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Privacy statement: I will never, ever, (even under torture, threat of eating seafood or having my chocolate supply revoked) give-away, sell or divulge your details. |
| If you are an ezine owner
looking to do an ad swap (or two, or three), feel free to
contact me: mailto:cheryl@writer2writer.com?subject=AdSwap ~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~ ~^~^~^~^~^~^~^ A Chat with Freelance Writer/Author Jenna Glatzer © Jennifer Minar An award winning freelance writer, Jenna Glatzer has written hundreds of articles for publications such as Physical, Prevention, and Woman's World. She's also a contributing editor at Writer's Digest, columnist at Match.com, and the author of several books, including Outwitting Writer's Block and Other Problems of the Pen (The Lyons Press, fall, 2003) and Words YouThought You Knew: 1001 Commonly Misused and Misunderstood Words and Phrases (Adams Media, fall, 2003). Writer's Break recently had the privilege of talking with Jenna about writing, some rewarding and challenging aspects of being a full-time freelance writer, and her most recent book, Make a Real Living as a Freelance Writer (Nomad Press, spring, 2004). Here's what she had to tell us. You recently published the book, Make a Real Living as a Freelance Writer: How to Win Top Writing Assignments. What inspired you to write this book? A breakthrough in my career. I had been following all the much-repeated advice I read in other books and on writers' sites and although I was getting published, I wasn't getting the prime, high-paying assignments I wanted. I was stuck in the 10- and 20-cent-a-word markets, and I didn't know why. Then I began making up my own rules. I took much bigger risks and learned more of the "insider secrets" about the ins and outs of magazine freelancing. I was still the same writer, but I had learned how to get past the gatekeepers, figure out what it really meant to "study the market," negotiate, and present myself as a top writer. My career exploded and suddenly I was able to pay all my bills with money to spare. Somehow, though, I felt a little guilty -- there were plenty of other writers who were just as good as I was, but not making the kind of money I was or getting attention from the "good" editors. I started sharing advice on AbsoluteWrite.com, got amazing feedback from writers who appreciated it, and realized I had to write a book so I could give them the whole scoop. What have been the most rewarding aspects of being a full-time freelancer? The most challenging? It's an exciting field, that's for sure. Seeing your byline in a great magazine just never gets old. It's always a thrill. And I love, love, love the fact that I get paid to learn about things that interest me and talk to interesting experts and celebrities who would never give me the time of day if I weren't a writer. My biggest challenge used to be money -- making sure I had a steady stream of checks month after month -- but that's not really a problem anymore. Now my biggest challenge is just the pressure of deadlines. I haven't yet mastered time management... I want to get to the point where I take two days off each week and work fairly normal hours. I have a tendency toward workaholism and I want to ease up a little and spend more time with my husband! What do you think are some misconceptions "want-to-be" full-time freelancers have? First, that you need to write for Cosmopolitan or The New Yorker to make a decent living. There are so many good-paying magazines you'll never find on a newsstand. In my book, for example, you'll see that I interviewed the editor of Workforce Management. Ever heard of it? Or course not. It's a trade magazine, it's open to new writers, it's nowhere near as competitive as major women's magazines, and it pays a respectable rate -- if memory serves, $.75 a word. There are thousands of trade magazines and custom publications that aren't hard to write for and can earn a writer solid, steady assignments. Second, that you need to be the world's greatest writer to make a living at this. Seriously, I'm a good writer... that is, I'm competent and I express myself clearly... but I'm no writing goddess. Chances are good that if you can write clearly, concisely, and in an engaging manner, you can make a living at this. At least as important as talent is your ability to meet deadlines, take criticism, and do research. Third, that you have to come up with groundbreakingly unique ideas. You don't. You have to take topics you've seen before and just find one little new angle, one way to twist it differently. How many articles have you seen about how to lose weight? A zillion. And most of them can be summarized "Exercise and eat right." But each of those articles has to offer something new on the topic, something readers haven't read a million times before. Maybe it's a new study, a new diet, a fitness expert you can interview who has unconventional ideas, an interesting way to get motivated, a way to calculate how much starch is okay in your diet, a way to substitute healthful snacks for junk food without feeling deprived... Finally, some new writers assume that going full-time means that you get to live a charmed life where you play with your kids all day and write when the muse strikes. Ha! Well, okay, I do get to sleep in whenever I want, and I can skip out of the office to go out for lunch or for a movie, and I do get to listen to music and watch TV when I want, and I do write in my pajamas with my cat on my lap, and... wait. Okay, it is a charmed life. But you still have to work sometimes! Grin. What would you say are the most important qualities one needs to possess in order to be a successful freelance writer? Perseverance, a thick skin, patience, a general curiosity about life, an interest in people, a willingness to listen to rewrite suggestions, a strong work ethic, and self-motivation. What would you say to a beginning writer who is concerned about a steady income? I'd say it's a legitimate concern. There are a few ways to ensure a regular paycheck: Become a columnist. After you've written a few articles for a magazine, newspaper, or e-zine, if you have an idea for an ongoing column, propose it to the editor. Become a contributing editor. For example, I'm a contributing editor at Writer's Digest. They guarantee me a certain number of feature assignments per year, at their best pay rates. You can do this by proving yourself to the editor... then asking for the position. Contributing editors receive different sorts of "perks" -- sometimes it's a guaranteed salary per month or per year, sometimes it's a certain number of assignments, sometimes it's higher pay, and so on. Typically, the trade-off is that you can't write for competing publications. Become an established expert in a niche area. Let's say you have a strong interest in saving money. You write a bunch of articles about different ways to save money, and accumulate a good pile of clips on this subject. Editors get to know you as the "save money" writer... that is, when they have an idea they've developed in-house that deals with how to save money on something, they'll think of you first. Develop relationships with a handful of editors. While it's always a good idea to keep making new contacts and approaching new markets, make sure there are three or four editors you concentrate on. Get to know them on a personal level. Get to know their tastes and the areas of the magazine they cover. Let them know you're available for assignments. I have a few editors I know I can turn to if I'm ever short on work -- I can just write to them and say, "My schedule's light next month. Anything I can cover for you?" Poof. Assignments land in my inbox. All of these things require you to prove yourself; be willing to put in lots of hard work up front to reap these benefits. Being as prolific as you are, I'm sure good organization is key. What method do you use for tracking your queries? I use Writer's Market's tracking feature online. That reminds me where I've sent queries and when to follow up, and I love using the "comments" area to paste in the responses, so next time I query that market, I'll remember what they said about my last query. Aside from that, believe it or not, I just write everything down in my handy ol' datebook. Assignments, word counts, pay rates, due dates... I like having it in hard copy so I can just flip through my book and see what's coming up. In a past interview, you suggested that writers design a workspace that feels inspiring. Please describe yours. I'm laughing right now because my workspace is a MESS... but yes, I rather like it. I keep photos of my friends' kids and my husband on the shelves over my computer, along with good CDs, a fairy statue, my wedding tiara, a construction paper heart my husband cut out for me on our first Valentine's Day... The quote "Fortune favors the brave" is taped above my monitor. I buy decorative tissue boxes (the one I have now has kitties all over it). My filing cabinet is covered in hot pink word poetry magnets and photos of my family and friends, along with some funny magnets I've written. I have candles all over the place, a lush green plant next to me, scented body butter on my desk for impromptu pick-me-ups, and shelves and shelves of great books threatening to crowd me out of my own office. Also in my office: a shiatsu massager, a fairy water fountain, a heart mug to hold all my pencils, a hand-made wedding card one of my Absolute Write columnists made for me, and snack food! What are some of the ways you market yourself? If you mean for magazine writing, I just send out queries. For books, I write lots of articles that people can freely reprint; I do interviews on radio, TV, websites, newspapers, and magazines; my publicist sends out review copies; I do book signings and workshops; I participate on message boards and in online chats; I have my own website (www.jennaglatzer.com) in addition to my site for writers; I give away free e-books and reports from time to time; I sometimes pay for advertising in e-zines or run swap ads with other editors; I participate in two web rings; I join e-mail discussion lists... promotion is a big part of my job! What are some of your favorite writing books? Bird by Bird by Anne Lammott, The Renegade Writer by Linda Formichelli and Diana Burrell, and Feminine Wiles by Donna Elizabeth Boetig are probably my favorite three. Do you have a favorite writing-related quote? Many, depending on my mood. One of my favorites is, "Writing is easy: all you do is sit staring at a blank sheet of paper until the drops of blood form on your forehead." -Gene Fowler If a writer were to glean only two or three pieces of wisdom from Make a Real Living as a Freelance Writer, what would you like those to be? I'd hope they close the book knowing exactly what it means to study a magazine -- how to ascertain which sections are open to freelancers, who the readers are, and what the editors are looking for. I also hope they realize that being a full-time writer is not some mythical, unachievable goal and that they, too, can do what I've done. More than anything, I want every reader to feel that they've just sat in my living room and had a long mentoring session where they've come up with a blueprint for making a living doing the thing they love most: writing. See Jenna's books and learn about her upcoming writers' workshop at the Omega Institute by visiting http://www.jennaglatzer.com/. About the author: Jen Minar is a Washington, D.C.-based freelance writer and the managing editor of www.WritersBreak.com. She can be contacted at jminar@writersbreak.com. ~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~ ~^~^~^~^~^~^~^ ~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~ ~^~^~^~^~^~^~^ Ad Swaps: Love food? Learn how to break into the competitive and high-paying food writing markets. Subscribe to Food Writing, the fr^e biweekly ezine that offers insider advice on breaking into food writing markets. Subscribe now and receive the special report "Six (Sneaky) Ways to Break into Food Writing." Send a blank email to food-writing-subscribe@yahoogroups.com Visit www.food-writing.com for more information. Markets, resources and inspiration for writers--you'll find them all at WriteSuccess.com! Fr*ee biweekly ezine, too. Everything you need to turn your writing dream into reality! http://writesuccess.com FUNDSFORWRITERS - the grant specialist for writers. Four amazing newsletters for writers with all sorts of income potential. http://www.fundsforwriters.com 400+ Paying Markets, Freelance Jobs, Classes, Workshops, Contests, Ebooks, Articles and more! Subscribe at http://writerssuccess.netfirms.com/ to receive the Writer’s Success weekly newsletter. You've done it! You've finally finished that book or story or article that you always promised yourself you'd write. But what do you do now? Subscribe to The Back End and get advice on editing, publishing and marketing your work. Don't let all your good work go to waste, get The Back End under control too! www.yourbestwork.com/ezine/index.asp |
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| News: This is Francine Silverman's most recent release - I am one of the contributors: Book Marketing from A-Z was published in March 2005 by Infinity Publishing. A compilation of the best promotional strategies of 300+ authors of all genres, the book was compiled by Francine Silverman - editor/publisher of Book Promotion Newsletter (www.bookpromotionnewsletter.com). In an alphabetical format for ease of use, Book Marketing from A-Z is packed with unique ideas from Advertising (Pros and Cons) to Zero Promotion (when the book sells itself). Whether the author of one or 100 titles, self-published or traditionally published, these contributors are brutally honest about their pleasures and pitfalls. Readers will learn by their mistakes and adapt ideas in promoting their own books. “This book contains everything a new (or even experienced) author needs to begin marketing,” writes book reviewer Jeremy Hoover. http://hooverreviews.blogspot.com. “Authors might be surprised to learn that there are many free things they can do to market their books!” The 400-page paperback is available at http://www.buybooksontheweb.com (Category: Marketing). (Purchasers in countries outside the U.S. may email Michelle at michelle@buybooksontheweb.com or fax an order (610/941-9959). She will provide confirmation that your order has been received and will be processed promptly.) ~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~ ~^~^~^~^~^~^~^ Call for Submissions:
Each volume of the bestselling anthology series A Cup of Comfort is filled to the brim with powerful true stories about the experiences and relationships that inspire and enrich our lives. These engaging personal essays – written by people from all walks of life – are carefully selected for inclusion in A Cup of Comfort based on originality, creativity, and substance. We are actively seeking submissions for the following volumes: A CUP OF COMFORT FOR
GRANDPARENTS – New! Submissions are reviewed and semifinalists selected throughout the submission period, so early entry is encouraged. NOTE: The submission window for A Cup of Comfort for Christians (Faith/Spirituality) is now closed. WHAT’S BREWING NEXT? Possible themes of future
volumes include: Any inspiring, heartwarming story about any topic can be submitted at any time. Got an idea for a Cup of Comfort theme? Send your suggestions to: cupofcomfort@adamsmedia.com. HOW TO CREATE A SAVORY CUP OF COMFORT STORY Cup of Comfort stories weave powerful life lessons into vividly told tales. They are nonfiction stories that read like fiction but always ring true. They are slice-of-life tales that reveal the positive aspects of humanity; that make us think and feel and care; that provide insight and inspiration; that entertain and enlighten; and that bring tears of compassion and joy to our eyes, hope to our hearts, and comfort to our souls. Most of all, Cup of Comfort stories are honest, original, and creative depictions of the most important experiences in ordinary lives. Each Cup of Comfort anthology
includes a balanced mix of stories of varied themes, such
as: Tips for Writing a Winning Cup
of Comfort Story: SUBMISSION SPECIFICATIONS * Payment: $500 Grand Prize
awarded to one story per volume; $100 (each) all other
stories published in book. Plus complimentary copy of
book. On publication. HOW TO SUBMIT YOUR STORY Electronic (email) submissions
preferred. Mailed and faxed submissions acceptable. Each submission must include the
following at the top of the first page: Choose one of these easy submission methods: EMAIL: In the subject line, cite the Cup of Comfort volume (i.e., Grandparents). Copy and paste (or type) the story into the body of the email. No attachments. One story per email. Send to: cupofcomfort@adamsmedia.com. MAIL: You can send more than one story per envelope. Include one self-addressed, postage-paid envelope for each submission. Submit only the printed/paper copy of the story; do not send computer disks or CDs. Mail to: Cup of Comfort, Adams Media, 57 Littlefield St., Avon, Massachusetts 02322, USA FAX: On a cover sheet or at the top of the first page of the story, indicate the volume for which you are submitting the story and the number of pages being submitted. Fax to: 1-508-427-6790 Please direct questions to the email or mailing addresses, above. We cannot accept phone calls. Copyright 2002-2005 Adams Media Corporation ~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~ ~^~^~^~^~^~^~^ How do I? Penny (USA) wrote and asked: Is it possible to earn a six figure salary in America without being a copywriter? My true love is writing short stories. I'm just getting started at it, actually. I really don't think I want to write a full length novel at this point. What I love is writing essays and short stories. I'd also love to earn a six figure salary doing so. Is it possible? Answer: Hi Penny, although short stories can be a good little money spinner, I really doubt you could make a six figure salary writing short stories. Generally, short stories will bring in anything from $25 to $1,500 - this all depends on the length and the market involved. In my opinion, writers should have multiple streams of income. And by that I don't mean go out and get a ton of part time jobs! You can use your writing to create multiple streams. For instance, I derive income from: Non-fiction books Non-fiction articles Novels Short stories The Writer2Writer.com website (affiliate sales) Workshops Speaking Engagements All of these are centred around my writing. I plan to finish two novels and (hopefully) at least another two non-fiction books this year, all of which I hope will generate additional income streams. Ebooks are a great way to make what is called 'passive income'. Basically you write the book, automate it, and wait for the money to come in - even while you sleep! ~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~ ~^~^~^~^~^~^~^ If you have writing related question you would like answered, send it to: |
| For Resources - Personally Recommended by Cheryl Wright, click here |
| Subscriber News: The young Hungarian writer, Ilona Hegedus (http://ilonahegedus.topcities.com) sold another four poems. Her humorous SF poem "Lover" will appear in the June issue of Between Kisses newsletter, and another sci-fi poem, "Promise" was accepted for publication in the April 2005 issue of Beyond Centauri, a print magazine for kids by Samsdot Publishing. Another two of her dark fantasy poems will appear in print magazines, as 'Mistress Awaited' will be published in the 2005 October issue of Night to Dawn and 'The Bond' wil be included in issue #7 of Book of Dark Wisdom Magazine (Oct. 2005). Congratulations Ilona! Great going!! * * * * * * * * * Gail Fonda's first book has been released: My Private Hell: Struggle & Survival by Gail Fonda, published by PublishAmerica. http://www.publishamerica.com In the past year or so, most Americans have read that our rate of obesity has skyrocketed. There could be any number of reasons for that, including laziness, bad food choices, emotional problems and single-parent homes, to name just a few. MY reason for exercising and changing my eating habits resulted from an absolute necessity to deal with personality problems, as well as potentially life-threatening physical health issues. For me, exercise has become a permanent lifestyle change that has radically improved every area of my life. I think by sharing the problems with you, you can learn to fix whatever ails you as well. I wanted to do my small share to save the world, if that’s at all possible.
* * * * * * * * * If you have any news, please send it along. (Don’t be shy – we won’t bite!) mailto:cheryl@writer2writer.com # Subscriber news can be very inspiring for your writing colleagues. ~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~ ~^~^~^~^~^~^~^ Contests: Writer2Writer No Fee Contest: Take a look at the photograph shown here Your assignment is to write the opening line and one paragraph - maximum 210 words - plus a snazzy title. (Title will not be included in the word count) It can be the beginning of a short story or novel, or if you'd rather, may be a complete story. Entries will be judged solely on creativity. There are absolutely no limitations on genre; write whatever the photograph portrays to you. Closing date for entries: 12 midnight 31st March 2005 (wherever in the world you live) Full details and rules can be found on the contest page Please check these carefully, as they will change for each contest. Entries that do not comply will be disqualified without notification. ** Text description is also available at the website for the vision impaired. ~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~ ~^~^~^~^~^~^~^ Earn money as an affiliate: If you're interested in becoming an affiliate for either (or both) of my ebooks, please go to: http://www.writer2writer.com/affiliates.htm - For "Think Outside the Square" http://www.writer2writer.com/affiliates2.htm - For "I Wanna Win!" ~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~ ~^~^~^~^~^~^~^ Attention Ezine and Website Owners: I have available a cache of articles that you may freely use. Go to: http://www.writer2writer.com/autoresponder.htm I add to the list regularly - usually around the 30th of each month. There is a form on the above page where you can be added to an autoresponder to be notified on the latest additions. ~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~ ~^~^~^~^~^~^~^ FEEDBACK: If you have any feedback about this newsletter; comments, criticisms, (praise!) sections you'd like to see added, tell me - mailto:cheryl@writer2writer.com?subject=Feedback ~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~ ~^~^~^~^~^~^~^ Submissions: The majority of articles will be written by me, but should you wish to submit an article, you need to be aware that I do not pay for reprints. I pay a (low) fee for unpublished articles, but they must be related to the craft of writing. In all cases your bio and links will be included. Disclaimer: Inclusion of a market, contest, anthology or similar is not necessarily an endorsement. It is strongly suggested that you do your own legwork in checking out any markets etc you decide to approach. If you feel wary or uncomfortable, there's probably a reason! Advertising: I am very meticulous about the advertisements I accept. First of all, they must relate to writers in some way; software for writers, books, ebooks etc. So if your product has no relationship whatsoever to writers, I simply won't accept it. Secondly, I won't advertise scams or products that are rip-offs. So if your product is target toward writers but is not worth the money, again, I won't advertise it. As you can see, I'm pretty selective about what I will advertise. If you've gotten this far, and believe you have a product that will pass the test, my advertising fees are shown below. Email me with your advertising submissions: cheryl@writer2writer.com <mailto:cheryl@writer2writer.com> If I accept your submission, I will then advise 'method of payment' details. One issue: $10 Three issues: $25 (Save $5) Six issues: $45 (Save $15) Rates for the "Top Sponsor" position are higher. Contact me for details. *Website advertising also available. Rates on request (dependent on your needs). Legal stuff: This ezine is commercial in nature, and by subscribing you consent to receiving the advertisements contained herein, and any additional 'solo' advertisements that may be forwarded to you. You are receiving this newsletter because you subscribed - it is never sent unsolicited. I will never, ever, (even under torture, threat of eating seafood or having my chocolate supply revoked) give-away, sell or divulge your details. All portions of this newsletter are copyrighted, but should you wish to reproduce any article/s, please contact the appropriate author/s for details. Subscribe Details: Please feel free to forward "Writer to Writer" to your friends, associates, even enemies, provided it is forwarded intact. If you have received this email because someone has forwarded it to you, and you would like to receive your own copy each month, please go here to subscribe. |
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