Articles

Write About Fido & Fifi – It Sells! By Susan Sundwall

Published on August 24, 2011

Okay, I don't think anyone names their dog, cat, hamster or whatever Fido or Fifi anymore, but maybe that title caught your eye because you love writing about animals, as I do. We currently own a fifteen-year-old Springer Spaniel, and have owned several cats and other dogs. We also deal on a regular basis with local wildlife, which includes white tailed deer, possums, crows, foxes, rabbits, and the occasional black bear. And don't even get me started on my new found love of hummingbirds. Many of my encounters with these animals serve as fodder for my eager pen... …

Writing Advertorials Can Be a Lucrative Freelance Writing Niche By John K. Borchardt

Published on August 17, 2011

Writing Advertorials Can Be a Lucrative Freelance Writing Niche By John K. Borchardt

Advertorials provide information about products or services but are written in the style of an objective magazine or newspaper article. Advertorials provide readers with descriptions of new products and technology, overviews of new developments in a certain industry or assessments of the impact of government programs and new regulations on their business. These can be just as journalistic as any other article... …

From Aspiring Journalist to Published Writer By Lisa Evans

Published on August 10, 2011

Like many freelance journalists, I began my working life trapped in an office job I detested. The gray cubicle walls that surrounded me for eight hours a day Monday through Friday were not only claustrophobia-inducing but creativity-squelching. I always knew I wanted to be a writer, but had no idea where to begin. My cubicle days became numbered when I came across a course in magazine writing offered by George Brown College in Toronto... …

Sell Your Frustration By Alice Wisler

Published on August 3, 2011

"Someone broke into my car." "She's late again." "Why would anyone say that to a friend?" Frustration surrounds us whether we are in preschool, tenth grade, or an adult out in the world. But did you know that your emotions can be channeled to write articles that sell? Unpleasant real life situations can be created into pieces that actually benefit others... …

ADS THAT MEAN BUSINESS By James Rada Jr.

Published on July 27, 2011

Having a salesman call on a customer can cost hundreds of dollars in expenses. A long-distance phone sales call can be costly, too. But a prospect can be reached for about fifty cents through an ad in a trade magazine. In today's business marketplace where businesses need to stay lean to stay competitive, effective business-to-business advertising is a must... …

Paneling for Profit By Eric D. Goodman

Published on July 20, 2011

Writers should consider paneling for profit. No, I'm not advocating a side job doing home improvements. Writers tend to be primed for discussion panels. …

When Your Muse Gets Mugged By Susan Sundwall

Published on July 13, 2011

Death stops everything. And I don't mean just in the person who's died. It stops normal activity for however long it takes for those involved to recover. It's especially hard on the creative mind because, like it or not, for those of us who count on imagination to survive, there's often a high price to pay - like no productivity for months... …

Artist Grants: A Unique Source for Furthering Your Writing Career By Kathleen Krueger

Published on June 22, 2011

Artist Grants: A Unique Source for Furthering Your Writing Career By Kathleen Krueger

When a fellow writer first encouraged me to apply for a grant from our state sponsored arts council to fund a trip to a writer's conference, I thought she was nuts. But when she told me that she'd used artist grant funds to finance two different trips to out-of-state conferences already, I started paying attention, and asking questions... …

Make Money Writing English Textbooks! By Greg Goodmacher

Published on June 15, 2011

Make Money Writing English Textbooks! By Greg Goodmacher

Did you know that the number of people studying English worldwide is estimated at around one billion, and that this number is projected to grow considerably? What does this mean to you as a writer? The market for writers of educational materials is growing, too, and your writing can be a part of that growth. …

THE 4 KEYS TO GOOD SERVICE By Mike Dale

Published on June 8, 2011

Nobody sets out to fail but, for the freelancer, there are some key elements that will deliver the best possible service and happy customers... …

Q&A and You By Suchi Rudra

Published on June 1, 2011

I've written quite a few business and company profiles in my seven years of experience as a freelance writer and journalist. This means I've had to interview many CEOs, executives and owners of small- and medium-sized businesses. Although the question list varies according to the specific style of the magazine and the unique qualities of the business and business owner, there is definitely a core set of questions that I tend to slip in during each interview... …

8 Paying Health Markets By John Riddle

Published on May 25, 2011

8 Paying Health Markets By John Riddle

In case you had not noticed, America is getting older. And while that might cause alarm for some people, for freelance writers, it is time to dance a jig. Why? Because with the so-called "graying of America," the opportunity to write for health markets has "exploded, and reached an all time high." And it will continue to grow and grow and grow... …

Being Honest About a Project’s Commercial Potential By Rich Mintzer

Published on May 11, 2011

The American Society of Journalists and Authors holds an annual writers conference each spring in New York City. One of the three days always intrigues me. It's the day in which they have what is called the Personal Pitch. This is an opportunity for writers to meet face to face with editors, publishers and agents and pitch ideas for books, blogs, articles or whatever they have to sell. Pitches need to be concise as this is almost akin to speed dating, except we need not determine that we both love walks on the beach... …

Effective Bidding Pays Off By Deborah Jeanne Sergeant

Published on April 27, 2011

Effective Bidding Pays Off By Deborah Jeanne Sergeant

An editor or client will likely ask for your fee someday. It's a heady moment, but keep your wits about you. You don't want to mess this up, especially if the project will take awhile, or represents a stepping stone to more work. …

Reality Check: 7 Questions to Ask Yourself before Quitting Your Day Job By Patty Harder

Published on April 13, 2011

Reality Check: 7 Questions to Ask Yourself before Quitting Your Day Job By Patty Harder

Before I launched my freelance copywriting business, I spent three full months planning my escape from corporate America. (Four months if you count the month I spent over-thinking whether I should quit my day job . . . or not.) I read Peter Bowerman's book, The Well-Fed Writer, cover-to-cover. Twice. I built a website and created an online portfolio. I converted my rarely-used formal living room into an office. And I planned my business implementation strategy. These early efforts paid off. Within 90 days of starting my business, I had replaced my full time income... …

Educational Travel Writing: What Is It and How Can I Contribute? By Isabel Eva Bohrer

Published on April 6, 2011

Educational Travel Writing: What Is It and How Can I Contribute? By Isabel Eva Bohrer

Guidebooks, restaurant reviews, advice for backpacking and luxury vacations alike...to most people, this is what springs to mind under the travel writing umbrella. And, of course, the notorious narratives by Paul Theroux, Bruce Chatwin, and other famous travel authors. Educational travel writing, however, is a niche that fewer people are familiar with... …

Query Rejected? You May Not Have to Take No for an Answer By John K. Borchardt

Published on March 16, 2011

After I've sold three or more articles to an editor, I will sometimes telephone an editor to find out why she has turned down my latest query. Sometimes when I finish the phone call I've made a sale. The tactics I use to accomplish this depend on why the editor rejected my query. Sometimes the editor tells me that she does want an article on a subject but prefer it be slanted differently. We discuss the slant she prefers. Sometimes when we hang up I rewrite my query giving her the slant she prefers. When I do this I usually end up with an assignment. …

How I Broke into Professional Membership Society Magazines By John K. Borchardt

Published on March 9, 2011

Almost every profession has one or more professional societies dedicated to the career and specialized knowledge interests of its members. Many of these organizations publish magazines dedicated to these interests. These magazines often pay freelance writers and do not require them to be members of the organization... …

Writing a News Release? By Don Baumgart

Published on March 2, 2011

When you're writing a news release for a client, you should be thinking like the reporter who will eventually read and use the information. What will help him or her write the story? If you make the writer's job easier, there's a better chance your message will make it into publication... …

The New News: Paraphrasing or Plagiarism? By Gail Kavanagh

Published on February 23, 2011

There is a disturbing trend on some content sites that could leave writers, and the site owners, open to accusations of plagiarism. It is the act of rewriting and paraphrasing stories that appear on genuine news websites, such as Fox News, where working journalists have gathered the facts and presented them as a news story... …

Publishing Your Book is NOT Enough! By Jim Gilliam

Published on February 9, 2011

There is a tried and true maxim in the SCUBA diving community: "Plan your dive, and dive your plan." This sage piece of advice is also applicable to our community of authors... …

Commit Random Acts of Writing By Susan Sundwall

Published on February 2, 2011

Not too long ago I was given the opportunity to participate in a random act of culture at a nearby mall. I counted myself and a few friends among dozens of singers who gathered at the appointed hour at Crossgates Mall in Guilderland, New York, stood up when the music began, and belted out the Hallelujah Chorus. People stopped eating their burritos and pot stickers to stare and some even smiled and took pictures. I loaned my modest alto to the effort and our whole group was rewarded with thunderous applause at the last hallelujah. It was quite satisfying. Since then I've tried to apply that "random" mentality to my writing... …

Mommy Knows Best By Eric D. Goodman

Published on January 26, 2011

When you publish a book and want to bring attention to it, it's a good idea to get some reviews and create some buzz. Traditionally, writers, publishers, and publicists target mainstream media. But, sometimes it pays to go right to the source... …

Resolutions Worth Writing About By Eric D. Goodman

Published on January 5, 2011

As I took my son for a walk through the neighborhood recently - the winter weather temporarily rising from the 20s to the 60s - there must have been a hundred discarded Christmas trees lining the curbs. Possibly enough to heat the entire city for a day! It made me realize something: the holidays are definitely over... …

How to Get a Large Online Bookstore to (Finally!) Fix Your Book Page By G.R.

Published on December 22, 2010

I was SO excited! After two years, I'd finally finished revisions to my newest non-fiction book, and even had scored an interview with a major metropolitan daily. I was all set to promote the new edition to buyers of the first edition, as well as to new readers. Publication day came. I updated my website, and was ready to roll - except for one hitch... …

Free Online Publicity Increases Profits By Stephanie Ann

Published on December 15, 2010

In these high tech times, a blog or web site is certainly a useful marketing tool to maintain an online presence that promotes your book. However, unless you have millions of followers for your web site, you need online exposure beyond your own blog and Facebook page to reach people who aren't aware of your book. Here are some of my favorite free ways to promote a book online. …

Get Paid to Help Local Businesses Promote Themselves By John-Manuel Andriote

Published on December 8, 2010

Very few small, locally owned businesses - such as family-owned restaurants, local museums, and medical practices - have someone on staff to produce the kind of high-quality marketing and promotional materials that companies need to succeed. Writers who are skilled storytellers, and can show readers in words why a subject is worthy of their attention, can provide a valuable service, and make good money by writing marketing collateral for small local businesses... …

Novel Strategies for Using Press Releases When Writing By John K. Borchardt

Published on December 1, 2010

Novel Strategies for Using Press Releases When Writing By John K. Borchardt

Press releases give me a lot of article ideas. Writing shorts based on a single press release used to be a major part of my freelance magazine writing business. Online news sites were particularly lucrative. However, over the last several years I have found that it has become more difficult to get queries based on a single press release accepted by editors. Several other freelancers I have spoken with have said the same thing. Why is this? What strategies can you use to get article assignments based on press releases? …

The Real Insight into Travel Writing Perks By Roy Stevenson

Published on November 24, 2010

The Real Insight into Travel Writing Perks By Roy Stevenson

Everyone thinks that travel writers travel the globe for free, fly everywhere first class, stay in resorts and spas, and get pampered at every destination. This can happen although it is getting rare. The days of magazines paying all of your expenses for trips are long gone... …

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