Articles

Becoming an Author One Piece of Trivia at a Time By Jodi M. Webb

Published on October 15, 2008

I'm a lot of fun on a school field trip (embarrassing is the word my children would choose). It's not enough for me to visit Philadelphia and listen to the standard speech by the National Park Service employee. I ask weird questions. Who named the Liberty Bell? What did the men who wrote the Constitution eat for lunch? Did they order takeout or did they brown bag it? Did somebody from Philadelphia really invent the Philly cheesesteak? For decades I've waited but no one created a magazine "niche-y" enough for the tiny shards of knowledge I've gathered. …

We Have Seen the Enemy and She is…a Writer? By A. Antonow

Published on October 8, 2008

Psst...what if I told you that you could run a successful freelance writing business by charging freelance writers next to nothing and then selling their hard work for much more? Would it seem unethical to you? If so, you may be in the minority among some writers. …

I Should Have Known Better… and So Should You! By Laura Bell

Published on October 1, 2008

I know of no other profession where members accept work assignments without finding out when they get paid. Paid on acceptance or paid on publication used to do the trick, but no more. The world of writing has gotten more complicated. …

Name Dropping for Money By Deborah Jeanne Sergeant

Published on September 17, 2008

"It's not what you know but who you know" has never been truer when interviewing celebrities. Interviewing celebrities gives you more than just the ability to name-drop at parties. It also lends credibility and interest to your articles and springboards your writing career to better-paying assignments. You don't have to live in Hollywood to gain access to celebrities. These tips will help you get rolling. …

Transformation By James Robert Daniels

Published on September 10, 2008

Sometimes we study a market and look for article ideas to fit the style, voice and editorial calendar. The most prolific and successful writers find ideas everywhere, then pitch them to suitable markets. We can also start with experience and leave the writing and selling until later. I can't always get a magazine assignment before an event has come and gone. And getting expenses paid is not that likely for a freelancer. So what do you do? Find something interesting and just do it. …

The Hidden Nuances to Writing for Publication By Kamala Thiagarajan

Published on September 3, 2008

Do you believe that getting published is only about finding a good idea, pitching it to the right market and writing the article? While this will certainly help, there are other factors that come into play before a manuscript is accepted for publication. Understanding these allows you to reap rich dividends. …

What’s In A Name? By Paidra Delayno

Published on August 27, 2008

The big day finally arrived when the book I've been writing is finished. It's been re-read and edited a half dozen times. Now it's time to submit. …

Freelance Job Postings – Worth Your Time? By Rich Mintzer

Published on August 13, 2008

Complacency is rarely an option for a freelance writer. Magazines fold, smaller book publishers get swallowed up by larger publishing houses and websites run short of cash. Therefore, even with nearly 50 published non-fiction books and plenty of web content to my credit, I still find that it never hurts to pick up additional small writing assignments and, more importantly, make new contacts. With that in mind, every few months I peruse the freelance assignments on the job postings boards. Ironically, while the names and faces in the publishing business change very often, the tone and general approach of the freelance writing job sites remains the same. …

Essay Anyone? By Susan Sundwall

Published on August 6, 2008

One of my favorite parts of magazines is the section that gives me an essay. I will even, on occasion, clip the really good ones for my folder and toss the magazine. A particularly charming one was in a recent AARP Bulletin. The writer recalls his childhood habit of eavesdropping on the adults in his life and learning much about how the real world works. Funny, I used to do the same thing. I learned many a great life lesson with my ear to the door, and that essay brought it all back to me. Clever, that writer. …

I Got Scammed, Legally, by a Writing Website By Karen Carver

Published on July 30, 2008

Most of us using the internet know the ins and outs of getting scammed. I've used desktop computers since they first became available and the internet since its birthing days with bulletin boards. So I'm very aware. Unfortunately for me, I just got caught in my first - and hopefully last - snare. It will probably cost me $50 after visiting a site for at-home freelance writers. …

When Snobby Authors Pretend to Be Traditionally Published By Forthcoming Fred

Published on July 23, 2008

I belong to a very active writer's association that oversees and sponsors a number of writing groups and workshops in the area. My involvement in the local group has been limited in recent months, only attending meetings when a guest speaker visits to discuss a topic of specific interest to me. This may sound a bit selfish, but I prefer to avoid a handful of pompous, published blowhards whenever possible. Recently I discovered a little secret about a pair of these folks that could send both of them rushing off to therapy, but no names or associations will be mentioned. …

Profiting from Pets: Writing for Animal Magazines By John K. Borchardt

Published on July 16, 2008

Profiting from Pets: Writing for Animal Magazines By John K. Borchardt

Animal magazines target pet owners and animal businesses and cover a wide spectrum of animals and topics. These range from common pets such as dogs (Bark, Dog Fancy, etc.) and cats (Cat Fancy, I Love Cats, etc.), to fish (Aquarium Fish International, Tropical Fish Hobbyist), to less usual pets (Reptiles, Miniature Donkey Journal) to quite large animals (The Horse, Equus, etc.). Some magazines note in their guidelines they are not pet magazines but are intended for people breeding and selling animals. …

Getting Started With Grant Writing By Marjorie Asturias-Lochlaer

Published on July 2, 2008

Grant writing can be a lucrative side business for freelancers seeking to supplement their income. Be forewarned, though: this isn't just a matter of slapping together a few words about how great a particular agency is. Today's donors are an especially savvy lot, with many demanding more measures of accountability than mere feel-good anecdotes. …

Media Kits: Perusing for Profit By Christine Venzon

Published on June 25, 2008

As writers, we naturally check a market's writer's guidelines before submitting material. And they usually answer all our questions regarding content, story length, and (ahem) payment. But not every publication is so kind as to share its guidelines on its website, or even for the asking. Even when it does, you may need more information to fine-tune a query or decide between one market and another. It could even be a new venue, without a stack of back issues or archives to read as market research. Writers are members of the media. Why not check the publication's media kit? …

NEW SALES FOR AN OLD BOOK: How to Breathe Life into Your Book By Mara Reid Rogers

Published on June 11, 2008

"I just sent your Press Release out to over 500 Editors by email a couple of minutes ago. Within three minutes of doing so, I have been getting requests for review copies every minute since." Wouldn't any Author LOVE to hear those words? And those words from a BIG Publisher? Yes! Any Author would. And I did, just last week. …

Follow the Money By Shaunna Privratsky

Published on May 28, 2008

Do you want your writing career to flourish? Then follow the money. This may sound shocking to the purists out there that believe writing is solely a creative expression. Yes; writing should fill you with joy and fulfillment. Yet I know we all believe in being rewarded for hard work and commitment.... …

How to Cash in on Crafts By Ruth Schiffmann

Published on May 21, 2008

How to Cash in on Crafts By Ruth Schiffmann

Down time, we all have it, whether it's a lull between major projects or the quiet before a creative storm. The next time that eerie silence stalls your productivity, turn your energies in a new direction and get ready for the winds of creativity to start blowing. While selling your original craft ideas won't land you in a monetary windfall, with a small investment of time you can punch out a project with the potential for a nifty little return. …

Want to Write a Travel Guidebook? By Barbara Hudgins

Published on May 14, 2008

So you've decided to write a travel guidebook! Perhaps you are a travel writer with a sheaf of articles about your trip to Australia and you feel you have a good enough angle to support a full book. Perhaps you're a travel editor who is fed up with the books coming across your desk since you feel none of them have really brought the reality of the place home. Or you could be an outdoor editor who notices there are more and more inquiries about mountain biking in your area but there is no guidebook on the subject. Of course you may not be a writer at all... …

When Audience Questions Come From Left Field, Get Ready To Catch! By Juliann Wetz

Published on April 30, 2008

Public speaking - book talks - author readings. If you're lucky, you'll get the chance to showcase your writing in a public forum. What a thrill and boost to the ego it is to stand in front of a group of people who are hanging on your every word; people who spend their free time immersing themselves in your thoughts, ideas and expressions. …

Earn Extraordinary Income Writing Web Sites By Karen Di Prima

Published on April 23, 2008

Writers know that nothing can match the thrill of seeing your words printed and bound between the pages of a national glossy, or better yet, perched on a bookshelf in a full-color wrapper. Unfortunately, for many of us, those experiences - and the resulting financial rewards - are few and far between... …

Fill’er Up! – Paying Filler Markets By Jacquie McTaggart

Published on March 19, 2008

Does "one hour of writing time can increase your weekly income by at least $150" sound like a lyric from The Impossible Dream? Well, it isn't - not if you write fillers. Writing fillers is an excellent way for beginners to break into print, or for established writers to boost their income. …

The Mathematics of Freelancing: What’s Your Hourly Rate? By Rich Mintzer

Published on March 12, 2008

As I sat completing an article for $700, I realized that it had only taken me seven hours to write, or a hefty $100 per hour. Later that day, following an editor's notes, I completed a $100 article, which had also taken me seven hours, or a not so hefty $14.29 per hour. After reprimanding myself for taking on the assignment, I once again recalled my promise to no longer take on those poor hourly rate projects unless there was the potential of something much bigger and better to follow... …

Reading Your Work Aloud By Eric D. Goodman

Published on March 5, 2008

Reading Your Work Aloud By Eric D. Goodman

In many cases, writers tend to be introverts. We sit in solitude, our most beloved companions of the workday being our computers and coffee, laptops and latte. Our playmates are pens, pencils, and paper... …

Secret Marketing Tips for Your Book By Scott Rose

Published on February 27, 2008

If you think I'm trying to hit you over the head with sarcastic, ironic subtlety regarding the use of keywords in online book promotion, don't think again! And sometime, you'll simply have to ask me about my recipe for key(word) lime pie. Book book book. Secret secret secret... …

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