Notes in the Margin

by Roy A. Barnes

This is Part II of a two-part article. Part I, “Landing a Press Trip” appears at Kristen King’s freelance writing blog, Inkthinker. Click to read Part I.

If Accepted, Do Your Absolute Best To Attend

Remember, the CVB/PR firm has spent a lot of time and especially money (if they paid your airfare to come) in arranging your trip. The least writers can do is make sure they show up, sans something extreme. A number of CVB/PR firms are now making writers sign/acknowledge agreements to where if they don’t show up, they’ll be responsible for paying the airfare. This does make the writer accountable. But one thing a writer should never agree to is to sign an agreement guaranteeing publication nor would I ever sign such an agreement which I’ve heard does come up in rare instances.

The reason is this: a letter of assignment itself doesn’t guarantee publication. What it does is signify that you’ve had works published, that the editor likes your past work, and has faith that your press trip will be able to produce at least one article for the publication as long as the writer’s work falls within the editorial guidelines. But sometimes things happen, like the publication ceases or goes on hiatus, the editorial staff changes, and the new editor may not be interested in publishing articles that were commissioned from the previous editor. Your article(s), even with rewrites, might not impress the editor enough to justify publishing it. CVB’s do know that these things can happen, but for the most part, the letter of assignment is like a stronger assurance that they’ll see an article(s) in publications that cater to their desired audience.  (more…)

Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life
by Anne Lamott
Anchor
239 pages, 1995

reviewed by Karen L. Alaniz

After spending years in front of the classroom teaching aspiring writers, Anne Lamott decided to gather her teaching notes and write a book. Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life is the result. Her advice is a stew of sometimes simple, sometimes quirky, but always real ingredients, with a serving of humor ladled onto every page.

Lamott meets writers where they are, regardless of success or status. From the enthusiastic beginner to the struggling veteran, her advice is applicable to all. With chapter titles like, “Getting Started” and “Short Assignments” she gives practical advice that can be applied immediately. Most of her students (and now readers) begin with a huge goal in mind; to write their life story, or to write a book that chronicles the history of say, women. But Lamott observes that when it comes to actually sitting down to write, they are paralyzed by the enormity of the task. So Lamott offers some practical guidance. (more…)

by Dawn Colclasure

Want to land more e-assignments, get published in more e-zines and have your name on more virtual newsletters? All of that can be yours — the secret is to know the right way to get there. Here are seven tips to help you improve your freelancing online.

1. Include links. The makings of a good Internet article? Crisp writing, proper organization, and links for readers who want to know more! When you include links in a print article, readers won’t jump online to check them out right away. They’ll probably write it down to save for later. They might even forget about it. Writing for the ‘Net gives you a bonus: including links readers will likely click on right now! They’re already on the Internet reading your article. Chances are, they’ll click on links. Throw in a link or two and you’re on the right path to writing a great e-article!

2. Work magic with e-mail. Not everyone’s up for an e-interview, but when you can use e-mail, do it. It’s the best way to copy quotes verbatim, scan material and save information for later. As long as you keep your e-mail account active and advertisement-free, it’s a great electronic tool to conduct interviews and get information faster. (more…)

by Erin Blakemore

Let’s face it - with the expenses of a home office, time spent trying to find well-paying markets, and the million and one other speed bumps on the road to a professional writing career, it’s hard to justify much time and expense for marketing your writing business. Luckily, low-key marketing doesn’t take big bucks or huge time commitments. In fact, sometimes marketing on a nonexistent budget is as easy as A to Z:

Always give contacts two business cards – one to keep and one to pass along to a friend.

Blog your way to exposure and new clients – with free and cheap online options, there’s no excuse not to learn more about blogging.

Charity can work two ways – what else allows you to get karma points while flexing your marketing muscle? Try allying with a local charity for effective cross-promotional opportunities.

Distribute your press release online – there are several free options and you’ll get search engine exposure.  (more…)

by Jodi M. Webb

People have been asking me for years where I get ideas for my articles. I’d like to say they come to me in a flash of brilliance but it’s much less impressive. They come to me from my daughters’ book bags, an advertisement on the back of my cereal box, or a comment made by my hair stylist. Every day, the ideas are there, waiting for writers to notice them and turn them into articles. Unfortunately, they hide in the most unlikely spots and don’t wear signs that read “I would make a great magazine article!”

Local Publications
The smaller a writer’s hometown the more valuable your local newspaper. Local folks that do memorable things could be interesting to people across the country—but how many of those people read your newspaper? After reading articles in my paper, I’ve written stories about local artists, charities, and events for statewide, national, and even international publications. Never read your paper without scissors in your hand and the question “Who would find this interesting?” in your mind. (more…)

by Kristen King

It sounds counterintuitive. Giving away free content that just anyone can use? How could that possibly help anyone? Two words for you, my friend: viral marketing.

In the article “Building Traffic with Article Marketing,” Brian Clark of Copyblogger describes article marketing as

submitting short articles to directories such as Ezine Articles, with permission for others to republish your work on their blog, website or in their email newsletter. In return, you get one or more links back to the site of your choice.

Over at Associated Content, Michael Brito takes the definition to the next level when he says,

By distributing articles to various article directories on the Internet, your business can reap the benefits ranging from an increase in web traffic, lead generation, new customers and a solid reputation. It’s a simple concept that has the potential to take your business to the next level and higher.

Article marketing is not writing content for article mills (which I fondly think of a plagiarism factories) for $.00002/word. Article marketing is a targeted, planned business technique that’s specifically geared to bring more people to your website/newsletter/whatever, increase your search engine ranking, and give you and your business more exposure. (more…)

by Nancy Callahan

Goals can compel you to write faster, write better, and submit more often — but they need to be specific, quantitative and not overbearing if they’re going to work. So what sort of writing goals are best for you?

If you’ve always aspired to write, but have never been able to squeeze time for writing into your busy schedule, Time-Based Goals will assist you in establishing a fixed writing routine. With time-based goals, the emphasis isn’t necessarily on the quality of your writing but on simply making writing a priority in your life. Here are a few examples: “I aim to write for a total of 5 hours per week.” “I am going to write for at least 30 minutes right after I wake up every morning.” “I will write for three hours straight every Sunday afternoon.” (more…)