As a content writer or freelance journalist, a little learning can go a very long way. In the course of your career, you may become quite expert in a particular topic(s), perhaps because of a job you once had, or because you once had to do a lot of research or interviews in that area, or just through first-hand experience. To get more bang for your freelancing buck, you want to spin that knowledge and experience out into as many commissions as possible, so helping you save time and maximise your income. Here are a few examples of how you might do this, illustrated by reference to two very different topics: crowdfunding a novel and stress. Write a Case Study Tell a story from my own or a contact’s experience, e.g., “How I’m Crowdfunding My Novel” or “How I Went from Burnout and 18-hour Days to a Decent Work-Life Balance.” Top Tips Offer some practical pointers on a topic. Think “Top Tips for Crowdfunding a Novel” or “Managing Stress: Dos and Don’ts.” Jump on a Topical Hook If your topic is in the headlines, now’s the time for a spot of newsjacking. For example, this article detailing research that suggests More
Ten Reasons Why Editors Ignore Our Pitches
/ 2020-03-13Tired of brainstorming new ideas and pitching to publications only to hear crickets? Ever wondered why these editors ignore our ideas? Editors are intensely busy people. Their inboxes stay packed with pitches from writers like us. That’s why they select only the cream of the crop and neglect pitches that show the following bad traits. Boring Subject Lines The first words an editor reads. If irrelevant or dull, your pitch ends up in the trash. Keep the subject line short and to-the-point like: Request for Guest Post Submission or Freelance Writer’s Query No Name for the Editor Never address the editors as Dear Editor or even worse To Whom it May Concern. Instead, use their first names, or Mr. or Ms. last name. No Evidence of Research Almost every publication accepting guest posts provides guidelines for submissions just like Hope has hers here. Study them carefully and know exactly what the editors seek. Editors can tell when you have or have not read the guidelines. Unattractive Headlines You might have crafted a brilliant manuscript. but your headline failed to grab the editor’s attention. Consider reading these 9 Proven Headline Formulas by Dean Rieck to craft juicy headlines. Too Much Self Talk More
Finding Time to Write
/ 2020-03-13Protect the time and space in which you write. Keep everybody away from it, even the people who are most important to you. ~Zadie Smith You find the time to write by discarding something else in your life. I mean, I have to assume you think your day is full, right? Isn’t that what we tell everyone? We fuss about not having enough hours in the day, so we must excise something to ensure we have the time to write. I never go to a conference, and I mean that in the most absolute sense, without someone telling me they are waiting to write their story, their book, their anything. They are always waiting until after the daughter’s wedding, Christmas, school is out, retirement. I used to try to convince them that they are making a mistake. That writing can be done today, now, during any day. Of course that is assuming one is taking writing seriously. Some are beginners, but that still doesn’t mean that putting in those hours of writing practice work isn’t taking writing seriously. It’s necessary to hammer out the bad words and define bad habits before writing something for keeps, but we cannot mistake practice More
What Are the Best-Selling Screenplay Genres?
/ 2020-03-09As a screenwriter, working out the crux of your story is a daunting enough task, but let’s rewind even further. How do you determine what genre to work in? After all, this is a crucial component to creating material that Hollywood wants to buy, right? So, how do you know which genres have the best chance of selling? There isn’t some magical way to access this mysterious information, is there? Surely, the film gods keep such knowledge under lock and key! Actually, there’s good news: this info not only exists, it’s readily accessible if you know where to look. (Drum roll, please.) Ask a sales agent. They deal with film buyers around the world every day and can pass on valuable insights regarding what’s selling and what’s not. You can approach sales agents at film seminars and conferences, during festivals or markets like AFM (American Film Market), via personal contacts, or if all else fails, by cold calling with a plea for guidance. Here’s a fairly comprehensive list of Hollywood sales agents. Below are six genres that, according to a prominent sales agent I know, have consistently attracted buyers, and with no signs of abating. Gender-Neutral Action Action films have a More
10 Ways to Turn Rejection Into Acceptance
/ 2020-03-06For writers of all kinds, dealing with ideas and words that get rejected is an everyday reality. But there are sometimes ways you can turn a No into a Yes… So you get your commission, you send in your copy – but the editor or client says they’ll pass. Or you send in a bunch of ideas to a regular commissioner of your work, and they say they’re not really interested. At such moments, it’s tempting to give up. Don’t. You’ve already committed time and effort to research your thoughts or draft that copy, so try these ideas instead… Try to work out what they didn’t like. Sometimes an editor will hint that a piece could be saved with some rework, but they’re not asking you to do it because it’s more than a few tweaks, and they don’t know if you’ll get it right. But having committed time and effort already, you’re better off asking for some more detailed feedback and having another go. Offer something else instead. In discussing what didn’t work about your copy or idea, your commissioner may let slip some valuable nuggets about what they really are looking for. This is an opportunity for you to step More
How to Interview Someone
/ 2020-03-01Whether it’s for a post on your blog, or a conversation with an expert you need to write up for a content client, here’s how to get an interview written up with speed and impact… Don’t do an interview! We’re not talking hard-hitting news here. We’re talking about a conversation between two people with mutually agreed goals. Actual interviews are very time-consuming all round, so if both parties are happy to find a quicker way, go for it. Write the interview for them What you can do instead is email the subject some questions they can answer with a few bullets, which you then work up. Or you might even agree to just write up the article in interview format and get the subject to review afterward. Content writers frequently ‘ghost-scribe’ for their clients like this, especially if they work together regularly. Send questions in advance If you do need to do an interview, always send over some questions in advance detailing points to cover. This will help the subject to organise their thoughts and make for a more efficient exchange. Record the conversation Recording the interview allows you to focus on the conversation rather than type furiously and will More
How to Organise a Book Launch
/ 2020-02-23You’re publishing your own book, now you need to organise your own launch event! Here’s a handy checklist… Draw up numbers Your event will mark the moment that your book will be launched to the world, but you’re footing the bill, so be clear about why you’re doing it and how to maximise the event’s impact. To help you budget, make a quick list of who you’d like to invite, and who’s likely to come. Better to invite too many than too few – no one wants to read their book to three people! As a publisher once advised me: ‘Invite people who will make you look clever and cool.’ As well as family and friends, you want a crowd that will create a buzz that people feel flattered to be a part of. In my case, that means editors of litmags, arts journalists, publishing people, book bloggers, fiction types prominent in my social networks. Invite your co-workers, your boss, your favourite authors, your old neighbour, any famous people you vaguely know. Be shameless! Find a venue To host, say, 50-60 people, you don’t need a massive space, but it does need to be big enough for people to gather More
Three Tips for Submitting for Grants at Arts Commissions
/ 2020-02-14When artists of all types seek grants, I direct them first to their state arts commissions. Canada has province and city arts commissions, and the UK and Australia have their own national and local commission. (Our knowledge does not branch into Africa, Middle East, or Far East, sorry.) While those are pretty easy to locate, the savvy in how to submit evades a lot of folks. This very brief YouTube video could apply to just about any arts commission grant anywhere. The program manager covers the top three tips for submitting. https://youtu.be/YH4w-SVboLM Bottom line? 1) Follow the guidelines. See if you are a good fit for what the grant provides. They don’t just throw out money. They have a mission. Your mission as a writer has to match their mission as a grant provider. 2) Watch the deadline. Sounds stupidly elementary, but people will push the deadline, or let it slip away from them. Allow ample time to do your paperwork, collect documentation, and speak to people you may need to for advice. 3) Reach out to the program manager. These commissions have intelligent people who know grants and understand the process. Meet them. Call them. Get to know them. They will help you present the best More
Nine Reasons Your Article Idea was Rejected
/ 2020-02-08Sometimes your article idea for a website or magazine might get rejected for reasons beyond your control – perhaps something similar has already been planned, or the editor has no budget left for freelances. But you can improve your chances of acceptance. Your query letter lets you down A query that isn’t written in a way that inspires confidence about your writing style (clunky syntax, typos, poor flow, etc.) is an instant turn-off. Spend time crafting and polishing before you send. It’s an editor’s first impression of you and your writing. (HOPE: Dozens of writers query FundsforWriters from their phone, using textese and incomplete sentences. No introduction, no bio, no website, just “this is my idea.” Others simply say, “see attached” with nothing else about themselves or the piece, except maybe, “When can I get paid?” I don’t even try to make those pieces work. Delete.) Your idea is too generic Good ideas are often very specific. Ten Tips for Beating Writer’s Block is hopelessly generic, especially for such a well-worn topic. Ten Alternative Remedies That Beat Writer’s Block is more interesting. (HOPE: At FundsforWriters we hate theoretical pieces. We want strong how-to or takeaway value, and the guidelines More
The Big Benefits of a Small Publisher
/ 2020-02-02When writers dream of getting published, their initial fantasies probably take the form of a massive advance from one of the big houses, perhaps with a nice little film deal thrown in. Because of this popular obsession with the big players, writers can easily overlook the benefits of a smaller, independent publisher. So here are six reasons why small is beautiful. You’re made to feel special. The obvious benefit of a smaller house is that you are made to feel more important and are likely to receive more attention. Writers with experience of publishers big and small often say that, with the latter, the levels of belief and enthusiasm are likely to be higher. With a smaller independent publisher, you are likely to enjoy a more personal relationship. Larger publishers may be less responsive and agile in general, and so not as quick to come back to you if you have a question or request. With a small list, the publisher will try hard to make each and every author feel important. Debut writers get more attention. Big houses don’t always have a lot of time or budget to spend on debut authors, who may be seen as an unknown quantity that More