After an admittedly slow month, during which I caught up on my query writing, self-marketing and chipmunk feeding, I've been rewarded for my patience. We just upgraded our internet connection to the fastest available here in Canada; it's called Nitro, and Dave likes to peeve me by coming up behind me and going "Niiit-rooo" like it's the name of a new Transformer and he's in an obnoxious commercial for it. So I've got the Nitro, and--drumroll--a new Shaw email address! You're not excited. I can tell. It's exciting for me, though, because it now means that I can finally reply to job postings that have only a Craigslist email address as contact info. What we've deduced is that Craigslist somehow thinks my hosted address is spam, nor does it accept mail from my Hotmail account. So, now I don't have to search (more often than not fruitlessly) for alternative contact info or watch perfectly available job positions just go floating by while I sit idly chewing my nails.
And, to top things off, I got home from donating blood to a message saying I landed a regular gig for the rest of the month. You give a little, you get a little, I guess. Especially when I get to gross Dave out by intoning "blooood" while waving my bandage around.
How's summer been for you?
Wednesday, August 6, 2008
Tuesday, August 5, 2008
You Know You Work from Home When...
all you have to do to prepare for an interview is brush your teeth. And even that's optional.
Monday, August 4, 2008
Stay Abreast of Trends with Trade Pubs
Perusing trade publications may not be the most exciting thing in the world to do, especially when you're not really sure of what you're looking for. I tend to sit down with a few trade mags with a pen and paper at hand and jot down any article ideas that come to mind through my browsing. But yesterday while sitting out on the balcony and flipping through a grocer's trade magazine, I had a thought which was soon followed by a rushing river of article ideas. That thought was: this magazine is an insider's guide to the factors that lead to consumer trends.
For example, I came across an article on what some of the top bread manufacturers are doing to deal with the rising cost of flour, which is inevitably passed down to the consumer. Now, wouldn't consumers want to know why their bread has jumped up a dollar or more per loaf? The article went on to explain that certain manufacturers were altering their recipes to use cheaper ingredients. Again, wouldn't consumers like to know that their trusty brand of bread is changing its recipe? Will more allergens such as glucose be added? What about those on a low carb diet? Wouldn't they want to know that they should start checking the nutritional facts on their usual loaf to make sure it's still within their diet's guidelines?
Trade magazines are what those in their respective industries are reading. But with the right angles, these little gems of insider information can be spun into pieces that consumers would be interested in. I find retail trade publications to be especially helpful in this.
How do you find trade publications to be helpful? Or do you find them helpful at all?
For example, I came across an article on what some of the top bread manufacturers are doing to deal with the rising cost of flour, which is inevitably passed down to the consumer. Now, wouldn't consumers want to know why their bread has jumped up a dollar or more per loaf? The article went on to explain that certain manufacturers were altering their recipes to use cheaper ingredients. Again, wouldn't consumers like to know that their trusty brand of bread is changing its recipe? Will more allergens such as glucose be added? What about those on a low carb diet? Wouldn't they want to know that they should start checking the nutritional facts on their usual loaf to make sure it's still within their diet's guidelines?
Trade magazines are what those in their respective industries are reading. But with the right angles, these little gems of insider information can be spun into pieces that consumers would be interested in. I find retail trade publications to be especially helpful in this.
How do you find trade publications to be helpful? Or do you find them helpful at all?
Saturday, August 2, 2008
On the Wire
I hate to start another post with, "Is it just me, or..." but here I go:
Is it just me, or is it more difficult to come up with topics to query during the summer than it is the rest of the year? And I'm in Vancouver, for crying out loud. It's not like I'm smack dab in the deserts of Kelowna or in the deep south. Weather is moderately grey most of the time, with a splash of sizzling sun right when you least expect it. It's all, Surprise! Summer! And then that thought dips below the horizon and the clear blue gets gobbled up by a padded whitish grey.
On a recent e-roam I stumbled across a site, PR Newswire for Journalists. It's all press releases compiled in categories such as Public Issues, Energy, Technology and Healthcare. Perfect for news journalists--and news junkies--and a great indicator of cultural trends, news items that are or soon will be household topics and breaking finds in medical and technical fields. You can sign up and choose your topic filters or just browse the Features.
So go ahead. Kill an hour and have a scroll through all the things you never knew you cared about. Think Digg for professionals.
Is it just me, or is it more difficult to come up with topics to query during the summer than it is the rest of the year? And I'm in Vancouver, for crying out loud. It's not like I'm smack dab in the deserts of Kelowna or in the deep south. Weather is moderately grey most of the time, with a splash of sizzling sun right when you least expect it. It's all, Surprise! Summer! And then that thought dips below the horizon and the clear blue gets gobbled up by a padded whitish grey.
On a recent e-roam I stumbled across a site, PR Newswire for Journalists. It's all press releases compiled in categories such as Public Issues, Energy, Technology and Healthcare. Perfect for news journalists--and news junkies--and a great indicator of cultural trends, news items that are or soon will be household topics and breaking finds in medical and technical fields. You can sign up and choose your topic filters or just browse the Features.
So go ahead. Kill an hour and have a scroll through all the things you never knew you cared about. Think Digg for professionals.
Sunday, July 27, 2008
Back to the Basics
With oodles of information out there on the Interwebs, it's hard to find the motivation to pick up a good, old-fashioned, paper-and-ink book anymore. But, as writers, we all have stacks of them at home. My question for you is: do you still refer to your bookshelf when you have a grammar question, are stumped for a story idea or just want to thumb through some musty smelling pages? I confess to using dictionary.com when I need a quick word definition or correct spelling while at the computer, but when I sit out on the deck with a biography or historical fiction (one for each Achilles heel) I always keep my 20 pound Canadian Oxford Dictionary with me. Remember the days before Digg, StumbleUpon and Wikipedia, when you could get lost in a good dictionary? Can it be that it was all so simple then?
Anyway, which books do you refer to? Or have you gone completely wired?
Anyway, which books do you refer to? Or have you gone completely wired?
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
Time to Winterize Your Queries
Right now, most of our thoughts are dominated by such things as planning a camping trip, keeping the kids busy (only one more month to go!), prepping for a family barbecue or even just bobbing around in a pool in an inflatable chair with a cup holder. While that's all well and good, it's coming up on the five month mark. Five months until what? The winter holidays. I know. Shudder.
But since most magazines have a four to six month lead time, that means it's time for us writers to be sending off queries geared for December/January issues. Here are a few starting points to get your thoughts winterized.
* What are you going to do about gifts this year? Is it more cost effective to purchase one big item for the whole family, say a new computer, or is it better to buy everyone separate gifts? Which one saves more time/money/sanity?
* What about the men on your list? What are some ways to surprise the guy who has everything and wants nothing?
* What about the teens? Are you going to beat your brains trying to find something they'll actually like and use, or would it be easier to take them shopping?
* What are the classic, tried-and-true baby toys that sell year after year? Why are they still popular?
* What's the simplest way to plan a family dinner/office party/New Year's party? What about a cost-effective yet elegant dinner or party?
* How do you stay in shape over the holidays? Do you have a killer sugar-free cookies recipe?
* How do you beat the winter blues?
* Take a look at fall runways. What's in style this winter? What are some cost-effective ways to mimic high-end looks?
* How will you keep the kids busy while they're out for winter holidays? Do you have any craft ideas to share?
These are just a few off the top of my head, but you get the picture. If this is too difficult to do, thinking of winter articles while the sun's still a-blazing, then look for publications that have a one year lead time for seasonal content; you can submit your summer pitches now for next year's issues. Then when winter rolls around make note of things you'd like to write about as they crop up in your daily life and submit those for the following year. The only thing with that method is the loooong wait time for a paycheck.
What about you? Have you started winterizing your queries? Which method works best for you?
But since most magazines have a four to six month lead time, that means it's time for us writers to be sending off queries geared for December/January issues. Here are a few starting points to get your thoughts winterized.
* What are you going to do about gifts this year? Is it more cost effective to purchase one big item for the whole family, say a new computer, or is it better to buy everyone separate gifts? Which one saves more time/money/sanity?
* What about the men on your list? What are some ways to surprise the guy who has everything and wants nothing?
* What about the teens? Are you going to beat your brains trying to find something they'll actually like and use, or would it be easier to take them shopping?
* What are the classic, tried-and-true baby toys that sell year after year? Why are they still popular?
* What's the simplest way to plan a family dinner/office party/New Year's party? What about a cost-effective yet elegant dinner or party?
* How do you stay in shape over the holidays? Do you have a killer sugar-free cookies recipe?
* How do you beat the winter blues?
* Take a look at fall runways. What's in style this winter? What are some cost-effective ways to mimic high-end looks?
* How will you keep the kids busy while they're out for winter holidays? Do you have any craft ideas to share?
These are just a few off the top of my head, but you get the picture. If this is too difficult to do, thinking of winter articles while the sun's still a-blazing, then look for publications that have a one year lead time for seasonal content; you can submit your summer pitches now for next year's issues. Then when winter rolls around make note of things you'd like to write about as they crop up in your daily life and submit those for the following year. The only thing with that method is the loooong wait time for a paycheck.
What about you? Have you started winterizing your queries? Which method works best for you?
Monday, July 21, 2008
Beating Big Mag Phobia
For many writers (including this one right here), it takes a few months of successful freelancing before they feel up to querying the big magazines. It's as if the editors can smell our fear, see the rivulets sliding down our foreheads and taste the salt on the keyboard. But they can't. So what's the big deal?
I have a secret that I'm willing to share with you. It does go against the sometimes written, sometimes just implied, rule of the print world, though, so if you're a real Rulesy Rulester, you may want to skip this post and check back in a day or two for more clean, above-the-belt advice. But, today being Monday, all you daredevils are in for a treat. Here it is: send simultaneous submissions. That's it? My aunt Mavis is more outlandish than that. But here's the twist: send the same story pitch to--wait for it--a small publication and a big publication. At the same time!
What I do is write the query to the littler guy. No pressure, no if-only-I-could-get-into-this-magazine-my-life-would-be-complete inner monologue. And very little sweat. Think of it as the safety school method of querying: apply to Harvard, Yale and Florida State and then sit back and see what sticks. Then, after you've hit send and the query is flying off into the ether, copy and paste the query into a new email. Make sure to review the big mag's submission guidelines before sending this one off, and make any adjustments according to its tone and style. By now, you're not nearly as nervous because, hey, you've done this before! Hit send, and you're done.
But--what happens if they both like the same idea? If this does in fact happen and you're also prone to being hit by lightening, then all you have to do is give the original idea to the first editor who responded, and come up with a different angle for the second one. If you're that good, then you'll have no problem coming up with an alternate angle!
Give it a go and let me know how it went for you. Or, if you have another method for beating the big mag jitters, feel free to share!
I have a secret that I'm willing to share with you. It does go against the sometimes written, sometimes just implied, rule of the print world, though, so if you're a real Rulesy Rulester, you may want to skip this post and check back in a day or two for more clean, above-the-belt advice. But, today being Monday, all you daredevils are in for a treat. Here it is: send simultaneous submissions. That's it? My aunt Mavis is more outlandish than that. But here's the twist: send the same story pitch to--wait for it--a small publication and a big publication. At the same time!
What I do is write the query to the littler guy. No pressure, no if-only-I-could-get-into-this-magazine-my-life-would-be-complete inner monologue. And very little sweat. Think of it as the safety school method of querying: apply to Harvard, Yale and Florida State and then sit back and see what sticks. Then, after you've hit send and the query is flying off into the ether, copy and paste the query into a new email. Make sure to review the big mag's submission guidelines before sending this one off, and make any adjustments according to its tone and style. By now, you're not nearly as nervous because, hey, you've done this before! Hit send, and you're done.
But--what happens if they both like the same idea? If this does in fact happen and you're also prone to being hit by lightening, then all you have to do is give the original idea to the first editor who responded, and come up with a different angle for the second one. If you're that good, then you'll have no problem coming up with an alternate angle!
Give it a go and let me know how it went for you. Or, if you have another method for beating the big mag jitters, feel free to share!
Friday, July 18, 2008
Just a Tip
Hey everyone! I've got a busy day today, so I thought I'd just share with you a quick tip that may prove to make your work cut out for you this weekend. I'm a big fan of Writer's Market as, in my opinion, it offers magazine writers the best bang for their buck. But if you're shy of spending a little money on a subscription, Sunoasis Jobs is another great source of magazine listings. So sharpen your query-writing pencils this weekend and get those pitches out there!
Have a great weekend!
Have a great weekend!
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
To Sample, or Not to Sample?
Today I come to you, readers, with a sort of Ask Alice question. I'm stumped on something and I need your expert advice.
I've always been a firm believer in the job application process. The job poster specifies what they're looking for, and I do my best to offer them just that. Recently, though, I've been noticing a trend in a hiring practice that's not new, but seems to be growing in popularity as of late: the "sample" piece. Here's an example of what I mean, taken from a posting I came across today:
I guess my whole conundrum is, if you're asking for clips and my writing experience, why do you also need me to write a sample piece? Aren't my writing skills, areas of expertise and interests clear from the clips that I'm sending? And by writing a "spec post," aren't I just writing for you for free?
This didn't used to be a pause-worthy practice for me. I used to say, Nope, no way, sorry sista, not gonna happen. But, with the advent of this trend, I am left wondering: am I sticking to my guns, or am I just being stubborn? Is it ok to write a short sample? Or is it maybe ok in some circumstances, like if the sample is something that requires no research, takes less than 15 minutes of my time and it's for a job I'm interested in? Do I need to get a bit more flexible in order to keep up with other applicants? Please help!
I've always been a firm believer in the job application process. The job poster specifies what they're looking for, and I do my best to offer them just that. Recently, though, I've been noticing a trend in a hiring practice that's not new, but seems to be growing in popularity as of late: the "sample" piece. Here's an example of what I mean, taken from a posting I came across today:
To apply, let us know your writing experience and which topics get you excited and write a 200-word sample post focused on coverage of a notable trend in your area of expertise or an insightful, conversation-provoking take on a news story... Please send your clips and spec post to [email address omitted].
I guess my whole conundrum is, if you're asking for clips and my writing experience, why do you also need me to write a sample piece? Aren't my writing skills, areas of expertise and interests clear from the clips that I'm sending? And by writing a "spec post," aren't I just writing for you for free?
This didn't used to be a pause-worthy practice for me. I used to say, Nope, no way, sorry sista, not gonna happen. But, with the advent of this trend, I am left wondering: am I sticking to my guns, or am I just being stubborn? Is it ok to write a short sample? Or is it maybe ok in some circumstances, like if the sample is something that requires no research, takes less than 15 minutes of my time and it's for a job I'm interested in? Do I need to get a bit more flexible in order to keep up with other applicants? Please help!
Monday, July 14, 2008
Take a Penny, Leave a Penny
It's summer. It's hot. It's... sticky. Am I the only one having a hard time working? I've amended my daily schedule to include a slot for suntanning. Isn't that being conscientious? Since the Laptop Crash of March 2008, I've been chained to the living room computer, which isn't so terrible: it's a far better computer than my laptop was, and we recently upgraded the monitor (it's supposed to be the 'entertainment' computer). But it's in the living room; the hot, stuffy living room which I cannot in good eco-conscious bring myself to cool down via air conditioner but rather with an oscillating fan. Also, it's a corner apartment with glass for walls. Sounds pretty, right? Well, I feel like an ant under a magnifying glass. So I have to get out of there for at least a few hours a day.
I'm so hot, I'm rambling. What I really wanted to do was list my favourite places to look for job postings at. So here it is.
Freelance Writing Jobs - The best place for leads (I've found) that span the map and run the gamut, with tried-and-true advice for writers and some lively discussions.
Craigslist - I like it for having a peak at what local companies are looking for. I may not apply to Craigslist postings too often, but I definitely find myself making note of companies I haven't heard of before and what types of writing are in demand.
Ed2010 - I just came across this one recently. I haven't done a really good sift through the whole site yet, but it has a different type of job board. It's run by magazine editors and has what they call a WhisperJobs section, which posts jobs that fellow editors have heard about. The jobs are all openings in print and online magazines for positions like assistant editor. Kinda neat, I thought.
Sunoasis Jobs - A whole whack of jobs updated constantly where the posters actually give good descriptions of their needs and expectations.
ProBlogger - Only publishes a few new jobs a day, but that's probably because they charge for a listing. But that's only because the site's so widely read and these are serious employers, not ones who'll exchange services with you in lieu of payment.
I know there are more good sites and blogs out there, I just find that these ones jive with me for whatever reason. Which ones work for you? Don't afraid to share the wealth!
I'm so hot, I'm rambling. What I really wanted to do was list my favourite places to look for job postings at. So here it is.
Freelance Writing Jobs - The best place for leads (I've found) that span the map and run the gamut, with tried-and-true advice for writers and some lively discussions.
Craigslist - I like it for having a peak at what local companies are looking for. I may not apply to Craigslist postings too often, but I definitely find myself making note of companies I haven't heard of before and what types of writing are in demand.
Ed2010 - I just came across this one recently. I haven't done a really good sift through the whole site yet, but it has a different type of job board. It's run by magazine editors and has what they call a WhisperJobs section, which posts jobs that fellow editors have heard about. The jobs are all openings in print and online magazines for positions like assistant editor. Kinda neat, I thought.
Sunoasis Jobs - A whole whack of jobs updated constantly where the posters actually give good descriptions of their needs and expectations.
ProBlogger - Only publishes a few new jobs a day, but that's probably because they charge for a listing. But that's only because the site's so widely read and these are serious employers, not ones who'll exchange services with you in lieu of payment.
I know there are more good sites and blogs out there, I just find that these ones jive with me for whatever reason. Which ones work for you? Don't afraid to share the wealth!
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