HAVE A HAPPY THANKSGIVING!
Emergency Script November 25, 2008
Today’s comic touches on the importance of being timely and meeting deadlines. Do you have a story to share about falling behind on your work?
Understanding Your Rights November 25, 2008
When I decided to begin freelancing it didn’t take long before I realized that I’d have to up the ante and become more business savvy. To be frank, I thought I’d put off learning about the business side of writing until I had written a novel and would be shopping for publishers. Yup, that’s when I’d start.
But, I soon realized that getting a book published was only one example of when writers need to understand their rights. I wasn’t clear on what I was giving up and what rights I retained after selling an article. Once I started to break into magazine writing, I signed up with Writer’s Market and that is when I started to notice the term “rights purchased” and I had no idea what those rights meant. So, of course I would Google them as I came across each one. Eventually, I purchased Mediabistro.com’s “Get a Freelance Life” and it has been a tremendous help in demystifying different aspects of the writing process.
I’ve included a brief review below:
First North American rights (FNA) are also called first North American serial rights (FNASR). These rights mean that the publication will be the first to distribute your work anywhere within the US and Canada. Your rights will be reverted back to you and the time frame depends on the publication. For instance, a magazine may stipulate that your rights are returned to you three or four months after the article has first appeared. The details vary from one publication to another. But, most sources mention that FNASR are the most common type to be offered to writers in the US and it’s definitely the type you’ll want to sign off on.
Reprints are also known as second serial rights or nonexclusive reprint rights. Reprints allow writers to resell their work after it has appeared elsewhere. Look out for publications that offer reprint rights because it is a great way for writers to keep earning more money from previously published pieces. Granted, you’ll most likely get paid less than you did for it originally. But, you’ll also be doing less work with your article (or short story) the second time around.
First serial rights are similar to FNASR with the exception that the publication is not limited by location. You may see online publications using this in contracts. Since web publications can be accessed anywhere in the world these rights will be applied. But, don’t think it’s limited to just online publications. Other printed publications distribute worldwide and may ask writers to sign off on these type of rights as well.
Onetime rights usually refer to works that are time sensitive. Hot research findings, a new cure, a celebrity story to die for – you name it. If the news is timely then getting it published may require you signing a onetime rights (also called simultaneous rights) contract. A writer may sign off on onetime rights at various publications simultaneously. Each publication usually targets a different audience.
All rights mean exactly that – you’re giving up all the rights to your work. So, think wisely about this one. If you are ever offered an all rights contract and negotiating for a FNASR is not an option then you need to think long and hard before you sign it. Signing an all rights contract means that the publication now owns your work. So, you get nothing if they decide to take your story to the next level and make a made for TV movie or worst an Oscar-worthy movie from your story. Not only will you be paying almost $12 (if you live in NYC) to see a movie based on your story, but you’ll be kicking yourself for signing that contract. And even if you don’t think your piece is Hollywood material and you decide to sign the contract anyway – realize that if later down the line you want to use your work for something else you will most likely have to buy it back.
Electronic rights mean that the publication wants to have the right to publish your work on its website as well as in print. Other variations of this include the distribution of your piece through online databases like LexisNexis, archiving for public access and more. An interesting twist is that if you are asked to sign over your electronic rights alone then you will retain your right to sell your work to print publications.
Understanding your rights as a writer is important business. Be clear. Ask questions. And recognize your worth. For the beginning writer, it is important to never sign something that you have reservations about or aren’t clear on. The best way to figure out what you’re signing away and not giving away is to ask. Being a well informed and successful writer begins with open communication and sound negotiations.
Rejection Letters November 20, 2008
The Write Stuff: hARBORing Paper
Here’s how I keep my momentum up and stay inspired to keep moving forward (after a moment of venting, of course):
- I recognize that I am not alone. Whether I am speaking with other writers or someone in my family – rejection is something we all deal with at one point or another in our lives. Just because one door has closed doesn’t mean another won’t open up though.
- One of my favorite quotes by Maya Angelou is “Life loves to be taken by the lapel and told, ‘I’m with you kid. Let’s go.’” It reflects perfectly the importance of rolling with the punches and living life to the best of our abilities.
- I realize that within a good rejection letter there are glimpses of constructive criticism. Reading between the lines helps me to become a better and more persistent writer.
So, how do you cope with rejection?
Book Signing Extreme November 12, 2008
Check out my blog post “Visual Motivation” in which I discuss my need for visual aides as sources of writing inspiration. I’ve met people who have done some interesting things in order to visualize and eventually create the lives they want for themselves. A friend of mine used to drive down a street with beautiful homes and she’d imagine herself living in a home just like them one day. And just a few years later (with hard work) she accomplished just that.
It got me thinking about writing…
Visual Motivation November 12, 2008
I am a firm believer in the idea that if you want something in this life you have to align your thoughts, words and actions to match the dream. In pursuing a writing career, I believe that I am a writer. And the things I say and do complement each other to mirror that reality. When people ask me what I do – I tell them I’m a writer. I don’t go through this whole spiel of explaining that I just started out, and that I’ve gotten some clips, and yadda, yadda, yadda. Part of my process involves visual aides that help me to focus on the path toward evolving as a writer. Here are some of the things I’ve done to create visual motivators for myself:
- Visual Board – Oprah had a show and the idea of a vision board was discussed to help people focus on their goals. Write your goals on a chalkboard, stick a list to your refrigerator door, or find some other way to create your very own visual board. The idea is to have your goals in one place where you can easily view them. In my attempt to take small steps toward becoming more “earth-friendly” I made my vision board on my laptop and selected it as my desktop image. So every time I turn on my computer it’s the first thing that I see. Martha Beck, one of Oprah’s guests on the show explained the importance of visual boards. Beck said, “If you repeat the word, ‘blue, blue, blue,’ and you start looking around the room, all the blue things will start popping out,” she says. “Part of it is quantum physics. … We know now, scientifically, that consciousness brings matter into being where there was energy. So it’s not even necessarily that it draws it toward you. The conclusion is you’re literally creating some of this stuff.”
- Book Cover Inspiration – I’ve been playing around with the idea of writing a novel for some time now. Finally deciding to move forward, I’ve created a book cover for my novel which keeps me on course and inspired. My book cover has my name, an image, and the working title for my novel and I taped it over another book. It serves as a concrete reminder that I am working toward something real, not just an idea of being published one day. It feels nice to see my name on a book and the proud feeling that stirs up in me is the fuel I need to keep me writing.
- Just For Fun – Recently, I stumbled across a friend’s social networking page and she had a picture of herself on the cover of a magazine. I had to look twice and then I realized she created her own magazine cover. It’s cute, fun, and if anything another visual source to keep me motivated.
The Write Stuff: Let Sleeping Dogs Lie November 7, 2008
I’ve toyed with the idea of writing a memoir. And it sounds great until I start thinking about it more and more. My awkward adolescence, those embarrassing experiences I vowed to take to my grave, my shortcomings, and “that” piece of interesting family history I just found out about regarding the grandfather I never met. Hmmm, sounds juicy from a readers’ perspective, maybe. But, for me it stirs up scary notions regarding my preparedness to deal with having parts of my life revealed.
Eventually, I may get to a point where it all comes together. I’ll get this epiphanic moment when writing about my life isn’t so hard to wrap my head around. Hopefully, I won’t lose my mind after uprooting certain moments that were hidden behind the “do not open” door in my head. Anyway, here’s my take on writing my memoir.
Clipless, Not Clueless November 7, 2008
When I began to pursue writing the first order of business was to do my homework. The road to becoming a freelance writer was a far cry from easy street. With no published articles under my belt, writing contacts, or a journalism background I had to start from scratch. And that meant getting published wasn’t happening without clips.
So, how does one get work when they have no writing samples?
The idea of breaking into magazine writing has been a trying experience – I tried and nothing happened. But, once I took the time to collect myself and get organized things started to work out. I developed a strategy and committed myself to following through with my plan. I’ve incorporated a few practices I used to build my writing samples below:
BECOME INFORMED: First, I signed up with Writer’s Market. Being able to access information on various publications has been a huge time saver. As I’ve learned not every section of a magazine is available to freelance writers since some are reserved for staff writers. Rather than blindly pitching to a magazine, I can use the website (and at times the magazine’s guidelines for writers) to get pertinent information. This allows me to craft tighter queries, get updated information about editorial staff changes, and include the section where I think my piece would work well. I’ve found that adding a particular section shows that I am familiar with the magazine and that I’ve done my research.
KNOW THE MAGAZINE: What works for one publication may not work for another. So research shouldn’t be limited to online resources alone. Walk into any Borders or Barnes and Nobles and take a look at the magazine section. There are so many magazines out there that the idea of researching magazines sounds crazy. But, it is an important skill that will save both new writers and seasoned writers (who are pitching ideas in new areas) a lot of time. Reading magazines provides me with a sense for its tone and tempo. Which keeps me in line and assures that when I pitch a story it lines up with the type of material found in the magazine. My writing focuses mostly on health and family topics. So when I visit a bookstore I pretty much know what magazines I like to check out. Also, libraries are a great place to review magazines you’re interested in because you can look at many back issues. I did this for a magazine I was interested in pitching a story to and realized they had previously covered a similar topic. I saved a lot of time and energy in sending a query about a topic that was already covered a few months before.
SPREAD YOUR WINGS: Consumer magazines are hard to break into without clips. That’s why it’s a good idea to reach out to smaller publications. By being flexible in my options, aiming nationally and locally, I have been able to cover more ground. I have contributed a few articles to a local magazine and it has been helpful in building my clips. For writer’s who are worried about how long it’ll take to break into magazine writing the answer is – it varies. I started writing this year and actively began pursuing magazine writing since the spring. After a few months of nothing, I finally got an email giving me the thumbs up late in the summer. I was excited to get a yes. But, I just didn’t keep pitching ideas to that editor alone. I kept pitching and following-up on my other queries too.
Jumping into the trenches of freelance writing doesn’t have to be chaotic and unnerving. With a little patience, preparation and practice you’ll get that first clip and the next one after that. Getting your first clip requires that you clue yourself into the dos and don’ts of magazine writing, and remain flexible regarding the markets you target. Once you’re a pro you can command the scene more and just drop a line to an editor (I hope) about an idea for their next issue. But, until then keep working to secure good clips!
My New Comic Strip: The Write Stuff November 5, 2008
Welcome to my first comic strip posting called The Write Stuff. My writing experience has been exciting, trying, lonely, overwhelming, hopeful, vexing, exhausting, happy, and the list goes on. But, one thing I’ve been able to do is poke fun at myself – win or lose, pitch accepted or rejected – I try to have a sense of humor and that keeps me going. Through my comic strip, I hope you can relate to my experiences, let out a chuckle or two, and get on with your day of breaking down barriers, finishing chapters, and finding freelance work. So what are you waiting for, check out “Baby Steps” below and tell me what you think.
