When you're writing a self-help book, make sure to do your research. Here are five tips to help ensure that your nonfiction work holds up against a critical eye.

Editors are always looking for knowledgeable, entertaining, dependable freelance columnists to fill their ever-recurring white space. Become one and enjoy these potential perks.

A quality column takes consistent effort, thought, and much rewriting. My experience writing several columns and the advice of several column writers I interviewed pinpoint seven of the most important and challenging considerations.

Whenever I pitched my book to an agent, I was always quick to point out I’d been a reporter for almost two decades. They’d have to take me somewhat seriously because everyone knows journalists can write. Right? If only that were true.

When I moved to India in 2010, I didn’t consider myself a travel writer. I was a freelance essayist who wrote about family and social issues. But that didn't stop me--and that shouldn't stop you either.

BY SCOTT ATKINSON Find the narrative tension hidden in your story, and you can turn a run-of-the-mill assignment into the kind of feature piece that leaves editors—and readers—clamoring for more. Here’s how to do it.

There are thousands of online writing opportunities for freelancers, many of which pay well. Follow these best practices, and soon you’ll be turning pixels into paychecks.

1. Virtual Tour. Google Maps is your friend. Plot believable routes for your characters to take, find out how long their walk to school or work is, and observe local monuments and landmarks. Don’t forget to take a tour down the smaller streets to see what typical neighborhoods look like. YouTube is another great place to start. You’d be surprised how many videos you can find of people walking around local shrines, temples, or markets. While writing SHADOW, I referred to an hour-long video of the train ride from Narita Airport to Tokyo Station to remind myself what it’s like. I even found myself swaying in time to the train as I watched. Talk about muscle memory. GIVEAWAY: Amanda is excited to give away a free copy of her novel to a random commenter. Comment within 2 weeks; winners must live in Canada/US to receive the book by mail. You can win a blog contest even if you’ve won before. (UPDATE: Milkfish won.).

If you’ve ever jotted down a recipe or shared do-it-yourself instructions with a friend, you already understand the basic structure of how-to writing. Christina Katz offers a six-step process for writing a good explainer.