When I was just starting out as a writer (which wasn't too long ago), I began my journey by taking out as many books from the library and buying whichever ones they didn't have. I wanted to develop my skill in the craft of writing as much as possible, as well as learn how to get published. Some of these books were very helpful, and some not so much. To help you weed out the good from the bad, here are is a list of some of my favorite books:
1. Six Figure Freelancing by Kelly James-Enger
What I enjoyed most about this book is the fact that James-Enger looks at freelancing from a business perspective, showing you how to create more opportunities for making money, and how to make the most of your time. This book is a must for anyone who wants to become a full-time freelancer without having to constantly worry about their income.
2. The Renegade Writer: A Totally Unconventional Guide to Freelance Writing Success by Diana Burrell and Linda Formichelli
Another important piece of literature for anyone in the industry. It includes information on how to pitch to an editor and get them to respond to you, as well as how to get paid more, create more money making ideas, etc., etc. I call this my freelance bible: whenever I have a question or problem about writing, I turn to this book. I usually take the book out every few months for inspiration, especially if my freelance writing slows down.
3. The Writer's Market
This book is a must for anyone trying to break into writing at all, looking to break into a new magazine, or write a book. At the beginning of the book are anecdotes and advice from professionals in the industry on how they broke into writing, whether for magazines, books or newspapers. It lists every major publication in the U.S., Canada, and beyond, and explains what to pitch/what not to pitch to editors at each publication. It also divulges how much each publication pays and the percentage of freelancers that write for them. There's also a listing of literary agents and book publishers for those interested in writing books.
4. On Writing Well by William Zinsser
Although this book put me to sleep countless times while reading it (I found the writing style very dry), Zinsser offers great advice on how to become better at the craft of writing, and how to edit a piece by cutting it down and fact checking before submitting to an editor.
Coming Attractions: Next time I will discuss how to become more business savvy with your writing services.
Saturday, December 20, 2008
Friday, December 19, 2008
Surviving as a Writer in Trying Times
Whether you're a full-time freelancer, or are just doing it for supplemental income, it can be hard to publish a consistent amount of articles every month. And in the state of today's economy, this has become even more difficult. I struggled with this a year ago when I decided to try becoming a freelance writer full-time. At the time, I had barely any articles under my belt, and the few I had were all for the same magazine (which happens to be the publication I work for now).
Almost exactly a year later, I am no longer working as a full-time freelancer, but I have increased my writing samples, which have been published in a variety of magazines, and I also used my samples to land my dream job as an editor at an equine publication. Here are a variety of tips to help you gain exposure (and income) in a weak economy:
Know How to Network
For the Fearless Freelancer: In the business world, networking is everything. Many people visualize writers to be people who spend all of their time sitting at a computer and writing, but they don't usually realize that most full-time (and part-time) freelancers need to be business savvy as well.
In my experience, one of the best ways to network is to attend a writer's conference. When attending a conference, it is important to bring business cards and writing samples with you. Don't just try to network with editors, though. At my first conference, I exchanged business cards with many other freelance writers and publicists, whom I have kept close contact with. Whenever I am having a hard time getting in touch with someone, I can contact one of my fellow freelancers or a publicist, and they are usually more than happy to help me. I've also contacted a friend (who is a freelancer) to ask for advice on how to pitch to a trade journal that she has written for. She was more than happy to help me out, and I landed a contract to write six articles for that trade journal in 2009, thanks to her!
For the Timid Writer: If you're more timid, and can't bear the thought of attending your first conference alone (or you can't afford attending conferences, which can be rather expensive), there are some other options available as well. If you're assigned a story for a publication, don't be afraid to ask your editor to give you leads on people to interview. Many editors have someone in mind as an interview subject when assigning articles, and are more than happy to provide contacts.
Once you've interviewed the contact for the article, try to keep in touch with them after the article has gone to publication. I usually do this in one of two ways: I either ask for their address and send out brief thank you card, or I offer to send them a free copy of the publication. Sending a thank you card is usually more time consuming, but sending a copy of the magazine is more expensive. No matter which route you choose, be sure to save a receipt, as you can write this off as a business expense.
A great website that I have also used to build interview contacts is www.profnet.com. They have a list of experts in many fields. After posting a topic for a business article, my inbox was filled with responses from people interested in being interviewed. I wouldn't always use this website as a source for contacts, though, especially if you're looking to interview someone for a niche magazine (like Dolls magazine or Cat Fancy - you aren't likely to find an expert in that area on Profnet).
Keep Your Options Open
When I started out as a full-time freelancer a year ago, I bought a bunch of books that offered advice on how to make a lot of money as a writer. Almost all of those books told me that the best thing to do was find a few magazines that will assign articles on a regular basis. While this is good advice, finding articles that assign on a regular basis can be really difficult to do, especially if you're a beginner writer.
I suggest that all freelancers (not just beginners) constantly try to pitch to at least one new magazine every month. Why? Because if for some reason, one of the magazines that assigns articles on a regular basis ceases publication, you will have a back up plan, or will already be writing for another magazine as well. I recently learned this from experience when a trade journal I was writing for discontinued publication. I was writing a couple of articles for them a month, but luckily I had just landed a contract with another trade journal. My first article for the second publication was due right after I wrote my last article for the first one. In today's economy, the media especially has taken a hit. More publications are going under every day, or are having to limit the amount of articles they print.
Don't Be Afraid to Say No (or Yes)
When to Say No: When I recently starting working full-time again, I had to limit the publications I wrote for, and I had to choose wisely. After building relationships with editors, it was really difficult for me to tell some of them that I wouldn't be writing for them anymore. How did I do this? First, I estimated the amount of time and research I would have to put in each article, and looked at how much each publication paid me. Another factor that helped me make my decision was how often the publication gave me work. By deciphering which magazine paid the best, while constantly assigning work, and didn't take up too much time, I was able to make the right decision.
Also, don't be afraid to discontinue writing for a magazine if you feel you aren't being paid enough for the time spent on an article. When I first started writing, I accepted an offer as a Sports Correspondent for a local newspaper. The newspaper offered me $25 for every story I wrote (about 400 words). Being young and naive at the time, I thought this was a great offer, until I drove to my first soccer game, which was 45 minutes away. Then the game lasted at least another hour, and I had to drive the 45 minutes back home and still write an article. I only wrote for the newspaper for about a month.
When to Say Yes: Although I didn't feel like I was getting paid nearly enough money to cover all of those soccer, football and field hockey games, the experience of interviewing coaches on the spot was well worth the low pay-rate. I am now able to use the skills I developed from covering soccer games and apply them to my current job, where I sometimes have to cover horse shows or conduct a quick interview over the phone.
Covering games for the local paper also gave me a niche market that I could include in my portfolio. If I ever want to become a sports editor, a sports writer (which I doubt will happen), or apply for a position at a newspaper, I have some writing samples under my belt! If the pay-rate is low, but you are an inexperienced writer or are looking to expand your repertoire and need a few published samples to get your foot in the door with other magazines that pay better, then working at a lower pay-rate may be well worth it.
Coming Attractions: In my next blog, I will include a list of my favorite books for freelance writers.
Almost exactly a year later, I am no longer working as a full-time freelancer, but I have increased my writing samples, which have been published in a variety of magazines, and I also used my samples to land my dream job as an editor at an equine publication. Here are a variety of tips to help you gain exposure (and income) in a weak economy:
Know How to Network
For the Fearless Freelancer: In the business world, networking is everything. Many people visualize writers to be people who spend all of their time sitting at a computer and writing, but they don't usually realize that most full-time (and part-time) freelancers need to be business savvy as well.
In my experience, one of the best ways to network is to attend a writer's conference. When attending a conference, it is important to bring business cards and writing samples with you. Don't just try to network with editors, though. At my first conference, I exchanged business cards with many other freelance writers and publicists, whom I have kept close contact with. Whenever I am having a hard time getting in touch with someone, I can contact one of my fellow freelancers or a publicist, and they are usually more than happy to help me. I've also contacted a friend (who is a freelancer) to ask for advice on how to pitch to a trade journal that she has written for. She was more than happy to help me out, and I landed a contract to write six articles for that trade journal in 2009, thanks to her!
For the Timid Writer: If you're more timid, and can't bear the thought of attending your first conference alone (or you can't afford attending conferences, which can be rather expensive), there are some other options available as well. If you're assigned a story for a publication, don't be afraid to ask your editor to give you leads on people to interview. Many editors have someone in mind as an interview subject when assigning articles, and are more than happy to provide contacts.
Once you've interviewed the contact for the article, try to keep in touch with them after the article has gone to publication. I usually do this in one of two ways: I either ask for their address and send out brief thank you card, or I offer to send them a free copy of the publication. Sending a thank you card is usually more time consuming, but sending a copy of the magazine is more expensive. No matter which route you choose, be sure to save a receipt, as you can write this off as a business expense.
A great website that I have also used to build interview contacts is www.profnet.com. They have a list of experts in many fields. After posting a topic for a business article, my inbox was filled with responses from people interested in being interviewed. I wouldn't always use this website as a source for contacts, though, especially if you're looking to interview someone for a niche magazine (like Dolls magazine or Cat Fancy - you aren't likely to find an expert in that area on Profnet).
Keep Your Options Open
When I started out as a full-time freelancer a year ago, I bought a bunch of books that offered advice on how to make a lot of money as a writer. Almost all of those books told me that the best thing to do was find a few magazines that will assign articles on a regular basis. While this is good advice, finding articles that assign on a regular basis can be really difficult to do, especially if you're a beginner writer.
I suggest that all freelancers (not just beginners) constantly try to pitch to at least one new magazine every month. Why? Because if for some reason, one of the magazines that assigns articles on a regular basis ceases publication, you will have a back up plan, or will already be writing for another magazine as well. I recently learned this from experience when a trade journal I was writing for discontinued publication. I was writing a couple of articles for them a month, but luckily I had just landed a contract with another trade journal. My first article for the second publication was due right after I wrote my last article for the first one. In today's economy, the media especially has taken a hit. More publications are going under every day, or are having to limit the amount of articles they print.
Don't Be Afraid to Say No (or Yes)
When to Say No: When I recently starting working full-time again, I had to limit the publications I wrote for, and I had to choose wisely. After building relationships with editors, it was really difficult for me to tell some of them that I wouldn't be writing for them anymore. How did I do this? First, I estimated the amount of time and research I would have to put in each article, and looked at how much each publication paid me. Another factor that helped me make my decision was how often the publication gave me work. By deciphering which magazine paid the best, while constantly assigning work, and didn't take up too much time, I was able to make the right decision.
Also, don't be afraid to discontinue writing for a magazine if you feel you aren't being paid enough for the time spent on an article. When I first started writing, I accepted an offer as a Sports Correspondent for a local newspaper. The newspaper offered me $25 for every story I wrote (about 400 words). Being young and naive at the time, I thought this was a great offer, until I drove to my first soccer game, which was 45 minutes away. Then the game lasted at least another hour, and I had to drive the 45 minutes back home and still write an article. I only wrote for the newspaper for about a month.
When to Say Yes: Although I didn't feel like I was getting paid nearly enough money to cover all of those soccer, football and field hockey games, the experience of interviewing coaches on the spot was well worth the low pay-rate. I am now able to use the skills I developed from covering soccer games and apply them to my current job, where I sometimes have to cover horse shows or conduct a quick interview over the phone.
Covering games for the local paper also gave me a niche market that I could include in my portfolio. If I ever want to become a sports editor, a sports writer (which I doubt will happen), or apply for a position at a newspaper, I have some writing samples under my belt! If the pay-rate is low, but you are an inexperienced writer or are looking to expand your repertoire and need a few published samples to get your foot in the door with other magazines that pay better, then working at a lower pay-rate may be well worth it.
Coming Attractions: In my next blog, I will include a list of my favorite books for freelance writers.
Key Elements in Writing
Remember when you were in grade school and you first learned how to write an essay? What were the the most important things your teacher told you to include in every story? If the Five W's was the first thing that came to mind, you are on your way to writing successful stories that sell. Whether you're in Public Relations and you need to write a good press release, or a journalist covering an event for the local newspaper, the Five W's (Who, What, Where, When and Why) never go out of fashion.
I have received many stories from writers who are just starting out and from seasoned professionals. More often than not, there are only four out of the Five W's incorporated into a news story. People usually include the name of an event, but often forget to tell when or where it occurred. Another common mistake often made by newbies to the industry includes writing a straight bio of someone when writing a personality profile. Can you say boring?! I have also been known to make this mistake. Next time you write a story, make sure you cover all your bases by including the Five W's. By asking yourself What happened that makes this story compelling? or Why is this person so interesting? you will be on the right track to becoming a better writer.
Coming Attractions: In tomorrow's blog, I will discuss how to increase your writing opportunities in a severe economy.
I have received many stories from writers who are just starting out and from seasoned professionals. More often than not, there are only four out of the Five W's incorporated into a news story. People usually include the name of an event, but often forget to tell when or where it occurred. Another common mistake often made by newbies to the industry includes writing a straight bio of someone when writing a personality profile. Can you say boring?! I have also been known to make this mistake. Next time you write a story, make sure you cover all your bases by including the Five W's. By asking yourself What happened that makes this story compelling? or Why is this person so interesting? you will be on the right track to becoming a better writer.
Coming Attractions: In tomorrow's blog, I will discuss how to increase your writing opportunities in a severe economy.
Welcome to Writer Savvy!
Welcome to Writer Savvy - the blog for anyone interested in becoming a savvy writer! My name is Elisabeth Prouty-Gilbride and I decided to start this blog to educate and become educated on the art of writing. As the Assistant Editor of a leading monthly equine publication based out of New England, I will have a lot of tips to offer both beginners in the writing world and writers that have published articles in multiple magazines and trade journals. I also plan on interviewing a writer or editor once a month and will include a copy of the interview here on my blog so that readers can glean advice from some experts in the industry. Please feel free to leave comments or email me at writersavvy@gmail.com.
Tips of the Day: Fact Checking
When submitting articles for publication, writers are often told to check their facts. The problem is, many writers that are starting out don't know exactly how to do this, which often leads to sloppy final drafts. By checking your facts and making sure everything is accurate, editors are more likely to publish your work again in the future. Here are a couple pieces of advice on how to make sure your facts are accurate.
1. To make sure your quotes are correct, it is a good idea to record the interview. If you are conducting an interview over the phone, or don't have a recorder that you can use, it's a good idea to email the interview to the person you are quoting. This will ensure that the interviewee is happy with happy with how everything sounds, without having to send them the entire article. If they do ask to see the article, it is always important to check with the editor of the publication first. If worst comes to worst, you can always email them the quotes that you are planning on using in the article. By sending a pdf file, they are less likely to make too many changes.
2. Make sure names are spelled correctly. This is probably one of the biggest problems that writers have - they get so caught up in interviewing that they forget to ask the spelling of the name. How would you like it if a magazine misspelled your name in the byline? It's important to give the people you're interviewing the same courtesy. If you are retrieving photos for an article, always be sure to check the spelling of the name from the photo against the text in the article. If the name doesn't match, you can always Google it online, or call the source to get the correct spelling. The same goes with photo captions - make sure the caption is accurate by checking it against the text in the story. This will save magazine editors a lot of time!
Coming Attractions: In my next blog, I will discuss some key elements that every writer should include in an article or press release.
Tips of the Day: Fact Checking
When submitting articles for publication, writers are often told to check their facts. The problem is, many writers that are starting out don't know exactly how to do this, which often leads to sloppy final drafts. By checking your facts and making sure everything is accurate, editors are more likely to publish your work again in the future. Here are a couple pieces of advice on how to make sure your facts are accurate.
1. To make sure your quotes are correct, it is a good idea to record the interview. If you are conducting an interview over the phone, or don't have a recorder that you can use, it's a good idea to email the interview to the person you are quoting. This will ensure that the interviewee is happy with happy with how everything sounds, without having to send them the entire article. If they do ask to see the article, it is always important to check with the editor of the publication first. If worst comes to worst, you can always email them the quotes that you are planning on using in the article. By sending a pdf file, they are less likely to make too many changes.
2. Make sure names are spelled correctly. This is probably one of the biggest problems that writers have - they get so caught up in interviewing that they forget to ask the spelling of the name. How would you like it if a magazine misspelled your name in the byline? It's important to give the people you're interviewing the same courtesy. If you are retrieving photos for an article, always be sure to check the spelling of the name from the photo against the text in the article. If the name doesn't match, you can always Google it online, or call the source to get the correct spelling. The same goes with photo captions - make sure the caption is accurate by checking it against the text in the story. This will save magazine editors a lot of time!
Coming Attractions: In my next blog, I will discuss some key elements that every writer should include in an article or press release.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)