take action. Whether they create what’s stereotypically called a call-to-action at the end of a blog, ask users to trade their email to receive a newsletter, or something else, affiliate marketers can make money each time a user completes an action. 

    #3 – Pay per lead: Are you looking to grow your email list? Chances are high that at least one company you market for is as well. With offers being made around the clock in order to draw in leads, guide them through a sales funnel, and eventually make a sale, this is a common way you could receive your payout.  

    For instance, let’s say you team up with a successful author and promote their writing course. You could get paid every time a user purchases the course, opts in to their newsletter, or enters a sweepstakes or some other lead.

    Check how to earn money with affiliate links.

    Things To Be Aware Of.

    When it comes to affiliate marketing, integrity and honesty are the name of the game. Social media users know that influencers can make six figures, if not more, for simply posting a square to their grid. Maintaining integrity in posting about products or services is crucial if you want to keep your affiliations, not to mention your honesty. 

    Do your due diligence prior to making a post, and read the room globally before pressing post. Some affiliate marketing may be acceptable and even needed during specific times, others could appear tone-deaf and intensitive. 

    Different Affiliate Schemes 

    Depending on your personal brand goals, you may want to choose to go with either ClickBank or Amazon. For instance, Amazon sells physical products. Are you a writer wanting to promote ergonomic keyboards, your favorite planner, or your go-to pen? Consider working with Amazon.

    ClickBank, on the other hand, focuses more on digital products. Take note of any percentages that may be taken from your commission rate: “At ClickBank, we do charge a small commission to our vendors on product transactions, so as an affiliate, your commission is based on the remaining total.” 

    You may also want to consider the eBay Partner Network. They are known as one of the highest programs, with commissions going from 50-70%. Even if you choose to work with eBay, they allow you to work with other programs and do not demand exclusive rights. 

    What’s Right For You?

    Your next best step will depend on your brand, your career goals, and your website presence. What do you want viewers to think first when they land on your website? Do you want to come off as salesy, and if not, what’s the best way to start affiliate marketing? 

    Consider these questions before setting out. While this form of marketing can be extremely lucrative for some, for others it may hijack the brand you’ve worked so hard to build. Remember that growth will likely be slow and steady whether you increase your income through book sales or other income streams. 

    Regardless, affiliate marketing could be just what you need to get over a growth hurdle and continue in an upward trajectory. Take your time, research different programs, carefully access your brand and long-term goals, and only then take the plunge. Best wishes on whatever route you choose! 

    TWL. CTA. Book Outline Template
  • How To Successfully Find Copywriting Jobs (+ Tips to Land Them)

    How To Successfully Find Copywriting Jobs (+ Tips to Land Them)

    Anyone who wants to make a living as a writer has probably considered copywriting as an option. You might wonder what it takes to find your first copywriting jobs or what you need to do to become a copywriter in the first place.

    If you don’t know, copywriting is simply persuasive writing.

    It’s the art of using words to get people to do something, whether it’s sign up for an email list, buy something, subscribe to a YouTube channel, or something else.

    Companies mostly use copywriters to increase their brand awareness or improve their sales and conversions.

    Even if you don’t plan to become a full-time copywriter, it’s a great skill to learn so you can use it in your day-to-day life. For example, if you’re trying to ask your boss for a raise, knowing how to use the art of persuasive writing can help you pitch it in a way that increases your chances of success.

    For some context as the author of this post, I have been a full-time freelance copywriter since 2012. It is an excellent choice for writers if they are passionate about writing and marketing.

    If you don’t have any passion for business and consumer behavior, there are so many other type of writing jobs you could get into, but you won’t enjoy copywriting. It is much more business-oriented than pure creative writing. Don’t get me wrong, there’s a ton of creativity, you just need to focus on the business goals as well.

    If any of that sounds interesting to you, you’re going to enjoy this career whether you get a traditional job or go the freelance route.

    We’ll be going over what copywriting jobs consist of, where you can find them, what requirements you’ll need to become one, how much you can expect to be paid, and more.

    What you need to know about copywriting jobs

    The first thing you need to know about copywriting jobs is that they’re often different than traditional writing jobs.

    Because so much of copywriting is directly tied to business and marketing, these are industries you’ll need to at least loosely know as well as copywriting.

    There are a few forms of copy you’ll need to know in order to find a job as well.

    Pro tip: It’s called copy. Not “copies”. Copywriters write copy. That’s what it’s called and will save you from looking like a newbie when you’re applying for jobs.

    For the most part, you will be given a wide variety of assignments as a copywriter. The only way you can avoid this is by specializing and choosing to freelance. For example, you could choose to only write email funnels.

    However, if you’re going to get a job as a copywriter, you could given assignments like:

    • Landing pages
    • Website copy
    • Social media posts
    • Company pitches
    • Email marketing campaigns
    • Slogans
    • Advertisements
    • Product descriptions
    • Blogs

    The perk of this is that it can be exciting to come into work every day and have new types of assignments on your desk.

    For the most part, unless you’re hired on directly to work with a company, you will find a ton of agency jobs out there. When you work at an agency, you’re also going to be tasked with writing for various industries.

    If you love a challenge and learning a new industry, you will thrive.

    The fun part about copywriting is that there are so many ways you can customize your career and the types of assignments you work on.

    What are the requirements needed to get a copywriting job

    While degrees aren’t always required to become a copywriter, they do help. Because copywriting is also directly tied with marketing, you will often see copywriters with some form of marketing or business degree instead of a writing degree.

    However, having a degree in general isn’t always needed.

    The most important skill you need is to be able to write high-quality copy. It matters more than any degree or background you could have.

    You need to spend your time creating a portfolio that stands out and summarizes all of your creativity in one place.

    If you’re new to copywriting, you might not have a huge portfolio. That doesn’t stop you from putting together some mock pieces to showcase what you could do for a company.

    You can also put all of your past writing experience into your portfolio. You’ll need copywriting pieces but it’s not a bad idea to show that you’re a versatile and strong writer.

    Where to find copywriting jobs

    Depending on what kind of copywriting job you want (traditional 9-to-5 versus freelance), you’re going to be looking in different places.

    However, the thing that combines both of these worlds is networking. Networking will play a huge role in your success with finding a job, no matter which way you go about it.

    Next to networking, you’re going to need a solid portfolio. More than any degree out there, your portfolio is the key to getting hired as a copywriter.

    Traditional copywriting jobs

    To find a traditional copywriting job, the first thing you’re going to need is a solid portfolio. From there, you’ll need a resume with the basics of your school and work experience.

    When it comes to finding the actual jobs to apply to, there are thousands of sites from LinkedIn to Indeed to search through.

    If you want to stand out as a copywriter, it might be better to find a specific agency or company you want to work for and then send your information over to the right person.

    At most companies, you’re going to want to find the creative director or someone in the communications department at the company.

    Sure, it helps if a company is actually hiring at that moment so you can get your foot in the door, but don’t underestimate the value of networking and getting your portfolio in the hands of people who could hire you.

    Freelance copywriting jobs

    While there are sites out there like Upwork to find your first freelance copywriting jobs, know that they’re incredibly competitive and the rate is often pennies on the dollar for the hard work you put in.

    In all of my years of experience, the best way to find freelance copywriting jobs is to find companies and niches you’re passionate about and directly pitch them.

    It helps to have your prices figured out ahead of time so you can pitch them and mention pricing instead of doing the awkward, “Well what can you afford?” dance that new freelance copywriters do.

    It takes a while to get your foot in the door, so be patient while you

    What do copywriting jobs pay

    According to Payscale, the average copywriting salary is $54,909 per year.

    For freelance copywriters, the pay is all over the map. It’s possible to make six-figures or just a few hundred dollars a month, depending on what kind of copy you want to do, the niches you work in, and how much you want to work.

    For the most part, freelance copywriters charged based on project or type of copy.

    For example, you could sell a package of four different emails for a company for a flat rate. You can do hourly or by word, but it’s not as common as per project. To figure out your pricing, you’ll want to figure out how long certain types of project take and then work backwards to an hourly rate.

    It’s not unheard of for new copywriters to start around $30 per hour. Of course, depending on your experience, you might feel comfortable charging more or less.

    What to do next

    Looking to find a supportive group of freelancers to get

    Learn How to Start Your Freelance Writing Business!
  • Why and How to Pay Estimated Taxes: An Explainer for Freelance Writers

    Why and How to Pay Estimated Taxes: An Explainer for Freelance Writers

    This is my ninth year of full-time freelance writing, which I’d like to say makes me an expert at freelance taxes.

    However, the truth is that I learn something new every year — whether it’s how much to set aside for estimated taxes, what accounting software I should be using or what percentage of my internet bill counts as a business expense.

    I will give you this tip, as someone who’s been in the freelance tax-paying game for a while: the best thing you can do as a freelancer is get a CPA, and the second-best thing you can do is ask your CPA questions. Trust me on this one.

    Asking the right questions can save you a lot of time and prevent you from getting stuck with an unexpected tax bill in April.

    So let’s dive in. First, we’ll look at what questions to ask your accountant before tax time, then we’ll look at what estimated taxes are and how to pay estimated taxes, then we’ll look at other frequently asked questions, aka FAQs for freelancer taxes.

    Ask these questions to your accountant before tax time

    Here are some of the questions I wish I’d asked my CPA when I first started doing freelance taxes, as well as a few items I wouldn’t have known about unless my CPA had told me.

    Remember that I’m not an accountant, so if you want real tax advice, you need to ask your own CPA these same questions:

    1. Is there a preferred accounting software you’d like me to use?

    When I started freelancing, I did all of my accounting on a handmade spreadsheet, assisted by a few Gmail folders labeled “tax deductions,” a box of paper receipts and my bank statements. Last year, I got a new CPA who suggested I switch to a standard accounting software. This would make her life easier, as she wouldn’t have to decipher my spreadsheets — which make perfect sense to me — and she thought it might make my life easier as well.

    Turns out she was right.

    If you aren’t already using a freelance accounting software, it’s worth it to try one. The Write Life recommends FreshBooks and Harvest, but you should also ask your CPA if they have a preferred accounting software.

    2. What can — and can’t — I do in my home office?

    I used to freelance in a studio apartment, and my CPA told me that, since I used the same small table for writing, eating, and watching TV shows on my laptop, it didn’t count as a home office.

    To claim the home office deduction, he explained, I had to have a space reserved only for work.

    When I moved into a larger apartment, I had enough space to reserve a corner for a home office.

    If you want to claim the home office deduction, talk to your CPA about what you can and can’t do in that space to make sure it qualifies.

    3. Is my laptop or phone a depreciating asset?

    Your CPA may ask you about depreciating assets, which are physical items that lose value over time.

    You’re allowed to deduct a portion of this asset’s cost over the life of the asset, which is the kind of statement that is complicated enough that you should really leave it to your CPA.

    But you should also ask your CPA if your laptop is a depreciating asset. If you use your smartphone for business, or if you have cameras or microphones for vlogging or podcasting, ask about those too.

    Any technology that you use for work and regularly replace might count as a depreciating asset, and get you one more tax deduction.  

    4. What percentage of my phone and internet bills can I deduct?

    If you use your home internet for business — and what freelancer doesn’t? — you are entitled to deduct a percentage of your internet bill on your taxes. Same goes for your smartphone bill.

    Depending on what your CPA thinks of your home office, you may also be able to deduct some of your utilities. Ask. Don’t assume your CPA will bring it up.

    5. Do I need a business license?

    Sometimes paying federal and state taxes aren’t enough. Depending on your business, you may need a business license, which comes with business taxes. You may also need to pay city taxes as well.

    So ask your CPA whether you need a business license. Don’t just go to your state’s licensing page, search the licenses, and assume that you’re okay because you don’t see a license option for “freelance writer.”

    I pay business taxes to the State of Washington under the category “Service and Other Activities; Gambling Contests of Chance (less than $50,000 a year).” That’s why you need to ask a professional about these kinds of things.

    6. What deductions should I track?

    Freelancers are often entitled to more deductions than we realize, and we deserve to claim all of them. If you go to a writers’ conference, for example, you will probably be able to deduct the cost of the conference, the cost of the travel, and a percentage of your meals.

    But you won’t know what you can deduct until you ask. Research materials? Postage? That time you asked another freelancer for an informational interview and paid for the coffee? What about the Lyft you took to interview a source? Or the mileage, if you drove your own car?

    There are lots of potential freelance deductions out there, so it’s important to track your expenses, even the small ones, and ask your CPA which of these expenses you should deduct.

    Don’t forget to ask which deductions you might overlook, or which deductions you should track for next year’s taxes, like the cost of that accounting software you just bought!

    Estimated Quarterly Taxes – The What, Why, and How

    We all know to file an individual tax return by April every year. 

    But did you know that as a business owner, you’re expected to file estimated payments every quarter, as well? 

    It’s true. Once you expect to owe the federal government at least $1,000 in taxes each year, you are expected to file quarterly taxes throughout the year. 

    Why? Because the government doesn’t want to wait until April to get a cut of what you earn. It wants you to pay as you go, just like if you were an employee at a company that withheld taxes from your paycheck and paid them consistently on your behalf.

    Paying quarterly estimated taxes isn’t optional; if you fail to pay up throughout the year, the government could penalize you with interest when you file your tax return for not paying enough tax.

    Filing quarterly is old hat for me now, but I remember how I felt about this when I first launched my own business. I wondered how the heck new business owners were supposed to know about this! No fairy Godmother shows up at your door and says, I see you’re self-employed! Let me walk you through your tax requirements.

    I was fortunate to have my accountant dad, who co-authored The Money Guide for Freelance Writers, to educate me. Here’s what he taught me.

    Why you have to pay estimated quarterly taxes

    Knowing you’re supposed to do something often isn’t enough for smart business owners. We want to know why we’re supposed to do it. Plus, understanding the logic behind this can make it easier to follow through.

    So here’s why quarterly tax payments exist. One of the perks of working for someone else’s company is they pay taxes on behalf of the employee throughout the year. Each time that employee gets a paycheck, the company withholds Social Security, Medicare and income taxes, which means that money’s gone before the employee even opens the paycheck.

    As a result, employees sometimes forget they’re paying taxes throughout the year. Even if you know those taxes come out of your paycheck, it’s not something you think much about until you file your annual tax return and figure out whether you have to pay more or receive a welcome refund.

    Here’s the difference when you’re self-employed: no company pays those taxes on your behalf. It’s up to you to make the payments. And when you do so every few months, it might feel like a kick in the gut.

    The reason it hurts so much is because taxes eat up a significant portion of your income. Most freelancers who encounter this for the first time think they earned decent take-home pay during the quarter, only to realize they have to pay a big chunk of those earnings to their federal and state governments.

    Instead of getting frustrated with taxes, let’s focus on helping you understand when and how to pay them, so you can get back to the fun parts of running a business.

    When are estimated taxes due?

    This tends to be one of the biggest questions around quarterly taxes: when are estimated taxes due?

    You’re required to file them on the same schedule each year. (Unless, of course, the government delays these deadlines because of a pandemic or some other widespread disaster, like it did in 2020.)

    Here’s the schedule for filing estimated payments:

    • By April 15: to cover earnings from Jan. 1 – March 31 (Q1)
    • By June 15: to cover earnings from April 1 – May 31 (Q2)
    • By Sep. 15: to cover earnings from June 1 – Aug. 31 (Q3)
    • By Jan. 15: to cover earnings from Sep. 1 – Dec. 31 (Q4)

    The schedule can be confusing because payments aren’t due exactly three months apart. They’re called “quarterly payments,” but, as you can see, they don’t all cover a three-month period.

    Still, because of how these “quarters” are spread out, it’s OK to think of each payment as covering three months’ worth of tax, if that’s easier to wrap your head around.

    In the middle of this schedule, you’ll also have another big deadline: tax day on April 15.

    If you’ve filed a tax return previously that includes self-employed income and used a tax software like TurboTax, that software will likely provide you with estimated tax payment forms. It might even tell you how much to pay quarterly, basing those estimates on what you earned the previous year.

    What should I do about estimated taxes if my income increases?

    This is the one question I wish I had asked sooner.

    The first CPA I worked with looked at my yearly income and gave me a set of estimated tax vouchers to use on the following year’s quarterly estimated taxes. I got four completed estimated tax forms, each with an amount of money that I was supposed to pay. All I had to do was write the checks and drop the estimated tax vouchers in the mail on their respective due dates (or pay online).

    However, I increased my freelance income significantly from the previous year to the next. I didn’t realize that meant I was paying significantly less in estimated taxes than I should have been paying.

    My CPA and I discovered that, thanks to my increased income, I owed the IRS an additional $5,443.

    If your CPA gives you estimated tax vouchers, ask what you should do if your income increases.

    In my case, I started putting aside a percentage of my income to go towards estimated taxes, instead of paying a fixed number on a voucher.

    How to pay estimated taxes

    Let’s assume this is your first year as a freelancer and you need to seek out quarterly payment forms for the first time. You can pay online; this IRS website lays out your options.

    You can also pay via check after downloading this form online: Form 1040-ES. 

    While I do almost all my filings online these days, I still pay estimated payments via check, because I have a system that works for me. I keep paper forms for estimated payments in a folder in my office, so once it’s time to pay, I don’t have to search around online to find the right forms and addresses for where to send them. All my paperwork is waiting right in that folder, and I can easily write a check and drop it in the mailbox. 

    Worried you’ll forget to pay estimated taxes? I add reminders for all of these dates on my Google Calendar when I file my tax return each year, so I know I’ll see the reminder throughout the year.

    How much estimated tax should you pay?

    How much tax you pay depends on your tax bracket and a host of other factors, including how much you can claim in deductions. This can make it difficult to figure out how much estimated tax you should pay.

    But here’s the good news: Estimated tax payments are simply estimates. They’re not expected to be perfect. They just have to be close enough. 

    Your goal — and what the IRS requires — is to pay either 100% of the estimated tax that would be due according to your previous year’s tax return, or 90% of what you actually owe this year.

    To make this simple for you, I wish I could say, “put aside 30% of your business profit each quarter to pay estimated taxes.”

    But you might pay more, or you might pay less. Here are three ways to figure out how big a check to write each quarter. 

    1. Ask your accountant

    If you work with an accountant, you can ask them to help you figure out how much to pay in estimated tax. They’ll walk you through it so the outcome is based on your specific situation.

    For most of us, this is the best way to get an accurate figure. 

    2. Use last year’s tax return as a guide

    Look at your tax return from last year. If you expect your income to be similar this year, figure out your effective tax rate.

    Since your effective tax rate isn’t listed on your tax return, here’s a simple way to calculate it: divide the total tax you paid last year by your adjusted gross income.

    Then use your effective tax rate to calculate your estimated taxes: multiply your effective tax rate by this quarter’s profit. 

    This isn’t a perfect method, but it should get you close enough.

    3. Rely on IRS forms

    Another option is to use the worksheet on IRS Form 1040-ES to figure out how much you owe. 

    Spoiler alert: this isn’t easy! Even IRS worksheets that are meant to make our lives easier tend to be incredibly complicated.

    Paying estimated quarterly state and local taxes

    Yes, you have to pay state income tax in addition to federal income tax. Unless you live in a state with no income tax.

    State income tax varies considerably depending on where you live, starting at zero in nine states. In West Virginia, where I live, it’s about 6.5%. In California it’s more than 13%.

    Whether your state collects income tax and how aggressively has a big effect on how much you need to put aside for taxes. The same goes for local taxes. If you live in California, which has high state tax, or New York City, which has high local tax, you might find yourself having to put aside 35% to 40% of your income for tax. If you live in Texas, which does not collect income tax, you might fall on the lower end of the spectrum, putting aside 25% or less of your income.

    If your ears perked up when I said “no income tax,” here’s a list of nine states where that dream is reality: Alaska, Florida, Nevada, South Dakota, Texas, Washington, and Wyoming. New Hampshire and Tennessee also don’t tax wages, but they do tax investment income and dividends. 

    Some people who have flexibility over location move to states with no income tax to keep more money in their pocket. It adds up over time!

    To figure out how to file estimated state tax where you live, simply google “[your state] estimated tax payments.” That should return forms and instructions, including an option to pay online through your state’s department of tax or revenue site; avoid third-party sites that charge you for filing. 

    Instructions vary by state, but pay your state estimated taxes on the same schedule as your federal payments. Local tax deadlines are usually different than federal and state deadlines.

    Strategies for covering estimated tax

    Just because you only have to pay these taxes four times each year doesn’t mean you should wait until then to think about them. In fact, if you make that mistake, you might not have enough money in the bank to cover your estimated payments.

    That’s why many freelancers squirrel away money for taxes each month. Some freelancers leave that money sitting in their checking account until it’s time to pay up, while others open a separate bank account to collect money that will eventually go toward taxes, to keep them from spending it.

    Freelance writer Nicole Dieker, for example, wrote about how she stashes away 20% of her income each month. Why only 20%? Because at the time of writing that post, she lived in Washington State, which does not have state income tax. This is why it’s so important to know your state’s laws and work them into your financial strategy.

    Financial writer Carrie Smith at one point made a regular transfer of 15% to 20% of her earnings into a separate savings account. She even nicknamed the account “Income Taxes.”

    “The hard part is vowing not to touch it,” Carrie wrote on her blog. “But if you can stick with it, the next time you have to pay your tax bill, you’ll be glad you put this strategy into practice.”

    Putting money aside for estimated taxes, rather than hoping you’ll have enough when it’s time to pay them, is one smart way to decrease your stress while working for yourself.

    FAQs and Mistakes to Avoid

    • How do I avoid being audited by the IRS as a freelancer and small business owner?

    The absolute best way to avoid an IRS audit (or to survive one if you do get audited) is to be honest. If you keep good records and report your income and expenses properly, you have nothing to worry about!

    Again, we highly recommend hiring a reputable CPA, who does tax returns for a living. They’ve studied tax laws, they know the forms, and they’ve taken the tests to become certified. They’ll know the ins and outs and make sure things are done right. At the very least, use good software like FreshBooks, GetHarvest, Quickbooks, or Turbo Tax.

    • What are the most common tax return mistakes and red flags?

    Check your tax return for these 10 IRS red flags:

    1. Failure to report all income
    2. Filing a loss consistently
    3. Taking the wrong business deductions
    4. Too-neat of numbers (rounding everything to hundreds and thousands)
    5. Incorrectly using the home office deduction
    6. Overstating business entertainment and meal costs
    7. Independent contractor vs. employee classifications
    8. Misclassifying other income if you have multiple jobs
    9. Very low income, aka claiming the earned income tax credit (EITC)
    10. Mathematical errors

    If you’re afraid of filing your taxes because of all these potential red flags, don’t be. Only about two percent of Americans are audited each year, and most of them have committed serious tax errors or are clearly trying to claim excessive, irrelevant deductions.

    As long as you keep good records, take only deductions for which you legitimately qualify, and are careful not to make a mistake, you’ll be good to go.

    Conclusion

    Getting a good CPA is the first step towards running your freelance business effectively.

    Asking the right questions — especially around tax time — is the second one.

    Do both, and you’ll probably find that your freelance taxes get easier every year.

    What questions do you wish you’d asked when you started doing freelance taxes?

    Pieces of this article are excerpts from The Money Guide for Freelance Writers: How to Manage (And Feel Good About) Your Finances.

    This post contains affiliate links. That means if you purchase through our links, you’re supporting The Write Life — and we thank you for that!

    This is an updated version of a story that was previously published. We update our posts as often as possible to ensure they’re useful for our readers.

  • How to Write Creepy Books for Adults

    How to Write Creepy Books for Adults

    Halloween has come and gone, but readers of all ages love to cozy up with a good horror book throughout the fall and winter. So why not try your hand at writing a creepy book

    People have been fascinated by creepy subject matter since… well, forever. Ghost stories have been around since people have, and it’s not hard to see why. Horror is a way for us to explore one of our most primal emotions—fear—and it’s a way for us to talk about subjects that are often taboo in regular conversation, like death.

    If you’re in the mood to write something scary this season, you’ve come to the right place. In this article, we’ll talk about what makes a book creepy, then we’ll walk you through the process of how to write creepy books.

    What makes a book creepy? (Things to consider)

    First and foremost, let’s clear something up: you don’t have to write a horror story to write a creepy story.

    Horror is a genre that intends to disgust or frighten the reader. The entire goal is to make the reader feel unpleasant. If you’re writing a horror novel, you want that at the forefront of your mind.

    However, not every book with scary elements is horror. Paranormal romance, for example, often includes frightening creatures or spooky settings, but the objective isn’t to scare the reader—it’s to tell a love story. The reader is meant to feel all the feelings they might get from a romance, just with a side of creepiness. For more on romance tropes, read this article.

    This is all to say that you can use these tips even if you’re not writing a straightforward horror novel. Got a fantasy adventure with a scene in which your characters have to crawl through a haunted dungeon? You’ll want to know how to write that haunted dungeon to its full creepy potential. Got an action thriller with a torture sequence? If you want it to land, you’ll need to know how to use suspense and how to write violent scenes.

    So, what makes a book creepy?

    Dark atmosphere and tone

    The atmosphere in your book is the mood you’re creating for the reader. You could say it’s the book’s ‘vibe.’ Atmosphere varies from chapter to chapter or scene to scene (this comes with emotional variance—some scenes will be happy, some will be sad, etc), but there’s still an overarching sense of atmosphere throughout a given novel.

    In order to manipulate your novel’s atmosphere, you have to manipulate your tone. Grammarly defines tone as “the attitude your words employ.” To explain this, let’s take a look at two examples.

    Example A: “Mike’s totally crazy. He totaled Dad’s car doing donuts in the Hobby Lobby parking lot last weekend, and honestly, it’ll be a surprise if Dad lets him off the hook this time.”

    This feels like someone telling you a story. The words here aren’t very formal, the sentences aren’t super complicated, and overall it reads casually. This is a conversational tone.

    Example B: “Mike’s madness settled. In the dim light of the Hobby Lobby parking lot, his tires squealed, circling like the crows dumpster-diving behind the adjacent Olive Garden. He should go home. He knows he should go home. But his father will be there, and this time, Mike’s not getting off the hook.”

    Okay, so the Hobby Lobby thing aside, this is a different vibe. Words like ‘madness’ and phrases like ‘dim light’ give this telling a more serious, creepy flavor. This is a sinister tone.

    To create a creepy atmosphere by using tone in your story, focus on sensory details and use figurative language to create associations with spooky stuff. Vary your sentence structure to add tension or drama. ‘Leaves crunched under their feet’ is okay, but ‘leaves crunched under their feet like broken teeth’ makes me think of chewing leaves or chewing broken teeth, and both are gross! Which is what we want.

    There are all kinds of literary devices that will help you develop your creative writing.

    Uncomfortable setting

    Another way to make your book creepy is to put your characters in an uncomfortable setting. You can do this the obvious way by putting your characters in a cold, damp, dark, generally claustrophobic environment, but they don’t have to be in a creepy cave or scary dungeon to have a terrible time.

    The setting should pose a problem for the characters. Maybe this is a beautiful home, but the people in it are kind of evil and scary. Maybe it’s a decent hotel room, but there’s no smoking allowed, and our protagonist is starting to yearn for a cigarette.

    Use the setting and the characters’ circumstances to layer discomfort until they’re swaddled in a thick, itchy blanket of misery.

    Paranormal activity

    Paranormal activity includes monsters, ghosts, the undead, spirits, demons, fairies, that kind of thing. The paranormal doesn’t have to be scary, but it definitely can be. If you’re including paranormal activity in your book, decide on the creature’s limitations and abilities and stick to them while you’re writing. This will keep your reader from getting confused and pulled out of the story by seemingly random, unexplained events or new powers coming out of nowhere.

    Nail-biting suspense

    Suspense is necessary for any storytelling—you’ll find a little suspense in most children’s books as well as books for adults. Suspense is what makes readers anticipate what’s coming up next, and if they don’t care, then they’re probably going to put the book down.

    Adding a ton of suspense, though, takes the reader past anticipation and into discomfort. It puts them on the edge of their seat and, ideally, they’re afraid of what’s going to happen next, but too invested to quit.

    How do you create this experience in the reader? It might seem difficult, but it’s a trick as old as time: setup and payoff.

    You want to establish the threat early on—in a horror story, this might be the opening scene where some unnamed character is murdered so we can see and fear the monster. Once you’ve set up the threat, you’ve done most of the work. The audience will be waiting for that threat to show up, and when it does, they’ll be both horrified and satisfied to see the setup paid off.

    You can play with suspense (and with setup and payoff) in other ways to unsettle the reader. Having things go not quite the way the reader expects them to will, in general, make them uncomfortable and eager to see the problem resolved. You just want to make sure that problem is resolved.

    Say your main character, Sarah, checks into a hotel. The staff all greet her warmly as “Paige.” When Sarah corrects them, the staff seem confused, and they don’t actually listen to her—they just keep calling her Paige.

    That’s kind of creepy—it’s definitely intriguing. Who’s Paige? Why are the staff so vehement about all this? We’re unsettled, and we want to know what’s going on. If we keep reading and the novelist never gives us any kind of a reason for why this is going on—in other words, it’s dropped—this immediately becomes frustrating because it’s a waste of time. There was no need for it—it didn’t matter to the story.

    How to write a creepy book

    Now that you know how writing creepy books works, you’re ready to get started on your own. We’re going to talk about the process from brainstorming all the way to revisions, so buckle up!

    Mindmap

    First, you’ll want to brainstorm—I suggest a mindmap. Mind Maps are word-association tools used to generate new ideas quickly, and they’re great for visual learners.

    To make one, find a mind-mapping software. Or, do it the old-fashioned way and write a word down in the center of a page. Write a line coming out from that word, and write something you might associate with it. We’re writing a creepy book, so we want things to stay on theme. If your first word is ‘nighttime,’ your associated words might be ‘haunting,’ ‘nightmare,’ ‘sleep paralysis demon,’ or ‘storm.’

    Do the same thing with those associated words until you’re all out of ideas. You should end up with what looks like a big web of ideas, images, characters, and plot points.

    Outline

    Take all the ideas, images, characters, and plot points you generated using your mind map and turn them into an outline.

    There are a few ways to go about this, none of them wrong: you might make a bullet-point list of the beats in your story, and you might include images or bits of dialogue as notes off to the side. An outline could be index cards taped to a piece of posterboard or to your wall, with each index card containing a nugget from your mind map.

    This is basically a guide for you to use while you’re drafting so that if you get stuck, lost, or scared, you’ve got a way to keep going instead of giving up. Do whatever works for you. Some people (myself included) like to do a combination brainstorm, outline, and rough draft—others find that separating these into different processes saves them time.

    Rough Draft

    With your outline handy to serve as your guide, you’re ready to start the drafting process. When you’re writing the rough draft of your novel, your objective is to complete the story as quickly as possible. 

    Pause as little as you can—if you hit a plot hole or unforeseen snag that threatens to stall the draft for days, if not weeks, make a note, accept that you’ll have to fix it later, and just move on to the next thing (that’s what your outline is for, remember?). If you think of a new idea, make a note (try a separate document or notebook if that helps to keep things sorted) and keep moving.

    Rough drafts do not need to be good—in fact, they’re not going to be. Any given rough draft is going to be almost entirely rewritten during revisions anyway. (I’m talking to myself a little bit, here, as someone who tends to let perfectionism hinder the actual completion of a draft.) Jane Smiley said that “every first draft is perfect because all the first draft has to do is exist,” and she’s perfectly right.

    Revise

    Almost all of the writing process takes place in revisions. You’re going to rewrite almost everything you wrote in your rough draft several times. I don’t say this to overwhelm you, but rather to help you set reasonable expectations—this is going to take a while, and that’s normal.

    But how do you avoid endlessly rewriting, creating new problems, and working in circles?

    Keep your story top of mind. Your first few passes at revision should be about things like character’s motives, pacing, fixing plot holes—structural stuff. Are you setting up a good satisfying scare for your audience, and if so, are you paying it off later? Once you’ve got the structure down, you’ll start looking at word choice. Are you using tone to set a creepy atmosphere when you want to?

    While much of the drafting process is up to you, it is really recommended that you do structural edits before line edits. Otherwise, you could labor over sentences, paragraphs, pages, or even chapters that end up just getting deleted.

    Next Step

    Now that you know what makes a book creepy, and have an overview of how to write one, it’s time to get started. Check out this resource to help you take the next step.

    twl-fiction-prompts
  • Clarity of Writing: 9 Proven Techniques to Writing Well

    Clarity of Writing: 9 Proven Techniques to Writing Well

    While everyone will have their own definition of what good writing looks like, bad writing is more universally recognizable. 

    If you want to write well, it’s essential to write clearly. Anything else is an absolute disservice to your self-respect as a writer, not to mention the time and attention of your reader.

    Sometimes, writers fall into the trap of thinking that if they have an important enough message to share, or an entertaining story to tell, they can get by with not writing clearly. That’s simply not the case. You run a real risk of readers switching off from your work entirely if your writing is unclear.

    Let’s explore the concept of clarity of writing as well as nine techniques to attain it.

    What is clarity in writing?

    Clarity in writing is achieved when your intended meaning is expressed as efficiently as possible.

    To understand what clarity in writing looks like, it’s useful to consider its opposite. 

    When writing is unclear, it causes unnecessary mental effort for your reader. Having to decipher a sentence is not conducive to appreciating or absorbing it.

    So what are some of the main impediments to clarity in writing?

    1. Wordiness. Efficient writers are economical with their words. Saying more with less is a fundamental part of writing well.
    2. Unstructured text. If sentences, paragraphs, and sections or chapters lack a logical flow, your reader will lose focus. A clear structure is essential for effective writing.
    3. Inappropriate language. If you use jargon, metaphors, cultural references, or anything else outside of your intended reader’s expectation or understanding, you sacrifice writing clarity.
    4. Unfocused meaning. Clear writing can only flow from clear thinking. If you’re confused about the point you’re trying to make, or the way you want to express it, you don’t have a chance of writing clearly.

    In essence, anything that makes your writing easier to understand and more enjoyable to read is conducive to writing clarity.

    Anything that detracts from either objective is undesirable and should be eliminated.

    How to achieve clarity in writing – 9 proven techniques

    While understanding the concept of clarity in writing is an essential first step to achieving it, it’s not enough on its own.

    Instead, if you wish to write more clearly, you need to consciously work at it until it becomes instinctive. 

    Here are nine techniques to help you achieve greater clarity of writing.

    1 – Consistent practice

    For most writers, you stand a far better chance of achieving clarity when you write consistently. 

    If you write on an inconsistent basis, you’ll find the act of crafting a sentence to be laborious and unnatural. It’s like attempting exercise when you are out of shape. Even your best efforts will be far less graceful than someone who trains habitually.

    2 – Optimize your writing routine

    It’s not enough to write consistently – you also need to optimize your writing space and writing routine.

    To produce your best work, you need to find the best combination of conditions for yourself. This is a highly personalized process. One writer’s perfect routine would be another’s poison. Furthermore, your preferences will evolve, so don’t be afraid to experiment with aspects of your writing practice in search of greater clarity.

    Some of the factors to experiment with include:

    • The location where you write – at home or in public?
    • The tool you write with – a simple word processor or something with greater functionality? On a laptop, desktop, or by hand?
    • The time of day when you write – when are you at your most productive?
    • Do you write with music, white noise, background noise, or as much silence as possible?
    • Do you consume coffee while you write? Or even write drunk and edit sober?

    Answering these questions and creating a writing routine will make it a lot easier to do your best work.

    3 – Outline in as much detail as you need

    The extent to which you outline, as well as the type of outline you produce, has a direct impact on the clarity of your writing.

    Again, this is highly personal. Some writers find greater clarity by allowing their thoughts to flow freely while they craft. Others find this results in meandering and unfocused text and instead prefer a detailed plan before putting pen to paper.

    4 – Find a drafting and editing process that works for you

    Typically, most writers will benefit from the advice to write without judgment or hesitation during a first draft and to tighten up on the next round. If you try to achieve perfect clarity on your first attempt at a piece you run the risk of getting caught up in the process of evaluating rather than crafting.

    However, some writers report that a quick glance back over a paragraph or section before moving on can be beneficial. Find what works for you.

    5 – Clarity is contextual

    Clear writing for one readership is likely to look entirely different for another. 

    For example, if you’re writing for newcomers to a topic, too much jargon is likely to lead to confusion. However, for an expert readership, clarity will require using more advanced terminology, as anything less will seem oversimplified.

    Clarity is also partially dependent on genre and style. For example, readers familiar with literary techniques such as metaphor or an unreliable narrator will enjoy and appreciate them. Someone unversed in such techniques may well feel confused.

    6 – Read your writing out loud

    Different parts of your brain are used when reading something silently in your mind as opposed to reading it out loud. 

    Something that might seem clear on the page ends up being confusing when spoken. Similarly, your ear will often catch repetition or other impediments to clarity that aren’t apparent when reading silently to yourself. 

    7 – Use writing tools

    Writing apps and tools are no match for a talented human editor. However, they are capable of boosting your writing clarity. Simple, free tools such as Hemingway can easily identify areas of improvement. 

    For a more detailed analysis of your writing and ways in which it can be improved, consider investing in a paid tool such as ProWritingAid or Grammarly Premium.

    8 – Get the right feedback

    We all have blindspots as writers. Whether through ego, or oversight, we’re not as capable of objectively evaluating our own text as someone else is.

    However, remember that clarity is contextual. Ideally, your feedback will be from someone who fits the profile of your ideal reader. You can also join a writing critique group to improve your writing. 

    9 – Stay humble and embrace the journey 

    Perhaps the most important key to achieving clarity of writing is letting go of your ego and being willing to embrace growth.

    Even the best writers were not born that way. Achieving consistent clarity is the result of countless hours that we as readers are often not privy to.

    Having a sense of humor around your lack of clarity is essential. In ‘On Writing’ Stephen King shares his process of writing a rough draft and then revising it for greater clarity. You will notice that King can laugh at his weaknesses and not take them too seriously.

    That’s a Wrap

    Ultimately, achieving greater clarity of writing is down to three essential factors:

    1. Understanding what clear writing looks like and embracing the need to work towards it.
    2. Consistent and optimal writing practice to improve your level of skill and comfort.
    3. The right attitude to growing both as a reader and as a writer, and embracing feedback and criticism without getting hurt or frustrated.

    Fiction and nonfiction alike suffer when the writer’s intended meaning is distorted by wordiness, confusing sentence structure, inappropriate word choices, and other impediments.

    If something is worth writing, it’s worth writing well. Hopefully, by now, that’s clear!

    TWL. CTA. Book Outline Template