I've had a pretty hectic week, but I've been meaning to post a couple of links that should be required reading for freelance writers and bloggers. The first is about blogging for book authors, written by the fabulously snarky literary agent Nadia Cornier. Most everything she says is applicable to freelance writers, too, so take note.
The other is from one of my newly discovered (and new favorite) blogs, Freelance Writing for Nonprofits. Read 10 Sure-Fire Ways to Fail as a Freelance Writer and make sure you're not committing any of these faux pas. Happy writing!
Friday, March 30, 2007
Thursday, March 29, 2007
Look Like a Pro
They say success breeds success, and March has been a smash hit. I'm in talks with several clients and editors for new projects, so I'll pass on the details once they're finalized. Brian at The Writer Spot asked me to participate in a little Q & A, which you can read here.
Wednesday, March 28, 2007
5 Q's with Lori Gertz
Muse reader Lori Gertz writes a column for Remarkable Woman and runs Gertworks Consulting. Here she shares her insights into writing and publishing.
Urban Muse: Could you tell us about your involvement with Remarkable Woman?
Lori: About a year ago the magazine showed up in my mailbox. I'd been reading the pub for about 10 months and becoming familiar with the demographic, but, more importantly, realizing it was written for the likes of people like me – juggling 3 kids, 3 dogs, a full-time consultancy and whatever else the days turn up- I called the publisher and pitched her on my column idea- As I See It. I intrigued her with the concept and followed up the same day with a sample column I had written to test the “voice” and she loved it. She bought it the same day! Now I know my voice has a home even though the damned thing still comes addressed to the previous owner of my house.
UM: What is the most important tidbit you picked up working in the NYC publishing industry? L: I learned that while being a divergent thinker didn’t serve me too well in the rank and file, it served me incredibly well in the dog-eat-dog competition of magazine publishing in NYC. I’m one of those people who enters a “zone” while people are explaining their marketing challenges to me. Sometimes it looks like I’m out to lunch, but I’m thinking “out of the box” in a divergent way somewhere up in the ether…and almost always this way of thinking led me to some of my most successful efforts while in NYC. The people I am proud to call role models envied this ability to float up in the creative air all while keeping grounded.
UM: Describe your favorite place to write
L: Isn’t wi-fi a wonderful tool? I love to write in nature…and I live in the woods…so I can take my laptop out and sit on the grass near the pond under a tree and just let it rip!
UM: Where do you get the inspiration for your childrens' books?
L: I still can’t believe that I’m a parent…no less to three children under 7! Sometimes I have to pinch myself because I never thought this life would be mine. I was a jetsetter…a risk taker…a Barney’s shopping, bungee cord jumping, black suit and heel wearing social smoker…not this mother-person. My inspiration comes from listening – to the imaginary lives of my kids. Their worlds make mine look and feel banal. Their experience is so rich and full of hope and belief. It’s a constant source of refreshment to me.
UM: You are stranded on a desert island, and can only bring one book or magazine. Which one do you bring?
L: I’m a pretty voracious reader and have read some pretty intense books in my life….but the one I always come back to is a book by Nancy Mairs, entitled Remembering the Bone House. It’s amazing, and my favorite book for sure.
Thanks, Lori. Tune in next Wednesday for cupcakes and career advice with Lindsey Pollak, author of the forthcoming non-fiction book Getting from College to Career.
Urban Muse: Could you tell us about your involvement with Remarkable Woman?
Lori: About a year ago the magazine showed up in my mailbox. I'd been reading the pub for about 10 months and becoming familiar with the demographic, but, more importantly, realizing it was written for the likes of people like me – juggling 3 kids, 3 dogs, a full-time consultancy and whatever else the days turn up- I called the publisher and pitched her on my column idea- As I See It. I intrigued her with the concept and followed up the same day with a sample column I had written to test the “voice” and she loved it. She bought it the same day! Now I know my voice has a home even though the damned thing still comes addressed to the previous owner of my house.
UM: What is the most important tidbit you picked up working in the NYC publishing industry? L: I learned that while being a divergent thinker didn’t serve me too well in the rank and file, it served me incredibly well in the dog-eat-dog competition of magazine publishing in NYC. I’m one of those people who enters a “zone” while people are explaining their marketing challenges to me. Sometimes it looks like I’m out to lunch, but I’m thinking “out of the box” in a divergent way somewhere up in the ether…and almost always this way of thinking led me to some of my most successful efforts while in NYC. The people I am proud to call role models envied this ability to float up in the creative air all while keeping grounded.
UM: Describe your favorite place to write
L: Isn’t wi-fi a wonderful tool? I love to write in nature…and I live in the woods…so I can take my laptop out and sit on the grass near the pond under a tree and just let it rip!
UM: Where do you get the inspiration for your childrens' books?
L: I still can’t believe that I’m a parent…no less to three children under 7! Sometimes I have to pinch myself because I never thought this life would be mine. I was a jetsetter…a risk taker…a Barney’s shopping, bungee cord jumping, black suit and heel wearing social smoker…not this mother-person. My inspiration comes from listening – to the imaginary lives of my kids. Their worlds make mine look and feel banal. Their experience is so rich and full of hope and belief. It’s a constant source of refreshment to me.
UM: You are stranded on a desert island, and can only bring one book or magazine. Which one do you bring?
L: I’m a pretty voracious reader and have read some pretty intense books in my life….but the one I always come back to is a book by Nancy Mairs, entitled Remembering the Bone House. It’s amazing, and my favorite book for sure.
Thanks, Lori. Tune in next Wednesday for cupcakes and career advice with Lindsey Pollak, author of the forthcoming non-fiction book Getting from College to Career.
Travel Writing, Part Très
I met a pilot and a flight attendent couple on my cruise, and it reminded me of a novel I read recently. Travel stories naturally lend themselve to fiction writing with their colorful characters (in this case, the couple was Canadian and they were a hoot) and exotic locales (MMmmexico!). Here's an excerpt from my review of Fly Me to the Moon:
When I was a senior in college trying to figure out what the heck to do with my life, I flirted with the idea of becoming a flight attendant. I figured I could get paid to travel the world, meet some interesting, exotic people, and eventually settle down with a wealthy foreigner would woo me with homemade gnocchi and poetry inspired by yours truly. Well, had I read Alyson Noel's Fly Me to the Moon back then, I might have cured myself of that fantasy a little faster.
Having worked as a flight attendant herself, Noel accurately (and humorously) describes the misadventures of Hailey Lane, who works for the fictitious Atlas Airlines. Hailey arrives home early on her birthday thinking her live-in boyfriend Michael is about to propose. Not only does he fail to produce a ring, but Hailey finds herself in the classic chick lit situation with her boyfriend in bed with someone else. Not just someone else, but someone male. To make matters worse, Hailey's job may be in jeopardy because Atlas is threatening to cut back on staffing. Thus unfolds a hilarious story involving several international flings, one bizarre roommate situation, and too many cocktails to count.
Hailey's jet-setting lifestyle allows for fun and frequent scene changes. If Fly Me to the Moon were a movie, the location scouts would have their work cut out for themselves finding spots in Manhattan, Paris, Amsterdam, and Mykonos, Greece. Of course, all that international travel comes at a high price to Hailey's sanity, as she deals with unruly passengers and unreasonable demands from airline management. Then there's Hailey's mother, who is undergoing a romantic and identity crisis of her own. The dialogue between mother and daughter and between Hailey and her supervisor is hilarious. If Fly Me to the Moon were traveling on Atlas Air, it would definitely go first-class.
When I was a senior in college trying to figure out what the heck to do with my life, I flirted with the idea of becoming a flight attendant. I figured I could get paid to travel the world, meet some interesting, exotic people, and eventually settle down with a wealthy foreigner would woo me with homemade gnocchi and poetry inspired by yours truly. Well, had I read Alyson Noel's Fly Me to the Moon back then, I might have cured myself of that fantasy a little faster.
Having worked as a flight attendant herself, Noel accurately (and humorously) describes the misadventures of Hailey Lane, who works for the fictitious Atlas Airlines. Hailey arrives home early on her birthday thinking her live-in boyfriend Michael is about to propose. Not only does he fail to produce a ring, but Hailey finds herself in the classic chick lit situation with her boyfriend in bed with someone else. Not just someone else, but someone male. To make matters worse, Hailey's job may be in jeopardy because Atlas is threatening to cut back on staffing. Thus unfolds a hilarious story involving several international flings, one bizarre roommate situation, and too many cocktails to count.
Hailey's jet-setting lifestyle allows for fun and frequent scene changes. If Fly Me to the Moon were a movie, the location scouts would have their work cut out for themselves finding spots in Manhattan, Paris, Amsterdam, and Mykonos, Greece. Of course, all that international travel comes at a high price to Hailey's sanity, as she deals with unruly passengers and unreasonable demands from airline management. Then there's Hailey's mother, who is undergoing a romantic and identity crisis of her own. The dialogue between mother and daughter and between Hailey and her supervisor is hilarious. If Fly Me to the Moon were traveling on Atlas Air, it would definitely go first-class.
Tuesday, March 27, 2007
Tips on Travel Writing, Part Dos
If you already have tickets to Turkey or plans to visit Prague, why not cash in on your experiences by publishing your travel story? Admittedly, it can be a tough market (so good luck landing a free vacation if you don't already have killer clips and possibly connections), but here are a few places on and off the beaten track to get you started.
- Budget Travel
- Gifted Travel
- Inside Out
- Matador
- Student Traveler
- The Expeditioner
- Travel and Leisure
- Travel Girl
- Wanderlust
- Vagabond
Monday, March 26, 2007
Tips on Travel Writing, Part Un
I admit it. I'm a bad blogger. I built up all this momentum over the last few weeks and then fled to Mexico to escape the New England winter. Pretty lame, huh? But five days on a cruise ship gave me plenty of time to recharge those psychological batteries and think of more story ideas. In the spirit of my Mexican vacación, here are some places to read about travel and travel writing:
Tune in tomorrow for a list of where to publish your own travel tales!
Tune in tomorrow for a list of where to publish your own travel tales!
Wednesday, March 21, 2007
Blogging Works!
Really, it does. A couple of days ago, I got an email from Jason at Jibber Jobber saying he'd picked yours truly as his "You Get it!" pick of the month. Basically, he singles out one person each month who exemplifies the concepts of personal branding. And I'm it for March! How did I win this title? you ask. Did I get nominated by my local senator? Write an essay about "what personal branding means to me"? Send in $5 with proof of purchase? Nope. I commented on Brazen Careerist and Jason happened to click on my website. Amazing how that works!And in other news, traffic is way up thanks to so many of you fabulous readers adding links to this site (thank you!!). I also noticed that there's an unusual amount of traffic coming from Queensland, Australia. Apparently, I'm big Down Under. So if you're reading this from the other side of the world, I'd love to know how you found me. Don't be shy - leave a comment and we can exchange links!
P.S. I'm taking a few days off for some R & R, but I'll be back next week for more blogging fun!
5 Q's with Jennifer Hollowell
This week's 5 Q's is writer/artist Jennifer Hollowell, who is the submissions editor at Brady Magazine and a weekly contributor to Suite101.com's Mixed Media Art. Here's what Jennifer had to say...
Urban Muse: Tell us about your "book a month" project.
Jenn: This was part of my list of resolutions for 2007. I wanted to create an art piece daily and I also wanted to earn from the art I've created throughout the year. As a way of coupling both of those goals, I decided to put a selection of art journal pages into book form at the end of each month.
This has been a challenge because, now that I've made the commitment and posted this goal in numerous places, I have to follow through. That's a huge motivation for me to keep creativity flowing. At first, I was worried I'd be stifling myself or taking on too much. Learning new organizational methods and prioritizing has helped, though, and prevented the dreaded artists block from invading. You can see the books here.
UM: Since you've helped other self-published authors with their marketing campaigns, do you have any tips could you share with us?
J: Yes, if you choose to self publish your work, you have to grasp firmly the understanding that it's a business in itself. I've worked with numerous self publishers who produce their content, but feel it's finished once it's off the press. This isn't the case. Without taking the proper steps in terms of distribution, marketing, promotion and contacting stores this project could crumble before it's even started.
There's a bounty of information online stepping those who choose to self publish through every step of the process, including what can be expected if the wrong choices are made. A resource the I've continuously pointed out to those who have already produced their content is Publicize Your Book! by Jacqueline Deval.
UM: As submissions editor for Brady Magazine, what are the most common mistakes you see in submissions?
J: Proofreading, submitting content that doesn't fit the scope of the site and repeated requests for a response on material that's been submitted. Above all, proofreading work has been the biggest problem. It surprises me to receive articles that are one solid paragraph and riddled with spelling errors. When this has happened, I've tried contacting these writers with links teaching them proper submission practices. In this business, rejections are received more than acceptances. How often do those rejections really help the writers improve their craft, though. That's where I've been trying to bridge the gap.
UM: How do you stay focused working from home and raising three kids?
J: It's EXTREMELY difficult, I won't lie. There's opportunity to work while they're at school (two of them get off their bus at 10:45am and my oldest gets off the bus at 2:45pm), but there are days when I wish I had more quiet time. I work while they're home, too, and engaged in an activity. I've found what works best is to involve them in an art or writing project right next to me. While I'm working on various projects, they're working steadily and feeling important because they can be in "Mommy's work space."
It's interesting because, when I encourage game or toy play, they don't stay "busy" as long and are frequently asking for new suggestions. However, when they're working on something that appears to be similar to what I'm doing, they're engaged almost the entire time I need to accomplish something. They're a five year old boy, a six year old girl and seven year old boy, so I have to plan the activities to be in fifteen minute increments so they're not too tired and to prevent possible frustrations.
UM: You used to be assistant manager for a bookstore. What other authors could you recommend?
J: I loved this job, which was about nine years ago. Back then, I read everything I could get my hands on (both new and classic works) because the atmosphere was so inspiring. So, to narrow it down to just one author is difficult.
My tastes range from the chic-lit genre (like Bridget Jones's Diary) to anything Stephen King to self-help books. Right now, I've been focusing on books by SARK and Sabrina Ward Harrison - and, ironically, I just purchased a book (Danny Gregory's Creative License) that was recommended by the both of them!
Thanks, Jenn!
Urban Muse: Tell us about your "book a month" project.
Jenn: This was part of my list of resolutions for 2007. I wanted to create an art piece daily and I also wanted to earn from the art I've created throughout the year. As a way of coupling both of those goals, I decided to put a selection of art journal pages into book form at the end of each month.
This has been a challenge because, now that I've made the commitment and posted this goal in numerous places, I have to follow through. That's a huge motivation for me to keep creativity flowing. At first, I was worried I'd be stifling myself or taking on too much. Learning new organizational methods and prioritizing has helped, though, and prevented the dreaded artists block from invading. You can see the books here.
UM: Since you've helped other self-published authors with their marketing campaigns, do you have any tips could you share with us?
J: Yes, if you choose to self publish your work, you have to grasp firmly the understanding that it's a business in itself. I've worked with numerous self publishers who produce their content, but feel it's finished once it's off the press. This isn't the case. Without taking the proper steps in terms of distribution, marketing, promotion and contacting stores this project could crumble before it's even started.
There's a bounty of information online stepping those who choose to self publish through every step of the process, including what can be expected if the wrong choices are made. A resource the I've continuously pointed out to those who have already produced their content is Publicize Your Book! by Jacqueline Deval.
UM: As submissions editor for Brady Magazine, what are the most common mistakes you see in submissions?
J: Proofreading, submitting content that doesn't fit the scope of the site and repeated requests for a response on material that's been submitted. Above all, proofreading work has been the biggest problem. It surprises me to receive articles that are one solid paragraph and riddled with spelling errors. When this has happened, I've tried contacting these writers with links teaching them proper submission practices. In this business, rejections are received more than acceptances. How often do those rejections really help the writers improve their craft, though. That's where I've been trying to bridge the gap.
UM: How do you stay focused working from home and raising three kids?
J: It's EXTREMELY difficult, I won't lie. There's opportunity to work while they're at school (two of them get off their bus at 10:45am and my oldest gets off the bus at 2:45pm), but there are days when I wish I had more quiet time. I work while they're home, too, and engaged in an activity. I've found what works best is to involve them in an art or writing project right next to me. While I'm working on various projects, they're working steadily and feeling important because they can be in "Mommy's work space."
It's interesting because, when I encourage game or toy play, they don't stay "busy" as long and are frequently asking for new suggestions. However, when they're working on something that appears to be similar to what I'm doing, they're engaged almost the entire time I need to accomplish something. They're a five year old boy, a six year old girl and seven year old boy, so I have to plan the activities to be in fifteen minute increments so they're not too tired and to prevent possible frustrations.
UM: You used to be assistant manager for a bookstore. What other authors could you recommend?
J: I loved this job, which was about nine years ago. Back then, I read everything I could get my hands on (both new and classic works) because the atmosphere was so inspiring. So, to narrow it down to just one author is difficult.
My tastes range from the chic-lit genre (like Bridget Jones's Diary) to anything Stephen King to self-help books. Right now, I've been focusing on books by SARK and Sabrina Ward Harrison - and, ironically, I just purchased a book (Danny Gregory's Creative License) that was recommended by the both of them!
Thanks, Jenn!
Monday, March 19, 2007
Writer's Round-Up
I've been a very busy bee over the last few weeks and, finally, I have something to show for it. Check out my latest articles:
- Rachel Solar on Fiction, Fandom and Fenway Park, Our Town Brookline
- Networking in the Age of Innuendo, WorksNW.com
- Spruce Up for Spring, DigsMagazine.com (just gave my apartment a clean sweep this weekend)
- Dealing with Rejection, Notes in the Margin (highly recommended for writers and inspired by this blog post)
- DormAid Cleans Up, Young Money magazine
I'm also doing some PR for a new theatre company. Read the press release here.
Sunday, March 18, 2007
Page to Stage
Last week I took a class at Grub Street called Page to Stage with the fabulous and talented Giulia Rozzi. The concept – writing first-person pieces for performance – appealed to my theatrical side (if you’re not familiar with this side of Susan, check out my other blog). Plus, I hadn’t been back to Grub Street in a while and missed the Grub Love.
At first I was a little disappointed that there were only four other people in the class (not much of a performance), but it worked out because we were all outspoken and had a lot to contribute. Ten outspoken people would have made it hard for poor Giulia to teach us anything, even with her six years in stand-up comedy!
Giulia has an interesting approach to storytelling. Basically, any story can be interesting with the right details and presentation (of course, if you’re writing a story for the page, you don’t have the luxury of voice inflection and gestures, but I digress). She made her point by having everyone share the most interesting thing they’d seen that day. It was a rainy Thursday, so no one had anything particularly exciting to report, but it was still fascinating the way people talked about their day, for instance, standing in line at Whole Foods.
I’m generally not a writing prompt person, since I usually have too much to write about and not enough hours in the day (no time for writing foreplay), but her exercises gave me some great ideas for stories. One I plan to polish and post as a future blog entry. Anyone have a favorite writing prompt you’d like to share?
At first I was a little disappointed that there were only four other people in the class (not much of a performance), but it worked out because we were all outspoken and had a lot to contribute. Ten outspoken people would have made it hard for poor Giulia to teach us anything, even with her six years in stand-up comedy!
Giulia has an interesting approach to storytelling. Basically, any story can be interesting with the right details and presentation (of course, if you’re writing a story for the page, you don’t have the luxury of voice inflection and gestures, but I digress). She made her point by having everyone share the most interesting thing they’d seen that day. It was a rainy Thursday, so no one had anything particularly exciting to report, but it was still fascinating the way people talked about their day, for instance, standing in line at Whole Foods.
I’m generally not a writing prompt person, since I usually have too much to write about and not enough hours in the day (no time for writing foreplay), but her exercises gave me some great ideas for stories. One I plan to polish and post as a future blog entry. Anyone have a favorite writing prompt you’d like to share?
Saturday, March 17, 2007
To Whom Am I Blogging?
Carson at Content Done Better tagged me for the meme “To Whom Am I Blogging?” Here goes… I started this blog without a clear vision of who my readers might be (a major faux pas, according to nearly every rule of marketing), but now it’s a bit more clear to me. Sure, I still occasionally throw in an off-topic entry about friends getting married and various domestic disasters (sorry about that, I know most of you are not interested, but sometimes a girl’s just gotta rant), but I’m primarily blogging about writing for other writers. Mainly youngish freelancers who write for websites and magazines. I also have some editors who read my blog, including one who assigned me to write about parenting products (which means she either has an incredible sense of humor or is not a native English speaker, I’m thinking the former), and a publicist at HarperCollins, who sent me some of her authors’ books (smart lady).
In the interest of becoming more reader-friendly, I refer the question to you folks. What topics would like you like to read about more? Which ones make you zone out? I'm tagging Shanna at Write from the Beginning and Bug at Writer Bug to answer next.
In the interest of becoming more reader-friendly, I refer the question to you folks. What topics would like you like to read about more? Which ones make you zone out? I'm tagging Shanna at Write from the Beginning and Bug at Writer Bug to answer next.
Friday, March 16, 2007
Snow Day vs. Snowed In
Thanks to the weather, I had to cancel happy hour with the girls, which makes me very UN-happy. Most of the schools in the area were closed today, but my office, of course, was not. My boss left after lunch, instructing me to "hold down the fort" in her absence. Alas, I was too antsy about missing girl's night to get anything done.
Why is it that when you're a kid you pray for a snow day, and when you're a grown-up those pretty white flakes simply translate into traffic delays and frozen pipes and only the fun things get canceled? Now that I'm home, I plan to spend the evening blogging and reading the latest issue of Cosmo, which fortuitously arrived today. And if I'm good, maybe they'll be a grown-up hot chocolate in my future...
Why is it that when you're a kid you pray for a snow day, and when you're a grown-up those pretty white flakes simply translate into traffic delays and frozen pipes and only the fun things get canceled? Now that I'm home, I plan to spend the evening blogging and reading the latest issue of Cosmo, which fortuitously arrived today. And if I'm good, maybe they'll be a grown-up hot chocolate in my future...
Thursday, March 15, 2007
I'm a Guest Blogger!
Check out my post about bargain shopping at Filene's Basement as part of the Budget Fashionista's Reader Appreciation Week.
Wednesday, March 14, 2007
5 Q's with Deborah Ng
Thanks to the huge success of 5 Q's, I've decided to do it more often. Now, instead of twice a month, I'm interviewing one fabulous author per week! And, while I'm upping the frequency, I thought I would change things up a bit. Based on my highly scientific analysis of StatCounter (which I check obsessively), Wednesday is consistently my highest traffic day of the week. So, I figured, why not move it to Wednesday and give all you fabulous readers more insights into publishing? Feel free to post in the comments or email me if you'd like to be considered!
And without further ado, this week's 5 Q's subject is none other than Deborah Ng, freelance writer and creator of the highly popular blog Freelance Writing Jobs (FWJ). I think we all owe Deborah a huge thank you for doing the dirty work and finding tons of great gigs (I know I've scored several jobs from her posts). Here's what she had to say about writing...
Urban Muse: What motivated you to start FWJ?
Deborah: A couple of years ago I was a member of a content writers Yahoo group. Every day when I looked for work, I'd come across something that was perfect for others in the group, so I'd post them. About the same time we started that group some of us started Writer's Row. It was suggested that I post a few leads every day at Writers Row. After a few weeks I turned it into a blog because a blog is easier to maintain. Also around the same time, I kept running into fellow work at home Moms who (I felt) were being taken advantage of. So I made the decision not to post any job paying under $10. I wanted to show them they didn't have to accept $2 or non-paying jobs to pay their dues. Honestly, I never expected it to take off like it did.
UM: It seems like FWJ would be a big time-consuming endeavor. Any time-saving tips?
D: It takes about two hours each day to go through all of my resources. Subscribing to job board feeds saved me a bit of time as did using the blog editor Qumana. I don't know what else I can do to expedite the process.
UM: There's a fine line between being assertive and annoying, especially when emailing an editor. Any tips on staying on editors' radar in between assignments? Or when you're too busy to write for them but want to maintain the relationship for the future?
D: I agree, you don't want to bug anyone. Many times if an editor doesn't have an assignment for me, I'll propose an article. Also, if I see a news item or blog post having to do with the editor's magazine or website I might send it along with a note saying "I thought this would interest you." No response is necessary, but it keeps my name in mind. If I don't hear from the editor in a while, I might send a note letting her know I'm available for assignments.
UM: How do you balance the demands of work and family?
D: First and foremost, I'm a stay at home Mom. I didn't leave my office job to write, I left to stay home with my son, so he comes first. Until he's in school full time I find blocks of time to work when my son is sleeping or in school. Usually that means waking up very early or working at night.
UM: What do you read for fun?
D: I'm a closet Chick-Lit fan. I just finished the "Shopaholic" series and loved it! The first couple of books especially and I found Something Borrowed and Something Blue to be great reads.
Thanks, Deborah! Check out the 5 Q's archive here.
And without further ado, this week's 5 Q's subject is none other than Deborah Ng, freelance writer and creator of the highly popular blog Freelance Writing Jobs (FWJ). I think we all owe Deborah a huge thank you for doing the dirty work and finding tons of great gigs (I know I've scored several jobs from her posts). Here's what she had to say about writing...
Urban Muse: What motivated you to start FWJ?
Deborah: A couple of years ago I was a member of a content writers Yahoo group. Every day when I looked for work, I'd come across something that was perfect for others in the group, so I'd post them. About the same time we started that group some of us started Writer's Row. It was suggested that I post a few leads every day at Writers Row. After a few weeks I turned it into a blog because a blog is easier to maintain. Also around the same time, I kept running into fellow work at home Moms who (I felt) were being taken advantage of. So I made the decision not to post any job paying under $10. I wanted to show them they didn't have to accept $2 or non-paying jobs to pay their dues. Honestly, I never expected it to take off like it did.
UM: It seems like FWJ would be a big time-consuming endeavor. Any time-saving tips?
D: It takes about two hours each day to go through all of my resources. Subscribing to job board feeds saved me a bit of time as did using the blog editor Qumana. I don't know what else I can do to expedite the process.
UM: There's a fine line between being assertive and annoying, especially when emailing an editor. Any tips on staying on editors' radar in between assignments? Or when you're too busy to write for them but want to maintain the relationship for the future?
D: I agree, you don't want to bug anyone. Many times if an editor doesn't have an assignment for me, I'll propose an article. Also, if I see a news item or blog post having to do with the editor's magazine or website I might send it along with a note saying "I thought this would interest you." No response is necessary, but it keeps my name in mind. If I don't hear from the editor in a while, I might send a note letting her know I'm available for assignments.
UM: How do you balance the demands of work and family?
D: First and foremost, I'm a stay at home Mom. I didn't leave my office job to write, I left to stay home with my son, so he comes first. Until he's in school full time I find blocks of time to work when my son is sleeping or in school. Usually that means waking up very early or working at night.
UM: What do you read for fun?
D: I'm a closet Chick-Lit fan. I just finished the "Shopaholic" series and loved it! The first couple of books especially and I found Something Borrowed and Something Blue to be great reads.
Thanks, Deborah! Check out the 5 Q's archive here.
Tuesday, March 13, 2007
Pass the Thin Mints!
Newsweek's My Turn is one of my favorite personal essay columns, and this week's essay particularly caught my eye. What really works is that the author takes an almost universal experience (selling Girl Scout cookies with his daughter) and shares observations that most people probably wouldn't have on their own.
I was a Girl Scout for five years (six if you count Daisy's), so I remember cookie-selling season pretty vividly. One year I canvassed the whole town and sold over 120 boxes. I found that cookies essentially sell themselves because who can resist a cute little redhead in a brownie uniform? (Don't answer if you are currently trolling the Internet for things that you really shouldn't be...) But once I branched out into other fundraisers like selling overpriced gift wrap, I realized how hard door-to-door sales can be.
When I recently bought some shortbread cookies, I had to resist the urge to tell the poor little brownie that "when I was your age, these only cost $2" (I'm really not old enough to be making those kind of statements!). I kinda feel bad for kids doing fundraisers. Just last weekend I bought a magazine subscription from my younger brother to spare him the indignity of asking his classmates or professors to support his fraternity (and of explaining why a fraternity that charges its members hundreds of dollars to join needs to fundraise in the first place...) See how reading that column takes me back? That's what I hope to evoke in my own writing!
I was a Girl Scout for five years (six if you count Daisy's), so I remember cookie-selling season pretty vividly. One year I canvassed the whole town and sold over 120 boxes. I found that cookies essentially sell themselves because who can resist a cute little redhead in a brownie uniform? (Don't answer if you are currently trolling the Internet for things that you really shouldn't be...) But once I branched out into other fundraisers like selling overpriced gift wrap, I realized how hard door-to-door sales can be.
When I recently bought some shortbread cookies, I had to resist the urge to tell the poor little brownie that "when I was your age, these only cost $2" (I'm really not old enough to be making those kind of statements!). I kinda feel bad for kids doing fundraisers. Just last weekend I bought a magazine subscription from my younger brother to spare him the indignity of asking his classmates or professors to support his fraternity (and of explaining why a fraternity that charges its members hundreds of dollars to join needs to fundraise in the first place...) See how reading that column takes me back? That's what I hope to evoke in my own writing!
Sunday, March 11, 2007
The Joys of Writing
I love being a writer. What I can't stand is the paperwork.
~Peter De Vries
Ah, touché... I'm trying to be more organized with my invoices, submissions, etc., so I've recently set up a new filing system. I'm keeping paper and electronic copies AND entering them into an Excel spreadsheet, but maybe this is overkill. Any tips on what works for you folks?
~Peter De Vries
Ah, touché... I'm trying to be more organized with my invoices, submissions, etc., so I've recently set up a new filing system. I'm keeping paper and electronic copies AND entering them into an Excel spreadsheet, but maybe this is overkill. Any tips on what works for you folks?
Friday, March 9, 2007
Memoirs: How much info is too much?
A little over a year ago, I wrote a cute little piece I call "Confessions of a (former) online Dater. " I shopped it around to all the usual places and got jilted by Jane magazine, rejected by the NY Times' "Modern Love" column, and nothing but a cold shoulder from "Coupling" in The Boston Globe.
Finally, last week, my essay found its soul mate. Ironically, my first thought was not "sweet, another byline!" or "helloo, kitten heels!" Instead, I wondered what the men I've dated would think if they ever got their hands on that article. Would they laugh? Or sue for libel? I've since reassured myself that there's enough vagueness that no one will care (not like it's as juicy as the title implies).
"Tall, athletic Ivy Leager" could be one of thousands of men, and "shy grad student" fits over half the population of MIT. Plus, it's been several years since I've even seen most of these men, so hopefully they've moved on (even though on some level I clearly have not, since I'm still writing about them!). If this is an issue that's been on your mind, then check out How to Write About Family and Friends So They'll Still Speak to You.
Finally, last week, my essay found its soul mate. Ironically, my first thought was not "sweet, another byline!" or "helloo, kitten heels!" Instead, I wondered what the men I've dated would think if they ever got their hands on that article. Would they laugh? Or sue for libel? I've since reassured myself that there's enough vagueness that no one will care (not like it's as juicy as the title implies).
"Tall, athletic Ivy Leager" could be one of thousands of men, and "shy grad student" fits over half the population of MIT. Plus, it's been several years since I've even seen most of these men, so hopefully they've moved on (even though on some level I clearly have not, since I'm still writing about them!). If this is an issue that's been on your mind, then check out How to Write About Family and Friends So They'll Still Speak to You.
Wednesday, March 7, 2007
A Whole Yelp World
Before I had blogger, I had yelp, and life was pretty good. I love yelp's MySpace-meets-Citysearch concept and I've been dying to write a FOB (front-of-book piece for the uninitiated) about it, but so far no go, so I thought I'd post my random "yelp"-ings here (perhaps it will balance out the negative karma of my last blog post).
I love that Yelp gives reviewers a face so you know if that "bad bar" review is coming from a 20-something hipster or an older suburbanite. With Zagat or CitySearch, you just never know...
I love that Yelp gave me a place to organize all my favorite restaurants, bars, theatres, and more. View them here.
I love that Yelp cracks down on "spelpers" - those who post fake reviews of their own restaurants, bars, etc.
I love that YelpTalk has created a sense of community where people feel equally comfortable asking for recommendations on bikini waxes (!) or biking excursions. Gotta love the randomness of questions about the subway system and local politics.
I love that Yelp hosts free happy hours. Yes, I realize that's it's a strategic marketing ploy to promote up-and-coming bars and other services, but free drinks are free drinks. Yelp on!
I love that Yelp gives reviewers a face so you know if that "bad bar" review is coming from a 20-something hipster or an older suburbanite. With Zagat or CitySearch, you just never know...
I love that Yelp gave me a place to organize all my favorite restaurants, bars, theatres, and more. View them here.
I love that Yelp cracks down on "spelpers" - those who post fake reviews of their own restaurants, bars, etc.
I love that YelpTalk has created a sense of community where people feel equally comfortable asking for recommendations on bikini waxes (!) or biking excursions. Gotta love the randomness of questions about the subway system and local politics.
I love that Yelp hosts free happy hours. Yes, I realize that's it's a strategic marketing ploy to promote up-and-coming bars and other services, but free drinks are free drinks. Yelp on!
Monday, March 5, 2007
Writer's Rant
I hate it when people string me along ("I'm sure you'll get your check very soon"or "we'll have to see if there's space in the next issue" when it's an online publication so space is not an issue).
I hate it when they expect perfection but don't even bother to spell check their emails.
I hate it when they create a false sense of urgency. I scramble to finish an article in under two weeks, then the editor sits on it for like a month before requesting multiple rewrites.
Actually, why am I ranting? Today was a good day. I sold Personal Essay #2 and a good friend from college is in town, so make that a very good day. Cheers!
I hate it when they expect perfection but don't even bother to spell check their emails.
I hate it when they create a false sense of urgency. I scramble to finish an article in under two weeks, then the editor sits on it for like a month before requesting multiple rewrites.
Actually, why am I ranting? Today was a good day. I sold Personal Essay #2 and a good friend from college is in town, so make that a very good day. Cheers!
Sunday, March 4, 2007
The Fabulousness of My Fellow Writers
Today I caught up with two other writers, and it reminded me how important it is not follow into the trap of isolation. Sure, I can connect with other writers online and I do pretty well writing on my own, but the synergy of actually sitting down with a real person and bouncing off story ideas is just not the same as sending email queries from my apartment. The first girl I met for coffee writes a dating column, and our conversation gave me a great idea for an article I plan to write (one that I haven't read before, which is huge). Rachel, the second one, is a more seasoned writer I meet on a semi-regular basis to talk shop and have dinner. Her experience and my enthusiasm are a great combo, and I came away with a ton of tips and new ideas.
Since it's often helpful to write down your goals and stay accountable, here are some of my dream target publications (ambitious, yes, but not impossible):
Since it's often helpful to write down your goals and stay accountable, here are some of my dream target publications (ambitious, yes, but not impossible):
- Self Magazine - I have a few ideas for 15 Minutes to your Best Self, one of their FOB sections
- Girl's Life - so I can share my cool-older-sisterly advice with the younger sisters I always wanted, and I admit part of me still likes to watch The OC and pretend I'm 15 again
- Tango Magazine - who wouldn't love a whole magazine devoted to relationships?
- Cooking Light - love, love, love the big, juicy photos and practical advice on cooking, travel and fitness
- Chicken Soup for the Soul - the ultimate for personal essay writers
What are your dream writing gigs?
Saturday, March 3, 2007
Word of the Day: Blogbrain
You’ve heard of blogfat; well, I’d like to point out another phenomenon called blogbrain. This affliction is characterized by an inability to focus on other tasks. The blogger may begin to think about life in terms of blog posts ("gee, I should blog about this" or "where's my BlackBerry? Must write this down!") and obsessively check other blogs. When I first started this blog it was sometimes a chore to come up with new topics every few days. Now I have to restrain myself from constant updates. Yup, definitely got blog on the brain. See also blegging, blog hop, and bloggable.
Are you a sufferer?
Are you a sufferer?
Thursday, March 1, 2007
5 Q's with Leanne Shear and Tracey Toomey
This 5 Q's features not one but two fabulous young writers. Leanne Shear and Tracey Toomey are the co-authors of The Perfect Manhattan and contributors to the 2007 anthology It's a Wonderful Lie. Leanne and Tracy's experiences bartending at hot spots in Manhattan and the Hamptons served as the inspiration for a novel about a recent Columbia grad who observes New York nightlife from behind the bar. Here's how the pair juggled bartending and writing a book.
Urban Muse: The Perfect Manhattan is a fun read, and it isn't readily apparent that it's written by two people. How did you make the writing so seamless with both of you contributing?
Leanne and Tracey: We have very similar backgrounds and families, and generally speaking, our outlooks and approaches to life are very complimentary, so that makes writing together easier in terms of ideas and style. Our writing process itself is seamless and extremely collaborative as well: basically, we outline a chapter in great detail, bullet point by bullet point, so we have a fairly concrete blow-by-blow of the major events of the chapter. Then we each go off and over the course of the next week or so, write our versions of the same chapter. Finally, we come together for some marathon sessions at Starbucks to pick and choose the best of what we've both written, edit, and rework/rewrite that chapter together. It's a taxing process but we both feel we contribute equally to the voice of our characters.
UM: Do you think people you've written about recognize themselves in your writing or have you added fictional elements to obscure the identities of your characters? Where's the line between fact and fiction?
L & T: This is a very good question, especially for us (and many other first time authors, whose novels in a lot of cases have at least some elements of autobiography)—and the answer is, people do recognize themselves in our writing (for better or worse), because as writers, even within the fiction genre, definitely draw from the world around us. That is one major lesson we learned for future novels: if we use inspiration from our real lives, for example, for Character X, we have to bear in mind that even if Character X is 90% made up, the person who inspired that character will inevitably see much more than 10% of herself and get offended by her portrayal.
The line between fact and fiction is tenuous. As we've mentioned, writers tend to draw from their surroundings, even if they fictionalize them, but the important thing is those books are classified as fiction (so anything's fair game). Where the line gets much blurrier is when an author classifies his or her book as a memoir (think A Million Little Pieces): memory is fickle and when an author takes huge liberties with something deemed non-fiction, it is a real slight to his readers.
UM: How did you get involved with It's A Wonderful Lie?
L & T: Our agent, Elisabeth Weed, contacted us and asked if we would be interested in contributing an essay to It's a Wonderful Lie. We loved the idea of a group of women writers getting together to rehash the turbulence of their twenties. When we first heard about the project, we were in our mid-twenties, our first book had just come out, and we were still bartending and living in a rowdy share-house in the Hamptons, so we certainly had a lot of material to draw from.
UM: Any advice for other aspiring writers trying to juggle their writing with a day job? I'm all ears...
L & T: It's definitely tough. When we were writing our first book, we were bartending full-time. We would literally get off from a hard, long shift at four in the morning, go home and sleep for a few hours, and then meet up at Starbucks or another little café, work on the book for eight hours straight, and then go right back to work behind the bar. We both agree that writing requires a lot of discipline. One thing a budding writer can do is use down time at their day job to work on their writing. But the best advice we can give is to just sit down and do it. If you're serious about it, you have to make time for it.
UM: Since each chapter of your novel is named for a drink, could you share your favorite cocktails to make and to drink?
L & T: Both of us enjoy red wine – namely Pinot Noir – above all else. But as far as cocktails are concerned, we both love mojitos and enjoy them in two ways. The first recipe is one we picked up in South Beach at the Shore Club, and the second is a variation on a mojito offered at one of our favorite haunts in Manhattan.
Sugar Free Mojito
1 ½ oz. of rum
Juice of two limes (make sure to use fresh lime juice not bottled!)
One packet of Splenda
A handful of torn mint leaves
Spash of club soda
Several Ice Cubes
Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Garnish with a sprig of mint.
Italian Mojito
A handful of torn mint leaves
1 ½ oz. of rum
Juice of two limes (make sure to use fresh lime juice not bottled!)
Splash of simple syrup
Splash of Proseco or other sparkling wine
Muddle mint in the bottom of a shaker. Add ice, rum, lime juice, and simple syrup. Shake like crazy. Pour into a wine glass and top with Proseco. Garnish with a sprig of mint.
UM: I'm sure you both make a mean mojito! Thanks, ladies. Check out the 5 Q's archives here.
Urban Muse: The Perfect Manhattan is a fun read, and it isn't readily apparent that it's written by two people. How did you make the writing so seamless with both of you contributing?
Leanne and Tracey: We have very similar backgrounds and families, and generally speaking, our outlooks and approaches to life are very complimentary, so that makes writing together easier in terms of ideas and style. Our writing process itself is seamless and extremely collaborative as well: basically, we outline a chapter in great detail, bullet point by bullet point, so we have a fairly concrete blow-by-blow of the major events of the chapter. Then we each go off and over the course of the next week or so, write our versions of the same chapter. Finally, we come together for some marathon sessions at Starbucks to pick and choose the best of what we've both written, edit, and rework/rewrite that chapter together. It's a taxing process but we both feel we contribute equally to the voice of our characters.
UM: Do you think people you've written about recognize themselves in your writing or have you added fictional elements to obscure the identities of your characters? Where's the line between fact and fiction?
L & T: This is a very good question, especially for us (and many other first time authors, whose novels in a lot of cases have at least some elements of autobiography)—and the answer is, people do recognize themselves in our writing (for better or worse), because as writers, even within the fiction genre, definitely draw from the world around us. That is one major lesson we learned for future novels: if we use inspiration from our real lives, for example, for Character X, we have to bear in mind that even if Character X is 90% made up, the person who inspired that character will inevitably see much more than 10% of herself and get offended by her portrayal.
The line between fact and fiction is tenuous. As we've mentioned, writers tend to draw from their surroundings, even if they fictionalize them, but the important thing is those books are classified as fiction (so anything's fair game). Where the line gets much blurrier is when an author classifies his or her book as a memoir (think A Million Little Pieces): memory is fickle and when an author takes huge liberties with something deemed non-fiction, it is a real slight to his readers.
UM: How did you get involved with It's A Wonderful Lie?
L & T: Our agent, Elisabeth Weed, contacted us and asked if we would be interested in contributing an essay to It's a Wonderful Lie. We loved the idea of a group of women writers getting together to rehash the turbulence of their twenties. When we first heard about the project, we were in our mid-twenties, our first book had just come out, and we were still bartending and living in a rowdy share-house in the Hamptons, so we certainly had a lot of material to draw from.
UM: Any advice for other aspiring writers trying to juggle their writing with a day job? I'm all ears...
L & T: It's definitely tough. When we were writing our first book, we were bartending full-time. We would literally get off from a hard, long shift at four in the morning, go home and sleep for a few hours, and then meet up at Starbucks or another little café, work on the book for eight hours straight, and then go right back to work behind the bar. We both agree that writing requires a lot of discipline. One thing a budding writer can do is use down time at their day job to work on their writing. But the best advice we can give is to just sit down and do it. If you're serious about it, you have to make time for it.
UM: Since each chapter of your novel is named for a drink, could you share your favorite cocktails to make and to drink?
L & T: Both of us enjoy red wine – namely Pinot Noir – above all else. But as far as cocktails are concerned, we both love mojitos and enjoy them in two ways. The first recipe is one we picked up in South Beach at the Shore Club, and the second is a variation on a mojito offered at one of our favorite haunts in Manhattan.
Sugar Free Mojito
1 ½ oz. of rum
Juice of two limes (make sure to use fresh lime juice not bottled!)
One packet of Splenda
A handful of torn mint leaves
Spash of club soda
Several Ice Cubes
Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Garnish with a sprig of mint.
Italian Mojito
A handful of torn mint leaves
1 ½ oz. of rum
Juice of two limes (make sure to use fresh lime juice not bottled!)
Splash of simple syrup
Splash of Proseco or other sparkling wine
Muddle mint in the bottom of a shaker. Add ice, rum, lime juice, and simple syrup. Shake like crazy. Pour into a wine glass and top with Proseco. Garnish with a sprig of mint.
UM: I'm sure you both make a mean mojito! Thanks, ladies. Check out the 5 Q's archives here.
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