I truly couldn’t be a full-time freelancer without these — I’ve been a freelance writer for about two and a half years now, and thankfully, I’ve gotten to the good part. I regularly write for a few publications — such as HuffPost and Well+Good — and have gotten to write for others, such as PopSugar, Shape, and Men’s Health, as…

They aren’t about bonding over shared trauma. — You may have heard of the term “trauma bond” on TikTok. It’s quite popular, with over 633 million views on the platform. Its relevance isn’t only on TikTok, either: Google Trends shows that related phrases have been searched more often lately. But is the explanation of it you’ve heard actually…

As a culture, we need to redefine “work-life balance” to focus more on “life” than “work” — Being a freelance creator is fun and freeing in many ways, such as being able to set your own hours. However, it’s not a job that’s immune to burnout. In fact, people who love their jobs are especially prone to burnout and the feelings of exhaustion it can bring. I…

“I’ll guide you around the splinters and the rocks.” — This letter is for you. This is for the you that is still hurting from the pain of yesterday, the pain of years before. This is for the you that is smelling the dead remains of who you used to be, following the sounds of a better tomorrow. This is…

Plus everything you need to know about pitching them. — I’ve read a few tweets about how freelance rates at publications used to be much higher than they are now. As in, $1 a word was the norm. As someone who’s been in this business for more than a couple of years, I know how uncommon that is — at…

Get paid good money for your first byline. — Getting your first byline can be hard, no matter how great of a writer you are. And receiving rejection after rejection can feel frustrating and disheartening, especially when you’ve worked hard and feel confident in your ability to write a solid story. Editor Russell Holly knows this. “This industry is…

Don’t fall for these well-intentioned tips that may inhibit your success. — As a writer who largely works to help other writers, I’ve read and shared a lot of advice on the topic. I’ve learned from those who are more successful than I am; I’ve ached to inspire other writers who feel as discouraged as I once did. All the while, I’ve…

Here are warning signs of love bombing, mirroring, negging, paperclipping, breadcrumbing, and enmeshment. — Spotting unhealthy behaviors in a relationship isn’t as easy as you might think. If you’re someone who doesn’t love being single or who wants a relationship to work out (check and check), this may be extra difficult for you. I’ve experienced my fair share of unhealthy relationships, and I didn’t…

I hadn’t heard of these tips until college. — In high school, I turned in a piece of writing I was proud of — only to get lots of edits back. Logically, I knew it was a part of the process and would make me a better writer, but I couldn’t help but feel down. “Am I a good…