Thanks for the wonderful advice. I’ve been a writer and editor for years and years, but am just now trying to break away from my full-time corporate job and move into the freelance world. It’s overwhelming and scary, but the points you make here (and elsewhere on your site) are exactly what I needed. So helpful.

And yes, I’m often delighted and sometimes horrified by those who want to be or say they want to be writers.

I have been a writer for 15 years. I often go through your jobs when I am looking to fill in the gaps I know that I have coming in my writing assignments. I have also recently started a ghostwriting company, so that I have my own work… and work for the company that is done through the writers we hire there.

I say this because in the last year of running this company and dealing with writers I have learned alot… I am sure many that give you grief have some how found there way to try to work for me.

Over the years I would always laugh when clients would share their “writer experiences” with me. I couldn’t believe anyone that decided to be a writer and have that as a profession would act the way I was being told other writers had. That was, until I started my own company.

I have noticed that there are plenty of people out there that like the title of writer, but have no idea what it takes to be a successful writer. As a matter of fact it floors me when I fire a writer for plagiarism… and the writer’s response is, “I didn’t know I couldn’t do that.”

I have a number of writers that also can’t seem to do research for an article. The look at the topic and if the research doesn’t jump right out at them, then they tell me they can’t write it.

I guess my point is this. Those that are truly writers know how to make a living at writing. They understand that it does require work and effort. Then there are those that want to call themselves writers because they like the title and want everything handed to them on a silver platter… and if they don’t get it want to cause us grief.

I think you do an excellent job! I have found a number of small jobs through your website over the last year that has helped fill in my gaps.

Keep your head up… and I highly recommend learning the virtual strangle. Makes you feel better and no one really gets hurt.