I just read George English’s Creative Client Cons. Great article!
I just have one question. George suggests that “Another way freelancers can protect themselves is by never sending out work that has not been paid for. Instead, send watermarked proofs.”
I have coffeemarked notes and lipstickmarked cups, chocolatemarked cookbooks and perfumemarked lovenotes, but what are watermarked proofs?
Somehow, McFarland has just awakened to the existence of the book (maybe from the endorsement by Rush Limbaugh) that I recently self-published through BookLocker. It is The Keeper of the Flame: The Supreme Court Opinions of Justice Clarence Thomas. They offered me a contract for the book. I’m delighted, of course, for all the usual reasons, and especially because now the book will get into many, many libraries throughout the United States…
While the in-laws were here, we drove out to our new land. When we got there, which is located an inconvenient distance from any store, I was horrified to realize we’d left the diaper rash cream at home. Mason has very sensitive skin and his bottom was flaming red that day. In a panic, I reached for a tube of Chapstick that was in the diaper bag…
This Week:
Freelancers get ripped off every day. Sites like WritersWeekly.com are filled with stories and warnings about people who simply don’t pay for writing or editing or graphic design work. Sometimes the check just never arrives, but quite often these crooks are more creative and more sinister. Some have honed their skills over many years, and if you were to look into their backgrounds, you’d probably be entertained for weeks just reading about their various scams and deceptions: You’ll find a mechanics’ lien on the family station wagon; cell phones listed because land lines were cut off for non-payment; and frequent relocations in an attempt to keep ahead of creditors. Their entire lives are designed around dodging bill collectors.
I am a produced screenwriter (Lost Junction) and have just recently completed a novel (fiction) that I was thinking of self-publishing (after going through the headache of getting a screenplay made into a movie for five years, not sure I want to start over with the tradional publishing venue!)
My question is – does this give me any kind of advantage in self-publishing?
How many of us are fortunate enough to transform our (safe) compulsions/obsessions into the start of a passionate vocation?
We’ve been to Bar Harbor, on a day-trip to our land, out to a great lunch with author Mark LaFlamme (The Pink Room) and his wife, and to an endless array of restaurants. We’ve been shopping, the women have been cooking together, and the men have been fixing things around the house.
Every quarter, we host the WritersWeekly.com 24-Hour Short Story Contest. The first thing you should know is we don’t make a profit on the contest. After charging a $5 entry fee for the contest to the maximum number of contestants (500) and then paying the judges (by the hour), the winners ($300, $250 and $200) and also royalties to authors of books that are chosen as prizes for other contestants, we actually lose money on each contest. But, it is a good publicity tool and lots of fun so we keep it going, year after year.
The best part of the contest is that I get to read lots of great stories!
The worst part of the contest is dealing with disqualified or just plain grumpy contestants.
Regarding the question about copywriting courses posted last week:
Hi, Ang.
I’m a senior copywriter at a very large international nonprofit organization. I’ve won a lot of awards; so suffice it to say that I know the business.
With that in mind, I would caution your readers to be VERY leery of signing up for any of those courses unless you find one that charges $200 to $300 instead of the usual exorbitant fees (and, even better, one that’s offered by a local college).
For one thing, getting freelance copywriting projects (not to mention earning a living as a freelance copywriter) is a lot harder than it sounds. No matter how good you are, you have to market yourself incessantly until you’ve acquired steady clients (and even then, you have to keep doing it, as you’ll lose clients from time to time).
So, if you shell out $1,500 – $2,000, you’d better not do it on a maxed-out credit card or expect to recoup that money in a few months. Unless you’re a truly gifted copywriter AND an outstanding marketer, it just won’t happen.
Carol
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Angela,
Thanks for affirming my gut reaction–that ‘get-rich-quick’ doesn’t come cheap or easy no matter how much I’d like it to.
J.
