National Women’s Mag Owes Me Money!

I have been reading your site for a few months, and I was wondering if this would be appropriate for Whispers and Warnings. I have written four articles for a national women’s magazine, one every month or two. The magazine’s policy is that writers are paid 60ish days after publication. The first was paid late (in the meantime, I was working on the 4th), and after much haranguing, they finally paid about a month late with excuses about how the financial department was held up due to this or that.
Now we’re at over 90 days on the second… so I’m detecting a pattern. I never signed a contract (I know, I know…) My emails asking about payment for the second are going largely ignored (my contact keeps saying, “I’ll check on it for you!” and then never responds).
I’ve Googled, and I can’t find anything from writers with similar experiences… what do you think? Thanks!

Networking Party Tricks or “Hello. I’m A Writer” – Daniel R. Robichaud

“So, what do you do?” is a popular icebreaker question at any social gathering. The answer “I’m a writer” opens the floodgate to follow-ups such as “What do you write?” and “Where might I have seen your work?” Having a few specific answers “on tap” is vital to appearing professional. These questions are not only getting-to-know-you party tricks, they are networking opportunities to discover alternative writing career avenues.

Fall Contest is This Weekend!

This weekend starts my favorite six weeks of the year! The Fall 24-Hour Short Story Contest is this Saturday and it always has swirling red, orange and yellow leaves, and crisp breeze, and, on occasion, something odd or creepy. Since Halloween is my favorite holiday (I get to display my horror doll collection), I absolutely LOVe reading the stories for the Fall contest! And, I get to start this weekend!

24-Hour Short Story Contests are Great Fun!

Angela,
These contests are great fun, and have helped me hone my editing skills.I use them to create back stories and alternative realities for the characters for my novel in progress.
Regards,
Marcia

Why Does Hardcover Edition Appear Above Paperback on Some Online Bookstores?

Do you have any suggestions on how we can get the paperback edition of my book to appear first on the Barnes and Noble website? When shoppers look it up, the hardcover comes up first and I think the price is going to scare readers off, especially if they don’t know how to navigate to other formats of the book.

How I Turned One Assignment into Two – Lisa Evans

As a freelance writer, I’m always racking my brains for new story ideas. Once a week, I block an entire day off to research new ideas and write queries. With pen in hand and a pot of coffee brewing, I tap out story idea after story idea, then delve into online research, finally coming up with a query letter sometime between lunch and dinner. The process can be time consuming and daunting as sometimes my brain muscles have to really stretch far to pull out a fresh idea.
Recently, however, I discovered a brainstorming strategy that had me turn one assignment into two, cutting down on my research time and allowing me to earn more money by doing less. It happened like this…

Whispers And Warnings For September 12th

Penguin – Spokeswoman sues publisher, alleges discrimination.
Georgia State University – Publishers to appeal copyright decision.
Amazon – “Back to discounting e-books from HarperCollins following publisher’s accord with DOJ settling collusion allegations.”
Jazan Wild, a comics creator – Has begun sending cease-and-desist notices to reviewers.
Murdoch Books – Sued by celebrity chef for alleged “copyright infringement and misleading and deceptive conduct.”

School Days!

Max and Mason, who are homeschooled, started “school” this week. They were pretty happy when, on the first day, I let them do arts and crafts first. I gave them a box full of craft supplies, and said, “You have 30 minutes to make whatever you want.” Holy cow, you’d think they’d both just won the lottery! They were so excited!!