Most major cities offer artist grants for those of us involved in the arts. In my town there’s an annual drive for locals to apply, and back in 2014, I gave it a go. According to the rules, anyone in the arts field, including literary arts, was eligible. “Hot dog, I’m going for it!” I said. I followed the guidelines, crossed my Ts, and dotted my I’s. I was rejected. I applied again in 2015 and was rejected, 2016 rejected, 2017 rejected. If you’re reading this, you are a writer. Rejections are commonplace. You’re told “don’t take it personal because this is a subjective business.” Applying for grants might fall into that “subjective business” category, but by now I’d reached a state of frustration. Then in 2018 I applied again, told myself that if I didn’t win, I was done. The process was simple enough: submit an application with writing sample, letter of recommendation (at one point the Director of the Local library system wrote the letter because several of my titles are in the Public Library), and a request of how the funds would be used. I submitted and told myself to move on. Looking back it never dawned More
How Film Producers Analyze Your Screenplay
/ 2019-03-15When an actor reads a script, he’ll think about how to approach his character, his motivation, his arc. When a cinematographer reads that same script, he’s thinking about lighting, camera angles, and what cinematic style to employ. The art director thinks about how to use design principles and visual techniques, while the editor assesses how everything will cut together. But what about the producer? After all, she’s the creative gatekeeper who has committed to bringing all these people together to turn your script into a movie. What does she look for? In short, everything. (Albeit from a macro level.) Because if she doesn’t understand what the script needs, how will she assemble the right team for it? Moreover, how will she find its audience? Below are six main areas that a good producer will consider when reviewing your script. Story The producer wants fleshed-out characters, dramatic tension, coherent theme, and appropriate narrative structure. These are the underpinnings of viable cinematic storytelling. The story should resonate with your target demographic – whether through comedy, drama or thrills – ultimately offering a two-hour journey that encourages the willing suspension of disbelief. Bottom line, you can take a great story and make a More
Write the Nonfiction Book Proposal Before Writing the Book
/ 2019-03-15I finished a manuscript, set it aside for a month, then read it again. But I never even tried to publish it. Why not? Because as brilliant as it was (well, I thought so and so did my mother), it was doomed because it had no point. The book, overflowing with insightful arguments and powerfully constructed sentences, was like a new pencil whose value lies not in what it is but in what it will do for a buyer. Without a point, neither pencils nor books have much reason to inspire their purchase. I should have considered that before I wrote even one chapter. The commercial value of what we write must not be an afterthought. That is why nonfiction publishers require a book proposal and why you should, too, even when you’re the publisher. We write a book proposal to convince our publisher (and ourselves) that this book is a good idea and promises to be a good seller. The details, features, and benefits of the book discovered while writing the proposal will be the core components of your marketing campaign, so it accomplishes two things at one time. Looking at our idea through the lens of reality, the More
Query Letter vs. Letter of Introduction
/ 2019-03-15By C. Hope Clark The shortest, most blunt email anyone receives from me is “The guidelines are on the website,” and I send that email many times a week. The online guidelines at www.fundsforwriters.com/submissions clearly ask for articles on spec. Or if a writer isn’t sure, they can pitch ideas, and if one is selected, they then submit that piece on spec. But still, I receive letters of introduction. The difference between queries and letters of introduction are simple. QUERIES pitch specific topics or might even pitch the article in its entirety, especially in our situation where the articles are so short (500-600 words). They are as close to publish-ready as a writer can make them and show that a writer understands the publication. They might even write on a topic recommended in the publication’s guidelines. A LETTER OF INTRODUCTION is when a writer sends a brief bio and links to samples of their work. An LOI might be more fitting for someone pitching copywriting work or to a magazine seeking a stable of writers to assign writing to in the future. An LOI outlines your qualifications for that particular publication or corporate entity. Neither of the above can be generic. More
Optioning Your Screenplay to a Producer
/ 2019-02-02Congratulations! Not only did you finish writing your 120-page cinematic opus, but you have a motion picture producer interested in bringing it to the silver screen. You’re ready to sell. Ready to see your name on the back of a director’s chair. Ready to chow down on craft service while Jake Gyllenhaal and Rachel McAdams deliver your prose… But wait, not so fast. What’s this agreement the producer’s handed you? An option? He’s not buying it? What does this mean? Well, let’s break it down… What is an option exactly? An option agreement is an industry-standard document that interested producers give writers when they’re not quite ready to buy the script, but don’t want anyone else to buy it either. Maybe they don’t have enough money yet, aren’t sure they can get it made or don’t know what the budget will be (and the budget often determines the writer’s fee). An option simply gives the producer the exclusive right to purchase the material at any time during the term of the agreement. Here’s a sample option for reference: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1kpiuHbB6zUJhm1FDUq__4OrB6LeaJ25QnJvF2fM_Vrw/edit?usp=sharing What do I need to have in place before optioning my script? First, make sure the script has been registered with the More
Making a Living as a Life Story Writer
/ 2019-01-25A business card left at a coffee shop that garners a $50,000+ writing gig. Same card, different coffee shop, that results in a feature story in a local publication. No, it’s not the card that’s magic, but the profession it advertises: life story writer. Those were only two of the many strokes of good luck I’ve had since I started my career as a life story and family history writer nearly ten years ago. The genre, also known as personal history, serves a population of mostly older adults eager to preserve their stories without having to do the writing themselves. The books are intended for family and friends, not the wider public, so there’s no need for queries, book proposals, agents, or publishers—just a client willing to invest the time and money to record their cherished memories. Here’s how it works: I sit down with a client for a series of interviews in which we talk about their growing-up years, their parents and siblings and relatives, their first loves, their war experiences, their careers, their challenges and joys, their reflections on what it all means—in other words, anything they feel moved to talk about. In between interviews, I’m at my More
Make Time to Be Solitary
/ 2019-01-11Loneliness expresses the pain of being alone and solitude expresses the glory of being alone. ~ Paul Tillich Books take many hours to write, which gives the public the impression that writers are lonely, solitary creatures. The average person cannot stand being alone. However, it’s next to impossible to be alone anymore. I’m not talking about people interference, though that is an issue. How often do you write without access to the internet? Your phone? Earbuds or background music? Most writers aren’t solitary. On the contrary they usually cannot stand not to be connected. And maintaining that connection means you are not completely alone which could be impacting your writing. You may think you need the noise, connection, or music because your brain cannot take the concept of being totally shut off from it. You’ve convinced yourself you need that accompaniment. Truth is, being focused on one, intense thing like creative writing is a challenge. We multi-task so much these days that we have lost touch with single-tasking. If we are too long silent online, or do not answer our phone, other people worry. Actually, when people are able to slide away into solitary mode and remain there a while, More
Cashing in on Local Copywriting Gigs
/ 2018-12-29When I began freelancing over a decade ago, I greatly enjoyed the challenge of pitching and achieving payment for writing magazine articles. But since the assignments weren’t easy to come by and patience is not one of my top virtues, I decided I’d rather target copywriting opportunities in my own backyard. My first step was to learn about search engine optimization (SEO) so I could attract clients to my website. That meant creating pages on my site for keyword combinations like “Sacramento copywriter” and “Sacramento freelance writer.” I also targeted a wider area with pages for “Silicon Valley copywriter” and “California freelance writer.” I decided that I would specialize in electronic newsletters, which included writing, creating, and managing them with Constant Contact. I planned to target my favorite local day spa as my first potential client, but I couldn’t find an email address for the owner (and I was too chicken to pick up the phone). So, I typed up a letter letting him know I was a long-time customer of the spa, as well as a local copywriter and marketing expert. I said that he was missing out on business opportunities by not publishing an electronic newsletter. The day More
Ghostwriting: A Lesser Known Career Path that Pays Big
/ 2018-12-22Graduating with an engineering degree, I had no clue I would end up being a freelance writer. I chose to be one, as it best suited my life during the recession period back in 2009. Like many other writers who get stuck with low paying content mills like Elance (now Upwork), I started my career earning peanuts. That changed when I did research for a blog post in 2013 about how much ghostwriters earn. That research taught me that I was highly undercharging at $1 per page. The first eBook I ever ghostwrote for a client was over 50 pages long and paid only $50. And that included Elance’s and PayPal’s fees, too! Today, in 2018, I charge as much as $1-$2 per word. I charge more for creative work or fiction than for nonfiction. If the work requires extensive research, the rate runs higher. This means ghostwriting a 10k words novella would easily earn me $10,000. Now, imagine what a full-length novel of 60,000 to 100,000 pays. Ghostwriting is a lucrative niche that many writers don’t know much about. Why Ghostwrite? The truth is: I have tried self-publishing. This requires time to market and sell your books. Ghostwriting is More
Five Tips to Promote Yourself as a Newbie Freelance Writer
/ 2018-12-22It can get hard to get off the ground while starting your freelance writing business. This is especially true if you have quit your day job and you’re yet to get your first assignment. The pressure can be extremely agonizing. All you need to do is leave your worries aside and get down to business. Here are five ways you can promote yourself as a freelance writer and get a regular stream of work: Create a Portfolio A portfolio would help you to showcase your work to your clients with a quick link. The first step to create one is to get published on some of the existing blogs or magazines as a guest author. Once you have a bunch of published articles and client work, (including websites, and newsletter content, etc.) you can make use of portfolio sites like Contently and Clippings.me to put up your published clippings. I created my portfolio on Contently before I quit my full-time job to get into freelance writing. Throw up a Website A website is a great way to promote yourself as a freelance writer. You can create a site on a free platform like Tumblr or WordPress. You can create one More