Articles

Dodging Writer’s Brick: How to Keep From Knocking Yourself Out By Janene Mascarella

Published on May 18, 2005

Ah, good old writer's block. Those moments of utter frustration, when you are stumped for ideas. Can't write a ******* thing. If you tell a fellow writer that you are suffering from a case of writer's block, chances are you will get your hand held. Sympathy follows. Then, tips galore on how to overcome your dreaded block. I rarely suffer from writer's block. I suffer from something far more insidious. Something I call it "writer's brick". …

Quick Tips for Hosting a Successful Booksigning By Martha Reed

Published on May 11, 2005

The more thought you put into your book-signing the greater the chance of profitable results. At my last signing, I sold all 100 copies I'd arrived with. Angela asked me to share my hints with WritersWeekly.com readers. Here are quick tips for turning your next book-signing into a successful event. …

A Quick Check Online Could Mean A Check In Your Mailbox By Martha Miller

Published on May 4, 2005

Seeing my name in print gives me a boost to keep writing and to keep pitching. On a whim, several months ago, I Googled my own name along with the words "Rome" and "Italy" to see if anything I had written was still online. I lived in Rome for two years and most of my published work has come from that experience. When two unsold entries popped up in two different publications, I was shocked, then furious. My work had been stolen! …

The Power of “No!” By David Geer

Published on April 20, 2005

I've been practicing the power of saying "No!", no to low paying markets, unfair deals and crazy time constraints and work loads. …

Beyond the Guidelines: Calendars, Calls, and More Material for Writing Success By Erika Dreifus

Published on April 13, 2005

The wisdom that rests behind checking a publication's guidelines is self-evident. One is more likely to encounter success by following a publication's stated rules and meeting its declared requirements than not. Sending a completed manuscript by e-mail attachment when the guidelines clearly state that only postal queries are welcome is an excellent strategy - if your goal is to dramatically reduce your chances of freelance success. …

Writing For Payment Or For Art’s Sake By Lynette Rees

Published on April 6, 2005

Writing For Payment Or For Art’s Sake By Lynette Rees

Whenever the 'P' word -- PAYMENT -- gets a mention, writers are frequently up in arms. There appear to be two camps of thought: those that think we should all write for free, 'because it is our art', and those who want to get paid what they are worth as a writer. Of course, you yourself, might fall somewhere in between where you prefer to get paid, but will write for free for good causes or if it is to promote yourself. …

Give Kids a Helping Hand with History By Natalie Hale

Published on March 30, 2005

Kids and history often don't mix, especially when it comes to getting history into their heads. But that doesn't have to be. Though it may surprise most parents and teachers, kids actually do like history. …

Writing Newsletter Articles For or About Children By Natalie Hale

Published on March 16, 2005

There are many advantages to writing with children in mind. For one, they and those who assist them, are often seeking advice. Parents, especially of young children, are usually very inexperienced when it comes to caring for a family. What should they look for in a good family doctor? What activities, books, magazines, or music will best entertain and educate the very young? And where can potential writers of children's fiction go to get help honing their talent to meet the needs of grade-schoolers? …

Naming Your Baby: How to Choose a Selling Title By Carolyn Campbell

Published on March 9, 2005

Your book title is very important. It encapsulates the essence of your book in just a few words. Like choosing a name for your child, selecting a title for your book is a critical decision. Just as your child is known by his name for a lifetime, your book will be known by its title for its entire publishing history. Even before you sell your book, its future title can help attract the interest of a literary agent or publisher when you include it in query letters. It will also appear on the first page of your book proposal. It's never too soon to start creating a possible title for your book. …

Reaching the Homeschooling Market By Margie Sims

Published on March 2, 2005

When our family relocated from Tennessee to Vermont, I was confident I could keep landing assignments from my southern editors. I wasn't so sure, however, if I could successfully continue teaching creative writing to homeschoolers-something I had been enjoying for five years. By asking myself the 5 W's and the H, I found answers that not only satisfied my itch to teach, but also met a legitimate need in my new community. …

Fill your Mailbox with Checks from Fillers! By Debbie Swanson

Published on February 16, 2005

One day last year, I had an hour left of writing time but wasn't getting anywhere. Instead, I spent about 20 minutes jotting down a 'reader tip' I'd had inside my head. Without further thought, I mailed it to a magazine I frequently read, and called it a day. Several months later, I was surprised by a call from the magazine saying they'd like to print it, and soon received a check for $75. Not bad for 20 minutes of work on a dry day. …

Getting Taken by Bogus “Editing Tests” By Ingrid Schaefer Sprague

Published on February 9, 2005

Instead of my resume and clips, I should market this description for freelance work. In spite of my credentials and experience, or should I say because of it, I have been "taken" again by another bogus editing test. Although I am not a novice (with over 13 years of experience), I am still amazed that I get scammed by this old trick after watching for all apparent signs. …

How to Spot a Risky Freelance Job By David H. Levin and Angela Hoy

Published on February 2, 2005

Any business might occasionally take on contracts that it later regrets having accepted. Other companies may offer too-good-to-be-true terms in the hopes of obtaining free labor. Avoiding these risky "opportunities" is a challenge, especially for the freelancer. The following warning signs should make you think twice about pursuing a particular freelance assignment. …

Grow Your Writing: Eight Gardening Markets By Kelly Kyrik

Published on January 26, 2005

For most gardeners, winter is the time to pore over seed catalogs and plot (figuratively, at least) next year's garden. It's a time to both assess the past and plan for the future. Writing gardeners can do the same. Since it's too cold in many parts of the country to be outside playing in the dirt, now is the perfect time to dig up new writer's guidelines and craft succulent queries. And assignments landed now will lead to articles published during the all important sowing, growing and harvesting seasons, when any gardener worth his or her salt would rather be outside, anyway. …

When To Fire Your Editor By Barbra Annino

Published on January 12, 2005

Most seasoned freelancers know the rules on keeping an editor happy. Read the guidelines, never exceed the word count, Meet deadlines and go the extra mile. But what if you do all that and you still get treated like something that stuck to her shoe? Then it's time to fire your editor. …

Files, Piles And Stacks…. Get Organized for 2005 By Julie Hood

Published on January 5, 2005

Does your filing system consist of random piles scattered throughout your home? Do you waste too much time looking for that lost idea or the missing interview notes? Do you have markets and guidelines in a stack on the edge of your desk, a few more bookmarked in your favorites and still others saved in Outlook? …

The Write Website: Give Yourself An Edge With Your Own Site By Kelly Kyrik

Published on December 15, 2004

You've done your research, lined up your contacts and written a killer query. You know you're the perfect person to write this particular article and you have faith that your targeted editor will know that, too; after all, you've got the clips to prove it. But wait, before you hit that "Send" button, thus rocketing your pitch into cyberspace and onto your editor's virtual desk, think for a minute about presentation. Are those precious clips easily accessible or are they spread all over the Internet; two on one site, one on another and three on a site that no longer exists? Editors are far too busy to go scavenging the net looking for proof of a writer's professionalism. The edge will go to the freelancer who can provide such evidence at the click of a mouse, and one of the best ways to do that is via your own website. …

Add to Your Income by Covering Conferences and Trade Shows By John K. Borchardt

Published on December 8, 2004

Many professional groups and industry trade associations hold conventions and trade shows. These can be huge events, such as the annual International Home Builders Show with an attendance of 92,000, or much smaller groups numbering in the dozens. While big conferences are held by necessity in major cities, smaller groups often meet in cities of less than 100,000 in population. So, whether you live in a large or small city, you can add to your writing income by covering conventions and trade shows for newspapers, magazines or websites. …

Reviewing Your Ideas – Just Keep Stirring By William Meikle

Published on December 1, 2004

Reviewing Your Ideas – Just Keep Stirring By William Meikle

Let's talk about ideas. Ideas exist in a soup in your brain, and like all good soups, ideas need time to stew. The trick is to keep stirring. As the idea churns around in what passes for your creative capacity, you should periodically review it and ask yourself some questions. …

Shyness-Busters By C. Hope Clark

Published on November 23, 2004

If you're a shy writer, you should know that shyness is who you are, as much a part of you as eye color and lobed ears. Learn to incorporate it into your writing world. Learn how to recognize your limitations and your abilities and define your ills and your cures. …

Always, Always, Always Ask For More Money By Melanie Bowden

Published on November 17, 2004

Many writers are so afraid of rejection that they jump at whatever fee an editor offers. Don't do it! Writers are notorious for not getting paid what they deserve, especially when they are first starting out. We need to think more like my therapist, who advises, "Honor the work you do." His weekly therapy bill also motivates me to ask for more for my writing work. Whatever your motivation, stand up for the work you do and make more money. …

Fiction Online: Eight Paying Markets By Erika Dreifus

Published on November 10, 2004

How often do you find yourself reading through the posts of an Internet writing board only to be caught in a series of complaints? We writers sure can write, but sometimes our focus doesn't seem all that - how can I say this delicately? - productive. …

Reality Check on Publishers’ Dismal Marketing Efforts By M.J Rose

Published on November 3, 2004

It's a sad but true fact. Authors need to learn some marketing basics because publishing houses don't do enough PR for all but their biggest or hottest books. Last week, one of the students in our Create a Buzz Plan class and I had a half hour phone call (which is offered to all Buzz students now) to do some more brainstorming. During the call he told me what was going on with his book. He'd landed a traditional contract and received a $175K advance. But, his publisher was doing nothing to get the word out. Absolutely nothing. …

Using Jobseeker Techniques To Sell Your Writing By Gail Kavanagh

Published on October 27, 2004

Recently I sat in on a self marketing seminar for young jobseekers. Traditional methods of looking for work are out of favor, and the seminar leader drew up a graph to show why - only 20% of available jobs are advertised, he said. What the jobseeker should be concentrating on are the 80% that aren't advertised. …

Finding Freelance Jobs in Technical Writing By Debbie Swanson

Published on October 20, 2004

echnical Writing is a profitable and challenging way to employ your writing skills. Software, hardware, and manufacturing companies will always need good Technical Writers to create clear, user-friendly documentation. Just how does the freelancer locate Technical Writing jobs? Here are five creative ways. …

Let’s Get Personal: Six Paying Markets For Your Personal Essays By Erika Dreifus

Published on October 13, 2004

Not long ago, I was teaching an evening course at a local adult education center. About halfway through the session, one student posed a question. "This may be off-topic," she began. And she wasn't altogether incorrect about that. But it was a good question. It was one I'd heard before, and thought about from time to time myself, and it remained with me long after our class had ended. …

Ten Ways to Get Your Money from Deadbeat Editors By Anita Biase

Published on October 6, 2004

It goes like this: I open the door, look both ways and sprint for the mailbox in my footie pajamas (much to the delight of my neighbors). I reach up eagerly and open the cubicle, and pull out a handful of circulars and bills. It's happened to all of us. You need to pay the light bill, upgrade your PC, and take your child to the orthodontist. You eagerly track the mailman's progress and search your mailbox diligently. The promised check didn't come and it doesn't come the next day or the day after that either. You contact the editor rather humbly and ask him to check and be sure the money was mailed to the correct address. He either doesn't answer your communications, or he makes a really flimsy excuse and mumbles those famous words, "It's in the mail." …

Offering Your Writing Services as a Writing Tutor: How One Aspiring Children’s Book Author Solved the Steady Paycheck Dilemma By Mindy Hardwick

Published on September 29, 2004

Offering Your Writing Services as a Writing Tutor: How One Aspiring Children’s Book Author Solved the Steady Paycheck Dilemma By Mindy Hardwick

Last spring, I gave up an eight year teaching career to pursue a career in writing for children. I knew that working as a teacher left no energy for writing. However, my writing career wasn't paying a stable income. I didn't have books that were paying advances or royalties, and I needed to be involved with children in order to capture their voices on the page. How did I solve the problem of generating a stable income, maintaining contact with children, and having the energy to write stories? I became a writing tutor. …

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