Posted on Tue, May 18, 2010
MAY 2010 WRITING SHOW - Can I Get a Witness: Writing for Social Change
Featuring:
-- Michael Paul Williams, journalist -- Linda Beatrice Brown, novelist, playwright and poet -- Emily Troutman, essayist and photojournalist
With your host, JRW Board member Maya Payne Smart
Thursday, May 27, 2010 6:30-8:30 p.m. The Pavilion Room The Children's Museum 2626 West Broad Street, Richmond $10 in advance, http://www.JamesRiverWriters.org $12 at the door $5 students at the door
Michael Paul Williams is a columnist and reporter for the Richmond Times-Dispatch. A Richmond native, he is a graduate of Hermitage High School and Virginia Union University, and holds a master's degree in Journalism from Northwestern University. Hired by the Times-Dispatch in 1982, he has won Virginia Press Association awards for column writing in 1992, 1994 and 2007. During the 1999-2000 school year, he was one of a dozen U.S. journalists awarded a yearlong Nieman Fellowship at Harvard University.
Linda Beatrice Brown holds a PhD in African American Literature and Creative Writing, and is presently the Willa B. Player Distinguished Professor of the Humanities and Director of the Honors Program at Bennett College for Women in Greensboro, NC. In addition to her latest novel, Black Angels (Putnam, 2009), written for young readers, Linda is the author of the novels Rainbow 'Roun Mah Shoulder and Crossing Over Jordan. She has written several plays, including Wildfire: Black Hands White Marble, and her poetry has been published in several anthologies and magazines. She is a member of the Spiritual Renaissance Singers in Greensboro, Holy Trinity Episcopal Church, the NAACP, and NOW. Linda lives in a 100-year-old house in Greensboro, NC where she is working on a sequel to Black Angels. http://www.lindabeatricebrown.com
Emily Troutman is a writer and photographer whose work focuses on international humanitarian issues. In 2009, she was one of five people named United Nations Citizen Ambassador for her winning video responding to the question, "If you could speak to world leaders, what would you say?" She received widespread media attention for her photo essay, "President Obama Inauguration: Words for How We Feel Now." Since the devastating earthquake in Haiti, Emily has been based in Port-au-Prince. Her photos, articles and personal essays have been carried by AOL News, Time.com, Slate.com and Truthout.org. She holds a Master of Public Policy from the University of Minnesota, Humphrey Institute for Public Affairs. http://www.emilytroutman.com
Maya Payne Smart is a professional writer who has written hundreds of articles for newspapers, magazines and web sites. Her 2010 client list includes Black Enterprise, CNNMoney.com and Savoy Professional. She received a bachelor's degree in Social Studies from Harvard University and a master's degree in editorial journalism from the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University. She serves on the board of governors of the Society of American Business Editors and Writers and on James River Writers' board of directors, and is a member of the National Association of Black Journalists and The Society of Professional Journalists. http://www.mayasmart.com
James River Writers is a nonprofit 501(c)3 organization dedicated to promoting the craft of writing and love of literature. http://www.JamesRiverWriters.org
Media Contact:
Anne Westrick 804-433-3790 tel 804-291-1466 fax anne@JamesRiverWriters.org
Posted on Thu, Jan 14, 2010
WritingCoach.com, an online professional-development service for freelance writers, today announced the launch of Writing Coach PRO, a group coaching program designed to help writers develop and hone the business skills they need to thrive in a competitive marketplace.
The six-month program will enroll up to 30 freelance writers who are committed to taking their business savvy to new heights. Writing Coach PRO offers comprehensive training in project management, sales and marketing, financial decision-making, technology use and outsourcing.
“Despite media industry woes, it is possible to earn a healthy living as a freelance writer,” WritingCoach.com founder Maya Payne Smart said. “But it takes a clear plan, hard work, and ongoing support to do it.”
Smart, a veteran freelance writer and journalism instructor with a background in business, knows this firsthand--and she developed this course with small-business people like her in mind. She taught journalism courses at Clemson University and was a conference speaker for the Society of Professional Journalists. She serves on the board of governors of the Society of American Business Editors and Writers and teaches “How to be an Entrepreneur as a Business Journalist,” a weeklong course for the Donald W. Reynolds National Center for Business Journalism at Arizona State University.
Whether you’re an established professional looking to boost sales or a recently laid-off reporter new to the freelance world, this program will help you grow your business.
Writing Coach PRO offers:
-- Live training calls with Maya
-- Live Q&A calls with Maya
-- Online and MP3 recordings of all calls
-- Transcripts of all calls
-- A private, members-only online forum
-- Monthly step-by-step action plans to put lessons to work
-- A list of recommended reading, resources and vendors
-- Regular accountability check-ins
"Our curriculum is designed to transform freelance writers into outstanding small-business owners who can successfully navigate media industry turmoil and seize emerging opportunities to serve readers and thrive financially,” Smart said.
Writing Coach PRO is a total-immersion business school for freelancers. Expert instruction, dedicated client-service representatives and talented peers will make this a high-impact learning experience. Any working freelance writer may apply. Participants pay just $97/mo. — a fraction of what colleges and universities charge. (Each applicant will be interviewed prior to admission into the program to limit enrollment to freelancers with demonstrated writing and business potential.)
"Writing Coach PRO offers freelance writers the content, community and coaching they need to excel," Smart said. "We have the blueprint for profitable freelancing in 2010, and we’re eager to share.”
Posted on Tue, Dec 01, 2009
Dec. 10 WritingCoach.com Teleclass Gives Writers Tools to Boost Profits and Succeed
RICHMOND, Va., Dec. 1, 2009 — As a seasoned freelance writer with a
background in business journalism, Maya Payne Smart knows it’s a jungle
out there for self-employed freelancers. Which is why she founded http://www.writingcoach.com, an online business service designed to help freelancers make a profit, even in today’s economy.
“Despite what you may be hearing, it is possible to make a healthy
income as a freelance writer - even during a recession,” said Smart,
who worked for Crain’s Cleveland Business before striking out on her
own three years ago. “There are writing jobs out there that pay very
well… but you need to know where to find them and how to demand the fee
your work is worth.”
WritingCoach.com offers a program of monthly teleclasses and
webinars to help writers tackle the tough issues beyond creative ideas
and good writing - how to find good clients, market your talents, pitch
story ideas, negotiate contracts, manage your cash flow and more. On
Dec. 10, Smart and Marcia Layton Turner of BecomeASixFigureWriter.com
present “The 7 Secrets to Profitable Freelancing in a Recession,” a
coaching session jammed with practical info, ready-to-use skills and
reliable resources with one goal in mind - to empower freelance writers
and help them make more money. Teleclass details are available at http://www.writingcoach.com/success .
“Think of this as a business school for freelancers at a fraction of
the price,” said Smart, who keeps class prices at an affordable $29 to
appeal to even beginning freelancers. “Our focus is on what it takes to
be profitable,” she said. “Go on any journalism listserv and you will
find writers griping about more competition and smaller fees. It’s
true, publishing has changed - but it’s our job to figure out how to
tap new markets, work efficiently, and make better use of our time and
resources.”
Geared to freelancers of all types, from established writers looking
to boost sales to recently laid-off journalists new to the freelance
world, WritingCoach.com is:
- Convenient - the site provides critical information, when and where you need it
- Practical - simple and effective information and techniques that you can apply to your business and your life
- Affordable - “business school for freelancers” at a fraction of the price
- Empowering - tools and information to help you advance your career, achieve your goals, and enjoy your success
“The Dec. 10 teleclass provides tips and tactics from two writers
who are thriving,” said Smart. “We’re ready to share what works so you
can be confident and succeed as a freelance writer.”
About WritingCoach.com
Founded by Maya Payne Smart, WritingCoach.com gives journalists and
authors the information and business skills they need to build the
businesses they want.
Contact:
Maya Payne Smart
804-368-1614 ext. 2
maya@writingcoach.com
Posted on Wed, Sep 16, 2009
Writing Coach Maya Payne Smart will host a series of five interactive webinars on how to be an entrepreneur as a business journalist. Each one-hour session, offered from Nov. 16-20, is crafted to teach interested freelancers how to apply their skills and make a successful living outside of mainstream media. Smart will cover the ins and outs of starting a business from legal and accounting questions to branding and marketing.
Along with tips and advice from an experienced freelancer, participants will hear from Ask-the-Recruiter columnist Joe Grimm and five successful business journalists turned entrepreneurs.
Sessions are offered by the Donald W. Reynolds National Center for Business Journalism. Register here. It’s free!
Posted on Thu, Mar 19, 2009
Society of Professional Journalists Convention
August 27-30, 2009 | Indianapolis, Indiana
Writing Coach founder Maya Payne Smart will present “The Truth About Freelancing: How to Run a Profitable Writing Business” at the 2009 Society of Professional Journalists Convention.
Seismic shifts within the news business are prompting many journalists to strike out on their own as freelance writers, bloggers and columnists. And it’s not a bad option. Better work/life balance, higher pay and greater fulfillment are all within reach for skilled journalists with the knowledge and work ethic to pursue them. Attend this workshop to learn the ins and outs of running a profitable writing business. You’ll leave with a strong grasp of the diverse ways freelancers make a living from pitching articles and blogging for dollars to ghostwriting books and selling information directly to consumers. You’ll also learn seven secrets of profitable freelancing, and only one of them has to do with writing. This panel will help beginning freelancers formulate a business plan and more experienced freelancers will gain fresh insights into how to take their businesses to the next level.
Following this workshop participants will be able to:
1. Identify a viable business model for them
2. Develop the support systems they need to accelerate profitability
Register for the Society of Professional Journalists Conference