The WMF Archives

As writers, it is common knowledge that motivation equals money. But, it can often be extremely difficult to keep the motivation flowing and the money rolling in. There are many things you can do to keep your motivation up, and that income coming in. One of the greatest ways you can stay motivated is to set goals for yourself. There are numerous ways you can set goals for yourself to keep that money coming in. No mater what type of goal you set for yourself, make sure you do not aim too high or over do it with the goals.

Income Goal
One way you can keep motivated is to set a daily, weekly, or monthly income goal for yourself. It is so much easier to get work done when you have something to strive for. Your income goal does not have to be much. A fellow writer and I discussed the other day setting a goal of $20.00 a day. It is not much, but it is better than nothing. At the end of the day it feels much better to know we met our goal than it does to miss it because we set the income goal too high. If a daily goal does not work for you, try setting a weekly goal, or even a monthly goal.

Article Goal
Many writers, including myself, not only set an income goal but an article goal as well. You can combine the goals or only set one. Setting an article goal means you can have a set number of articles you want to complete each day, week , or each month. For example, I often strive to have 3-5 articles done per day. It is not much but it works for me and my life style. It is an easy goal to meet and more often than not I complete more than that a day. Fellow writers I know strive for around 10 articles a day.

When setting goals to keep your motivation going, make sure you do not make then unreasonable. If you fail to meet your goals day after day it is a sure way to loose motivation. It may take some adjusting to find the goal groove right for you but once you do, I bet your productivity level and motivation level will begin to stay constant and that income will steadily roll in.

Make that Money!!!

NOTICE: Becoming Family Magazine is no longer in publication. Writing Mommies apologizes for any inconvenience.


*Not the gig you were looking for? Check out other WM writing opportunities!

Writing Opportunity: Becoming Family Magazine

By Kat Foust

Who ever said that writers were typists? There are so many times that I have to review my writing, not because I don't like what I wrote, but because I have to make it look like it wasn't typed by a monkey. I consider myself to be a fair writer. Good enough I suppose to have made some decent money off of it, but writing isn't typing and the grammar police can put one heck of a dent in a writer's ego. When I'm on a roll, it's all good and I'm not even glancing at the keyboard. But, when I'm stressed and have other things on my mind, it's typo city and you don't even want to try to read something I might put in an instant message. God love my fellow writers and friends who actually attempt it!

I thought I would share some tips with you that really help me out on the days when I am beyond stressed and trying to meet some deadline.

~Eat your dessert first. What I mean by that is that the act of writing should be enjoyable. Get out what you want to say and worry about the editing when you're done. Chances are good that you can read your own typonese so you'll be able to edit it easily and even laugh about it as you go.

~Read it out loud. I read very fast, but when I read it out loud I have to slow down a bit to make sure I get every word. It brings the mistakes to your attention.

~Bond with spellcheck. Oh yea, I love spellcheck. If you don't have one on whatever format you're using, feel free to use the spellcheck on IE. Yes it's there, right at the top of the toolbar.

~Save it to your computer. Okay, honestly I am horrible at this, but it needs to be done. I always forget and find myself trying to find the article later online. Do yourself a favor and save it to your computer so that you can check it over again later as well. Heck, why not save it and rewrite it for some extra cash?

~Sit in a comfortable position. Believe it or not this will help your typing skills tremendously. Not only that, but it also prevent that permakink from entering your neck. You know what I'm talking about. That kink that prevents you from turning your head and leaves you wishing someone could just snap it real hard so you weren't feeling like tilting to the right all day?

Give yourself a break and don't try to write perfectly the first time around. All you will accomplish is inducing feelings of frustration that can leave you thinking of creative ways to use a hammer on your laptop.

The Grammar Police

By Angela Atkinson

Are you a mystery writer? If so, today's writing opportunity* may be for you. Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine is currently accepting unsolicited fiction manuscript submissions.

Writer's guidelines reprinted from the website below:

Finding new authors is a great pleasure for all of us here, and we look forward to reading the fiction you send us. Since we do read all submissions, there is no need to query first; please send the entire story. You don't need an agent.

Because this is a mystery magazine, the stories we buy must fall into that genre in some sense or another. We are interested in nearly every kind of mystery: stories of detection of the classic kind, police procedurals, private eye tales, suspense, courtroom dramas, stories of espionage, and so on. We ask only that the story be about a crime (or the threat or fear of one). We sometimes accept ghost stories or supernatural tales, but those also should involve a crime.
You might find it useful to read one or more issues of AHMM; that should give you an idea of the kind of fiction we buy. For a sample copy, send a check made out to AHMM for $5.00 to:

Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine
Attn: Sandy Marlowe
6 Prowitt St.
Norwalk, CT 06855.

Submissions should be sent to:

Dell Magazines
AHMM
267 Broadway
4th Fl.
New York, NY 10007-2352

Style. We prefer that stories not be longer than 12,000 words; most of the stories in the magazine are considerably shorter than that.They should, of course, be well written. We are looking for stories that have not been previously published elsewhere, and among them for those that are fresh, well told, and absorbing. They should be entirely fiction: please do not send us stories based on actual crimes, for instance, or other real-life events.

Manuscript preparation. Manuscripts should be typed on plain white paper (not erasable paper) and double-spaced (not space-and-a-half), with your name and address at the top of the first page. The title of the story as well as the byline you want to use should be on the first page of the story also. (We prefer that there not be a separate title page.)

Please do not justify the right-hand margin. The number of lines per page should be uniform. Indicate line breaks with a single line and a centered pound sign (#).

Every page of the story should be numbered, preferably in the upper right-hand corner. If you number the pages by hand, be sure before you start that no page has been omitted.

Do not use the italic, large-size, or boldface characters some computers are capable of generating. Underline words to indicate italics.

Indent for each paragraph. Do not leave 1-line spaces between paragraphs.

Stories should be mailed to us flat, with the pages bound together by a paper clip only-not stapled or enclosed in a binder. A cover letter isn't necessary. If you want the manuscript returned in the event we cannot use it, you must include a self-addressed stamped envelope; contributors outside the U.S.A. should send prepaid International Reply Coupons in lieu of stamps. If you have sent us a photocopy and do not want it back, please advise us of that and enclose a smaller SASE for our response. Please keep a copy of any material submitted, since we cannot be responsible for lost or misdelivered mail.

If you would like acknowledgement of receipt of your story, include a self-addressed stamped postcard in your original mailing that will be returned to you when your submission is opened.

We do not accept electronic submissions. Please do not send disks or e-mail attachments unless we specifically ask you to.

Revisions. Revised versions of a story should be submitted only on our request, as a rule. At the very least, tell us in a cover letter that the story has been submitted before but has been revised, and explain how.

NOTE: Stories submitted to AHMM are not also considered by or for Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine, though we share the same address. Submissions to EQMM must be made separately.

We do not accept simultaneous submissions.
Querying the status of your submission. We give each submission thorough consideration before responding. Our reply may take three to five months. When querying the status of your story, include your name, the title of the work, and the date you sent it in an e-mail to alfredhitchcock AT dellmagazines.com. Manuscripts are filed by week of receipt, so the more precise your query, the faster we will be able to locate your story.

*Not the gig you hoped for? Check out other WM writing opportunities!

Writing Opportunity: Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine

had it they said Tax season is just around the corner--please try and contain your excitement. As writers we have to file as self employed. One benefit of filing as self employed, is there are numerous expenses we can have deducted from our taxes. You must have proof of these expenses. Make sure you keep all your receipts through out the year. Here is a list of some of the expenses you can deduct:

• Advertisement- This includes ads, business cards, web sites, and any other form of advertising you had to pay for.
• Insurances- This does not include health insurance but any business related insurances, such as property, life, or business insurance.
• Business related credit cards or loan expenses.
• Rental Expenses- If you rent an office this includes the monthly rent.
• Repairs- Any repairs you have had to pay for, including computer repairs.
• Supplies- As writers we go through a lot of pens. These and any other office supplies can be tax detectable.
• Travel- Travel expenses for meetings or conferences you attended.
• Utilities- Even if you work from home a portion of your electricity can be deducted. Include Internet, portions of your phone bills, and any other home utility you use while working.

Do you have any other tax tips for freelance writers? Share them with us here or join our discussion in the WM Freelance Connection group.

Tax Deductions for Freelance Writers

by Kerrie McLoughlin

I found Lisa when I was new to the blog world and was looking for other Mommy Bloggers. I am grateful I stumbled upon her because she has become a friend and a mentor. She homeschools 6 daughters and makes good money writing solely online and selling ad space on her blogs and websites. She's even written an e-book called "How to Write Nasty Letters."

Lisa’s husband worked as a Director of Photography in Los Angeles and was losing work because he put his family first. They moved to Washington and got into the 15-hour-a-day restaurant business. Eight days after their last daughter was born, they closed the restaurant down due to overwhelming financial burdens. Over the next few months they lost their home and had both their vehicles repossessed. It was devastating, but Lisa started writing for income soon after so her daughters could eat. She says, “After slaving away at the restaurant so much and neglecting my kids for that business I refuse to work outside the home ever again.”

Below is a short interview with this impressive and energetic woman.

KERRIE: How do you find the time to homeschool, write and raise 6 daughters? Do you have a structure or schedule?
LISA: We have a pattern, but I really don't keep track of the time. I write before they wake up and I keep the computer on all day long, pop on and off while they're occupied (or nursing).

KERRIE: How do you keep the kids occupied while you write?
LISA: I usually only try to write things I need to concentrate on when the smaller ones (under age 8) are asleep.

KERRIE: When did you start your freelance writing business?
LISA: About one year ago.

KERRIE: How much time do you spend on it in an average week?
LISA: Three-five hours a day, seven days a week, so 21-35 hours a week.

KERRIE: Does anything suffer because you write? (e.g., the dishes sit for a while, the laundry piles up)
LISA: I feel very blessed that I always have something more important to do than dishes and laundry! I make sure the dishes are done when I go to bed and the kids fold their own laundry because they don't care if it's done right.

KERRIE: Do you older kids help with chores so you can get writing done?
LISA: My 14-year-old has been volunteering to do a lot of the cleaning lately, my 11- and 8-year-olds will clean when I ask them, if I can give them some candies or something.

KERRIE: How many online, blogging sites, etc. have you written for?
LISA: I would estimate between 50 and 100. [like eHow, Today.com, Suite 101]

KERRIE: If you've done print work, what (if any)percent of your income would
you guess is based on reprints?
LISA: Alas, I am a wannabe in this department. Online income is so much easier.

KERRIE: Where do you get all of your ideas?!
LISA: My head is a crazy place. I have way too many ideas, and I bet I talk in my sleep. I think I must have some kind of mental disorder that creates too many ideas. It's hard to finish things when you're always thinking of the next thing. You don't want to know how many screenplays I'm writing right now. My characters even get confused.

To learn more about Lisa, check out her blog, Mrs. Hannigan. From there you can link to her other blogs, check out her past posts, leave comments, etc.

What I learned from this interview:
I’m the same way as Lisa as far as having too many ideas … on scraps of paper (the baby eats some of them), on the computer, in spiral notebooks, on a legal pad I write on while I drive. I like working on quick projects online and also longer-term stuff like essays and articles to submit to print publications.

It’s good for kids to learn chores anyway (otherwise how will they take care of themselves when they leave your home?), but when they see that they’re helping their mom so she can do something she loves and is passionate about, kids benefit from that, as well.

When my kids ask for “extras” (like expensive homeschooling supplies or field trips) I tell them if they let me concentrate on writing every now and then we’ll have the money for those things.

Writers to Watch: Lisa Russell, Online Writer

By Angela Atkinson

The Chronicle of the Horse*, which covers "dressage, hunters and jumpers, eventing, foxhunting and steeplechase racing" is currently seeking submissions.

"In addition to reporting news about these disciplines, we feature articles on horse care and profiles of prominent horse people," say the writer's guidelines. "We also occasionally accept humor, human interest and historical articles. No poetry, please, and no clinic reports."

The magazine is about 80 percent freelance written. Manuscripts are reviewed within 8 weeks. Pays between $165 and $250, depending on the type of submission.

Writer's guidelines reprinted from the website below:

The Chronicle of the Horse, founded in 1937, is a national weekly magazine with approximately 16,000 subscribers. The magazine focuses primarily on dressage, hunters and jumpers, eventing, foxhunting and steeplechase racing.

In addition to reporting news about these disciplines, we feature articles on horse care and profiles of prominent horse people. We also occasionally accept humor, human interest and historical articles. No poetry, please, and no clinic reports.

Eighty percent of our editorial material comes from freelance writers. We review submissions for acceptance or rejection within four to eight weeks of receipt. We pay for feature articles the month following acceptance; for news articles the month following publication.

Articles appear in the magazine and on the website (www.chronofhorse.com).

The following special issues are published:
Winter Circuit Preview Issue (January);

Steeplechasing (January);
American Horses In Sport (February);
Show Jumping (February);
Horse Show (March);
Intercollegiate (March);
Rolex Kentucky Preview (April);
Junior and Pony (May);
Dressage (June);
Horse Care (July);
Eventing (August);
Hunt Roster (September);
Amateur (November);
Pony Breeding (November);
Stallion (December).

The Chronicle of the Horse is the official publication of the following national organizations:
Masters of Foxhounds Association,
U.S. Equestrian Team Foundation,
U.S. Pony Clubs,
National Riding Commission,
American Foxhound Club,
U.S. Dressage Federation,
American Vaulting Association,
North American Riding for the Handicapped Association, Inc.,
and The Roster of Packs of the National Beagle Club of America, Inc.

News stories may be submitted to: results@chronofhorse.com.
Feature stories may be sent to: bethr@chronofhorse.com.

Types of Material
Publisher assumes no responsibility for lost or damaged manuscripts and photographs.
Precise publication dates of accepted articles cannot be predetermined.

NEWS STORIES - Before covering any competition, clear the assignment with us.
Approx. 1,500 words. $165-$220.


FEATURE ARTICLES - We advise sending a query letter.
Approx. 1,500-2,500. $150 - $250.

*Not what you were looking for? Check out other WM writing opportunities!

Writing Opportunity: The Chronicle of the Horse Magazine

By Angela Atkinson

Hey Poets and Fiction Writers, today's writing opportunity* is for you!

Ploughshares is a literary journal. It's published three times each year, offering poetry & fiction issues in Spring and Winter and a dedicated fiction issue in the fall.

"We liken Ploughshares to a theater company: each issue might have a different guest editor and different writers--just as a play will have a different director, playwright, and cast--but subscribers can count on a governing aesthetic, a consistency in literary values and quality, that is uniquely our own," say the journal's editors.

Ploughshares is currently accepting submissions for the Spring 2010 issue. Eligible submissions will be post marked between 8/1/09 and 3/31/10. Depending on your submission(s), payment can be up to $250 (for several--see guidelines for details.)

Check out the full writer's guidelines on the website for more info.

*Not the job you wanted? Check out other WM writing opportunities!

Writing Opportunity: Ploughshares, the Literary Journal

By Angela Atkinson

Oklahoma Today Magazine* is currently accepting submissions for stories, essays, columns and more. Pay is between $25 and $300, depending on the type of submission. Manuscripts have to be submitted via snail mail.

Writer's guidelines reprinted from the website below:

About Oklahoma Today Magazine

Oklahoma Today is a regional bi-monthly magazine with a circulation of 45,000 and an estimated readership of 150,000. Stories, essays, columns, etc. focus on Oklahoma's people and places. We strive to give our readers a sense of what Oklahoma is all about.

People figure strongly into all of our stories. We believe the best way to write a story is not to just tell it, but to show our readers through anecdotes, quotes, and experiences of past and present people.

The magazine likes to give the readers information on not only the regular "hot spots" to visit, but places that are "off the beaten track" as well.

About Your Story

When deciding on a subject, you need to think "Could the reader see or do what the article talks about?" or "Will the story expand the knowledge of the readers' Oklahoma cultural knowledge?"

The history behind the person or place also should be included. It lets the reader know why a particular thing is happening, but the focus needs to be on today.

Considering A Story For Publication

Some of the questions we ask when considering a story are, "Does the writer answer all the questions about the subject?", "Who and what are the source materials?", "Does the writer surprise the reader with something?", and "Could anything else be included in the story?"

Topics in Oklahoma Today have a wide range. Some of the successful stories from the past include: Oklahoma cowboy poet roundup, profiles -- hamburger joints, and a photo essay on the Tallgrass Prairie.

Oklahoma Today is always looking for a fresh editorial perspective to complement the seasoned writers we already use. While we appreciate and encourage a distinct voice, we usually do not publish opinion pieces. The best way to get in is to send us a story with a fresh angle on an old subject or person, or a new idea that goes along with our style of covering Oklahoma's people and places.

How To Get In

Read our magazine. Read Oklahoma newspapers and any other Oklahoma publication you can get your hands on. Keeping up with what goes on in our state is the best way to write stories that we can use. Include a biography of yourself and clips of previous work, so we can see what experience you have. Realize that the editors receive many manuscripts and that yours will be reviewed as soon as time allows. Don't necessarily expect your first piece in the magazine to be a feature; start small and suggest items for departments such as Across the Range. Even Letters to the Editor are good ways to "get some ink."

1. Deadlines

Oklahoma Today is usually planned a year in advance, so stories submitted in March may not appear until next February. We produce an issue two months ahead of time (in September, we are in production for November/December), so submit timely stories well before the production deadlines. Oklahoma Today is published seven times a year, six regular issues and a single subject "mini" published once a year.

Many issues have a specific theme (i.e. Holiday Issue, Travel Issue, Native American Issue), so stories have to be placed according to this schedule.

2. Story Guidelines

Stories will range in length from 500 words for regular department articles to 3,000 words for major features. We prefer to be queried in advance, but will review unsolicited manuscripts and photos "on spec."

Submission of transparencies and black-and-white photographs are welcome. We prefer scenic photographs that may or may not include people. However, we reserve the right to reject photographs submitted with the story, even if we accept the story itself.

3. Rates/Payments

* Rates start at $25 to $50 for shorter pieces, $75 and up for department and feature stories, and $300 and up for major profiles or stories.
* Payment will be upon publication, unless the editor and writer agree otherwise (in writing) upfront.
* We pay for quality, not quantity.
* We do not pay for expenses, but do take into account the demands of story assignment when negotiating payment.
* If a writer fails to meet an agreed upon deadline, payment will be docked $25 for each day it is late.
* Terms of the agreement for stories on both assignment and bought "on spec" are confirmed with a standard editorial contract.

4. Policies and Procedures

* Oklahoma Today takes no responsibility for unsolicited manuscripts, artwork, or photography.
* Articles need to be e-mailed or submitted on disk, preferably in Microsoft Word, and with an accompanying printout.
* Never send an original, uncopied manuscript.
* Rejected material will not be returned unless sent with a SASE.
* Payment will be upon publication.

5. Submit Manuscripts To

Editor
Oklahoma Today Magazine
P.O. Box 1468
Oklahoma City, OK 73101
Phone: (405) 230-8450
Fax: (405) 230-8650

*Not the gig you're looking for? Check out other WM writing opportunities!

Writing Opportunity: Oklahoma Today Magazine

By Angela Atkinson

If you have been or know a Boy Scout, then you know about today's writing opportunity*, Boys' Life Magazine. Maybe you've even read a copy or three.

While Boys' Life doesn't even look at unsolicited non-fiction article submissions, they are accepting fiction submissions. Check out the mag's Resources for Contributors.

You might notice that Boys' Life does things the old fashioned way (snail mail, etc.)--but then again, you might notice that payment is more old fashioned too. Not such a bad thing. :)

Writer's Guidelines (available here in PDF form) are reprinted below:

BOYS’ LIFE is a general-interest, four-color monthly, circulation 1.3 million, published by the Boy Scouts of America since 1911. We buy first-time rights for original, unpublished material.

NONFICTION.

Major articles run 500 to 1,500 words; payment is $400 to $1,500. Subject matter is broad. We cover everything from professional sports to American history to how to pack a canoe.

A look at a current list of the BSA’s more than 100 merit badge pamphlets gives an idea of the wide range of subjects possible. Even better, look at a year’s worth of recent issues. Find the magazine in libraries and in BSA council offices. Query Senior Editor Paula Murphey.

Departments run 100 to 600 words; payment is $150 to $600. Department headings are science, nature, earth, health, sports, space and aviation, cars, computers, entertainment, pets, history, music—and others. Each issue uses seven departments, on average. We also have back-of-thebook how-to features that bring $250 to $500. Query Associate Editor Brad Riddell.

FICTION.

Our short stories run 1,000 to 1,500 words. Payment is $750 and up. All stories feature a boy or boys. We use humor, mystery, science fiction and adventure. We run one or two short stories per issue. Occasionally, stories are specifically written for ages 6 to 10 (low-demographic issue) and for ages 11 to 18 (high-demographic issue). Send query or manuscript (with cover letter and self-addressed stamped envelope) to Senior Editor Paula Murphey.

STYLE.

All articles for BOYS’ LIFE must interest and entertain boys ages 6 to 18. Write for a boy you know who is 12. Our readers demand crisp, punchy writing in relatively short, straightforward sentences. The editors demand well-reported articles that demonstrate high standards of journalism. We follow The New York Times “Manual of Style and Usage.”

We receive approximately 40 queries and unsolicited nonfiction manuscripts per week and about
20 fiction manuscripts each week. Because of our high standards, all of our articles are
commissioned; thus, unsolicited nonfiction manuscripts rarely are appropriate for publication and regrettably must be returned unread.

Please query by mail (with SASE), not by phone. And thank you for your interest in BOYS’ LIFE.

*Not your kind of gig? Check out other WM writing opportunities!

Writing Opportunity: Boys' Life Magazine

Literary Agent
You hear the term "literary agent" thrown around quite often through out the writing world, but what exactly is a literary agent? Basically, a literary agent is simply a professional you hire to promote your writing. They can help you market your work to publishers to help ensure a successful career. Literary agents can take that dusty manuscript that has been sitting in the bottom desk drawer and turn it into a published book. Literary agents can be very beneficial to a writers career, but there are also some that can harm your career. Some of these agents are frauds and take advantage of writers. How do you recognize these frauds?

Literary Agent Scams
The Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America has great information regarding topics for writers to be aware of, including literary agent scams. So how do you recognize one of these scams? This site has a list of red flags all writers need to be aware of when considering to hire a literary agent. I advise all writers to read this information to take steps to protect themselves.

Finding A Literary Agent
There are ways you can find a great and trustworthy literary agent. For starters, do your homework Check discussion forums for reputable agents. You can also find a list of great agents at the Association of Authors Representatives.

Have you ever used a Literary Agent? What was your experience with one? Join our discussion in the WM Freelance Connection group.

Literary Agents

By Angela Atkinson

How far will you go to make a buck? Are there ethical boundaries you won't cross? Would you do a kid's homework?

Websites like Academia-Research.com advertise themselves as "a freelance writing service company that is dedicated to professional research and writing. We support customers in academia who require timely, high quality, customer-specific essays and other written documents."

Sometimes hungry freelancers may not always realize what they're getting themselves into, but here's the bottom line.

Those "customers in academia" are usually high school and college students who don't want to write their own papers. So, while the company insists that all of their "papers are produced for research purposes only; they are not to be submitted as your own work under any conditions," we all know what's really going on.

"The idea behind their website is to get other people to write papers for college students (for pay) although they do not offer contracts, writers can be 'fined' for making mistakes and this 'company' can refuse payment if they feel like it," says one former anonymous Academia-Research writer. "The very act of hiring others to write your papers for you is unethical and in most colleges, grounds for expulsion."

And, though you can make a whopping "$6 to 20" per page, is it really worth it? What if it were your son or daughter buying their homework? Would that change your opinion?

If that's not enough, many of these companies want more work than they're willing to pay for. They promise writers flexibility and unlimited earning potential. But, says Writer Beware's Victoria Strauss, "The flip side of this is that they typically allow purchasers to demand almost unlimited editing and revision."

So what does this mean for you?

"Anything you write may come back to you multiple times for changes and revision (and remember, your customer will be a student too lazy to write his or her own research paper, who very likely knows way less than you do about the subject of the essay)," Strauss says. "This is time for which you get no extra money, because you're usually being paid on a per-page or flat fee basis. Hour by hour, what looks like attractive pay can work out to a pittance."

Okay, so let's get this straight. Working for an essay mill gets you, at best, a little extra pocket cash (although there are rumors of non-payment--another reason to run the other way.) You essentially do someone's homework (grounds for being expelled) and then could be subjected to free rewrites out the ying yang. Plus, you get to carry around that little ache in your belly that might come with aiding and abetting a cheater.

Still not sure how you feel? Then you should know that even Google has a problem with it.

Google banned essay writing company advertisements back in 2007 when universities began to complain that these companies were affecting the integrity of the degrees earned by students who used the "service."

One last thing. In addition to the ethics and non-payment issues, there's the fact that you won't get credit for your work. You can't put it on your resume and you can't submit it as "writing samples" for future gigs. You won't get a byline. And, for all intents and purposes, while you're being meagerly compensated for the work, most industry folks won't consider you a professional if this is the only type of freelancing you do.

Let's discuss. Would you work for an essay mill? Have you worked for one? What are your thoughts on this subject?

Comment here or join the Writing Mommies & Friends group (open to ALL freelance writers) for a more in-depth discussion!

Freelance Ethics: Homework for Cash

by Kerrie McLoughlin

I’m sitting on the floor watching my daughter do gymnastics class and keeping my other daughter occupied. I have a file with me so I can work on ideas for my National Volunteer Week article. I’m jotting stuff down and flipping through papers.

This little boy comes over and starts to try to play with me. His mother tells him to leave me alone because I’m working. I said, “No, it’s okay.”

Then it hit me. I WAS working! I was writing! AND watching gymnastics AND giving out Cheerios and toys.

So I wasn’t sitting at a computer at a coffee house or a fancy resort or at the library or at a home office.

You can write anywhere. Beautiful!

Where do you write? When do you write? How do you occupy your kids while you write?

Where Do You Write?

I've had some personally painful issues lately that made me think they should be addressed to writers in general. I have had some pains in my hands lately that were very scary to me. After all, I make my living on a keyboard. I'm having some tests done to see what the problem is, but I already know part of it and I know many writers are in the same boat as me.

See, I'm hard headed and if I haven't experienced the pain myself then I kind of act like it's not gonna happen to me. I've always been like that. As a result, I let a cold turn into pneumonia and things like that. I may have gone too far with my hands. So, let's all try to take care of ourselves and use some of the tips below. Some of these came from the writer's forum that I'm a member of and some are ones I've known but not used.

~Give your wrists a break. Just stop what you're doing about every two hours and roll your wrists around a bit to stretch them out.
~Pamper your hands and wrists. If you were on your feet all day you might soak them in warm water and epsom salt to give them some relief. Why not do it with your hands?
~Try some B6. I've heard this is great and can actually heal some issues with the wrists. Not only that, but it's completely natural.
~Use a wrist pad at the keyboard. If you can't afford one, then roll a towel and place it in front of the keyboard.
~Wear a wrist brace to bed. This may help to prevent the wrist from being twisted in odd ways as you sleep.
~Massage your hands and wrists. They work hard and we need to take care of them!

I think we tend to take out bodies for granted until they break. I was actually scared this week until I got some handy tips to deal with it.

Writer's Cramp

By Alyssa Ast

As writers, we must be very careful we do not plagiarize any information or content we produce. Most real writers strive to keep their name free from the taboo of plagiarism, but even the greatest writers can receive a surprising accusation that their content was less than original. To prevent this from happening, there are a few simple online tools you can use. You can also take steps to protect your work from appearing plagiarized.

Plagiarism
As a writer, I can handle rejection, but I do not think I could handle the accusations of plagiarizing my content. Once you've been accused of copying content, your name as a writer and your credibility as a writer can be forever tainted. Your character will be questioned and so will your skills as a writer. The accusations of plagiarism can be damaging to any writer's career and even end a career altogether--not to mention the legal consequences you can suffer from a plagiarism accusation.

Copyscape
One thing you can do to be safe is to use the online tool Copyscape. Although you have to pay to use this tool, it is well worth it. There are multiple memberships available for very reasonable prices. One membership will check your work to ensure you did not copy more than 3 words in a row of someone else's work. Another membership allows you to track your work for free and monitor websites as well.

Google Alerts
If you are not into paying for memberships, you do have another option. You can create a Google account and use their free Google alerts option. Although this is a very helpful free tool, it does not check your work for plagiarized content. It does however track your content. If your content or content similar is published online, you will receive an alert telling you where it was published and who did it.

What are some ways you protect yourself and your work from plagiarism? Leave a comment or join our discussion in the Writing Mommies and Friends online group.

The Taboo of Plagiarism

By Angela Atkinson

Radish Magazine* is a healthy living magazine that is currently accepting submissions via email. Radish offers payment between $25 and $150, depending on the type and length of submission.

Writer's Guidelines reprinted from the website, below.

Radish is a monthly magazine dedicated to improving our readers' health through the natural foods, products and services of western Illinois and eastern Iowa. Editorial content is geared to reflect lifestyle choices that lead to self-renewal and renewal of resources and includes information, news and advice on diet, cooking, health and fitness, local farmers and farmers' markets. Radish is distributed free at farmers' markets, food stores, fitness clubs, libraries and health-care facilities.

Regular editorial departments are: Eating Right; Food; Great Places (healthy destinations within our market area); Outdoors (locations or activities that restore health and spirit); Homes; Gardens; Body, Mind & Soul (natural products, services and activities that help individuals look and feel the way they want); Health & Fitness (Western medicine and therapy as well as holistic, alternative and integrative practices); Food for Thought (op-ed pieces related to our departments) and Rooting Around (short items related to our departments).

Most of our material is written by our staff, but we do accept a limited number of freelance works. Previously published material is accepted. We are primarily interested in stories about the healthy opportunities specific to our region (generally the Mississippi River Valley area from Dubuque, Iowa, south to Burlington, Iowa; Fairfield, Iowa; the Iowa City, Iowa, area, the Quad-Cities area (Rock Island-Moline, Illinois, and Davenport-Bettendorf, Iowa) and east to Princeton, Illinois. If you wish to submit a freelance query, please send a one-page proposal outline. Include clips of previously published work. Generally responds in one month.

Payment varies from $50 to $150 per article depending on length and work involved. We'll pay $25 for items accepted for the Rooting Around department. Payment is made upon publication. We generally do not accept photography.

Submissions should be sent via e-mail, if possible, to Radish editor Brandy Welvaert at editor@radishmagazine.com. To submit by mail, write to Editor, Radish magazine, 1724 4th Ave., Rock Island, IL 61201. Radish cannot be responsible for unsolicited manuscripts, photographs, illustrations or other materials.

Tips: Read our magazine. We are a new publication committed to providing useful information for people who want to live a healthy, sustainable lifestyle. Practicality is the key; freelance pieces must be well documented and tightly written.

*Not the gig for you? Check out other WM writing opportunities!

Writing Opportunity: Radish Magazine

By Angela Atkinson

It's that time of year again, my writing friends. NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month), a month of intensive novel writing, begins November 1. The general idea is to write a 175 page novel in one month.

So, we'll be focusing on quantity, not quality. Does that seem strange? Maybe so--but not as strange as one might think. The fact is that writers often get caught up trying to write "quality" and then never get the story out. By working to create a specific number of pages (which you can go back and edit after you've met your goal), you're pushing yourself to actually complete the work.

NaNoWriMo may not be for everyone, but it's a great way to get rolling on that project you've been putting off. And, for those writers who aren't interested in novel writing, NaNoWriMo can be customized to fit your career. So, for example, if you're a content writer, maybe you'll write 30 articles in 30 days. Magazine writers might send 30 queries in 30 days. You get the idea.

And, in some way, it may help writers to stay motivated if they know that thousands of others will be NaNoWriMo-ing right along with them.

So, according to the NaNoWriMo website, here's the gist of it:

What: Writing one 50,000-word novel from scratch in a month's time.

Who: You! We can't do this unless we have some other people trying it as well. Let's write laughably awful yet lengthy prose together.

Why: The reasons are endless! To actively participate in one of our era's most enchanting art forms! To write without having to obsess over quality. To be able to make obscure references to passages from our novels at parties. To be able to mock real novelists who dawdle on and on, taking far longer than 30 days to produce their work.

When: You can sign up anytime to add your name to the roster and browse the forums. Writing begins November 1. To be added to the official list of winners, you must reach the 50,000-word mark by November 30 at midnight. Once your novel has been verified by our web-based team of robotic word counters, the partying begins.

And, from the website, here is "How NaNoWriMo Works."

1) Sign up for the event by clicking the "Sign Up Now" link at the top of the site. It's right there above "National."

2) Check your email and read the ginormous email our noveling robots send you. It will have "Love" in the subject line, and may be hiding in your Junk folder.

3) Log into your account and use the links on the My NaNoWriMo page to set your timezone, affiliate with a region, and tell us a little bit about yourself.

4) Begin procrastinating by reading through all the great advice and funny stories in the forums. Post some stories and questions of your own. Get excited. Get nervous. Try to rope someone else into doing this with you. Eat lots of chocolate and stockpile noveling rewards.

5) On November 1, begin writing your novel. Your goal is to write a 50,000-word novel by midnight, local time, on November 30th. You write on your own computer, using whatever software you prefer.

6) This is not as scary as it sounds.

7) Starting November 1, you can update your word count in that box at the top of the site, and post excerpts of your work for others to read. Watch your word-count accumulate and story take shape. Feel a little giddy.

8) Write with other NaNoWriMo participants in your area. Write by yourself. Write. Write. Write.

9) If you write 50,000 words of fiction by midnight, local time, November 30th, you can upload your novel for official verification, and be added to our hallowed Winner’s Page and receive a handsome winner’s certificate and web badge. We'll post step-by-step instructions on how to scramble and upload your novel starting in mid-November.

10) Win or lose, you rock for even trying.

That's all there is to it! Occasionally, participants write in to ask about the rules of the event. We don't have many! But because we've found that creativity is often heightened by constraints (and communities bolstered by shared goals) we have evolved a handful of rules over the years. The rules state that, to be an official NaNoWriMo winner, you must…

* Write a 50,000-word (or longer!) novel, between November 1 and November 30.
* Start from scratch. None of your own previously written prose can be included in your NaNoWriMo draft (though outlines, character sketches, and research are all fine, as are citations from other people's works).
* Write a novel. We define a novel as a lengthy work of fiction. If you consider the book you're writing a novel, we consider it a novel too!
* Be the sole author of your novel. Apart from those citations mentioned two bullet-points up.
* Write more than one word repeated 50,000 times.
* Upload your novel for word-count validation to our site between November 25 and November 30.

Want to know more? Check out the NaNoWriMo FAQ.

So are you in?

NaNoWriMo: Are you in?

WM Freelance Connection is excited to announce the launch of our new online group WM Freelance Connection group. This group was specially designed and created for you, the readers. This new group will be a place for writing discussion and behind the scenes information. Have you ever had a question about writing that you wanted answered? Well, post the question in our discussion board to receive feedback.

Daily discussions will take place in our discussion board to keep our readers involved and informed. Join us everyday in the new group to discuss the current blog post and much, much more.

If you have any suggestions for a topic we have yet to cover on Writing Mommies, post your suggestion in the new group. This group is for YOU, we want to hear what our readers have to say.

You can receive daily updates when subscribing to this group. To join, you can look to the right of this post where there is a white box to join the new group. Or you can CLICK HERE to join. Everyone from Writing Mommies looks forward to seeing you there!

Join WM Freelance Connection Online Group!!

By Angela Atkinson

Writing reviews is bread and butter for some freelance writers. Whether you do it for the money or for the free products, it's important that you take note of new FTC guidelines for reviewing products.

Times, they are a changin' my friends.

On October 5, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) released Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising, which puts strict new rules in place for writers who publish reviews and product endorsements.

The bottom line for online writers and bloggers is that, beginning December 1 of this year, they'll be required to disclose any connection they have to a product or service they review. So, if an advanced copy of a book is provided for a review, the writer needs to state that in the review. Or, if a company provides the writer with a product to try in exchange for a review, the writer has to disclose it.

So, essentially, in any case where the writer appears to endorse a product in any way, he or she must tell the reader how they're connected to that product. The writer should also disclose any payment, goods or services received in exchange for their endorsement.

And, if that isn't nerve wracking enough...there's always the fact that if these guidelines aren't followed to the letter, you may find yourself owing the FTC up to $11,000 in fines.

An interesting side note: newspapers and magazines don't seem to be directly affected by these new rules.

Why?

According to Publisher's Marketplace writer Michael Cader, "The main point of essence for book publishers (and book bloggers) is the determination that 'bloggers may be subject to different disclosure requirements than reviewers in traditional media.' They state that 'if a blogger’s statement on his personal blog or elsewhere (e.g., the site of an online retailer of electronic products) qualifies as an ‘endorsement,' due to either a relationship with the 'advertiser' or the receipt of free merchandise in the seeking of a review, that connection must be disclosed."

Knowing the rules is half the battle. Check out Galley Cat blogger Ron Hogan's take on this topic for more info. Or, feel free to read the entire FTC report, you know, at your leisure. ;) It's only 81 pages long, after all.

We'd love to know what our readers think of these new rules. What say you?

Bloggers and Online Reviewers Beware: New FTC Regulations Could Cost You Big

We would like to give a special congratulations to our own Writing Mommy, Kerrie McLoughlin who gave birth to her 5th child on October 7th. Samuel Scott McLoughlin made his rapid appearance into her family weighing 7lbs and 7oz. Baby Sam has had a very rough journey since birth and has yet to join his loving family at home. The Writing Mommies would like to ask all our readers to keep Kerrie, Baby Sam, and her family in your thoughts or prayers.

Welcome to the World!!

by Kerrie McLoughlin

Another rerun piece, kids, from my Mother Writer blog. I hope I’m not breaking all the Writing Mommies rules by posting an interview I did with a Writing Daddy! It’s a little goofy, so go into it with a light heart.

I’ve been hearing about Joe Konrath for years. He wrote some entertaining articles in Writer’s Digest, and I knew he’d written some great, humorous mysteries with the character Jacqueline (Jack) Daniels. But, man, I didn’t realize he’d written SIX in this series and crossed over to horror as well. I’m grabbing his latest book, “Afraid”, for my husband.

I thought it’d be fun to interview the guy. Rather than freak him out by giving him a tinkle on the telly (he’d hear the 4 squealing kids and my morning-sickness retching in the background), I decided to give the guy a break and just do an e-mail interview to feature on my little bloggies. Enjoy.

Queen Kerrie: Why are you using a different author name with this book?
JAK: J.A. Konrath writes funny mysteries with some scary parts. Jack Kilborn writes all scary parts. To speak in marketing terms, they're different brands, so they should have different names.

Moi: What do you wear and eat when you write?
Famous Writer Dude: In all seriousness, I write in my underwear. :) I have a variety of boxer shorts with cartoons and funny slogans. The pair I'm currently wearing say, "Make me an offer I can't refuse." Spongebob is another fave. In CHERRY BOMB, my sixth Jack Daniels book coming out in July, I have a character who is tied up wearing nothing but Duff Beer boxers -- that's the brew Homer drinks on The Simpsons. While I wrote that scene, I was in my Duff Beer boxers. Every time my son brings friends over, I manage to throw on some jeans and a tee. But during the day I have the house to myself, so clothing is optional. This is probably waaaaaay more than your readers wanted or needed to know, so I'm going to retcon the whole topic. When I write I wear a black Armani tuxedo.

Me: What do you do when you don't feel like writing something difficult ... do the dishes, take a walk, prank call a friend, mess around on Twitter or Facebook?
Joe: I'm so attached to my computer I have a chamber pot under my desk. I'm always answering e-mail, blogging, or replying to someone on some social network. Whenever I get stuck in a story, distraction is always a mouse click away. Though I do enjoy prank calling those "Everything Is One Dollar" stores, then repeatedly asking how much certain items cost. After the eighth or ninth time, the clerks think it's funny, I bet.

Miss K: How do you do laundry? Cram it all in or sort?
Joey K: I'm a crammer, and my wife hates it. Unless it's a red sweater, there is no reason towels can't share washer space with socks and jeans. Are there actually men who sort?

*Note from Kerrie: I am a crammer, while my husband used to be a sorter before I converted him. We suck it up and deal with gray socks that used to be white.

Constantly Pregnant Chick: How much time do you devote to writing per day?
Father of a Son: When I'm on a deadline, fourteen hours a day isn't unusual. In between books, it depends what I'm working on. I do a lot of short stories, so I'm often playing with one or two. But weeks can go by without me writing anything creative, except from my daily Twitter joke. Here are some of my daily Twitter jokes:

-- I haven't learned a thing in hypnotism class, and it costs $300 an hour. But for some reason I just signed up for six more sessions.

-- I've talked to dozens of people, but nobody wants to invest in my all natural "green" toilet paper substitute; the washable pooper cactus.

-- My wife is demanding a romantic getaway this Valentine’s Day, but she refuses to tell me whom she's going with.

-- You have to watch out for bad cholesterol. The other day, I was eating a pizza, and some bad cholesterol stole my car.

-- I missed mime class, because I was practicing at home and got stuck in an imaginary box.

-- Few things are as crucial, decisive, exigent, foremost, imperative, meaningful, necessary, relevant, salient, and vital, as the synonym.

-- Sex is great exercise, but I probably need more exercise than just four minutes a month.

There are more than two hundred other gems like this at http://www.twitter.com/jakonrath.

I really need to get away from the computer, I think.

Kurious Kerrie: How many books have you published? (In hindsight, I realize there ARE dumb questions, as I could’ve easily Googled this).
Funny Guy: The Jack Daniels series, in order, is comprised of WHISKEY SOUR, BLOODY MARY, RUSTY NAIL, DIRTY MARTINI, FUZZY NAVEL, CHERRY BOMB. I also edited the hitman anthology THESE GUNS FOR HIRE.

AFRAID, under the Jack Kilborn moniker, comes out at the end of March. Kilborn also wrote TRAPPED, coming out later this year. These are both really, really scary, so only brave people should attempt to read them.

Of course, there are no braver people on the planet than mothers, so I think your readers can handle these with no problem.

On my website, www.jakonrath.com, I have dozens of published short stories and three unpublished novels that people can read for free. I also have a scary flash game for AFRAID.

Kooky Homeschooler: How many articles have you had published?
Super Rich Writer Man: I've been in Writer's Digest a bunch of times. I lost count how many. As for short stories, I've done more than sixty. One of my current faves is a werewolf novella in WOLFSBANE & MISTLETOE, edited by Charlaine Harris and Toni L.P. Kelner. Lots of people seem to like that story. It's a funny Christmas/shapeshifter/romance/psychotic Santa tale, which are really popular these days.

Chocolate Lover: Do you recommend an author book tour?
Sarcastic Guy: Only to authors.

Mrs. McLoughlin: Who is your favorite author?
Mr. Konrath: My favorite novel is THE JUDAS GOAT by Robert B. Parker. That got me into writing mysteries. I just blurbed a terrific horror book by someone named Jack Kilborn with the quote: "What an amazing debut. I wish I'd written this." I think the book is called AFRAID. Everyone should run out and buy thirty copies.

Final Question Asker: Do you think sites like MySpace, Twitter and Facebook have helped broaden your fan base?
Long-Suffering Interviewee: Yes. Never before in history have authors been able to reach out and connect with their readers in such a big, and instantaneous, way. Of course, the secret isn't befriending people who are looking for you. The secret is to befriend people who find you when they're looking for someone else. For example, many of your blog readers probably had no idea who I was. Those who managed to wade through this interview now know me. Maybe a few of them will check out my books. That's the key to broadening your fanbase. And that's why I'm so happy you had me here today. Thanks! :)

You are very welcome, Joe! Yes, my blog readers are very beautiful and intelligent, so I’m sure they’ll be checking out your writing! Thanks for answering my often-inane questions! You rock. Knug (knuckle hug).

http://www.JAKonrath.com
http://jakonrath.blogspot.com
http://www.myspace.com/jakonrath

Writers to Watch: J.A. Konrath Writing as Jack Kilborn

Good Saturday! Today I wanted to talk about a new site that I've been writing for.

I do a lot of educational writing and sometimes I get burnt out on it. I need something that lets me stretch my creativity a bit further. That and I hate to put all of my eggs in one basket. So, I joined this site that a writer friend told me about (see how well that networking thing is working out?). The site is called Mahalo.com and it's basically a human powered search engine. Some of the things I like about it are that the staff is extremely helpful there, they give out random bonuses and they share Adsense with their writers to the tune of 40%.

The pay varies, but check this out; they pay you for answering questions! That's right, people ask all kinds of questions and if your answer gets picked as the best one, you get paid. So you can make money a couple of different ways here. You can write "tasks" that vary in pay, including How To articles, answer questions and collect page view payments.

I'm pretty excited about this site, so excited in fact that I wanted to challenge our readers and offer them a chance to make some cash. Right now they are trying to put together a fab How To team. I made the team this week. In order to make the team, you have to do a "Rush Week How To" and you will see what this means when you join the site. If I refer you and you are accepted to the How To team,after you write 10 articles that are published they will give me $75. Please note that every Mahalo dollar equals $.75. Their prize for me is actually $100(Mahalo dollars). So, here's the deal. For the first 5 people that I refer who do this successfully, I will split the prize with you.

What do you have to lose? You get paid for the How Tos anyhow, regardless of whether you make the team or not.However, you can only submit one Rush Week How To a week. Once on the team you can do as many How Tos as you like and even submit ideas of your own to do! So, send me an email at justkat73@yahoo.com (incidentally my name is the same on Mahalo) and let me me know that you are going to do a Rush Week How To. Be sure to put "Mahalo" in the subject line so I know it's important! I'll pass the news along to the powers that be so that they know I referred you. Be sure to read over their guidelines before submitting. If you need any help, feel free to ask the Mahalo staff or send me an email and I will do my best to get your questions answered. I may even just come up with a simplified explanation of the formatting to use over there and the How To rules. Keep in touch!

Mahalo How Tos

By Angela Atkinson

Writer's Digest Magazine is currently accepting nominations for the 2009 101 Best Websites for Writers List.

We feel that our Writing Mommies blog belongs on that list, and we'd like to ask for your help. However, we aren't just going to ask you to blindly nominate us--that's not our style. Instead, we present the following reasons for our request. If, after careful consideration, you feel that Writing Mommies deserves this great honor, please send your nomination to writersdigest@fwmedia.com with "101 Websites" in the subject line.

1. Writing Mommies is updated nearly every single day with fresh posts.
2. Writing Mommies features four different freelance writers, each at a different stage in her career. This offers a richer pool of experiences and insight for our readers to swim in. (Did I go too far with that analogy?)
3. While all of the Writing Mommies are, well, Mommies, our blog is for all freelance writers, with a heavy emphasis on beginners. We don't assume that you know what we're talking about--we spell it out so that anyone can understand. And, we respond to our comments--so if you have a question, we'll answer it.
4. Writing Mommies posts paying job listings, gigs and contests on a regular basis.
5. Writing Mommies shares tips and insight on both the business and the craft of writing.
5. Writing Mommies interviews successful writers from a writer's perspective, helping our readers get a glimpse inside the publishing world.
6. Writing Mommies is not afraid to share resources (like other great writing websites) with our readers. Just take a look at our sidebar. :)
7. Writing Mommies exposes scams designed to screw over our fellow writers.
8. In addition to all of the serious stuff, the Writing Mommies offer a personal touch, sharing our struggles and successes (and occasionally a giggle) as we navigate through this freelance world.

So, all things considered, we offer a one-stop resource for freelancers, served with a side of humanity. We think that's something special. How about you?

If you agree, please consider nominating us by sending an email to writersdigest@fwmedia.com. Thanks for reading, and thanks for your consideration!

Help Us Help Others: Nominate Writing Mommies Today!

From very early on, you are taught there is a process to writing. You are taught there is the pre-writing, the first draft, the revision, and the final draft. But what works for one person may not work for other people. What happens if you throw the writing process out the window and just do your own thing? Finding the writing process that works best for you is important. If you try to stick to some routine that doesn't work for you, it may actually discourage you from writing.

Pre-Writing
One thing that has been pounded into our heads since school is the pre-writing process. There are many ways this can be done. You can use a bubble chart, a basic outline, and cluster thoughts. These can be very helpful to many people but they are not helpful to me. I choose not to do outlines because when I have an idea, I like to get straight to it and not have to mess around with planning. Pre-writing causes me to lose inspiration so I choose not to do it.

First Draft
The first draft is where you are supposed to ignore grammar, punctuation and spelling. You are supposed to just let your thoughts flow and go for it. However, this does not work for me either. When I do this, I often have so many errors I can not understand what I wrote when I go to revise it. It is very important you figure out what works best for you.

Revision
There are many ways you can revise your work. You can do it yourself or have someone revise it for you. Some people do not like their unfinished work to be viewed by others so they choose to revise their own work--while still others value the input of their peers and prefer others to revise their work. You have to do what is right for you. The specific type of the piece of work I am working on will determine how I revise it.

Final Draft
If you are like me, the final draft is rarely the final draft. I am rarely completely satisfied with my work and I am always thinking of ways to improve it. Some people on the other hand can create a first draft and a final draft and be completely satisfied with their work. There are so many different ways you can do the writing process.

Readers: Tell us about your writing process in the comments section!

The Writing Process

Okay, Mommies, I’m going to be totally honest with you. The following post is a rerun from my Mother Writer blog from November of last year. With my 5th kiddo making an appearance any time now, my brain cells are shot. So here’s a book review for all your bloggers out there (or it’s just good writing practice) …

In the book “No One Cares What You Had for Lunch (100 Ideas for Your Blog)”, Margaret Mason knows her blogging stuff. She ought to: her personal blog, Mighty Girl (www.mightygirl.com) and her shopping blog, Mighty Goods draw 50,000 visitors per week combined. This book is broken down into 5 parts:

Fifteen Minutes to Fame — These are ideas for a blog post that should only take about 15 minutes to crank out. One idea is #6: Count your blessings. The author suggests blogging about things that have gone right for you recently, things you are lucky or blessed to have or do or be.

Thirty Minutes Away from the TV — Idea #28 wants you to “imagine you’ve just come into ten million dollars. How do you spend it?”

An Hour at the Screen — Idea #48 wants you to “outline your gravest humiliation.” Blogging about and posting pictures of items you are giving away but need to tell a story about is idea #50, titled “Clean house.”

Tame Your Time — Chronicling a day in your life is Idea #67. What you do all day may actually be interesting to someone else, or at least make them feel better about themselves!

Think Like a Writer — I’m considering trying #81 “Exit the comfort zone.” The author wants bloggers to start saying yes to all kinds of invitations they’d never usually accept. I have found it to be true that the best writing experiences come from things you didn’t want to do (like working a crappy job or attending the party of someone you don’t really like). With 4 kids up my sleeve, experiences get even MORE interesting!

Bottom line: I give it 8 Dove chocolate hearts out of 10

Book Review: No One Cares What You Had for Lunch (100 Ideas for Your Blog)

How many times have you started a new job to be met with cold shoulders. It doesn't matter if you have 20 years of experience, someone has seen you as their competition or as a stranger in their land. Before you even started the job your head was filled with information about the job. Of course, you couldn't remember most of it past the basics of the pay, hours and days you work and some brief insurance information.

In some respects, writing is no different. The first site you write for is going to fill you with information that you won't remember. There is no insurance to think about and there are the rare writers that will give you a cold shoulder.

The difference is that MOST writers won't give you the cold shoulder. In point of fact, I have never actually met up with one that wasn't eager to help. The funny thing is that writing can be a cut throat business, especially when you are bidding on work in an open forum. It however, the only field I've ever worked in that the competition is as eager to see their associates gain success even if they personally aren't.

This is important to know because we may be jaded into thinking that there is nowhere to turn for advice based on our past experiences. Writers are a completely separate lot. For one thing, you have to keep in mind that we love to share information. Hello? It's what we do!

I mean, imagine being in the break room with one of your more successful coworkers. You turn to them and ask "How can I get in the same position as you?". You're likely to get a glare and a blithe answer like "Hard work." While that may be the truth, it doesn't give you any information that you didn't already have. Ask a writer how to be where they are and you will likely get a lengthy email giving you more details than you ever wanted.

The point of me sharing this information is that I have noticed that some writers are struggling with no real idea of how to succeed. They may even be great writers, but writing online takes more than great writing. To be successful you not only have to be a great writer, but you have to have quite a bit of knowledge about different sites, concepts and things like SEO. I want to encourage you to use your resources and talk to your fellow writers. Most of us love to share what we have learned. Just ask any of my friends who are struggling financially right now as I encourage (demand) that they check out the world of writing online.

The Competition

When you made the choice to become a writer, you probably did not realize you chose a brutal career path. Handling the rejection and criticism that comes with being a writer can easily crush your confidence as a writer. However, there are many tips you can follow to build your confidence as a writer and help further your writing career.

Comparisons
The worst thing you can do to damage your confidence as a writer, is to compare yourself to fellow writers. Every writer is unique, with their own unique writing style. You should never compare yourself with other writers and their writing styles. However, what you can do is areas of their writing that you like or admire, use those things to help you improve your writing-- just don't copy them.

Accomplishments
A great way to boost your confidence is to make the most of your accomplishments. Any accomplishment you achieve as a writer is a reason to boast. You should savor these moments. I know if you are like me, when I achieve a goal or meet a milestone I feel like standing on a mountain top and telling the world. This can be great to do for your confidence. Although don't go over board and drive everyone crazy with your bragging.

Negativity
An important aspect of maintaining confidence as a writer is to handle rejection and criticism well. Although it can be very easy to doubt yourself as a writer when receiving a rejection or harsh criticism, it is important to remember everyone is different. No two editors will think the same. You need to deal with the fact some people will like your writing and some will not. Don't let the negativity get you down.

Trust
It is very important to trust yourself as a writer. You can not be a great writer while doubting yourself. You must have faith in your writing and trust yourself completely. If all else fails, there is a helpful saying "fake it until you make it".

Build your Confidence as a Writer!!

By Angela Atkinson

Today's writing opportunity* is perfect for anyone who loves and understands the business end of golf. Golf Business Magazine is currently seeking submissions. Pay varies by project. Writer's Guidelines reprinted from the website below:


Golf Business - Writers Guidelines (as of 10/09)

Publication Overview
Golf Business is the official magazine of the National Golf Course Owners Association. Published monthly, Golf Business is designed to promote the exchange of information and ideas among course owners, operators, general managers, partners, directors, investors and senior industry executives. The publication’s mission is to help improve profits for course owners/operators. It is a four-color, high-quality, saddle-stitched publication. Currently, circulation is more than 19,000.

Golf Business provides readers timely and substantive information beneficial for course owners and operators. The magazine keeps the golf industry informed of current trends in areas such as legislation, agronomics, employment, marketing, design and business tips. Golf Business also offers fresh perspectives on ways to make a course more profitable.

Editorial Information
The readers of Golf Business are in the business of golf. Because this is a business publication, articles should be succinct and straightforward; avoid overloading articles with anecdotes or editorializing. Although readers are business men/women, a conversational tone is preferred to ensure articles are easy to read. Golf Business recommends articles be written in the third person rather than first person.

Before submitting any assignment, writers should edit articles to the best of their ability, adhering to AP Stylebook guidelines. If deemed unacceptable, articles may be returned to the writer for re-working. Keep in mind that all articles are subject to intense editorial scrutiny.

Terms
Payment for articles varies by length, location in the magazine and other factors, and is negotiated with the writer. Payment is made 30 days following publication. Golf Business will pay telephone and certain other expenses, if agreed-upon in advance. A 20% “kill fee” will be paid for articles assigned and completed but not published.

A formal invoice from the writer is required for payment. Invoices should be made to Golf Business with details of the assignment noted. Please include Social Security number on invoice.

The publisher is granted one-time editorial rights to the submitted article for publication in the print version of Golf Business. Once the submitted article is accepted for publication, it cannot be published elsewhere for 90 days from the publication release dates unless written permission is granted by the publisher.

Contact Information:

Rodney Foushee - Editor Golf Business Magazine
291 Seven Farms Dr.
Charleston, SC 29492
(800) 933-4262 ext 224
Fax: (843) 856-3288
Email: rfoushee@ngcoa.org

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Writing Opportunity: Golf Business Magazine