Right or Wrong? What Say You, Writers?

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Last week, I got a few texts from friends, asking me if I was trying to message them on Facebook. Ugh, I thought, do these hacker folks have nothing better to do? 

Normally I ignore this sort of thing but I do change my password thereby keeping hackers from messing with my pictures of flowers or pithy quotes. (Though in my humble opinion, a hacker is already on the wrong side of morality and my quotes, often of a spiritual and/or philosophical nature, might be just what the nosy criminal needs.) 

Anyway, after changing my password—which requires me to either remember or find my password, neither being an easy task—I had another thought. When was the last time I checked passwords, especially on sites and such that I rarely visit anymore? 

It’s a chore that’s been on my To Do List forever, not just for cyber security reasons but also because I like to keep up with where Cathy C. Hall’s words might be. So I spent some time checking old websites where my essays or blog posts might have been; all but one of them was no longer functional, or at least out there in the same context. 

I couldn’t login anymore. Any byline was missing. I’d disappeared! It was as if I’d never written for those sites.

And then I had another thought… What to do about all those essays and/or columns I’d written, some for pay and some for free? I mean, back in early days of my career, I wrote a lot of short pieces. Some of them were my best life stories and now they’re…well, it’s as if they never existed. 

As if they never existed. 

Hmmm…So what if I put them back out there? Maybe do a little sparkly editing and send them out again into the world? 

I know writers recycle pieces all the time—I’ve done it myself—but I’ve always noted that it would be a reprint, or that a version of it had appeared elsewhere. But what I’m wondering is this: does a writer need to specify that words have been published before when the website is defunct? When there’s no way to find the writing unless the author of said words could dig up a copy in their own files? 

To be clear, I’m not talking about essays or stories published in anthologies, hard copies or ebooks. I’m curious about all those online sites that are here today and gone tomorrow, never to be seen again. Can a writer, in good conscience, submit a piece that’s run on a bygone, belly-up website and not mention a word about where it may have appeared before? 

Right or wrong, writers? (Asking for a friend.)

Cathy C. Hall 

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11 comments Cathy C. Hall, defunct websites, ethics of writing, reprints

Reprints: The Good, the Bad, and the Embarrassing

Recently, one of my editors took a job at Schoolwide, creating a library of electronic resources for teachers to use with their K through 12 classes.  She sent me an e-mail.  “Send me your reprints.”

Examining my files, I weeded out articles for adults, pieces for preschoolers and reviews.  I came up with 11 suitable pieces, reprint rights intact.  I sent her a piece of readers’ theater, a biography, an article on equine genetics and an equine breed history.  She took them all and asked to see the rest.

Sending these reprints out taught me five important lessons.

1. Send them out. If you have sold first rights or one time rights, send your work back out.  It probably took me about 15 minutes per article including interruptions to scan pages and create a single PDF. A reprint is less work than a new article and I will make more on several of the reprints than I made on the originals. 
2. Update the people.  The bio was written while my subject was still alive.  Since the first printing, she had died so I had to rewrite the last several paragraphs. If you mention where someone works or lives, make sure they are still there.  Don’t make assumptions.
3. Verify statistics.  If your numbers represent the current population or price or whatever, double check your information.  It may have changed.  In the original breed profile, I gave the global population of Caspians as 450.  That number had more than tripled. 
4. Google your topic.  Don’t just make sure the sources you used are unchanged.  I did this but should have googled equine genetics.  After I emailed my editor the “current” article, I saw a poster on Pinterest.  What are the chances of finding a Pinterest post on horses and genetics? The primary gene was different than the one in my article. When I googled “equine genetics color,” recent sources listed the same gene as the one on the poster. Yes, some sources listed the gene in my article but it is no longer believed to be the main gene. What to do?
5. Come clean.  If you catch a mistake, e-mail your editor.  I outlined the problem. Yes, the sources I used were still out there and I could find additional material to support the original article, but it wasn’t the current way of thinking.  I explained that while the article wasn’t inaccurate, I’d be more comfortable going with the topic as presented by the UC-Davis College of Veterinary Medicine.

It’s embarrassing to admit to your editor that you goofed, but it’s a lot more embarrassing to have a young reader, or worse yet a class, point it out.  Writers are human and most editors realize this.  Fortunately, they too are human.

Reprints are a great way to get more work out there, but learn from my experience.  Do some general google searches to make sure that a new school of thought hasn’t displaced your  original approach.

--SueBE

Sue teaches our class, Writing Nonfiction for Children and Young Adults.  The next session begins in October; places in the class are open.

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3 comments reprints, rewriting, submissions

Developing Multiple Income Streams

Writers should strive to have more than one income stream.

Is there such a thing as a writer’s identity crisis? Because I sure feel like I’m having one!

I’ve been working as a freelance writer and magazine editor for the past 10 years, and I’ve always relied on a few steady clients to keep the income coming in. But with two kids getting older and more involved in extracurricular activities (not to mention the looming threat of orthodontia) I’m beginning to realize I need to diversify (and by diversify I mean increase greatly) my income streams in order to keep the cash flowing in a positive direction.

You’re probably thinking “Yes, Renee, this is a no-brainer. You should never put all your eggs in one basket.” And I know this, really I do, I’ve just been dragging my heels on actually doing something about it. I keep telling myself I’m not qualified “enough” to offer the writing/editing/consulting services that come to mind.

Here are a few things I’m considering to bring in extra money:

Reprints. I spent about an hour the other day updating my spreadsheet of regional parenting publications and going through my hard drive to find articles to re-purpose and re-sell for passive income. This is one of the quickest ways a writer can get more leverage out of interviews, research and story ideas. I also need to spend more time querying the higher-paying markets with my original ideas, such as national and trade publications. I’ve gotten lazy on doing that and need to dive back in.

Micro-publishing. A few years ago I wrote a pretty lengthy non-fiction book proposal about freelance writing for the parenting markets, sent it off to a few agents and then let it languish on my hard drive after just a few rejections. I’m now considering selling it as an e-book and also possibly self-publishing a book of short stories that I’ve written over the years. I understand that I’ll need to make sure I market these efforts appropriately, but it could be a fun way to build upon my platform and earn some extra income at the same time.

Editing/Proofreading. I can draw upon my experience as a magazine editor to help people and/or businesses to proofread and edit any number of things such as resumes, non-fiction books, novels, essays, commercial copy, brochures, press releases, etc.

Writing coach. I love talking to people about breaking into writing, and I have many years of experience in realm of non-fiction. I’d love to develop my own online course on breaking into freelance writing or brainstorming article topics for parenting magazines, using the tips and tricks I’ve learned along the way.

Now to just implement all these ideas . . . it’s looking to be a long, busy spring and summer.

What types of multiple income streams do you have, or hope to have in the near future?

Renee Roberson is an award-winning writer and editor who also blogs at Renee’s Pages.

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3 comments editors and proofreaders, income streams for writers, micro-publishing, Renee Roberson, reprints, writing coaches

Break Through "The Skids"

As economic times worsen, writers struggle to stay afloat between assignments or book deals.

Competition for assignments is fierce, especially in this age where anyone can think he or she is a writer. One thread of a LinkedIn group I belong to talks about giving up freelancing after three decades in the business because so many newbies (and wannabes) agree to write an article for pennies on the dollar.

Those of us who have been in the business for years - and who expect to fairly compensated for our skills and time - understand the ebb and flow of the publishing industry.

Sometimes, we simply hit the skids.

But it doesn't mean we like it.

How can a writer protect herself when the phone doesn't ring and your email inbox is as desolate as a lonely stretch of highway?

Let's look at five ways to straighten out your career when it hits the brakes.

1. Query: You won't make a sale if you fail to pitch ideas. I'm lucky to have developed an ongoing relationship with a regional newspaper so I usually have a steady stream of sales, but I still take the time to submit queries to other newspapers and magazines. And I still receive the occasional rejection letter or email. One of the best pieces of advice I've heard came from Hope Clark from Funds for Writers. She talked about the rule of 13 and having 13 queries in play. I took her advice. It works. I like to have 13 queries out at a time, and if I receive a rejection, I fine tune the pitch and find a new market. It's common sense. Each query ups your odds of a sale.
2. Observe: Keep your eyes and ears open. You never know when you'll hear a snippet of conversation that sparks an idea. Take note of what's going on around you, too. You may hit on the latest trend, and that can lead to a possible sale.
3. Recycle: In the land of home staging, this may also be called repurposing. If I find that I don't a lot of new assignments coming in, and especially if the ideas just aren't flowing, I go through my previous articles and see if I can reslant it for a new market. Reprints require a minimal time investment but can lead to load of extra cash.
4. Chill: At some point, you will hit a dry spell. It's the law of averages. Although you may find it difficult to relax, you really need to take a chill pill. Find new scenery. Do something just for you. Embrace these moments from the writing world. Your creative muse will thank you.
5. Stay positive: Easier said than done, right? A positive attitude will make life - and writing - easier. When assignments come in, tackle them immediately. It's a boost to your creative mind. I've noticed that the quicker I turn in assignments, the faster I get new assignments. At least it seems that way. Plus, not procrastinating helps me keep a positive mantra.

Writing, like the economy, make hit the skids. But by taking a proactive attitude, you can help yourself break through the tough times.

Blog and photo by LuAnn Schindler. Read more of LuAnn's work at her website.

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1 comment dealing with rejection, dry spell, LuAnn Schindler, marketing tips, querying, recycle articles, reprints, staying positive, tough economic times for writers