NAIWE NewsWire

Copywriter and NAIWE member Michelle Hill was downsized early this year, which gave her the perfect opportunity to take her copywriting business full time. But how do you take a freelance career from spare-time moonlighting to a full-time income quickly enough to keep your house, car, and sanity? When I noticed that Michelle’s Facebook post about celebrating her best client week ever, I knew we had to have her on The Freelance Life to tell us how she did it.

Mark your calendar for Wednesday, December 2, 2009 at 3:30 EST; 12:30 Pacific and join us for an inspiring interview at The Freelance Life on TalkShoe Online Radio.

While you’re there, you may want to listen to 7 Things Every Writer and Editor Needs in the New Economy. It will help you as you plan for 2010.

Finally, don’t forget that today (Monday, Novemeber 30) is the last day for the Thanksgiving Dues Discount for new members. Use Coupon Code 9A4DEC0 to get $27 off dues. We look forward to having you join us so that we can work  together toward your growing success.

Wednesday’s Teleclass with Janice Campbell

Carefully honed craft, top-of-the-line skills, plus sound business practices still form the foundation of a successful writing or editing career, but in the 21st century, seven things have emerged as increasingly essential to lasting success. At the National Association of Independent Writers and Editors (NAIWE), we believe it’s possible for any writer or editor to cultivate these 7 Essentials, and we’ve created an association that encourages best practices in each area. Here is a birds-eye view of the 7 Essentials to help you implement the pieces you may be missing.

Wednesday, November 18, 2009

12:30 noon PT / 1:30pm MT / 2:30pm CT / 3:30pm ET

If you’re on the e-zine mailing list (you can sign up on the NAIWE home page), you’ll receive an e-mail with a call reminder and the call-in number on the morning of the call. We may host this teleclass on The Freelance Life podcast site, so be sure to watch for details!

You’ll learn:

• The 7 Essentials for creating a successful writing or editing career
• Tips for tweaking what you do now so that it reflects 21st-century reality
• How to add social media to your life without wasting time
• And more!

*Don’t miss our Annual Thanksgiving Membership Drive! Use Coupon Code 9A4DEC0 to get $27 off dues when you join before November 30, 2009.

It’s time once again for our annual Thanksgiving season membership drive, and we’ve been thinking about what sets NAIWE apart from other professional associations. It’s not just the fact that we welcome and respect both literary and commercial members, or that we provide more marketing and promotion opportunities for your books and services than other groups. NAIWE is different, and I believe better, in many ways.

We exist to help members succeed. We serve as a friendly mentor and marketing partner, and it’s our goal to help you achieve the freelance life you want to live.

We believe in writers who cross borders, blur boundaries, and do what it takes to earn a living as a writer. We’ll cheer you on when your first novel hits the shelves, or the third printing of your business book sells out. We’ll support you as you add new skills to your repertoire and learn to make a great living doing what you do best.

We believe in editors who love the rhythm and cadence of the language, and are committed to polishing even the humblest prose to its highest luster. We’ll be there with advice and concrete help to get your marketing message to your ideal clients.

At NAIWE, we know that a writing or editing career isn’t all about the art. It’s not all about the money, either. Writing and editing is about the joy of creativity, the freedom of working independently, and the fulfillment that comes from creating an authentic, abundant life, earning a great living doing what you love to do.

We believe that every writer or editor should belong to two professional organizations. The first is a large, career- and credibility-building association such as NAIWE, and the second is a smaller craft- or genre-focused association that will help you develop additional skills in the minutiae of your craft.

“Whatever your specific field, if there’s a National Association for…, join it.”

From Zen and the Art of Making a Living by Laurence G. Boldt (2010)

Frankly, there are many things we do. The About page tells you more about us, and you’re welcome to browse the website and read even more. Study our benefits, browse our member’s blogs, check out Words Matter Week, and really get acquainted.

The bottom line is this: If you are serious about your writing or editing career, we want you to join us, because we’re serious about helping you succeed. Countless experts advise joining a professional association as one of the first things you need to do when you commit to a career, and we want NAIWE to be your career-building association. We look forward to welcoming you as a fellow member. It’s your move!

P.S. As always, we are offering you a special Thanksgiving Coupon Code, good for $27 off dues through November 30, 2009. Just copy and paste the coupon code 9A4DEC0 into the coupon box when you join.