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Coffee Break for Writers Monthly E-zine |
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In This Issue: • Straight Talk From the Editor • Article: "Avoiding the Research Trap" • Questions and Answers About Freelance Writing • Interview With Amazon Best-Selling Author Debbie Robins • Paying Markets for Writers • Success Café • Writing and Publishing News • Test Your Grammar • No Entry Fee Writing Contests • Writing Exercise • Observances and Holidays (Ideas Included) • Cafe Fun: Spot the Mistakes Straight Talk From the Editor Good morning, fellow writers! To start off this edition of Coffee Break for Writers, I'd like to announce that we have updated our writers' guidelines. The new articles that we're currently seeking are the first three listed under "current needs." So, if you believe you can craft one or more of the articles we're currently seeking, feel free to follow our writers' guidelines and send us your submission. We'll pay you $15 for each unpublished article we accept from you! Now, enjoy Elona Sherwood's "Avoiding the Research Trap," and if you find this article helpful, keep your eyes peeled for the December issue. In the December edition of Coffee Break for Writers, Misti Wolanski will explain how to paraphrase your research! Never give up on your dreams — work toward them, Misti Sandefur Avoiding the Research Trap By Elona Sherwood Writers frequently tank their hourly rate by spending hours lost in loads of information. For the productive writer, focus is the key — here's how to get it. Begin With a Clear Title in Mind If you've already queried the publication you plan to write for, it's likely that you included a title, but if you didn't (or if the article has been assigned), you'll need to spend a little time doing this now. Brainstorm five to ten ideas then grab the one that feels best. Having a title (even if it's not perfect), is effective because it provides focus, thus it keeps the research — and consequently your writing — nice and tidy. If your work should take a slightly different direction at a later stage, you can always change the title to one that is more appropriate. Outline? I like to think of it as the anti-outline. The anti-outline is more like a laundry list of what you'd like to include in the piece. Just grab a sheet of paper and dump out whatever is in your mind that you think ought to go into your article. As you work, feel free to cross out, erase, draw arrows in the margins ... whatever helps you as your mind begins to create an easy and organic structure. If you're inspired to do so, you can organize the ideas on a fresh sheet of paper, but you don't have to. Don't spend too much time belaboring this; it helps to give yourself a time limit that's appropriate for the depth of the topic before you start scribbling. Once you've got this list, it's time to make one more. ... Make a Quick List of What You Need to Know That You Don't Already After all, this is the whole point of research, right? It's surprising how many authors dive into the research without first defining what it is they want to know! Depending on just how much you love learning about the topic at hand, you could easily spend hours absorbing detail after detail if you haven't got a clear target. Look over your outline and see what things you might need in order to complete each section of the article. Writing your thoughts as questions can be very useful, since once you have the answer to each question, you will know you are done. This will be your shopping list. If you're not already very familiar with your topic, the list will grow as you begin to learn more. Just make sure that if you add things to your research list, they are in line with the purpose of the article rather than tangents that are only somewhat related. Give Yourself Time ... Just not too much! By now you should have a good idea of how much time can you can afford to spend searching out the answers to your questions. The amount of time you give yourself will be a guideline, and is based upon how much you need to learn in order to write a solid article, as well as how much you're being paid. You won't want to spend four hours researching a $75 article, but you might be happy to do so for an $800 article. The idea here is to budget your time between the research, writing and editing so that you end up making an hourly wage that you'll be happy with. Having a time frame in mind for your research will help to keep you productive and efficient, boosting your bottom-line. Read for Interest Later I like to write about things that I like to learn about — that's part of why I became a freelance writer — I rarely seek out work that's related to topics that I couldn't care less about. While this approach makes for an enriching work experience that I quite enjoy, the line between research and personal enrichment can quickly become blurred. As you go along answering the questions on your research list, it's OK to pause to read a short-little-something that's not going to be part of your article. These little jaunts provide deeper background and sometimes even become springboards for future articles. What you want to avoid is entirely losing track of time. Make note of the time when you sit down to do some research, and then check it periodically as you work. If you know that you've allotted yourself one hour to answer all the questions on your list, a quick glance at the clock will keep you moving, and you'll naturally limit your side trips. Remember, you can always bookmark sites and photocopy pages for later. Once you've filled out the gaps in your own knowledge by answering the questions on your research list, you are ready to start writing. No more procrastination disguised as research! With a clear purpose in mind and a time limit for fulfilling it, you have all the tools you'll need to craft an engaging piece. Now go write! Elona Sherwood is a freelance writer based in Kansas City, Missouri. A former professional ballet dancer, she also runs a Web site for ballet dancers at www.StrategiesForDancers.com. Questions and Answers About Freelance Writing Julia Anderson has sent us a question directed to all Coffee Break for Writers readers. IAf you can help Julia, please send your response to Coffee Break for Writers, and we'll post your answer in next month's edition. When responding, please let us know that you are answering Julia Anderson's question about ghostwriting. Julia asks, "Does anyone who has ghostwirtten a biography have any advice for a writer who is just beginning the process, please? Next month we'll answer a question about getting an online column into newspapers. Do you have a burning question about freelance writing? Send your freelance writing question(s) our way, and we'll answer it for you in the next edition of Coffee Break for Writers. We're always happy to help! Interview With Amazon Best-Selling Author Debbie Robins By Misti Sandefur Coffee Break for Writers recently had the honor of doing an e-mail interview with Debbie Robins, author of " ." Merely one week after Robins published her book, it hit #4 on Amazon.com's best-seller list in the children's category! In addition, "Where Peace Lives" also rose to #2 on Barnes & Noble's best-seller list. Today Robins will share with us some of the techniques she used to help her reach #4 on Amazon.com's best-seller list. Misti: Can you tell our readers more about yourself and your book, "Where Peace Lives?" Debbie: "Where Peace Lives" is a book for all ages about an angel named Peace who's been locked in a glass box and can't get out. It's the storyteller's journey to find the Three Keys to set Peace free. The characters are inspired by the great peace teachings of Martin Luther King, Jr., Buddha, Gandhi, Christ, Moses and the Prophet Muhammad. I am a coach/consultant. My company is called scoreBIG. We work with individuals in all aspects of their professional life and with companys' corporations to create high trust environments to fuel their competitive edge. I was a film producer for over twenty years. I have produced movies with Penny Marshall, Roland Joffe, John McTiernan and more. I was also an executive at Disney. My husband, Hubert de La Bouilerie, is a brilliant director/writer. Misti: Where did your idea for "Where Peace Lives" come from? Debbie: It started with a question I posed to myself. Why is it that the world says it wants more peace but we are actually creating less of it? What's the gap? What the magical story of "Where Peace Lives" taught me was that peace is not an ideal, which is how we presently treat it, but rather a discipline, a practice. It was also a way for me to discover how I could make a difference. Misti: Are you already working on your second book? If not, do you have plans for a second book? Debbie: Two books! "Where Happiness Lives" is the second book in the actual series, and "Where Peace Lives … the First Challenge" is book two in the "Where Peace Lives" trilogy. Misti: How do you use the Internet to market "Where Peace Lives?" Debbie: I use the internet to communicate with my friends, and to ask them to communicate my message/intentions to their friends. Misti: What impact do you hope your book will have on readers? Debbie: I hope "Where Peace Lives" will support children and adults alike to strengthen their peace muscle. I hope it will inspire us to place a higher VALUE on peace. I hope it will engage a discussion about our educational system and how peace has been left out of the equation. I hope it will be a catalyst for making peace a class, at every grade level, in classrooms all over the world. Because I truly believe that when we finally commit to study, learn and practice peace, our children will fulfill their divine destiny as peacemakers. I hope the book will change the world and make it a more peaceful place. Misti: How did you find your publisher? Debbie: At the San Diego Writers Conference, where, after being turned down by 100 agents and 20 publishers, I won the Editor's Choice Award for best new book. It's a great conference and I recommend it to anyone. Misti: Congratulations on making Amazon's best-seller list in children's books! Can you share with our readers some of the marketing techniques you used to make the Amazon best-seller list? Debbie: Thank you. And we were #2 on Barnes and Noble's best-seller list -- right after Harry Potter! I rallied my friends to initially support me by buying their books on Amazon and BarnesandNoble.com. I reached out to other incredible individuals and groups making a difference in the world, and asked for their support of the books message of peace too. Misti: Can you share any advice with other writers on how they too can make their book(s) a success? Debbie: My advice would be this: Make sure that what you're writing about has great MEANING to you. When you align with your purpose, through your creative self expression, then there is no hurdle you can't overcome. Anticipate success and prepare for rejection. It is not personal and it comes with the territory! Make sure you have "being goals" as well as "doing goals." Decide how you want to BE INSIDE YOURSELF with the journey. My being goals were to hold myself in the highest esteem, to be infinitely patient and to receive each "no" as one beat closer to my "yes." I learned about being goals at The University of Santa Monica in Los Angeles where I received my Masters Degree in Spiritual Psychology. They allowed me to stay at peace during this journey. I write even more about this on my Web site. Misti: How can readers purchase a copy of "Where Peace Lives?" Debbie: You can purchase "Where Peace Lives" in any major bookstore, online and at Walmart. Independent bookstores too. You can also visit my Web site and click on the THREE KEYS TO PEACE! Misti: Is there any additional information, tips and/or advice you'd like to share with other writers? Debbie: Never give up on your dream. We are here to learn and grow, and in my experience, there is nothing "easy" about the physical world. Challenges allow us to see where we're strong and where we still need to evolve. Challenges are how we evaluate where we're at in consciousness. Conscious and self honoring choices are the name of the game. Lead with your heart. Lead with your purpose. Lead with your joy, passion and gratitude. Purposeful people are catalysts for change. Coffee Break for Writers would like to thank Debbie for taking time out of her schedule to share some advice with our readers. We would also like to thank Debbie's publicist, Lisa Elia, for putting us in touch with Debbie. Paying Markets for Writers Are you a paying market currently seeking writers? Send your paying market to Coffee Break for Writers. The information will be posted in our next issue. There is only one requirement: you MUST pay writers at a rate of $.10 or more per word, or a flat rate of $25 or more. It won't cost you a dime to have your call for writers placed in Coffee Break for Writers. AARP "A magazine for that targets seniors 50 or over." Seeking: Articles on finance, health, food, travel, trends and more. Payment information: Pays a minimum of $1 per word on acceptance. Also offers a 25% kill fee. Boston Review "We are a magazine of political, cultural, and literary ideas, and we take that designation seriously: our intellectual range distinguishes us from any political journal or literary quarterly, while our seriousness of purpose sets us apart from other general-interest magazines." Seeking: Nonfiction and book review essays, fiction and poetry. Payment information: Varies, and it does meet our guidelines to be listed. SitePoint "SitePoint is pre-eminent publisher of enjoyable, informative, and exciting Web development and design content. Our network receives over 10 million pageviews every month, attracting web professionals from around the globe." Seeking: Articles related to Web site development and design. Payment information: $50 for articles published on their site, and $100 if it can be used as a feature article. Technology & Learning Magazine "Technology & Learning magazine is circulated to over 80,000 elementary, middle, and high school teachers, technology coordinators, and administrators at the building, district, and state levels. We publish articles that encourage educators to think about new approaches to teaching and new ways to use technology in the classroom." Seeking: Feature articles of general interest, software evaluations and success stories from schools/districts. Payment information: $400 or more upon publication. Written By "Written By is the magazine of the Writers Guild of America, West, serving its 10,000 members with stories that celebrate Hollywood’s storytellers. We are interested in stories that profile established, working film and television writers and the stories they craft with such art and intelligence that they influence America and the world." Seeking: Stories and articles aimed toward journalists and writers who cover the television and/or film industry. Payment information: Ranges from $500 up to $3,000. Success Café Let us toast to your success and share in your excitement! If you've got published or won an award by choosing one of the paying markets or writing contests from an issue of Coffee Break for Writers, or if you were published or won a contest using a writing exercise from an issue of Coffee Break for Writers, let us know so we can celebrate with you! Upon receipt of your information, we will send you an e-mail to let you know we received the information. Then, all you have to do is wait for the next issue of Coffee Break for Writers to see your success in print! Furthermore, the editor of Coffee Break for Writers will add her own words of praise at the end of your submission, and she'll even announce your good news on her Life of a Writer blog. Publishing your success in print is free, because it's all a part of celebrating with you; our way of showing you we care. Writing and Publishing News Have you launched a new e-zine, newsletter, magazine, blog or Web site for writers? Has your publication made editorial changes? Are you currently running a contest for writers that does not require an entry fee? Will you be hosting an event for writers, or do you know of an upcoming event for writers? Send us your press release and your news could appear in the next edition of Coffee Break for Writers! Book Festivals This Labor Day weekend make plans to travel to Decatur, Georgia for the Decatur Book Festival. At the Decatur Book Festival, award-winning and best-selling authors will give readings, talks, signings and panel discussions. Some of those many authors will include Charles Frazier, Kinky Friedman, Terry Brooks, Roy Blount, Jr. and several others. The Decatur Book Festival is free and open to the public, so mark your calendars. For more information visit the Decatur Book Festival Web site. Editorial Comings and Goings On July 16, 2007 WOW! Women on Writing announced that Beryl Hall Bray has left her position as editor with WOW! Women on Writing to pursue a freelance writing career. Also on this date, WOW! Women on Writing extended a warm welcome to two new editors: Jean Lauzier and Sue Donckels. Elizabeth Guider joined the editorial staff at Hollywood Reporter. Prior to becoming the new editor at Hollywood Reporter, Guider served as editor at Variety for 18 years. Guider replaced Cynthia Littleton. Littleton left Hollywood Reporter in March to take over the role of deputy editor at Variety. Publishing News Green Car magazine, launched by AutoTrader Publishing, is a new publication dedicated to vehicles that get 30 miles or more per gallon. Editorial content includes informational articles about different types of fuel-efficient cars and trucks. Source: Environmental Leader Cutting Edge Media announced the launch of True Wealth: Your Guide to Starting a Profitable Home Business on August 2, 2007. True Wealth will debut in February 2008. Cutting Edge Media is the nation's home business experts. "True Wealth will reach serious-minded prospects who are actively pursuing a home-business opportunity. We want to show our readers how a home business can bring wealth to many areas of their lives — through quality time with family, a more relaxed schedule, and, of course, financial success," Bridey Orth, Editor-in-Chief said in a press release. Test Your Grammar Here's a multiple choice quiz about grammar. Choose the correct answers then wait for the September 2007 edition of Coffee Break for Writers to grade yourself. 1) What is the subject in this sentence: To write was her only desire. a. her b. desire c. to write 2)What is the verb in this sentence: Cindy drove to the library. a. drove b. to 3) Choose the adjective from this sentence: She had red hair. a. hair b. red 4) Fill in the blank with the correct word: She writes better ____ John. a. then b. than 5) Fill in the blank with the correct word: Jane ___ her research yesterday. a. did b. done No Entry Fee Writing Contests Would you like to add award-winning writer/author to your name? Then, by all means check out the no entry fee writing contests below! You never know, you just may win. If you do win one of the contests below, let us know about it so you can earn a spot in our Success Café column. We love to know when our e-zine has helped you achieve another level of success! Are you running a contest for writers that does not require an entry fee? If so, send us a press release about the contest, and we'll place it in the next edition of Coffee Break for Writers. Be sure to include a URL to the contest information as well as the deadline for entries. Adirondack Life Writing Contest Category: Unpublished stories of the forgotten Adirondackers, living or dead. Prizes: The winner will receive $500 and publication. Deadline: September 1, 2007 Facebook Poetry Competition Category: Unpublished poem that begins with the word face and ends with the word book (8 lines or less). Prize: $150 Deadline: September 21, 2007 First Chapters: The Gather.com First Chapters Romance Writing Competition Category: Full-length romantic fiction manuscript. Prizes: $5000 and a publishing contract from Simon & Schuster. Deadline: August 22, 2007 Glass Woman Prize Categories: Short fiction or creative nonfiction (prose) written by a woman. Prizes: $500 for the winner and $380 for 2nd prize. Deadline: September 21, 2007 Writing Exercise Fall is just around the corner! Write an article, essay or short story with a fall theme. Observances and Holidays (Ideas Included) We still haven't completed the list for all the months yet. Once it's complete, we will place a link to it here. Café Fun: Spot the Mistakes Instructions: How about some editing fun this month? Below you will find text that was taken from Misti Sandefur's book, "Help From Above." The text has been rewritten to include grammar and spelling mistakes (on purpose). See if you can spot the grammar and spelling mistakes. Hint: there's a total of 10 mistakes. Answers will be revealed in next month's edition of Coffee Break for Writers. As Ronald was walking down the sidewalk, he noticed a man with short, black greasy hair sitting on a bench near the One Stop Shop Liquor Store. "Maybe that's my assignment," he said to himeself. So he walked toward the man on the bench, and then sat down beside him. "Are you George Billington?" Ronald said. "Yes sir I am, why are you asking?" "Because you're my assignment. In other words, I've been sent to help you." "Are you crazy or something?" He got up and began walking into the liquor store. Ronald then grabed George by the arm. "I'm not crazy, and you getting ready to walk into that liquor store is the reason I was sent here to help you. So please, let us sit down and talk." "I'll sit down and talk with you, but you will tell me whom sent you to me and why. I live my own life as I live it, and I don't need anyone butting in!" "I understand that, George, and I'll explain. God sent me; I'm an angel, and in order to make it into heaven and earn my wings, I must help you." "If that's true what did you do wrong. Why can't you get into heaven right away? "In order to make a long story short, I will just say that I was once like you." "Listen here, I don't need your help or God's. I am just fine and I only do this stuff occassionally. Besides that, I do not even believe that you are a angel sent from God. There's no such thing as angels." "Well, let me say this. You can believe the way you'd like, but I am an angel, God does care for you, and yes, you may not want to believe it, but you do have a serious problem," Ronald said to him with concern. George turned away, shaking his head. He was convulsed with laughter. As he began to walk back into the liquor store, again Ronald blocked his way. "Now how did you get in front of me without my noticing you?" "I told you I'm an angel. I can do that sorda stuff. And another thing, you don't need to go in there you're already plastered enough." "Listen here, Mr. Angel, you're not my boss, and you're definitely not going to run my life, so move out of my way!" George said. "I won't do it. You have had too much already. So get in the car and I'll drive you home so that you can sleep this off." George, turning around hesitantly and staggering to the car, got in. He sat there and stared out the window until they arrived at his house. By this time, George was not feeling well. "What's the matter George?" "I'm not sure. I think I just need a little rest." "I believe you need more than a little. Let me help you in," Ronald offered. "No thanks. You go on to wherever, and I'll be fine," George said pushing Ronald away. As he started to go in he stumbled over his own feet and fell to the ground. Ronald went ahead and helped him in, even though George kept refusing his help. Answers to last month's word scramble: 1. Pronoun 2. Verb 3. Noun 4. Fragments 5. Complete Sentence 6. Comma 7. Run-on Sentence 8. Independent Clauses 9. Conjunctions 10. Adverb Brewing for Next Month (September 7, 2007): • A grammar-related article written by an English composition instructor ... • and much more! |
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Resources for Research All Refer Reference Dot-Com Layoffs and Shutdowns (Useful if you're researching online businesses.) Food Marketing Institute: Facts & Figures How Stuff Works International Statistics Legal Information Institute Subject Guide (scroll down) U.S. Census Bureau |
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