***************************************************************** W R I T I N G W O R L D A World of Writing Information - For Writers Around the World http://www.writing-world.com/ Issue 11:10 12,560 subscribers May 19, 2011 ***************************************************************** MANAGE YOUR SUBSCRIPTION: See the bottom of this newsletter for details on how to subscribe, unsubscribe, or contact the editors. ***************************************************************** IN THIS ISSUE: ================================================================= THE EDITOR'S DESK: The Secret of Success, by Moira Allen THE WRITING DESK: Earnings, by Moira Allen NEWS FROM THE WORLD OF WRITING FEATURE: Tickler Files Increase Your Success, by Robert Moskowitz THE WRITE SITES -- Online Resources for Writers WRITING CONTESTS WITH NO ENTRY FEES The Author's Bookshelf ***************************************************************** Writing.Com is the online community for writers of all interests. Create your free online portfolio and start writing today! ---> http://wwx.Writing.Com/ <--- Become a fan on Facebook: http://facebook.com/WritingCom Follow us on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/WritingCom **************************************************************** WRITERSCOLLEGE.COM has 57 online courses. Prices are low. If you can reach our web site, you can take our courses. http://www.writerscollege.com/ ***************************************************************** WRITE CHILDREN'S BOOKS. Achieve your dream of becoming a published author. Learn the secrets from an experienced pro writer. Train online or by mail. Free writing test. http://www.writingforchildren.com/H0431 ***************************************************************** You CAN Make a Great Full-Time Living As a Writer! Once you know the simple secrets of writing for this little-known lucrative market. You can work from home, be in control of your schedule and earn an average of $75-$150 an hour. http://www.thewriterslife.com/a63/full-time-living ***************************************************************** THOUSANDS OF WRITERS USE FANSTORY.COM FOR: * Feedback. Get feedback for every poem and story that you write. * Contests. Over 40 contests are always open and free to enter. * Rankings. Statistics will show you how your writing is doing. http://www.fanstory.com/index1.jsp?at=38 ***************************************************************** FROM THE EDITOR'S DESK ================================================================ The Secret of Success --------------------- In the previous issue, I took a little nostalgia trip, looking at where we were fourteen years ago. That prompted a couple of e-mails from readers pointing out the vast difference between where we were then and where we are now -- in a positive sense. One reader wrote to tell me that she had suffered a major auto accident twenty years ago, and lost the ability to work outside the home. "Twenty years ago," she points out, "I was convinced I would never work again." Thanks to the Internet, she is now a successful editor. Another reader wrote to tell me that she'd just found a new market through our newsletter, and is now earning an extra $100 a week writing for a content provider. "I will not get rich... but I will be able to eat a little better because of it," she notes. "In addition, the satisfaction of once again earning something, anything, from my writing... is a sweetness only another writer can understand." I often wonder what I would be doing today if there were no Internet. Obviously, I would not be doing THIS! Most of my "business" is conducted online or, at the very least, promoted online. When I self-published my first book, we spent hours folding flyers and stuffing them into envelopes, not to mention hundreds of dollars on printing and postage. When orders did arrive, I wrapped them up in my little "mailing station" in the hall. Now, a website does the work of promoting the book, and Amazon does the work of shipping it. Thanks to the Internet, we can gain clients and customers around the world. My first experience with an online newsletter was Inklings -- working with an editor who lived in Canada, and whom I'd never met. Now this newsletter is edited by a writer who lives in England -- and whom, for years, I'd never met. The Internet has opened doors that, twenty years ago, we couldn't even dream of. It has opened doors that people thought would remain forever closed to them, for reasons of disability, of distance, of discouragement. But there is one thing that it hasn't changed -- and that's what happens once we choose to step THROUGH one of those open doors. Thousands upon thousands have looked at the opportunities offered by the Web and thought, "Wow! Look at all those open doors -- here's my chance!" Here's my chance to be rich, to be famous, to be published, to be a success. But an open door is only that -- a doorway. When we step through, we find that it's not the door that leads to success. It's what we do on the other side. The two writers I mentioned at the beginning of this editorial aren't successful because they found new doors to step through. They are successful because, to put it crudely, they stepped through those doors and then worked their butts off. I get loads of e-mails from writers who want to know the "secret" of becoming published, of becoming an author, of "getting started," and so forth. Generally I refer them to our "beginner" sections and suggest that, once they've read the many articles we have published offering exactly the information they claim to seek, I'd be happy to try to answer a more "specific" question. I never hear from them again. I never hear from them, I suspect, because they learn to their dismay that the "secret" of success has never been a secret. And it hasn't changed, not in fourteen years or four hundred. Nor is it GOING to change, no matter how technology changes in the future. It's still dramatically, painfully simple. Find an open door. Go through. Then, work your butt off. -- Moira Allen, Editor (Dawn is coping with a family emergency and will be back with an editorial "from the newsletter editor" next month.) ***************************************************************** CHILDREN'S WRITERS Read by over 1,000 children's book and magazine editors, this monthly newsletter can be your own personal source of editors' wants and needs, market tips, and professional insights. Get 2 FREE issues to start. http://www.thechildrenswriter.com/AJ934 ***************************************************************** The Writing Desk: Earnings ================================================================= How much does the average writer make? --------------------------------------- Q: I have a question about monthly income for writers. I am somewhat young -- 23 -- and have decided upon a career as a writer. My question is, How much can an average writer make (1) writing articles for magazines and (2) writing books? Given time to establish myself in the industry, is $1,000 monthly a little too much to expect? And will having a degree help me in the writing business? A: I'm not sure there is such a thing as an "average" writer. It depends on your skill, experience, and the subject area that you might wish to write about. Magazines may pay anything from $25 to $2500 for a 2000-word article. However, needless to say, it's a lot easier for a new writer to break into those $25 markets than to break into the $2500 markets. Your first question might be to consider what you want to write about, and then research the market potential in your field. For example, if you want to write about pets, you're stuck with about four major magazines that pay up to $500 per feature. If you want to write about business, your options are considerably broader -- but your expertise must also be stronger as well. Rarely does a beginner in the industry start out by writing for the $1000-per-feature magazines. Generally you'll find that you're starting with those that pay $100 for an article. (You should at least shoot for that -- you'll soon find that writing 2000 words for $25 isn't worth the effort.) Then it's a question of math. If you can successfully break into the $100/article market range, you'll have to sell 10 articles per month to earn $1000. Generally you'll have to start with queries, so you'll first have to write 10 queries (at least) per month -- and that's assuming they all get accepted. If, as is more likely, your acceptance rate on queries is 50% or less, you'll have to write 20 queries or more per month to get to that rate. Some people find queries easy to write; others find them more time-consuming. Let's say that you get ten assignments. That means you must write 10 articles per month to earn your $1000. That means, in turn, that you must be able to write an article every three days -- including research, interviewing, etc. (plus finding time to do all those queries). It sounds like you're recently out of college -- imagine writing a term paper every three days and you'll get the idea! To earn "real" money as a writer, then, you have to try to crack those higher-paying markets as soon as possible (but you will usually have to "work up" from some of the lower-paying markets to get the clips to give you credibility). If, for example, you can start selling to $500 markets, you only have to write two articles per month to get that $1000 -- and that's a lot more reasonable workload. But -- even if you earn $1000 a month, that's $12,000 a year. I don't know where you live, but when you take out taxes etc., it's pretty darn hard to live on $12,000 a year. Remember that as a writer, you're paying for your own medical coverage, social security, etc. So there's a difference between earning even $12,000 a year and earning a living as a freelance writer. Writing books isn't going to improve the odds. First, writing a book usually takes approximately a year, counting research and writing time (assuming we're talking nonfiction). A novel usually takes that long as well. If you're writing fiction, you will have to complete the novel before you can even begin to market it, as no publisher or agent will discuss an unfinished novel with a first-time writer. If you're writing nonfiction, however, you can often presell your book before you write it by submitting a solid proposal to the right publisher. (Sometimes that can happen very quickly; I've sold proposals in as little as two weeks.) So you might see payment on your nonfiction book within the first year; you won't see a penny on a novel for two to three years (and possibly two to three years after you actually write it). How much will you see? As a first-time writer, chances are that your advance (for either fiction or nonfiction) will be in the range of $3000 to $5000. If you're very lucky, it might be as high as $10,000, but it will have to be a blockbuster book. If you write the next Harry Potter, you'll get more -- but the reason we know about books like that is because they come along once every decade or so. So that's $5000, tops, for a year of work -- and a year in which you won't be able to do much other writing, because the book is going to consume at least 80% of your time. Plus, it may be the last penny you ever see on that book, as most books don't do more than earn out their advances -- don't bet the farm on ongoing royalties. (I just got a whopping $80 for one of my older books, for six months of sales. That's two dinners out for my husband and myself at a fairly modest restaurant.) Does all this sound depressing? Unfortunately, the business prospects for freelance writers ARE depressing -- and I honestly don't encourage anyone to try to start their first career in this field. You can get to a living wage eventually, but it usually takes several years of hard work to get there. Since you have to have something to eat during those years, most people (myself included) recommend that you have a way of building a financial cushion before you decide to launch this type of career. I'll get back to the financial issues in a moment, but there's another reason I don't recommend jumping straight into a career as a freelance writer, and that's "experience." This may sound odd, but it's hard to make it as a writer if all you know how to do is write. If, however, you explore other areas and career paths, you can build up some background and expertise that you can later write about. As a freelancer, having some experience in the field that you're writing about can go farther toward selling your queries and articles than simply having the ability to write (and research) well. OK, back to the financial issue. What I recommend is that if you're serious about writing as a career, find a day-job that involves writing. It's often not as "glamorous" as freelancing, but it will give you loads of excellent experience, in the industry where you most need to know the ropes, and it will give you a steady paycheck. It will teach you what works and what doesn't. It will give you a chance to find out what interests you most about writing (maybe it's writing for magazines, maybe it's writing novels). It will give you an opportunity to freelance on the side, and build clips and credentials, without having to worry about where your next rent check is coming from. In three to five years, you'll be able to build (a) a reputation, (b) a nest-egg, and (c) contacts that can give you information or assignments. Will a degree help you? That depends on what the degree is in and what you're trying to do. A degree in English or journalism can help you get a job in the publishing industry (e.g., working for a newspaper, magazine, book publisher, website, etc.). A degree in a specific field can often help you get a job within that field -- i.e., if you have a business degree, it might help you get a job in a business publishing company. A degree in a specific field can also help you sell articles within that field; it's a credential. However, it won't help you outside that field. However, in general, a degree of any kind will almost always bring you a higher salary than no degree. Copyright (c) 2011 by Moira Allen **************************************************************** WIN UP TO $500 WRITING A POEM OR SHORT STORY! Dream Quest One Poetry & Writing Contest. Write a poem, 30 lines or fewer on any subject and/or write a short story, 5 pages max., on any theme, single or double line spacing, neatly hand printed or typed for a chance to win cash prizes. Visit http://www.dreamquestone.com/ for details! ***************************************************************** NEWS FROM THE WORLD OF WRITING ================================================================= Ebooks Leading to Increase in Digital Piracy? --------------------------------------------- An article in the Daily Telegraph claims that one in eight women over the age of 35 in Britain have admitted to reading unlicensed or pirated books on their digital book readers. If these figures are true it could be worrying for publishers as they strive to publish more books in digital format. For more on this story visit: http://tinyurl.com/69nr3ao More Short Stories by Anthony Burgess Discovered ------------------------------------------------ Researchers have discovered over 20 short stories, letters and a few film scripts written by the author of "A Clockwork Orange," who died in 1993. Amongst the works found was Burgess' original script for the film of "A Clockwork Orange," which was rejected by Stanley Kubrick. For more on this story visit: http://tinyurl.com/43f66hj Report to Recommend a Relaxation of UK Copyright Laws ----------------------------------------------------- A report is being submitted to the UK government to suggest that UK Copyright Laws be relaxed. The Hargreaves Report wants the government to change Intellectual Property Laws to make it legal for people to parody other's works as they can in the US. For more on this story visit: http://tinyurl.com/6fpxnt4 ***************************************************************** NEW AGENCY, Best Wishes Literary Management seeks fiction and nonfiction writers. No Reading fees. Visit http://www.publishersmarketplace.com/members/jjamie663/ or email bestwishesliterary@yahoo.com ***************************************************************** WRITING JOBS AND OPPORTUNITIES ================================================================= Chainbooks Seek Chapter Writers ------------------------------- Chainbooks.com is a social-based website where people from all over the world can take part in writing a book together, one chapter at a time. The site will launch in summer 2011, and right now they are looking for people to be "Starter Chapter" writers. They would like to have about 500 first chapters complete before our launch this summer. Each Starter Chapter needs to be around 3000 words in length. The Starter Chapter writers will receive $25 for each approved chapter plus additional compensation on books that meet successful sales goals. To find out more visit their website at http://www.chainbooks.com/ or to get involved in this project send an email to eapoe@chainbooks.com *************************************************************** FEATURE: Tickler Files Increase Your Success ================================================================= By Robert Moskowitz There are many differences between successful and unsuccessful freelance writers that have nothing to do with their relative abilities to write. One of the most important is how well they manage the critical business functions that are essential to surviving in the writing game. As the author of "How To Organize Your Work and Your Life," I've been interested in "time management" for decades, and I've used my "Tickler File" to great advantage not only to meet my writing commitments, but to build and maintain a freelance writing practice that paid for my two sons' college educations, a couple of homes, and countless hot dinners. In today's electronic world, it may surprise you that I advocate the standard old-fashioned paper "Tickler File." It's a simple device consisting of 12 file folders labeled "January" through "December," plus 31 file folders labeled "1" through "31." Into these folders you place, as they come up in your mind, written reminders of every task you want to do on a specific date in the future. On the first of each month, you sort through this month's folder and distribute your written reminders into the appropriate locations within the 1-thru-31 dated folders. Each day, you look in "today's" folder and retrieve your notes and associated paperwork for each of the tasks you've set for yourself. If you've switched to any form of electronic calendaring system, you can dispense with the paper folders and simply post the same kind of "tickler" notes to yourself electronically, each one under the appropriate upcoming date. (It's more difficult to keep associated documents with these electronic reminders, however, so you may want to use the physical file folder system, in addition.) Now let's look at how you apply the power of your "Tickler File" (TF) to some essential tasks for thriving financially as a freelancer: Prospecting ----------- You already know to spend a good portion of your time looking for new sales and new markets. Whether you generate ideas first and then go looking for appropriate markets, or find new markets first and then generate suitable ideas, it is essential that you maintain continuity. And that's where the TF is a big help. Place your ideas and/or your prospective markets in your TF to make sure none of them falls through the cracks and dies, unexplored. After each contact with a prospective market, place a reminder in your TF so you are certain to follow up in the right way at the right time Pitching -------- If only pitching were as easy as making a phone call and spewing a spiel. But as you probably know, keeping a pitch alive and nurturing it into an assignment often requires a long, convoluted series of communications, sometimes with several people, in which your original idea gets restructured to better meet that market's needs and preferences. It's easy to lose track of where you are in the process and your best next step, particularly when you're juggling multiple pitches to multiple markets all at once. Keeping your notes on each pitch to each market moving forward in your TF is the simplest and most reliable way to avoid getting tangled in your own glib tongue. Selling ------- Once you've established yourself with a particular market, it's basic good business practice to keep going back to ask for more sales. But how often, and what to say each time? Your TF provides an excellent mechanism for making sure you pitch your best markets at the most appropriate intervals, and also for keeping track of your past interactions with each market so you can make the people there feel well-remembered each time you call or write. Billing ------- It's great to write a story for pay, and it's even better to write the invoice for it. But I never like to send my invoice in the same envelope or e-mail with my story, because I don't want to give the impression that I am done working until my client is satisfied. So I put a note in my TF to bill for the story a week, or in some cases a month, into the future. This way, I give the editor enough time to ask for changes, if he/she wants any, with no risk of my forgetting to ask for payment. Collecting ---------- Writing an invoice is fun, but cashing a check is even better. So I'm careful to put a note in my TF that reminds me whom I've billed, when, and how much. Usually, I place the reminder about 45 days out. This way, if the billing and payment process goes normally, I won't bother the editor or publisher unnecessarily for my payment, and I can simply discard the reminder when it pops up in my TF. But if there's any unusual delay, my TF makes sure I'm right on top of the situation quickly enough to keep my cash flow healthy. As you'll see when you try it with these tasks and others, your "Tickler File" can be a successful freelance writer's best friend. >>--------------------------------------------------<< Copyright 2011 Robert Moskowitz Robert Moskowitz is a successful author and editor with a knack for conveying complex and difficult topics in a friendly, down-to-earth style. He resides in Santa Monica with his wife, a novelist, where they collaborate on writing stories. In addition to his countless articles for dozens of popular magazines, his published non-fiction books include "How To Organize Your Work and Your Life," "Small Business Computing -- A Guide in Plain English," "Out On Your Own," and "Parenting Your Aging Parents." For more information on handling the business side of writing visit: http://www.writing-world.com/rights/index.shtml **************************************************************** EBOOK SELF-PUBLISHING EXPLAINED An epublishing revolution is sweeping the industry. We explain what is happening and show you how to self-publish your own ebooks. http://www.publishyourownebooks.com/ ***************************************************************** THE WRITE SITES ================================================================= WriteandPublishYourBook.com ---------------------------- Although this site is aimed at would be self-published authors, it has articles that are of interest to all writers covering SEO techniques, article writing, script writing and novels. It also has several free ebooks on writing for you to download too. http://www.writeandpublishyourbook.com/news_portal/ WARNING: This site appears to have good information, but when I visited, Kaspersky Anti-Virus warned that it was a "dangerous URL." We're not deleting the reference, but advise readers to visit with caution. Writing Forward --------------- This is an excellent blog on creative and poetry writing. It has lots of posts on such topics as creative writing, grammar, poetry, lyrics as well as useful exercises to help you to develop or polish your creative or poetry writing skills. http://www.writingforward.com/ One Million Monkeys Typing -------------------------- If you like collaborative writing or are thinking of dipping your toes in the creative writing genre, then this site might be just what you were looking for. You read a story then when you come to the end of the section you can either continue to read or add your own section. http://www.1000000monkeys.com/# ***************************************************************** WIN PRIZES AND GET PUBLISHED! Find out how to submit your stories, poetry, articles and books to hundreds of writing contests in the US and internationally. Newly updated for 2010, WRITING TO WIN by Moira Allen is the one-stop resource you need for contests and contest tips. Visit Writing-World.com's bookstore for details: http://www.writing-world.com/bookstore/index.shtml ***************************************************************** WRITING CONTESTS ================================================================= This section lists contests that charge no entry fees. Unless otherwise indicated, competitions are open to all adult writers. For a guide to more than 1000 writing contests throughout the world, see Moira Allen's book, "Writing to Win: The Colossal Guide to Writing Contests" (http://www.writing-world.com/bookstore/index.shtml). JOURNALSTONE PUBLISHING CONTEST FOR HORROR NOVELS ------------------------------------------------- DEADLINE: June 1, 2011 GENRE: Books DETAILS: Submit a minimum 75,000 word horror novel. PRIZE: $2000 cash advance against royalties, publication and eligibility for membership of the Horror Writers' Association. 2nd Prize $500, 3rd Prize $200. All winners will receive publication by JournalStone. URL: http://journalstone.com/contest/2000-in-2011-horror-contest/ HILLERMAN MYSTERY COMPETITION ----------------------------- DEADLINE: June 1, 2011 GENRE: Books OPEN TO: Authors with no published books in the mystery genre DETAILS: Minimum 60,000 words murder mystery, or mystery novel. Murder or another serious crime or crimes is at the heart of the story, and emphasis is on the solution rather than the details of the crime. The story's primary setting is the Southwestern United States, including at least one of the following states: Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas, and/or Utah. PRIZE: $10,000 advance against royalties and publication by St. Martin's Press. URL: http://www.wordharvest.com/novel_contest.php APPALACHIAN HERITAGE WRITERS SYMPOSIUM CONTEST ---------------------------------------------- DEADLINE: June 1, 2011 GENRE: Young Writers DETAILS: Short Stories or Creative Nonfiction. Any genre. Poetry: 1 poem, up to 30 lines; Essay: maximum 1,500 words; Short Story: maximum 2,500 words. PRIZE: $75 URL: http://tinyurl.com/5ruko4o FRASER INSTITUTE STUDENT ESSAY CONTEST -------------------------------------- DEADLINE: June 1, 2011 GENRE: Nonfiction OPEN TO: High School, College and Graduate Students DETAILS: 1,000 - 1,500 word essay on the topic "Is Capitalism Dead?" See website for more details. PRIZE: C$1,000, 2nd Prize C$500, plus a prize of C$250 for best high school entry. High school students are also eligible for the main prizes. Winners published on website, and possibly also in Fraser Institute periodicals. URL: http://tinyurl.com/5t54f2a ERIC HOFFER AWARD FOR SHORT PROSE --------------------------------- DEADLINE: June 30, 2011 GENRE: Short Stories, Creative Nonfiction DETAILS: One story or essay, to 10,000 words PRIZE: $500 URL: http://www.hofferaward.com/ L. RON HUBBARD'S WRITERS OF THE FUTURE CONTEST ------------------------------------------------ DEADLINE: June 30, 2011 GENRE: Short Stories OPEN TO: Authors with No Published Books: The Contest is open only to those who have not had professionally published a novel or short novel, or more than one novelette, or more than three short stories, in any medium. Professional publication is deemed to be payment, and at least 5,000 copies, or 5,000 hits for online publication. DETAILS: Fantasy, Sci-Fi or Horror: All types of science fiction, fantasy and horror with fantastic elements, are welcome. 17,000 words maximum. PRIZE: $1,000 first prize awarded each quarter; one of those winners also receives the $5,000 annual "Gold Award" grand prize. Each quarter, 2nd Prize $750, 3rd Prize $500 URL: http://www.writersofthefuture.com/contest-rules ***************************************************************** AUTHOR'S BOOKSHELF: Books by Our Readers ================================================================= Mirror of Our Lives: Voices of Four Igbo Women, by Joy Nwosu Lo-Bamijoko Patty Ratty and her New Tap Shoes, by Marion McKibben Starting Your Career as a Freelance Writer (Second Edition), by Moira Allen Find these and more great books at http://www.writing-world.com/books/index.shtml Have you just had a book published? If so, let our readers know: just click on the link below to list your book. http://www.writing-world.com/books/listyours.shtml ***************************************************************** ADVERTISE in WRITING WORLD or on WRITING-WORLD.COM! For details on how to reach more than 100,000 writers a month with your product, service or book title, visit http://www.writing-world.com/admin1/adrates.shtml ***************************************************************** Writing World is a publication of Writing-World.com http://www.writing-world.com/ Editor and Publisher: MOIRA ALLEN (editors@writing-world.com) Newsletter Editor: DAWN COPEMAN (editorial@writing-world.com) Copyright 2011 Moira Allen Individual articles copyrighted by their authors. Back issues archived at http://www.writing-world.com/newsletter/index.shtml Writing World is hosted by Aweber.com ***************************************************************** Subscribers are welcome to re-circulate. Sutton House, Meads Road, Eastbourne, East Sussex To unsubscribe or change subscriber options visit: <A HREF="http://www.aweber.com/z/r/?LEyszKyMtCwcrMxs7GwMtEa0nJwMjGwcjA==">http://www.aweber.com/z/r/?LEyszKyMtCwcrMxs7GwMtEa0nJwMjGwcjA==</A>
Helen and Teacher
The Story of my Life
Thursday, May 19, 2011
RIP Anne Boleyn
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Comments, Please!
ReplyDeleteDr. E