Posted by Maya Smart on Tue, Jul 27, 2010 @ 10:00 AM
Whew! Landing that new client was a boon to your bottom line. However, now the editor is asking you to sign a freelance contract that’s packed with legal terms you’ve never seen before (or haven’t paid much attention to). To help you protect your business, we put together this short list of terms that every writer should know.
First North American serial rights
Magazines and newspapers often ask writers for the first North American serial rights. By agreeing to this, you’re promising first dibs on your story in the U.S. and Canada. Many publications (a.k.a. “serials”) now say these rights include their websites, too. In other words, they won’t pay you extra for putting your print story online, in the digital version of their periodical. Even so, with FNASR, you retain the copyright.
“It’s equally important to know what you’re not selling,” notes Moira Allen, editor of Writing-World.com. “You are not, for example, licensing a publisher to reprint your work in another format, such as an anthology. The publisher may not distribute the work outside North America; that would require a transfer of ‘international rights.’ …FNASR is an ‘exclusive’ right, which means you can’t transfer it more than once or to more than one publication.”
Electronic publishers often use the broad term “first rights,” without specifying how or where your work may be published. Before agreeing to this, consider whether you may want to pitch or sell the same article elsewhere. If so, request more specific language in your contract, such as “first electronic rights.”
All rights
Beware of this blanket term, which is often used by publishers who don’t want to buy additional rights (reprint, anthology, archival, etc.) later on. Once you’ve sold “all rights” to your article, you may never resell it—but the publisher can, without sharing the proceeds.
“All rights is usually a bad deal for writers,” advises author Marcia Yudkin, who specializes in creative marketing. “It means you sell the magazine the right to publish the article as many times as they like, to resell or to license the rights to a movie or computer database or audio publisher without paying you another dime, ever. If you’re asked to sell all rights, try to negotiate something better.”
That “something better” could be first rights of the type you specify or perhaps “exclusive rights” for a limited period of time, such as 60 days after submission or publication. That essentially means you reserve the right to resell the piece after the agreed upon period ends.
Work (made) for hire
This is like “all rights,” except that you’re giving up any claim to copyright. Most work for hire is done by full-time staffers — as in, the company owns all of what they produce — but some publications want freelancers to agree to this, too. If you do, you are allowing the publisher to use your work however they see fit, including under someone else’s byline. You can’t safely reuse the reporting you did, either, because any similar material you use could “infringe” upon the copyright, which you no longer own!
“In most cases, work-made-for-hire and all-rights contracts are a rotten deal for writers. If publishers want additional rights beyond first print rights—exclusive or non-exclusive — they should pay for them,” says the American Society of Journalists and Authors in a position paper on the topic. “In only a very few situations do we acknowledge that such arrangements may be acceptable: a book ‘written to order’ as a promotional vehicle for a company and/or its products, for example … or certain kinds of corporate writing.”
In some cases, such as when you foresee no real potential reusing or reselling the material, this may be fine. Think: technical and users’ manuals, corporate press releases, or marketing materials. But, in general, avoid “work for hire” contracts whenever possible.
Payment on delivery, acceptance or publication
Beyond your rights, make sure any contract includes terms of payment. “Payment on delivery” means that your fee is due as soon as you turn in your story (and an invoice, if requested). “Payment on acceptance” is pretty much the same thing, unless you’re submitting an article that wasn’t commissioned: You’re sending in original work so an editor may review it, at which time they may or may not decide to use it. “Payment on publication” means that your invoice won’t get processed until after your story is published.
Laurie Pawlik-Kienlen, who writes a “Quips and Tips” column for her blog, The Adventurous Writer, recommends establishing a deadline for “payment on publication” offers. “If you agree to accept the editor’s payment on publication offer, ask for a light at the end of the tunnel. For instance: ‘Payable upon publication or six months from date of acceptance, whichever is sooner.’ That way, you’re not sitting around for years, waiting for the editor or publisher to pay you for your writing.”
Kill fee
Last, but not least, you’ll want your contract to include language that ensures you’ll get paid for assigned work if your story never runs (or “gets killed”), for whatever reason, usually having nothing to do with the writer or the quality of the writing. “Publications die. Editors have a change of heart. Insist that a kill-fee clause is part of any contract you negotiate or sign,” Jeffery D. Zbar advises in Writer’s Digest. “Ask for 50 percent; settle for no less than 30 percent. If the magazine demands to pay less, you may be dealing with a substandard publication—and be inviting trouble.”
Posted by Admin Team on Wed, Jul 21, 2010 @ 10:00 AM
By Rebecca Smith Hurd
Q. How do I balance making money with fulfilling my passion as a writer?
A. “Balance” can be defined and achieved in so many ways that if you ask three veteran freelance writers this question, you’ll get three different answers. What works well for one scribe may fail miserably for another, because their talents, goals, interests, circumstances and financial needs vary. Some freelancers rely on non-writing jobs or supplementary income to help meet their bottom lines, while others earn a living exclusively as writers.
The beauty of freelancing is that you can choose to do whatever best suits you, your life and your business at any given time. The only universal truth seems to be that writers who are passionate about their work make putting words to the page a priority. After all, you can’t make money writing if you don’t write!
Writer #1: Passion Pays
Patrick Di Justo is a full-time writer whose work appears in Wired, Scientific American, and The New York Times. Prior to his freelance career, Di Justo programmed robots for the federal government and ran a planetarium in suburban New York. He says he “literally can’t remember” the last time he took a job he hated just for money.
“I am the luckiest writer on the planet, because I spend all my time writing articles I love,” says Di Justo, whose book The Science of Battlestar Galactica is due out in October from Wiley.
Di Justo, who last summer celebrated his 10-year anniversary of “Working With No Pants,” says that over the past decade he has occasionally done other paid work. This includes teaching science classes for the American Museum of Natural History and occasionally fixing computers for his neighbors. But the lion’s share of his income comes from writing.
“I have always lived a very simple lifestyle—I don’t feel the need to take extravagant vacations, or to have the latest cars and gadgets, or even to try every new restaurant,” he says. “Because of that, I can have a very enjoyable life on the money I make from writing.”
Writer #2: Stories on the Side
In contrast to Di Justo, children’s book author Chris Barton says he spends most of his working hours not writing. The Austin, Texas-based scribe, who supports a family of four, fits in bursts of creativity whenever he can.
“I’ve got a full-time office job, so that relegates my weekday writing time to an early-morning window (usually between 5 and 6:30 a.m.) and my lunch hours,” says Barton, a business analyst at Hoover’s. “I get in some additional hours on the weekends, mainly before my children wake up, and if I’m on deadline I can often summon the energy for a little more writing after my kids are in bed.”
All of those piecemeal hours can add up to some good work, says Barton, whose Shark vs. Train is on the New York Times best-seller list. “For me, the biggest benefit of the office job has been allowing my writing career to flourish without the pressure of having to provide for the mortgage and our health-care premiums.”
Barton also does paid visits to schools, which is not only financially rewarding but “a whole lot of fun.” Just as with his office job, though, there’s a trade-off: Time spent soliciting visits, preparing presentations, traveling to and from schools, and visiting the schools is time spent not writing, he says. It’s also time away from his office job, which means using his vacation time or making up the hours on other days.
Writer #3: Labor of Love
Meanwhile, Sue Fagalde Lick says she’s having difficulty balancing making money with writing, in part because she’s caring for a spouse with Alzheimer’s. “I don’t mind if you mention my situation,” she says. “In fact, it is totally relevant, in that freelancers have no safety net when it comes to major family events such as illness or death. Such things make it hard to work, and there’s no paid time off.”
Lick, a former newspaper reporter and editor, is currently focused on writing her fifth book—and relies on other income to make ends meet. “Right now, my ‘day job’ is as a music director at our church. It’s hard work and definitely takes time from my writing, but it also gets me out of my office and around people and feeds my passion for music,” says Lick, who’s based in South Beach, Ore. “I also do some editing and teaching, and I have passive income from selling the books I have already published. If I didn’t have a portion of my husband’s pension to live on, I would have to get a full-time job.”
Lick doesn’t yet have a publisher, but she’s passionate about the topic and is confident that her efforts will pay off. “[The book] addresses the lives of women like me who do not have children because their mates were unwilling or unable to have children with them,” she explains. “If it doesn’t sell, I will definitely self-publish it because I know there’s a market out there: I get lots of hits at my website and my Childless by Marriage blog.”
Balancing making money and art is always a challenge, she adds. “Do you focus on the things that pay at the expense of those projects about which you feel passionate, or do you risk investing all your energy in something that might or might not pay off. I spent many years writing articles about whatever I could sell, but I have reached an age where I feel I can’t [spend] any more time on writing that doesn’t have long-term value. Life is too short.”
Do you have a question about freelancing? Ask Writing Coach.
Posted by Admin Team on Wed, Apr 21, 2010 @ 10:00 AM
by Rebecca Smith Hurd
Q. Should I charge by the hour for freelancing or by project? What are the pros and cons?
A. Freelance writing fees are frequently non-negotiable. Many print publications and websites offer a fixed rate, either per-word or per-article, and contributors either take it or leave it. Sometimes, however, an editor will ask you what your rate is. This is when you'll need to decide whether to charge by the hour or the project. The best choice, seasoned professionals say, depends on you and the assignment in question.
"If I have a clear idea of the scope of something, I prefer a flat fee. I have a good idea of how much time it takes me to get things done and know roughly what I think my time is worth," says Mathew Honan, whose work has appeared in Mother Jones, Popular Science, Runner's World, Time and Wired. "However, if a project is really open-ended, or doesn't have fixed deliverables (such as copy to file at a certain word count by a certain date), it's probably smarter to be paid by the hour."
This is particularly true of research or consulting projects, Honan says. "I may not know exactly what I'm getting into until [I'm] knee-deep. For example, I helped a university edit a new catalog. There was no previous example for me to look at, nor did the client know what length the finish product was going to be, so I couldn't know in advance how much work it would require. In that case, I billed by the hour," he explains. "But if I'm doing something like reporting and writing a story, or editing a brochure, where I know more or less what the end result will be before I get started, I always want to know what my total take-home is going to be upfront."
Setting a fair rate — whether it's per word, hour or project — requires you to be realistic about your time, resources and overall ability to deliver quality material, to someone else's specification, on deadline. When determining your fees for any project, remember to factor in any expenses (phone calls, database fees, travel, etc.) you're likely to incur while completing the assignment. Ask the client to clarify any vague aspects of their request, to make sure you agree on the nature and scope of the work.
"When I'm offered a project I want, I do a happy dance, then get to figuring out how long I'll spend completing it," says Erika Stalder, who writes a teen advice column for ABCfamily.com
and has authored four works of nonfiction for Zest Books. "I consider research, writing, expenses, image sourcing and editing. Then I set a fee at my hourly rate, plus a built-in buffer."
For instance, if she estimates the work will take 40 hours, Stalder sets a rate at 40 hours plus a few additional hours "just in case I go over," she explains. "This prevents me from getting sucked into over-researching, overspending or overworking. The little buffer I create also gives me a challenge: If I meet my original hourly estimate, my overall hourly pay goes up, which can mean extra money for fun or my retirement (something we freelancers have to provide for ourselves). If I go over my estimate, the padding ensures I haven't overworked and screwed myself out of my hourly rate."
Project fees force Stalder to budget her time in advance, she says, which allows her to schedule new assignments without interfering with other projects she's already working on. It also helps her maintain work-life balance by preventing her from overbooking.
Other freelance writers prefer to charge hourly, especially when they suspect that a particular job may require multiple rounds of revisions or lead to additional requests. "If you've agreed on a set project fee, often the client will assume that additional work is included. So they get more work for no additional pay — and you get the short end of the stick," says Clare Kleinedler, a food and travel writer who's reported for Intermezzo, the Los Angeles Times and People and does copywriting work for eHarmony, MySpace and Zynga. "Hourly rates help avoid any confusion. It's much easier to convince a client that the extra hours were necessary (hence a higher invoice than what they may have expected) than it is to convince a client to renegotiate a set fee halfway through the project."
When taking on an assignment, Kleinedler specifies what her hourly rate will and will not cover. "Anything beyond the second round of revisions gets billed at our agreed hourly rate," she says. "'Additional work' means anything that wasn't covered in the project's scope at the beginning, because often clients will read my draft and then decide to go in a different direction — not because of anything I did wrong, but because they're working it out as they go — or request additional pages or sections."
As an example, she adds: "I once did five direct-mail post cards for a perfume company. They were happy with my work, but decided they wanted to change the subject matter of two of the cards, which meant I'd have to start them from scratch. I made it clear that I would bill them for the additional work, so that they wouldn't assume it was included in my original quote. Most clients have no problem with this, and the ones who do are just trying to take advantage of you!"
Whether you're charging by the hour or by the project, if you think an assignment will be more trouble than it's worth, your best course of action is to turn it down — and use the time to pursue another one that truly deserves your time and energy.
Do you have a question about freelancing? Ask Writing Coach.
Posted by Maya Smart on Wed, Mar 17, 2010 @ 10:00 AM
by Maya Payne Smart
I’m sure I spend much more money than the average freelance writer does on conference registration and travel. Last year alone, I traveled to locales as far flung as Tampa, Denver and Indianapolis to get the pulse of the journalism community and to identify opportunities to profit from industry shifts. Although 2010 is still young, and I’ve already attended paidContent in New York, and today I’m headed to the Society of American Business Editors and Writers conference in Phoenix. Other freelance writers often ask me how I can afford to do so much travel, whether I get any work done while I’m gone, and why I bother, seeing as so many conferences seem to be more of the same.
My short answers: Conferences are a line item in my budget, and before I depart I have a plan for making the money back. I try not to take assignments with me. If you work conferences right, they can be a temporary full-time job. Each gathering presents different opportunities for networking, training and marketing. I’m never bored.
Take the SABEW conference this week. After all is said and done, I will have spent almost $2,000 on my registration, travel, accommodations and meals. Clearly, I’m betting that the information or connections I gain by going to Arizona will make that expense pay off. I have some evidence to support my belief: I left last year’s SABEW conference in Denver with two new clients, one of which has since paid me more than $5,000. Who knows what the lifetime value of that connection will be?
My 5 top tips for profitable conference hopping
1. Have a plan.
Review the conference agenda, speaker list and attendee profiles (often found in the advertising or exhibitor materials) and decide which sessions you want to attend, who you want to meet and what you hope to gain. At SABEW, I'm excited about:
- Brushing up on financial statements in the accounting workshop with Tom Contiliano, Bloomberg News CFO;
- Meeting business editors who are in the hunt for new freelance writers;
- Attending the entrepreneurial journalism and paid-content panels, which explore the new economics of our business in print and online; and
- Chatting with SABEW’s many authors about the ins and outs of drafting a book proposal, getting an agent and building a platform.
2. Be social. I’m an introverted only child who finds mingling exhausting, but when I’m at conferences I make a concerted effort to chitchat during receptions, sit with new people at meals and accept invitations to hang out with colleagues outside of formal conference events. On occasion, I’ve even organized outings to connect people I thought should know one another or to spend more time with a key contact. Casual conversations can lead to new clients, assignments and referral sources. But don’t force it: Take a genuine interest in the people you meet, be open to collaboration opportunities and see if any partnerships emerge organically.
3. Speak up. It’s also a good idea to volunteer your time or insight to help conference organizers. I’ve put together panels, given keynote addresses, introduced speakers, manned exhibit-hall booths and facilitated panels. This endears you to the host organization, raises your profile at events and often attracts people and resources to you. In Never Eat Alone, networking guru Keith Ferrazzi cites studies showing a positive correlation between the number of speeches given and one’s income bracket. Hmm.
4. Pay attention. Listen actively to presentations, take notes and ask questions to reinforce your understanding of the information you hear. Then go a step further and ask yourself, “What do I need to start doing, stop doing or start doing differently as a result of what I’ve just heard?” In other words, vigilantly seek takeaways and connect the dots between conference insights and day-to-day tasks.
5. Follow up. Marketing maven Alexandria Brown often says “the fortune is in the follow-up,” and I’ve found that sentiment to be true. Striking up a conversation at a conference is just the beginning. When you hear of a need that you can fill, be sure to follow-up after the event by sending an e-mail outlining your ideas. For example, a prospective client who I met at a conference last year asked me to send her a resume and 3 to 5 story ideas. I sent her three story ideas and a detailed proposal for a biweekly column. I didn’t get the column, but she was so impressed with the ideas I outlined that she hired me to develop and teach a course on the topic. You can’t always predict where your conference contacts will take you — and that’s the exciting part!
Posted by Maya Smart on Mon, Mar 15, 2010 @ 10:00 AM
by Maya Payne Smart
Freelancers like us were not the focus of the paidContent 2010 conference. But last month’s gathering of “serious stakeholders” in New York to discuss the economics of content generated a ton of information that our businesses can benefit from.
Here are my five top takeaways:
1. Grow multiple “legs” of revenue. For the past 18 months, I’ve been talking with freelancers about the importance of having multiple streams of revenue flowing into our writing businesses, from article dollars and book royalties to speaking fees and blog ads. paidContent founder Rafat Ali, however, uses the phrase “multiple legs of revenue.” I like this expression better because if we envision our freelance writing businesses as sitting stools, it’s clear that they would topple without at least three supporting legs. Major media companies sell advertising, subscriptions, products and services. I sell articles, courses and multimedia. How about you? What distinct, sturdy income sources will give your business legs this year?
2. Follow the money. I had an “aha” moment when James McQuivey, a vice president and principal analyst for Forrester Research, noted that “People don’t pay for content, and they never have.” People pay for access to content. Publishers have been confused about this for years because content delivery used to be so closely tied to gated analog media (books, vinyl, theaters, newsprint, etc.). With the rise of digital information and devices, it’s clear that consumers are paying for access to content. We’re also shelling out more than ever to get the movies, news and music we enjoy. Need proof? Add up your monthly bills for cable TV, broadband, wireless phone data service, Netflix, digital music and gaming services. The average American has a content bill of $96.84 — and $75.04, or 77 percent, of that is for access.
People will continue to pay for access to content, but ad revenue will drop as dollars get spread across many media and content producers (that’s us) will face considerable competition. To profit in this environment, freelancers need to create content that is not easily replicated or duplicated — and sell it to whoever wields the most control over access to content (e.g., cable and telecom companies, monopoly content rights holders and device makers). There’s a pecking order in play: Producing generic news items commands less pay than producing Lost. As entrepreneurial writers, we need to reconsider the types of content we’re providing and start moving up the food chain.
3. Go local. Globalization may be all the rage, but Hilary Schneider, executive vice president of Yahoo Americas, says that Yahoo is focused on localized content delivery. “Local is digital crack,” she said. “Audiences are consumed with understanding local information, local news, connecting with their local community, and advertisers are just as excited about their ability to localize their offers.” She estimates that this market, which includes different levels and definitions of local, represents a more than $15 billion opportunity. Yahoo is focused on the “national local” piece of this — helping large advertisers like McDonald’s use search traffic and consumer data to drive foot traffic in specific locations. In 2009, Yahoo’s Newspaper Consortium, which sends Web traffic to newspaper sites, brought the papers $100 million in revenue, and that’s just the tip of the iceberg, she said. Later in the day, Devin Wenig, CEO of Thomson Reuters Markets, outlined his company’s plan to bring in local content by creating a “professional content ecosystem” in which local providers can syndicate content. Ask yourself: How can I create sought after local content? And, more importantly, who’s buying?
4. Get niche quick. Rob Grimshaw, managing director of FT.com, said that the Financial Times’ spate of acquisitions of high-end subscription publications shows that “news journalism is not dead.” The acquired digital media companies include Medley Global Advisors, Mergermarket, Exec-Appointments.com, Money-Media and MandateWire. Notably, all relied on niche content, digital business models and intelligent aggregation to sell content for tens of thousands of dollars a year. In a separate talk, Steven Brill, co-founder of Journalism Online, made a similar point: “Online everyone is a trade publisher in the sense that they have to be tightly focused,” Brill said. Freelancers, take note: Specialization pays.
5. Keep an eye on content farms (a.k.a. super-distributors). Rafat Ali cut to the chase when he asked executives from Demand Media, AOL, Associated Content and About.com: “Are you content with driving the economics of the business into the gutter?” His cynicism gave respondents an opportunity to distinguish their offerings from those of competitors. All content mills, it turns out, aren’t created equal. Pay scales, writer credentials and editorial goals differ dramatically. About.com has been around for 13 years and its writers, with whom the company hopes to forge long-term relationships, make between $600 and $1,200 per month on average. In contrast, writers for Associated Content (“the people’s media company”) can expect $1 to $2.50 per 1,000 page views. Marty Moe, senior vice president of AOL Media’s publishing division, says its Seed.com wants to “produce the highest-quality journalism” it can. Associated Content’s CEO Patrick Keane asserts, “We are not a news site; we are not journalists. But we’re democratic and open.”
What these super-distributors share are impressive platforms for managing a high volume of content and paying a geographically distributed network of producers. Over time, I think we’ll see some of these distributors start developing premium brands that publish better, more expensive writing. So while the pay may be paltry now, they bear watching.
As you navigate the new media landscape, which of these lessons are you likely to apply and why?
Posted by Admin Team on Thu, Mar 11, 2010 @ 10:41 AM
by Rebecca Smith Hurd
Seasoned pros say that writers looking to branch out need to build a strong network and adapt to whatever technology clients use.
Q: Do you have any resources you’d recommend for freelance editors? As a journalist, I have always edited my own work, and I think I have the skills, but have not had the “editor” title. I’m not sure what computer programs are commonly used, especially when working remotely.
A: Breaking into freelance editing can be tough because, as one seasoned editor put it, “there’s more competition than there is meat.” Networking is usually the best resource for finding jobs, and any professional journalism experience — including writing — gives you a huge advantage: You already know people in the field.
“I don’t think of myself as a networker, a schmoozer or a people person, really, but that’s pretty much the only way I’ve ever gotten work,” says Hon Walker, a Portland, Ore.-based editor. “When I started out, it wasn’t about scouring Craigslist or reading classifieds or looking at job listings or sending out resumes. It was about people I had a personal connection to. I talked with them. And before long, I was working.” Over the past 13 years, Walker’s client list has included CNET, PC World,
Wired, Dwell, SFGate.com and O’Reilly Media.
Editorial managers tend to prefer “known quantities” because they often don’t have time to vet freelancers the way they would potential full-time hires. “It’s very rare that I would hire somebody completely cold, with no connection whatsoever, because I have no context for them,” says Karen Zuercher, associate managing editor at Via Magazine in Walnut Creek, Calif. “Sure, I can call their references, but only an idiot is going to provide one that isn’t glowing. So if there is any personal connection at all, I recommend it — schools, professors, whatever they can find.”
If you don’t have any connections, Zuercher, who freelanced for more than two years before accepting her current position last fall, suggests joining a networking or affinity group in your area to establish contacts. In many major U.S. cities, you can connect with other freelancers online through Yahoo or Meetup. You might also consider joining a national industry organization, such as Mediabistro or the Society of Professional Journalists, both of which hold periodic regional events.
In terms of computer programs, there really isn’t a definitive answer about which ones you’ll need to master. The tools of the editing trade vary wildly from job to job and across media — regardless of whether you’re working in-house or remotely. Generally, you should be adept at using a personal computer, email, a Web browser and search engine, and Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc.). You’ll likely find yourself working with some sort of publishing software, too, either online or off.
If you’re editing online, be prepared to change software with each new client. “Web publishers have proprietary posting tools, and they all have quirks — weird, kooky things that you figure out through trial and error,” Walker says. “I’ve also worked remotely through a virtual desktop/private network. I was looking at a desktop in their office: I used their software and servers remotely through my machine.”
If you’re editing for print, get familiar with a desktop-publishing program like Adobe InDesign. Amanda Mitchell Henry, a Dublin, Calif.-based freelancer, says you don’t need to be an expert, but understanding what happens to the words on the page after you’re done editing them is beneficial. “I don’t have graphic-design capabilities, and I don’t have the layout skills, but I have paid enough attention to both that I’ve been able to do the best I can with, say, a PowerPoint presentation or blog posts … because now a lot of stuff is in our hands as editors,” says Henry, who’s freelanced for eight years for clients like InfoWorld, NetworkWorld and BWIA Airlines’ magazine, Caribbean Beat.
Zuercher says she doesn’t expect freelancers to be tech experts, but she looks for self-starting editors who feel comfortable with computers and software in general. “It’s more about adaptability than it is about any specific skill set,” she says. “You have to be able to step up and train quickly and figure out stuff on your own.”
Do you have a question about freelancing? Ask Writing Coach.
Posted by Admin Team on Wed, Nov 18, 2009 @ 08:58 AM
Specialization Pays--In Any Economy
by Loren Pritchett
Contrary to popular belief, you don’t need a journalism degree to launch a successful freelance career. Just ask Kelly James-Enger of BecomeBodyWise.com. After working for five years as an attorney in a private practice, James-Enger left the legal field to pursue a full-time writing career. She had no formal media training, but she didn’t need any. Instead, she used her research abilities, financial-planning skills, and life experiences to get her Chicago-based business off the ground.
“I had never taken any journalism classes. I have a rhetoric background,” she said. “So I read Writer’s Market and a lot of magazines, and I analyzed a lot of articles. I looked for the kind of ledes writers used, how many people were quoted, experts, and tones.”
She also persevered. After sending several dozen unsuccessful query letters to publications, James-Enger tried a new approach and sent an entire article to the editor she found listed in the masthead of Cosmopolitan. The unconventional pitch worked and James-Enger sold her first article, “Surviving the Last Two Weeks on Your Job,” to the magazine. “I used my personal experience of leaving my own job for the story,” she explained.
Encouraged by the sale of articles to Cosmopolitan and Bride’s, James-Enger saved enough money to support herself for six months, quit her job and began writing full time in January 1997. Even with a plan and the financial stability to live as a self-employed writer, she found herself facing the same challenges that most beginners face. “I had problems with time management and getting my foot in the door with editors,” she recalled.
She overcame obstacles by setting daily goals for gaining exposure and building relationships with editors at various publications. She sent out one query letter a day and resubmitted new ideas to editors who rejected her initial pitches. “Within 24 hours, I was resending queries out to editors,” she said. “It helped me stay on track.”
Assuming that she’d have a disadvantage competing for assignments against writers with more media experience, James-Enger applied what she knew as an attorney to her writing business. She was able to transfer her writing, research and interviewing skills and fine-tune her time management skills. “As an attorney, I had dozens of open cases at any time, so I learned to manage my time,” she said. “As a writer, I had to prioritize tasks and not spend more time than necessary on them.”
She also capitalized on her working habits and suggests adjusting daily schedules accordingly. “You need to know when your best writing time is,” she said. “If you are a morning person you should be writing--not doing interviews or research--during that prime writing time.”
James-Enger stays on top of assignments by planning her day each morning and keeping a date book and to-do lists. “Know what your priorities are,” she said. “It’s all about knowing yourself and being organized.”
Initially, James-Enger covered a wide range of topics but decided, after a year, to focus on stories related to health, nutrition and fitness. She supplemented her knowledge of the areas by reading studies, breakthroughs and press releases. “Ninety-five percent of my work falls under this topic,” she said. “Every magazine cover has something about health and nutrition and that provided me with a lot of opportunities.” Her work has appeared in Complete Woman, Fit, Family Circle and Shape.
Eighteen months after the start up, James-Enger’s writing business took off. She began pitching more successfully, editors started to offer her more assignments, and she brought in more money. By 2003, she was earning a six-figure salary.
She credits her success to the decision to specialize: She could handle more assignments while doing less legwork. “I just found it saved me a lot of time. You can reinvent the wheel over and over again with stories like how to lose weight. Since I have the knowledge and background, it makes things easier.”
James-Enger also advises aspiring writers to pull from their own experiences. “Pitch ideas that you have a personal connection to, ones which you are uniquely qualified to write,” she said. “Look at your own background and what unique knowledge you have, and look for markets that you can maintain a long-term relationship with.”
She wrote about the legal side to planning a wedding while she dealt with her own nuptials. She successfully pitched a story about unexplained causes of fatigue when her sister was diagnosed with sleep apnea and drew from her marriage for a piece offering ten reasons to date a shy guy.
She said that after a writer gets one assignment from an editor, it becomes ten times easier to work for that publication again—as long as you remain professional. “Do what you say you’re going to do. Be reliable. I’ve never missed a deadline,” she said. “All my clients come back to me. I pitch them over and over and have worked with them for more than five years.”
Bonnie L. Krueger, editor-in-chief for Complete Woman, appreciates James-Enger’s work ethic. “[She] has broadened her scope over the years,” Krueger said. “She delivers a well-researched feature on any subject I assign her. She is professional and thorough.”
Over the past few years, James-Enger has tapped new markets to keep up with the shifting media landscape. “I’ve changed my business quite a bit,” she said. “I am doing fewer magazines and more books now. It is more time efficient for me to pick markets I’m interested in and really work on those.”
For James-Enger this includes writer’s guides and fitness and nutrition books, such as Ready, Aim, Specialize!, Six-Figure Freelancing, and Small Changes, Big Results. She currently resides in a western suburb of Chicago where she is a public speaker on heath and nutrition, a licensed personal trainer, and has a 4-year-old son.
James-Enger sets daily profit goals for herself to boost productivity and foster consistent revenue streams. With half of her income coming from books, James-Enger earns 30 percent of her income from magazines articles, 10 percent from public speaking and 10 percent from selling reprints. She enjoys a comfortable salary but the flexibility of freelancing is her favorite job benefit.
“I like being my own boss, in charge of my own success and failure. The freedom I have in freelancing means I can sit and work today, tomorrow and have every weekend off if I want. I can focus on being a mom, which is my first and most important job, and I can work in my pajamas. You can’t do that as an attorney!”
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Posted by Admin Team on Wed, Nov 18, 2009 @ 08:36 AM
by Loren Pritchett
The difference between a successful freelance writer and an unsuccessful one usually boils down to how well you run your business. As an independent contractor, it's as important to keep those checks coming in as it is to deliver clear, compelling content on deadline. Unfortunately, collecting what you're owed can be a tough task, especially amid an economic downturn, when many companies delay their cash outlays, including payments to suppliers. The good news: You can protect your bottom line by being organized, professional, and assertive with your clients. Here are half a dozen tips that'll help you avoid hassles--and getting stiffed.
1. Negotiate a clear contract.
Erik Sherman, a Massachusetts-based freelance journalist, recommends researching your potential new client before entering into any sort of binding contract. "Find out if they have the funds to pay you. Check with writers they've worked with in the past, look up their financial statements, and run credit checks," he said. "Check their cash on hand versus their debts and see if they are paying people." By conducting a proper background check, you can avoid clients who have a bad history of paying debts. If you need help, agencies like Dun & Bradstreet can assist you in checking a company's credit report (for a fee), whether you're working with an established publication or a new one.
Be wary of start-ups because their funding can dry up at a moment's notice and your payment might go along with it, urges Kelly Bastone, a freelancer based in Colorado. Before entering into a contract, ask your client where the company gets its funding and what its payment policies are. If it's a large or long-term job, ask whether you may bill them in increments. That way, you'll have some leverage (i.e., you can stop working on a project) if a payment is past due.
Once you are confident your client is able to pay and you've agreed to do the work, read the contract closely. Make sure that the terms (your rate, payment due date, kill fee for non-use, etc.) accurately reflect your verbal agreement. If you don't have a formal contract, send an email outlining your expectations. Tell your client when you plan to submit invoices and what methods of payment you accept. "Send an invoice with the story whether the agreement is pay-on-delivery or pay-on-publication," Sherman said. "There is no way for the editor to ignore it if the invoice is attached with the story."
If any problems arise after the project is completed, you can refer the client to your contract and/or to the email trail to prompt proper compensation.
2. Clearly organize your invoice and billing system.
It is important to have a foolproof billing system in place, so that your clients don't have any questions--or reasons for delay--when it's time to pay up. Start by building a simple, coherent invoice. You can find free invoice templates in Microsoft Word and online through Billing Manager and FreshBooks, or you can use a spreadsheet like Excel to make your own. (Sometimes your client may provide one.)
In general, an invoice should feature your name, your company name, mailing address, email address, and phone and fax numbers. The invoice should also include space for itemizing services and expenses, your taxpayer I.D., the date the invoice is due, to whom checks should be made payable, and acceptable payment methods. Once you have created an invoice template, decide your payment terms. Some companies give their clients 30 days to pay an invoice, while others allow up to 60 days.
Be fair to yourself, but also set a reasonable deadline for your clients. Consider establishing a penalty for late payments. Be upfront with your policies from the beginning, and state them clearly on your invoices. By eliminating guesswork, you can cut down on the time it takes to receive payment.
3. Find out who pays the bills--and when.
"Make friends with the accounting people," Sherman said. "Often they get blamed for everything because they know the information, but they share it with you because they don't want all the grief falling on them. It is usually not their fault, so treat them respectfully."
Although you are dealing with an editor directly, he or she may not be the person who ultimately handles your payment. Be sure to ask where to send your invoice and who needs to receive a copy. Make a note of this contact information for future reference; your editor may also prefer that you direct any follow-up questions to accounts payable. Some clients will prefer an electronic copy of your invoice, followed by a printout sent through the mail. It is also helpful to know when your clients pay out. Some companies only cut checks on the 1st or 15th of the month. By knowing these dates, you can easily check the status of an invoice if a payment is overdue. Copy your editor on all inquiries.
4. Establish a standard collection procedure.
To eliminate extra work for yourself, set up a system for monitoring outstanding invoices and recording when they've been paid. This will help you at tax time, too. Keep a log, electronic or otherwise, of whom you've billed and when payments are due.
Bastone uses a simple paper ledger to track her outgoing invoices and incoming payments. She notes various details of each article, including its deadline, the date she invoiced the client, and whether she's been paid. She says her system helps her recognize holes when she does her bookkeeping. "It's a low-tech system," she said. "But it serves as a visual trigger that lets me know who hasn't sent payment."
Whether you use a handwritten tracking sheet or a color-coded Excel document, having a visual reminder of overdue invoices will help you realize when it's time to follow up with your client. When a payment is a week past its due date (sufficient time for a check to have arrived if it was cut on the last day), shoot your client a friendly e-mail reminder or give them a call to make sure the invoice has been processed. Express your willingness to resolve any issues that may be delaying payment, particularly if you're working with a new client. Remember to thank them for allowing you to work on that particular project, ask when you can expect a check, and save a copy of all correspondence.
If you do not receive a check by the date promised, resubmit your invoice indicating the payment is overdue. Be sure to keep a copy for your records.
5. Write a formal letter.
If a client fails to respond to your resubmitted invoice within 30 days, send it again--this time in the form of a letter, via certified mail, requesting immediate payment for the services provided. (If you are working on a subsequent job, you also might try to use that as leverage, saying that you are unable to finish until you are paid for prior work.) Attach a copy of the original invoice. You will be notified when the letter has been delivered, which will help prevent the client from claiming that it was never received. This should resolve the problem. But, if you still aren't paid within 30 days, it is clear your client either has no intention of paying or lacks the funds to do so.
6. Cut your losses.
After several attempts to collect, it is time to cut your losses or consider the next steps. If you are unwilling to end your quest for compensation, you may want to complain to the Better Business Bureau or a government watchdog or take the issue to small-claims court or a collection agency. It will be paramount to consider how much the client owes you compared with how much money you'll spend in court fees and how much time you'll spend filing a claim, waiting for a hearing, and appearing in court. Small-claims filing fees vary by state and can range from $20 to $200. The maximum claim amount is $5,000 and can be as low as $1,000 in some states. You can research your state's small-claims court procedures online. If you'd rather stay out of court, consider hiring a collection agency.
Bastone successfully collected payment from a delinquent client at no cost. "It was quite a lot of work and phone calls to get the payment," she said. "But the collection agency was able to collect my money, and the client had to pay their fee." Again, make sure your potential losses outweigh how much you stand to get paid.
However you go about collecting overdue funds, always remain professional. Bad-mouthing a client or using uncivil means of collection is bound to backfire, damaging future prospects and possibly your reputation. Think twice before firing off angry emails or using abusive language on the phone. Whether you receive payment or not, the big payoff here is learning whom to work with again--or whom to avoid--and how to improve your invoicing system.
"Don't feel squeamish about getting paid," Bastone advised. "Don't approach your clients with your hat in your hand--you've entered a professional exchange that you've both agreed on, so don't be apologetic."
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Posted by Admin Team on Wed, Nov 18, 2009 @ 08:13 AM
Diversify revenue streams to cope with waning magazine budgets
by Loren Pritchett
Marcia Layton Turner seasons a passion for writing with business savvy to consistently gross more than $100,000 a year despite media industry tumult. The Rochester, N.Y.-based freelancer and book author puts her University of Michigan MBA to use conducting market research, managing cash flow and diversifying revenue streams for her writing business. And she wouldn’t have it any other way.
“By my own definition, I am a success because I can work when I want to work and make a decent living while doing what I love,” she said.
Turner didn’t always have that freedom. She started her career in the marketing department at Eastman Kodak Co., where from 1989 to 1993 she wrote press releases, copy for brochures, case studies, and marketing communication plans. During this time, she also penned her first book, Successful Fine Art Marketing (Career Press), a project that grew out of a desire to help her artist father build a larger following. She researched publishers who were interested in art and business in Writer’s Market, a publishing reference guide, and sent proposals to 20. Two requested sample chapters and one went on to publish the book, which took nine months to write. Soon after other publishers approached her to write additional books.
In 1996, Turner attempted to break into magazine writing, but found selling stories more difficult than she’d imagined. “I didn’t know how to approach editors or how to pitch ideas,” she recalled. “I thought I could just approach them and they would be impressed that I had written some books. I thought they would say, ‘Oh, yes, Marcia! Here, we’ll give you your own column.’ I was wrong.”
To sharpen her skills, Turner enrolled in professional-development seminars and courses offered by Writer’s Digest and freelance writer Diane Benson Harrington. She took Harrington’s “Crafting the Query” course more than once. “My pitches improved considerably,” Turner said. “The key for me—and I think the key for everyone—is to start with what you know. For me, it was with business topics, because I had an MBA and I had worked in the corporate market. I built on that. I expanded from writing about taxes to marketing, and eventually the assignments grew.”
In 2001, Turner finally broke into magazines by writing a profile for American Painting Contractor Magazine. She later tweaked the idea for other markets and sold it five more times. With that 2,000-word article and its offshoots, she successfully launched her freelance career. “I demonstrated that I could write business articles. Once I got that one recognizable clip, it helped me break into larger-circulation publications,” she said. “I started getting assignments from other trade magazines.”
Turner has since expanded her focus to other topics that interest her. “I have children, so I started writing about parenting. Like everyone, I like to save money, so sometimes I write about savings and coupons. As my interests grow, I add to my list.”
Turner realized magazine budgets were shrinking in the spring of 2009 and reallocated her workload accordingly. “There are fewer freelance opportunities [in journalism],” she explained. “Either magazines are closing down or they are depending on their staff writers to deliver. Ghostwriting has been a big part of my revenue stream, and I’m doing a lot more with the Web and creating products for writers to break into the industry.”
Although Turner continues to explore alternative means to make money, she believes it is possible to be a success in writing for newspapers and magazines alone. “I have several friends who do, though it is harder,” she said. “Combining several types of writing makes it possible to ride out any downturns in some areas of the market – as we’re seeing with magazines right now.”
Turner’s work appears in numerous trade and consumer magazines, books, and on various Web sites. Her clients have included BusinessWeek, Cyberhomes.com, Woman’s Day, The McGraw-Hill Companies, and Penguin Group Inc. Turner strives to maintain contact with all of her clients, to remind them that she’s available for additional work. “It is important to stay in touch. I send e-mails to pitch story ideas and keep them updated on what I’m working on,” she said. “Some of my editors are even my Facebook friends, so I can stay connected with them that way also.”
Additionally, Turner uses FreelanceSuccess.com, to help find other avenues for writing. “It’s a community of writers where you can share information and find out where and who to pitch to. It’s a great place to turn to for help,” she said.
She also keeps an eye on industry news and magazines to network with other writers and pitches ideas to editors she’s never worked with before.
By exploring new opportunities and staying connected with previous clients, Turner is able to work on an average of eight to ten stories at once. She juggles her assignments with proper planning and execution. “I try to do something on each story every day,” she said. “Most stories are in different stages, so I might be drafting for one story or finding potential sources for another, while editing and proposing story chapters.”
Although she considers herself a business, she markets herself as an individual. “I used to market myself as a company when I had employees,” Turner said. “But I realized that the people I wrote for wanted to work with me and not to be handed off to someone else when dealing with me, so that is who I worked on marketing, myself.”
Turner said she is always looking for more work, even when she has several stories in progress. She positions herself so that clients want to work with her again. “I’m easy to deal with, I meet the requested deadline, and I pitch stories editors haven’t heard yet,” she said. “If you are difficult, editors are not willing to come to you.”
Shelley Moench-Kelly, senior editor at Beauty Store Business, has worked with Turner for two years and says she’s a valuable contributor to the magazine. “She is one of my top two favorite writers,” Moench-Kelly said. “She communicates well, lets me know immediately if there is a problem, follows direction perfectly, and she’s thorough and accurate. I know I can send her an assignment sheet and go on with my next problem. She has the kind of work ethic that I have and appreciate.”
That’s good news for Turner, who aims to continue her already successful freelance career. Her current goal: “I want to continue to do exactly what I’m doing,” she said. “Just more of it!”
Marcia Layton Turner’s 5 Tips for Successful Freelancing
1. Treat your freelance career like a business. Always act professionally and ask for what you’re worth.
2. Pitch constantly. You will not get assignments unless you pitch ideas. Even when you have 10 stories in progress, continue to pitch, because when those 10 are done, you’ll need something to work on—and to bring money in.
3. Try not to say no to an assignment unless you are sure you cannot do a stellar job. Ask for more time or different parameters, but don’t turn down the work. If you do, the editor will find another writer and you may lose a client.
4. Never stop learning. Meeting new people, listening to new ideas, reading new magazines and blogs, etc., will help generate new story ideas.
5. Think of your freelance career as if it were a ladder. Start at the bottom with good, solid clips in small publications, and then use those to break into larger, better-paying magazines. Keep moving up to command more money.
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You’re free to do so, as long as you include this complete blurb with it: WritingCoach.com offers insights and inspiration for freelance writers. Sign up for our biweekly newsletter at WritingCoach.com to learn how to create wealth and enjoy the writing life.