It’s going to be a gorgeous weekend in Denver and what am I going to be doing? Homework. Finishing critiques for a local workshop and diving into the pre-work required for the Aspen Summer Words Writers’ Retreat. At least maybe I can do it while soaking up some Vitamin D.
Here are a few reads for your weekend:
- FreelanceFolder Would You Hire This Freelancer? It’s likely that you’ve already seen this, as it spread pretty quickly across Twitter. If you haven’t read it, this post is one client’s experience in hiring a freelancer. She shows you two responses (edited to protect the freelancer’s identity and rates) and tells you which one she hired. The shocking part for me was that she hired either one. Both responses had typos and grammatical errors; one was worse than the other. Would mistakes like that fly from a writer? Surely not.
- Janice Erlbaum NoNaMeWriMo* (* Not National Memoir Writing Month) Although this post of Janice’s is from February, I just read it—and loved it. Any writer can appreciate the experience of writing and then trashing a full draft. It’s especially compelling for those of you working with memoir. And while you’re on her website, be sure to check out Janice’s book trailer for Have You Found Her. It’s one of the best I’ve seen.
- Online College.org 50 Iconic Writers Who Were Repeatedly Rejected A good one to bookmark for when you’re having a rough day with your writing goals. Thanks to Susan Johnston for posting this on the Facebook page for The Urban Muse.
- The Atlantic Building a 21st Century Safety Net Writer Derek Thompson pens a powerful article on why “a 21st century workforce requires a different kind of safety net, with benefits that are more flexible, portable, personal.”
- The New Yorker Hello, It’s Me This short piece by Susan Orlean speaks for itself. Thanks to Paige Bowers for pointing me to this one.
Your turn. Any great reads that you’d like to share with your fellow readers? Print counts, too, it doesn’t have to be something online. If you’re hooked on a new book or loved an article or essay in a magazine, include it here. Please share in the comments below. Thanks!
Jesaka Long 
Jesaka,
Thanks for posting these. It’s always a treat to read Susan Orlean. What she says about the phone is so true. Where in the past, I spent too much time on the phone, email has become so time consuming (and at times, a good diversion, like when I have an assignment but don’t want to get started) that sometimes I want to unplug from that, too!
I have been so very busy as Cape Cod’s high season approaches and the garden demands my attention that I have not had a chance to write much besides my blog. Or, read. However, I did start a book that I’m reluctant to put down. It’s not literary, like the type of book I usually enjoy. Slow Death by Rubber Duck. The authors set out to document body burden, using their own bodies …