I was wondering if you might address the proper protocol for submitting clips to editors. I am a new writer (just two published, paid articles) and I am not sure about the proper format for sending clips. I do not want to commit any copyright violations. When editors request clips, should I send my original Word document with the name of the magazine, when it appeared and contact info, or should I scan the article directly from the magazine and send a copy of that file?
We had a snow day last Friday so the children got an unexpected three-day weekend. We have tons of snow now and it’s been incredibly, uncomfortably cold with highs in the single digits and wind chills in the deep negatives. One of my eyeballs started to freeze when I was walking through a brisk wind at Frank’s school the other day.
Each and every month of the year offers new opportunities and challenges to making more money as a freelance writer. Here is a simple guide to help you prepare for and navigate each month prosperously.
Thanks for the great advice on collecting after getting bad checks. I’m working on a huge one ($1000+) and have just one question. The collection agency – who failed in their attempt to collect the debt – suggested filing in small claims court of the debtor’s county (suburban Chicago while I’m in Atlanta). Have you ever had to resort to contacting the local police as you threatened in your note? Has it worked? Is that better than pursuing a small claim in the county?
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.
Mason is keeping us all in shape these days! He went from spinning in circles on his belly last month to scooting, crawling, and pulling himself into a standing position by the sofa all in the past two weeks.
As promised, this week I’m sharing the steps I take when somebody sends me a bad check. Sure, I understand that bookkeeping mistakes happen, but by the time my bank has notified me of a bad check, the person whose check bounced has usually already been notified by their bank. If they haven’t contacted me immediately to right their wrong, I have to assume their actions were malicious.
This week:
There is always the risk of offending people when you write about them. Frank McCourt has written openly about his daughter’s anger with him for writing about her; his response at that time was “too bad.” Not all of us are willing to lose our families for the sake of our art; so how do we get around including the people in our lives in the stories of our lives? Here are some ways I have handled it:
