Because writing online can be a hamster wheel if you let it — The phrase “passive income” pisses a lot of people off. There are so many arguments about what it is and how it works — especially amongst us writers. But those who understand and proactively seek out new passive income sources have a much better time as writers. Obviously passive income…

Whose advice about writing on Medium can you trust? — Dear Medium Newbie, Welcome to my favorite online writing and blogging platform. Everyone has an equal opportunity to be successful here, but not every Medium writer defines or experiences success the same way. Along my way, I’ve read a lot of advice. Some has been from longtime successful members. …

Here’s how I found supportive writing friends — The importance of a tribe in your writing world The day I arrived as a new UCLA student at Hershey Hall in 1962, I was lost. It was an all-girl dorm, and most of my high school friends were male. I found conversations with most girls boring unless they were close friends. They talked mostly about hair, makeup, and…

My curiosity slows me down — My search for a puppy resembling the one Gustaf Tenggren created Do you remember the Poky Little Puppy by Janette Lowrey? Someone gave me an early edition of this Little Golden Book when I was a young child. Mom couldn’t read it to me often enough. …

What if my stories make other living people look bad? — Not All My Childhood Memories Are Good Ones My draft folder is full of memories from over 75 years of life. Should I develop them for publication here? Some show the dark side of my inner life. Had I acted out some of the thoughts I had, I might have ruined not only my own life but traumatized…

Why I Target a Specific Audience when I Write I normally have a target audience in mind when I write. I used to think every writer did. When I asked a few of them about it, I was surprised to learn that many content writers and bloggers aren’t thinking of who will read their work while they write. Many…

Should a blogger sacrifice quality for quantity? — Once again the April Ultimate Blog Challenge is over. I have participated four times in previous years — three times in April and once in October. This is the third year I have passed on it. Now I’m seeing these challenges appearing on Medium. Bekk Escott posted one today: Day…

Now I don’t have to neglect my own blogs to find time to post to Medium — Too Much on Your Blogging Plate? That’s been my situation since joining Medium. I wanted to write as often as possible for Medium to get off to a good start after coming back in February. However, I already had several blogs of my own and was a regular contributor to a group blog. I got farther…

Writing or editing versus publishing daily — Dawn Bevier in a recent post disputes three bits of writing advice we find frequently in writing tips: Don’t use synonyms. Don’t write long sentences. Write and publish every day. I’m sure you’ve all read them somewhere. …

Where are you in the writing process? Pregnant with a book idea or waiting to conceive? — Readers often become book bloggers. We read widely and share the goodies we find. We also read what other book bloggers share. Sometimes readers even want to write their own books. Are you one of them? I’ve been following the pages of other book reviewers and I came across Rosie…

Not every seed or writing idea will succeed and make it to maturity — The writing life thrives on ideas When I first woke yesterday, I wanted only to turn over and go back to sleep. Like many writers, I stayed awake too late writing. I needed the extra hour and a half before my alarm was due to go off. So I did turn over, put on my sleeping…

Creative Ideas from Barb Radisavljevic — Obstacles to writing As a writer, my major struggles are lack of time and finding where to focus the time I have. In the years before I started writing online, I was a homeschool book vendor who traveled the country to exhibit at curriculum and book fairs. I got too old for the…

Or, one day in the writing life of Barb Radisavljevic — Off to an early start Yesterday was supposed to be a great day to finally be free of obligations outside the house so I could stay home and write. Yes, I did know I’d have to supervise our weed abatement team for a couple of hours, but if I got started early, I should have…