Tickle Their Funny Bone By C. Hope Clark
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... …
Articles
ALL IN THE FAMILY: WRITING FOR FAMILY HISTORY MAGAZINES By Erika Dreifus
Recently, I described a bit about my own freelance writing for genealogy and family history magazines. In this article, I'll expand the discussion: I'll explain how you can break into this market, too - and where you might do so... …
Flat Fees vs. Hourly Rates: Do Both at Once! By Anne Bingham
My contribution to the debate over whether to charge clients flat fees or hourly rates is: Do both - at the same time. …
Is Email Etiquette Passe’ in Publishing? By Ami Ahlstedt
Do editors need manners? Do they need to use basic writing skills in their correspondence with lowly writers? Does anyone care if they don't? I think the answer to all three questions is: Yes. …
You Want to Bill Them HOW? By Crystal Schwanke
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
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. …
Grant Writers Beware By Gail Shapiro
Angela Hoy's recent article, Red Flag Phrases To Avoid In Freelance Help Wanted Ads, made me think of another - those ubiquitous ads for "grant writers." Of course, we know they mean "grant proposal writers," as the grant writer is the one with the money to give... but who's quibbling? …
Blogging For Profit…Hopefully YOUR Profit By Richard Hoy
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
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
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
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
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. …
Build An Audience For Your Book With A Blog By Jimmy Moore
Shhhhh. I've got a secret to share with you that you may not even know about. In fact, if you have ever written a book or thought about writing a book, I'm gonna let you in on something that won't cost you a dime of money, but could produce an incredible opportunity to effectively market your work. What is this dream plan for building an audience of enthusiastic buyers for your book? Simply put, it's a blog. What's that?! …
Search Engines and Directory Submissions – The Basics
People expend lots of energy and discussion on getting listed in search engines. There are companies that promise all sorts of amazing results if you just pay them a fee to perform their often questionable tactics. And people invest inordinate amounts of time fretting over where they are in the search results. Truth is, there's really only a few things you need to know about search engine and directory submissions... …
“Free” Review Copies and Other Headaches for New Authors By Gilbert Lawrence
I'd like to share the experience of our first novel, On Thin Ice, recently published by Booklocker, with readers of WritersWeekly.com. Our enthusiasm for our creative work was matched by the number of friends and acquaintances who offered to review our work before and after publication. They assured us they were newspaper and magazine writers eager to support us. One said, "I am an English professor and would love to review your book." …
Where Are These Cheeseball Bottom Feeders Coming From? By Star Lawrence
I have been a full-time freelancer and sole support of my family for 24 years. I try to cover the bases - and check both free job boards and those who accumulate specific job site listings for a small fee. …
Should You Consent to an Editing Test? By David H. Levin
Opinions on editing tests vary. Some would place editing in the class of professions that includes medicine, plumbing and haircutting, in which auditions simply aren't done. Others might consider the acting profession to be a better analogy. …
Avoiding “Hobby Loss” or “Not-for-Profit” Classification By A.J. Cataldo, Ph.D., CPA, CMA
It's almost tax time again! And, as in the past, A.J. Cataldo offers his tax wisdom to self-employed writers. …
POD Authors Need To Hire Editors By Dougie Child
Authors, heed my words. Hire an editor. Find someone you have never met before, some good soul with a great resume and references, but someone who has no emotional interest in you or your project. Hire an editor who won't give a rat's shiny fanny whether your manuscript changes the course of history; hire an editor who just wants to know what your deadlines are and whether your check will clear. …
Stop Writing and Start Establishing Your Promotional Credibility By Patricia L. Fry
Let's say that you followed the advice of several publishing professionals and prepared a complete book proposal. Good for you! It's clear to anyone reading your proposal that you have a handle on your target audience. You did a good job of showing that there is a need for your proposed book. Your synopsis and chapter outline are superbly written. And your promotional plan is impressive, indeed, except for one thing. It's fake, counterfeit, phony, bogus. …
Write for Top Dollar — PER HOUR By L.L. Star
How much do you make PER HOUR writing articles? $100? $50? Less than $10? Here are two critical questions: How much do you need to make every day, week or month to run a profitable full-time or part-time freelance business? How does this income requirement translate into an hourly rate? …
Write A Life! By Roxanne Sadovsky
This article may be reprinted/redistributed freely, as long as the entire article and bio are included. It's not very fun to be stuck in a rut. Chances are the last thing you want to do some days is write something, let alone get out of bed! Even though we know it will pass, our doldrums tend to get the best of us. One way to fight the unwelcome moodiness is by understanding why it comes and goes, which we begin through creative writing. Creative Writing is well recognized as a powerful tool for encouraging self-awareness, empathy, and personal change. …
Writing Collaborations: Are Two Heads Better than One? By Kelly James-Enger
Writing is often considered a solitary profession, and in fact, many writers confess to a certain degree of isolation or loneliness. Perhaps it's not surprising then that so many writers collaborate on projects. Teaming up with another person can help you improve your craft and boost your chance of success. But there can be drawbacks to collaborating as well. Read on for a look at the pros and cons of working as part of a team and factors to consider when deciding whether it's right for you. …
Beat the New Year’s Cash Crunch – Rev Up Marketing Now for Ongoing Pay! By Sonya Carmichael Jones
The holiday season is synonymous with big spending. For writers this means assignment heaven. From the hospitality industry, to fashion, to auto dealers, real-estate firms, and even banking, businesses are rushing to promote new products and services in time for holiday splurging. The good thing is that a lot of these promotions carry over months after the New Year, making now a prime time for enterprising writers to cash in on the action. …
Blogging Into Book Markets By Richard Hoy
At a conference in New York City two years back (the first formal conference ever on the subject of blogging), panelists at a roundtable discussion were asked the inevitable question: "What is a blog?" A huge argument ensued because no one could agree on a single definition. While even the experts can't agree on what a blog is, everyone agrees that blogs are fueling something significant. …
How to Land Lucrative Sub-contract Work By L. L. Star
hanks, WritersWeekly readers, for your great response to my article, No More Rejection Slips: Sub-Contract Article Assignments, published by WritersWeekly.com on August 3rd. Public relations agencies and creative design shops can provide a steady stream of lucrative article assignments to freelance writers -- often over months or even years. Most of these assignments are writing marketing or employee newsletters which are typically published on a monthly or quarterly basis. Many writers asked exactly how they could get such work. Here's how to find such opportunities and successfully sell your writing and professional skills to public relation agencies and creative design shops -- even if you don't have previous business communications, public relations or copywriting experience. …
The Insidious Business Plan By C. Hope Clark
Groan and moan all you want to, but the successful writers do some type of business plan to figure marketing and income projections. You do not have to take the financial details down to nickels and dimes, but you need a map to your destination. Dislike the business stuff? Then write for self-satisfaction; there is nothing wrong with that. When you write, you are a writer. When you sell, you are a businessperson. If you do not like the business aspect, then write for your own enjoyment. …
Cashing in on Someone Else’s Career: Writing Career Profiles By Angela Leeper
Let me start by telling you that many people you see behind the check-out desk at the library are not "librarians," as in they have not completed a master's degree in library science. You didn't know librarians had master's degrees, either? Next I'm going to tell you that librarians don't read all day long. That's not true, either?! …
Anthology Can Help Support Writing Group By R.T. Byrum
Try challenging fifty mostly unpublished members of a writers guild by giving them three months to write, revise, and submit from one to three 1500 to 2500 word stories, and commission an artist to design and produce an original cover in time to meet a goal of publishing a 250-300 page anthology within ten months. Do that and the book world will look at you like someone who has sniffed too much print head cleaner. …
Fiction Set in Real Location Can Inspire Local Interest and Sales! By Marjorie Abrams
People like to read about places they know. I discovered this to be true when I recently published my first mystery novel, Murder on the Prairie: A North Florida Mystery. The book is being received with an unexpected degree of enthusiasm for the setting, Gainesville, Florida - home of the University of Florida - the nearby Paynes Prairie State Park Preserve, and its Visitors Center in Micanopy. Reader comments and book sales have reflected this enthusiasm. …
Study Potential Literary Agents As Thoroughly As You Believe They’re Studying You By Damaria Senne
Fifteen years after I first began to work as a writer, I decided that it was time I looked for an agent to sell my work to overseas publishers. At first I emailed writer friends, asking them to suggest agents who would be receptive to new clients. When nothing came of that, I visited my favorite writing websites and followed their market links. As expected, there were links to agents…
All’s Fair in Love and…Hey! Wait a Minute! That’s Mine! A Brief Discussion on FAIR USE By Neil Wilkinson
Imagine you have written a book, say, about wine, or business, or how to get your cat through college. It really makes no difference what you have written, someone can use it. But there are limits. …
Ask and You Shall Receive: How the Novice Writer Lands the Expert Interview By Janene Mascarella
While watching the evening news with my husband, there was a segment on NASA's mission to collide with a comet. I turned to my husband and said, "Oh, I'm interviewing one of the NASA experts on this subject next week". He gave me the strangest look, and replied, "How'd you get that?" "I just asked." …