The Files
Editorial notes, guides, and research from The Article Files. Practical writing, SEO, freelance, and productivity material — no fluff.
How to price freelance writing without leaving money on the table
Per word, per hour, or per project? A practical framework for pricing writing work that covers your real costs — research, revisions, and the risk you carry.
A practical guide to SEO content briefs that writers actually use
Most content briefs get skimmed, misunderstood, or ignored. Here's what belongs in a brief — and what to leave out — so a writer can execute without a dozen follow-up questions.
The reading-level framework: match your writing to your audience
Readability scores are a signal, not a grade. Here's how to use Flesch Reading Ease responsibly — and why a lower reading level is usually better online.
Asking better research questions: five types and when to use each
A research project lives or dies by its question. Descriptive, comparative, causal, exploratory, and evaluative questions each serve a different aim — here's how to pick and sharpen yours.
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