Although I have been freelancing for a while and tackled a few high paying markets, I still find myself looking at the medium paying markets to chase after. Recently, as I scanned through my market lists, a gig caught my eye. It was a travel writing gig, but then when I saw the pay it said $300.00. It suddenly threw me! …
I came to the world of self-publishing with some pretty clear ideas about what I wanted to do with my writing project. I didn't want it over-hyped (something the Christian market is really good at - you know, turn a book into coffee mugs, cheesy little key chains, etc.); I wanted to exercise a great deal of control over editorializing the work to death; and I wanted the e-book option. After looking at all the self-publishing outfits out there, Booklocker was the obvious choice. So many of the others' packages were filled with fluff. No matter how much they layer your printing package with marketing ploys and multi-layered extras, the hard word of promoting your project is up to you. …
If you want to write about parenting, it makes the most sense to pitch parenting magazines, right? The same logic suggests food writers target food magazines and travel writers try travel magazines. Not so, in my experience. …
At 17, I wanted to write, but knew intuitively that a writer needs life experience. When friends pursued journalism or English degrees, I studied forestry -- something I know nothing about, though I'd always wanted to. Getting good grades was easy - it was the forestry jobs that proved elusive. So, since I'd earned tuition money working as a nurse's aide and was interested in health, I next went to nursing school. …
Print on demand (POD) books rarely appear in bookstores, so sales usually must come through websites. But how do you get people to notice your book among the other millions of books listed on Amazon.com?…
You've all heard the old adage before: "It's not what you know but who you know." I never put too much stock into that expression. First, the fact that it uses "who" and not "whom" has always bothered the grammar zealot in me. Then there's the whole idea that no matter how much talent or knowledge you possess, if you don't have an "in," you're not going anywhere. I am a big believer in the value of hard work and I doubt too many people would argue that having talent - whether it's in writing or throwing fastballs - won't hurt. That said, I've personally scored several writing assignments through the power of networking. …
I've had over a dozen interviews published in the local Prime Time Cape Cod magazine. I got this job after emailing its editor a couple samples of children's articles and reviews I'd written for another local publication. Guess what? Writing locally pays well and is fun. …
An article in "Writer's Digest" magazine about looking for opportunity in my own backyard put me on track. Following the advice brought me the first of many sales to an alternative newspaper. Full of excitement and eager to write, it was a short step to other newspapers, local and regional magazines, and national syndication. Each step led to a modest career writing newsletters, press releases, speeches, book reviews, web sites, editing and ghostwriting, each sale piling up clips and credits. Editing, blogging and writing book reviews was safe and comfortable and paid fairly well. …
I didn't realize I was depriving myself of fun and profit. Although I considered myself a fairly versatile writer, I avoided electronic publishing...until recently After 14 years as freelancer under my belt, I finally took the plunge with eBooks. You can read about my success in that area here: https://www.writersweekly.com/success_stories/003705_10252006.html. Pleased with the results, I considered extending my career to blogging...but I wasn't sure what I could offer that would be different or useful. …
Five days a week, I work in a library shelving books. It is the perfect job for observing people's behavior. One constant source of entertainment is the kids. Most of them are naturally fearless and curious and ready to try anything. I've plucked two-year-olds from the upper shelves where they have climbed while their parents' backs were turned. They delve without hesitation into fantasy and think nothing extraordinary about dogs talking and cats wearing hats. They soak up new experiences like sponges and are constantly hungry to learn and do and try. …
Occasionally, I Google my name to check what's out there. As you know, I don't write for free, not unless the article has a link to something I want to promote or sell, or unless it's for charity. Any how, I was gobsmacked to find part of an article I had written for a well-known website back in 2002, published in an online newsletter of a business in Florida! Not only that, but a couple of lines had been added to it and attributed to me. …
If there is one key piece of advice my editor, Jane Friedman from Writer's Digest Books, has for writers with a non-fiction book idea, it's the importance of narrowing a book's focus before submitting a query. Seven years ago, I didn't know that I needed to start the nonfiction book pitching process with a simple, narrowly focused query. I made things much more difficult for myself by trying to write the whole book first and then trying to sell it, lack of focus and all. …
When it comes to your writing and how readers will react to it, you never really know what…
I used to pooh-pooh the idea of a writing mentor. I figured I was doing well enough on my own, and I wanted to be published based on my own merits. Plus, why would an established writer want to spend time with someone who'd only published a handful of articles in magazines most people haven't heard of? …
Three times in the 16 years I've been in the publishing industry, I've gone after jobs and writing opportunities well before positions were ever posted in want ads - even before publications were launched. Each time, I've landed a much-wanted gig, ultimately leading me to the successful freelance-writing career I have today... …
I survived my first book signing on February 24th and it wasn't at a bookstore. It was held at a union township civic center. I was asked to participate in an Author Day/Book Signing, which was sponsored by our library. Fifty people attended and many of them were at the workshop to learn about writing. All six authors spoke about the struggles and triumphs of writing, plus gave tips. I had pre-ordered thirty copies of my two recent releases, No Greater Loss and A Fiery Secret, and I sold ten books plus three copies of my book, The Christmas of 1957. Other authors and family told me that they thought I did great selling 13 books at my first signing. …
A few years ago, I knew I would never, ever write a book. I'd written short stories, a few plays, even a screenplay or two, but a book? A book was two-hundred (plus!) pages. A book had characters doing God-knows-what, chapter after chapter, and staying interesting at the same time. A book had the interweaving of types and archetypes with subplots and symbols and... Preposterous. …
Several years ago, I had completed my first novel, Red River Fever. Discouraged from having wasted a year with an editing/agent scam, I didn't know what to do with my novel. I knew it was a good novel, and wanted to get it into print so I could move on to other books I wanted to write. My best writing friend, who had read my novel, recommended that I take a look at Booklocker.com, and consider using them. …
Chameleon actually began life as a screenplay and, once finished after four years of development, I decided to write the novel around it as I felt that this was the best way of ultimately getting the film made. The novel quickly developed its own life, style and structure and, after a further five years, I successfully published the book. I am now in the process of aggressively marketing the book in the USA. …
When I first started as a freelance writer, rejection slips had a negative affect on my productiveness. Turning lemons into lemonade has increased my income. …
Actor Jim Carrey says desperation drove him into show business. Years ago he needed money and he knew how to make people laugh so he forced himself onto the stage at the comedy club, despite the inevitable rejection that would initially accompany his amateur attempts. Sometimes he admittedly stunk up the place but he kept going until he became one of the most successful comedians in Hollywood history. …
I hate to say it, but I didn't know what a blog was until two years ago when a friend asked me to read a post from someone's online journal. At first, I couldn't see the purpose in blogging. I thought it was "giving your work away" and I'd done too much of that as a naive, beginning writer to want to go there again. Then I thought to myself, "Blogging could actually be fun. I could keep up-to-date with long distant friends and write about whatever comes to mind." …
I arrive at the library a little early for the book signing to find people already there, and more arriving. One suddenly appears out of thin air, right in front of me, while another literally flies through the door, and lands like a feather, rapidly walking to the information desk. Groups of people are standing around talking, but there isn't a sound, and their mouths aren't moving. Instead, their hands type on a nonexistent keyboard and a cartoon bubble floats above their heads where the words appear. …
I wouldn't go as far as to say that being successful as a writer depends on who you know. But I will say that getting to know your writing community can do amazing things for your writing career. …
Digging up dead bodies had lost its charm. I'd been an archaeologist for several years and, while the thrill of discovery remained, career advancement entailed an increasing amount of office work and earning a Ph.D., neither of which were very attractive to me. I'd always liked writing and had contributed to many small press publications, and now realized I wanted to write books for a living. …
Can anything good come from brain cancer? If you're a writer, like me, the answer is most definitely, "yes." All you need do is keep your head about you - no pun intended - and keep writing. …
I write 15 public service announcements (PSAs) monthly from my home computer, publicity for plays, concerts and other coming events, information collected from local colleges, universities, theatre groups, display ads, and from countless press releases mailed to the station that were written for newspapers, not radio. …
Angela Hoy stated in her recent article in Writers Weekly, Press Releases Are Boring - News Is Not. At Writers Weekly, like just about every journalist and periodical editor, Angela receives countless press releases by email, fax and mail. Though WritersWeekly doesn't publish press releases, they are inundated with them on a daily basis. it is very rare that I receive a new book press release that keeps me interested past the first sentence, Hoy wrote. …
The Party Line: You know how when you go to a party, or any get-together for that matter, and the first question someone asks you is "What do you do?" …
I relate to Bill Murray's character, Bob Wiley, from the movie What About Bob? Bob is afraid of everything. When it comes to writing, so am I. So when I finally decided to be a writer, I used Bob's psychiatrist's advice - I took baby steps. First, I visited the library and read Writers Market. Then, I enrolled in Journalism classes and read every writing book I could. Two years later, when our local paper solicited feedback about changes they'd made, I finally took my next step by submitting a comment. The publisher thanked me and asked me to visit. …
Back when I published work only occasionally, for little pay, in places no one had ever heard of, a friend 'shared" a story assignment she was too busy to handle herself. In doing so, she introduced me to the wide publication possibilities that food-writing can open for writers. …
I was impressed when the irrigation company was so customer friendly in designing my new sprinkler system. So one day, while discussing the project with their representative, I asked if they'd be interested in an interview. Sure, they said, impressed with my credentials as a "freelance writer." While those inside the business realize that freelance means scrambling for a byline and some semblance of a check, civilians still admire a writer with a camera. …
I won't give in to Murphy's Law. You know, "If anything can go wrong, it will." I am convinced that Murphy's Law happened to me again when my assigned sources never followed through on an interview. Of course, this also was during a time when I was ready to leave for vacation, and my family and I were getting ready to move. Besides, I insisted on meeting my editorial deadline, and keeping my writing moving forward during these seemingly stressful events. …
