Articles

VAMPIRE PUBLISHERS: How to Tell If You’ve Been Bitten by One By Julie Matherly

Published on January 14, 2009

Like many writers who can't break through the exclusive ceiling of agents and large blockbuster-thirsty commercial publishers, you might be forced to change tactics. You query smaller houses until you receive every author's dream - a book contract. The publisher pays royalties and claims not to be a self-publisher, POD, or vanity press. They invite you to ask questions, making you feel safe. You can't wait to sign while the stars of potential royalties romance your head. Some of the terms seem a little vague, but your hunger for publication convinces you not to expect much with a first published book. You're grateful to be one of a chosen few while the publisher seduces you to join their sacred family. You surrender to your appetite and sign. Having your first book published is worth almost any risk, right? Sadly, writers who buy into this deceptive myth may face dire consequences. Welcome to Vampire Publishing. …

The Power and Profit in a Fiction Title By Marion Cuba

Published on January 7, 2009

As a writer, I am constantly barraged by Internet advice on how to market your book. Unfortunately, most of the suggestions are geared to non-fiction. Many also urge me to "research the market" to find the perfect subject. I dismiss - and delete - these ideas as NA: not applicable. They hold no interest for me. Nor would they be of any value. …

Thirty-One Writing-Related Resolutions By Melissa Mayntz

Published on December 31, 2008

Thirty-One Writing-Related Resolutions By Melissa Mayntz

Many writers are stressed at the end of the year, not because of holiday parties, last-minute shopping, or a second batch of cookies, but because it's time to plan next year's writing progress with the dreaded New Year's resolutions. Instead of getting stumped on the same "write more, write better" goal, these 31 writing-related resolutions - one for every day of January - offer ideas every writer can embrace for a productive and profitable new year. …

Getting Paid, Taking Aim, and Reporting in 1899 By James Stovall

Published on December 17, 2008

The Writing Wright offers a banquet of information, quotations, essays and notes about writing, writers and the writing life. Here you will find out about Ernest Hemingway's attitude toward punctuation, when Tom Clancy found out about submarines, and much more! Richly illustrated by the author, this book is one that you find hard to resist. …

Aim Off Target By Eric D. Goodman

Published on December 10, 2008

Any new author will tell you that writing the book is only the tip of the iceberg. Then comes revising it, rewriting it, editing it, finding a publisher, and a long final stretch - marketing it. These days you can't just write a book and expect the masses to come to you. To succeed, you must take your book to the masses. …

Writing for Writers Works By Steff Green

Published on December 3, 2008

Many writers in the freelance industry struggle to find their writing niche, yet they overlook the most obvious niche - writing about writing. Any writer who has clocked their hours in front of a keyboard knows a few tricks, techniques, dos and do not's they could share with other writers. Why not write for other writers and earn money while you're at it? …

Make Money Writing Santa Letters By Julie Engelhardt

Published on November 26, 2008

Make Money Writing Santa Letters By Julie Engelhardt

We've all heard the expression "necessity is the mother of invention," and as the days before Christmas begin to dwindle down, this mother needed to think of an invention that would bring in some extra money for holiday presents. …

BEWARE! Text Editing Scam By Cee Gee

Published on November 19, 2008

In August '08, an internet scam hit very close to home and I was almost conned. It started when I went looking for a job on Cleveland.com. There, I came across a posting... …

How Offering a ‘Gift with Purchase’ Can Grow Your Freelance Writing Business By Patty Harder

Published on November 12, 2008

I'm a sucker for a free gift with purchase. In fact, I wait to buy my favorite Lancome or Estee Lauder beauty products until it's bonus time. And I usually stock up on things like socks when the buy-one-get-one-free (BOGO) specials come along. For freelance writers, this proven marketing tactic is a great way to get new clients - or revitalize an existing client relationship that's gone cold. …

Get Your Money Up Front! I’m Glad I Did! By Debbie Elicksen

Published on November 5, 2008

Books are my business. In the last seven to eight years, I've helped make people's books come alive with manuscript editing, project managing books to print, graphic design and layout, and sometimes ghostwriting. So when a fellow member of an association - a friend - came to me to ask me to ghostwrite a manuscript, I didn't turn him down. …

If I Flop, Let ’em Pan Me By Sharon A. Struth

Published on October 29, 2008

Knute Rockne, head coach for Notre Dame's "Fighting Irish" team brought his team to national prominence and wasn't afraid of his critics. "If I flop, let'em pan me" he once said. It takes confidence to make that statement. …

Travel Stories Right in Your Backyard By Joan Airey

Published on October 22, 2008

Travel articles can be written without leaving your backyard. In July, my oldest son informed me that a business acquaintance was leading trail riders and a wagon on a two-week trek starting from our hometown. …

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. …

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