I’m wallowing in the glow of the firelight (well, the fake flames on our heater), enjoying the snowflakes dancing on the other side of the dark, cold windows, munching on leftovers, and savoring an entire week off with my family. I hope you’re all doing the same!
Happy holiday hugs to all!
Ang
Letters will return next week.
I have been a full-time freelancer and sole support of my family for 24 years. I try to cover the bases – and check both free job boards and those who accumulate specific job site listings for a small fee.
I’ve loved your newsletter and website for years — you’re a great authority on the writing life. I have a book coming out in the spring, and my publicist has asked my co-author and I to create a reel to market to TV programs. Have you any suggestions for resources for writers wanting to create such a thing? I have no sense of the necessary production values, how long it should be, format, etc. I have searched and searched and can’t find any information on the web. Any wisdom would be much appreciated — an E-book, an article, a regular book – I’m just seeking some pointers on this. Thanks so much!
The children are terribly excited about Christmas coming on Sunday and I have to admit their excitement is contagious. I, myself, have a hard time going to sleep at night with visions of sugar plums dancing in my head. And, since I’m pregnant and craving sweets like mad, those sugar plum temptations are quite overwhelming right now!
This Week:
Opinions on editing tests vary. Some would place editing in the class of professions that includes medicine, plumbing and haircutting, in which auditions simply aren’t done. Others might consider the acting profession to be a better analogy.
My question has to do with entry fees to contests. Are they now standard when you see a contest that you might consider entering? I’m slightly confused by that, because essentially isn’t that just another roundabout way of paying to get your writing read or published?
We give candy and cookies to our friends here in Bangor for Christmas so Ali and I are baking up a storm this week. I’m trying to make Peppernuts for the first time ever this year. My mom’s been making them for years. We received them in a tin each Christmas from one of mom’s friends for years and the lady would never give out their secret family recipe, despite all those years of begging and bribes from my mom. My mom was into ceramics at that time (she even had her own kiln) and, one year, the neighbor’s daughter came over and asked my mom to make a ceramic teddy bear for a friend. She was willing to pay. Mom said she, of course, couldn’t take the girl’s money, but she would like the girl to run home and get her mom’s peppernuts recipe.
Dear Angela-
I just want to let you know that I really enjoyed your column regarding Jerks masquerading as Authors-in fact, I often enjoy your columns.
Victoria Grossack
https://www.tapestryofbronze.com
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Right (write) on Angela. Jerks waste time, money and energy and merely take advantage. I’ve been in business over 20 years, as an outsource to business and individuals, and we have learned to listen for the key words that announce “I am a jerk.” As soon as we hear them we say “no” to whatever they want. This practice has seen us through quite well. Once in a while we make a mistake and take on a jerk. As soon as he/she/company identifies their true self, we tell them we don’t want their work. I have never regretted it, nor found it hurt our business.
A very successful, long-term attorney, now retired said he didn’t think a business could operate that way, but after watching our company, he wishes he’d done that during his legal career.
Ethel Geary
