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!

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?

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?

Money Makes the World Go 'Round...

Is anyone else scrambling to figure out their financial picture from last year? Erik Sherman posted some helpful articles back in December about tying up money matters for the year here and here. Enjoy!

5 Q's with Abigail Green

Abigail Green has contributed to WashingtonPost.com, AOL.com, and Health magazine to name a few. She also blogs about being a new mom. Here she shares some insights into the business of writing...

Urban Muse: Tell us about your first big clip.
Abigail: My first national clip was in Health magazine. I had read in a market guide that a particular editor was looking for “fresh” ideas related to health. Prior to becoming a freelancer, I was a staff writer for an alternative health web site. There, I had written an article about an ancient Indian technique for mind/body wellness called vastu. I pitched it to the Health editor as “the new feng shui.” After lots of back and forth about how the piece would be structured, I got the assignment.

That was my first lesson in “polite persistence.” And also, in contracts. I was too nervous to ask for a better contract, so I signed a WMFH (work made for hire) agreement. When my story was reprinted in an anthology, I didn’t get any additional money. Now I know to ask for FNASR (First North American Serial Rights) contracts whenever possible.

UM: What inspires you? How do you brainstorm for ideas?
A: I keep an idea journal near me at all times. I’ll jot down thoughts, book titles, web sites, something I saw on the news, bits of overheard conversation. Anything can make a great story idea. If I’m really stuck, I’ll surf the web for awhile and invariably find something that piques my interest.

UM: Any tips on dealing with rejection?
A: At first, I took rejection very personally. I think it’s hard not to. But there are a million reasons why an editor might reject a pitch—they just did something similar, they’re about to do something similar, a competitor just did something similar, she doesn’t have the budget, or she once had a bad experience with yams, or whatever the subject of your article is. It doesn’t necessarily mean she hates you or your idea. In fact, it’s usually about them, not about you.

Even though I broke in to Health with my first pitch, I racked up at least half a dozen rejections from Bride’s before I got an assignment. With other publications, it’s been years and I’m still getting rejections!

Once I started thinking about freelance writing as a business, a rejection was simply one “no” on the way to a “yes.” Plus, when you realize that in this business rejection is the norm, then it doesn’t sting quite as bad.

UM: What advice would you give to aspiring freelancers?
A: Approach freelancing as a business. Design some basic letterhead, a query and invoice template, get some business cards printed, and set up a web site if you can. It’s important to be organized, so you can keep track of who you’ve pitched, when, their response, and how much you’re owed. A great book (now out of print but available used on Amazon) is “This Business of Writing,” by Gregg Levoy. It includes sample marketing charts, phone scripts for negotiating with editors, and other great practical information.

I’d also recommend taking writing courses throughout your career. I’ve taken several in person and online through such places as Mediabistro and WritersOnTheRise.com. Attend writers’ conferences, too. You’ll meet other serious writers and hear directly from editors at top publications. Investing in your career always pays off.

Lastly, don’t let the naysayers get you down. People love to talk about how hard it is to make a living as a freelancer. I made more in my first year of fulltime freelancing than in my first job out of college, and only worked about half as many hours. Plenty of freelance writers are making a very good living. If you’re professional, persistent, pleasant to work with, and have at least a modicum of talent, you’ll do fine. Plus, in what other profession can you make money pursuing whatever interests you? I’ve gotten paid to write about hot stone massages, luxury hotels, planning my own wedding, and funny stories about my family.

UM: What do you read purely for fun?
A: Anything I can get my hands on, including Real Simple; Brain, Child; US Weekly; and TelevisionWithoutPity.com. I’m mostly a nonfiction gal. Real life is infinitely more entertaining than anything someone could make up.

Weekend Networking

As writers, it's easy for us to become so focused on the words that we forget how important relationships are. Not just with editors, but with other writers and also potential clients. This week I've had several networking opportunities fall into my lap before I even realized it was happening (similar to the way certain guys are oblivious to signals from women until their buddies nudge them out of their sports-induced stupor). Luckily, I managed to put on my game face before the moment passed me by. In fact, today I have two networking calls before noon. Not bad for a Sunday!

Here's an easy way to network and share info that I just discovered (I know, I'm a little behind the times for a Gen Yer). I recently set up a del.icio.us account for my interns since they have to play musical computers. After clicking around, I realized that organizing my bookmarks on del.icio.us is way easier than organizing my favorited sites on my laptop. THEN I thought... why not share the wealth with other writers? So, I'm sharing the link to my (growing) collection of writers' guidelines. If you'd like to set up your account and join my network, I'd love that. If not, maybe you'll discover a new market or two.

Joys of Moving

Today I went to the bank to change my mailing address (they won't let me do it online because of security concerns). I pulled out my personal and business debit cards and handed them to the bank teller. Eying my black Visa card, he asked if my boss had authorized me to change the address on the small business debit card.

"Actually, I'm the boss. It's a sole proprietorship." Such sweet words!

You would think that having family close by would help ease the stress of moving. And you would be wrong. So things might be quieter than usual on the blog for the next week or so. I always say that and end up posting more than usual, but this time things probably will slow down for a few days. Stay tuned...

Kudos to Statcounter!

I'm a fan of Statcounter. It's free, easy to use and gives me tons of data on who reads my blog, when, and for how long. Last week, when this blog passed 10,000 page loads, I became an even bigger fan of Statcounter. Then I read that the founder, Aodhan Cullen, is just 24 and has been named BusinessWeek's Young European Entrepreneur of the Year. I love hearing about young self-starters (in fact it's one of the topics that I cover the most), so I'm a huge fan and I'm happy to spread the word about such a cool web tool. Check it out...

Weekend Reading

This is too good not to share: Penelope Trunk wrote a blog post today entitled "How to Get a Six Figure Book Deal from Your Blog." She's a smart lady, that Penelope! Have a great weekend, everyone.

Shades of Speculation

A few months ago, I got a request to write an article on spec. I debated, but ultimately decided to go for it. And today my decision paid off. It had been so long with no answer that last night I considered submitting it elsewhere. As if on cue, I got an email today saying (more or less), "we're excited to publish your article, where do we send the check?" (And by the way, the pay is about twice as much as I'd expected.) Score!

I admit that I wouldn't write solely on spec, but it does have its perks, like getting an acceptance and already having the darn thing written. Here's my line of thinking: it's a little iffy to write a whole article without any prior communication with the editor (except for personal essays, those are in a class by themselves). What if she'd just accepted a similar article from someone else? Or if she had no interest whatsoever in my idea? I sparked this editor's interest with my query, so at least I knew she was mildly interested in the topic. That was my justification. Anyone else have a speculative experience to share?

Summer Slump

Is it just me or are all the editors on vacation right now? It's been pretty slow around here, but thankfully I've been able to drum up some assignments from editors I've worked with in the past (yay for building relationships). I also took some time to re-evaluate my website.

I built it several months ago when I was searching for a new full-time copywriting gig, so it had to serve both prospective employers and freelance clients. Now all that vague, open-ended language (wouldn't want either party to think I'm cheating on them with freelance magazine work or a full-time marketing job!) needed to go. Plus, I took down some of my old clips and reorganized the existing ones. Those are small changes, but I think they'll make a big impact (we hope). The Renegade Writer has more ideas for dealing with slow periods.

Speaking of Craig's List...

Deborah Ng's weekend discussion last Saturday offers suggestions for weeding out "bad ads." Check it out and join the debate.

When to "Just Say No"

Harmony at Writer-in-the-Marking must be psychic when she tagged me to write a self-contract, because I had planned on posting about a similar topic this weekend (by the way, if you haven't already taken my AvantGuild poll, please do so here. I could really use other writers' input). Here goes...

Several weeks ago, I walked away from a web client that had given me tons of assignments and decent-sized checks during 2006. Why? you wonder incredulously. Because it just didn't fit into my goals as a writer. I started writing for them early in my freelance career, generating enough anonymous blurbs and story ideas that my editor had offered me a regular column. But she left and her successor had other plans, so rather than go back to writing lots of short, time-consuming pieces for little money and no byline, I decided to move on. And don't think for a second that I regret it, because now I have more time for projects I really want to write.

For all you writers who are in the place where I was six months to a year ago, don't think that you have to graciously accept every assignment you're offered if you're not happy with the pay, the topic, or you're just flat-out too busy to do a good job. Editors will still respect you if you have to decline. Keep the door open with something like "I'm flattered that you thought of me, but I'm focusing on some other projects right now. Let's touch base next month." And onto my self-contract...

I, Susan Johnston, pledge to the blogosphere and myself that I will uphold the highest standards of writing and research. I will agressively pursue projects that are financially and personally meaningful, and I will not accept substandard payment except for projects that advance my personal goals or those of the charities I support. I will strive for a variety of assignments and bylines while staying true to my writer's voice, but I will not sacrifice my sleep or my sanity in the process.

Now I'm tagging Beth at Shenangians next.