Everything You Wanted to Know about Freelance Writing

The Conquest of Kong (short story from Rebel in the Back Seat)

Paul Lima — Tue, 08 May 2012 09:59:38 +0000

The Conquest of Kong: By Paul Lima ... It was on the congested fair grounds of the Canadian National Exhibition that Father conquered the world-famous ape. The huge, stuffed, glassy-eyed creature, wearing a New York Yankee baseball cap, glared down at the midway masses from his perch in the Strike Out tent. I sometimes wonder how we must have appeared from King Kong’s vantage point—my brawny father with premature flecks of grey dotting slicked-back waves and his scrawny kid with the bristled brush cut. Above the crowd the titanic brute, the most coveted prize at the CNE, seemed unconquerable.

Use W5 to help you communicate effectively

Paul Lima — Wed, 02 May 2012 21:02:56 +0000

Whether you are writing or talking, communicating effectively is important. To demonstrate the point, I often tell the story of the golf course groundskeeper who hired a young trainee. The day the trainee showed up, the groundskeeper said, “See those bundles of sod on the truck? I want you to re-sod the areas that I’ve staked out around the 18 flags on the golf course. I’ll be back at the end of the day to check on your progress.” ... If you want to know what happened, please read the blog post!

One Writer’s Tale of Self-Publishing

Paul Lima — Wed, 02 May 2012 15:29:51 +0000

In 2009, 76% of all books released were self-published, according to Publishers Weekly. Since then, the industry has all but stopped keeping stats. The number of self-published print and e-books continue to grow exponentially while the number of books issued by traditional publishers declines. This trend is being fostered by both independent authors and the new wave of print on demand (POD) publishers who publish books for would-be authors lacking the technical skills to otherwise self-publish. POD publishers charge aspiring authors modest fees and pay no advances. They print books one at a time, when they are ordered by consumers or authors, and ship e-books as they are ordered. They only pay royalties when books sell and leave almost all of the marketing up to the authors. I’ve been self-publishing since 2006 and ...

Interview: What motivates you to write?

Paul Lima — Mon, 23 Apr 2012 15:22:47 +0000

What motivates you to write? Is it the promise of money, fame, power, recognition, self-fulfillment or something else? ... And other questions and answers on 'motivation to create' ...

Review: Motivate to Create: A Guide for Writers

Paul Lima — Fri, 20 Apr 2012 13:45:20 +0000

Review: Motivate to Create: A Guide for Writers, by Nate Hendley

Triangulate your rate before you quote

Paul Lima — Fri, 13 Apr 2012 21:30:15 +0000

When it comes to writing and editing services, there is no 'one rate fits all' rate. Yet many clients want cost certainty--and I don't blame them--so you have to give them a quote. Unfortunately, too many writers and editors are blind-folded and playing pin the quote on the client - hoping to hit a quote that is worthwhile -- to them and the client!

Guest Post: Think Proofreading Isn’t Important? Think Again…

Paul Lima — Fri, 13 Apr 2012 18:15:17 +0000

Proofreading. The word alone is enough to bore the socks off most writers. After going through the whole creative process and editing your work down to a work of art bordering on the sublime, you’re presented with the wearisome process of taking a magnifying glass to your sentences and going on a hunt for misplaced commas. ...

Anatomy of landing a client on the Web

Paul Lima — Thu, 12 Apr 2012 15:17:28 +0000

About 70% of my new training and writing gigs come to me through my website. (The rest are from referrals or my marketing.) Recently, I wrote a business letter for a client in Russia who is trying to land distribution deal with an American company. Other writers have asked me how a client from Russian [...]

Hockey Night on Ossington Avenue

Paul Lima — Thu, 12 Apr 2012 13:42:09 +0000

If you are a die-hard fan of the Toronto Maple Leafs, you might remember a time when the team actually won the Stanley Cup every now and then … and if you remember the last time, 40+ years ago, you might remember how you emulated your favorite Leafs player and aspired to be him … [...]

Reviews for “Rebel in the Back Seat”

Paul Lima — Tue, 03 Apr 2012 13:36:15 +0000

I’ve received two mini reviews for Rebel in the Back Seat, my recently released collection of short stories. “Rebel in the Back Seat is about fathers, sons, brothers and hockey … Lima draws a powerful yet gentle picture of coming of age, family and memory. Beautifully written stories with subtlety, humor and lasting power … [...]