5 Places to Find Ideas for Articles

One of the challenges (and pleasures) of being a freelancer is the constant need to pitch new ideas. Here are some of the strategies I use to find ideas:

1. Networking events: I met so many interesting people at the last networking event I attended that the event paid for itself at least ten times over. Two of the women I talked to turned into ideas for profiles and listening to a panel of female entrepreneurs sparked an idea for a feature on a certain aspect of entrepreneurship. Ask questions and listen more than you talk to find interesting stories.
2. Holidays: Go beyond the obvious. Everyone does holiday gift round-ups in December, but perhaps you can explore your community's Swedish heritage for St. Lucia Day. Or find unusual ways to celebrate the Fourth of July. Just be sure to pitch your idea far enough in advance.
3. New book releases: Read up on book deals at Publishers Weekly. Or browse the upcoming releases on Amazon.com. You can also do a keyword search and sort according to publication date. If the author is local, then maybe you can write a profile. Or perhaps s/he'd make a good source for an article on a related topic.
4. Alumni newsletters: Skim through your class notes or alumni magazine to find fresh stories about alums (most of which haven't appeared in the major media yet). Maybe someone is launching a business or doing ground-breaking research in his/her field. There's bound to be another publication that will be interested.
5. Events in your own life: Whether you're getting married, moving to a new city, or learning to knit, your life is full of fresh material to write about. You can get a ton of mileage out of personal experiences, but you don't have to reveal too many personal details unless you're writing a confessional or essay.

OK, readers. Anything I'm missing? Leave a comment and let me know!

Two Writers, One Name: A Case of the Name Game

A fellow writer posted on a forum I frequent saying she discovered another writer publishing under her name. This caused her concern because the other writer was less experienced and might publish less than stellar work which editors could find if they googled her name.

Somehow I wasn't terribly sympathetic to her "plight" - after all, I have one of the most generic All-American names imaginable. It didn't occur to me early on in my career that maybe I should include a middle initial or write under a pen name to distinguish myself. And I certainly didn't assume that I was the first "Susan Johnston" to publish an article (in fact, there's another Susan Johnston who published a book around the same time I launched my website).

I just figured that editors would look at the clips I sent them and wouldn't bother with the 42,400 results that come up when you google me. In fact, I did include my middle initial (a vowel) in my email address and it's a common source of confusion for people, which makes me think it might not belong in my byline.

I posted a response saying that I wouldn't be terribly concerned if I were in her position and that editors would focus on the clips she sends them (esp. if the newbie writer's articles are buried deeper in Google). But get this: another writer actually said that she received a copy of the other Susan's book and for a fleeting moment, she thought maybe I had taken a break from career and lifestyle articles to pen a children's book about princesses and bubbles. I find that funny, but I still don't think it's a major problem.

Just in case this issue keeps you up at night, there are a couple of ways to secure your writerly reputation. First, buy your domain name! That is a sure fire way to take control of Google search results. Alternatively you could marry someone with an unusual last name (joking) or add a middle name or initial to personalize your byline.

Now it's your turn. Am I making light something that should be taken more seriously? How do you deal with a "doppelgänger"? Leave a comment and let me know!

Must Be a Keeper

Not only did he give me a scanner/copier/printer this weekend, but the boyfriend spent over an hour on Sunday morning installing the software and making sure it would work with Vista (which it didn't at first). It seems the way to this woman's heart is not through food or music or poetry, but through the HP Officejet All-in-One. Yes, I'm a lucky girl!

5 Q's with Catherine Banner

Nineteen year old British author Catherine Banner has been called the next JK Rowling, and her first book, The Eyes of a King, recently came out in hardcover. I was thrilled that Catherine agreed to an interview with me. Here's how this teen lit sensation managed to land a three-book publishing deal...

Urban Muse: How did you juggle friends, school, and writing? Was that a challenge?
Catherine: It was definitely a challenge at times, and sometimes it meant working quite long days, or having to sacrifice other things like going out in the evenings. But my friends and family have been very supportive, so that helped me a lot when I was trying to balance writing with other commitments. The fact that they thought writing was worth pursuing was a big encouragement to me. And writing is what I love doing, so in a way it would be very difficult to sacrifice that instead. I think how I finished The Eyes of a King was by working on it nearly every day even if that was only for a short time. So over a year and a half the book came together.

UM: Did you ever experience writer's block? How did you combat it?
C: Sometimes if I’m finding it hard to see where to go with a particular section of the story it helps to work on a different part instead. Then maybe when you come back to it the problem has resolved itself. Or I try to concentrate on something completely different so I have time to think about the story. That was one way being at school at the same time as writing my first novel really helped me, because there was always something else to focus on for a day or two.

UM: Did you find an agent or publisher first? What was that process like?
C: I found an agent first, and the circumstances were very lucky. A few months after finishing my first novel I went to a talk about how to get into professional writing at a local literary festival. An agent, Simon Trewin, was talking, and afterwards I went up and asked him a question and he offered to read my work. So I sent the novel off to him, and a few weeks later he phoned to tell me he wanted to represent me. After that he found a publisher for the trilogy very quickly. So I think I was really lucky to be in the right place at the right time. The publication process itself has been quite humbling. At every stage there have been so many people willing to contribute their talents to turn the original manuscript into a published book; writing is a solitary profession but you don’t ever feel that you are working on your own because of that.

UM: What books or writers inspire you?
C: I think I try to write starting from real life and from the characters whose stories I want to tell, so there isn’t a particular tradition of writing that I see myself fitting into. But there are certain books that maybe inspired me to want to be a writer when I was growing up. One story that captured my imagination when I was young was The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, because I found the stories in that series easy to believe in even though they were extraordinary and magical. Later I found books like To Kill a Mockingbird inspiring; writing at its best and most honest is one of the things that most convinced me that it was a craft worth pursuing. Another book I admire but which I only read recently is The Catcher in the Rye. I think the voice is so clever and you really believe in it, and I also read that it was one of the first books to be really popular among young adults so in a way it’s defined the tradition.

UM: Any advice for other young writers?
C: I haven’t been a writer for that long, so I’m still learning all the time. One thing I found helpful was reading books on writing; it’s a profession that I didn’t really know much about, and books on writing were useful even just on a practical level because they told me a lot about that. I also think you have to keep a certain determination to finish a novel, so to write about characters who captured my imagination enough to keep writing about them was really essential from the start. But I think the most important thing that I try to do in my own work is to only write about characters that I really care about, and leave out anything that doesn’t come from the heart.

Thanks, Catherine. Congrats on your book release!

Catherine Banner photo courtesy of Simon Trewin

My Secret to Work-Life Balance

Last weekend the boyfriend and I took a little vacay to Cape Cod. Since neither of us works a standard 9-5 day, we figured we could leave Friday afternoon and beat the traffic. But just as I was leaving my apartment, my cell phone rang.

I didn't recognize the number, so I answered it in case it was Random House calling to offer me a six figure book deal (OK, I'm partly joking). It was a potential client returning my call, so we chatted for a few minutes while the boyfriend sat in his car waiting for me. I apologized for the wait, and we hit the road.

Then, just as we turned onto the freeway (which was already congested with weekend drivers, by the way), I got another call. It was a current client who is really hard to reach. Again, I answered and the boyfriend waited patiently.

After call #2, he made this observation: "I'm really proud of you, but I don't think I could ever be a freelance writer. How do you know when to stop working? I'd be at my computer 24/7."

Well, I am sort of at my computer 24/7 (probably more like 18/7). When I get an idea for an article, I can't resist the temptation to google the topic and see what's been covered in the past. Or I'll check my email one last time before bed, which turns into an hour long blogfest.

But even I know how important it is to set aside personal time, whether that means sneaking off to the Cape or squeezing in an afternoon workout. I actually schedule that time in Google calendar. So, in the morning, when Google sends me my agenda for the day, it reads something like this:

8-9am answer emails/send follow-ups
9-11am research for career article
11:30am phone interview with Sally Smith
noon-1pm lunch/blog reading
1-3pm write career article
3pm leave for matinee of Sex and the City
6pm writing class

Seeing the time blocked out on my calendar legitimizes it. Sure, sometimes I'll shift personal time so I can finish an email or answer the phone (as mentioned above), but having that downtime written down is really important. That's really the secret: not waiting until everything else is done before you allow yourself to rest. I've learned to schedule downtime and treat it with (almost) as much respect as I would a professional appointment.

How to be a Frugal Freelancer

I admit it: I'm kind of a cheapskate. Which is a good thing now that I'm freelancing full time. I recently contributed a post called 7 Ways to be a Frugal Freelancer to Freelance Switch. Here are some more tips that didn't quite make the cut:

• Hang out with frugal friends. They'll be more likely to understand why you can't split an expensive bottle of wine or spend the weekend at a fancy resort.


• Check out books and movies from the library instead of buying.


• Volunteer as a hair model and get your hair cut or styled for free.


• Find out when your local museum has a free night and time your trip accordingly.


• Make lunch at home and reheat the leftovers for dinner.


• If you must eat out, take advantage of happy hour specials.

Well to Freelance Switch readers! How do you keep your spending in check?

5 Recommended Reads for Writers

There's no substitute for actually sitting down to practice writing, but reading about writing is helpful, too. Here are some of my favorite books for writing insights and inspiration.

Six-Figure Freelancing
Kelly Jame-Enger's breezy, conversational style and her knowledge of the freelance life kept me hooked through the entire 320 pages. She does a nice job of balancing tips on writing books, magazine articles, and copywriting projects, but she devotes the highest number of pages to magazine writing (my kind of book). Case studies from other successful writers show how to get into a business mindset and start negotiating for what you're worth!

The Well-Fed Writer
Peter Bowerman covers everything from creating a list of leads to cold calling to keeping in touch with clients after you've finished a project. The book is focused primarily on writing for businesses, so if your primary goal is to break into the glossies, then this probably isn't the book for you. Still, it offers tons of practical advice on the business of writing.

Bird by Bird
This one is a bit more literary than instructional, but Anne Lamott's descriptions are dead-on. She writes about jealousy, publishing, and success with humor and acuity, and I know I'll be reading this book again when I need inspiration. Though the advice is especially tailored to novelists, the concepts of "shitty first drafts" and "Radio Station KFKD" (aka that little voice in your head that tells you you're a terrible writer and no one will want to read your work) are applicable to writers in any genre.

The Renegade Writer's Query Letters That Rock
If you've ever wondered what separates a so-so query letter from a sensational one, then this book is for you. It includes examples of successful queries for a variety of markets and commentary from the writer and editor on what made the query. Linda Formichelli and Diana Burrell sure know their stuff, and they provide a light, humourous touch to put new writers at ease.

The Anti 9-to-5 Guide
This sassy guide to self-employment by Michelle Goodman covers finding your passion, managing your time, and building a support system, among other topics. One of the best things about the book is that it doesn't use an "all or nothing" approach. Instead, the women profiled in the book show how to juggle a side gig along with a 9-5, search for part time work, or find some other way to balance a pet project with the need to pay the bills. I'm really looking forward to reading Michelle's next book, My So-Called Freelance Life, which is due out on October 1!

Beautiful Day for Writing

I think that this week has quite possibly been my best week of full time freelancing yet. And it's not over yet! I spent Monday writing from my parent's house so I could spend some time with the 'rents. Despite a ridiculously slow wireless connection (or maybe it was my computer), I managed to land two new feature assignments, complete an interview for an article, do some copywriting, and send out more queries before taking a late afternoon dip in the pool.

Tuesday I met with someone about a copywriting project and it sounds like it's a go *fingers crossed*. Yesterday I heard from someone who'd like me to blog for his company, and today we chatted on the phone to iron out the details. It's gorgeous weather outside, so once I finish a few more assignments and some LOIs, I plan to take full advantage of the sunshine!

And I'm quite proud to share this article on vegetable-infused cocktails. Some of you may remember the afternoon I spent scrambling for photos. Well, it was worth it. Enjoy the sunshine!

5 Q's with Liza Monroy

I last interviewed Liza Monroy almost a year ago. Her first novel, Mexican High, hits bookstores today, so Liza and I decided to catch up and chat more about fiction vs. nonfiction.

Urban Muse: Could you tell us about finding a publisher for your novel?
Liza: During the process of writing I was completely unsure if it would ever be published, so first I'd like to say how much a labor of love it is to write a novel! So I was thrilled to land with Cindy Spiegel of Spiegel & Grau. I used to work as an assistant in the book publishing industry, and I'd admired Cindy from afar for quite some time. She edited James McBride's The Color of Water, one of my favorite memoirs, and The Kite Runner, one of the most hugely successful novels of recent years. I'd read, and saved, an ELLE magazine interview with Cindy and Julie Grau, her partner at their division of Random House, and I actually suggested to my agent that we submit the novel to her. I saw it as akin to applying to colleges and throwing one in to Harvard just because you can. I never imagined she'd become my editor, but she responded to the work and the call from my agent saying she wanted the book was a dream come true. I was sitting in my cubicle at JANE magazine and literally thought I was dreaming. My agent, Jennifer Lyons, asked if I wanted her to check in with other editors who were reading the draft, and I said, no way, this is it.

UM: Do you prefer writing fiction or non-fiction?
L: I love working in both forms in addition to screenplays and poetry, but I'd say my most natural mode is nonfiction. I started out writing personal essays and the novel had a rough incarnation as a memoir. But fiction feels so freeing. I love being able to decide on characters' decisions and fates rather than recounting and deriving meaning from events that have already happened. That said, my second book, which I am at work on now, is a memoir.


UM: How did you shift gears between writing features and writing a novel?
L: One was always there to give me respite from the other. When I felt stalled in the novel, I'd send out pitches and do some freelancing, and when I felt energized again, I'd go back to the novel. I definitely needed breaks from each, because it's easy to burn out sometimes as a freelance journalist, while writing a novel on spec isn't paying any bills. So I had to mentally differentiate between "work" writing and "fun" writing, yet of course writing features is also fun, and the novel was also work.


UM: Any advice for first time novelists?
L: See it through! Even on days when you want to throw your computer out the window, when everything seems stalled, when you don't know where you're headed. Write, write, and write through the tough spots. Always stay producing, even if you feel you'll remove those pages later. Everyone has their own process, but for me it was crucial to keep churning out pages, keep what stuck, and put the rest in an "outtakes" file.


UM: What's next for you?
L: I'm writing a memoir -- the working title is ALL SHOOK UP -- evoking Elvis and earthquakes. It's about immigration, gay marriage, and redefining family. I'm in the throes of Columbia's MFA program, concentrating in Nonfiction, as teaching university-level creative writing is another goal of mine. For the next two years, I'm teaching undergraduate composition at Columbia. I'm still freelancing and writing a screenplay in my free time. Eventually, I want to return to California -- I live in beautiful brownstone Brooklyn these days -- or move abroad, or embark on some other big adventure. I think the most important thing for a writer is intensive living combined with time for reflection.

Thanks, Liza! Congrats on your book release. Can't wait to read that memoir.

Best Places to Write in Boston

Working from home is grand and all, but sometimes you just need to get out of the house and be around people. Over the last several weeks, I've conducted field research at several of Boston/Cambridge's coffeeshops, cafes, and libraries to find the most optimal locations for writing. Now, I realize that many of you live elsewhere, but in case you're ever in the area, you will already know where to go.

I chose ten locations based on: a) the availability of wireless internet and seating during the day, b) the willingness of staff to allow patrons to linger after they've finished their sandwich or drink (not buying anything would just be tacky) and c) the creativity of the environment (does it make me want to write? or do I want to finish my latte and find the nearest exit as quickly as possible?). Check out my list of 10 Freelance Havens in Boston, courtesy of Yelp.com.

What do you look for when you're testing out a new writing spot? Where do you work best?

Guest Post: 8 ways I’ve made life work as a writer and mom

Last week I guest blogged for WordCount/by Michelle Vranizan Rafter. This week, Michelle is returning the favor. Michelle writes for publications including Workforce Management, Oregon Business, and Inc.Technology.com. Since she has experience juggling a family and freelance writing, I asked her to share her insights. Who knows? This information might come in handy someday...

I didn’t set out to be a freelance writer. It’s the compromise I made in order to do it all, be a writer and a mom. It’s made for a good life, and a good career. There are days – especially during the spring newspaper awards season – when I envy friends who’re still on staff at daily papers, especially a few who’ve won those big awards. But with newspapers in their current state, I wouldn’t trade places with them anymore. Besides, freelancing has allowed me to make my own hours, be there when my kids get home from school, volunteer as classroom helper, room parent, school auction chair, Girl Scout leader and field trip chaperone. And it’s portable, as I found out when my husband took a job in a different state and my business didn’t miss a beat.

So no, I don’t regret it. But I’ve had to work hard to do both. How? Here are my 8 secrets for making life work as a writer and a mom:

Get organized. If there’s a golden rule of being a writer mom, it is this. Use whatever works for you. I’ve always been a list maker. I recently switched from paper lists to putting everything in Microsoft Outlook: Tasks manager is my friend. I mix work, family and personal to-dos, but I’ve mixed my work life and personal life for so long it doesn’t faze me.

To be a writer and a mom you don’t have to write about being a mom. They say write what you know. But a lot of other mom writers write about mom issues. Set yourself apart and write about something different – have a specialty, a beat. It could mean the difference between earning an OK income and earning a really good one. I write about technology, small business and workplace issues. I know mom writers who cover consumer electronics, RFID technology, online marketing and the legal profession.

Use your “on” time wisely. My most productive time of day is early morning, so if I have deadlines or just a pile of work to do, I get up early and plow through a couple hours before anyone else is awake. When I’m at work, I work. I never go out to lunch, watch “Oprah” or “Ellen” or even listen to music. I’ve been doing this 13 years and it took me until last year to feel OK with putting a load of laundry in the dryer during the work day.

Be OK with OK. If you’ve got kids, a house, pets, a yard, friends and family, you’re busy. You can’t afford to be a perfectionist. If you are, you’ll constantly be stressed that everything’s not just so. And just as you’ve got one part of your life sorted out another part crumbles. That’s how life is. Messy.

Be a model employee. When it comes to work, however, strive to be the best – it’s in your economic best interest. You’re not anybody’s employee, but act like one. Turn stories in on time, or notify editors in advance if you run into problems. Make sure your copy is pristine. Be the go-to freelancer that editors call with assignments. Do it and you’ll get steady work, which means you can spend less time marketing and more time with your family.

Your boss doesn’t need to know about your life. Here’s where I draw the line between life and work. Your editor doesn’t need to know you need that extra day on your story because your child’s come down with the flu. Just ask for the extension – if you’re that model freelancer your editors won’t mind if you miss a deadline here and there. Likewise, your child’s teacher doesn’t need to know you have to reschedule the parent/teacher conference because you’re running late on an assignment. Just ask to reschedule. In other words, don’t offer excuses, negotiate.

If you have to volunteer, do something you’re good at. I have three kids who’ve gone to Catholic schools that required 30 to 40 volunteer hours a year. If I can, I sign up for activities that use my skills. It’s easier for me: I do the work at home and fit it into my schedule. And the school profits by having someone with professional experience in the job. Over the years, I’ve written auction catalogs, monthly newsletter, weekly email blasts and served as the PTA secretary. One year I was communications chair for a non-profit mother-daughter service organization. I oversaw four people and was responsible for PR, a member directory, monthly newsletter, weekly newsletter and submitting article to the group’s national newsletter. The organization got my writing talent and I got to learn how to manage projects and people, good practice if I ever want a freelance editing gig.

Sometimes you can’t do it all. I retired when our third child was born, though it didn’t last long. An offer to teach news writing to graduate students brought me back. I realized how much I loved what I did and started writing again part time. A couple years later my son was diagnosed with a learning disability and I quit a second time. When it happened, I needed to be with my family more than we needed my income. I was lucky my husband had a job that could support us all. I knew I would freelance again eventually, and now I am. So get your priorities in order. The jobs will still be spinning around out there if you jump off the carousel for a while.

© 2008 Michelle V. Rafter

The Easy Way to Earn Extra Money from Writing

No, this isn't one of those "earn $250,000 in your spare time" type of scams. But selling reprints of articles you've already written really is an easy way to generate more income. I've done this a few times with women's general interest articles and writing how-to articles, but now I'm trying to make this more of a focus. Here's how to do it:

1. First, make sure that you own the copyright (all the more incentive to negotiate for that upfront) and that the article doesn't contain any time or place references that would be out of place in your new target market. If you can fix too-specific time and places references with a quick rewrite, perfect. If not, the article might lend itself more to a reslant/rewrite than a reprint.
2. Make a list of all of the articles you have available for reprint and see if you can create tie-ins with upcoming holidays or events. For instance, a relationship article that you wrote for Valentine's Day might find new life during August, which is Romance Awareness Month (who knew?).
3. Read writer's guidelines carefully to see if the editor accepts reprints. Often they will only accept articles that ran in non-competing publications or in other geographic areas (which is why you want to remove geographic indicators). Sometimes the guidelines will tell you to send the whole article as an attachment or in the body of an email. Other times, editors prefer to recieve queries, even for reprints. Follow these instructions carefully and allow an appropriate lead time for holidays or seasonal articles!
4. Consider devoting a section of your website to reprints. Here's my new reprint page. I'm hoping that editors who go to my website and need quick filler content will ask for more information, so I've also included links on the homepage and portfolio page. If the article is not already available online, I strongly suggest that you not include the full text on your website. That way, if another website is interested in buying first online rights for a piece that ran exclusively in print, you haven't already blown your chance.

Am I missing anything? I'd love to hear how other writers track and sell reprints, so let me know!

5 Tips for Saving Time

When I went full time freelance, I thought I would have more time to focus on interviews, pitches, and other parts of the writing process. Wrong! Somehow it seems like my time is just as short as before, because I've taken on more projects to fill that time and earn more money (not to mention all of the contracts, invoices, etc. that go along with those new projects).

Now that my income is dependent on my output (instead of automatically getting a portion of my salary every two weeks), it's now even more important that I manage my time carefully. Here are some of the time savers I've come up with:

1. Use TiVo to zap out ads or watch favorite TV shows online. I don't have TiVo, so I watch Grey's Anatomy online, which is basically the poor girl's TiVo. Even with the 30 second ads, it's quicker than watching it on TV. Plus I can watch on my time.
2. Order prescriptions by mail. For me, this option is cheaper AND easier than running to the drug store. They even have email reminders to protect me from my own forgetfulness.
3. Sign up for online banking and/or automatic bill pay. My bank keeps PDFs of statements in my account for a year, so I don't have to deal with piles of paper. I also set up an automatic payment for my health insurance so I can't forget or run out of stamps.
4. Use RSS to manage feeds. Most of you probably do this already, but if you don't, you can read about my love for Google Reader in this post.
5. Use the cell phone on the go. When I used to call my bank or my insurance company, I would sit around and get impatient when they put me on hold. Now I'm folding laundry or walking home from the gym. And instead of returning text messages as soon as I get them, I'm texting as I heat up my lunch or wait for the subway.

So, what's your secret? How do you save time so you can minimize productivity? I'd love to know!