Articles archived for March 2010

I ghostwrite for several clients. I also publish work in various niche markets under pseudonyms. It never occurred to me that some people might consider ghostwriting unethical. Even in this age of transparency, ghostwriting is an accepted convention.

Before we get ahead of ourselves, what exactly is ghostwriting? Ghostwriting means writing something for someone else, with their name on it. The client receives all the credit, and the writer gets paid. Ghostwriting often pays better than bylined work, since you don’t get any recognition and can’t use the work in your portfolio.

A writer can ghostwrite:

• articles
• books (fiction or non-fiction)
• memoirs
• blog posts

Anything that can be written, can be written by a ghostwriter. Ghostwriting arrangements can work in a few different ways:

• The client gives you a topic and you write the article based on research and references the client provides;
• The client provides a title and outline, and you flesh it out into a complete piece
• You interview the client and, based on the information he provides, you write the piece with his name on it.

Challenges of Ghostwriting

To be a successful ghostwriter, you must be:

• able to adopt your client’s “voice;”
• discreet; no one can know you created the work;
• able to set aside your ego.

I remember the first time I ghostwrote an article. The client forwarded me an emailed conversation in which he received — and accepted — a compliment for the article. Seeing someone else take credit for my work stung a little at first but I realize that, by forwarding the email to me, he was passing the compliment on to its rightful owner. A good ghostwriting relationship is one in which a writer feels well-respected and well-compensated.

Is it Ethical?

Ghostwriting is an accepted business practice — but is it ethical for someone to pass your work off as their own? I believe so. Many intelligent professionals in a variety of field either can’t — or choose not to — write well. Some don’t have time; others lack the passion for it.

Ghostwriting is another form of marketing and is as ethical as writing ad copy. If your article directs traffic to the client’s website and, as a result, someone hires your client, the client is being selected on the basis of the services he provides–for his knowledge, not his writing ability. If I hire a bookkeeper, I don’t care if the person can write or not.

Of course, exceptions exist. It’s unethical to write a query letter for another writer. The person is being judged on their writing ability, and writing a query for another writer would be misrepresenting that person’s skills. Writing college papers for someone else is completely unethical, against college policy and possibly illegal, too.

Can you think of other situations where ghostwriting might be unethical? Would you consider ghostwriting articles to help a professional market a business? What about ghostwriting a book for a celebrity?

Interviewing others is an interesting and challenging aspect of freelance writing. Speaking with other creative individuals can be thrilling. I love learning more from professionals in other creative industries, freelance writing, publishing, film, fashion, and fame. The thrill wasn’t just in landing the perfect interview subject, but also what the interview subject had to offer the community in terms of getting it ‘just right’ in their chosen field/genre.

On of the most effective ways to be granted an opportunity to interview someone is to ask. Once I developed the courage to connect with interesting people and asking for their time I discovered that most are very happy to answer a few questions. But getting them to agree to an interview is just the first step. Remember the following five points when dealing with interview subjects to get the most out of these opportunities.

1. Research: My first interview with a Chicago Filmmaker resulted in doing research of his first documentary filmed in the windy city. I also went into his bio to gather more personable information. I wanted to know the person behind the film and it worked out perfectly. We still maintain a work-related friendship as a result of my coming to know him, and his work, better.
2. Preparation: The initial stages of the interview can be tricky. Be prepared to meet the subject’s need and allotted time. At one point, I had to rush out to purchase a voice recorder because the request for a telephone as opposed to email interview was proposed.
3. Consideration: In my quest for an interview, I’ve always allowed for considerate response time. An interview is given courtesy of the one being interviewed so it is polite to let them set a the pace. Consider adding “at your convenience” to your emails to allow them a sense that you consider their time valuable. This technique almost, always got me the response I sought.
4. Modesty: It can be a bit exciting to know that you’ve made a connection with a celebrity, or big governmental figure (we’re writers, but, we’re still human, right?) Remembering it’s not about you makes the interview flow.
5. Followup: It is important to follow up with your interview subject once the job is done. I’ve maintained a friendly correspondence with many of those I’ve interviewed in the past. Recently, this lead to getting an exclusive from one client which drew enormous traffic to my blog.

Once the interview is completed, and again once published, exhale and take time out to celebrate your accomplishments and hard work! 

What about you? What do you feel makes for an effective interview?

People who’ve had a book published — non-fiction or fiction — used to belong to an exclusive club. Before Amazon.com, even before large brick-and-mortar chain booksellers, bookstore shelves were finite (and mostly found in malls).

Publishing houses (mostly based in Manhattan) selected elite writers — the best of the best — printed their books and worked with the authors to do marketing and promotions, as well as making sure those titles found their way to those precious bookstore shelves, into the hands of New York Times reviewers, and, ultimately, to the book-reading public.

If you publish your book through a traditional publisher, it still works that way — sort of. Today’s publishing houses expect today’s writers to do more of their own promotions and marketing, and to have a platform in place before the book even sees print.

But, more options exist than ever before to publish your book. Options for publishing include:

• Traditional print publishing
• ePublishing through an eBook publisher
• Self-publishing an eBook
• Self-publishing a print book

You can also combine these, offering an eBook version and a print version, either traditionally published or self-published.

Let’s look at some of the options for each, as well as the benefits and drawbacks.

Traditional publishing

A traditional publisher still has greater prestige, although that’s changing. You’ll get a team of marketing and publishing experts backing you up, along with a professionally-produced book cover and someone else to handle distribution. It’s not easy for first-time authors to get their book published through a traditional publisher, but I would never tell anyone it can’t be done. Make sure you have a platform established, write a killer proposal, and be prepared to market the title yourself — and, of course, have a great idea and quality manuscript. The best place to find a conventional publisher is still The Writer’s Market. Small press publishers are often more open to new authors than larger publishing houses.

ePublishing through an eBook publisher

Want a green solution to book publishing and distribution? eBooks are the way to go. The growing popularity of eBook readers such as Kindle makes eBooks a viable option to really rack up book sales. When you work with an eBook publisher, you’ll have the benefits of working with a professional editor, professionally-produced cover art, and sales and marketing support. You won’t earn 100% of the profits, but you may get an advance. To learn more, read our interview with Editor Julie Fletcher at Keith Publications, a new eBook publisher.

Self-publishing an eBook

When you self-publish an eBook, you get to keep 100% of the money you make, but everything falls on your shoulders. You’ll want to hire an editor (or at least a proofreader) to make sure your manuscript is picture perfect. You’ll need to commission people to create cover art, which could include a photographer and a graphic designer.

On the other hand, you get complete control over every aspect of your book, which is important to many authors.

If you’re going to self-publish an eBook, I suggest working with a company like Clickbank or e-Junkie. These companies are like giant malls with thousands of store owners looking to put your eBook on their shelves. Every time a reseller sells your book with their Clickbank or e-Junkie hoplink you’ll earn a commission.

You can sell your book independently, too, earning 100% on each copy you sell on your own. By joining Clickbank or e-Junkie and selling your eBook through the site, you also gain permission to sell products written by other authors, earning up to 75% on the sale of every eBook.

Self-publishing a print book

Similar benefits and drawbacks exist when self-publishing a printed version version of your book rather than an electronic version — and then you have to add the costs of printing.

Most self-publishers choose to use a print-on-demand method as these smaller print runs create lower upfront costs. The price per copy of your book may be higher than mass-produced alternatives but the risk is reduced. You won’t enjoy the advance you might get with a traditional publisher and, depending on the self-publisher you select, may or may not get marketing assistance. iUniverse offers several tiers of service, from full marketing support to simple print-on-demand services.

A lot of unscrupulous companies exist in the pay-to-publish market (such as the infamous PublishAmerica). Do your research before signing on with a company.
The website Preditors & Editors, a watchdog site for writers, is a good place to start.

You can see there are a lot of options available for publishing — far too many to cover comprehensively in one blog post. If you have a book in the works, I hope this article has gotten you thinking about the many options available so you can continue the research on your own and select the best method (or methods) to get your book in the hands of eager readers.

Do you have any tips to share about choosing a publishing method? Which option are you thinking of using when publishing next book?

Life imitates art, and art imitates life. Writers search high and low for inspiration, but inspiration is everywhere around us! We can “imitate” art by using it as a starting point and catalyst to more vibrant and creative writing. Not just limited to fiction, art can inspire us to write colorful blog posts, articles, and other nonfiction works.

I love colorful pictures, paintings, and crafts that were created by inspired minds of today and yesterday. I am not overly picky about what can inspire me, as long as it is aesthetically pleasing and accesses the visual thinking area of my mind. I can weave a story around captivating elements within a picture.

Artistic Imagery for the Writer

Here’s a fun little exercise that I like to use when my creative well is running dry. You don’t even have to take a trip to a museum to find breathtaking works of art, although you certainly could!

1. Type in a random word into your favorite search engine or photo site, coupled with the word “art”. I love flowers, so I might try “flower art”, whereas if you are focusing on writing an interview, you might look for “female art”.
2. Click on the image results of your search query. The internet is full of images in every style, medium, and expression. Choose three of the images that jump out at you immediately. Don’t worry too much if they don’t appear to be your favorites, or if they don’t match the mood of your writing project. As long as they elicit an emotional response from you, they are likely to be useful!
3. Take the three images and try to create a mini-story in your mind. For example, you might have one picture of a young woman, another of a castle, and another of a field of flowers. The basic story behind these three images is: “There is a woman in a castle surrounded by flowers.”
4. Now, ask yourself all sorts of questions. “Why is the woman there? Does she live there? Has the castle been abandoned, with the flowers growing everywhere? Is she alone? Where will she go? What will she find in the castle? Does she like the flowers?” These kinds of questions will get your creative juices flowing, and you may find a plot line for a short story or novel hidden within these pictures!
5. Tie these images back into your non-fiction writing project. The young woman can stand for yourself, or the subject you’re writing about. You may need to write from a new point of view, or find the human angle to your otherwise dull topic. The castle may stand for a real life physical location. Where is your topic making the most impact? Where is the headquarters located? For more abstract art, such as flowers, you may be able to compare your subject to the flowers, and list all the reasons why it is so.

Inspiration Out in the Open

Art is everywhere! And not just limited to images, photos, or paintings. Sculpture and crafts are 3D visions of the mind’s eye brought to life. Nature is living, breathing art! Others find beauty and creativity in architecture, fashion, film, and interior decorating.

Keep your eyes and mind open, and you will begin to see the beauty and the stories all around you.

What inspires you the most? How do you bring those images out of real life and down into words? Are more literal descriptive passages your style, or do you use art as a jumping point into deeper discussion and meaning?

Photo Credit: Dalbera

Last year, I went to a Literary Festival. There were lots of books and authors, of course, but there was also something else: attitude.

I’m the type of person who naturally finds great joy in encouraging others and being genuinely happy for them when they succeed or accomplish something that is important to them. Writing is no different. When fellow writers, bloggers, and/or authors get published in a new venue, I’m ecstatic – even if it is a publication I’d love to see my work in some day.

So, I wasn’t too thrilled when I attended a session at the festival where the speaker openly trashed authors who self-publish, and discouraged us from even considering it. This author was published by a pretty well-known publishing house (as you may have guessed already) and may have lost sight of writer’s passion?

I don’t know.

But it’s one thing to be published by a big publishing house; it’s another thing to demean other writers, burst their bubble, and make them just feel like all their hopes and dreams are forever shattered.

What’s the point in that?

I tried to focus on all the positive aspects of that festival. I met some kind and sincere authors there, including a 13-year-old young man who has already authored a book!

But the negative vibes from that speaker just rubbed me the wrong way. Why trash authors who self-publish? Why not be proud of your own success, and let other writers maintain a little dignity and hold on to some hope?

Yes, there are vanity publishers – that isn’t the way to go. But there are ways for authors to self-publish and be successful. Just because you self-publish, doesn’t mean you have to ignore grammar, plot, or end up with some sad, horrible book!

Unless things change, I plan on self-publishing several books in the future. Here are a few things I plan on doing to ensure my book(s) are high quality and do as well as possible.

1. Hire an editor. No matter how well we write errors may exist in our writing that we become blind to after spending extended periods with our own work. We need fresh eyes, a new perspective. An editor will have our back, and help make sure our book is the best it can be.
2. Write with passion. Just because we’re self-publishing, doesn’t mean we have to be boring or let our passion for polished work fade. It’s important to write compelling content that will inspire and interest readers no matter what form of publication it may take.
3. Promote and market. This is one aspect of self-publishing that the author at Missouri Literary Festival looked down on. Self-published authors market their own books. Um, don’t traditionally-published authors do that, too? There was an older gentleman at this meeting and he spoke up and said he worked with a big publishing house in New York for decades. In years past, they did most of the marketing. More recently, they asked him how HE planned on marketing his latest book. So, see? Times have changed and both traditionally- and self-published authors need to get the word out about their books.
4. Consider the cover. I won’t want the cover to be too busy – or too boring. It would take some thought, and I may even seek the services of a designer to really make it pop. Just because I have to select the cover design for myself doesn’t mean it can’t be well conceived.
5. Be true to myself. I learned this as a kid. One of my favorite people in the whole world taught it to me. If I’m not true to myself, how will I share my book with the world? If I don’t maintain a genuine, kind heart, how will I present my work to the world? How will I warm the hearts of my readership? My fellow writers? This is important!

What about you? What are your thoughts on self-publishing, or even e-publishing, versus the big publishing houses? Does it matter as long as you pour your heart and soul – and talent!! – into the pages between the cover? If you were to ever make it big and land a huge book deal with a big publishing company, would you feel like you were on a mountain top and not be able to see your old writing friends for the dust you’d left in their faces? Would you be the same person you are today? If you are already a published author? Which route did you go?

Photo Credit: Harry Keely

On Monday night, Perth got a bit wet. Actually, we had what could be the nastiest storm that the city has experienced in twenty years. After days of muggy summer heat, smothered by gray clouds and drowning in heavy, humid air, the clouds were split apart with lightning.

With my son and daughter snuggled against me, we peered from the warmth and safety of my bedroom window into the street outside. Wind thrashed the trees. The blur of rain softened the edges of the fences across the street. Waterfalls trickled from overflowing hanging pots.

As we watched, the sky turned an emerald green like the city of Oz. The greyness disappeared beneath a filter of emeralds and the rain glittered like splintering crystal as it shattered against every surface. Spikes of lightening sparked white into the green for blinding seconds before washing away in the rain. Our chests echoed with each pounding crack and rumble of thunder.

The cool air breezed through doors, windows, and roof-tiles. Raindrops chased the gusts only to be dashed against the windows, splattered into rivulets against the glass. The air smelled of earth and new grass. Dust from a long, hot summer settled leaving a fresh clean scent as if the world had been reborn.

When was the last time you watched a storm? Have you ever walked through the rain?

What did it feel like on your skin? Did is caress your arms with sun-warmed drops or did you shiver with chill as it tricked down your collar, your neck, and back? Did your feet squelch in wet shoes and socks? Did the rain flick off your rain jacket, the mud puddles sludgy around the ankles of your rain boots?

What did it taste like on your lips? Was it cool and refreshing? Did it taste like new spring, warming after a long cold winter? Did it have the coppery burn of a hot, dry summer, sooty ash after bush fires, an acrid tang from city smog?

What did it sound like as it beat upon the pavement or splashed in puddles beneath your feet? Could you hear it pinging from tin rooftops? Did it ebb and flow like ocean waves? Was it accompanied by rumbling thunder and howling winds?

What did it look like as it sheeted down, twisting everything around you into a blurry haze? Did it cast a strange green tint against the late afternoon sky? Was the world snuggled into the muted pale ghosts of overcast skies? Did objects seem to move and shift as if they were trying to dart between raindrops to stay dry?

What did it smell like as you inhaled the changing air? Could you smell the earthiness of freshly wet dirt, the damp of a wet dog, or the fresh, crisp, newness of soaked grasses? Could you smell a sense of clean washing into the world as dust and grime rinsed down the drains?

Have you ever experienced a moment with every sense of your body? Take a moment now to tune into your surroundings. Hear, Taste, Touch, See, Smell. Absorb every sight, sound, texture, tang, and scent.

The best way to bring a reader into your story is with rich, sensory description. Our memories are triggered by our senses and invoking sensory descriptions in your writing creates new memories and brings forth old memories in your reader.

Sensory description has a lot to do with the adage, “Show, don’t tell.” When you show your reader, you use language that describes. Telling conveys simple facts. The sentence, “It was raining.”, tells a reader that drops of water fell from the sky. But HOW do the drops fall? Without careful details that connect to the five senses, the reader cannot be in the rain with your characters.

Want to practice right now? Share in the comments any scene from the last twenty-four hours of your life. Connect with all of your senses as you remember. How did it feel, taste, smell, look, and sound?

Photo Credit: © March 22, 2010 Mateusz Nowacki

There’s a new kid in town when it comes to ePublishing. Keith Publications, a full-service publishing house, launches on September 1, 2010 with eBook titles in every category and genre. The publisher’s Wicked Ink imprint specializes in erotica and romantica. D’Ink Well, the general imprint, is open to all categories and genres of non-fiction and fiction. “We want authors to write what they want to write”, notes creative director and editor Julie Fletcher.

Fletcher, a former freelance writer who still maintains the blog “Not Enough Coffee“, sat down for a quick chat to tell us more about Keith Publications, and to let writers know the publisher is currently accepting submissions.

Dawn: What do you look for in submissions?
Julie: I can’t speak for all the staff, but I look for a strong plot with engaging characters. I recently had to reject a story with potential because it was stilted…it was written exclusively for a fetish with unbelievable elements. My personal preference is horror, paranormal and elements of both in erotica for Wicked Ink, but KP is open to any genre and style.

Dawn: We know that even with a full-service publisher, authors must market their own work, too. Any tips there?
Julie: Several things:

1. Authors can (and should!) have a website. Many authors are published with more than one epublisher and list all their books, with links to purchase. Blog as much as time permits — readers want to talk to their favorite author.
2. Create a dedicated Facebook page, Twitter… Utilize social networking to let your fans know what you’re working on, what is being released, and when.
3. Add links to forum signature spaces and just be as active as possible in letting fans and potential fans to know who you are.
4. Submit free reads to the publisher, something short to give readers a taste of your writing style. Many epublishers offer free stories to visitors.

Dawn: In the query or proposal, should writers mention what they can do in terms of promotions?
Julie: The author can, especially in a non-fiction proposal. The marketing information for fiction may best be left until a synopsis and manuscript is requested.

Dawn: It used to be that ePublishing was not as “prestigious” as print — is that still the case?
Julie: That’s a hard call. Authors and readers alike want to hold a book. That’s something not likely to change. You can’t put a Kindle on your bookshelf with your name on the spine.
Yet, eBook publishers give authors a larger marketplace. Authors that are published in digital form can be accessed almost anywhere at a lower cost to the reader. So, in that aspect, with a global market in place without the wait of a print/bound book, the prestige of holding a printed book can be outweighed by having a worldwide fan base.

Dawn: Would you urge writers to go the e-route? What are other benefits?
Julie: Would I urge writers to go digital? Yes. The benefits (aside from what I mentioned above) are: faster acceptance, faster to the marketplace and in some cases the option to receive royalties via digital means through Paypal.

Dawn: How fast are we talking? What are turnaround times?
Julie: KP has listed 12-16 weeks for a response, though we strive to answer as quickly as possible.
Publishing depends solely on how many edits are needed and formatting the book or story for download. I know you want a hard and fast answer so I will say that I have seen ePubbed books go out (for other houses) in as little as three months.

Dawn: As opposed to possibly years for print…
Julie: Exactly. Add that to instant access anywhere there is Internet–another benefit.

Dawn: What are the benefits to using a publisher, like KP, as opposed to simply self-publishing? After all, they’re doing promotions either way, why not have complete freedom?
Julie: Wow. There is so much to say here and a lot will upset self-published authors.

Dawn: I suspected that. This is the proverbial “tough question”. [laughs, not at all evilly]
Julie: KP has a staff of editors that will help authors create a book that shines. Self-publishing, you can end up with a book that has problems, from bad edits to cover art that never shows up on the actual printed book. Sites that are print-on-demand have a lot of complaints about the art.
And a friend is not an editor. Most of the time, even the most professional editor will not want to hurt a friend’s feelings. KP will help writers avoid the amateur pitfalls. Self-pubbed, you do all the work marketing, where with KP you have a house backing you.

Dawn: Anything you’d like to add about KP and your job as editor?
Julie: I’m going to sound biased, but I have enjoyed meeting the owner, Mary Keith, and the entire staff. They’re friendly and dedicated not only to KP but to helping authors succeed. We may be the new kid on the block, but I am convinced that we’ll be around for a long time, giving authors a home and readers material they’ll want to read again and again.

Update (06/06/2010): Julie Fletcher is no longer with Keith Publications. Julie takes no responsibility for the experience of anyone that chooses to work with this publisher; do your own research and consider your choices carefully.

“Several years ago I worked for a direct sales cosmetics company. One main rule for that company was that you could not make a single phone call in the morning unless you were totally dressed, and I mean really dressed! All the way to dress shoes. The reason behind this duty was that you act different when you have clothes and shoes on. You are more professional. The customer can tell when you don’t feel good about the way you look. Even when you think you do. So if getting dressed makes that big of an impression on someone that can’t even see you, then what is going to happen to those that can see you. Mainly yourself.” ~ FlyLady

I recently sent a question out to a few social media networks – I was curious about just how many freelancers actually dress up from head-to-toe, as Flylady recommends.  While I can’t imagine dressing up “really fancy” just to stay at home and freelance (although I’m not trying to make it sound like freelancing isn’t hard work – it is!) I do understand what FlyLady is saying.

But apparently, quite a few freelancers are not dressing up these days…

Casual Corner

Meet some freelancers who live for comfort:

• “I only dress up if I know I’m going to meet with a client that day. Otherwise, it’s casual and comfortable for me.” –  Lorna Doone Brewer

• “Casual all the way. I only “dress up” if I go to the library to get away from the “home office.” – Reesy Floyd-Thompson

• “Casual clothes. Or, um, pj’s.” — Janna Leadbetter Qualman

Dare to Dress

I think as much as we’d enjoy lounging around in our jammies or “slouch clothes” all day while we write articles or do other necessary tasks, we know deep in our hearts that looking frumpy (sometimes) leads to feeling frumpy – and God forbid an unexpected business opportunity shows up at the door! Just ask Jenny Greenleaf, who says:  “After a horrifying “drop-in” last week, I *now* get dressed for work every day! No more jammies and chip clips in the hair for this writer!!”

Confession

I’ll admit, I’m a casual gal myself. While I definitely don’t wear pajamas all day, I do throw on the most faded, comfy clothes I can find. I mean, I’ve even referred to myself as the gal who “prefers quiet days, bare feet, herbal tea and raw juices and smoothies to high-end shoes and lattes in the city.”

I can’t imagine trying to write while being super dressed up and uncomfortable. Seriously!

What about you? Do you dress up? Dress down? Stay in your jammies and robe? Do you frequent a local coffee shop or never leave the house? Do you fix your hair and spruce up? Do you even brush your hair? Chime in and let us know! It’s fun to learn how different we all are, even though we’re all at home freelancing.

Did you enjoy this article? Feel free to visit the other articles Michele has written for Writer’s Round-About–or contact her to write for you.

References:

Photo Source: Graur Razvan Ionut

Many writers view magazines — especially glossy consumer magazines sold on news stands in major bookstores — as the holy grail of publishing (aside from books, of course). Having been published in (and edited) trade magazines and consumer magazines, and having extensive experience with Web writing, I’d like to share with you some of the benefits of Web writing.

I won’t argue the point that it’s very cool to have your name appear in magazines that friends and family members will see at the local Borders or Barnes & Noble. I think every writer should strive to have a feature published in a major magazine, if that’s their goal. But I can also see the upside to Web publishing.

The publishing world is changing and Web writers are no longer viewed as second-class citizens. People can make excellent money writing for the Web, and, in terms of readership, only the most well-known consumer magazines reach the type of readership many Websites achieve in a given month. What else do I like about Web writing?

1. Interactivity with your readers. A few minutes after this post goes live, you can read it and tell me why I’m right — or wrong. You can share your experiences writing for the Web and print, and we’ll learn from each other. Sure, if this article appeared in a print publication, you could write a letter to the editor which, as a freelancer, I may or may not receive. In theory, I could even reply in the next issue of the magazine. But it’s not the same as the dialogue that comments on a blog creates.

2. An opportunity to promote your work. I suppose I could stand in front of the magazine racks at Barnes & Noble and suggest people purchase my magazine — for about 5 minutes before an employee kicked me out for soliciting. I could tell family and friends to read the magazine, but I’m always uncomfortable asking people to buy something just to see my name. On the other hand, when I write a blog post, I can promote it to my social network of thousands with the click of a button. Since I’m not asking anyone to buy something, in most cases, I don’t feel bad at all. Also, I can promote 5 – 10 posts a week and not annoy anyone (I hope!)

3. Instant gratification. I can submit this post and, if the Rebecca Laffar-Smith is so kind, see it published within minutes. At most, I’ll wait a week or two. Print magazines typically have a lead time of 2 to 3 months — or more. If you’re all about instant gratification (and who isn’t in today’s world?) Web writing delivers.

4. Fast pay. In many cases, Web writing rates are lower than what top print magazines pay. But not always. You have to hunt to find the truly well-paying Web writing gigs, but they are out there. In all but the most rare cases, Web writing also pays much faster than writing for print. It’s not unusual, in the magazine publishing world, to see lag times of Net-90 (3 months after publication, or more) before you’ll see a check. True, some magazines pay on acceptance, but many wait until, at the very least, the article sees print. Depending on your arrangement with Website owners, it’s not unusual to be paid in advance for a project, or very shortly after publication, at the latest. From a financial standpoint, I find it best to have a mix of slow-but-high-paying print clients and a number of faster-paying Web writing jobs.

5. Multimedia. Have an idea for a video to accompany your story? Want to include an affiliate link for a product you promote? Web writing offers countless opportunities to including additional information with your article — and unlimited bandwidth to share that information. By its nature, Web writing should be concise, but there’s more leeway. When you cut something, it’s because it truly doesn’t belong — not because you have to cut *something* due to arbitrary space constraints.

When Print Goes Digital
I will not dismiss the absolute cool-ness factor of having your work appear in print. I began my writing career in magazines and still love the format. But as the publishing world continues evolving, with conventional-style print magazines now available on Kindle or in page-flip formats on the Web, I believe having actual “dead-tree” publishing credits will become less important to writers.

If you’re toiling on the Web and querying your heart out hoping for your “big break” into print, don’t be down. Many writers build a lucrative career that is something to be proud of writing exclusively for the Web.

What did I miss? What do you like about writing for the Web?

Whatever you’re writing about, it’s important to get all the details right. If you can’t write about what you know intimately, you must find things out and then check again. And if what you know is from your past, unless your setting will sit firmly in that era, it’s vital to get updated.

I recently read a novel by an American author. The story begins in New York. It follows the development of a heroine living on Staten Island and working in a Manhattan office. She moves to London, England.

My own knowledge of New York is based on a short break in Manhattan that included seven minutes in a helicopter, and an evening cruise that passed Staten Island. While I was reading, although I could get the feel of New York, as I remembered it, I didn’t know enough to make judgments about whether the description of a commute from Staten Island was accurate. I was just enjoying the read.

When the action moved to London, I was on more familiar ground. And I admired the way the author could write so well about places I know that I could picture them accurately as I read.

Until I hit one faux pas.

The heroine takes a train to the West Country. And even though I recognized how the track follows the River Exe to the sea at Dawlish, then goes through the tunnels and passes red cliffs on the right and the gray sea on the left, it wasn’t real to me.

Just because the train had left from Victoria Station.

Now I know you can’t get a train to the West Country from there. You can go from Paddington, or even Waterloo, but not from Victoria; not unless you intend to change onto the one from Waterloo at Clapham Junction. And why on earth would you do that if you were starting out from somewhere near Camden Town?

Just that one tiny error and the credibility of that author was lost for me. Because of it, I wasn’t sure whether to accept the rest of the book as gospel. This was probably unfair and illogical because so much of what I knew about was correct, and no doubt a lot of hard work went into getting it that way. Nevertheless it colored the way I read the rest of the book and how I felt about it.

Recently, I’ve read a couple of books with an Egyptian setting. One was a historical novel where the characters lives were wrapped up in the competition between France and England to decipher the language of the hieroglyphics. The other has a contemporary setting in Cairo with flashbacks to the time of the second world war. What struck me about these two books was that I got the same feel from the descriptions in them. Both authors were describing the same culture, which had obviously survived the centuries, and although they did it in different ways, they both felt authentic.

They had obviously done their homework. One of these authors, Rosie Thomas, has written novels based on her own experiences while mountaineering, trekking the Antarctic, and traveling the world. These facts that I’ve been told about her add authenticity to anything I read by her and she is one of my favorite contemporary novel writers.

That is one way to do your homework – by actually experiencing what you want to write about. But if you can’t have the experience yourself, there’s nothing better than getting the information from someone else who has.

Of course you don’t always have your own personal expert to hand, but there are now various websites that will help you find one. For academic subjects, the universities are often keen to help. After all, naming their experts in published articles brings them kudos and free PR. Or check out local societies and organizations. If you can’t find them on-line, go and talk to your librarian, who will always be able to find contact details that you can follow up.

However you get your information, it’s important to get it right. Whether you are writing a full length novel or a brief article, get the facts from the people who really know.

Where do you go for expert knowledge, references, and fact checking? Have you ever found a factual error in something you’ve read that altered the impact of the entire story?

Image Credit: 12-11-05 © René Mansi