Articles

Writing-Related Gifts From the Heart By Julie Engelhardt

Published on September 20, 2006

Buying presents is always a challenge for me, especially when it comes to finding the right birthday present. There's the tried and true-flowers, gift certificates, perfume-but I had a particularly difficult time finding the right gift for my Mom's birthday this year. She turned 75, and I wanted to do something different for her. When I asked her what she'd like to have, she responded, "Don't worry about my birthday. I have everything I need." That is true, and she is able, thankfully, to still provide for herself. Yet, I still felt that it was important to give her something special. Since my husband, boys and I live some distance away from where she is, and the kids are in school when her birthday rolls around, I knew I wouldn't be able to make it to her home for the day. What could I do for her? Then the idea hit me. Earlier in the year my Mother made a beautiful bridal shower gift for my oldest niece, her oldest granddaughter. She collected family recipes and put together a book that contained the recipes as well as photos of her and her granddaughter in the kitchen, plus stories that related to each recipe. …

A Matter of Persistence By Susan Eileen Walker

Published on September 13, 2006

The real secret to success at anything, whether it be riding a bicycle, getting a part in the school play, getting your novel published or conquering the world, is persistence. The act of persisting means keeping on no matter what tries to stop you or who tells you to give up. …

Artsy Fartsy Newsletters By C. Hope Clark

Published on September 6, 2006

Do you get newsletters from your state arts or humanities councils? I get fifteen of them, and they come packed with knowledge, jobs, and calls for submission, contests as well as grants. They have no need for scams and do not advertise, so the content in those pages is legitimate and genuine. Since they live to serve artists and writers, they have no need to pull the wool over your eyes. In other words, reliable. I have found grants I never knew existed, contests for specific regions, jobs advertised on a short deadline, and publications I craved to read. I learned how much money a state had to offer writers and which states loved writers more than others. The best retreats in the world appear in these newsletters. …

Writers Should Be Cautious Of What Information Is Put Online By Diane Craver

Published on August 30, 2006

I've had a website for the past few years to promote my books with Booklocker.com. After receiving traditional contracts recently for my romance novels , I'm in the process of having a new website designed. My new one will be limited in what personal information is given. Why? Because I want to avoid contacts from nuts. I'll tell you what I've learned from other authors to prevent trouble. …

Book Proposals Aren’t Just For How-To Books Anymore By Patricia Fry

Published on August 23, 2006

I hear it all the time, "I don't need a book proposal because I'm writing a novel." One woman told me, "My book simply defies the need to write a book proposal first. I'll pitch it to publishers as already written." Or the classic, "Sure, you might write a book proposal for a how-to book, but not a memoir." Excuse me, but I beg to differ. Every book should start with a book proposal. The only exceptions are books for personal distribution to family members and friends and, perhaps, instructional or educational books with limited distribution to a specific company, organization or industry. Books written with a national, international or even regional audience in mind, in order to be successful, require tremendous forethought. And this means, write a book proposal first. …

Beyond Short and Scannable: Writing for Corporate Web Sites By Melissa Bradley Diskin

Published on August 16, 2006

Good web copywriters arm themselves with a thesaurus, a style guide, and maybe even some books on emotional intelligence in the workplace. But if you write for the web, you know that there's more to successful copy than the old standbys of knowing your audience and keeping copy short for easy scanning. The following questions will help you navigate an early interview and also help you avoid hidden pitfalls after joining a corporate writer pool. …

Query Upside-Down For the Trades By John K. Borchardt

Published on August 9, 2006

Turning the organization of your query letters upside-down can be an effective technique to win trade magazine assignments. This means first presenting yourself as the type of writer the editor needs: accomplished and professional, rather than first pitching your article idea. …

Creative Client Cons By George English

Published on August 2, 2006

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. …

Special Report: Israel Under Fire – Working Under the Gun By Yocheved Golani

Published on July 26, 2006

Journalists take serious risks when they report from a war zone. I've borne rather nominal scars in my freelance journalistic efforts within Israel, and I've learned quite a bit from them. I'm taking time out from my daily life to jot down some thoughts, and to distract myself from the noise of military aircraft overhead. …

Consignment Blues By Mark LaFlamme

Published on July 19, 2006

Consignment Blues By Mark LaFlamme

Congratulations. You're a rock star. Your new novel is on the market and people are clamoring for your attention. Go nuts. Get some dark shades, a new do, and hire some people to pose as groupies. First time authors in particular get an unparalleled thrill out of getting their books into the stores. There are few rewards like seeing your work on display and having average Joes ask for your signature. Be warned, though. While some bookstores will be glad to order copies of your book on their own, there are those who will whimper and whine and insist they can only take books on consignment... …

10 Tips I Wish Someone Had Given Me Before I Launched My Freelance Writing Career By Patty Harder

Published on July 12, 2006

10 Tips I Wish Someone Had Given Me Before I Launched My Freelance Writing Career By Patty Harder

Just over a year ago, I walked away from a well-paying marketing job to launch a freelance writing career, working primarily in the business to business sector. Within two months, my freelance income was paying the bills. In this first year of writing self-employment, I learned many things that improved my business savvy and monthly income. Here are 10 tips I wish someone had given me before I launched my freelance writing business.…

Best Place To See Your Byline? On A Check! By Star Lawrence

Published on June 28, 2006

Best Place To See Your Byline? On A Check! By Star Lawrence

In my previous spew concerning sites that offer to place your blog entries in publications to give you more "exposure," I indicated that I was not comfortable with the concept of opportunists feeding off my carcass without benefit of compensation. But, since this write-for-free debate is such a tired standby, I sighed and said maybe I was becoming the crab on the block. What do you think? I asked. My mailbox overflowed! …

Is Your Cover Designer Really a Cover Designer? By Cathi Stevenson

Published on June 21, 2006

Most people agree that cover design is one of the most important ingredients in marketing a book. Professional book cover design is essential because readers, retailers and reviewers glance at a book for only a few seconds before they make a choice. Hiring a cover designer can be tricky, though, because there are so many people claiming to be cover designers. It's difficult to determine who has the skills to get the job done and who does not. …

Want Tens of Thousands of Content-Hungry Publishers Feeding on You? By Star Lawrence

Published on June 14, 2006

You almost have to stay up all night to stay ahead of the new wrinkles creasing the Internet. First came blogging and the chance to carry Google ads and maybe get a pence or two back at some point. A woman called me the other day and exclaimed that she had just made 50 cents on AdSense. Now, several sites have sprung up to spread your blog entries around - at no compensation to you, of course - and supposedly increase your cachet in the blogosphere. …

The Myths of Nonprofit Literary Publishing By C. Hope Clark

Published on June 7, 2006

The Myths of Nonprofit Literary Publishing By C. Hope Clark

Nonprofit presses want your help - your writing and your money, too. Nowhere in the rules of a nonprofit does it say the entities cannot afford to pay a writer. As a matter of fact, a nonprofit that cannot afford to pay its bills is poorly run. Nonprofits are expected to operate with their financial records in the black, just like a regular business. For-profit magazines are expected to pay their writers. Why not the nonprofit publications as well? …

What Is Online Marketing? – Part 1 By Richard Hoy

Published on April 26, 2006

For the next six weeks, I'm going to try to explain what constitutes a "true" online marketing strategy. I'm going to lay out a plan you can use to sell and/or promote online. This plan is the culmination of 10 years of experience doing online marketing campaigns that ranged from being wildly successful to utter failures, and everything in between. …

Tickle Their Funny Bone By C. Hope Clark

Published on April 19, 2006

Tim Bete, humor writer and coordinator for the annual Erma Bombeck's Writing Workshop, teaches that to become a paid humor columnist, you need to submit your column to someone who will pay you... …

You Want to Bill Them HOW? By Crystal Schwanke

Published on March 22, 2006

If you're like me, the, "How much would you charge me for this article/project" question brings a clammy coating to your skin and you could swear the temperature in your office just dropped by at least a few degrees. There are several ways to calculate costs. Take into consideration how much research and time will be involved in the completion of the task. Work from there to discover the best way to bill your clients in order to remain fair to them while also remaining true to yourself and your financial needs. …

10 Places to Find Ideas By Barbra Annino

Published on March 8, 2006

10 Places to Find Ideas By Barbra Annino

Have you ever read an article and wondered where the writer came up with the idea? You may think that the pros are assigned most of their stories, but that's rarely the case. Neophytes and seasoned writers alike have to come up with article topics on their own for the most part. So where do you turn when your idea arsenal is running low? The short answer is EVERYWHERE. …

Blogging For Profit…Hopefully YOUR Profit By Richard Hoy

Published on February 22, 2006

Blogging for profit might be the newest chapter in the book of business models for writers, but phrases like "very part time basis", "exposure", and "split the ad revenue" tell the same old story. They are sugar-coated ways of saying "come work for free." …

Red Flag Phrases To Avoid In Freelance Help Wanted Ads By Angela Hoy

Published on February 15, 2006

Last week, I received two letters from readers complimenting us on only running quality job ads. While I do occasionally screw up and get "had" by a bad one, I try very hard each week to avoid the questionable/seedy ads, and only run ads that are for real companies that pay writers real money. I admit I get pretty upset when I see my writing website colleagues running ads that are obviously questionable or unethical, if not downright scams (pay per click, term paper mills, etc.) and, unfortunately, when I write to them to complain, they usually ignore my emails... …

International Markets for Writers By Kasey Brunt

Published on February 8, 2006

International Markets for Writers By Kasey Brunt

Admit it. You are a successful freelance writer or journalist. You enjoy a great relationship with the same editors and write for the same publications. It's a great life. In fact, make that a darn wonderful life. Why change it? Because in today's world it's easier than ever to move beyond your own backyard and out into that big, bold world of untapped markets. …

One Writer’s Story of Agent Hopping By Rich Mintzer

Published on February 1, 2006

One of the biggest problems with seeking an agent is that you may actually find one. Not unlike the ever popular quest for a boyfriend or girlfriend, it's easy to overlook some rather annoying qualities when you just want an agent so badly. …

Finding Profits In Shorts By John K. Borchardt

Published on January 25, 2006

Is writing short articles, 100 - 800 words, worth the effort? Because the money involved is small, one has to question the value of accepting these short assignments. There can be sacrifices involved. Shorts can fragment one's time, allowing less time for larger projects that bring fatter paychecks. This time fragmentation also can make it harder to meet deadlines. However, with effective strategy and good time management, short pieces can be additional income producers while paving the way to longer, more lucrative assignments from some editors, while not interfering with your current larger projects. …

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