5 Q's with Trish Ryan

Trish Ryan is a longtime Urban Muse reader and a fellow Cantabridgian. Her first book, He Loves Me, He Loves Me Not, comes out this week, and I couldn’t be more thrilled for her. Trish and I talked about finding a publisher, favorite authors, and more.

Urban Muse: How did you stay motivated when you were writing your book?
Trish: One of my favorite things about being a writer is that you can edit. So motivation wasn’t too much of a problem, because every sentence I wrote carried (in my mind, at least) the caveat that it wasn’t necessarily going in the book. These were all just ideas I was capturing; I tried not to get attached. This is, I suspect, what it must be like shop with an unlimited budget: you have the freedom to try all sorts of crazy things, then decide later what you’ll actually wear.

UM: Could you tell us about the process of finding a publisher?
T: When I queried my wonderful agent, Elisabeth Weed, she’d just had lunch with Chris Park, an editor at Hachette who’d said something to the effect of, “I’m looking for an edgy book about faith.” So Chris was on Elisabeth’s list when we sent out the proposal. It was pretty much a perfect fit from the start…not at all something I could have orchestrated! But I’m super grateful, as Chris and her team really understood my vision and the story I wanted to tell.

UM: Any tips for first time authors?
T: I’m fairly certain I don’t have anything to offer new authors that hasn’t been said before, but here are my “big three”: Be teachable, Connect with other authors, and Read everything you can get your hands on.

UM: Who are some of your favorite authors?
T: It’s a long list! I have been a voracious reader since I was a little girl (my favorite day of school was when they handed out the deliveries from the Scholastic Book Club) and that continues to this day. I just finished two memoirs that were spectacular: THE MIDDLE PLACE by Kelly Corrigan, and REDEEMED by Heather King. Fiction-wise, I’m anxiously awaiting Allison Winn Scotch’s next novel, and Lisa Tucker’s latest, THE CURE FOR THE MODERN LIFE is one of the best stories I’ve ever read. Her creativity amazes me. And Anna Quindlen is a huge inspiration—she does it all.

UM: What are you working on next?
T: My next book will pick up where HE LOVES ME, HE LOVES ME NOT left off, with stories of figuring out this new stage in my life. It’s been an entertaining few years, and I’ve fallen in a pothole or two along the way (as readers of my blog can attest) so the book should be plenty fun to write!

Thanks, Trish! Can’t wait for the launch party.

Temp Agencies for Writers

Now that I've cleaned up from yesterday, I thought I'd share Lori Widmer's Temp Agency Primer. I have been marketing like mad these last few weeks and I've gotten emails from two different creative staffing firms wanting to discuss writing projects. But not having any experience with this type of work and fearing it could turn into a bad remake of Office Space (it was bad enough the first time), I asked Lori's advice. She kindly obliged.

Manic Monday

Editor A needs photos. Editor B wants to see a revised query. Editor C hasn't sent me a contract yet, so I have to follow-up with her. One of my copywriting clients asked for massive rewrites in the next 48 hours. And my boss needs copy for a new product by Friday, but he's not entirely sure how the product works.

All of this begs the question of why I'm blogging instead of working. Hmm... excellent question!

UPDATE: an editor (not saying which one) just asked me for rewrites to an article I didn't write. This is not my day!

May 1 is RSS Awareness Day

Daily Blogging Tips has proclaimed May 1 RSS Awareness Day. Their goal is to get as bloggers as possible talking up the benefits of RSS so that more readers will use it. I thought I was a late adopter of RSS, but it turns out that the vast majority of internet users still have not caught on to how easy it is.

I signed up for Google Reader back in December, so here are my five reasons why you should use it, too:

1. See all of your blog reading aggregated in one place. This saves me a TON of time, because I just scroll through all the new posts and decide what's worth reading.
2. Don't waste time visiting blogs that haven't been updated. Before I signed up for RSS, I spent quite a bit of time each morning checking blogs that didn't have any new content, hoping maybe this would be the day for a new post.
3. Get recommendations on related blogs. When you sign into Google Reader, it suggests other blogs that you might like based on the content that is currently in your feeds (similar to Amazon.com recommendations). This is a good way to discover new blogs.
4. Find out what your contacts are reading. If your Gmail contacts choose to share their feeds, then you can see what they're reading and discover new blogs that way, too.
5. Show your favorite bloggers some love by subscribing to their feeds. Yes, you should still comment regularly, but subscribing to their feed is another way to voice your support. Bloggers love big numbers (at least this blogger does, so sign up for my RSS feed here).

This post from the archives has more tips on organizing information online.

When You Need an Elevator Pitch

Today I was chatting with one of our interns and said to him "so, you know I won't be in the office after next week, right?" He's not my intern, so I can understand why he hadn't heard yet (but that is another story).

"No, what are you doing after next week?"

I'd tried to keep the freelance thing on the DL prior to my big announcement, but now I figured I could let him in on my double life. "I'm going to focus on my freelance writing."

Some college students have no idea that staying home to write about cocktails or luxury hotels is even an option. But this guy is a film student, so he knows about nontraditional careers.

"Wow, that's so cool! How'd you get into that? What do you write about? Do you mind my asking?"

Now, if you're going to do something cool, then you should be willing to talk about it. Even if you hate bragging or you feel self-conscious talking about yourself, when someone gives you an opening like that, you need to say something. It totally made my day.

5 Q's Update

I've been posting interviews with other writers on and off for the past year. I think we've all gleaned some insights from their wisdom (at least I know I have), but the results of my informal poll show that's not the content you're most interested in. And honestly, I'm happy to drop that from my to do list. I will still interview writers when the mood strikes, but not on a weekly basis and not necessarily on Wednesdays (I might shake things up and post on a Monday - who knows?).

But... There are two 5 Q's alums who have exciting new projects going on, so I thought I'd highlight them this week.

First, Jen A. Miller's guide to The Jersey Shore just came out. Jen is a busy writer who has contributed to The New York Times, Woman's Day, and Psychology Today, among other places. She's also an avid book reviewer. In case you missed our interview back in December, you can read it here.

Second, the paperback edition of Allison Winn Scotch's The Department of Lost & Found is available this week. Allison has contributed to many of the glossies, and she generously shares advice with other aspiring writers at Ask Allison. I read the hardcover edition of her novel and thoroughly enjoyed it. Allison participated in 5 Q's last May.

Happy reading!

Big News (not involving a ring)

On Friday I told my boss that I'm making the jump to writing full time. I couldn't blog about it until I told my coworkers and created a plan for the transition, but now I can finally share this exciting bit of news with all of you!

It's funny because earlier in the week, someone blogged about how two weeks is too much notice. I respectfully disagree, because I'll be consulting part time for my company for at least another month after I step down from my position. It's the perfect set-up for me and my coworkers, because they won't need to panic if they have questions and I won't have to worry about bringing in enough money during my first month or so on my own.

But even funnier are the reactions I've gotten. A few weeks ago when I emailed friends to say "we need to meet for drinks, I have big news on the horizon," not one but TWO of them replied with "You're engaged aren't you?"

And tonight, when I met Penelope Trunk for dinner, one of the first things she said was, "did you get engaged?" Must be the glow of someone who knows her days of riding the subway during rush hour and working out of a cube are almost over.

A few people were concerned for my well being ("what happens if you get sick?" "won't you be lonely at home all day?"), but most of my coworkers have been remarkably supportive. I was worried that some of them wouldn't see freelance writing as a legitimate career path, but after reading No More Mondays, I decided it didn't matter. This was something I needed to do, and I was going to do it.

I'll admit I've had a few moments in the last few days where I've been tempted to log onto Monster and search for a new job (which is silly because I could certainly resume my old post), but mostly I feel an incredible sense of liberation and relief.

Same Blog, New Domain

The old blogspot URL will still work, but you might want to update your bookmarks just in case. My new domain is www.UrbanMuseWriter.com (Google assures me that this link will work for everyone over the next few days). Happy reading!

In case you're wondering what I've been writing...

Sharp-Dressed Girl
Quiz: Are You a Risk Taker?
Long-Distance Love
The Exit Interview
Dynamic Duet (this is the article I freaked out about last fall - I think it turned out rather well)

Hope everyone is having a good weekend!

Random Thoughts on CVS

Forty-eight percent of you said the content you enjoy reading most on this blog is my random musings. The rest of you can skip this post.

• I love CVS coupons. When I get one of those coupons for $4 off a $20 purchase, I will literally scour the aisles and fill up with my basket with $20.01 worth of drug store lipstick and Post-It Notes. Or if it’s $2 off of toilet paper or vitamins, I’ll stock up on those. But it’s OK, because someday I will get another $4 in Extra Bucks.
• Sometimes, though, I get coupons for diapers or baby wipes. And supposedly, this is because someone in marketing has been analyzing my purchases and strategizing to get me to buy more. What about a person who buys lipstick and toilet paper says “I have a child”? Maybe they should give me a coupon for $1 off e.p.t... Because I’m starting to wonder.
• Yesterday I went into CVS to get Dr. Scholl’s gel inserts to go inside a pair of new shoes (I’d bought them cheaply because they were cute and now I had to pay another $12 to make them wearable). Whose idea was it to put shoe supplies and foot care products on opposite ends of the store? They must get a sick thrill from watching me hobble around in confusion. In case you ever need to know, Dr. Scholl’s is a foot care product, not a shoe supply.

5 Q's with Alexandra Levit

A friend of mine recommended Alexandra Levit's book They Don't Teach Corporate in College. I enjoyed it so much that I interviewed Alexandra for an article on myths about the working world (more on that later). Once I heard about all of her new writing projects (including How'd You Score That Gig? which comes out this week), I also asked Alexandra to do an interview on the blog. She graciously accepted...

Urban Muse: How have you managed to juggle working full time with your writing and home life?
Alexandra: When I was writing my first book, They Don't Teach Corporate in College, I had no choice but to work full time and write on the weekends, as I had to make a living! I was fortunate, though, in that the book did well, and I was able to parlay it into a new career as an author and public speaker. By the time I was working on my new book about dream careers, How'd You Score That Gig?, I had the freedom to do my marketing communications consulting three days a week, and spend the rest of the work week interviewing and writing. I tried not to work on weekends this time around, so that I felt I had enough time to spend with my friends and family.

UM: Did you go through an agent or directly to publishers for your first book? What was that process like?
A: I sold a nonfiction book proposal about surviving the corporate world as a new college grad directly to a small publisher, and was then paid a small advance to write the book. Selling it actually wasn't that difficult and didn't take that long, but one of the worst days of my life was when that first publisher went out of business, and the book, already written, was without a home. Luckily, with the help of an agent this time, I re-sold the book eventually and it was published as They Don't Teach Corporate in College in late 2004.

UM: Any tips you'd like to share with first-time book authors?
A: First, find a niche, or a topic you think is interesting that you can offer a unique perspective on and that hasn't been done to death already. Then, start and market a blog on this topic before attempting to sell a book proposal. Having a successful blog makes one very attractive to editors who are looking for writers with an already-established audience.

UM: You've successfully positioned yourself as an expert on young people in the workforce. How does one create a niche for oneself?
A: In order to sell anything, a book included, you must be able to differentiate it from the competition. We've mentioned niches. To find one, look to your own experiences for something that's personally meaningful to you, that you feel passionate about. Then do some research to determine what has been written on that subject, and by whom. Your goal is to create a spin on the topic that hasn't been addressed before, in which you can offer certain knowledge or expertise. The spin doesn't have to be completely different from what's out there, just a littledifferent. Even though I've published a few books already, I still have to differentiate each new idea I come up with. For instance, How'd You Score That Gig? is different from other books about dream careers in that it organizes the jobs by personality profile and is written in an engaging narrative style rather than a thumb-through, reference style.

UM: What's next for you?
A: I'm in the process of promoting How'd You Score That Gig? and my third book, Success for Hire, now. This summer, I will begin work on Change Your Job, Change Your Life (Random House/Ballantine, 2009), which will profile people who have made drastic but successful career changes. If any of your readers have done this, I would love to hear from them!

UM: Alexandra, congrats on your new book, and thanks for sharing your insights with Urban Muse readers!

Newsflash: Blogger Adds Scheduled Posts!

Until recently, the one thing that I felt was missing from Blogger was the ability to schedule posts. Well, now you can using Blogger in Draft. Thanks to Erik Sherman's WriterBiz blog for the tip-off, because I'm sure this feature will be a huge help to Blogger users. In fact, I'm writing this on Sunday afternoon and if all goes according to plan, you'll be reading this later in the week when the post goes live. As far as I'm concerned, Blogger is now practically par with WordPress. Any thoughts?

5 Q's with Leslie Pepper

This week's 5 Q's subject is Leslie Pepper, an editor-turned-freelance writer who has contributed to magazines including Women's Health, Parade, Good Housekeeping, and Parenting. Here are Leslie's insights into winning over your editor, finding a niche, and other tricks of the writing trade...

Urban Muse: Since you've worked as an editor, is there anything that a freelancer should or should not do in their query and initial communication with an editor?
Leslie: Um, can we start with spell my name right? It’s infuriating that when my name is printed on a masthead, some bumbleheads can’t copy it down correctly. If you can’t get that straight, you’re going to have a very difficult time getting your facts straight on a story. I won’t read anything further. And read back issues of the magazine – if we’ve covered your idea in last month’s issue, I’m going to have a tough time believing that you have actually even read a copy of the magazine ever.

UM: How do you stay focused when you're working on a project?
L: Focused? Me? Ha! I’m usually working on four to five different stories at a time, and I have three children, so I don’t think you can say the words Leslie and focus in the same sentence. I sometimes work in 10-minute time chunks – email someone here, interview someone there, then write up a few lines later. It’s actually a miracle I get anything done. I don’t think that’s helping your readers much, is it?

UM: Well, I don't have kids, but I'm glad to hear I'm not the only writer who struggles with that! What writing clip are you most proud of? Why?
L: That’s tough because there are a few I’m proud of, but I’m probably most proud of a piece I wrote for Child, about how kids are no longer allowed to fail. We, as parents, think our kids must be happy happy happy all the time, and we’re constantly trying to bolster their egos by telling them how wonderful they are. And with that, we never allow them to fail – we give every kid a trophy on the soccer field, we don’t let kids play musical chairs at birthday parties anymore, for fear that the kids that get out will be upset – so we’re raising a nation of children who are ill-equipped to handle the real world. The piece was originally my idea, and it was a great collaboration with my editors. Child was a great magazine. I’m crushed that it folded.

UM: How important is finding a niche?
L: I fell into my niche – health, because the health and fitness editor was leaving New Woman (the magazine I worked for) and they offered me that spot. I lucked out because I just loved it. After I went freelance I got even luckier – I hit it off with the then-executive editor of Marie Claire, and she offered me a monthly health column. So health (and by extension diet and nutrition) just became my beat. That’s not answering your question, is it? My friend Kelly James-Enger is big into this – finding your niche. I do think it’s important to have a specialty for a few reasons. First, it can make you an editor’s go-to gal – when an editor has a health story to assign, I hope I’d be at the top of her list. Second, it makes your job easier. I have a Rolodex full of health experts that I can call on when I need interviews. I know what websites to go to when I’m researching a health story. So I’m essentially starting with a base of knowledge already, which makes my job easier. That’s not to say that I don’t do stories outside my niche. I also do parenting articles - I recently wrote a piece on dealing with kids who are different than you for Family Circle. And I do articles that are completely out of my realm - I had piece last month in Parade about extended warranties. Those pieces do take longer, because I’m starting from scratch with each one. But it’s fun to stretch my brain a bit.

UM: What are your interests outside of writing?
L: Is it cliché to say my kids? Free time is pretty much non-existent in my world! These days I’m addicted to Scrabulous, but that’s about all the time outside of writing and my kids that I have!

UM: I'm not going near Scrabulous, because it sounds highly addictive. Thanks for sharing your insights on writing, Leslie!

In Defense of the Charticle

Today several writers on an email list I frequent were buzzing about the charticle, which is basically a hybrid of an article and an illustration. They said it wasn't real writing and that it's bad for writers, because it means fewer words (and hence a lower pay scale).

Au contraire, my freelance friends.

I had happen to enjoy a good charticle, because they are faster and easier to write than normal articles (which means that yes, you're making less money but you're also spending less time on the project). Granted, they're not award-winning journalism, but charticles appeal to readers who are pressed for time (aren't we all?) and need visuals to comprehend things. Supposedly our children (I mean children in general, not MY theoretical children) will grow up to be plagued by illiteracy and ADD, so I'm sure we'll be seeing more charticles in the future.

As New York magazine's weekly Approval Matrix proves, even short pieces like charticles have room for a cleverly crafted bit of irony or humor. Granted, you have to be pretty sharp to be witty in under 200 words. I just did it in 190.

6 Things to Do Before You Send Your Query

We've all been: precisely 2.5 seconds after you click "send" on your query email you wish you could take it all back and start over. Unfortunately, most email programs don't have this feature, so you'll have to get it right the first time. Here's a little check list to help.

1. Find out if your idea has been done. Before you start searching for stats or crafting your query, check if the publication has covered the topic in the past year. Unless you have a really creative angle, I wouldn't bother pitching something that's been covered recently. Instead, focus on finding other ideas or creating new twists on those evergreen ideas.
2. Write a strong subject line and opening paragraph. I generally use the formula "Query: Name of Proposed Article" as my subject. "Query Letter" or "Story Idea for X Magazine" is boring and tells the editor very little about your idea. Write a compelling subject line and an attention-catching opener so they'll want to read more.
3. Check your spelling, but don't rely on spell check. Last Friday, Penelope Trunk blogged about why writing without typos is totally outdated. I agree with her point that good content is more important than good spelling, but that doesn't excuse laziness (especially if you're querying a major print pub that doesn't churn things out at the same pace as an online news source). If nothing else, be sure that you spell the editor's name and the name of the publication correctly!
4. Remember to include writing samples. You'll look pretty silly if your query says "I've attached a few writing samples for your perusal" and you forget to upload the attachments. In fact, a lot of writing experts recommend that you use links to articles instead of attachments so you don't get caught in an editor's spam filter. Best to double-check the links first, though. If you don't have writing samples, then don't say "I don't have any samples." Just gloss over it and focus on why you can write this piece.
5. Add the editor's email last. This tip is actually a cover letter tip from career expert Lindsey Pollak, but it holds true for query letters, too. Avoid embarrassment by composing your email first and reading it over before you add the email address.
6. Don't obsess. We've all made email blunders, but it's best to let them go. And since there's no guarantee of an assignment based on a query, I try not to spend more than a few hours on each one. If you waste a whole evening searching for that perfect, poetic turn of phrase or the too-good-to-be-true stat, then you're missing out on personal time or time that could be spent developing other ideas. Get your ideas on paper, let them marinate overnight, and move onto the next one.

Anything I've missed? Leave a comment and let me know!

Writer's Digest's 101 Best Websites for Writers

My June issue of Writer's Digest arrived today, and I was thrilled to discover that this blog is listed in their 101 Best Websites for Writers for 2008! The list is so new I couldn't find it online, but I'll be sure to post the link once it goes live. Thanks to those who nominated me, and welcome to Writer's Digest readers!

Here is the post mentioned in the round-up: Five Ways to Promote Your Blog
And here's the sequel: Five MORE Ways to Promote Your Blog

Vote on The Urban Muse's New Look and Feel

This is my 300th post on The Urban Muse. I'm considering making a few changes to the blog this spring/summer (including a move to my own domain!), and I'd love a little feedback from readers. Since this poll is multiple choice, feel free to leave comments with more specific suggestions.

 I've been thinking about giving The Urban Muse a new look, perhaps something that's a little less girly and more gender neutral. Thoughts?

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  Keep the same look - it's cute and distinctive.


• 
  
  Find a cartoon that's a little less cutesy and more writery.


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  Use stock photos instead. It'll look more journalistic.


• 
  
  Go for a simpler look, so I can focus on the writing.


• 
  
  Content is king. I don't care what the blog looks like.

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Free vote poll

 What type of content do you most enjoy reading on The Urban Muse?

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  Interviews with other writers


• 
  
  Posts on improving my writing/blogging


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  Guest blog posts


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  Links to other writer-related posts on the web


• 
  
  Susan's random musings on writing and life

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Free vote poll