Quotation for the Week of December 28

"I didn't really say everything I said."
-- Yogi Berra

(PS--check out the link for a laundry list of priceless things Yogi never said)

Facing the Digital Reality and Other Matters

It's been coming a long time and publishers of every sort are grappling with it now. The digital age is upon us--it's overtaken us, engulfed us, swamped us. In short, it's a force to be reckoned with, and one that publishers clearly hadn't reckoned sufficiently on. And magazines as well as newspapers must deal with it, by putting their content online. As this article notes, magazines are way behind newspapers in this regard--but they're finding themselves having to catch up fast. Which means writers have to be prepared to provide content appropriate for online consumption.

But it's not only freelance journalists that must make this adjustment--the e-book, it seems, may finally (perhaps?) be coming into its own. Or so they say. I'm still taking a wait-and-see attitude, even though I know that e-book sales have risen over the past year, while print book sales have dropped. I still wonder what kind of e-books are selling? Do they tend to be non-fiction titles or has e-book fiction also become more popular? (The article does mention an "eReader from Fictionwise," which could suggest that the uptick in e-book purchasing includes fiction.)

In any event, it would be wise for us to pay attention to the "Top 10 Digital Media Trends" blogger Michelle Rafter has identified (via) and consider her advice on how to respond to same.

Meanwhile, fiction publishers aren't just feeling the heat from the digital arena, but must contend with the surge in self-publishing. Apparently (conventional wisdom from some quarters, notwithstanding), not all self-published authors are complete losers, because quite a few of them are being scooped up by traditional publishers after the fact. While this article focuses on children's books, it's also been true for adult fiction authors like Brunonia Barry,whose book THE LACE READER was initially self-published and got picked up by a publisher for $2 million, as well as non-fiction titles like CHICKEN SOUP FOR THE SOUL, which started life as a self-published work, got picked up by a publisher and . . . well, the rest is history.

And, on the subject of how self-publishing shouldn't be considered the heinous option some people would have you believe (although, take note--success in self-publishing requires exercising good judgment in deciding which self-publishing outfit to use, having a capable, objective editor give your manuscript a good going-over before you commit it to print, making a lot of strategic marketing decisions and plain old hard work when it comes to the marketing itself), one has to follow up the point that self-published books tend to be of a poor quality with the retort: If traditional publishers provide such great quality assurance, then why do so many of their books suck?

Happy Holidays!

Hope everyone is enjoying a nice break from the usual demands of the writing life and (if you're really fortunate) sitting by a real one of these.

Quotation for the Week of December 21

"You can’t wait for inspiration. You have to go after it with a club."
-- Jack London

Something for Everyone

For all you book authors out there, some advice from Jungle Red on creating that all-important author platform.

For you freelance journalists, how about five magazines that will outlast the recession, according to Jossip. (And you've always wanted to write for Juggs, right?)

All writers can benefit from this article that tells the truth about networking.

Plus an incident that underscores the importance of copyeditors (especially for criminals).

And finally . . . un petit divertisement. (Does your life as a freelancer ever feel like this?)

Quotation for the Week of December 14

"We live in a Newtonian world of Einsteinian physics ruled by Frankenstein logic."
-- David Russell

Two Cool Blogs

I just wanted to direct your attention to two interesting new blogs I'm adding to my list o' links.

One is the Sustainable Marketing Blog, which I'm including (under "Small Business Blogs") because a lot of freelancers write marketing material and I'm a big fan of sustainable practices in any business.

The other, coming to you from Dublin, Ireland, is Hell Or High Water (great name, BTW), a cool freelance writer's blog.

As Traditional Media Wither, YouTube Flourishes

More bad news. Local newspapers are disappearing (and John Gapper questions whether they'll be missed). Another publisher is laying off employees and the venerable Newsweek is cutting staff and content. National Public Radio is also downsizing (much of its funding is tied up in an endowment, which is suffering along with the stock market).

However, it appears there's money to be made in YouTube videos. Michael Buckley makes a living hosting his own comical "celebrity chatter" show online.

Mind you, he wasn't an overnight success. "I was spending 40 hours a week on YouTube for over a year before I made a dime," Buckley said. But he was able to quit his day job after working on this show as part of YouTube's partner program.

So, you too can be a self-made Jon Stewart or Stephen Colbert. If you have the chutzpah, time and energy, that is.

Imagine what Andy Warhol would have to say about all this. With so many people appearing on YouTube (paid or for free), maybe 15 minutes of fame was an underestimate.

Quotation for the Week of December 7

"The true measure of a man is how he treats someone who can do him absolutely no good."
-- Samuel Johnson

They're Calling it 'Black Wednesday'

Last Wednesday was an upsetting day for the trade publishing business. (Hat tip to Editorial Ass for the news roundup.) Random House, the industry giant, is reorganizing big time, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt (the one with the reported acquisition freeze?) is laying off employees and Simon & Schuster has cut 35 positions and seen one of its upper management types resign.

A bad day in publishing translates to a really bad day for literary agents, which makes an even worse day for authors.

At The Writer's Edge, Richard Curtis is really sorry to say "I told you so."

And, since we're all crying in our beer, why not take a moment to enjoy something on the lighter side.

Can You Be Too Concise?

Writers are often told to "omit needless words," to quote the famed William Strunk of Strunk and White, who literally wrote the book on good writing style. However, as this article points out, "The problem, for writers before Strunk and since, is identifying which words are needless."

The article goes on to give examples of how a few extra words, while appearing redundant at first blush, can actually serve a purpose. For instance, this sentence: "I just wanted to let you know that I love your podcast." Author, podcaster and grammar maven Mignon Fogarty, also known as Grammar Girl, decried the introductory "I just wanted to let you know" (adding that there was "no need to sneak up on the sentence") and championed simply saying, "I loved your podcast." Period.

However, Dave Wilton of Wordorigins.org had another view on the matter. Wilton wrote that those introductory words "announce that this is the entire purpose of the message and that there are no additional or ulterior motives. Also, simply saying something like 'I love your podcast!' can be construed as abrupt and a tad impolite."

Sometimes a little verbal padding can serve a useful purpose, it would seem. We don't have to chisel a sentence down to the bone to make it well-written, anymore than we have to reduce to a house to four plain walls and a plain roof to make it a suitable home.

Or to quote the article:

"'Brevity is a great virtue,' wrote the rhetorician Edwin Herbert Lewis in 1911, 'yet it may be overestimated. The reader's mind must be permitted to eddy around the subject.' Sometimes more words are merely padding, but sometimes they're the details that help a reader understand, the flourishes that give pleasure, the reassurances that you, the writer, are trustworthy. The goal of writing is not to deliver content efficiently, any more than the goal of dinner is to take in a specific ration of proteins and carbs.

"Yes, brevity is a virtue, 'but we must not make a fetish of it,' wrote Lewis. 'I have small sympathy with the people who worry because we eat up, eat down, drink up, drink down, and so on and so on. Must one never say great big dog because great equals big? Nay, it is a mark of man's overflowing vitality and sheer joy in emphasis to say great big dog.'"

(Hat tip to the (new) legal writer.)

Quotation for the Week of November 30

"A committee is a cul-de-sac down which ideas are lured and then quietly strangled."
-- Sir Barnett Cocks

Don't Panic! (Publishing Isn't Dead Yet)

I'd like to thank Colleen Lindsay of The Swivet for putting the whole Houghton Mifflin Harcourt freeze on acquiring books thing in perspective. (Tip of the hat to Confessions of an Idiosyncratic Mind.)

And after reading this article about the HMH situation, I'd also like to say--huh?

Bad News All Around for Creative Writers

The headline almost seems redundant. Getting published (through traditional media, anyway) has always been an uphill battle. And now--ouch!--Houghton Mifflin Harcourt has placed a moratorium on acquiring more books.

According to Josef Blumenfeld, vice president of communications for HMH, this is just a temporary thing, "not an indicator of the end of literature." Nonetheless, one agent called the move "very scary" and said it indicated the industry has reached a low he's never seen before. And he's not the only one feeling scared.

Big publishers are also having trouble putting out magazines. Some publishers are rolling with the punches brought by the drop in print ad revenue, taking their publications online. Others--just throwing in the towel. With so many magazines folding, Simon Dumenco poses these questions to publishers: Are you in or are you out? Do you still believe in the very act, the very business, of publishing? One does have to wonder.

And, meanwhile, on the screenwriting front . . . WTF?

Quotation for the Week of November 23

"The most erroneous stories are those we think we know best—and therefore never scrutinize or question."
-- Stephen Jay Gould

All About Bookstore Buyers

One blog I find absolutely essential reading for all aspiring or published book authors is The Writer's Edge. This detailed and highly informative post on bookstore buyers, how publishers do business with them and their role in the book selling business is just one example of why I love this blog so much. (And it has nothing to do with having been invited to guest post there. Really.)

In Copywriting, Some Rules Were Made to be Broken

When I was a child in elementary school, I was always trying to push the limits of grammar rules. Construct sentences (like this one) that didn't follow those rules scrupulously. And was told, "Sorry. You have to learn the rules before you break them."

I've learned a bit about the rules since then. I've done a lot of writing and reading. And one thing I do know--those rules are broken quite a bit and often to good effect.

Of course, I grew up with the generation that learned that Winston tasted good "like a cigarette should" (instead of "as," in case you were wondering). I recall there being some controversy over the wording--vague mutterings about sloppy grammar in ad slogans and handbaskets to hell. But copywriting should be done with an ear for how the language sounds, rather than a strict adherence to what the grammar rules dictate. Would the slogan have been as effective (catchy, memorable, etc.) if written correctly? Maybe. But I think not.

This article points out a few grammar and usage rules that can be set aside when copywriting (and, I would argue, doing many other types of writing, depending on the audience, purpose of the work, publication style and other factors). And I would add to the list that rule about not splitting infinitives. It seems nowadays it's okay to boldly split infinitives as no one has ever done before.

(Thanks to Kristen King at Inkthinker for the article link.)

Quotation for the Week of November 16

"Sometimes the appropriate response to reality is to go insane."
-- Philip K. Dick

A Thumbs Up for Self-Publishing

I wanted to direct everyone's attention to this wonderful article on how satisfying (and lucrative) it can be to self-publish one's work. Of course, it was written by the founder and CEO of Lulu.com, so consider the source. Even so, it makes a persuasive case for going the self-publishing route.

Just in the interest of full disclosure, I would caution you that in some industry circles (like the crime fiction arena, with which I'm most familiar) self-published authors are not treated as equals for purposes of appearing on conference panels or attaining full membership in one of the professional organizations (i.e., Mystery Writers of America). This can create some obstacles to marketing--but they aren't insurmountable (just ask Brunonia Barry).

(Thanks go to The Writer's Edge for pointing out this article.)

Quotation for the Week of November 9

"A politician thinks of the next election—a statesman of the next generation."
-- James Freeman Clarke

Writer's Tip of the Week: The Importance of Feedback

By Rick Holton

We've all heard the expression, two heads are better than one, and that is often true when we're writing. Although writing by committee is often ineffective, getting feedback can help us refine our ideas, check our effectiveness, or improve our style.

The value of the feedback you receive is not necessarily related to the writing skills of the person you're consulting. That person may have insight into that particular subject area or into how the audience might react to your message. This can be a lot more valuable than having someone simply correct your style.

One of the keys to using feedback effectively is to remain open to new ideas and new approaches. And don't be defensive. Many years ago I rewrote a book on HMO capital financing for the CEO of a boutique investment bank. Unfortunately, my client wanted to meet once a week to discuss every single comma change, and he was highly resistant to any alterations, which of course defeated the purpose of hiring a professional writer. The argument that "that's just my style," only gets you so far.

That being said, one should recognize that not all feedback is equally valuable. It's usually not very helpful if people come back and quote you the rules of Composition 101, especially if you're already a fairly sophisticated writer. Long ago, I had a boss who would read whatever I wrote, and rather than commenting on the content, which is what I needed, she would make dozens of corrections to my grammar and style. The irony, of course, was that she had only the vaguest idea of either.

So what do you do if you sometimes get feedback that isn't helpful? It may be a good idea to consult different people for content and for style. Effective writing is all about strategy, which is much harder to get right. Naturally, you want your writing to sound good, but if you use the wrong strategy, it isn't going to matter.

It's helpful if you give people specific points to respond to. "If you were one of our clients, would this persuade you?" "Is paragraph three clear?" "Do my arguments follow?" If you get them to focus on what you most want to know, you will get comments that are a lot more useful than, "Sounds good to me."

Also important is including a timetable. How often have we all gotten feedback that was too late to use? Whenever you are requesting information, in fact, it's useful to say when you need it.

You may also find yourself in the role of feedback-giver. If someone comes to you with a piece of written work, think of what it is they really need from you. Giving feedback is not a forum for stroking your ego, and your goal should be to help make any document as effective as possible.

Whether you are receiving feedback or giving it, remember to focus on the real need. If the grammar or style needs fixing, fine, but don't forget to think about strategy. And remember that critiquing is far different from proofreading.

Rick Holton is owner of The Holton Group, which specializes in business writing and consulting.

Quotation for the Week of November 2

This link leads to so many great quotations, I'm finding it hard to pick, so I'll give you not just one, but two of my favorites:

"The profession of book-writing makes horse racing seem like a solid, stable business."
-- John Steinbeck

"There are two things wrong with almost all legal writing. One is its style. The other is its content."
-- Fred Rodell

(And a tip of the hat to The (New) Legal Writer for these.)

Studs Turkel, RIP

Let's take a moment to mourn the death of Studs Terkel, a writer who knew when to shut up and let others speak for themselves. A masterful interviewer, Turkel really listened to his subjects and responded to them, instead of just throwing prepared questions at them and scribbling their answers. He could draw interviewees out on minute details--sometimes on subjects that others were afraid to touch (see THE GOOD WAR: An Oral History of World War II).

The LA Times has a wonderful article on Terkel that goes into greater detail about this remarkable man's work. Also, check out the Chicago Historical Society's Web site and this from NPR.

George Carlin, David Foster Wallace, James Crumley, Paul Newman . . . now Studs Terkel. We've been losing a lot of the great ones lately.

Freelancing Success Story (Set to Beethoven, No Less)

I think any freelancer has got to love this one-year anniversary video from the Berry-Brewer Freelance Agency.



Sounds like it was an eventful year. What a great way for Lorna Brewer and Tamara Berry to celebrate that milestone in their business--and nice work on the video.

Quotation for the Week of October 26

"A man should look for what is, and not for what he thinks should be."
-- Albert Einstein

Freelance Marketing Tip of the Week

One type of client that's often overlooked as a source of work for freelance writers (but is out there and, by some accounts, will pay) is the custom publisher. Custom publishers produce company publications for marketing purposes. They need engaging, informative content that also serves their clients' marketing needs. Here is a list of custom publishers--members of the Custom Publishing Council--who may be looking for freelance help. (And a tip of the hat to The Renegade Writer.)

Plus, a NY Times blog post by Sarah Milstein with what look like some actual good ideas on how to use Twitter to build your business. She had me when she wrote, "If you're interested in the professional possibilities [of using Twitter], ignore the Twitter prompt, 'What are you doing?' because frankly, the details of your day are banal to people who don't know you"--you said it, Sarah, and amen to that! It's nice to see a discussion of the practical ways one can use Twitter. I may yet be persuaded to start Twittering . . .

Quotation for the Week of October 19

"No one gossips about other people's secret virtues."
-- Bertrand Russell

A Few Huzzahs for Other Bloggers

When I started blogging, I read very few blogs on an infrequent basis. Most of them seemed like time-wasters--cute, funny, engaging even, but mostly self-indulgent. Some just outright bad.

Having been a blogger for a while now (how long has it been?--seems like forever, though I'm sure it's more like two or three years), I've had a chance to see lots of other blogs. Blogs on other bloggers' link lists. Blogs mentioned in my day-to-day reading. Blogs in the sig line of other people's emails. Lots of blogs.

When I started blogging, I read other writers' blogs to get a sense of how they were doing it. To get to know the lay of the land, so to speak. What were other bloggers writing about? How often did they post? How did they design their blogs? Who were they linking to? And so on and so forth.

What I learned is that there are actually an amazing number of really good blogs out there. So many, people may not have time to read even the great ones every day. So, when I find stuff I like on a blog, I want to do my part to make sure people notice it. At the very least, give it my endorsement--let the world know, "Hey, check this one out! It's really worth a look."

I happened upon three recent blog posts that seemed particularly worthy of mention. So mention them I will.

First, Linda Formichelli at The Renegade Writer published this totally awesome list of podcast, blogging and Web 2.0 resources for freelance writers. I strongly encourage all to read it.

And feeling overwhelmed by Web 2.0 and online media? (Who isn't?) Well, Darren Rowse on Problogger has a wonderful set of tips on how not to get burnt out on blogging and online social media. A quick read and good advice.

And, finally, Peter Bowerman at The Well-Fed Writer tells you why it's not nearly as bad as they'd have you think it is. I know, Peter--but it's still greatly reassuring to hear it from you.

My thanks to all the great bloggers out there--you set a high bar for the rest of us. (Which is a good thing, right?)

A Brief Diversion from Writing

As diversions go, this one isn't so bad. It's short, it's funny and you can listen to it while you work, if you insist. But somehow it's much better to watch the Fab Four singing in Yiddish.



Thanks go to Moonrat at Editorial Ass.

Quotation for the Week of October 12

"Time is that quality of nature which keeps events from happening all at once. Lately it doesn't seem to be working."
-- Anonymous

Pogue's List of Computer Tips

One last thing before I head north to "Charm City" and the Bouchercon mystery convention.

David Pogue recently wrote a cool list of computer hacks and other tips that I wanted to share with those who don't follow his column in the NY Times. I already posted it on one of my other blogs, but figured it was useful enough that it wouldn't hurt to be redundant.

Economic Downturn? Keep Marketing

It's very easy to freak out when you're hearing nothing but bad news about the economy. Maybe you've undergone a work slowdown, as a result. Maybe it hasn't affected your business at all.

Either way, tough times call for us not to freak out. These are the times when we need to be focusing more than ever on marketing, networking and getting our names out there--in short, not giving up.

In this video from white paper guru Michael Stelzner (the first of a series, the rest accessible if you email him), he discusses his own real-life super business success story: how he was able to build a white paper writing business by writing a white paper about writing white papers (is that clear? I hope so)--a story that took place during a severe economic downturn, BTW.

It's a great example of achieving (and, in fact, exceeding) one's goals, despite conventional wisdom to the contrary (i.e., everyone was telling him not to do it).

And it shows what a powerful marketing tool a white paper can be--even for a freelance writer.

Quotation for the Week of October 5

"And in the end, it’s not the years in your life that count. It’s the life in your years."
-- Abraham Lincoln

New Media Musings

Now that Creative Loafing, the corporate parent of many alt-weekly papers around the country, has filed for bankruptcy, the question is, how to keep those papers alive. Apparently, the company's CEO, Ben Eason, has devised this solution: have reporters spend the week blogging about what's out there, then compile the best stories into a print edition.

However, as Gawker points out, "These cities don't need any more bloggers. There are already too many of us! What they need is more original content. Otherwise the bloggers just end up talking about each other, which is the most boring thing in the world." (Link in quote taken from the article.)

A solution is proposed (keep the original content and publish less frequently) that makes a heckuva lotta sense to me. Honestly, blogging is cool and all, but not all of us can be "citizen journalists" and we still need original reportage, right? I'd say we need it now more than ever, with all the belt-tightening and staffing cuts going on at the mainstream daily papers.

And, on the Web 2.0 front, it's come to this--Miss Manners has rendered her verdict on the etiquette of declining "Friend" requests in online social networks. She gives a characteristically droll and sensible response.

Blogging for Dollars--How Do They Do It?

This may possibly be the best article I've read lately about monetizing your blog. I highly recommend that any blogger interested in doing so take a look.

Top 10 Writer Blogs--My Honorable Mentions (Part 3)

For the final installment in my series of blogs that didn't make Michael Stelzner's Top 10, but (IMHO) deserve "honorable mention," I'd like to suggest including these blogs--one that deals with writing for marketing purposes and one that deals with a topic of interest to writers (which I categorized as "miscellaneous"--and I do hope I punctuated that correctly). To wit:

Small Business
Business and Blogging -- Whether you're a business (including a freelance writing business) seeking to market yourself through blogging, a freelance blogger or someone seeking to make money from ad revenue on blogs, this is the blog for you. It is, in fact, a blog about blogging--business blogging in particular. Now, blogging about blogging might sound solipsistic (but, then, so does writing about writing, and writers have certainly done that often enough), but it isn't at all. In B&B, Laura Spencer and Liz Fuller have created a highly informative, helpful and entertaining resource. They write, for instance, about various corporations and business entities that use blogs (like Major League Baseball and Dell). They explore the many different types of businesses that might blog, such as air conditioning repair companies or fashion stores (Macy's, Lord & Taylor and a slew of others didn't; Nordstrom did). They offer advice on effective blogging--how to keep blogging from becoming a chore, how to recycle old blog posts (a dozen ways!), the importance of responding to comments and how to avoid plagiarism and copyright violations when you blog, just to name a few. And every week, there's the Sunday "Coffee Break"--a blogging news roundup. Polished, well-designed, consistent in look and tone and well-written--it's a professional blogger's blog if there ever was one.

Miscellaneous Writing Topics
The "Blog" of "Unnecessary" Quotation Marks -- It's amazing how many people use quotation marks for the wrong reasons--for emphasis, to jazz up the writing or for who-knows-what purpose. Bethany Keeley (with an occasional assist from her friend, Brian Atkinson) has been posting photos (many of which are sent in by readers) and funny commentary about these gaffes since 2005. Keeley's takes on the misused marks are often hysterical, such as this, this, this, this, this and this. Oh, and I like this one, too, not to mention this (which made my stomach queasy thinking about it). And I can't leave out this one and I couldn't forget to mention this or this. Basically, there are too many great posts to choose from (and I can't seem to find the one I remember, where the quoted words were interpreted as being code for a ship sailing at dawn or something like that . . . but I found all these others while I was looking), and I skipped plenty that are also worthy of checking out. Anyone who appreciates good writing or a good play on words will find plenty to enjoy from this site.

Quotation for the Week of September 28

"You probably wouldn't worry about what people think of you if you could know how seldom they do."
-- Olin Miller

Top 10 Writer Blogs--My Honorable Mentions (Part 2)

Everyone (including moi) has been blogging about Michael Stelzner's Top 10 blogs for writers--a competition that he described as "intense" and about which he noted that the "top 3 blogs . . . were within 1 percentage point of each other, making this an exceptionally close race."

So, how about the "also rans," I say. Surely, some blogs out there are worthy of special mention, even if they can't be in the top 10.

I will now list what are, (IM-ever-so-HO), some writing blogs that may have been entirely overlooked in the contest, based on their not being about freelance writing. The writing business is made up of various types of writers. For all those writers, there's a creative side and a business side. I think the business aspects of fiction, publishing and screenwriting are all interesting topics on which one can find particularly good blogs. Such as the following (again, in no particular order):

Fiction
The Writer's Edge -- This is a flat-out great blog for fiction writers. It covers topics germane to fiction writing as a creative and business endeavor. The posts are timely, well-written and thoughtful examinations of major issues in the fiction writing world, like the future of the publishing industry (is there one?), the fine points of book publicity, the role of editors in publishing today (is there one?)--parts one and two, and an examination of the "self-publishing conundrum" by some highly opinionated guest blogger. (Oh, yeah, that was me . . .) Required reading for anyone who writes fiction.

Work-in-Progress -- This is a good, concisely written blog that is just packed (packed, I tell ya) with useful and fun stuff to read. There is the useful, such as information about contests, workshops, events, jobs or other resources for fiction writers. And there is the fun stuff, like this book giveaway or this list of great books to read. There are also guest posts--this one by Paula Whyman was an absolute stitch. Updated frequently--and always with something interesting to offer--this is one to check daily.

Confessions of an Idiosyncratic Mind -- Okay. I ask myself, is Sarah Weinman's blog a fiction blog or a publishing blog? Either way, is it geared toward fiction in general or crime writing in particular? Is it an "authors and books" blog? A book review blog? Or something else entirely? The answer is "all of the above." Weinman truly has her finger on the pulse of the publishing industry--and she does acknowledge having a particular fondness for crime fiction, but she doesn't limit herself to it. Some of her posts are presented in great detail (like this item on Dennis Lehane); some are roundups of tidbits she refers to as "smatterings" (often she'll throw in a fun, possibly off-topic, frequently "news of the weird"-style item at the end of these roundups). Weinman also has a link list to die for--almost every crime fiction author you'd ever want to see is on there, along with other helpful resources. She recently finished up an in-depth, six-part series about various publishing imprints that should be read by all fiction writers with a serious interest in getting and keeping their work published. In fact, this blog should be read by all serious fiction writers (especially you crime and thriller writers out there) who want to keep track of the publishing business, along with what's new, what conferences are taking place and what your peers are up to (on the creative and business fronts). And Weinman does all this while writing for the Baltimore Sun and other publications. I mean, jeez, when does she have time to read?

Publishing
A Newbie's Guide to Publishing -- I've just gotten into this one, but I can tell you I already like it because JA Konrath provides no-nonsense, straight poop advice about the publishing business. No artsie-fartsie angst-ridden crap about writer's block or finding your muse. No promises of "if you write it, they will come." Just good solid advice like how to decide what writers organizations to join (or not join) and how Konrath has used social networking to market his books. Also, he's got interviews with authors (like Jason Starr) and tips on the creative part of all this. Good reading, all around.

Editorial Ass -- Moonrat, the "recovering editorial assistant," gives you a truly insider's view of the publishing world. Want to know how not to impress a publisher? This blog will tell you. Want to know about the latest acquisition news? This blog will have it--sometimes an opinion on it, as well. Want to understand the deepest, darkest thoughts of an editor working on a project? Yes, you'll find it here. Moonrat also discusses the need to have an agent (something we can perhaps have a friendly debate over someday?) and various fun things like a piece she enjoyed in the New Yorker or a recipe or a funny story about her great aunt. A highly informative and personable blog.

Self-Publishing Today -- Haven't seen much activity on this one lately, which makes me nervous. Nonetheless, Ray Robinson has put together some posts that interest me. Anything on book marketing always gets my attention--it's a challenge for all authors, but especially the self-published author. There's a list of 10 things editors and agents hate, as applied to self-publishing--an intriguing topic. And, of course, the stigma of self-publishing, a reality that must be acknowledged. And I love the most recent post, which showcases examples of self-publishing success stories. But it's dated August 25--please, sir, may we have some more?

The Book Deal -- I was tempted not to include this because I've only just started reading it, but even a cursory scroll-through shows that it's a highly practical, advice-oriented blog with interviews and information you can use. The latest post on the power of the opening sentence caught my attention right away. An article about an agent seeking writers (wow!) plus five tips for unpublished writers really grabbed my attention. An amusing post followed on how not to do a book signing (practical and funny!) and advice to writers from literary luminary Tom Robbins. Looking really good so far. Looking forward to more.

Screenwriting
Jane Espenson -- Titled "Jane in Progress" (but no one calls it that), Jane Espenson's blog is a great place to look for advice on writing spec scripts for television. A writer and co-executive producer on Battlestar Galactica (a show I so love), Jane's credits are impressive. She's written for a wide variety of shows, including Gilmore Girls, Ellen, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine and Buffy the Vampire Slayer (an eclectic mix). She'll clue you in on all the tips and tricks of the TV screenwriting trade--stuff like how to use the intentionally bad joke in your script, how to write good character descriptions and how to choose a show for which to write a spec. She answers reader questions about script writing (though I've never been able to locate her email--is it me?) and gives you the inside scoop on various aspects of the TV biz. And she'll tell you what she had for lunch. (Hmm . . . okay.) An excellent resource for the aspiring TV writer. And what a perfect segue to this blog . . .

Amanda the Aspiring TV Writer -- Again, we're talking TV here. And, in this case, the blogger is an agency assistant, working her way up the ladder of the television industry--and sharing the process with others. Where Jane has the experience, Amanda gives it to you from the viewpoint of the up-and-coming (relative) newcomer. Reading her blog not only gives you an inside look at the business, but the occasional glimpse at her life in general. As an agent's assistant, Amanda gets to read a lot of scripts, so she can offer good advice on what works and what doesn't. She gives information on writers groups and keeps you informed of upcoming contests. She also tells you what types of assistant jobs are out there for people looking to get a foot in the door, how to go about finding an internship or job and the little, practical things you need to know--like where to live in LA and what to wear to various jobs. Not only is the blog a treasure trove of information, but Amanda has a wry, funny, endearing voice that makes her blog a great read. So, if TV writing is your ambition (or even if you're just curious about it), you simply must read this blog.

Lee Goldberg -- Yes, it's titled "A Writer's Life," but no, nobody calls it that. (Is it a TV blog thing?) Lee Goldberg is actually a two-fer--a TV writer-producer and a novelist. So he writes with great authority and experience about both the television and publishing industries. That's one thing that makes his blog unique. Another is that, in addition to writing about those industries, providing all sorts of news and information about both, traveling between the two worlds and succeeding in both with a stunning effortlessness (at least, I find it stunning and his photos don't show him breaking a sweat or looking like he's nearing the edge of a nervous breakdown or anything), he also keeps you up-to-date about feature films. And then, on top of that, Lee provides cautionary advice on some of the shady players in the publishing business and some of the unethical behavior you run across. But that's not all! In addition, every week, Lee throws in the "TV Main Title of the Week"--a video of credits from an old show like this one. Covers a lot of ground and is relevant for novelists (especially--yes--crime writers) and screenwriters of the big or small screen. I highly recommend it.

What It's Like -- This blogger, Lisa, has worked on Sci-Fi Channel shows like Flash Gordon (one of my favorites) and Painkiller Jane (just can't get into it--sorry, Lisa). She's written for the Star Trek franchise and for other sci-fi and action shows. I like this blog because it gives good, straightforward advice--on writing, on networking, on asking for favors. While written for TV screenwriters, much of it can be useful for any writer. I like the tone and style of Lisa's writing. Her advice seems sound. She doesn't feel the need to post each and every day, which allows her to write longer, more substantive pieces than people who blog constantly--I like that a lot. A great blog, well worth the reading.

The Artful Writer -- I was on the fence about this one, because it's of such specific interest to members of the Writer's Guild of America. Then, I realized that this is the only blog I know of that focuses almost single-mindedly and exclusively on that topic, so I decided it was worthy of mention for that reason alone. If you want to follow the politics of the WGA and SAG, this is one place to do it. Craig Mazin, who writes the blog, has no shortage of opinions. Being an industry outsider myself, I scan his blog, note what's going on with a certain detached interest and am in absolutely no position to agree or disagree with most of it. He often writes on internal guild matters like board elections and political infighting within or between unions. However, his recent post about screenwriters (still!) not getting the respect they're due was one I could relate to (if not as a screenwriter, then at some level) and expressed a position I could support. He has also (sometimes) written about writing. Other topics, like the creation of StrikeTV, I find interesting because it's sort of the screenwriters' version of self-publishing, providing them an alternative to the studios for getting their work produced (as self-publishing provides an alternative to traditional publishing). I'm always fascinated by the parallels I find between the screenwriting world and the published writing world. So I like to keep my eye on both. And this blog provides one good way of doing that.

Next time: Honorable Mentions for Small Business and Miscellaneous Writing Blogs.

Stelzner's Top 10 Writer Blogs--And My Honorable Mentions (Part 1)

Michael Stelzner, in his Writing Write Papers blog, has listed the Top 10 blogs for writers based on popular vote. He notes that the "top 3 blogs in this contest were within 1 percentage point of each other, making this an exceptionally close race."

The winners are:

1. Copyblogger
2. Men With Pens
3. Freelance Writing Jobs
4. Write to Done
5. Confident Writing
6. The Renegade Writer
7. Remarkable Communication
8. The Writing Journey
9. Freelance Parent
10. The Urban Muse

We can't all be in the top 10, but there are several other writing-related blogs that (IMHO) deserve honorable mention. Some of these were on Stelzner's short list; some didn't make the cut. Rather than trot them all out at once, I will name and discuss the merits of these various writing blogs, broken down by category and in no particular order, in a three-part series starting here:

Freelance Writing
Inkthinker -- Kristen King is a successful freelance writer whose blog has a lot of great advice, conference information and other resources for other freelancers. She provides news and information of genuine value. She blogs, she writes, she edits and she's active in the American Independent Writers. King gives seminars and speaks at conferences. She was recently quoted extensively in a MediaBistro article (which you need an Avant Guild subscription to access--sorry) on how freelancers can survive economic downturns. (Did I mention that she leaps tall buildings in a single bound?) And she's not above throwing in the occasional fun link or video or blogging like a pirate (argh!). A daily must-read.

The Irreverent Freelancer -- the blogger with the signature tag line Screw You! for all those cheapo and/or deadbeat clients that freelancers suffer from time to time, Kathy Kehrli describes herself as "a ten-year veteran of the freelance writing world whose success has hinged on not sitting back and allowing myself to be taken advantage of." (Can I get an amen?!) For good or ill, there seems to be more than enough material to let Kehrli to blog regularly on this subject, but I have seen posts on other cool topics, like the five things she learned from taking a vacation, so it's not all doom and gloom stuff. Among the highlights from her usual fare are the "Ultimate Get-A-Clue Freelance Request" for each week (like this one), plus her complete willingness to "out" her deadbeat clients. This blog is not only funny (in a sad way, if you think about it), but great payback and, dare I say it, a lesson for all freelancers not to let ourselves be kicked around! And I totally love Kehrli's mantra: "If you stand up for something under the guise of anonymity, you're really not standing up for anything at all." (A-fraking-men!)

The Golden Pencil -- Anne Wayman provides solid, practical writing advice and resources for writers of many stripes. While I think of this as a freelancer's blog, she also covers the publishing business, including posts on trade publishing, self-publishing, book writing and other areas where many other freelance blogs don't go. I love this blog for many reasons, not only for the Q-and-A posts on various freelancing issues (like this one), but for the pragmatic, straightforward style in which Wayman writes and some of the really cool videos (like this one) that she digs up. Always a pleasure to read.

The Well-Fed Writer Blog -- Peter Bowerman, author of The Well-Fed Writer, offers advice and initiates interesting discussions on his blog about the commercial writing world. Among my personal favorites include this post about asking for more money next time (speaking of mantras . . .) and the difference between networking harder and networking smarter. I also read the blog for its free-ranging discussions of topics like whether you should post samples online without permission and what commercial projects people are working on. A must-read for anyone interested in business writing.

The Wealthy Freelancer -- I've just started reading this blog, but I'm seeing highly useful information here, like advice on developing an e-newsletter that will draw clients, the biggest pricing mistake a freelancer can make and a "no-frills" strategy for generating a steady income. The blog is a collaborative effort--it has three editors and several contributors, which may be one of its strengths, in that it offers a variety of viewpoints and doesn't pressure one author to scramble for content. It offers practical advice and information in an easy-to-read format. I'm keeping a daily eye on this one.

Next time: Honorable Mentions for Fiction Writing, Publishing and Screenwriting Blogs

Quotation for the Week of September 21

"The difference between a professional and an amateur writer is persistence."
-- Parris Afton Bonds

This is the End . . . Or is It?

New York magazine has a lengthy (lengthy) article that suggests the book publishing industry may be heading into brand new territory--dying at worst, reinventing itself at best.

But some people say the rumors of publishing's demise may be highly exaggerated. Will it be small presses like Two Dollar Radio that come to the industry's rescue?

Stay tuned for the next exciting installment . . . the next turn of the page, as it were . . .

Writers Unplug From Net

Writers are finding they need to get away from the distractions of the Internet--especially all the MySpacing, the Facebooking, the Twittering--just to get some fracking work done.

Because if you don't unplug from the Internet, you could end up like this.

So writers are making like Henry David Thoreau (who, I suspect, would have taken a pretty dim view of the Internet in general and online social networks in particular) and seeking solitude--time that's uninterrupted by "tweeting," chatting and updating statuses--to do actual substantive writing. What a concept.

I won't say, "I told you so" (even though I could).

HarperStudios Announces Acquisitions--On its Blog

HarperStudio, an imprint that publisher HarperCollins started last spring, has just announced its first list of releases--on its new blog.

Some of the most interesting titles include a collection of short, unpublished humor pieces by Mark Twain, a memoir by 3rd Rock From the Sun star John Lithgow, a history of humor by New Yorker cartoon editor Bob Mankoff, and a Toni Morrison-edited collection called Burn This Book, which will feature pieces by her, Salman Rushdie, Orhan Pamuk, David Grossman, and others.

I don't know how many (or if any) other publishers have blogs, but then HarperStudio has been somewhat cutting edge from the start. The imprint has been looking at alternatives to the traditional advance/royalties system (such as profit sharing) of author compensation and would like to reduce book returns.

A tip of the hat to MediaBistro's Galleycat for spreading the news about this. In response to publisher Bob Miller's concern that the blog's audience might be limited to a few publishing insiders, the Galleycat article begged to differ, noting "the debate over whether the big, generalist publishers can really achieve their own brand identity is far from resolved, but what we do know is that there's an awful lot of readers who are eager to hear from publishers who have something serious to say about their vocation, something besides 'look what we're shipping this week.' And so far this blog's holding up on that front."

Quotation for the Week of September 14

"The greatest pleasure in life is doing what people say you cannot do."
-- Walter Bagehot

An Informative (Dare I Say, Inspirational) List of Lists

Some creative writing tips from masters of various forms of the craft, including creative writing in general, detective fiction, screenwriting and more.

There's even a list of ways to handle rejection--and do take note of the number of rejections Louis L’Amour (more than 300), John Creasy (743) and Ray Bradbury (about 800) got before publishing their first stories. Beatrix Potter, author of The Tale of Peter Rabbit, got so many rejections, she decided to self-publish. The rest is history. The moral is never, ever give up.

My thanks to Star Lawrence for sending this handy list of lists.

Setting the Record Straight

You may have seen, making the "frequent email" rounds, "Twenty-Eight Reasons Why English Teachers Die Young," a list of preposterous similes and metaphors allegedly written by high school students. The (new) legal writer says this email was actually made up of entries in two Washington Post contests (held in 1995 and 1999) to see who could write the most outrageous analogy. He lists some of his favorites (with citations to the source).

Another urban legend debunked. Gotta love it.

Also, gotta love all the examples listed. But this one really takes the cake: "She walked into my office like a centipede with 98 missing legs." I mean, it almost sounds like a parody of Ross Macdonald.

Quotation for the Week of September 7

"If you want others to be happy, practice compassion. If you want to be happy, practice compassion."
-- Dalai Lama

Now Appearing at The Writer's Edge

Just a quick note to let you know I've made a guest appearance at The Writer's Edge, a blog that has "debate and discussion on fiction craft, writers conferences, literary agents and book marketing," where I talk about what I call "The Self-Publishing Conundrum."

Check it out--if only to see the "glam" (or as close as I get to glam) photo of me and the Picasso-like cover of my novel.

Make Good Writing Contagious

Freelance writer and consultant Rick Holton recently offered some great advice in his recent email newsletter on how to improve organizational writing. With his permission, I've reprinted it below:

Bad writing can be contagious. People in organizations learn bad writing habits from each other in two main ways: by copying bad models or by copying the wrong models.

Everyone is busy, so employees often look through the files to see if there's something they can use or modify to meet their present writing needs.

I once worked at a company where a letter sending someone information typically started, "As per our telecon, please find enclosed . . ." Not only was this a bad model, but many people thought the formal and stilted style made it sound "important." They were shocked at the idea that one could simply say, "Here's the xyz document I mentioned."

Other people follow a model that was developed for a different audience or a different purpose. They may, for example, copy a letter that was originally targeted at engineers and forget that the CFO they're writing to in this case has completely different concerns.

Our goal as business owners or managers should be to make good writing contagious. We can do this, not only by providing good models, but more importantly, by encouraging our employees or colleagues to focus on purpose, audience and scope.

When they first sit down to write, people should ask, "What am I trying to achieve? What result do I envision?" It's helpful if we can get them to articulate the answers to these questions in advance. If they don't know what their purpose is, they're not going to achieve it.

They should also ask, "Who is my audience? What function do they have in the organization? Are they hostile or friendly to my message? What is going to motivate them to buy my product or service? What might cause them not to buy my product or service?"

At the same time employees should ask, "What do I have to include to achieve my purpose? What one or two key messages MUST I succeed in communicating? What is irrelevant to my purpose and should be left out?"

If people master purpose, audience and scope, they are 90 percent of the way there. We can then reinforce good writing by complimenting exceptional efforts, preferably within earshot of other employees.

Rick Holton owns The Holton Group, providing a wide variety of business writing and consulting services.

Praise for the Copy Editor

Not long ago, The Washington Post ran this piece on the copy editor. It was written in an email to Post staffers by Deborah Howell, the paper's ombudsman, and was judged by Metro copy editor Jeff Baron to be "such a good and succinct description of how copy editors see their work that I thought it was worth sharing with readers."

A couple of days ago, Howell devoted her ombudsman's column to the "evolving" (some might say dying) art of copy editing. I especially like the quote from Bill Walsh, the national copy desk chief: "A lot of the time, the drawing-out-sources-and-ferreting-out-facts gene and the tighten-it-and-polish-it-up gene aren't contained in the same person." Which is to say that reporters may get all the facts, but may also be in such a rush to write the story and get it to press, that they can get a trifle sloppy with the way they express them (or, sometimes, with the facts themselves).

God (or the Devil) is in the details. And copy editors are there to see that one or other gets its due. Even though newspaper copy editing staffs are being cut back, let's hope that someone is always there to catch those itty-bitty errors that can create havoc and embarrassment later.

Quotation for the Week of August 31

"He can compress the most words into the smallest ideas of any man I ever met."
-- Abraham Lincoln

Are We Our Own Worst Enemies? (How Writers Need to Sell Their Services)

I recently got into a discussion over at Men with Pens about how difficult it can be for commercial writers to sell their services. I started off with the somewhat tongue-in-cheek suggestion that a writer's job is to make the reader's job easy. Thus, by making it look easy, we shoot ourselves in the foot, because the rest of the world may think, "Well, I could do that. Why should I hire someone else?"

This led to a discussion that rolled around to the topic of demonstrating the value you provide to a client. A tricky proposition, but one that can be managed. I have a few thoughts on how to approach the problem.

To start with, it seems to me we have to get beyond the idea of writing for writing's sake. Writers may tend to appreciate their own words more than how they can help others.

We also have to understand that writing is a valuable service and sell that service. Selling isn't easy for many writers, but it's an essential part of running any business--including a writing business.

So, first, we have to understand and appreciate our own value. Think about it. If you don't think of yourself as providing a valuable service, how will you convince a client of that? So know what you can do, market yourself accordingly and be prepared to discuss it with people during your networking.

Second, I think it's important to remember this isn't entirely about you and your talent with words. You may be the world's greatest writer, but if you write for a living, it always comes down to showing how your writing can help your client with his or her needs.

How do you do that? One way is to get testimonials and put them on your Web site. A few good words from a satisfied client can go a long way.

When you meet potential clients, don't just talk about your writing. Ask them about their needs and really listen to them. Then be prepared to talk about what you can do to help them. I've tried asking people, "How's your Web site working for you?" They often say they're not quite satisfied (surprise, surprise) with the content (that they've usually created), but they're "working on it." I've let them know I can work on it for them. I've also emphasized that properly written Web content that's updated often helps keep the site higher in search engine rankings, giving them a reason to care about the matter. So, if they don't like to write (and many business people don't), why not hire someone else to do it? Someone who can do a good job.

And I think it can work to emphasize the cost-effectiveness for the client. Recently, a client approached me with some rough notes for a Web writing assignment and a question--whether it would be more cost-effective to use me or write it himself. I told him I honestly couldn't say for sure, since I didn't know how fast he could write or how well he could edit himself, but what he had showed me could use a bit of polishing (I said it as nicely as possible) and, if he hired me, he would get the benefit of my 10+ years experience as a writing professional (implying, rather than stating, that I would be worth the cost). I landed that assignment.

This is just one example of how writers can show that their services are of real value to businesses. There are probably many others.

And, just to show that this doesn't apply only to the commercial writing field, let's consider the world of fiction writing. Writing well simply isn't enough to make it in that business. In order to sell fiction, you have to know how to pitch your writing to whomever you're trying to sell it to. You have to believe in your work, know the market and show agents and editors why your writing is so special, they should believe in it, too.

So remember--your writing is worth something. And it's not enough to write well--you must show the client why they should hire you (or the agent or editor why they should represent you or publish you, to extend that to fiction writing).

I'd love to hear other success stories from writers. Who else has landed a great assignment or a great publishing deal, based on a well-crafted sales pitch for their writing? What did you have to do to convey your value to the person to whom you made the sale?

Top 10 Blogs for Writers Contest

Michael Stelzner of the Writing White Papers blog is holding his third annual "Top 10 Blogs for Writers" contest. To vote, you only need to go here and follow the directions.

And I'm not asking for your vote, but it won't hurt my feelings terribly if you choose to bestow it.

Blogs and More Blogs

I was interested to find out today that Major League Baseball will use blogging to promote the sport. I think I may even have scooped the ladies at Business & Blogging on this one. :)

Plus, there's an interesting new blog on self-publishing (especially interesting to me, since I'm in the midst of doing it), which I became aware of thanks to Anne Wayman at The Golden Pencil.

And what's this new thing called Tumblr all about? Invented by a company called Davidville, I believe it's supposed to provide an innovative new approach to blogging. (I haven't even caught up with Twitter yet, and now this . . .)

Submitted for Your Amusement

Sometimes, it's nice to get a break from the writing grind. For your reading pleasure, I bring you The Fabulous Geezersisters' Weblog and its hysterical tale of horror on why writers will never compete in the Olympics.

If that doesn't make you laugh, William Shatner singing "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds" (with fabulous added graphics) just has to . . .



And, in a bit of theater of the absurd, we have this version of another Beatles' classic, featuring Senator Mike Gravel, Libertarian candidate for president.



Well, you'd never confuse him with Obama or McCain, would you?

Quotation for the Week of August 24

"I’d hate to advocate drugs, alcohol, violence or insanity to anyone, but they’ve always worked for me."
-- Hunter S. Thompson

Research or 'Publicity-Seeking Scam'?

For anyone who's ever wondered about awards and whether the recipients of same truly deserved them, I have for you a rather shocking example of how someone pulled a fast one on a publication called Wine Spectator. Robin Goldstein (as "part of the research for an academic paper . . . about standards for wine awards") invented a restaurant called "Osteria L'Intrepido" (Goldstein said it was "a play on the name of a restaurant guide series that I founded, Fearless Critic"), complete with bogus Web site and menu, and submitted it to Wine Spectator for award consideration. The phony restaurant won Wine Spectator's Award of Excellence, and Goldstein writes about this hoax (or research, depending on how you look at it) here.

Needless to say, the people at Wine Spectator weren't happy. Thomas Matthews, the executive editor, called Goldstein's stunt a "publicity-seeking scam" and an "act of malicious duplicity," while attempting "to set forth the actual facts of the matter." The actual facts would seem to be that Wine Spectator was bamboozled, hoodwinked and made to look foolish and possibly a bit less diligent in its investigation of potential award winners than it could have been. But, in fairness, it also appears that Wine Spectator relied in good faith on the restaurant owner's warranty "that all statements and information provided [in the application] are truthful and accurate." (In short, they f---ed up, they trusted them.) And Matthews enumerated the "significant efforts" it took "to verify the facts." (Efforts that didn't include talking to customers or going to the restaurant, but as Matthews points out,"We do not claim to visit every restaurant in our Awards program. . . . We assume that if we receive a wine list, the restaurant that created it does in fact exist." Well, you know what they say about assuming . . .)

What do I think about this? I think Robin Goldstein is looking for publicity--you'll notice in his article about the hoax that two of the first things he mentions are his book and his Web site; he then goes on to flog his restaurant guide series--and he could rightly be thought of as a liar (on the award application, if nothing else) and a jerk (to put it politely). However, he does seem to have made a point about the rigor with which such contests are judged.

However, I can't help but feel some sympathy for Matthews when he writes: "It has now been demonstrated that an elaborate hoax can deceive Wine Spectator.

"This act of malicious duplicity reminds us that no one is completely immune to fraud. It is sad that an unscrupulous person can attack a publication that has earned its reputation for integrity over the past 32 years. Wine Spectator will clearly have to be more vigilant in the future."

Clearly, if sadly, Wine Spectator not only should be more diligent from now on, but should have been more diligent in the first place. And there were very easy ways (for an information professional) to have exercised greater diligence than the magazine did here. Given that Wine Spectator's "significant efforts to verify the facts" relied heavily on information found on the Web, I think this story is a cautionary tale about relying too much on the Internet for research and not scrutinizing more carefully how reliable a source is before depending on it to verify anything.

My advice to Matthews: next time, have your librarian (and here's where I get to put in a major plug for the special librarian) or fact checkers do news searches for reviews of the short-listed award contenders in known publications like Gourmet and other big trade or consumer magazines. Or check the public records for a business name filing for the restaurant. These are just a couple of top-of-the-head suggestions--fairly basic steps that any magazine's librarian or fact checker could handle.

You need to check sources more independent and reliable than the purported restaurant's Web site and something like Chowhound, where (like Amazon) anyone could post anything, even if they don't know what they're talking about. And, if you find absolutely nothing from an independent source about the entrant, red flags should be flying.

What's the Worst That Can Happen?--Protecting Your Business in Case of Medical Emergency

Well, in a previous post, I covered computer crashes and protecting data from property loss by fire, flood or other natural disaster. Now comes the tricky topic of health-related disasters.

This is a difficult topic because: 1) no one wants to think it will happen to them; and 2) it's tough to keep a business based on personal service running if you're flat on your back in the hospital.

Much as we hate to think about it, the need may arise down the road for someone to step in and act for you, if you're temporarily incapacitated and can't personally handle your business--an individual to tell your clients that something's come up and the job they just hired you for? Well, it may require some extra time or have to be handled by someone else (depending on how dire your situation is).

To be clear on this, I'm not talking about health insurance--everyone should have it, but I'm not talking about that. (And if you think you're too young and healthy to worry about it, think again. Take this from someone who knows.)

I'm also not talking about estate planning or having a lawyer draft a power of attorney of any sort, in case you completely lose your ability to manage your affairs (although this is a good idea--I'm just not covering that).

I'm just talking about planning for the kind of stop-gap, emergency measures that should be taken if you end up, say, in the hospital in a body cast for several months. (Gruesome example? Yes--I told you this wouldn't be easy.) You haven't lost your ability to make decisions, but how well could you run your business in that condition? Someone has to make the calls, handle the bills and do whatever else it takes to keep the lights on, but let clients know either your assignment will be turned in a bit late or you'll be out of commission for a while (again, depending on how dire your situation is).

So if you're like most freelance writers and work solo (no partner, no employees), I would suggest you take at least the following steps, in case the unthinkable should happen:

1. Designate a spouse or significant other to act for you if you become incapacitated. Find someone you trust completely to take the reins of the business until you've recovered enough to take them back. This person will have to do all the tasks in the rest of this list, so (along with being trustworthy) it should be someone responsible, capable and cool-headed enough to manage the job. This person (if they aren't living with you) will need a spare key to your home and your mail box. Did I mention trustworthiness is important?

2. Make a list of all your current and pending projects. That list should include each client name, contact person, and any contact info you have for that person (office and cell phone, email), so the person acting for you (we'll call this person your "agent") can reach them and let them know what's going on, if necessary. Put this list in a file marked "In Case of Emergency" and tell the agent where to find the file. Also on that list, I'd include the name of any file you're working on for each client, so your agent can find it on your computer and send it to the client, if they wish to see what you've done so far. A client may really appreciate the extra effort you took to make sure they at least got a rough draft of your work, if that's all you could do before you-know-what hit the fan.

3. Make a list of other key contacts. You may be scheduled to speak or appear at an upcoming conference or event--make sure your agent can get access to your calendar and keep a list of people to contact (with contact info, of course) for each conference or event you're actively participating in, in case you aren't able to appear (or tell them about it). Put this in your emergency file, too.

4. Make sure your agent knows how to access your email and voice mail. You can't anticipate everyone who might need to know about your situation. Be sure that when someone does call or email you, your agent can respond, if necessary. The agent doesn't have to answer the phone, but should be able to monitor voice mails for potentially urgent calls.

5. Arrange for your agent to handle bills. You may be in the hospital, but that won't stop the bills from coming in. Be sure to have your agent look for those bills and pay them promptly or take them to you to pay promptly (if you're able). If it's a spouse or live-in SO, this shouldn't be much of a problem. If it's someone who doesn't live with you, you may want to set aside some extra cash to cover the payment of your bills in an emergency. Obviously, the cash would have to be kept in a place where your agent could find it. Or (since trust is an element here) your agent could pay the bills until you're well enough to handle it yourself, and you could pay him or her back later.

6. Consider finding people to whom you can refer work if you are unable to complete it. This is a really tricky one. Someone hired you for your expertise and skill. Now, because you're in the hospital in critical condition for who-knows-how-long, you can't deliver your work by the deadline. Maybe for so long, they can't wait for you. Clearly, your agent must contact the client to let them know what's going on. If it looks like you'll just need a deadline extension, you may be able to arrange that. Otherwise, you might want to be able to suggest someone who can either finish what you've done or take on the assignment instead. Keep a list of those people (and the kind of work they do) in a place where your agent can find them, if necessary. And--yes--add this list to the emergency file.

These are just a few ideas I came up with while pondering what is a very troubling (but possible) scenario. I won't say this list is comprehensive, but it's everything I could think of. Feel free to submit a comment with any further suggestions.

I've done many, but not all, of the listed things. However, I'm working on that. As I said, I'm just trying to think of all the little things you might want covered, in the event a medical emergency puts you temporarily (whether for two weeks or several months) out of service. Lengthier or permanent disabilities are another matter--usually handled by attorneys who do estate planning and draft powers of attorney.

Quotation for the Week of August 17

"It is not only for what we do that we are held responsible, but also for what we do not do."
-- Moliere

What Writing and Baseball Have in Common: The Pitch

It was interesting and ironic to find these discussions of how to pitch one's writing, posted within a couple of days of each other: one by book publicity and promotions expert Paula Margulies of The Writer's Edge (about pitching your books to the media, bookstores, etc., after they've been published) and the other by screenwriter and novelist Lee Goldberg of A Writer's Life (on pitching a TV series).

Two very different spins on the pitch (pun most definitely intended).

Twittered to Death

This cartoon about Twitter was just too awesome not to share. Let's see--what's the character limit in Twitter? Whatever it is, I think, "I'm dying!" will fit.

And if that offends you (or even if it doesn't), I suggest you watch the following video (brought to you by Penn & Teller with a little help from Bobby Slayton). Frankly, I think a little "desensitivity training" could alleviate a whole lot of suffering in the world. (WARNING: This video is R-rated--by me.)



And if you don't like it, well ... what is it the Irreverent Freelancer always says? It's on the tip of my tongue ...

Quotation for the Week of August 10

"Too many people are thinking of security instead of opportunity. They seem more afraid of life than death."
-- James F. Byrnes

Online Social Networks--RU Using Them Well? R They Good 4 U?

So much to blog about, so little time! But I will commend for your reading pleasure this post on Business and Blogging about how to make effective use of online social networks. Bottom line: if you use them, don't be half-n-half or now and then (to borrow a bit from a song in Oklahoma!)--use them consistently and with your goals for doing so in mind. The post explains it in more detail.

And if you do use these social networks, you might want to keep in mind this piece from The Scholarly Kitchen on how LinkedIn has become the fastest-growing social networking site.

While we're at it, what is all this online interacting doing to us from a literary appreciation (not to mention grammatical, spelling and usage) standpoint? RU dumbing yourself down by reading blogs or ROFL when others tell jokes on these sites? Am I contributing to the problem or the solution by blogging about it? (Hmm . . . chicken or egg? chicken or egg? . . . Ya got me.)

And, finally, since we're talking online stuff here--why does this not surprise me?