Although it was eight years ago I remember vividly my decision NOT to give away any more of my books. Restless from the Start, my first baby, had recently been accepted for availability at one Barnes & Noble store in Sarasota, Florida because I would be doing a lecture on publishing and promotion there. The head office would put the book into their computer system and five copies would be ordered for Sarasota.
Warning: Don’t read today’s column if runny noses gross you out.
The piece about organizing by Julie Hood (Files, Piles and Stacks…Get Organized for 2005) you featured in WritersWeekly was so great, I printed it, then went to her website and printed some more.
Instead of my resume and clips, I should market this description for freelance work. In spite of my credentials and experience, or should I say because of it, I have been “taken” again by another bogus editing test. Although I am not a novice (with over 13 years of experience), I am still amazed that I get scammed by this old trick after watching for all apparent signs.
In addition to freelance writing, I also develop websites for writers and publishers. Recently, I developed a website for a magazine publisher who now refuses to pay me. What should I do?
I had an idea for a new book – but the nagging, negative voice inside my head kept telling me I could never get it published. It was about weddings, and why would any publisher consider me for a book on weddings? Other than being married myself, what were my qualifications? Zilch. Zero. Nada. Nonetheless, the idea was always in the forefront of my mind.
This week, I’m getting one of my Christmas presents – a trip to a small inn that has a fireplace in every room and great shopping nearby. Yea! There are lots of winter activities, too, so the children are very excited. We’ve already pulled out all the snowpants, waterproof gloves and extra socks.
I’ll be officially “on vacation” from Wednesday afternoon until Sunday. During that time, I’ll only be online checking for emergencies.
Hugs to all!
Angela
P.S. Want to read real query letters that landed these contracts? Woman’s Day – $2,800; Redbook – $3,500; Ladies Home Journal – $3,000; DiscoveryHealth.com – $2,000; Lifetime Magazine – $3,000; Life Extension Magazine – $6,480; Natural Remedies – $11,300; and many more! See: https://www.writersweekly.com/books/1409.html
I would be remiss if I didn’t write and thank you for your article on January 12 with the sample letter “encouraging” deadbeat editors to pay up. When the e-zine with that letter arrived, I sat down and composed an email to a publisher along the same lines as your letter, but adding to the list of those I was notifying was the local chamber of commerce since the magazine I wrote the article (advertorial) for is interested in having area businesses contract for their services.
Any business might occasionally take on contracts that it later regrets having accepted. Other companies may offer too-good-to-be-true terms in the hopes of obtaining free labor. Avoiding these risky “opportunities” is a challenge, especially for the freelancer. The following warning signs should make you think twice about pursuing a particular freelance assignment.
Sitting at my computer I proudly smile at a book. That may seem unusual, but on the cover of that book – in bold, yellow, capital letters is my name. After four years of research/writing, countless queries/rejections from publishers, regular advice from Angela’s WritersWeekly, a surprisingly short contract negotiation, and a release date delayed for over a year, my book is out.
