2015 Writer's Market

From Kate’s Writing Crate…

 

          Each year the Writer’s Market contains contact information for publications, literary agents, and contests & awards as well as helpful advice on a variety of topics.

One of the most useful chapters in the 2015 Writer’s Market is “How Much Should I Charge?” by Aaron Belz. He gathered his information/rates from 17 writers’ organizations. (See the list of organizations on pages 115 & 116.)

          On his well-organized, easy to read Rate Table on pages 117-131, Belz lists Hourly, Project, and Other (including per word) rates across the top breaking them into High, Low, and Average.

Down the left side of the chart, he lists categories of writing including:

·        Advertising & Public Relations

·        Book Publishing

·        Business

·        Computer, Internet & Technical

·        Editorial/Design Packages

·        Educational & Literary Services

·        Film, Video, TV, Radio, Stage

·        Magazines & Trade Journals

·        Medical/Science

·        Newspapers

·        Nonprofit

·        Politics/Government

In total, these 12 categories are broken down into 165 specific assignments like press kits, ghostwriting, paid blogging, web editing, copyediting, proofreading, rewriting, grant writing, and speeches. Now it is easier to charge clients a fair rate for your time and expertise especially if it is a new type of writing project for you.

Unfortunately, writing is an underrated talent. Non-writers do not realize how much time it takes to write well plus proofread, rewrite, and edit to make sure the project is letter perfect (or as close as we can make it). Time is money so we need rates that cover all the work we put into our assignments.

There are many other useful chapters like “Pitch Like A PR Pro: Turn the Blinking Cursor Into Cash” by Dana W. Todd on page 40;  “Earn A Full-Time Income From Blogging” by Carol Tice on page 50; “Balancing Your Writing and Your Platform in 8 Simple Steps” by Krissy Brady on page 132, and "Author Platform 2.0" by Jane Friedman on page 169.

If you want to be a professional, well paid writer, the 2015 Writer’s Market is an essential investment.

 

Writing Careers Are Possible

From Kate's Writing Crate…

        My writing career started when I was an unhappy accountant and I signed up for my first writing class after writing in notebooks and journals for years. I arrived an hour before the evening class started every week as it was close to my office, but far from home. The second person to arrive was always the new owner of a local community magazine—a fortuitous benefit for following my dreams.

When the class session ended, the magazine owner hired another classmate to be the editor of her new second magazine. I signed on as a freelance writer and the proofreading intern. I moved up to assistant editor then editor of one magazine leaving accounting behind forever! Eventually, I became the editor of both magazines.

I still write one to four articles a month which means the fun of interviewing authors, volunteers at the local senior center and animal shelter; the women's club behind the Clown Town fundraiser; the Rotary Club's annual ALS Race; the Turkey Trot organizers; the National Guard Air Show; Movies on the Beach events; locals bands and choruses; art festivals; an American Red Cross Hero, and people dealing heroically with all kinds of cancer and other health issues including a brave and cheerful five-year-old boy 18 months into chemo and radiation for a brain tumor. He wants to be a police officer when he grows up and mentioned he would like to meet a K-9 team. The local police station and an officer arranged to take him to school in a squad car as well as meet a K-9 officer and his dog.

These articles let residents know about upcoming events as well as about neighbors helping others and those neighbors in need of help. It feels good to be part of a vibrant, caring community. Writing articles makes a difference in people's lives and my own.

I am a writer. I have known that since I learned to read. I was side-tracked into another career as writing isn't revered in this country until you are a bestselling or well-known author.

While being a New York Times' bestselling author (NYTBSA) may be most writers' goal, there are many other writing careers available to us. Even as I was told there was no money in writing, there are millions of publications and web sites that have pages and space that need filling daily, weekly, and monthly.

        Okay, you probably need to write a lot before you get paid so start filling a notebook a month as soon as you can as per Natalie Goldberg in Writing Down the Bones: Freeing the Writer Within. The more you write the more you improve. Also, read Bird By Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life by Anne Lamott for inspiration and a reality check.

Writers write so write no matter what!

        Start a writing project—book, essay, article, poem, post, etc. Then finish it!

Blogs are a great way to get going. Start one. Now you have a weekly deadline. Meet it!

For inspiration, read blogs like MegWaiteClayton.com/1stbooks and Kristen Lamb's warriorwriters.wordpress.com.

Take a writing class and/or join or start a writing group. Support and discussions about improving writing are essential.

Read local publications. See if there is space for writers to submit letters, essays, etc. Then submit something or email/call to ask about writing opportunities. Working with editors who give you feedback will improve your writing and get you published.

When you feel ready, go on web sites like Thumbtack to find freelance opportunities across the country. Make sure you complete assignments and turn them in on time. Build a reputation as a writer who works quickly and competently, and editors will contact you with assignments as well as remember you when they move from one publication to another gaining you a larger audience and more money.

Usually the rights to your assigned articles revert to you after publication. Don't forget, you can tweak articles to work for other publications. For example, if you write about a person or event in the northeast for a local publication, Yankee Magazine might be interested in the same topic. Double pay is a good thing!

The Writers' Digest is a helpful resource to find publications interested in your submissions. Why not make the most of your hard work? This also gets you more bylines which then makes it easier to be accepted by other publications.

Agents, editors, and publishers read magazines and blogs. Writers have received representation and book and movie offers based on their work published in these venues.

You never know who is reading your work or where it may lead. The important thing is to write and to keep writing. Then send your work out into the world. If your goal is to be a writer, NYTBSA or otherwise, start writing now!

Tips for Freelance Magazine Writers

From Kate's Writing Crate…

   

        For well over a decade, I have been a magazine editor working with freelance writers. Some have writing experience, some don't. Some with writing experience have never interviewed people and written feature articles.

Before giving these writers assignments, I give them all tips, style formats, and answer their questions.

The tips include: have at least a dozen questions ready to go before the interview; make sure to ask for the correct spelling of every person's name, title, and organization; ask follow up questions for clarity; elicit detailed answers with specific questions; and also ask some open questions like: "What is your favorite part of your job or of the event?" and "Is there anything else you would like the public to know?" The last two questions can lead the interview into new territory—more personal when discussing what they like as well as more valuable information about something you didn't know to ask about. 

In-depth interviews can take 45-60 minutes. People with public relations backgrounds and experienced interviewers can finish in 20-30 minutes. Every interview is different. The key is to be prepared with questions, extra pens, and batteries if you are taping the interview.

Style formats vary from publication to publication. Some examples: write out zero through nine, but 10 and up are numerical except in quotes; people's titles are capitalized before their names, but are lower case and encased in commas afterwards; songs are always in quotes, movies and TV shows in italics. There is usually a guide book or style sheet to refer to when writing the articles.

Writers' questions and concerns vary.

If a bit nervous about questioning strangers, I tell writers that genuine curiosity and interest will put the interviewees at ease. These people love what they do and enjoy sharing their knowledge and insights with others (as my publications only include positive articles). Generally, the more you are interested in the answers, the easier the interviews get.

Also, respect the other person's time--be on time and don't waste time during the interview.

Do word counts matter? Yes. There is a finite amount of space in printed publications. If the word count is too low, a filler (jump text, pull quote, extra photo, etc.) must be found for the empty space or the article may be moved to the back of the publication where space is tighter. If count is too high, the article may be cut down to fit the space.

Editors have their own sensibilities when cutting text. Articles may lose what the writer thought was the best section or quote. It's professional to meet word counts.

For ideas on self-editing to meet word counts, see my post dated October 1, 2012. (Please note: I occasionally go over my self-imposed 500 word count for posts if the topics warrant it.)

What about leads? Lead sentences set the tone and direction of articles. They can be funny, serious, or factual. They need to make readers want to keep reading. Many times leads are written last. Once articles are completed, leads become clearer.

How important are deadlines? Exceedingly. Editors have a limited amount of time to edit before the magazines have to be laid out by page along with the ads and then proofed. The printing schedule has to be met or the issues will not be out in time. If a writer cannot meet the deadline, tell the editor as soon as possible so he/she can make other arrangements to fill the space reserved for that article.

What do editors love?

Well-written and well organized articles sent in on time with few, if any, spelling or grammatical errors. A piece with a strong voice that is informative and entertaining and has great quotes is the goal.

Articles with headlines, captions for photos, and suggestions for pull quotes are always well received. Working together makes the article and, therefore, the magazine shine. Editors may make changes to your suggestions or use their own ideas, but the extra effort is appreciated.

Share ideas for future articles. Editors welcome them. Every month there are pages to fill and if the writers are interested in certain topics, it makes for better articles. Not every idea will be approved, but sharing your ideas keeps you in mind when those topics come up in the future.

Communication is the key. Stay in touch with the editor. Ask questions. Share ideas. Be professional and you will receive more assignments.

 

A Tale of Two Assignments on Deadline

From Kate's Writer's Crate…

The reality of writing and editing professionally means never missing a deadline. Never—unless you are unconscious or dead or a there is a family emergency. Since I am neither, happily, and there is no emergency, I find myself having to write a post and an essay on the same day.

Usually, I write my posts a few days to a few weeks in advance. However, this has been a busy month: A delightful five-day visit with my favorite person; a beyond-my-control magazine deadline that also included eight extra pages to fill and edit at the last minute; reading a book for an author event on top of my regular reading for this blog and just for fun, a scarcity of ideas for my post as it is not a book review week, and regular life activities.

Luckily, I write pretty well under pressure. The tricky part is catching the extra errors I make while rushing to finish.

        To meet both deadlines, I will write the post until I run out of thoughts. Then I will switch to the essay. I will go back and forth until I am done taking only necessary breaks. This is my punishment for procrastinating even with good, fun, and work-related reasons.

        Writers must take their books, articles, and projects seriously. Make time for them. Meet the deadlines even if it means working long days or losing sleep.

        Editors count on writers meeting deadlines. Remember every writer's piece has to be edited for errors, sometimes for length, and sometimes for content which takes time to complete before placement in a magazine layout or book folio, and then the proofing begins.

        If writers are late, it's the editors who feel the time crunch. Advertisers are guaranteed a published date online or in print. Printers have tight schedules not easily rearranged. Editors cannot be late so they lose sleep, breaks and lunch hours…whatever it takes. That's why they appreciate reliable writers who meet deadlines or acknowledge any delays as far in advance as possible.

        Magazine editors can rearrange the order they edit pieces so an extra day or two could be squeezed out for writers who need more time, but editors will be less likely to rely on those writers in future issues unless they already have strong relationships or they are famous.

Dependable writers get more assignments which is why I am completing both my assignments on time. True, my post is for fun, but a deadline is a deadline. It is just that simple.

WRITER'S NOTE: My post last week was completed three days early. However, I scheduled it for the wrong Monday as I was in a hurry to finish preparing for my guest so it was published hours late. Rushing leads to errors!

Easy Ways to Boost Your Writing Career

From Cheryl's Writing Crate

I'm often asked how I find the time to write anything more than a grocery list seeing that I am the mother of 8 kids.  It's a great question, and today I'm going to share some steadfast advice that I gleaned from one of my fellow writing colleagues and friends, Linda Formichelli.

I first discovered this inspiring author about 8 years ago when I read her terrific book, 

The Renegade Writer: A Totally Unconventional Guide to Freelance Writing Success.  This was one of the first books on building a writing career that really made sense to me, offering practical ideas and solutions on how to build my then limited freelance options into a solid and enjoyable writing career.  

After that, I read another of Linda's helpful books, 

The Renegade Writer's Query Letters That Rock: The Freelance Writer's Guide to Selling More Work Faster and it was then that I really gathered up my courage to start querying outside my comfort zone of smaller publications, and I landed a piece for Disney's Family Fun magazine within a month of reading the book!

Next I signed up for one of Linda's on-line writing courses on ways to break into the exciting world of freelance writing which included a lot of personal feedback from  her with each week's assignment.  That was six years ago, and I still keep in contact with her now.  

I recently read one of her articles called 25 Ways to Boost Your Freelance Writing Business in Under 5 Minutes and couldn't wait to share a few of my favorites with any of you who are excited to take your writing to the next level, and hopefully earn some extra income as a result. 

Find and follow five editors on Twitter.

Check out MuckRack for editors (and journalists) to follow by publication.

Clean your work space.

Getting your writing work space clean and organized— even only 2 minutes worth — can give you a boost of energy and inspiration. Some quick ideas: Clean your keyboard with a can of air, clear the unneeded books from your bookshelves, or test your pens and throw out the non-working ones.

Add your recent clips to your writer website.

Linda's Writer's Den partner, Carol Tice, is all about having as many clips as possible on your site because you never know which one will turn on an editor.

What inspires you to add more freelance writing work to your writer's life?  We'd love to hear from you here in the comments.

Reads for Writers: The Writing Trade by John Jerome

From Kate's Writing Crate...

          I read books about writing for inspiration and motivation. I especially appreciate the ones that also include insights into the working lives of writers like The Writing Trade: A Year in the Life by John Jerome. It's also the perfect time to read it as the book begins in January. This is not a daily journal, but reflections by month on the author's work and life.

          At the start of a new year, Jerome's writing projects were at different stages. The Writing Trade was just beginning. He also needed to write 12 essays for a magazine column, correct book proofs, work on another book being reissued, and write two articles with midsummer deadlines, plus make pitches for articles and wait for more assignments to pay the bills.

          While Jerome wrote the book in 1989, he considered it a generic year in the life of a freelance writer. At that point, he had been in the writing trade for 30 years, 20 as a freelance writer. He survived that long by following these rules: "Don't do anything on spec, don't do anything you can't finish on up-front money, don't depend in any way on actual sales, or expect any outcome other than the receipt of the final check for the agreed upon price."

          Through the decades, he wrote eight books with varying success and a couple of hundred magazine articles. Jerome stated, "I am a competent, but essentially invisible writer, proof that one can earn a living from writing for years without ever breaking into the public consciousness...all I ever wanted was to write, quietly, for a living."

          His goal for this book was to "show how a writing life works: a book about the workaday process of making sentences for a living." Jerome shared how he got his ideas, his writing routine, his thoughts on book proposals, publication and reviews, and much more.

          I enjoyed learning about these things, but mostly I loved his thoughts on the writing process. Some of my favorite examples underlined in my reread copy include:

Page 3: ...ready to get back into the long, steady flow of real work, chasing ideas down the page.

Page 38: Writing is a process of going over and over the material endlessly, getting what you're trying to say driven into a corner.

Page 226: What's needed to produce a solid body of work is a solid body of time.

          Since this is a book about a writer's life, quotes from other writers appear at the beginning of each month's reflections as well as within the text.

          Jerome detailed his daily walks with his dogs, nature scenes, and talks with his wife as they all played a part in his writing. As he noted on page 62, "In the end, all writing is about turning experiences into words...there's a great deal more experience in our lives than we ever succeed in knowing."

          The exhilaration is in finding the right words while chasing those ideas down the page!

What writing books inspire you?