Southern Writing

Working and writing

I've had a hard time with supporting myself by freelancing. I've had paychecks that came months late and publishers who took stories and disappeared. I've had a beat assigned and then reassigned to a publication's part time employee who probably won't get paid much extra for her work and most definitely won't get paid as much as I was to do her new job.

Through it all, I worked full time. Then, I moved down to part time when I realized I could make more by freelancing more and working less. This has resulted in tumultuous finances on my part. But, considering we're in a recession and I've had constant employment and constant freelancing work, I can't really complain. I'm poor and overworked, but I'm not living on the street.

Here's where I'm going with this: Use money you make freelancing as leverage to get what you want out of life. If you have to have a day job, make sure it's something and somewhere you like. Some writers have full time day jobs. Some, like me, work part time. And, some take temp or contract jobs to bring in the money when it's needed.

This economy is redefining the way people work, and I'm not sure if that's a good or bad thing. But, it's an important thing. Because, if you think the company that's using you for cheap labor now is going to support you in a few months, when the job market is still flaccid and things have gotten REALLY bad and thousands more panicked professionals have entered the ranks of the unemployed, freelancing and working a couple jobs might look like paradise. There is no longer such a thing as job security.

The importance of networking

Someone in a writing group on She Writes asked for advice on how to get into freelancing. There is one essential secret I can share on how to break into any kind of writing, and it is this: networking.

I got my first regular writing gigs, both as a freelancer and an intern, from networking. My first published short story was sold because of networking. My first big girl job interviews in newspapers came about from networking. Networking is the key to writing, if you want to get published. (This is a big "if." There's nothing wrong with writing for fun or putting publishing off while you explore your style and learn more about the business. But, even so, it's still good to network.)

It can be as simple as reading a network blog and sending out an email for advice or as complicated as attending a convention. There is LinkedIn, Twitter, blogs, Myspace, Facebook, magazines, newspapers, books on the writing market; all of these can be used as ways to touch ground with people. Not to mention She Writes, which is a social network for women writers.

It's up to you to find an approach that works, but here are some tips:

• Don't be afraid to approach pros for help. They are usually flattered.
• Put your best foot forward. Be professional, courteous, and patient.
• Don't be afraid to send out your resume in an email. Two of my big opportunities came from me asking professionals if I could get some resume advice from them.
• If you want to be a writer, have writing samples, a blog, and/ or a website ready to show to people.
• Join writing groups and critique groups online and in real life to share support and connections.

Tune in to The Lost Girls

I applied to be a book reviewer for The Lost Girls, and it's looking like that's a go. I'm waiting for them to send me books, and it looks like I might be writing a few travel posts about Florida and the like for them, too. So, stay tuned for more updates!

And, just because it seems like a good time to do so, here's a breakdown of who I'm currently writing for:

• St. Petersburg Times
• Tampa Bay Arts Network
• The New Gay
• The New Jew
• Chronicles of Healthy(er) Living
• TravelVideoStore

I'm also sending out queries and proposals about my first novel, The Accidental Eternal, to agents and am working on my second. Fun times.

Breaking open new business models

When I first started discovering blogs, I was also reading the novel In the Night Garden, by Catherynne M. Valente. I found the author's website and checked it out. Then, I found her Livejournal and checked that out. Then, I went about my business, still unfamiliar with things like RSS feeds and the power of even LiveJournal as a writing tool.

Along the way, I started following some emerging authors and eventually found Dr. Wicked's Write or Die. That led to the Fabulous Lorraine blog, which I started reading, because I love reading about things like bees and kitties that were saved from impending doom by kind hearted ladies with purple hair.

I also started following some of my favorite authors on Twitter, like Neil Gaiman and Warren Ellis. And, just so fate could prove its small degrees of separation are normal and to be expected, I soon discovered Fabulous Lorraine was Neil Gaiman's assistant.

This is a very convoluted way to get to the point, which is that one day Gaiman tweeted about Valente, who was going through hard financial times. She'd come up with a new idea- she would start accepting donations as payment for a new novel she was writing, The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland In A Ship Of Her Own Making.

The story is a YA adventure about a girl who enters Fairy Land and was first mentioned in Valente's other novel, Palimpsest (which I have not yet read).

This is all a very roundabout way of getting to the point- so far, I've loved TGWCFiaSoHOM. It is very much what I would read to my children if I had any. In fact, I would consider borrowing children, just so I could read them this story. Since I started the conversion process, I've been thinking about having children and passing knowledge and cultural institutions down to them, and Valente's story is something that needs to be passed down.

There are so many things I could gush about- the main character is a young girl who is a complex character, not a stereotype. The rules for Fairy Land are set up right at the start, in an action scene that lets the reader know there is much adventure yet to come. The creatures she's encountered so far, like a leopard that flies and a green wind, fill the mind with wonder.

Because of the overwhelming response from the Gaiman/ Ellis viral marketing team, Valente posted soon after she came up with the idea of posting the story online that she can now pay her rent for the next few months and the crisis is over. But, I would say to readers out there, those who love fantasy, children, children at heart, just about anyone who's ever cracked open a book, that the future of fiction is now. We need to support our writers, and what better way is there than to support those writers who are brave enough to take a leap and come up with a new business model?

So far, I've donated $4, because I have my own financial troubles to deal with. But, that's $4 that's gone directly to the author, and within a few weeks she'll have made more money just off my donations than she would have if I bought every one of her books (which I also plan to do, when I have the cash).

I feel like I've said very little in too many words, but I'm sure you get the point. So, check out her site. What are you waiting for?

Squeezing by in a faltering industry

In some ways, I'm the luckiest duck I know. I have a day job and write for the St. Pete Times a few hours a week as a freelancer. So, while people all over the country (or even the world) are losing their jobs or waiting for the ax to fall, my work week is pretty stable. And, if I were to lose one side of my income, I could work more on the other and make most of the lost wages up.

I still don't make enough to really live on, but I'd still rather be where I am now than laid off after a few weeks working full time at a different paper.

If and when the economy gets back on track, I'm hoping my experience with publications like the Times, The New Gay, and Tampa Bay Arts Network will lead to some good paychecks and a career I love.

Review of the week ending on 04/23

I've definitely been getting some things done this week, but not as much as I would like. I'll have my week in review tonight, since tomorrow is Shabbat and I might not get a chance, and since I haven't been doing a good job of keeping up with my days.

Dade City Main Street news article: 472 words
The New Gay weekend preview: 393 words
Olivia backstory part 1 (for OWbN): 3,395, finished
The New Gay Open Mic at The Social: I edited this! It was written by Jeremy Gloff.
Olivia backstory part 2 (for OWbN): 514 words
On the cheap: Low cost art (published): 343 words

So, not the best or the worst. I have some ideas bouncing around in my head, and I have some things I want to work on in my novel.

The word counts above also don't count the amount of times I've managed to hurt myself this week (I've done everything from break a tooth to step on some sort of stone or piece of wood and hurt my foot) or the contacts I've made. I'm especially excited about the chance I might have to write about the Vaudevillains.

I think that's about it for now. I hope I can sleep through the night without any horrible injuries taking place.

Yes, Cthullhu loves me!

About three years ago, I commissioned a pink Cthullhu with daisies from a sculptor and a book cover illustrator I know from the One World by Night organization. For the past three years, I've seen him once a year, and for the past three years, I've asked about the pink Cthullhu with daisies. This year, he said he'd almost finished it when I saw him at Megacon, and a couple days ago he wrote me to tell me it was finished! As soon as it arrives, I will have a new mascot!

Help me name my Cthullhu!!!

I'm hoping he'll keep me in writing shape. I need someone to take me to task for procrastination. Lately, I've been focused on writing for newspapers and websites, so my fiction has suffered.

In the past three days, I've written about 3,000- 4,000 words worth of news and features, and 200 words worth of short stories and pieces of my novels.

Someone help!

If you know what my new pal here should be named or have a suggestion on how to keep up with placing the fairy tale worlds in my head on paper, feel free to leave a comment or two.

The New Gay: Tampa is a go!

My newest gig is up and running.

I'm going to be writing events listings and features for The New Gay's Tampa edition. It's a website that offers up cool things to do and a new way of looking at the world; it's based in DC, so for right now I'm the only writer regularly working on the shennanigans going on in Florida.

I'm looking forward to writing to a new audience and building a new readership base.

And, if you want to get in on the ground floor of The New Gay, go ahead and query them. They're looking for a few good writers.

March in review

March wasn't that great writing wise. I only wrote six stories for the Times, and one of them had a correction. Not an "oops- spelled the word wrong" correction but a "got a phone call from an angry city councilman minutes after the story went live" kind of correction.

I also found out my editor's leaving.

April's been much better so far.

I didn't seriously work on any of my fiction.

I got myself a boyfriend, and scheduling him into my life has been interesting (I'm not sure if me having to schedule him in is a good thing or a bad thing.)

I spent a good part of the month getting over the stress caused by the correction. I don't take my own mistakes well, but I at least think I handled everything professionally. I've also had a bunch of writing pros tell me about their own corrections. It was a live and learn moment, emphasis on learn.

I also wrote four or five stories for Tampa Bay Art Network (which is currently down), and I got in touch with another group that produces a blog in Washington D.C. I'm just waiting for them to give me access to their site to start posting. Once they do, I will be sure post my new online digs.

On the health front, thanks to stress and some nonexistent nutrition, I gained five pounds in a little less than four weeks. I realized this last week, and since then I've lost half a pound. I'm hoping once my current roommate trauma is over at the end of the month, I'll be able to live the fabulous life I'm destined for. Fortunately, I've been going back to the gym and eating a heck of a lot better since the weigh in last week, so I think I'll be fine.

Today they had Bones playing on the TVs in front of the cardio equipment, so I managed a 30 minute workout (after 30 minutes on weights) while watching something engaging (instead of CNN or Paula Dean) and got over my usual 15 minute "I don't wanna" exercise hump without too much hassle. Then I headed to the steam room.

My gym has a steam room, with aromatherapy sprays and tiled benches. It is heaven.

Freelance writing in the new economy

The economy is officially in the shitter. Because of this, freelancing is an attractive option for people looking to fortify their finances or make money when they can't find a job elsewhere. However, there are some important things about freelance writing potential writers should know before they get started.

Writing features and news articles for papers, websites, and magazines is a lot different than writing papers for school.

Some people don't get that every publication has its own style, and submissions should be tailored to the publication's audience. There are also legal issues to think about, like libel and plagiarism. Freelancers need to familiarize themselves with the ins and outs of the publishing world, otherwise a pile of rejections will ensue.

Adsense and affiliate accounts won't pay off right off the bat, if they ever do.

If you're trying to blog for a living, expect to take a loss for months, or even years after you get started. If you're lucky, you might be able to sell banner ads to businesses. Keep in mind that most of the big, corporate publishers out there haven't found ways to make money off the web.

Don't expect to qualify for loans or credit.

Even if you're trying to get credit from your bank or credit union, chances are slim you'll qualify, especially in the beginning. If you start making money, get a business account at your financial institution and start funneling your earnings directly into it so you can prove you are turning a profit.

Save receipts for just about everything.

You can deduct expenses like gas mileage and file folders for your home office, as long as you can prove you spent the money. You can even deduct part of your rent (for a home office) and meals paid for at conventions and during work trips.

Kiss your insurance goodbye, unless you want to pay an arm and a leg for independent health insurance.

If you are lucky enough to still have access to insurance from a previous employer or your spouse, good for you.

Expect to juggle another job and freelancing for months or even years.

I work about 28 hours a week and write 15- 20. That means I'm working 43 hours at minimum. That doesn't include driving time, and for some of the city council meetings I cover I have to commute about 50 minutes one way. I've met established authors who still work in marketing or as a secretary, even though they've written anywhere from a single novel to an extensive book series. Freelancing is hard work, and chances are you'll have to work hard at a day job to make ends meet.