Published on February 2, 2005
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.
Published on February 2, 2005
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.
Published on February 2, 2005
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.
Published on January 26, 2005
We had a humdinger of a snowstorm last Wednesday night! We were still trying to find the car in the drifts (okay, that’s a slight exaggeration) when we heard about the “Blizzard of 2005” that was heading our way. However, that little weekend blizzard wasn’t anywhere near the intensity of the Nor’Easter last week (for us, anyway).
Published on January 26, 2005
This Week:
- Death by Poetry
- More on Poetry Article
- When Interview Seekers Don’t Respond
Published on January 26, 2005
For most gardeners, winter is the time to pore over seed catalogs and plot (figuratively, at least) next year’s garden. It’s a time to both assess the past and plan for the future.
Writing gardeners can do the same. Since it’s too cold in many parts of the country to be outside playing in the dirt, now is the perfect time to dig up new writer’s guidelines and craft succulent queries. And assignments landed now will lead to articles published during the all important sowing, growing and harvesting seasons, when any gardener worth his or her salt would rather be outside, anyway.
Published on January 26, 2005
Since writers don’t often get overpaid for their labor, most of us have to develop frugal shopping skills to survive. Did you ever think you might morph these talents into a regular gig with your local newspaper? I didn’t – until persistence combined with luck to provide me with this little weekly bonus.
Published on January 19, 2005
We joined the local homeschooling 4H club last week and were pleasantly surprised to learn that not everybody in 4H is required to grow and auction off livestock! All humor aside, 4H is a great group and we made lots of new friends. The children loved it and can’t wait to get started on some projects to enter in the state fair this summer.
Published on January 19, 2005
Beware of Companies that Guarantee to Get Your Book on Bookstore Shelves
by Angela Hoy
We’ve seen lots of marketing ploys and blatant sp*m from so-called PR and book marketing firms that say they guarantee to get your book on bookstore shelves. Authors should be very, very wary of these claims. In most cases, the author will pay much more to the “PR” or “marketing” firm than they’ll ever get back in book sales. And, they just might end up with a pile of returns from the bookstores…
Published on January 19, 2005
This Week:
- When Interview Seekers Don’t Respond
- On Firing An Editor
