I just finished an ebook for folks who keep asking me how they can get started writing and making money online. I get requests like that about 3-4 times a week. I also hear from a lot of journalists, people who read this blog, people who find out I’m ghostwriting and so on. Everyone wants to know how they can get started, what sites to go to, how to make money, pitfalls etc. I spend a lot of time writing emails and on the phone explaining it to people and until last month I didn’t mind so much.

A “friend” I hadn’t spoken to in five years found me online and said he “just wanted to catch up.” Well, he didn’t really want to catch up. He got laid off and was panicking. He needed to find work writing – since that’s all he knows how to do. So he emailed me. After the “So how are you?” he asked me all kinds of questions about how I found writing sites online, what was involved, what did he need to do – all that sort of stuff. So I spent several hours or so detailing it all in an email and sent it off to him. I didn’t get as much as a thank you for two weeks. Then he wrote me back. “I don’t need this now. I found a job.” That’s it. No “Thank you,” no “This was so helpful,” but simply, “I don’t need this now.” And then the light dawned on me.

“You dummy. Quit wasting your time with people who aren’t serious.” So I took the email, fleshed it out and spent a good chunk of time assembling it into a 20-page ebook that people who are serious can buy. If you’re not willing to spend $7 to get this ebook, trust me, you’re not serious about making money writing online or freelancing. This is the same information I give to friends over dinner or lunch (an hour or more of time usually). But since this one um…..”clueless person,” was such a clod; I’m over the impassioned one-on-one instruction. I heard the wake-up call! If you’re serious buy the book. Do what it says. Don’t buy it and then say, “I’d rather talk to you,” because I’m going to charge you my $125 consultation fee and you’ll be out that and the $7.

It’s not punishment. Trust me. It’s me finally recognizing even my most basic information is valuable and trying to find a point between “free” and “affordable” since a lot of folks who read this blog are homeless and don’t have $49 or $125 to spend. And I also know that $7 is a stretch for those who are homeless, but it’s not that big a stretch. It’s a pack or two of cigarettes, or a meal. If you’re serious and you want it - you will find the $7. And when you do, you’ll value the book and the information a lot more than the “clueless friend” who I allowed to waste my time.

Are YOU serious about learning the basics of what you need to do to get started writing online? Then click the “Buy Now” button and get started. This button will take you to a PayPal link (you don’t need a PayPal account to buy it. But PayPal protects your credit card info.)

Send it to a friend or buy them their own copy. You’ll be glad you did.