About Hello Writer

Welcome!

I’m glad you’re here. Writing for a living can be hard and sometimes frustrating but also wonderful and rewarding. Which is why I’m here. Maybe why you are, too.

Here’s my deal. I write because I can’t not write. But also? I want to encourage you, inspire you, and give you helpful information so you can spend more time writing and building an audience and less time floundering because of the idiosyncrasies of any given platform whether it’s Substack, Medium, Vocal or Amazon.

Also? This isn’t just a newsletter.

It’s a community filled with readers and writers. The comments section here is super interactive. My readers find their readers here. That’s what happens when a whole lot of people who love words gather in one place.

About Me

Little story. Several years ago I was building a website for a Hollywood celebrity when she called, asked if I could upload some photos to her IMDB profile. I said sure.

When I logged in, I saw a “warning” that only appeared to logged in users.

It warned new actors not to buy “how to make it in Hollywood” programs. Said if those people knew how to make it in Hollywood, they’d be too busy acting to have time to sell those programs. The message was bold, italic — with yellow highlighter.

I kind of laughed.

I’m not laughing anymore.

I’ve been a writer forever. Wrote for print magazines in the late nineties when you had to mail submissions in a manila envelope. First time someone called and offered me five hundred dollars for a piece of writing I honest to goodness cried.

I got into design and marketing around 1997 because a lot of people who need help with copywriting also need help with their design and marketing.

Plus, I also write on Medium and have 47K readers over there. I’ve written some of the top stories on the platform, have countless essays with tens of thousands of views.

Here’s what I’ve learned along the way. There are a lot of people who talk the talk but don’t walk the walk. They profess to be able to tell you how to succeed as a writer, how to make money writing but they aren’t doing any actual writing. Just writing about making money. Which is not the same as building a career as a writer.

It’s the IMDB story all over again. Everywhere.

So much bad advice out there, it makes me a little ill.

If you’re looking for the same old, same old “you too can get rich writing” advice, you won’t find it here. There are no shortcuts except turning out killer work and learning the nuances and idiosyncrasies of the platform you are using. The kind of advice I give isn’t sexy but it makes a very real and measurable difference.

Check out my post archive, see if my writing interests you.

Why Subscribe?

Hello, Writer is a reader supported community

I am working to build community for people who love words like I love words. To give you advice that helps you grow. But I can’t do it free. It’s not sustainable. It takes time to write posts and tutorials and reply to readers. So I need your support.

What do free members get?

• Subscribe free, and get every post sent to your inbox or app. Which means you won’t miss a post and finally see it days later when it’s locked. Because some posts are free forever, but others get locked after 48 hours.

What do paid members get?

• Member only platform tutorials like tips for setting up Substack for the best results, how to use tags for most exposure, a deep dive into what the top Substacks are doing and more. We’ll cover helpful strategies for growing and thriving on Substack, Medium, Vocal Media, and more

• Submission tips and guides to sell your writing to paying publications

• Access to locked posts so you can read anytime and never miss a thing

• Participate in the community AMA launching soon.

• And, my heartfelt appreciation for helping support this thriving community ❤️

I hope you’ll join us.

What people are saying

Linda shares valuable insights on writing and editing with much of her fair but honest newsletters zeroing in on Medium and associated writing platforms. With extensive experience in web building and marketing, she is a wealth of knowledge.
—Roman Newell

Back when I was a newbie here, Linda gave me the best piece of advice on naming one publication. Eventually I took it when setting up my second stack. It worked so well, I am about to rename my original — This Creative Adventure

Beautifully written thoughts on being a writer. — Kelly Eden, Because you write

Linda is a brilliant and knowledgeable writer/marketer. Whenever I see her name on any piece, I jump at it. Her ability to research and communicate in a clear and interesting manner is unparalleled. — Jeff Wild

One of my favorite writers. Always interesting and superb writing.
— Tom’s World Of Stories

Well-written, all killer, no filler. If you're not reading Linda you're missing out on some great writerly advice. — Dylan Jones, author

Coming late in life to the complexities of IT, as I did, has left me struggling to grasp the basics of setting up on Substack. I was on he point of giving up, when I discovered Linda, a teacher who truly understands how to simplify teaching. — Yes, I author

If you are looking forward to read some interesting stories from the literature world, consider subscribing to this newsletter. — Bookish Conversations with Kanika

Linda writes articles you look forward to reading. —The Smiling Dragon

Long time fan. Inspiring, WISE writing on the writing life. A Septuagenarian Sings