New Look for Summer (and beyond)

As you've probably noticed already, The Urban Muse got a makeover this week. Thanks to all of my readers who have left nice comments about the new design. Those of you who are viewing this in a reader may want to come check it out.

Basically, I wanted a design that would still be friendly and fun, but also a little more professional (Amanda's comment nailed that one). I also didn't want to alienate the increasing number of male readers who've chimed in with comments. I've known for a while that the transition from my blog to my website or vice versa is a little jarring and I wanted to create a more consistent brand across platforms. Thus, it was time to retire the avatar and exchange it for something a bit more grown-up.

Huge thank you to Heather at Goofy Girl Designs for making the transition so smooth!

Are you a writer or a journalist?

A few weeks ago I got an email asking me to identify my job industry from a list. Journalist made the list, but writer did not. I hate to be stickler, but I figured that hard-core journalists would not want to be lumped with other types of writers.

Anyone who works closely with words understands that choosing the exact right word can mean the difference between mediocrity and clarity. But some outside our circle use words interchangeably. To them, the words "writer" and "journalist" are synonymous. Both use words to tell a story. Journalists often employ narrative devices and writers sometimes incorporate journalistic details into their work.

But are they the same thing?

Most writers (and journalists for that matter) would say no. Sure, some journalists write novels and some novelists pen articles (not to say that all writers are novelists), but when it comes down to it, I think they are fundamentally different approaches to writing. There is some crossover between "writing" and "journalism," of course, but they are different disciplines.

I have the utmost respect for journalists. But I don't consider myself to be one. To me, journalism conjures images of people reporting from the trenches in Iraq, shadowing a police officer for the day, or interviewing citizens outside of a town meeting. And I don't do any of those things.

Sure, some people think writers suffer for their craft by spending long, lonely days in a freezing garret penning the Great American Novel. But most of us do not. I write web copy, which means talking to a client but rarely interviewing the competitor to get a "balanced" story (though I'd probably check out their site to see how they position themselves). I write essays, which usually requires introspection rather than external sources. I write lifestyle articles, but I have no illusions that covering cocktails or career topics will earn me a Pulitzer. And I'm OK with that. I'm happy to call myself a writer.

How about you? Are you a writer, a journalist, or something else entirely?

Freelancing During a Recession

Today I'm guest blogging over at WordCount by Michelle Vranizan Rafter. The topic is Going Freelance in a Down Economy. Check it out!

Stay Tuned for a New Blog Design

When I started blogging in November of 2006, I used an avatar because I wanted to give my readers an idea of what I look like, but I wasn't totally sure I should use a photograph. Mostly because I was new to blogging and unsure of how much personal information I could safely disclose (more on that in another post).

Over time, I got comfortable with using a photo, but I still liked my cartoon alter ego. She's sophisticated and a little sassy: just the persona I wanted to cultivate at the time. As my little brother once put it, "Sue, I hate to say this, but your cartoon self is kinda hot." He immediately added a disclaimer: "Don't get the wrong idea."

But, as my readership (and my freelance writing business) has grown, I've started to think about cultivating a more professional persona. The cartoon IS kind of girly, and since many of my new readers are male, I don't want to turn any of them away. I was chatting with my designer about updating the blog when I got an email from fellow freelancer Michelle Rafter, who wanted to use this blog as an example in her blog post about avatars. I'm flattered, of course, but I do think it's time for a change. So, next week, stay tuned for a whole new look. Enjoy the long weekend!

Welcome to Writer's Digest Readers!

To those who are discovering the blog courtesy of Writer's Digest's 101 Websites for Writers, thanks for reading. As the tagline goes, The Urban Muse is all about reading, writing, and being a freelance writer/creative soul. Usually I post musings on freelance writing, but sometimes I also share observations about life in general.

Here is a selection of my favorite posts so you can get an idea of what I cover:
Five Ways to Promote Your Blog
Five MORE Ways to Promote Your Blog
Six Ways to Find Writing Markets
Six Things to Do Before You Send Your Query Letter
Six Ways to Network Between Projects

If you like what you read, then please add me to your feed so you can stay up to date on new posts.

Health Insurance for Freelance Writers

Last weekend, I registered for health insurance through the Massachusetts Health Connector (I've been using COBRA, since I worked during part of May and wasn't eligible for Health Connector coverage until June 1). Don't get me wrong: I'm grateful to live in a state that has (relatively) low cost health insurance. But they certainly don't make it easy.

First I entered my birth date and zip code. Simple enough. Then I had to find my "industry code." They have a list of professions ranging from forestry workers to textile manufacturers and professional gamblers. They even list "nonstore retailers" and "death care service providers" (whatever those mean). But there is no industry code for freelance writers, journalists, editors, or proofreaders. I kid you not - I looked through every single category and we are conspicuously missing.

Finally, I settled on "other professional, scientific and technical services." I fully expect a call from my new insurance company to verify the specific scientific or technical service I provide. That is an excellent question... Maybe I should have registered as a forestry worker?

If you're looking for actual advice on health insurance as a freelancer, then check out these posts:
Freelance Switch: Health Insurance for Freelancers
Renegade Writers: Health Insurance Options for Freelancers

Check Out the June Issue of SELF

Run, do not walk, to your nearest bookstore/library/grocery store and flip to page 29 of Self magazine. That would be yours truly writing about a new website where you can Buy Your Friend a Drink. Pretty cool, huh?

Just Say "No" to Low-Paying Projects

Lori over at Words on a Page has proclaimed today her first annual awareness day so that writers will demand what they are worth. Look, even if you think "I'm just starting out" or "I don't have the experience to demand $XX/hour," by undervaluing yourself and your talents, you are undervaluing writers everywhere. So don't do it.

Instead of wasting time on some half-baked article for $10/apiece, you could be working on a novel, writing a kick-ass query to break into a bigger publication, or spending time with your family. Isn't your time worth more than that?

6 Ways to Find Writing Markets

Now that I have more time to focus on querying, I've been actively seeking out new writing markets, which is fun (and exhausting at times). Here are some of the search strategies I've uncovered:

1. Media Directories: I've used Bacon's in the past, but I recently got a free trial for Corner Bar PR. I found the different search functions a little cumbersome, so I just went to the page with every single magazine listed and plugged in keywords like "woman" and "career." This yielded me tons of new markets to try!


2. Renegade Writers Market Wiki: This is a great example of writers helping other writers. Basically, the wiki is updated by readers sharing their insights and contacts at different publications. Be sure to add your own info to promote positive writing karma.


3. Other writer's websites: I'm always interested in seeing where other writers are contributing. Often as I'm reading through their portfolio or list of publishing credits I'll uncover a new magazine or website that I've never heard of.


4. Del.icio.us: I could spend hours trolling around this site and uncovering new markets based on what others are bookmarking. This post offers more ways to use Del.icio.us.


5. Bookstores and libraries: I'm always on the lookout for obscure magazines. Bookstores are a wonderful research tool for recent magazine issues, then I head to the library to check out the archives.


6. New magazine releases: Magazine Yellow Page's New Launch section and Mr. Magazine's blog are two great sites for staying up on new magazine releases. It's often easier to break in when a magazine is just starting out because they don't have a full stable of writers already.

A note of caution: be careful dealing with brand new publications, because of possible financing issues. If you're being paid on publication and they can't give you a date when the article will run, I'd RUN in the opposite direction!

How Working from Home Improved My Social Life

Fellow blogger Jamie Harrop recently wrote about the downsides of working from home (to be fair, he wrote about how to avoid these downside, too). When I told people I had quit my job to write full time, the #1 concern was "what'll happen to your social life? Won't you miss going to the office?"

Now, admittedly, I am barely into week 2 of working from home, but so far it has been fantastic. Here's why...

1. Since I'm focusing on writing full time, I no longer have to rush home from the office to finish a project or send out a query. I skipped a lot of happy hours and social events when I was working full time because I knew that editors wouldn't work with me again if I missed a deadline or turned in crappy copy. Sure, I'm still spending a lot of evenings at the computer; however, being more in control of my time has allowed me to put in more face time with friends instead of bosses.
2. I'm more relaxed now. My boyfriend will be the first to tell you I'm a much better dinner companion than I was before. Instead of ranting about what So-and-So said or what they did to create hours of extra work for me, I can make small talk like a normal person. Yes, now there's the concern that the websites I write for could go bust or that an editor will make a ridiculous request at 5:10 on a Friday, but at least I'm doing what I love.
3. A lot of people are concerned about my social life, so I'm making a concerted effort to get out and see people. This gives me an excuse to go grocery shopping in the middle of day or walk to the library to research a magazine I'd like to pitch. I'm even meeting my former coworkers for lunch on Thursday. I still tend to hit the gym during peak hours (hey, a girl's gotta get some work done), but it's nice to know I can go whenever the mood strikes.

What do you think? Has working from home improved your quality of life? Or do you miss interacting with coworkers?

Get People to Read Your Blog

"How to promote a blog" is one of those search phrases that consistently brings a steady stream of traffic to this blog. Seems everyone wants to boost their readership and increase their page views. I just wrote an article on this very topic: Get People to Read Your Blog. Enjoy!

What To Do With Old Business Cards

Remember how cool it was the first time you got business cards? I was so excited that I took the old cards left by my predecessor and pasted my information on top of hers.

Ah, how times change...

Since I left my job, I discovered a stash of my old business cards that are now obsolete (don't worry, I have business cards with my freelance info, too). It seems a shame to waste perfectly good paper, so I came up with a couple of alternative uses for business cards:

Bookmarks: I have quite a collection of bookmarks, but somehow I can never find them. Business cards to the rescue!

To-do lists: they are perfect, pocket-sized option for scribbling a few notes (assuming I don't loose them afterwards).

Gift tags: the right size but probably the wrong sentiment. Doesn't exactly scream "Happy Father's Day," does it?

Are there any more creative ideas I've missed?

For those who prefer to actually use their business cards, Entrepreneur.com has an article on Smart Ways to Use Your Business Card.

New Way to Research Magazines

One of my international freelance friends alerted me to a new feature on BarnesandNoble.com: digital magazine subscriptions. This is an awesome idea, because it eliminates wasted paper and space. Plus, you'll have back issues right at your fingertips for easy reference. Many magazines, including Cosmopolitan, Men's Health, PC World, and Business Week also offer single digital issues for purchase, too. For other ideas on finding magazines, check out my earlier post on Magazine Mania.

Ladies Who Launch Boston Event

Last night I attended a panel about entrepreneurship presented by the Boston chapter of Ladies Who Launch. What a great group of successful, creative women! Even though I'm not peddling a product or planning to go public with my writing business, I still found that a lot of the advice resonated with me.

Here are some of the best sound bytes I picked up (I'm paraphrasing some of these for the sake of clarity):

"Let the naysayers push you forward." Fortunately, most of the people in my life are supportive. But occasionally I run up against someone who just doesn't get why I want to write. One of the women talked about a banker who refused to give her a small business loan to open a clothing boutique, and it forced her to rethink her business model. She said that after thinking about it and refining her idea, it actually ended up better than what she'd envisioned before (now she has a mobile boutique).

"You're your company 24/7." This is soo true! Rarely do I shut off my computer at 5:01 and call it a day. Every where I go, there are opportunities to find story ideas and connect with new people. You never know who you might meet at the gym, the grocery store, or a dinner party. If I'm not on my game, then I'm missing out on personal AND professional opportunities.

"Every opportunity is not necessarily a good opportunity." Women especially have a hard time saying no. I'm one of those women. But just because someone asks me to edit their newsletter or write for their website does not mean that it fits my vision for myself or that I have to do it. I should have that mantra taped to my computer screen!

"No is just the beginning." A veteran saleswoman-turned-entrepreneur mentioned this one. She said that if someone says no, then you have to keep in touch with them and keep thinking of ways to meet their needs until eventually you find a way to work together. I tend to just walk away after rejection (unless the editor says something encouraging that makes me think they might be open to more ideas), so I'll have to try this strategy in the future.

"Entrepreneurs give people what they want before they know they want it." I love this one! Not sure how it applies to writers, but it was in response to a (very smart) question about whether you should start a business based on a need or based on your own passion. One of the panelists pointed out that if you have the need, then other people have the need, too.

Any thoughts? What mantras or sayings about business inspire you?

Boost Your Writing with Social Bookmarking

Check out my guest blog post on Freelance Writing Gigs: 5 Ways to Boost Your Writing with Social Bookmarking. Enjoy!

5 Q's with Maggie Marton

Maggie Marton just completed her MA in writing at Hopkins. Her recent recent article in BUST magazine caught my eye, but she has also written for NationalGeographic.com and NicoleWilliams.com. All this while keeping a day job, too! Gotta admire those multi-taking skills.

Urban Muse: What clip are you most proud of? Why?
Maggie: I wrote an article for BUST called “The Lazy Environmentalist.” I’m incredibly proud of this one because I loved the magazine for years, so it was an honor to write for them. Plus I was excited to have the opportunity to research and write about sustainability from the angle of small changes that anyone can take to be a little greener. It was the perfect intersection of a magazine I love and a topic I care about.

UM: Any tips on juggling freelance writing and a full time job?
M: Invest in TiVo! Or, more broadly, set clear priorities. Working eight hours a day drains a lot of my creative energy, and it’s easy to get home and sit down to watch TV. But freelance writing is what I truly love, so I make myself set aside time, and I make it official by putting it on my calendar. I had a writing teacher once say that if you have time to keep up with American Idol, then you have time to write. I try to observe that everyday by eliminating mindless distractions so that my writing becomes my number one priority. Then, on the weekend, I can reward myself for a week of hard work by catching up on my favorite shows.

UM: What do you know now that you wish you'd known when you started freelancing?
M: It’s unlike any other industry because it takes more than just time to build up a solid freelancing career. After I sold my first couple pieces I thought bigger markets would instantly open up or editors would start banging down my door. But it takes a lot of hard work to sell ideas, and it takes even more hard work and consistent service to get editors to contact you with their ideas.

UM: How do you handle rejection?
M: I was crushed when I got my first rejection, which was, of course, for the very first query I ever sent out. I obsessed over it, read and reread the “thanks, but no thanks” email, stared at my query letter, and tried to figure out where I went wrong. That’s incredibly unproductive, and I wasted a lot of time obsessing instead of searching for other places to send the idea. So now I go into each new pitch assuming it’ll take a couple tries to find the right editor. With each new idea, I make a list of five people to send it to, assuming that it’ll get rejected at least a few times. That way, when I get a rejection, I already have the next editor lined up, and acceptance is always a pleasant surprise!

UM: Who are your favorite authors?
M: I love to read and will try just about anything. I’m really lucky because I get to sample new authors as a reviewer for the blog Conversations with Famous Authors. Right now, though, I’m reading a lot of humor from authors like A.J. Jacobs and David Sedaris.

Thanks, Maggie!

Learning to Delegate

I had every intention of blogging about my first official day as a full time freelancer, but, well, I didn't have time. See, I was so determined to line up enough work for these first few weeks that now I am swimming in work. But this is a good thing, because it means I'm not twiddling my thumbs wondering what I was thinking. I'll leave you with a quick anecdote from the weekend...

Editor A from last week agreed to pay for a photographer (she would not want my photos in the magazine, trust me). I put the word out amongst my friends and coworkers that I needed a last minute photographer. They came through and I lined up a photo shoot for Saturday afternoon. We really only needed one or two shots of one particular cocktail, but of course, the cocktail has dots of herb oil floating on the top, making it almost impossible to shift the martini glass without ruining the effect.

The shoot takes two hours (and two drinks). The photographer tells me he'll burn them onto a CD, which I have to pick up the next day. It would have taken about two hours roundtrip for me, but I was willing to do it so I could get it done and move on with my life. Fortunately my boyfriend lives nearby and agrees to pick them up after his thirty-hour hospital shift (yes, I'm a lucky girl).

Sunday evening at 10pm, I go to email the photos to my editor and discover that they are too large to email (even individually). I download two different Zip programs, and it turns out that photos do not zip, because they are not vectors. Of course. I try to upload to Flickr, but again, the files are too large. I'm in the living room panicking, wondering if it's too late to find a 24-hour FedEx location so I can overnight the CD. My roommate has PhotoShop, so she reduces the file size (but not the resolution, of course) and emails the photos back to me. Crisis averted.

Last Day in the Office

I've been anticipating my last day at work for awhile, but now that it's come and gone, it's kind of surreal (but not in a bad way). Like, for instance, when I realized that I didn’t have to reset my cell phone alarm for 7:20am or turn it to vibrate on Monday morning. I’ve been getting up earlier so I can get a jump on applying for writing gigs, but it’s nice to know that I don’t have to.

Today, in fact, I got up at 6am, because I was so excited about being full time freelance. I started emailing people (who probably think I am crazy for being on Gmail at 6am on a Saturday) and knocking things off my (rather lengthy) to-do list. Then I hit the gym, wrote an article, supervised a photo shoot for one of my other articles, and shopped for office supplies at Staple’s. That way I won’t have to feel guilty when I do my laundry or take a long lunch during the workday (competition is stiff for the dryer in the adjacent building – must schedule strategically).

You’re probably wondering how my last day at the office went. I won’t bore you with the details, but everyone seemed really, genuinely supportive. It helps that I’ve agreed to take them on as a client so we can tie up a few more projects. As I walked to the bar after work for my going away party, one of my coworkers mentioned that she’d invited a friend to join us.

“I hope that’s OK.”

“Of course,” I said. “Everyone is welcome.”

Her friend arrived and asked the obligatory question about what I’m doing next. “I’m a full time freelance writer now!” I announced proudly, unsure if this would mean anything to him.

“Really?” he answered. “I work for a PR agency, and we’re always looking for freelancers.”

I told him that I have a degree in public relations and shamelessly offered him my business card, which he accepted.

Like I said before, “everyone is welcome.”