Writing Samples

Business Memoir

It can be challenging to run a small business; in fact, 95 out of 100 new companies fail within the first five years. Naturally, this means that only five out of every hundred small enterprises are successful, which is a frightening number if you're just getting started. What then makes running a small business so challenging? Well, here are a few challenges you may encounter (or are already encountering):

  1. Managing employees
  2. Misguided in its marketing (or not at all)
  3. Using money carelessly or running out of funds
  4. Making ensuring your clients are happy
  5. A weak or erratic economy
  6. Aggressive competitors

You could add a great many more items to this list, some of which are under your control and others of which are not, without a doubt.

Photography Marketing Book

The myth of the starving artist is well-known to everyone.

You know, slaving away in the darkroom (or, these days, at the computer) till 4:00 in the morning, eating cold noodles three times a day, and so on... and struggle to make even a couple of hundred dollars selling their images.

Because it describes your life more precisely than you'd want to admit, this definitely resonates with some of you. Now, there are a few gullible individuals who believe that being a starving artist has romantic overtones. Except if you're Ernest Hemingway, there isn't. I know. I've tried my hand at being a starving artist... And it was awful. It wasn't soul-cleansing, romantic, or glam—and trust me on this one.

A few hundred dollars in earnings don't impress the ladies!

According to my observations, persons who assert that something is romantic frequently do it as a lame attempt to justify their inability to generate income. (According to Photography Marketing Magic)

Kids’ Book

At Happy Cub Elementary School, not a single bear was not scared of Bubba Bully Bear. Most of the teachers were featured in this.

Because no one wanted to approach him within 10 feet, he would occasionally go down the hallways all by himself. Bubba could throw a punch, give someone the noogie, kick their books out the window like a football, or even pour apple juice over their head if a bear came too close to him.

Bubba Bully Bear always seemed to be up to mischief, whether it was putting chewing gum in the water fountains, tripping a bear who was late for class, or pouring glue down a bear's pants.

Young Adult Novel #1

Eddy Coletrane sat still.

Eddy sat cross-legged on top of the rusted blue mailbox at the bottom of Canterbury Court, a peaceful cul-de-sac surrounded by big old oak trees and neatly mowed lawns, at 9:37 on a school night. The only thing Eddy could hear was the steady, unpleasant rumble of his empty stomach, with the occasional yelp of a dog or the distant hoot of an owl.

Even though it was his own fault, Eddy hadn't eaten since lunchtime. Unfortunately, Eddy's least favorite food, avocado, was present in his mother's lumpy green casserole that she had tried to serve as dinner. Although Eddy was courteous and seemed to eat it, he had actually been feeding Roxanne, his girlfriend, under the table.

Eddy looked through his pockets in the hopes of finding some sweets or at least some gum, but all he came up with were a few dimes and a piece of lint that was about the size and shape of a Hershey's Kiss.

Oh well, I guess I'll just have to wait, he thought.

Young Adult Novel #2

There had never been a smile on Josephine Jones' face in her 23 years as Roosevelt Elementary School's administrator. She was said to have an ugly soul in addition to an unattractive visage by the students.

She spoke in a rough, loud voice to demonstrate that she wouldn't put up with any bullshit from anyone. Not from her professors, not from those bothersome parents who were constantly pleading for favors for their kids... not from the kids themselves, in particular.

Even though it was his own fault, Eddy hadn't eaten since lunchtime. Unfortunately, Eddy's least favorite food, avocado, was present in his mother's lumpy green casserole that she had tried to serve as dinner. Although Eddy was courteous and seemed to eat it, he had actually been feeding Roxanne, his girlfriend, under the table.

Close friends of Josephine Jones used to call her "Jo-Jo." However, the Roosevelt professors used to tease her (quietly, of course, and far behind her back) that she could count on one hand the number of people who genuinely called her "Jo-Jo" and still have a few fingers left over.

Close friends of Josephine Jones used to call her "Jo-Jo." However, the Roosevelt professors used to tease her (quietly, of course, and far behind her back) that she could count on one hand the number of people who genuinely called her "Jo-Jo" and still have a few fingers left over.

Garage Sale Manual

My father, an architect, discovered 200 player piano rolls in a dumpster when I was a youngster. He assured me that if I could sell them, I could keep the money.

So I called the music shop, which gave me a pitiful $20 for the whole thing—just ten cents each item. It was hardly worth the journey downtown, so I declined.

As a result, the music rolls continued to mold in the garage.

But eight years later, I found eBay. Therefore, I simply dusted off those rolls and listed one for fun.

When it sold for $18, I realized I had a winner. I listed all 200 of those rolls over the following two weeks and made about $2,300. or more than a hundred times what I was first given at the music store.