Three Books for Penny in 10 months!

I just wanted to say congratulations to one of my students, Penny Legg, who is rather overjoyed at the moment. She now has commissions to write 3 books, all of which will be published within the space of 10 months.

Her first commission was for 'Folklore of Hampshire' which will be published by Tempus Publishing in July 2010. She's now signed contracts for two more books, 'Haunted Southampton' which will be published in February 2011, and 'Winchester: History You Can See' which will be published in May 2011.

Suffice to say that she's a little ecstatic, although, clearly she now has a lot of work on her hands!

This also demonstrates how far in advance the publishing industry works, particularly for books. There's just under two years between now and when Penny's Winchester book is published, but in order to get that contract she's had to supply a proposal with an outline. She's already had to think of that detail, even though she may not start writing the book for another 12 months.

But this is where writing non-fiction books differs from writing novels. It's possible to sell the idea for a non-fiction book based upon a proposal and sometimes a sample chapter. For a novel, you need to have written the whole book first.

Psychologically, writing non-fiction can be easier, because if you've signed a contract then you know that the book should be published. Whereas with a novel, you can only start trying to sell it once you've finished it. Not knowing whether the idea works until you've written 100,000 words is a big risk to take.

So, good luck with the writing Penny, you're certainly going to be busy for the next year or so.

And I'm looking forward to meeting everyone at the Writing Buddies meeting at the Borders Store in Southampton on 3rd July. See you then!

Motivation Begins The Minute You Wake Up!

Last Saturday at my writers' circle meeting, we had a guest speaker, Liam O'Connell. Now Liam and I share a similar wavelength - we both like positivity. In fact, as I sat listening to him during his workshop, I spent most of my time doing a nodding dog impression!

Liam's attitude though, was one of 'can do'. Instead of saying 'I can't do that'. He told us to say 'I CAN do it' and 'I believe I CAN do it.'

Much of this is down to being focused on what it is that you want to achieve, and this is a core skill with writing. Being focused and determined to get a piece published will result in publication eventually.

Liam played a video of several students all running around one another, passing basketballs between them. He asked us to focus on the basketballs and count the number of passes made that didn't involve bouncing the ball on the floor. This played for about two minutes and required immense concentration - well it did for me anyway! At the end of it, some of the group said they'd seen 15 passes, other guesses ranged up to 23. I'd counted 19. The correct answer was 22. Then Liam asked, "Hands up those of you who saw the Gorilla?"

What? What flipping Gorilla?

About half the group stuck their hands up. (not me, I completely missed it!)

Liam then played the whole sequence again and this time he told us to look for the Gorilla. And there it was, bold as brass, someone dressed up in a Gorilla costume walking onto the set turning to face the camera, waving both arms about frantically before walking off the stage again!

I found that exercise really enlightening, because for me, it was a clear demonstration as to how focused I could be. When I looked around the room at the members of the group who like me had not seen the Gorilla, it was interesting to note that many of them were the members that I would classify as the more 'successful' members of the group too, with their writing.

He then discussed about having a positive attitude. He explained how we all have control over our actions. Yes, we can't control what life throws at us, but we can control how we deal with. Liam told us of a time when he'd filled up his car with diesel instead of petrol. When he realised what he'd done he flew into a rage, cursing and swearing at the hassle this was now going to cause him. His wife, then reminded him that he'd woken up and decided to have a positive day that day. And that's when he realised that all this anger wasn't solving his problem. Thinking positively, he realised that once he'd called his roadside recovery company, he would then be provided with a courtesy car. Within the hour, he and his wife were on their way again, and enjoyed the rest of the day. He made that decision not to let this event ruin the whole day.

Likewise, we can't stop an editor from rejecting our work, but we have a choice what we do when we discover the news. We can either:

• Moan and wail, and throw our arms about in pure misery that our talent and creative genius has not been recognised, or
• review our work, rewrite if necessary and submit our talented creative muse to another editor, creating a new opportunity in which to get published.

Every morning, when we wake up, we have the opportunity to decide whether we're going to have a good day, or a bad day. So when I woke up yesterday, I said to myself, "Today I'm going to have a good day." And do you know what? At 11.45am the deputy editor of Country Walking magazine rang me up and asked me if I could provide an urgent piece of text for him. How positive was that?

So remember, when you wake up tomorrow, make a decision as to what sort of day you're going to have and stick to it. You don't know what might happen!

Liam O'Connell is an excellent guest speaker and I can thoroughly recommend him. For more information, visit his website at www.liamoconnell.co.uk, and you can buy his book direct from Amazon.

Good luck.

Victorian Farm

Living in South Shropshire, means that I am only three miles away from the Acton Scott Museum where the BBC 2 television series "Victorian Farm' was filmed. The series was broadcast in January and February this year and consistently attracted viewing audiences of over 5.2 million, which is very high for the BBC2 channel. In fact, in the last 5 years only 2 programmes have attracted higher viewing figures on BBC2.

This afternoon, two of the show's stars had been invited by our local bookshop to come along and do a talk in the church hall. Both Alex Langlands and Peter Ginn chatted about the making of the television series, and showed us a collection of photos and pictures of behind the scenes events. One common comment was the fact that mother nature and farming, didn't always want to 'play ball' when the film crew was around, particularly the animals!

And we also learnt that if you have a male Shire Horse who won't pull a load, then put a female Shire Horse in a field ahead of him and he'll soon move!

Fans of the show may be interested to know that they are filming 3 one hour shows to be broadcast later in the year, possibly around Christmas time.

Talks are underway about another series, possibly an Edwardian Farm this time, although the talks are at a very early stage.

Both Alex and Peter were quite tired because having listened to the Met Office's weather forecast at the beginning of last week, they decided that this week would be a good week to harvest the hay. For this you need long periods of sunshine to allow it to dry after cutting. Thursday was the chosen day which stayed dry for cutting. Since then, here in Shropshire we've had rain on Friday, Saturday and today, so their hay isn't drying out particularly quickly! They've also lost confidence in the Met Office forecasts too!

What struck me though, was the infinite knowledge these two people had. They merely had to change the photo on their Powerpoint Presentation and immediately they launched into the tricks of the trade, the mishaps and their successes of their time spent on the farm.

Which brings me onto a 'writing' point. Have a specialism. Or two. Or three! If you know about a subject, then writing about it will be easy. If the mere sight of a picture can trigger a series of thoughts and comments then you will probably find that you can write quite easily about that topic. (You should see the size of the accompanying book that Alex, Peter and their co-presenter Ruth have written!)

Too often, writers don't know what to write about and they feel that the regularly trotted out phrase "Write about what you know" doesn't help. But if you have a specialism, writing about that subject is easy. So don't have one interest - writing - have lots of interests. Then you can use the writing to write about your other interests. This is why you should get out an experience life. It gives you something to write about. Alex, Peter and Ruth stayed on the Victorian Farm for a whole year - hence the size of the book! But it will give them lots to write about for the rest of their life.

So next time you get the opportunity, go to an author talk and just watch how they enthuse about their subject. It's proof that they are 'mini-experts' and have a lot of knowledge to share. And what is writing, whether it is fiction or non-fiction, if it isn't the author sharing knowledge of some kind with their reader?

Good luck!

Perfect pitches

This is just a quick plug for this month's Ezee Writer newsletter, which has just been published.

This month's article has been written by yours truly. It's called 'Perfect Pitches' and explains how to go about 'pitching' an article idea to an editor first, before you actually go through all that hard work and effort that is involved with actually writing the flipping article in the first place!

Our work gets rejected for many reasons, some of which may be down to bad luck - the editor has just accepted a piece on a similar idea, for example. A query letter helps to identify this situation and stops you working flat out writing an article which stands no chance of being accepted through no fault of your own.

In this piece, I've included an example of one of my pitch letters. It's a real letter and it worked - it got me two commissions. It's so much more exciting writing an article that you know the editor is actually looking forward to seeing.

So to save yourself some heartache and time, click on this link to read the article in full, if you haven't had it already as an Ezee Writer subscriber.

Ezee Writer is a free email newsletter. To sign up, simply follow this link.

Good Luck!

Independent Booksellers Week

Here in the UK it's Independent Bookseller week, this week, so if you have an independent bookshop in your local town, then pop in and see what's going on.

As you can see from the picture, I've done my bit in my local bookshop already this week, signing books today. (Just mine - I hasten to add!)

But up and down the country, authors are supporting their local bookshops by selling books, standing behind the tills, taking customer orders or just offering tea and coffee.

Independent bookshops can find it difficult to compete on price against the major bookselling chains and websites like Amazon, however, they are able to offer a more individual service, with many regularly running author events, book clubs and book launches.

To find your nearest store taking part in this event click here.

Good luck!

The Talking Writer

Firstly, I want to say congratulations to one of my students, Rosemary Wells, who won first prize in the poetry section of her local Arts Festival competition. Of course, as her non-fiction tutor, I had absolutely nothing to do with her poetry success, but every success is a success and one that should be shared, so well done Rosemary. And believe it or not, the trophy she's clutching here in this picture is the first trophy she's ever won, so I hope she puts it somewhere prominent on her mantle piece and points it out to everyone who walks into her home!

This posting is a little later than usual because for the past week I've been proofreading. I was approached to produce a Proofreading & Copy Editing correspondence course, which was great fun to do, although last week I must admit the fun element certainly wasn't there. It wasn't until I started proofreading, that I suddenly realised the implications of missing an error on a Proofreading & Copy Editing course! Talk about making my eyes go funny as I scrutinised every word!

And this is the problem with our work. We can read and re-read our work until we're blue in the face, and convince ourselves that it is perfect. And then four months later, when the editor rejects it, you read through the piece again and suddenly 3 more errors will jump out at you!

Many of my students will have read my advice in their assignment feedback, which is to read your work out aloud. Now it makes the neighbours think that you've gone completely doolally, talking to yourself, but it has it's benefits.

If you just read through your text, your eyes will 'see' what you THOUGHT you had written, not what you have 'ACTUALLY' written. This means that your eyes tend to gloss over any errors. Whereas, if you read work out aloud, you use a different part of the brain in order to say the words, so you stand more chance of actually 'hearing' what you've written.

Speaking text takes time, so you read more slowly than you do when reading with just your eyes.

Proofreading by talking also picks up those parts in your text where sentences are too long, or where there are complete words missing and they don't make sense. It can help you with your punctuation, whilst also picking up those words or phrases that you repeat without realising!

So next time you finish a manuscript, don't put it in an envelope just yet. Put it aside for a couple of days and then when you do come back to it, find yourself a quiet room and read your work out aloud. Your friends and family may think you've gone mad, but the editor at the receiving end of your submission won't know that!

Becoming a talking writer can also make you an error-free writer!

Good luck.

Scrutinise Your Published Pieces

When you are lucky enough to have a piece of work published, do you crack open the champagne, dance a merry dance and then count the days off until the cheque arrives?

No? Well you should do! But you should also take a look at your piece and see what the editor has done with it. Compare the printed version with the version you submitted. How does it differ?

"What do you mean - how does it differ?" I hear you cry. "Surely if the editor buys it, they buy what I've written, don't they?"

Well, yes they do, but remember that an editor is God and therefore God can do whatever he or she likes. Editors are wordsmiths and no one knows their magazines as well as they do, which means that they know what tweaks and amendments to make to really make the piece fit their readership. Alternatively, they may suddenly run out of space, but really like your article but only have room to use two thirds of it.

So, whenever you have anything published, sit down and see what has changed. I'm not saying that editors always make changes, there are many pieces of my work that get published as I submitted them. But there are pieces that are 'tweaked' from time to time. If your work is 'tweaked' look to see what the editor has done. Try to learn from this.

Some of you may recall that I produce a regular column for Country & Border Life magazine. In the early days, I noticed the editor was always changing my introductory paragraphs. When I realised what was happening and appreciated the style she was trying to achieve with the introductions, I tried submitting future work with my introductions written in that same style. A few months later I received an email from the editor thanking me for doing this. She'd spotted that I was constantly trying to improve my submissions.

Sometimes the changes are for production reasons. I've written articles for example publicising a literary festival, which an editor has accepted and then for various reasons not been able to use. But they've held onto them for another year and used them 12 months later. The editor went through and changed all of my references to the various talks and events that I'd advised readers were going to take place - because obviously they were now a year out of date!

Editors changing your work can also have other positive effects. I've sold a couple of short stories to an Australian magazine. These have been rejected by a British magazine. However, when I saw the published version in the Australian magazines I spotted the changes that the editors have made. Often, they're only subtle but it can be enough to make a huge difference to the story. For example, where I may have used 'he ran quickly', the editor may have changed this to 'he dashed' which is more exciting - and uses fewer words. What I've then done, is rewrite my English versions of the stories to include the changes made by the Australian editor and then resubmitted them to the British magazine. Hey presto! Two of my stories that the British mags had previously rejected have since been bought and published.

So scrutinising your published work can help you improve your writing technique, and also your own sales!

Good luck!

Perfection isn't instantaneous

One of my students, Sameer, from India emailed me today with a problem that many new writers face.

I need your help and guidance in something. There's this plot that has been taking shape in my mind since a very long time now; in fact it's been cultivating since the past whole year. I wish to put it down on paper. The entire plot is ready in my head, but I am facing problems to find the right words, sentences, phrases. I believe I have found my genre, and fiction & mystery seem to be it. This plot too is a fiction story. The problem is, the moment I try to pen it down I do not find it gripping enough. Thus I have three different beginnings to the same story and thus I am stuck.

My queries are:
1. Should I carry on and try to finish my book first?
2. When I am thinking I do find the right words, but somehow cannot put it down on paper.

I'm sure many writers have experienced this, I know I have from time to time. The problem is often down to perception. When you pick up a book in the bookshop, you open the cover and read the first words to chapter one to see if you like it. If it's an author you already know, the chances are you will be captivated by their words and turning the page within minutes. The author has done their job and sold you their book.

But as you pick up the book and read those words for the first time, our minds trick us into thinking that the author just sat down and penned those words in that order. For many writers, this just doesn't happen! Perfection isn't instantaneous - it has to be worked at!

And it doesn't matter what you write, whether it's fiction or non-fiction, writers face the same problems. Here's what I suggested to Sameer.

Step 1. Get your story down on paper. Write the book, don't worry about getting the right words. Books get rewritten, they don't just appear in perfect prose straight from the author's pen. So, just concentrate on getting your story down on paper. If the plot is clear in your head, then it's important to get it written down. The brain can play horrible tricks on you and you may think you'll always remember it, but you probably won't so get it down as quickly as you can.

Once you've written the first draft of your text, then you can go back and try to find the write words. That's when you hone and craft your text. The novelist Jodi Picoult once said, "You can't edit a blank page" and this is so true! As soon as you have something written down, then you have something to work with.

2. It's going to take time to get all this down on paper, but that doesn't matter. It is not time wasted. This is the first part of your investment in creating your text. When someone builds a house they put in firm foundations. This first draft is your foundation. From here you will build upon your text and improve it. No one can see the foundations of a house, but they know they are there. A house benefits from being on firm foundations, and a book benefits from being built upon a first draft.

Once you have those firm foundations, then you can build your text into the highly polished prose that you are looking for. That's when you become a writer. It's not the four walls and a roof built on those foundations that make the house a home, it's the style of decorating that is lavished upon it afterwards that makes the building a home. Editing is where the writer applies the decoration and the style to their text.

So forget about choosing the right words for now - ANY words will suffice at the moment! Fill that blank page. Perfection can be crafted in later.

Good luck.

Three Successes

I thought I'd use today's posting to bring you news of 3 successes. The first comes from one of my students in Malta, Luca Caruana. Luca has just seen his second assignment published in the June issue of Military Illustrated.

Not only is this a great success, he also discovered that his article (about Napoleon) has been used on the front cover to 'tempt' readers into buying a copy off the newsagent's shelf.

Solange Hando is a fellow writer who specializes in travel features and when she's writing an article, she often 'visualizes' it being splashed across the front cover like Luca's is here. Visualization can be a great technique to remaining positive and upbeat about a submission. Next time you're writing an article, try to imagine the magazine's front cover shouting about the article or short story that you are writing about. It can work! What words or phrases do you think the magazine might use? You might find that this exercise produces the perfect title for your piece!

Hope Hamilton also wrote to me, explaining that she'd been sidetracked from the course slightly because she'd become engrossed in writing her father's biography. (Thta's the beauty of a correspondence course - there are no set timescales to complete the course, so it's okay if life gets in the way sometimes!) Already she's 20,000 words into this project. Producing 20,000 words is a success in itself, in my opinion, but it also raises the point about enjoying what you are writing.

I often say to students, "If it's flowing - keep it going!" There are times with our writing when suddenly everything seems to click and the words just flow. Or perhaps, when we're working on a larger project we find it easy to slip back into the writing at the start of each new day. If this happens, try to keep it going for as long as you can, because the enjoyment that you are getting from your writing will show through in your text. I'm not saying that your text will be perfect, but when you come to read it back, you'll find that it has vitality and energy and probably flows better. This is text that the reader will enjoy reading.

So if you're tackling one project and then another seems to take over, listen to what your mind is telling you. Let it take over, because it means that your brain is more excited about this new project. Make the most of that excitement and use it to produce sparkling writing. You can always go back to the other project later on. It will still be there. If you force yourself to finish one project before starting the next, not only will your writing suffer on the 'old' project because you're forcing yourself to finish that, but your writing on the 'new' project will also suffer too. When you finally get around to starting it, you may have lost that initial vitality and that will show through in your work.

Having lots of projects on the go, is one of the joys of writing. It should mean that you can always find something on your desk that interests you and inspires you to write each day!

Finally, the third success is one of my own. I received an email yesterday from Sean Nolan, editor at Ireland's Own magazine. He liked one of my short stories I'd written and was emailing to ask me to email him a copy of the text, so he didn't have to type up the story from the hard copy that I'd submitted. When I read his email though, I didn't immediately recognise the title of the short story. It was only after searching my records that I discovered I'd originally submitted the story to him back in January 2008. So the acceptance arrived some 17 months after submission. Now many of you know that I've often commented here on this blog that this writing game is a waiting game. Now you know it's definitely true! Remember the maxim - no news is good news!

Good luck!

If you only do 5 things this month...

Well according to Country Walking magazine's June 2009 issue, if you only do 5 things this month, one of them should be to read a book entitled "The Bluffer's Guide to Hiking".

All I can say is ... I most definitely agree!

Standfirst ... then sit down

In this week's blog posting, Simon Whaley discusses the occasionally seen 'standfirst paragraph'.

Some magazines, though not all, use what is known as a 'standfirst' paragraph. It's not part of the main article, but it often appears in a slightly larger font than the rest of the piece, right at the beginning. It usually always includes the writer's name.

The standfirst paragraph is very much a stylist device. It's not seen in every magazine, but if there, it is often used in most articles within the issue. The idea is to help trap the reader into reading the article itself.

But isn't this what the opening paragraph of the article is supposed to do? Well yes, but because a standfirst appears in a bigger font size, it is more likely to catch the reader who is flocking through the pages relatively quickly.

It is usually written by the sub/editor, not the writer, however, I take the attitude that if you spot the magazine uses standfirsts, then you won't come to any harm if you have a go at providing one. The worst that can happen is that the editor simply deletes what you've written and decides to write something else. The best that can happen is that it demonstrates to the editor that you've actually looked at the magazine and seen that they use them!

But one other point to examine is the article's start. Does this differ from an article without a standfirst? A standfirst may grab the reader's attention with a startling fact, or set the scene, but it will give quite a lot of information to the reader about what the article will actually discuss. Look at the standfirst I put at the beginning of this blog. Having read it, you knew what I was going to talk about, even if you didn't understand what I was going to talk about. Because of this, an article with a standfirst, can sometimes get to the gritty detail of the piece much earlier, than one without.

It's quite a stylistic point to look out for, but its worth scrutinising for. Because if you write an article with an introductory paragraph that explains what the article will be about, and the editor needs to write a standfirst, he/she may then need to rewrite your introduction. The editor's standfirst will do all the introducing, therefore your article doesn't need to do it. And as we know, the less work an editor has to do, the more chances there are of publication.

So next time you flick through a magazine for analysis purposes, check out whether the style of the publication includes a standfirst paragraph.

Good luck.

Administrative Tips

I thought I'd share some administrative tips with you today. Whilst the world of freelance writing is about creating ideas and producing exciting text, as any business knows, it is only as good as its administration. But here's a couple of tips, which I hope you may find useful.

Firstly, do you get fed up with typing the same addresses into your documents? If so, have you considered Autotext? This is the term used in Microsoft Word for the auto-completion of text, and you'll find it under the 'insert' option in the dropdown menu. (Other word processor programmes have a similar feature.)

To make a new Autotext feature, simply type the address that you want to add to your system, then highlight it. Then go to 'Insert', and select 'Autotext'. A sub-menu appears offering the choices of 'Autotext' and 'New'. Select 'New" and give your selection a name. I usually use the name of the magazine. Then click on OK.

This information is now saved in your Autotext. Next time you want to use that information, simply go to 'Insert', select 'Autotext' and then 'Autotext' again and select the information from the menu offered. The information, in this case the address, will be inserted wherever in your document the cursor is.

You can set Autotext up so that it completes the autotext entry when you begin typing the first few characters of the entry.

All my commonly used addresses are stored in my Autotext section, so I simply have to select Autotext and Insert it, rather than open a Contacts database and copy and paste, which may not always use the right font or formatting.

Folder File Names
How do you save your files? Do you give them the title of your document? That's okay, but what happens if you decide to change the title? What about if you decide to give two pieces of work the same title? (I've used the same title for an article and a short story.) Do you save the document with the new title and delete the old one, or keep the two together? Do you then get confused which version you've sent to someone? Using a numerical file name folder system can make things easier.

Every article or piece of work I produce, I allocate a sequential number to, after the year of creation. So for example, the first piece I wrote this year I filed in a folder called 20090001. The second piece was filed in the folder 20090002, and so on.

By giving my 'writing project' this number, it doesn't matter if I decide to use a title again for a different article or other writing project. It also has a few other benefits. I mentioned in an earlier posting about the practicalities of invoicing. When invoicing, you need to give each invoice a unique identifiable reference number. When I sell a piece of work, the unique reference number I use on my invoice, is the same reference number I allocate to the folder. It makes it much easier keeping track of which invoice relates to which piece of work.

Databases
It's important to keep track of where you send all of your work to, so that you don't send the same piece of work to the same magazine twice in error. And when you do sell a piece of writing, it's important that you know which rights you've sold in that piece. Over the years, I've developed and expanded my own database system using a programme called FileMaker Pro. Now this is quite expensive and I wouldn't advocate you buying something like this when starting out, but when you've written as many articles, short stories, non-fiction books and other material as I have, a card index system becomes completely unwieldy!

A database though is simply a collection of data, and for most people, a simple spreadsheet is sufficient. And this is where my numerical file naming system comes into play again. I record this file number, as well as the title of the piece, where it was sent to, the date it was sent, how many words it contained and whether it was a commissioned piece or a speculative piece. When I get the decision, I record, the date of the decision and then whether it was accepted or rejected. If accepted, I then record how much to invoice, when to invoice etc, as well as which rights I have sold.

The great thing about recording all of your information in a spreadsheet, is that if you decide you need to use a better dedicated database programme, most of these will allow you to import your data from a spreadsheet, which means that you don't have to type it in all over again! (I currently have data going back to 1997, so I'm not going to type that lot in again!)

If you need to think about using a database programme, FileMaker Pro is available for use with Windows PCs and Apple Macs. It is expensive though. Alternatively, for Apple Mac users, FileMaker produce a slimmed down version of the product called Bento, which retails for under £30 and can be used to begin with.

Yes, administration can be a pain in the neck sometimes, but time spent investing in procedures, is time well spent. It is necessarily the sexiest aspect of freelance writing, but it is one of the most important!

Good luck.

Anywhere near Southampton?

Penny Legg is setting up a 'Writing Buddies' group, which will meet at the Southampton store of Borders. It's first meeting will be at 2pm on Friday 22nd May, so if you're in the area, why not pop in and say hello?

Meeting fellow writers is so important in this game, because it offers a chance to chat, swap ideas and also learn. Writers up and down the country face similar problems, and discovering how others cope with the problems that you face, can be a real boon.

Penny's hoping that this will be a relaxed environment, where writers, both professional and non-professional can meet up for a chat, swap ideas, news and views. The good news is that Borders are keen to support the group, so hopefully the first meeting will be the start of many.

And anyway, if you call yourself a real writer, what excuse do you need to go into another bookshop!

For more information read Penny's posting on her blog here.


Good luck Penny!

Getting Sidetracked - Definitely Worth It

Just a quick post to say that getting sidetracked was definitely worth it. Further to my post of 29th April 2009 about why you should allow your writing to be sidetracked, I'm pleased to say that the article this inspired for Cumbria magazine has been accepted! I don't have a publication date yet, but I do have one of those nice emails from the editor!

So, if your writing isn't taking you where you were expecting it to take you, then consider going with the flow for a while. You may surprise yourself with what you produce!

Good luck!

Just look what a simple idea can lead too....

I've written in the blog before about the benefits of networking, and over the last bank holiday weekend, I've seen the result of one of those networking opportunities. Many months ago, at an author event in one of my local bookshops, I mentioned to one of the other authors that it would be nice to do an author event at a National Trust property. Now, this other author happened to be a volunteer at my local National Trust property, and so she approached them. They turned out to be enthusiastic about the idea. For the first May Bank Holiday each year, they hold a Secondhand Book Fair, so it seemed natural to have local Shropshire Authors selling and signing their books at the same fair.

Now both of us are members of the same writer's circle too, so the idea expanded into making it an event where we could publicise some of our work as a group too. We ran a writing competition for children and adults to enter, encouraging them to write about anything connected with their visit to the National Trust property at Attingham Park. We're looking forward to judging the entries as they come in, and we've even got a representative from the National Trust getting involved in the judging too.

Not only did the event turn out to be a useful sales opportunity, but because we'd tried to contact as many writers as we could who lived in the area with books to sell, we met with many whom we'd never seen before.

We also managed to get a local book distributor to come along too, and they wandered around the stalls looking at all of the books on offer. As a result, I know that they will be buying copies of my walking book 'Best Walks in the Welsh Borders' from my publisher's sale rep who happens to be visiting them today! Which also means that my books will soon be in many more local shops and retail outlets, perfect for the market.
So from that one small idea many, many months ago, somehow, through a lot of hard work and determination from several members of the writer's circle and the staff and volunteers at the National Trust, we had a great event. And it was interesting to hear both authors and visitors mentioning an event 'next year' too. Oo-er, what have we done?

And of course, it goes without saying, I shall be 'writing about what I know' and I hope to get an article or two out of this!

This exercise clearly shows that you benefit from the hard work that you put into something. So put the work into your writing, and you'll reap the benefits too.


Good luck!

Market Analysis

A blog posting fell into my intray this afternoon, http://www.problogger.net/archives/2009/04/29/how-to-use-a-magazine-to-improve-your-blog/ which I found interesting and thought I would share with you. It's by Darren Rowse who is writing a blog posting every day about how to write a better blog. Today's posting though suggests how bloggers can analyse a magazine to get some useful blogging ideas. There are certainly comments here that many writers will recognise, but I would encourage you to read the whole post - there's certainly some ideas that benefit writers too. (And carrying out a market analysis whilst sitting in my local cafe - now why didn't I think of that one?)

Enjoy.

Allow yourself to get sidetracked

There can be times when it is useful getting sidetracked with your writing. Whilst it's good to plan an outline of your article, short story, letter or whatever, sometimes your brain decides to take you off in a completely different direction to that sketched out in your notebook.

Deviating from your plan can be the road to ruin if your planned idea remains focused on your target readership, however, as long as you recognise that you are deviating away from your plan (and will have the strength to return to it later) then why not follow where your brain is going to see where the deviation takes you? You may surprise yourself with what you write.

I often think that writing is a lot like mountain climbing. You know where you're going to start (at the bottom) and where you are aiming for (the top) and your outline should identify your route to the summit. But until you actually start wandering along that path, you don't know what lies out there.

Last week I was in the Lake District and the weather on one day was perfect for climbing a mountain. The lucky mountain in question was Skiddaw, one I'd attempted to climb several years ago with a friend but we were beaten back just 500 feet from the summit by bad weather.

Anyway, there I was, climbing up between Dodd and Ullock Pike, (they didn’t mind, honestly), and to be quite frank, having ascended some 1,000 feet, I was looking for an excuse to stop. To the right I spotted a seat, so I wandered off my path. I sat down (okay, call it collapsed) and gazed at the view over Bassenthwaite Lake. Outstanding. When it was time to start moving again, instead of returning back along the route I’d come, to rejoin my main path, I continued to follow this minor path. It gently bent around to the left, and continued in a long arc until eventually, about fifteen minutes later, another amazing vista opened up. Far below, lay Keswick, Derwent Water and the beginnings of Borrowdale. Sheer magic.


But I only saw that view, because I’d been prepared to deviate from my intended route, and there are times when we should allow ourselves to do that with our writing. If a new angle takes over, when you were not expecting it to, let it. See where it takes you. It could be to a better view. And if it leads you to a precipice, well you can still turn round and retrace your steps. But at least you know where that route leads.

Continuing my ascent of Skiddaw, I deviated from the route several times during the day. Near the summit, the map suggested that the path went up a sheer scree slope, but I decided on another deviation to follow a more obvious path through more scree, but this one that looked more survivable.

Now this alternative route was about a foot wide, but had about the same number of people on it as the escalators at the Trafford Centre in Manchester. This meant it was a slow climb to allow people to pass safely, one at a time. I didn’t mind – it offered more chances to stop and breathe, as well as great conversation opportunities or as we writers call them - eavesdropping moments. One woman, who was on her way down, slowed as she passed me. She nodded to the man in front of her then turned and said, “If he wanted a divorce there were easier ways to go about it.” I laughed. She didn’t.

Moments later, a group of school kids rushed by. “Mr Stevenson says that the tuck shop at the top closes in ten minutes. Come on, get your skates on!”

Oh Mr Stevenson, how naughty of you! But there in my mind was the formation of a new article – overhead conversations on a mountain. It’s already on its way to its intended market. Now that wouldn’t have happened, had I not deviated from my planned route.

So next time you start writing, and you find yourself wandering off your intended route, relax. Let it happen. See where it takes you. The worst that can happen is that you end up retracing your steps and then following your planned route. As for the best - well you could get a whole new piece of work out of it!

Good luck.

Exposed!

If any of you happen to get the May 2009 issue of Writer's Forum magazine, then yes, that is me being featured in the "Where I write" column just inside the back page. There I am, exposed, for you all to see.

Since that picture was taken (by me!) there have been a few changes to my office environment. The computer has changed to an all new, all singing, all dancing Apple iMac, which is great (everything just works and I am not sorry to see the back of Windoze), and I also have a new chair. The chair saga has been running for several months and I am probably on my fifth chair in that timescale. No, don't panic, I don't go all heavy metal rock star-type and through a right wobbly, trashing my chair every time I get a rejection. (If I did, I'd have had more than 5 chairs by now.) It's just that being 6 foot 1 tall, means getting the right height chair, relative to the height of the keyboard on the desk, has not been an easy problem to solve. And until retailers will allow you to take your desk 'chair-shopping' with you so that you can check out the height at the actual desk you will be working at, it seems I am destined to follow the infuriating rigmarole of taking a tape-measure with me, identifying how high the seat needs to go and then go around the showroom setting every chair to its highest setting before measuring it. Suffice to say, I think I've now found the right height chair.

On a serious note, when perched at your writing desk, you should be thinking right angles. Your feet should be at right angles to your shins - which means either flat on the floor, or on a footrest (like mine have to be because I have to have the seat set so high). Your thighs, should then be at right angles to your shins, and your back, at right angles to your thighs. Ideally, your elbows should be bent at right angles, so that your hands loosely drape over your keyboard, as opposed to being bent upwards at the wrists.

The correct posture is a necessity, for if you get it wrong, you will be plagued by aches and pains, which are not conducive to being a productive writer.

This will be my last post for a few days or so, because I'm off to stretch my legs in the Lake District next week. Hopefully, when I return, I shall be able to tell you about all the ideas I've had whilst away!

Good luck.

Free Magazines - Ideal for Market Analysis Purposes!

Before you write anything for a magazine, you should analyse the magazine to get an idea as to what sort of person the average reader of that magazine is, so you know who you are writing your article or story for. The trouble is - this means spending some cash on a couple of copies of your target publication.

However, a forum posting on the MoneySavingExpert website has identified a special offer where you can get 3 free copies of some magazines (digital versions) and some physical copies of The Lady magazine. For more information see below.

What's it about?

The Telegraph is giving away three free copies of a magazine of your choice to download digitally. These are the same as what you'd buy in the shops, where their prices range between £2 and £4.90 each. Here's the full list:

Cosmopolitan
Cosmo Bride
Harper's Bazaar
She
Prima
Zest
Esquire
Company
Prima Baby
You and Your Wedding
Good Housekeeping
Country Living
Men's Health
Coast
Runner's World
House Beautiful

You'll need to download a special viewer to read them but it's free. Though depending on your internet speed it can take a while to download each magazine, so bear that in mind.

How do I get them?

Simply go to Magazinesondemand and pick up to three mags of your choice by clicking on each, selecting "single issues". You can only get this month's magazines (ie what ever is there at the time you sign up). You can't sign up for one now, and then get another tomorrow as the promotion code can only be used once.

When going through the online checkout enter the free code "3FREEMAG". You won't need to enter any card details. The confirmation page will provide a link to download the special 'Delivery Manager' software you'll need to install, which is basically a fancy way of browsing the magazines and getting them onto your computer.

Once you've got the copies you can read them whenever you like, plus move them to another computer, or send them to a friend via email or a USB memory key. Or you could print them; but they're pretty lengthy mags so it'd be much more environmentally friendly to just print the relevant articles.

The offer ends 31 May 2009.

What's that about The Lady magazine?

The Telegraph's also offering four free printed copies of weekly magazine The Lady. To get them just fill in the form online form on the Telegraph website or call 0800 917 0006 for free.

Anything else?

There's no obligation to buy any more magazines after you've downloaded them, though if you want to, each costs the same as it would on the news-stands. Read the Magazine Offers thread for more ways to get cheap and free glossies.

Both PC and MAC users should be able take advantage of the freebie. Here are full details of compatible operating systems and browers if you have any problems.

Terms and Conditions

From http://www.magazinesondemand.co.uk/digital/telegraph/

• 1. You must register and provide a valid email address
• 2. No obligation to purchase further magazines on registration
• 3. The offer can only be used once.

Simply Moleskine

I always tell my students that you should endeavour to carry a notebook around with you at all times. You never know when that next great idea will strike, and believe me, it doesn't hang around in the memory for long - well not mine any way.

A notebook is just as important a tool for a writer as a computer is, and I think that writers should 'treat' themselves to a nice notebook. After all, a notebook that is always inviting you to write something in it, must be a good thing to have around because you'll always be dipping in and scribbling in it!

I love the Moleskine notebooks, which are becoming easier to find these days. Many of the larger bookshops stock them as well as numerous stationers, and of course, there is always the internet.

There's one website that I look at from time to time www.simplymoleskine.com and they happen to have a newsletter, which I signed up to. Each month, they run a competition to win a Moleskine book of your choice, so thought I'd have a go and guess what? This month I won! You can read what I said at the site on the 'Me and My Moleskine' page.

As you read through it, you'll see that effectively all I've produced is a letter to a magazine's letters page.

If you want to read about the history of Moleskine books (Hemingway, Chatwin and many more) then click here. But if they were good enough for Hemingway, then they're good enough for me!

Take your notebook wherever you go. In the future you never know where a thought or scribbled comment inside it, could ultimately lead you.

Good luck.

Dig Out Your Sludge And Take A Picture Of It.

We're fast approaching the long Easter break here in the UK, and it always brings back memories of an annual chore that we used to do as family when we lived in Greater London. The Easter holidays meant one thing - the annual clearing out of our fishpond. This meant taking everything out, from our large 10-inch long Koi Carp to all those little tadpoles, Water Boatmen and Pond Skaters. We'd then drain the water, clear out all the sludge that had accumulated over the year from the bottom, before straining the pond water and putting it back in and repeating the process with all the animals and plant life.

One year, I decided to take pictures as we went along. Now these pictures were pretty boring. You can see from the image here (click on it to see a larger version) there's a picture of pond sludge and even one of a pond repair kit. But as you can also see - they were published. Who says you need an A-list celebrity in a picture to sell it?

So how do you sell a picture of a pile of sludge? The answer is as easy as 1..2..3..

The article was published in Water Gardener magazine and was called "Freshen Up Your Fishpond." Along with 9 other pictures and about 800 words it helped to earn me £300. Whilst you come to terms with the exciting life that I lead, why not stop and think about your exciting life too?

Words and picture packages are an editor’s dream, and even better are those step by step practical guides. Not only is the editor getting their beloved words and picture package, but the feature also shows readers how to get involved and learn a new skill. So here are ten steps to creating your own step by step picture guide.

Step 1 – What tasks do you do that could be turned into a step by step illustrated feature? From packing a suitcase properly for your holidays, to growing your own fresh herbs, the ideas are out there.

Step 2 – When you’ve identified a task, write down the individual steps. Try not to think about writing the article at this point, just focus on each of the steps required to complete the task.

Step 3 – Look at your list of steps and begin to think about the photographs that you’ll need to take. For my fishpond article, as well as getting shots of us trying to catch the fish and putting them in temporary storage, I also wanted to take a ‘before’ and ‘after’ shot of the pond. This way, the editor could use these images to show the readers what improvements can be made by following the step by step process. Alternatively, do you need ‘create’ some images? For example, if you are doing an article on how to pack a suitcase, do you need to create an image of a poorly packed suitcase with socks sticking out the sides? Remember to think visually at all times.

Step 4 – Approach or analyse your target market. If you can get an editor interested in your idea before you start your task, the better. If not, study the magazine in detail, with particular focus on the pictures. In their step by step guides are there many close up shots? The photographs in craft articles for example, often include a model’s hands as they make the product in question. Look at the word count too.

Step 5 – Before you begin your task, try and arrange everything you’ll need so that it’s close by. Would it be easier to have someone else help you out and tackle the task so that you can concentrate on taking the photos?

Step 6 – Start by taking any of your ‘before’ shots. Do you need to take pictures of the equipment that’s needed too? If so, take them before you start, whilst they’re still nice and clean, and not at the end when they are dirty. Remember the basics of photography – fill the frame with the subject you are taking. If you’re taking a picture of your friend making an origami sailing boat, don’t take a picture of him or her sitting at a disk, zoom in on his or her hands and the folds they are making in the paper. (Think of those human hands in the close up shots in the TV series “Thunderbirds”!)

Step 7 – Jot down any extra notes as you tackle the task. If it is a task that you do regularly, you may have missed a step out when you originally wrote them down. If your task is too messy to have pen and paper around, use a Dictaphone instead.

Step 8 – Finish off by taking your ‘after’ shots. Remember to capture your completed task in all its glory. If you’ve created a hanging basket for example, leave it a couple of days before you take your final shot, to give it time to settle, bush out and provide you with a picture which will have much more impact.

Step 9 – Now’s the time to write up your article by referring to your notes and your pictures. Catalogue your pictures first and give them a reference number. This enables you to refer to specific pictures in your text. It is also best to do this particularly at any difficult stage in your task. Referring to a particular picture will also encourage the editor to use it, although don’t refer to every picture you’ve taken. The editor won’t use all 349 shots you took on your digital camera for your feature about how to stick down an envelope.

Step 10 – Finally, if you can, do you task one more time purely following your own guidelines. The last thing you want is for readers to mess up because you forgot one vital piece of information.

And there you have it - a recipe for an interesting article. Don’t forget that cookery magazines use step by step features too. Just make sure you don’t burn anything!

I hope you have a productive Easter.

Good luck!

Contacts help you sell.

Last Saturday I was at another author event at a local bookshop in Newport Shropshire. Unfortunately the picture is a bit dark, but there were 7 local authors tempting visitor's to buy books at the shop's opening of it's new first floor section.

The Book Nook in Newport is only a few months old, but the store's manager, Alison, has always supported local authors and thought this would be a great way to launch her expansion.

Alison used to work for WHSmith's in another Shropshire town and first held a 'local author' event there a few years ago. Since leaving WHSmith's to set up on her own, she's obviously kept our details on file and regularly invites us back.

And that's the point I want to make here. It doesn't matter whether you are an author or a article writer, you must keep a decent 'contacts' book. The programmes that most computers offer are perfectly good for the job, Microsoft's Outlook and Apple's Address Book, both provide spaces for 'notes'. Whenever you come across someone new, put them in your contact's book, AND make a comment in the 'Notes' section where you came across them. Then next time you need to talk to them you can 'jog' their memory about where you first met.

My next book selling opportunity will be at my nearest National Trust property over the May Bank Holiday weekend. We spread the word about it at this event and obtained several new contacts - contacts that we shall keep and invite to other author events. And that's how it should continue. Keep adding to your Contacts book and those contacts will stay in touch with you too. Suddenly they'll approach you with an idea for an article.

Whether you're trying to sell articles, or books, keeping in contact and staying in touch is vital.

Good luck.

Proof that being Professional and Courteous Does Work!

I'm delighted to say that Lawrence Pagett emailed me to tell me how chuffed he was that he was finally getting an article published in the Times Educational Supplement. It's a publication he felt he could write for, but like many writers has been exasperated by the delay in getting a response.

(See blog posting -The Waiting Game - 20th February and Gosh What An Impatient Lot We Are - 24th february)

Lawrence was keen to submit more work to TES but didn't want to do so until he knew whether TES were interested in his first piece. As I've mentioned before, it makes sense holding off submitting more work to an editor of a magazine you haven't approached before, until you hear the outcome of your first decision. (If the editor comes back and says their policy has recently changed and they no longer accept freelance written material, any submissions you've made after that first submission, will soon be winging their way back to you too.) Holding out until this first response is received will prevent this sort of situation arising.

Lawrence held off from chasing TES for several months, but then politely emailed them stating that he had other ideas he'd like to submit, but didn't want to do so until a decision had been made on his first piece.

The editor eventually replied stating that his first piece will be published in TES on 17th April. She also apologised for the delay and explained the reason why. Best of all, she ended the email with the most beautiful phrase ... "I look forward to reading your future submissions."

So, although you may want to rant and rave at editors from time to time (which you are perfectly entitled to do, in a sealed room where no one can hear you,) the most productive attitude to take is the professional one. Treat the editor with respect and they are more likely to show you respect.

Which just leaves me with one thing to say. Start writing those future submissions Lawrence!

Good luck.

The Writing Magazines

Jean Stevens recently wrote to me asking .... "I wonder if you can help with with a question..... I am currently doing the Writers Bureau course and thought it would also be a good idea to subscribe to a writing magazine. I have a copy of the Writing Magazine and Writers Forum and wondered if you could advise me what to look for when choosing a subscription. I'm struggling to choose so I thought some professional help might assist me."

Now unfortunately, I don't think I was much help, because in my opinion, if you're interested in writing then you should be subscribed to at least one of these magazines if not more. I subscribe to many, but then writing is my profession, and that's a point I want to make. Don't think of these magazines as 'magazines' but as 'trade journals' for your profession. And yes if you make a profit from your writing, you can claim the subscriptions as a legitimate business cost for tax purposes.

Writing is a lonely business, so a regular 'hit' from the writing world can help to keep you up to date with what's going on. Magazines like Freelance Market News and Writers News, clearly contain 'news items' about new magazines, competition details, publishers seeking new material. But the others, Writing Magazine, Writer's Forum, and The New Writer provide a bit of information, along with a vast array of articles passing on hints, tips and writing skills.

There is also another magazine called Mslexia which is written by women for women writers. As a mere man, I wouldn't dream of commenting on such a publication, but the female writers I know certainly speak highly of it.

If you can only afford to subscribe to one magazine, then try to get hold of one copy to look at to see if you like it. Writing Magazine, Writer's Forum, and Mslexia can be bought from high street newsagents. Freelance Market News, The New Writer and Writers News are by subscription only, but contact them to see if you can obtain a sample copy, with a view to taking out a subscription.

With regards to Writers News magazine, this is subscription only, however, if you subscribe to Writing Magazine (found at the newsagents) you get Writers News included in your subscription.

Do you go to a Writer's Circle, or know of a writer friend? if so, why not consider swapping magazines? You subscribe to one, get your friend to subscribe to another, and then when you've read those copies, swap and hey presto - two subscriptions for the price of one!

At the writers circle that I go to, we often swap magazines. Again, it's another way of seeing what's out there before deciding which to subscribe to.

Remember, make a sale of an article or short story and the fee will cover the cost of an annual subscription.

If you can afford to take out at least one subscription, then I would encourage you to do so. It helps to keep you informed about current events in the writing world. And if you think that subscribing to these magazines is expensive, wait until you start writing books like me and have to subscribe to The Bookseller magazine, at £4.40 PER WEEK! Like any subscription, think of it as paying for information - information that could help your career as a writer to develop.

Good luck.

Are You A Member of ALCS?

Succeeding in the world of freelancing means making the most of all income streams. One such source of money is photocopying income.

If you've had an article published in a magazine (not a newspaper), then the ALCS (Author's Licensing and Collecting Society) may be of interest to you. The Copyright Licensing Authority collect payments from large institutions like Universities and Colleges, and Government Departments and industry for 'photocopying' usage. What this means is that these organisations pay a fee to legally photocopy articles published in magazines. This is then handed over to the ALCS.

The ALCS then distributes that money amongst the writers who are registered with them and have given them details of the articles they've had published. Let's be quite clear here, the ALCS do not pay writers because an article of theirs has definitely been photocopied - but writers can make a claim because their work is available for photocopying.

In order to claim you need to be a member of the ALCS and then provide them with the following information:

• The ISSN of the magazine or journal. This is usually an 8 digit number printed somewhere on the magazine's contacts page and appears like so: 1234-5678. Sometimes it is incorporated into the front cover of the publication.
• The date of the publication (the issue cover date)
• The title pf the publication
• The title of the article
• The word count of your article
• The names of any co-authors.

The ALCS is currently including information for articles published from January 2006 onwards, so if you've had pieces published in the past, you can use them on the next claim.

Money is distributed usually in March and I've just banked my payment, thank you very much. It all helps to keep up afloat!

For more information about the ALCS and membership (there is a membership fee of £25 but this is deducted from your first distribution payment), visit their website at www.alcs.co.uk

The payments that ALCS make vary from year to year because it all depends upon how many claimants there are, and how much money ALCS receive from the Copyright Licensing Authority. There was one year when the number of articles included in my claim had doubles, yet my payment was lower than the previous year. But being paid twice for the same article is nice, no matter how much it is. For the sake of filling out a short form to record each published article, it can be a useful income source, just before the end of the current tax year.

Good luck.

Postage Prices Going Up Again

Although the Royal Mail is telling everyone to put the 6th April in their diaries as the day the postage prices go up in the UK (again), for us writers, we need to be thinking about it NOW. Why? Because those stamped addressed envelopes that we enclose with our work need to be appropriately priced in order to get them back.

If submitting a piece of work by post (some of my regular pieces the editors allow me to submit by email now) I always send my material in an A4 envelope, which means putting a 'Large Letter' stamp on it. First Class for 'Large Letter' stamps is increasing from 52p to 61p! Sending material like this is professional, rather than scrunching it up into the smallest envelope I can get away with. From the practical point of view, there is one magazine I write for where they scan the printed hard copy into their computers to save retyping. A scrunched up submission does not scan very well.

For my SAE, I often enclose an A5 envelope. It doesn't matter how much the editor scrunches it up to get it back to me, I just want it back if he or she isn't interested in it. Enclosing an A5 envelope often means that the article is folded once, but it reduces the cost of the postage for the return journey. An A5 envelope coming back by Second Class post (well you might as well stave off the rejection for as long as possible!) will cost 30p under the new price regime.

The reason you need to be thinking about this now is that any work you submit now which is rejected will probably be returned after the price rises on 6th April. So you need to be thinking ahead and putting the right postage on your envelopes. if you don't the Royal Mail will hold onto it and demand that you collect it from a local sorting office and pay the underpayment as well as a surcharge which could be as much as a pound. Let's face it - it's galling enough to have work rejected, the last thing you want to do is have to go down the Post Office and pay to get your rejected work back!

The best top tip is to buy the stamps with 1st, 2nd, or 1st Large, 2nd Large on them. They don't have the actual price, which means they are just as valid after 6th April as they are on the 5th April. So buy up these stamps now. Pay 52p for a 1st Class Large stamp today and when you use it after 6th April, it will be 'worth' 61p.

For more information about Royal Mail's Price Rises, visit their website.

Good luck!

Show Me The Money!

Julia Wildman mentioned in her latest assignment submission that she's had an article accepted by The Lady magazine. Whilst clearly overjoyed at the news, it then threw up another question in her mind - how do you invoice a magazine? What exactly do you have to do?

Well, The Lady, has an excellent reputation for communicating with its writers. I know from experience that they will write to Julia nearer the time and tell her how much to invoice and where to send the invoice to. But Julia raises an important point. Once over the initial euphoria of receiving the acceptance letter, there is the the practical, professional aspect of getting paid for it.

The picture here is an example of the invoices that I issue and if you click on it you can download a much bigger version to scrutinise. Yet essentially, an invoice needn't be too complicated.

All you need is:

1. The word 'Invoice' on the document, to show that it is a demand for money.
2. Your full name and address. The magazine needs to know who the cheque should be payable to and where to send it!
3. What the invoice is for. Be as specific as you can with this. ideally, quote the article title (and the one used by the magazine when it has been published) and if possible, which pages the piece appeared on in the magazine. List other items if they have been agreed such as payment for pictures, mileage (rare), postage (even rarer!)
4. Give the invoice a date.
5. Give the invoice a due date. In business terms, most invoices are paid 30 days after the date of the invoice. Many magazines pay a month after publication anyway, so this isn't a problem. It can be frustrating writing and article and not being paid for so long, but that's how it works. Last December, I wrote an article for this December's issue of a magazine. So I wrote the article in December 2008, it will be published in December 2009 and I will be paid for it in January 2010. There are not that many professions where delivery of work and payment can be so far apart!
6. Give your invoice a unique reference number. In reality, this is a tax office recommendation. In practice, it can be very useful. I always tell students that once an article has been accepted they should submit more work. Which means that it is quite possible that you could be submitting invoices to the same magazine over a period of time. If they pay a flat rate per thousand words, all your invoices could be for the same amount. What happens if one invoice isn't paid? How do you refer to it when you chat the to accounts department? Exactly! So a unique reference number is really useful. Don't panic, it needn't be complicated. Calling the first invoice number 1, the second number 2 and so on, usually works and is unique enough! What some people do is precede the identifying number with the tax year, so the invoice reference looks like: 08/09-01.
7. Ensure there is a 'total' figure, so the accounts department know how much to pay.
8. Put the address of the accounts department on the invoice too, so you know where to send it. This also makes it clear to the recipient that the invoice is for them and not somebody else. (The Lady is not going to pay an invoice which is addressed to Pipe Fitters Monthly!)
9. I also quote my bank details - Sort Code and Account number, because some businesses like to pay the money directly into the bank. Now, some people throw their arms up in horror when they hear this. Bank details should be kept confidential, they cry! Well, as someone who spent 8 years working for a High Street bank I then tell these people that every time they wrote a cheque out they were giving someone their full bank details, as well as a copy of their signature! As long as you quote your sort code and account number only, there shouldn't be a problem. Let's face it, no one minds who pays in, we're more interested in who takes out, and they should need a signature or some PIN numbers to do that.
10. End with a pleasant comment - 'Thank you for your business' or 'For more information about my work visit ...'. It's not critical, but it rounds the invoice off nicely. In some organisations it may even be the editor who writes the cheques and posts them off, so it may be registered by him/her. In other organisations it will be the accounts department who are probably based in the other end of the country and have no idea as to who you are, but it's always nice to be pleasant and professional at all times.

Make a note of when the invoice is due and then watch out for the payment. If payment isn't made within two weeks, don't jump up and down and start threatening court action. Give the accounts department a ring (NOT THE EDITOR) and make enquiries. Volume of work means that some invoices get pushed back to the next cheque run. Sometimes the post office doesn't deliver the invoice in the first place - stuff does go missing in the post. Most accounts departments I've come across will say that if you submit a duplicate invoice they'll arrange for it to be paid as soon as possible, instead of waiting for the next cheque run.

You can create invoices like this quite simply. A Word processor document is sufficient, but if you're any good with a spreadsheet you can set up a template on there and get it to calculate all the necessary totals for you. But as long as you quote all the necessary information, you should find yourself seeing the financial reward for all that hard work you did many months ago!

Good luck.

Come again?

Sarah Radev emailed me to share a few positive moments of joy, which then leads onto a question.

I was pleasantly surprised this week when I received an unexpected cheque through the post for a letter I wrote to Spirit and Destiny as part of Assignment 4. I have also received an email from Best of British to say they would like to retain an article I submitted about a local Folk Festival. I had submitted another article to them and they wrote to tell me that they were not going to publish it because it was too similar to something they had done in the past. However, they told me that they did really like the article which they thought was very well written and advised me that they would be glad to receive any more articles I wished to submit.

I would actually like to ask your advice on submitting more than one article to a magazine. I have quite a number of ideas for articles, but they are usually all suited to the same few magazines. Is it okay to submit another article to a magazine that has an article of mine on file, such as Best of British now do? Also, is it alright to submit more articles to magazines that are still considering articles? The Lady has had an article of mine that has been being considered since last July, and which after liaising with the editors assistant I have now resubmitted, but I have lots of other ideas for articles that would be suitable for this magazine. Should I wait until the first article is accepted, or published? Or is it okay to keep submitting articles?

Well, congratulations on the success with the letter and the good news from Best of British. And can I also say well done for the piece with The Lady. You'd be surprised the number of students who submit work, get asked a question by the editor to rejig the piece and for some reason are struck dumb into doing nothing at all, which is ridiculous. If you do what the editor asks the chances of acceptance and publication are even higher then!

But I can see what you mean about sending more work to magazines who are still holding onto previous submissions. To answer your question, I would say ‘yes’. If you find magazines that you enjoy writing for, then keep sending them material. You obviously enjoy writing in that magazine’s style, and this enjoyment will show through in your writing. There is nothing wrong in submitting articles to magazines who are currently considering other submissions from yourself. I have never come across a ‘one-at-a-time’ policy. With regards to Best of British in particular, because you have had one piece ‘retained’, the editor now knows your name, and it’s always a good idea to submit another article to an editor who has recently accepted your work. Strike whilst the iron is hot, as they say.

The reason I say that it is okay to do this is because the editor is always considering the actual material they have in front of them. I always say that people are frightened of rejection because they think editors are rejecting THEM. They are not, They are merely rejecting THAT particular piece of work at THAT particular piece of time. This is why it’s okay to send more submissions if the magazine already has some of your work under consideration. They are not considering you as a writer, but the actual piece of work in front of them. So if you’re getting the ideas – then go for it! Write them up and send them in!

The only time I would suggest that you hold off from submitting more work, is if it is a new magazine you are approaching and you don't know whether they accept work from freelancers or not. It would be a waste of time to write three or four pieces of a period of months, only to have the first piece come back rejected because they don't accept freelance submissions.

There is a general principle of life that many things adhere to the 80/20 rule. This basically means that 80% of your work will go to 20% of your customers. In other words, you'll end up sending most of your work to many of the same small group of clients. It's good to do this, because an editor will get to know you as a reliable contributor. But you must also continue to develop the other 20% of your work that you submit to the other 80% of your clients. Because one day, one of the clients in your 20% bracket may change their policy and you'll find that for whatever reason the work with them dries up, forcing you to look elsewhere for a client to fill that gap. This is where one of those other clients from the other 80% comes in.

So yes, submit work to editors who are currently considering other pieces of your work.

Good luck.

Still Crap Then!

I just had to report another success with the 'My Crap Holiday' slot in the travel section of The Observer newspaper. Vicky McMillan emailed to say that her submission was used in last Sunday's paper. You can read it by following this link. Well done Vicky.

It's great to see so many people having success with this slot, but I also want to use it to illustrate another point. There is a great demand for words out there. The Crap Holiday slot needs to be filled EVERY week. And that's just one 400-word column. Multiply this by the number of pages in that newspaper section, then the newspaper itself, then all the other Sunday newspapers, daily newspapers, magazines, trade journals, websites ... and so on, and you begin to get an impression of just how many words the publishing industry has an insatiable appetite for.

It can become very disheartening if you send your work out there and you don't hear anything or it gets rejected. But remember this - editors are dealing with a lot of material in order to fill all of those pages - and, more importantly, they're desperate to fill those pages and need good quality material to be supplied. Which is where you come in.

I was at a writer's workshop once, which was being led by Iain Pattison who tutors for the Writer's Bureau from time to time. One of the workshop attendees had asked him the question "how do you deal with writer's block?". (A word of warning - don't ask Iain this question, he gets quite worked up about this point!) I happen to agree with Iain's answer, which was, "There's no such thing as writer's block. Writer's block is a luxury. Writer's block doesn't put food on the table."

Professional writers produce words. They have to because they have deadlines. To illustrate the point, Iain expanded upon his answer by asking the rest of the group a question. "How many times have you bought a magazine or newspaper and opened it up to find a series of blank pages, followed by an apology from the editor saying 'Sorry for the lack of text, but all our writers are suffering from writer's block today?"

It just doesn't happen, because it can't happen. Those pages have to be filled, and they're only filled by writers who write and submit work.

This is why it is important to continue submitting work on a regular basis. Just because one piece wasn't picked by an editor one week, it doesn't mean to say that another of your pieces won't be picked by them on a different week. So keep sending those words out there. Remember, everything that you read was written by somebody!

Incidentally, this submission was Vicky's answer to the 'filler' question in Assignment 4, which she'd written and submitted at the beginning of February. This is one of the fastest turnarounds I've come across, seeing an assignment submission become a published piece!

Hmmm, have I just thrown down a gauntlet by any chance?

Good luck.

Gosh, What An Impatient Lot We Are!

Well after last week's posting, so many people have commented about the delays caused by editors! What an impatient lot we are! Anyone would think we wanted publication, fame and fortune NOW!

Penny Legg emailed me to describe two different situations that she'd encountered recently where an editor's lack of speed was resulting in lots of frustration. But her first example demonstrates why it is sensible to be cool headed about this:

"I have recently had two experiences which give examples of the behaviour to expect from some editors. I speak as an editor myself, as I edit The Woman Writer for the Society of Woman Writers and Journalists (SWWJ).

Seven months ago, yes, that is right, seven months, I submitted, to a well known UK magazine, a topical article about a ship's visit to the island I was then living on. It was one of several articles I wrote for magazines in the Caribbean and the UK and it had been commissioned. It was supposed to have appeared in the edition out in November but was not then published.

I had already queried the piece with the editor in November, when it did not appear. I was worried because it was becoming out of date. I queried again at the end of January. No reply.

Out of the blue, last Thursday, the editor contacted me and said he was going to run it in the April edition and could I send him the photographs and get the finished article vetted by the MOD by the 27th February! This was a tall order but I had kept in touch with the ship's personnel and it is being vetted as I type. I am keeping my fingers crossed that the OK arrives by the deadline. My query email obviously jogged the editor's mind about my piece."

So, evidence that politeness is the best policy, even when you want to punch an editor's brains out! Penny's other situation is different and at present, unresolved.

"In the meantime, I am really confused by the signals being sent out by another editor. She has already taken and published one article with photographs from me, but has ignored several article proposals since. To be honest, I found her quite difficult to deal with for the article she has published in her magazine, as she kept asking for more than was originally agreed, and I was in two minds whether to pitch a completed article I had written to her. I did so though and this time, not only did I receive a reply but she has taken the article. She has again been demanding and the original article I sent has been revised three times. Each time she emails she types as if we are having a conversation and are good friends. Whenever I have replied in kind, I have been ignored. This I have found disconcerting and, at times, frustrating. I do not feel I know where I stand with her. I am aware that she is a busy person and I am but a lowly contributor, but without lowly contributors there would be no magazine!

I emailed her last week and asked her politely what her magazine's policy on submissions was. Did she prefer to be approached via email, telephone or by post? Could I have a copy of the advertising guidelines for the magazine so that I could target my proposals to the interests of the magazine better? I pointed out that I did not want to waste a busy editor's time and that I was asking her as one professional woman to another. To date, and it has only been a few days, no reply."

The editor / writer relationship is a strange one. It's best if it is friendly, but you should always remember that it is a professional one too. Even though I'm a regular contributor to Country & Border Life magazine, there are times when my emails go unanswered for a couple of weeks. So don't think that editors are doing it because you're new to the game!

And remember, editors are humans too, believe it or not. They're entitled to a two week break in the sun. They get sick too and don't come into work for a couple of days. Their kids throw a wobbly on the way to school putting them in a bad mood.

Finally, Penny also sees the problem from the other side too.

"As I say, I too am an editor. I admit that the magazine I edit does not have the huge circulation of some of the big boys but it is true to say that it is as time consuming to produce as those further up the circulation ladder. As well as editing the magazine I am a freelance writer and photographer, working on articles and ideas everyday. I have been commissioned to write a book and am researching and putting this together. I have started giving talks to writer's groups too. I sit on the SWWJ's Council and have recently been asked to join another professional group. All of which I tell you because it demonstrates how busy an average editor can be. I do, however, make a point of looking at and replying to all emails that come in about The Woman Writer. It may take me some time, [see?] but everyone gets a reply. I can understand the frustration that your students have about the 'not knowing.' I have experienced it and do not like it any more than they do! This is why I try to reply to all queries I receive.

I think your advice to your students is spot on but I would add that it can be very tricky to understand where an editor is coming from when you correspond by email. Do not fall into the trap (as I have done on occasion) of being 'friendly' with editors. They are too busy. They are not your friends. They are emailing you purely because they think you have something they might like. Therefore, be polite but professional. When you come across an editor, such as the one above who confuses with crossed signals, think very carefully about how you reply."

So remember Penny's first experience where she kept in touch but did not lose her temper. It got her piece published in the end - and ultimately she'll be paid for it - the right result in the end.

Perhaps I should end by using a couple of cliched proverbs. Patience is a virtue and Good things come to those who wait.

Until next time. (which I hope won't be long!)

Good Luck.

The Waiting Game

Helen Stafford sent a note along with her latest assignment asking a question that many students ask;

"I've submitted several articles and letters and haven't heard back from many, despite sending a chaser letter too. How long should I wait?"

Welcome to the joys of a buyers market.

The problem is, not every magazine has a huge staff. Yes the Vogues, Cosmopolitans and Country Life magazines may have a long list of staff on their editorial contacts page, but actually, many of them will be working for more than one magazine. The editor may have a PA, but she's probably sharing her with three other editors. Come down the circulation scale and the editorial staff often dwindles to nothing. The editor may be the only member of staff, and whist that means they have the job of editing the magazine, it also means that they are the filing clerk, accounts clerk and chief tea maker too.

Just step into their shoes for a brief moment and answer this question: Do you answer every unsolicited item of mail that comes through your letter box, or email inbox?

I quite agree that common courtesy would suggest that if a writer sends some material and encloses a stamped addressed envelope, then the least an editor can do is return it in the SAE saying 'thanks, but no thanks.' And therein lies the crux of the matter. It isn't really the waiting that is a problem, it's the not knowing, isn't it? I've often said when running workshops at writer's groups and courses that I really wouldn't have a problem if an editor just shoved my work back into my envelope having written **** off! across it. Why? Because at least I know where I stand!

So what's a writer to do? Actually, I believe there's a few steps you can take.

1. Understand the publication's frequency. Weekly magazines work about 6 to 8 weeks in advance, monthlies can work 3 to 4 months ahead, whilst quarterlies may be working 6 to 9 months ahead. So don't consider chasing a weekly magazine for at least 3 months, a monthly for 6 months and a quarterly for a minimum of 6 months, but preferably 9.
2. When you're going to send a 'chaser' letter or email, be tactful. Tempting though it may be, don't demand your manuscript back and if you don't hear from them in 48 hours threaten to send round the heavies (much as you'd like to.) It is not unheard of for items to get lost in the post. The first time I 'chase' a submission I write a letter to the editor enquiring whether he/she can advise me if my manuscript arrived safely in their offices, and if not, could I send a duplicate? You'd be surprised the number of times, this elicits a reply. Now don't get me wrong, I'm well aware that an editor saying, "No, we didn't get it," may be lying - my manuscript could have fallen down the back of someone's desk in the office, but at least now I can get back to the editor enclosing the duplicate with a sentence saying "Please find a copy of the article, that you asked for."
3. If you send a chaser letter - wait a similar amount of time before sending any more, i.e. 6 to 8 weeks for a weekly, 6 months for a monthly, and so on.
4. If you still hear nothing after a couple of letters, you will understandably be quite frustrated. This is when I issue my final letter - I advise them that according to my records I sent them X article on X date(s) and if I have not heard from them by X date (usually one month), I assume that they are not interested in the piece and I am free to offer it elsewhere. After the date has passed, you can then rewrite it, angled at a different market.

This advice differs slightly, if you are writing something topical. I often state in my feedback to assignments that work with a topical hook can have improved chances of publication. It gives an editor a reason for using such a piece in a particular issue. Now obviously, if you submit a piece of work with a topical hook and the editor fails to respond, you are well within your rights to chase it up sooner than the timescales I've suggested above. Editors quite understand the need for topical material to be considered promptly.

Let's imagine that I've written a piece about Halloween now and I've sent it off to a monthly publication. Monthly magazines will be putting their October issues together around July time. So if I've submitted it now at the end of February, I need to hear back quite quickly. Because of the topicality, an editor would quite understand if I queried whether they were interested in the piece at the end of April. Querying then, gives me time to re-jig it and submit it elsewhere before July when the October magazines are being collated. So consider if your submission had a topical angle.

So, follow some sensible guidelines and always be polite when you chase. Remember, there's no law that says an editor has to respond to every letter that he/she gets, so coming across as annoyed and irritated won't help your cause. Offer the editor a 'saving face' option (i.e. it was lost in the post) and you may just encourage them to reply back to you.

Congratulations go to Helen for her persistence with a piece about the Session Courts in Lancaster which will be published in the local newspaper soon. And I'd also like to say well done to:

• Dave Cullen - for his articles in Best of British (he's had one published in the November, December and January issues, and the magazine is holding onto 4 more for possible use - and have yet to make their mind up on another 9!), and his success with the 'Rude Jokes' section in That's Life magazine. They may only be small fillers paying £15 a time, but Dave's had £60 from this one slot int he magazine.
• Rosemary Wells has had a letter published in the Daily Telegraph and an article published in the Methodist Recorder.

Keep up the good work everyone.

Good luck!

And another Tutor and ex-Student joint publication!

After yesterday's posting about an ex-student of mine, John Rooney, getting an article published in the same issue of the same magazine that I had a piece in, I was delighted to see something similar this morning.

The postman battled his way up the icy road to deliver the latest copy of Writer's Forum magazine and flicking through I happened to stumble across the Letters Page. There I saw a letter by Rob Innis from Spain. His letter, was on the same page as my letter! That means that we've both got a Moleskine notebook coming our way - the prize for having a letter published.

If you've never seen these notebooks, they are lovely! Imelda Marcos may be known for her massive shoe collection, well Simon Whaley will be known for his Moleskine notebook collection! The small ones are just perfect for jotting down ideas and thoughts, and I often draft articles, short stories and other bits of writing in the larger ones.

So well done Rob. And I now wonder whether I should be listing all of the other publications that I'm targeting over the next few months so that my other students can have a go at submitting to them at the same time too! But then again, perhaps their pieces may get accepted instead of mine and that would never do! I still have to eat you know!

Good Luck.

Forgot to say ...

I forgot to mention on my last posting that congratulations go to one of my ex-students, John Rooney who's had several of his articles published in Ireland's Own magazine. The last one happened to be published in the same issue that one of my own pieces was published in.

That's what I like to see - a student's and tutor's work in the same issue!

Have Confidence In Yourself.

Lara Haddadin is one of my students based in Jordan and she's just about to start tackling assignment 4. The amazing news is that she's already netted herself 3 columns!

"With Family Flavours magazine, the column has started, 'A Cup of Coffee with a Working Mama' and the first issue was in January. It was a great joy to finally see my name in print. So far I have sent them articles for this up to the May issue. There is another magazine that is published in Arabic (my mother language), in which I have two columns, one that is prose, the other that is a medical article."

This is all brilliant news, and congratulations go to Lara. But next came an interesting comment in her email;

"The same magazine is offering me a job in editing, which I don't feel myself ready for yet."

Wow! Now I quite understand how Lara feels. Having only completed 3 assignments to date, her confidence for doing an editing job is understandably low. But I think most of you know me by now that I like to look on the positive side of things, and I think this sends an amazingly positive message.

What this statement is saying, is that the people in the business believe that Lara has the right skills and abilities to do this role. And remember, these people are professionals. The image that Lara has projected by writing for the market and presenting her work in a professional way makes those magazine staff believe that she's been doing this for years and is capable of the position.

This is why we bang on about presentation and cover sheets, double-spacing and being specific with your targeting. If you do this from the start of your writing career, this is the image that you'll project. The first time an editor comes across your submission in their inbox or post, your professional image will make them think that you've been doing this for years. Your work will be as professional looking as that of one of their regular contributors.

If you do this, an editor doesn't know how long you've been writing for. You know that you're still tackling your coursework, or are just starting out trying to change a hobby into a career, but the editor doesn't. So have confidence in yourself. Just before you pop your submission in the post or click on that 'send' button, stop for a minute and take a look at your work one more time. But this time, look at it from the eyes of an editor. If you're impressed with what you've produced, then hold your head up high and be proud of it. You're playing with the professionals every time you send something off, so be confident that your work can survive out there with the professional's work. And every time you have a success just stop and think about it for a moment. Your work was chosen over that of other professional's work. And that should make you feel super-confident!

Good Luck.

Star for the Month

I would like to say that as a tutor, I get just as big a kick out of the news that one of my students has had a piece of work published, as they do.

I think that many writers who are just starting out, forget that EVERY writer who has had anything published (article, short story, book, novel) has been where they are NOW. I began writing over 20 years ago in my mid-teens and it took me several years to see my first published piece. I know EXACTLY what every new writer goes though. I've been there, done that and got the rejection slips!

This means that I can identify with that moment of elation that a writer experiences when news of publication arrives.

So when I turned the page of my copy of the March issue of Writing Magazine, I was delighted to see a name I recognised. I had arrived at the Letters Page and as I read GEOFFREY ROUTLEDGE's letter, I realised that this was one of his assignment pieces. Not only had Geoffrey got his letter published, but it had been selected by the editor as the issue's Star Letter!

So congratulations to Geoffrey! Proof indeed that assignment work can lead to publication. It's also proof that writing in the English language offers many more opportunities. For whilst Writing Magazine is a British publication, Geoffrey's letter originated from his home town of Taupo in New Zealand.

So my top letter writing tips are:

1. Write your letter to the appropriate length. If all the letters are shorter than 50 words in your target market then yours needs to be less than 50 words too.
2. Consider pictures. Pictures are often paid more money than those letters without. Check your target market. If every letter has a picture then your letter MUST have a picture.
3. If the letters in your target market refer back to an article in a previous issue, then your letter needs to do the same. (Geoffrey's refers back to a previous letter on the letters page.)
4. You can be controversial. Editors enjoy a good debate, so if you have strong views write in anyway. Your letter could be used to provide 'balance' to other more praising letters.
5. And finally - if your tutor tells you that your assignment work should be sent out, then do as he says :-)

Good luck!

Are books recession proof?

Considering that the credit crunch first began to nibble about a year ago, before taking a right mouthful after August, you may be surprised to hear that according to official figures just released, a total of 120,947 brand new books were published in the UK in 2008. That's 4% more than in 2007.

Of those 120,000 odd, about 20% were novels. The rest were non-fiction books, clearly demonstrating that non-fiction books are easier to get published than novels.

Students attempting assignment 10 which asks you to devise an outline for a non-fiction book should not be put off from what may seem a large task. Yes, writing a non-fiction book is more involved that writing an article, but the benefits are you only have to write the proposal first and send that to a publisher. Many of my non-fiction books have been accepted based upon the proposal and first chapter only. With a novel, you have to write the whole thing first before you should start approaching agents and publishers.

Above is the proposed front cover to my next book "The Bluffer's Guide to Hiking" which is scheduled for publication later this Spring, when hopefully the weather will have cheered up and people will want to get out into the great outdoors once more!

Will all these new books coming out, it's easy to think that books are recession proof - and you could say that they are. Historically, during a recession, book publishers continue to publish the same number of books. People will cut back on spending £50 for a day out, but they might still treat themselves to a £7.99 book instead which will give them many hours of pleasure. Where publishers tend to cut back, is on the advance payments.

So if you've written several articles about one specific topic, or you've undergone an experience that you think may offer support to others, why not consider writing a non-fiction book? Once it's been published, it will live on for eternity in the 6 largest library collections in the UK, no matter how many more recessions come and go.

Good luck.

See? I Told You I Was Right!

Following my posting about interviewing, Penny Legg emailed me to say this:

I was so interested to read your blog on interviewing today.

As you know, since I studied with you and the Writer's Bureau I have gone on to interview many people in many walks of life. Some interviews stand out more than others.

I was the only writer on Anguilla (and yes, there was more than one!) to be invited to interview the Captain of a Royal Naval warship when she came in to Anguilla on a good will visit. The Captain thought the interview was going to be a quick 10 minutes on what the ship's company was doing there. I had done my research though and wanted to know about him, the man I had come to interview, as well as the ship's reason for visiting. When I was shown in to see him, the ship's PR officer came in too. The Captain needed moral support! It had not occurred to me until then that he might be a bit nervous! However, we chatted over a mug of tea, he relaxed and soon sent his sidekick away.

In the end we talked for an hour and a half and I think we both genuinely felt sorry when it was time for me to go. I had looked into his background and asked him intelligent and thought provoking questions, which showed that I knew what I was talking about and was interested. I knew the difference between a 1980's Leander Class Frigate and the modern ship he now commanded. I knew which ships he had trained on, where he had worked and all the different steps he had taken to get to his present position. He was delighted that I had taken the trouble to find out so much and in return was happy to talk. He gave me a lovely interview, which was published in The Anguillian the following week.

The point is, I just asked. I asked for the interview and it was granted. This interview has led to my interviewing several other ships masters, including the Commodore of the Cunard fleet, the master of the Queen Mary 2, Bernard Warner. This interview is in the current edition of Hampshire Life magazine.

To all your students I would add the following advice - enjoy your interview. Be prepared for it so that you know what you want out of it and make sure you get the information you need, but enjoy getting it. As you say Simon, chatting over a cup of tea and a scone is a pleasure. The 'chat' needn't spoil the fun!

So there you have it! Interviewing can be fun. Go on, give it a go!

Good luck.

Interviewing ... Or Interrogations?

Firstly, I want to start this post by congratulating, Luca Caruana. He's a Writers Bureau student based in Malta and he's just sold an article to "Sunday Circle" the most popular magazine on the island. This is his third article that he will be paid for and means that he's covered the cost of the course - and he's only completed six assignments so far, so well done.

Rob Innis from Spain has dropped me a line to say "Yesterday I interviewed the British Consul in Alicante - ask and you sometimes get! She was fantastic, very friendly."

I know from many of the assignments that I receive from students that interviewing puts the fear of something horrible inside them it seems. I know what they're thinking. Can I do this without looking amateurish? Will I ask stupid questions? What happens if I get stupid answers? What if I don't like the person?

Forget all of your concerns. Most people, as Rob discovered, are happy to chat. And as Rob says, if you don;t ask, you don't get. Remember, what's the worst they can say to a request for an interview? No. So you go and find somebody else.

Here are my tips for better interviewing:

1. Ask open questions. They're the ones beginning "What?", "Why?", "How?", "Where?", "Who?" and "When?" These questions force people to talk.
2. Try to do some research beforehand and list some questions that you know you want answers to. Often you'll ask one and your interviewee will give you an answer which raises another question you hadn't thought of. That's fine, but before you finish your interview, check that you have answers to all the important questions you thought of originally.
3. If you can write shorthand (that includes me) then get a tape recorder. Tell the interviewee that you'll be recording, BUT TAKE NOTES AS WELL. Murphy's law says the tape recorder will break down or the batteries will go flat. (Been there, done that, got the T-Shirt (if not the interview!).
4. Don't think of it as an interview, think of it as a chat over a cup of tea or coffee. In fact, if you can, do your interview with refreshments. In my earlier blog posting about the Victorian Christmas, I chatted to the Museum's Curator in the cafe over a cup of tea and a very tasty scone!
5. If meeting face to face scares (and there's no reason why it should) you could email your questions to your interviewee. Sometimes this can be more practical than meeting face to face. I've interviewed people abroad in this way.
6. Offer to send interviewees a copy of the MAGAZINE CONTAINING THE ARTICLE. (in other words, buy it yourself and send it to them. It costs a few pennies to do this, but let's face it, what's a few pounds when the article could earn you much more than that? It's also polite, and the interviewee will be more likely to help out in the future too.
7. Don't send the interviewee a copy of the article BEFORE you send it to the magazine. You don't want them 'tweaking' your text. I usually say that as a freelance writer, I can offer no guarantees about what the editor uses. If I sent my article to the interviewee first, I can't guarantee that what the interviewee sees is what the editor will use. For whatever reason, the editor may decide at the last minute to cut something.
8. If you've booked a time slot with your interviewee, be professional and stick to it.
9. Think more than one magazine article. Your questions may be geared around one idea, but you may be able to make use of some other snippets of information that the interviewee gives you, for another article at another publication.
10. And it may seem silly to say, but let the interviewee talk. Don't shut them up when you think they've answered your question - let them keep going. You never know what they may say.

If you have used a tape recorder to record an interview, type it up as soon as you are back at your desk. It's easier to identify the good quotes from the text version that way.

So be brave and get out there an interview people. You never know where it may lead. And usually, you have too much information for what you need. So the article ends up writing itself, and you have more material for other pieces too. It doesn't get much better than that!

Good luck.

Try Travelling Closer to Home

Here in the northern hemisphere, January is often the month that many people start to think about their summer holidays. This is usually because the holiday companies have been bombarding us with adverts on the television since 2 minutes past midnight on Boxing Day.

For those students tackling assignment 6, it also makes them think about that most prized published article - the travel piece.

Ask anyone to describe the job of a travel writer, and most will probably mention a jet setting lifestyle, being sent to all four corners of the globe on an all expenses paid trip to lounge on an idyllic beach somewhere, sipping cocktails served by a beautiful waitress/ handsome waiter whilst watching a golden sun being reflected in the crystal clear waters of an azure coloured sea.

Yeah right - if you happen to get the commission from Conde Nast Traveller magazine you might be sent to the destination, but chat to any travel writer and the lounging bit is a complete piece of fiction. Most 'press organised' travel trips are non-stop shuttle buses, with journalists queuing up to interview selected interviewees before being shuttled off to the next destination.

But you don't have to travel far to be a travel writer. Look at what is on your own doorstep. Remember, your home destination is a tourist destination to somebody else. I've written travel articles about my own home town, and I've written about my county town Shrewsbury. Did I do much travelling to get to Shrewsbury to do my market research? No, I drove up the road and picked up the park and ride service. Not exactly international jet setting, but that doesn't matter. I sold the article to The Lady.

Editors are looking for something different. Your local attraction may be just that. One of my students, Jacki Hartley, recently wrote her travel piece about a trip she undertook to London. Now London is done to death as a tourist attraction, but Jacki chose a more unusual and different angle. She ignored the London Eye, the Houses of Parliament, and Buckingham Palace. She wrote about the guided tour around Highgate Cemetery! (hence my earlier 'done to death' comment!)

It was interesting to read, she laced it with lots of interesting facts and let's face it, when asked what would you like to go and see in London, Highgate Cemetery would not be near the top of the list would it?

It's always tempting to look outside our own home environment when thinking about travel. But sometimes it can be just as interesting to stay local and look at everything through the eyes of a tourist. One student even wrote a travel piece for their local county magazine, reminding local residents about the exciting venues on their very own doorstep. The phrase 'staycation' is being bandied about at the moment by the media and means staying at home for your holiday this year because the credit crunch means people can't afford to travel far.

So don't let your itchy feet take you too far away for assignment 6. Travel writing is about the destination, not how far the writer had to travel to get there.

Good luck.

The Taxman Cometh .....

If there is one down side to freelance writing, it's the fact that at some point you have to tell the taxman. Actually, I would suggest telling the taxman as soon as possible. Here in the UK it is quite possible to be employed by an employer, and self-employed at the same time.

As long as your self-employed income is relatively low (and by that I mean something like £15,000 - but do check this out on the HMRC website ) then all you have to do is complete the basic tax return each year and the supplementary sheet for 'other income'. On this supplementary sheet you list all your writing related income and all your writing related expenditure. The difference between the two is your profit (hopefully) and this is what you are taxed on. If you make a loss, you may even be able to claim back some of the tax you've paid on your employment salary! Keeping records is therefore important.

Of course, since becoming a full time freelance writer, I'm purely self-employed which means that as well as paying the tax on the income that I earned in the previous financial year, the lovely tax man also decides that I should make a payment upfront towards this year's tax, even though he doesn't know how much I've earned (if anything!). And I can confirm that he is a regular kind of guy - and by that I mean consistent. For the past five years, he's always sent me a tax demand for my upfront payment in time for the postman to deliver it on Christmas Eve. Happy Christmas! Christmas cards arrive late during the Christmas period. My bank statements arrive late too. But my tax demand always arrives on Christmas Eve! Uncanny.

Keeping records is actually straight forward. All I do, is maintain a simple spreadsheet and give every receipt and every piece of income a unique sequential number (1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and so on). I write that sequential number on every receipt and remittance slip I get. I file my receipts in one plastic wallet and my remittances in another. That's all there is to it. Then at the end of the financial year I merely print out my spreadsheet, which gives me my total profit (hopefully) and check that I have my uniquely numbered paper records for every receipt and remittance.

This is all the information you need to give to the taxman.

Because I'm purely self-employed I do employ an accountant to check my figures and produce an annual set of accounts for me, but his costs are relatively cheap because he says my paper records are always in good order and my accounts are easy to do.

The reason I mention all this now is because I've just written out my cheque today to pay my tax for what I owe in advance. Murphy's Law says that when the end of the tax year arrives in April, I'll have paid too much and he'll have to give me some of it back.

But if you're in the early stages of your writing career, do take time to get your paperwork in order. Develop a system now, so that when the end of the tax year arrives in April, you can lay your hands on the information easily. Perhaps you can make it a New Year's Resolution to get your business finances in order? Remember, the taxman loves an organised person because they pay their tax on time. But he loves a disorganised person even more, because he can probably charge them more tax, or late payment penalties because a disorganised person doesn't know how much they should be paying! For more information about being self-employed in the UK, click here.

Good luck!

2009 - A New Year with New Anniversaries

Firstly, apologies for not posting anything for a while, but a family bereavement just before Christmas has meant that many of my energies have been diverted elsewhere and will continue to be for the immediate future. But whilst a family death does signify the end of an era, it is important to remember that life goes on. No matter where in the world you are in 2009, events will be happening, and these can all provide useful writing experiences.

I've mentioned in previous blogs that a useful resource is a website called www.expertsources.co.uk and they recently sent me a list of events happening in 2009, which I thought I'd share with you.

------------------------
JANUARY 2009
------------------------

Thursday 01 January
New Year's Honours
Bank Holiday

Friday 02 January
Bank Holiday: Scotland

Saturday 03 January
Football: England & Wales: FA Cup Third Round

Monday 05 January
Scottish Parliament returns from Christmas Recess
England & Wales: Start of Spring School Term
N. Ireland Assembly returns from Christmas Recess

Friday 09 January - Sunday 18 January
London International Boat Show

Saturday 10 January
Football: Scottish FA Cup Fourth Round

Sunday 11 January
Golden Globe Awards, USA

Sunday 11 January - Sunday 18 January
Snooker: The Masters, Wembley Arena

Monday 12 January
Welsh Assembly returns after Christmas Recess
Houses of Lords & Commons return from Christmas Recess

Tuesday 13 January
Lloyds/HBOS Merger: Open Offer shares begin trading

Saturday 17 January - Sunday 25 January
European Motor Show, Brussels

Monday 19 January - Sunday 01 February
Tennis: Australian Open, Melbourne

Monday 19 January
HBOS / Lloyds TSB Merger: Opening Day of New Business

Tuesday 20 January
Inauguration of 44th US President Barack Obama

Friday 23 January - Sunday 25 January
SDLP Annual Conference, Armagh

Saturday 24 January
End of Suspension on BBC presenter Jonathan Ross
Football: FA Cup Fourth Round

Sunday 25 January
Burns Night

Monday 26 January
Chinese New Year Celebrations: Year of the Ox

Tuesday 27 January
Holocaust Memorial Day, UK

Saturday 31 January
Football: Closure of Mid-Season Transfer Window
UK: Deadline for Self Assessment Tax Returns

--------------------------
FEBRUARY 2009
--------------------------

Sunday 01 February
Camelot launch Worldwide Lottery
Super Bowl XLIII, Tampa, Florida, USA
Evening Standard British Film Awards 2009

Monday 02 February
Buddy Holly died 50 years ago

Tuesday 03 February - Sunday 26 April
Buddy Holly Exhibition, Proud Galleries, London

Wednesday 04 February - Sunday 08 February
Cricket: W.Indies v England (1st Test) Kingston, Jamaica

Thursday 05 February
20 years ago: Launch of Sky Television

Friday 06 February
Queen's Accession Gun Salute, Green Park & Tower of London

Sunday 07 February
Rugby Union: England v Italy, Twickenham
Rugby Union: Ireland v France, Dublin
Football: Scottish FA Cup Fifth Round

Sunday 08 February
Grammy Awards, Los Angeles
British Academy (BAFTA) Film Awards

Monday 09 February - Friday 13 February
Church Of England General Synod Spring Meeting

Tuesday 10 February
Israel: Parliamentary Elections

Wednesday 11 February
Football: World Cup 2010 Qualifier: Rep of Ireland v Georgia, Dublin
Football: World Cup 2010 Qualifier: San Marino v N.Ireland

Thursday 12 February
Abraham Lincoln born 200 years ago
Charles Darwin born 200 years ago

Thursday 12 February - Monday 23 February
Houses of Lords & Commons rise for Half Term Recess

Friday 13 February - Tuesday 17 February
Cricket: W.Indies v England 2nd Test, Antigua

Friday 13 February
Unlucky Day: Friday the 13th
UK Film Release: Pink Panther 2

Saturday 14 February
Football: FA Cup Fifth Round
Rugby Union: Wales v England
St Valentine's Day
25 years ago: Torvill and Dean won Olympic Gold

Sunday 15 February
Rugby Union: Italy v Ireland

Monday 16 February - Friday 20 February
Scottish Parliament Spring Recess

Monday 16 February
50 years ago: Fidel Castro became Cuban President

Monday 16 February - Friday 20 February
England & Wales: Spring Half Term
Welsh Assembly Half Term Recess

Wednesday 18 February
The Brit Awards: Earls Court, London

Friday 20 February
Gordon Brown is 58

Friday 20 February - Tuesday 24 February
London Fashion Week: Autumn/Winter, London

Saturday 21 February - Tuesday 24 February
Rio Carnival, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Saturday 21 February
Robert Mugabe is 85

Sunday 22 February
The Academy Awards (Oscars), Los Angeles

Monday 23 February
Welsh Assembly back from Recess
Houses of Commons & Lords back from Recess
Scottish Parliament back from Recess

Tuesday 24 February
UK: Shrove Tuesday

Thursday 26 February - Monday 02 March
Cricket: W.Indies v England 3rd Third Test, Barbados

Friday 27 February
Rugby Union: France v Wales

Saturday 28 February
Rugby Union: Ireland v England
Rugby Union: Scotland v Italy
Miss Great Britain 2008, London

---------------------
MARCH 2009
---------------------
Sunday 01 March
Football: Carling Cup Final, Wembley
St David's Day

Thursday 05 March - Sunday 08 March
Crufts Dog Sow, NEC, Birmingham

Thursday 05 March - Sunday 15 March
Geneva International Motor Show, Switzerland

Friday 06 March - Tuesday 08 September
Liberal Democrats Spring Conference, Harrogate

Friday 06 March - Tuesday 10 March
Cricket: W. Indies v England 4th Test, Trinidad & Tobago

Saturday 07 March
Football: FA Cup Quarter Finals
Football: Scottish FA Cup Quarter Finals

Sunday 08 March
Arts: The Laurence Olivier Awards, London

Monday 09 March
Queen attends Commonwealth Day Observance Service

Wednesday 11 March
UK: No Smoking Day

Wednesday 11 March - Friday 13 March
TUC Women's Conference, Scarborough, North Yorkshire

Thursday 12 March
25 years ago: Start of nationwide Miners' Strike

Friday 13 March
UK: Comic Relief Red Nose Day
Friday 13th Unlucky Day

Friday 13 March - Sunday 15 March
Scottish Lib Dem Spring Conference
Horse Racing: Cheltenham Gold Cup

Saturday 14 March
Rugby Union: Italy v Wales
Rugby Union: Scotland v Ireland

Sunday 15 March
100 years ago: Selfridges opened in London

Sunday 15 March
Rugby Union: England v France, Twickenham

Tuesday 17 March
St Patrick's Day
Royal Television Society Programme Awards 2008
1 year ago: Paul McCartney and Heather Mills divorce

Friday 20 March
Spring Equinox

Saturday 21 March
Rugby Union: England v Scotland, Twickenham
Rugby Union: Italy v France
Rugby Union: Wales v Ireland, Cardiff
Alliance Party Conference, Antrim, N.Ireland

Sunday 22 March
UK: Mothering Sunday

Tuesday 24 March - Monday 30 March
Horse Racing: Dubai World Cup

Saturday 28 March
Football Friendly: England v Slovakia, Wembley

Saturday 28 March
Football: World Cup 2010 Qualifier: Holland v Scotland
Football: World Cup 2010 Qualifier: Northern Ireland v Poland
Football: World Cup 2010 Qualifier: Rep of Ireland v Bulgaria
Football: World Cup 2010 Qualifier: Wales v Finland

Sunday 29 March
Oxford and Cambridge Boat Race
Motor Racing: F1 Australian Grand Prix
Start of British Summer Time (Clocks Forward One Hour)

-----------------
APRIL 2009
-----------------
Wednesday 01 April
April Fool's Day
UK: Basic State Pension Rises to £92.25
Inheritance Tax Threshold Increases to £325,000
UK: TV Licence Fee Rises 3% to £139.50
Football: World Cup 2010 Qualifier: England v Ukraine
Football: World Cup 2010 Qualifier: Italy v Rep of Ireland
Football: World Cup 2010 Qualifier: Northern Ireland v Slovenia
Football: World Cup 2010 Qualifier: Scotland v Iceland
Football: World Cup 2010 Qualifier: Wales v Germany

Thursday 02 April - Monday 20 April
Houses of Lords & Commons Rise for Easter Recess

Thursday 02 April - Saturday 04 April
Horse Racing: Grand National Meeting, Aintree

Friday 03 April
N. Ireland Assembly Rises for Easter Recess
Welsh Assembly Rises for Easter Recess
Scottish Parliament: Easter Recess

Sunday 05 April
Motor Racing: F1 Malaysian Grand Prix
Palm Sunday

Thursday 09 April
Maundy Thursday

Thursday 09 April - Friday 10 April
Jewish Festival of Passover

Thursday 09 April - Sunday 12 April
Golf: US Masters, Augusta, Georgia, USA

Friday 10 April 2009
Good Friday: UK Bank Holiday

Friday 10 April - Tuesday 14 April
National Union of Teachers Annual Conference, Cardiff

Sunday 12 April
Easter Sunday

Monday 13 April
Easter Monday: UK Bank Holiday

Wednesday 15 April
20 years ago: Hillsborough Football Disaster

Friday 17 April - Saturday 18 April
Horse Racing: Scottish Grand National Meeting, Ayr

Saturday 18 April
Rugby Union: Anglo-Welsh Cup Final, Twickenham

Saturday 18 April - Sunday 19 April
Football: FA Cup Semi-Finals, Wembley

Saturday 18 April - Monday 04 May
Snooker: World Championship, Crucible Theatre, Sheffield

Saturday 18 April
Zimbabwe National Day

Sunday 19 April
Motor Racing: F1 Chinese Grand Prix, Shanghai

Monday 20 April
Houses of Lords & Commons Return from Easter Recess
Scottish Parliament Returns from Easter Recess
N. Ireland Assembly Returns from Easter Recess
England & Wales Schools: Start of Summer Term
Boston Marathon

Tuesday 21 April
20 years ago: Start of Tiananmen Square Demonstrations, China

Tuesday 21 April
Queen's Birthday (83)
Worldwide Holocaust Commemoration Day

Thursday 23 April
St George's Day

Friday 24 April - Sunday 26 April
Wales Labour Party Conference, Swansea

Saturday 25 April - Sunday 26 April
Conservative Spring Conference, Cheltenham

Saturday 25 April - Sunday 26 April
Football: Scottish FA Cup Semi Finals, Hampden Park

Sunday 26 April
Flora London Marathon
Motor Racing: F1 Bahrain Grand Prix
10th Anniv death of TV presenter Jill Dando
Professional Footballers' Association (PFA) Awards

Monday 27 April
Welsh Assembly Returns after Easter Recess

Thursday 30 April
Extraordinary G20 Summit Follow-Up Meeting, London
Football: UEFA Cup Semi-Finals 1st Legs

---------------
MAY 2009
---------------
Saturday 02 May
Horse Racing: Kentucky Derby, Louisville, Kentucky USA
Football Leagues One and Two: Season Ends

Sunday 03 May
2nd Anniv: Madeleine McCann disappearance in Portugal
One year ago: Boris Johnson became London Mayor
BUPA Great Edinburgh Run
Polish National Day
Football: Coca-Cola Championship: Season Ends

Monday 04 May
30 years ago: Margaret Thatcher became British Prime Minister
Football: FA Women's Cup Final
May Day Bank Holiday

Thursday 07 May - Monday 11 May
Cricket: England v Sri Lanka 1st Test, Lords

Thursday 07 May - Sunday 10 May
Badminton Horse Trials, Gloucestershire

Friday 08 May
VE Day
UK Film Release: Star Trek XI
25 years ago: Opening of Thames Barrier

Sunday 10 May
Motor Racing: F1 Spanish Grand Prix, Barcelona

Monday 11 May - Thursday 14 May
Police Fed of England & Wales Annual Conf, Bournemouth

Tuesday 12 May
60 years ago: Lifting of Berlin Blockade

Wednesday 13 May - Sunday 17 May
Royal Windsor Horse Show, Berkshire

Friday 15 May - Tuesday 19 May
Cricket: England v Sri Lanka 2nd Test, Durham

Friday 15 May - Saturday 16 May
Scottish Conservative & Unionist Party Annual Conference

Saturday 16 May
Eurovision Song Contest - Grand Final, Moscow
Rugby Union: Guinness Premiership Final, Twickenham

Tuesday 19 May - Saturday 23 May
RHS Chelsea Flower Show

Wednesday 20 May
Football: UEFA Cup Final, Istanbul, Turkey

Thursday 21 May - Monday 01 June
Houses of Lords & Commons Rise for Whitsun Recess

Thursday 21 May - Sunday 31 May
The Hay Festival 2009, Hay on Wye, Powys

Thursday 21 May - Sunday 30 August
Glyndebourne Festival Opera 2009, Lewes, East Sussex

Friday 22 May - Sunday 24 May
British Rally Championship: Jim Clark Rally, Kelso

Saturday 23 May
German Presidential Election

Saturday 23 May
Rugby Union: Heineken Cup Final, Murrayfield

Sunday 24 May
62nd Cannes International Film Festival Palme d'Or Award
Football: Barclays Premier League Season Ends
Motor Racing: F1 Monaco Grand Prix
Motor Sport: Indianapolis 500, Indiana, USA
200 years ago: Opening of Dartmoor Prison

Sunday 24 May - Sunday 07 June
Tennis: French Open, Roland Garros, Paris

Monday 25 May
Football: Coca-Cola Championship Play-Off Final, Wembley
Whitsun Bank Holiday
Los Angeles Marathon

Monday 25 May - Friday 29 May
England & Wales Schools: Summer Half Term
Welsh Assembly Half Term Recess

Tuesday 26 May
100 years ago: Birth of Sir Matt Busby

Wednesday 27 May
Football: UEFA Champions League Final, Rome

Saturday 30 May
Football: FA Cup Final, Wembley

Saturday 30 May - Friday 12 June
Motor Cycling: Isle of Man TT Races

-----------------
JUNE 2009
-----------------
Monday 01 June
Welsh Assembly Returns after Half Term Recess
Houses of Lords & Commons Return from Whitsun Recess

Wednesday 03 June
50 years ago: Singapore Independence

Thursday 04 June
20 years ago: Tiananmen Square Massacre, Beijing, China
UK Local Authority Elections
Mayoral Elections
European Parliament elections

Friday 05 June - Saturday 06 June
Horse Racing: Derby Festival, Epsom

Friday 05 June
Derby Ladies Day, Epsom, Surrey

Saturday 06 June
Football: World Cup 2010 Qualifier: Azerbaijan v Wales
Football: World Cup 2010 Qualifier Bulgaria v Rep of Ireland
Football: World Cup 2010 Qualifier Kazakhstan v England
Athletics: SPAR European Cup
Horse Racing: Derby Day, Epsom, Surrey

Sunday 07 June
Motor Racing: F1 Turkish Grand Prix, Istanbul
London to Brighton Classic Car Run

Wednesday 10 June
Football: World Cup 2010 Qualifier: England v Andorra

Wednesday 10 June
Duke of Edinburgh is 88

Friday 12 June - Sunday 14 June
Isle of Wight Music Festival

Saturday 13 June - Sunday 14 June
Motor Racing: Le Mans 24-Hour Race

Monday 15 June - Sunday 21 June
Golf: 109th US Open, Farmingdale, USA

Tuesday 16 June - Saturday 20 June
Horse Racing: Royal Ascot

Wednesday 17 June - Sunday 28 June
Edinburgh International Film Festival

Wednesday 17 June
Falklands Memorial Day: Annual Service of Remembrance

Thursday 18 June
Horse Racing: Royal Ascot - Ladies Day

Friday 19 June - Sunday 21 June
Motor Racing: F1 British Grand Prix Meeting, Silverstone

Saturday 20 June
Rugby Union: British & Irish Lions v South Africa, 1st Test, Durban
Hollywood actor Errol Flynn born 100 years ago

Saturday 20 June - Sunday 05 July
Ludlow Festival, Shropshire

Sunday 21 June
Motor Racing: F1 British Grand Prix, Silverstone
Prince William is 27
Summer Solstice
UK: Father's Day

Monday 22 June - Sunday 05 July
Tennis: Wimbledon Championships

Thursday 25 June - Sunday 28 June
Royal Highland Show, Edinburgh

Friday 26 June - Sunday 28 June
Glastonbury Festival, Pilton, Somerset

Saturday 27 June
2 years ago: Gordon Brown became British Prime Minister
UK: Inaugural Armed Forces Day
Rugby Union: British & Irish v South Africa, 2nd Test, Pretoria

Saturday 27 June - Sunday 30 August
Scottish Parliament Summer Recess

Sunday 28 June
New European Union Passports: Fingerprints required
Horse Racing: Irish Derby, Curragh, Kildare

Tuesday 30 June
UK Final Deadline for University Applications

----------------
JULY 2009
----------------
Wednesday 01 July - Sunday 05 July
Henley Royal Regatta, Oxfordshire

Friday 03 July - Sunday 05 July
Goodwood Festival of Speed, West Sussex

Friday 03 July
Athletics: IAAF Golden League: Bislett Games, Oslo

Saturday 04 July
Rugby Union: British & Irish Lions v S. Africa, Final Test, Johannesburg

Saturday 04 July - Sunday 26 July
Cycling: Tour de France

Saturday 04 July
10 years ago: Marriage of David Beckham and Victoria Adams
USA Independence Day

Tuesday 07 July
Unveiling of July 7 London Bombing Memorial, London

Tuesday 07 July - Sunday 12 July
RHS Hampton Court Palace Flower Show

Tuesday 07 July - Friday 10 July
Royal Show, National Agricultural Centre, Warwickshire

Wednesday 08 July - Friday 10 July
Politics: G8 Summit, Rome

Wednesday 08 July - Sunday 12 July
Cricket: England v Australia 1st Test, Cardiff

Wednesday 08 July - Sunday 20 September
Led Zeppelin Exhibition, Proud Galleries, London

Sunday 12 July
Motor Racing: F1 German Grand Prix, Hockenheim

Monday 13 July
Battle of the Boyne Bank Holiday, Northern Ireland

Tuesday 14 July
France: Bastille Day

Thursday 16 July
40 years ago: Launch of first USA manned moon mission

Thursday 16 July - Monday 20 July
Cricket: England v Australia 2nd Test, Lords

Thursday 16 July - Sunday 19 July
Golf: The Open Championship, Turnberry

Thursday 16 July - Sunday 26 July
World Games 2009, Taiwan

Friday 17 July
UK Film Release: Harry Potter And The Half-Blood Prince
Welsh Assembly Rises for Summer Recess

Friday 17 July - Saturday 12 September
BBC Proms 2009, Royal Albert Hall

Saturday 18 July - Sunday 19 July
Royal International Air Tattoo, RAF Fairford, Gloucestershire

Monday 20 July - Monday 21 September
Welsh Assembly Summer Recess

Monday 20 July - Thursday 23 July
Royal Welsh Show 2009, Builth Wells

Tuesday 21 July - Monday 12 October
Houses of Lords & Commons Rise for Summer Recess

Wednesday 22 July
Various Venues Worldwide: Total Solar Eclipse

Friday 24 July
England & Wales Schools: End of Summer Term

Friday 24 July - Sunday 26 July
Motor Racing: Silverstone Classic

Saturday 25 July
100 years ago: First Cross-Channel Flight

Sunday 26 July
Motor Racing: F1 Hungarian Grand Prix, Budapest

Monday 27 July
Three Years to London 2012 Olympics

Tuesday 28 July - Saturday 01 August
Horse Racing: Glorious Goodwood

Thursday 30 July - Monday 03 August
Cricket: England v Australia 3rd Test, Edgbaston

Thursday 30 July - Sunday 02 August
British Transplant Games, Coventry

Friday 31 July
50 years ago: Cliff Richard first Number 1 record - Living Doll

----------------------
AUGUST 2009
----------------------
Saturday 01 August - Saturday 08 August
National Eisteddfod Of Wales

Tuesday 04 August
US President Barack Obama is 48

Friday 07 August - Tuesday 11 August
Cricket: England v Australia 4th Test, Headingley

Friday 07 August - Saturday 29 August
Edinburgh Tattoo, Edinburgh Castle

Sunday 09 August - Thursday 13 August
Fastnet Yacht Race, Isle of Wight

Wednesday 12 August
UK: Glorious Twelfth: Start of Shooting Season

Thursday 13 August - Sunday 16 August
Golf: US PGA Championship, Minnesota, USA

Friday 14 August - Sunday 06 September
Edinburgh International Festival, Edinburgh

Friday 14 August
Pakistan Independence Day

Saturday 15 August
Cricket: Twenty20 Cup: Finals Day, Edgbaston
India Independence Day

Tuesday 18 August - Friday 21 August
Horse Racing: Ebor Festival, York

Wednesday 19 August
Football: World Cup 2010 Qualifier: Norway v Scotland
Afghanistan Independence Day

Thursday 20 August
20 years ago: Marchioness Disaster on River Thames

Thursday 20 August - Monday 24 August
Cricket: England v Australia 5th Test, Oval

Saturday 22 August - Sunday 23 August
V Festival at Chelmsford & Weston Park, Staffs

Saturday 22 August - Sunday 30 August
17th World Transplant Games, Queensland, Australia

Sunday 23 August
Motor Racing: F1 Grand Prix of Europe, Valencia

Sunday 23 August - Sunday 30 August
World Rowing Championships, Poland

Thursday 27 August
England & Wales Schools: GCSE Results

Friday 28 August - Sunday 30 August
Reading & Leeds Pop Festival

Saturday 29 August - Sunday 30 August
Rugby League: Carnegie Challenge Cup Final, Wembley

Saturday 29 August - Monday 31 August
Notting Hill Carnival, London

Sunday 30 August
Motor Racing: F1 Belgian Grand Prix

Sunday 30 August - Monday 31 August
Knebworth Classic Motor Show, Hertfordshire

Monday 31 August
August Bank Holiday
English Football Transfer Window Closes
Scottish Parliament Returns from Summer Recess

----------------------------
SEPTEMBER 2009
----------------------------
Thursday 03 September
England & Wales: Autumn School Term

Friday 04 September
100 years ago: First Boy Scout Rally, Crystal Palace

Saturday 05 September
Football Friendly: England v Slovenia

Saturday 05 September
Football: World Cup 2010 Qualifier: Poland v N. Ireland
Football: World Cup 2010 Qualifier: Scotland v Macedonia
Football: World Cup 2010 Qualifier: Cyprus v Rep of Ireland

Wednesday 09 September
Football: World Cup 2010 Qualifier: England v Croatia
Football: World Cup 2010 Qualifier: N.Ireland v Slovakia
Football: World Cup 2010 Qualifier: Scotland v Holland
Football: World Cup 2010 Qualifier: Wales v Russia

Friday 11 September
September 11 Commemorations, Ground Zero, New York

Saturday 12 September
Horse Racing: St Leger Festival, Doncaster

Sunday 13 September
Motor Racing: F1 Italian Grand Prix, Monza

Monday 14 September - Thursday 17 September
Trades Union Congress, Liverpool

Tuesday 15 September
UK: Battle of Britain Day
Prince Harry is 25

Thursday 17 September
60 years ago: First NATO Meeting, Washington

Sunday 19 September - Thursday 23 September
Liberal Democrats Annual Conference, Bournemouth

Monday 21 September
Welsh Assembly Returns after Summer Recess

Thursday 24 September - Monday 05 October
Cricket: ICC Champions Trophy, Pakistan

Sunday 27 September
Motor Racing: F1 Singapore Grand Prix

Sunday 27 September
German Parliamentary Elections

Sunday 27 September - Monday 28 September
Yom Kippur: Jewish Day of Atonement

Sunday 27 September - Thursday 01 October
Labour Party Annual Conference, Brighton

------------------------
OCTOBER 2009
------------------------
Thursday 01 October
Chinese National Day
Cyprus Independence Day

Friday 02 October
Announcement of 2016 Summer Olympics Host City
100 years ago: First Rugby Match at Twickenham

Saturday 03 October
German Day of Unity: East & West (1990)

Sunday 04 October
Motor Racing: F1 Japanese Grand Prix

Monday 05 October - Thursday 08 October
Conservative Party Conference, Manchester

Wednesday 07 October - Sunday 11 October
Horse of the Year Show, NEC Birmingham

Friday 09 October
David Cameron is 43

Saturday 10 October
Football: World Cup 2010 Qualifier: Finland v Wales
Football: World Cup 2010 Qualifier: Rep of Ireland v Italy
Football: World Cup 2010 Qualifier: Ukraine v England

Monday 12 October
Houses of Lords & Commons return from Summer Recess

Wednesday 14 October
Football: World Cup 2010 Qualifier: Czech Republic v N.Ireland
Football: World Cup 2010 Qualifier: England v Belarus
Football: World Cup 2010 Qualifier: Liechtenstein v Wales
Football: World Cup 2010 Qualifier: Rep of Ireland v Montenegro

Wednesday 14 October
Hollywood actor Errol Flynn died 50 years ago

Thursday 15 October
Sarah Ferguson is 50

Sunday 18 October
Motor Racing: F1 Brazilian Grand Prix, Sao Paulo

Sunday 25 October
End of British Summer Time (Clocks Back One Hour)

Monday 26 October - Friday 30 October
England & Wales Schools: Start of Autumn School Term

Saturday 31 October
Halloween
Self Assessment Tax Return Deadline

--------------------------
NOVEMBER 2009
--------------------------
Sunday 01 November
Motor Racing: F1 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, UAE

Monday 02 November
50 years ago: Opening of first M1 section (Watford to Rugby)

Tuesday 03 November
New York City Mayor & City Council Election

Wednesday 04 November
1 year ago: Barack Obama elected 44th President of the United States

Thursday 05 November
Bonfire Night: Guy Fawkes' Day
100 years ago: Opening of first Woolworth's shop in UK (Liverpool)

Sunday 08 November
Remembrance Sunday: Queen at Cenotaph Service

Monday 09 November
20 years ago: Berlin Wall Stormed and Part Demolished

Wednesday 11 November
Armistice Day

Saturday 14 November
The Prince Of Wales is 61

Monday 16 November
50 years ago: The Sound of Music Opened On Broadway

Saturday 21 November
20 years ago: Start of live TV coverage of Commons debates

Friday 27 November - Sunday 29 November
Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting, Trinidad & Tobago

Monday 30 November
St Andrew's Day

--------------------------
DECEMBER 2009
---------------------------
Thursday 10 December
Nobel Prize Awards, Oslo

Tuesday 15 December
25 years ago: Band Aid released ‘Do They Know It's Christmas'
70 years ago: World Film Premiere of ‘Gone With The Wind'

Monday 21 December
Winter Solstice

Tuesday 22 December
20 years ago: Reopening of Brandenburg Gate, Berlin

Thursday 24 December
Christmas Eve

Friday 25 December
Christmas Day

Saturday 26 December
Boxing Day

Saturday 26 December
5 years ago: Over 170,000 killed by Asian Tsunami

Thursday 31 December
New Year's Eve

I'm sure you'll agree there are some interesting anniversary subject pieces here - the start of the nationwide miner's strike was 25 years ago, 100 years ago Selfridges opened in London, the Tianamen Square demonstration were 20 years ago, 25 years ago the Thames Barrier was officially opened and Margaret thatcher came to power 30 years ago, to name just a few.

So get your thinking caps on, and I hope 2009 is a creatively productive year for all of you.

Good luck.

Victorian Christmasses

The joys of freelance writing means that sometimes you can't even rely on a Sunday morning lie-in.

Having been commissioned to write an article about Victorian Christmas, I'd arranged to interview the curator at Blists Hill Victorian Town, a living museum in the World Heritage Site of Ironbridge Gorge near to where I live.

It meant meeting the curator at when the museum opened, which meant getting up much earlier than normal in order to prepare and drive across to the venue. But whilst the early start did not put me in a good mood, my actual visit was brilliant, and reminded me why I enjoy doing this so much.

Not only did I get free admission to the town (currently £10.50 for adults) but the curator also took me to the Victorian Tea rooms where I conducted the interview over a wonderful tea! And after we'd chatted, I was then left to explore the whole town on my own and take pictures - the one above was taken in the Doctor's Surgery, and the Christmas card is in the style of Victorian cards, which would have been displayed everywhere in the house.

It was really interesting to learn that Christmas decorations were not usually put up until Christmas Eve. What with everybody working, there wasn't time beforehand. And most Christmas decorations were especially made out of fresh produce, so most of December was spent 'creating' the decorations, and when they were finished they were stored in the cellar to maintain their freshness, only seeing the light of day at Christmas Eve.

Of course, electric Christmas tree lights weren't around then, so they used to use candles. Now in many towns, the fire brigade would go around telling people when they could light their tree candles - in other words - they were only allowed to light them when the Fire Brigade were on duty! For most people, this meant an hour on Christmas Eve, an hour Christmas Day and an hour on Boxing Day!

So next time you tackle an assignment, and you don;t really feel up to it - persevere. You might find that you actually enjoy it!

Good luck, and I wish everyone a merry christmas and a creative new year!

Ditch the Advent Calendar - Find the Editorial Calendars!

Children in Christian countries are busy opening the doors of their Advent Calendars but as writers you should be looking for any Editorial Calendars you can find. Not every magazine produces one, but many do, and some are available online.

Magazines are often produced months in advance - most monthlies are produced three to fours months ahead, whilst many weeklies are put together six to eight weeks ahead. So in December, writers need to be thinking about June pieces if you want to have some time to do some research and write the piece in order to ensure that you can submit it in time.

Because of this, many magazines produce a calendar of what editorial content they will be producing in the coming year. Some of you will know that I produce a regular walking column and feature for Country & Border Life magazine. The editor contacts me and tells me where they want me to do the walk because they like to balance the area coverage in each issue. This means they are planning many months ahead. How far ahead? Well, let me tell you that this month (within the next week) I have to provide the article and walk for the March 2009 issue. I also have to produce the feature for the September 2009 issue, the October 2009 issue and this coming Sunday I'm off to do an interview for next December's (2009) issue! So yes, the magazine is planning at least 12 months in advance. (And yes, this full time freelance writing is full time - what's a weekend?)

You may recall a few months ago I posted details of a new magazine that was launching called Scotland Outdoors. Well I was browsing their website and found their 2009 Editorial Calendar. Click on the link to view the document (in PDF format).

If you look through the document you'll see that there's quite a lot of detail. The magazine has decided what the features will be all that way in advance. Now just because they've decided what their articles will be about, that doesn't mean to say that they have allocated the job to someone yet! So if you know about the topic, then pitch your idea, because it could turn into a commission for you.

The eagle-eyed amongst you will spot that most of the information is geared towards the advertisers. This is so they can make the most of their adverts. So if you look at the next Winter issue, you'll see that the magazine plans to cover the Aberdeen and Grampians area of Scotland. So any advertisers in that region who are thinking about advertising in the magazine, would do well to advertise in that specific issue. The magazine will probably place the adverts next to the pages in the magazine where those features will appear.

So the editorial calendar is like a magazine's media pack - it's aimed at the advertisers not the writers. But it would be foolish for us writers to ignore all that information.

To find out if a magazine produces an editorial calendar type the magazine's name and the phrase 'editorial calendar' into an Internet search engine. Many magazines produce 'media packs' that provide information about the average reader. Occasionally, editorial calendars are tacked onto the end of the media pack, so if you get no joy with the editorial calendar, then search for the magazine's media pack.

Once you start finding editorial calendars, you may find it opens new doors to your writing. It;s not just advent calendars with surprises behind their doors then!

Good luck.

Your Votes Counted!

You may recall back in October that one of my students, John Price, asked me to bring to your attention his writer's group project to replace some computer equipment to allow senior citizen to run a weekly writing course. To pay for this equipment, the group had applied for a grant and part of the process included a telephone vote.

Well you'll be pleased to know that John's emailed to say that they were successful, and thanks to all who voted, their grant application has been successful. John went on to say:

"So, many thanks to you and all the readers of your blog who voted for us. We couldn't have done it without you.We've also just heard that our bid for Heritage Lottery funding has also been successful. This means we have all the money we need to run next year's touring workshops that encourage senior citizen groups to share their seaside holiday memories. We help them write and publish these as a book and a CD and I'll be leading the workshops and editing the book so I'm particularly pleased with the news. We seemed to sail through the HLF process this year, hearing the outcome after only a fraction of the 10 weeks we were told we'd have to wait. I'm sure this has much to do with the skills of our brilliant secretary but it might also be that writing's becoming the new rock 'n' roll. "

Sound's like John and his group have got their work cut out for them now!

Good luck.

One Million Words ... and still counting.

I know yesterday's posting told you that it was a magical day when the postman delivered my copies of my new book, but it was also an important milestone for me in another way too.

Since becoming a full time freelance writer just under 5 years ago, I've kept a record of the number of words I produce each day, and the spreadsheet also keeps a running 'Grand Total'.

Well yesterday, that Grand Total hit the one million mark. One million words! Blimey! (actually, by the end of the day the tally read 1, 001, 267 words).

Now I didn't set out to write a million words (gosh that would have been demoralising.) But it does show how writing something everyday, all helps to contribute to the bigger picture. Just glancing through my spreadsheet I can see days when I only wrote a letter of 25 words, and then there are days when working on a book, suddenly 7,000 words appeared from somewhere.

And they all add up.

So don't feel dismayed if you only wrote a few words yesterday. The important point is that you wrote SOME words. And SOME are better then NONE.

And this posting adds more to the total!

(And for those of you wondering - no I don't include the words I write on your feedback sheets of your assignments!)

Good luck.

The Joy of Writing the Non-Fiction Book

I've had one of those magical moments this morning when the postman delivered a large brown parcel and inside were my ten author copies of my latest book.

It is often said (by us men who wouldn't know otherwise) that writing a book is like giving birth. Well if that is this case, then The Bluffer's Guide to Banking is way overdue, but in case you hadn't noticed, there's been a minor event in the world called a credit crunch, which has affected it's content (several times over).

It always surprises me how work and projects turn out when you're a full time writer and the Bluffer's Guide to Banking is a point in case.

The Bluffer's Guides are a series of books produced by Oval Books. From a writer's perspective they are slightly different to other books, because when they commission a book, they pay the writer a one-off fee and they buy the copyright as well. This is all clearly explained on their website www.ovalbooks.com. They also list topics that they are currently looking for authors to write and one day I saw that they were looking for one on banking. Now having spent 8 years working for a large high street branch I thought I'd have a go.

I approached the company who asked me to write a sample piece of text and sent it in. Ironically, on the day my submission arrived someone else who'd discussed the same subject with them over a year ago, also submitted their sample. The publisher was obviously in a difficult situation, but understandably said that the job ought to go to the writer who'd originally approached them. Now many of you may see this as bad luck, but being an optimistic kind of guy, I didn't. I latched onto an offer that the publisher made. She said that she'd be happy to look at any other ideas I had. So naturally, I thought of some and made my approach.

I was chuffed to discover that she liked my idea for the Bluffer's Guide to Hiking, and I was then commissioned to write that (it will be published in Spring 2009).

Then, out of the blue, the publisher contacted me and asked if I would be prepared to work on the text of the Bluffer's Guide to Banking. Having looked at both of our initial submissions, the publisher felt that if I and the other writer collaborated on the text, we could produce a far better book. So suddenly, I was working on the Bluffer's Guide to Banking again.

The 'final' manuscript was submitted to the publisher towards the end of 2007 and was scheduled for publication in early 2008.

Then the Credit Crunch hit. Suddenly foreign banks were collapsing, there was a run on Northern Rock and the boring world of banking was suddenly in the limelight. And of course it didn't end there! More of the bigger banks needed Government support too! The text had to be completely revised. In the original version the biggest banking scandal was the collapse of Barings Bank caused by rogue trader Nick Leeson at a cost of £1.3billion. With the American Government bailing the American banks out to the tune of some $250 billion and the British Government bailing the British banks out with over £50 billion, the Barings £1.3 billion, was mere pocket money!

And every time we made an amendment to the text, something else would happen. The merger between Lloyds and HBOS was on, then it was off, then it was on again. In the original text there was no need to talk about the 'sub-prime market' yet in the new text we had to include it.

Of course, the fact that the banking industry has gone through so much turmoil (and still is), makes it ripe for publishing now. Hopefully the public will appreciate the humorous touch that has been added to this subject to make it an easy but enjoyable read. (If you've read my dog books, then you'll understand my weird sense of humour.)

So the moral of this story is: don't get despondent about rejections. Often they can lead to other projects. And just because your idea is rejected by somebody today, it doesn't mean that it won't work for them in the future.

Here comes the sales pitch:

The Bluffer's Guide to Banking is published by Oval Books.
ISBN: 978-1-903096-52-9
Priced £4.99

and will be available in all good bookshops and retailers soon.

Good luck.

The Crap Holidays Just Keep On Coming!

Well I'm beginning to feel a bit sorry for you all now! I never knew it was possible for so many people to have so many awful holidays!

Liz Dawes has contacted me to say that she's received an email from The Observer today, advising her that her Crap Holiday (No Nooky in Norfolk) will be used in this Sunday's edition of The Observer (30th November). Not only is she overjoyed at this, but it's even more special for her because it's her very first piece of work to be published.

Congratulations Liz, I'm sure you'll enjoy the moment (and don't forget to tell family and friends to go out and buy a copy!)

This means that in the six weeks since my Crap Holiday was published on October 19th, there have only been 2 weeks when this slot was not produced by one of my students!

I hope this proves that there are slots within many newspapers that are open to outside contributions, and Liz's experience demonstrates that previously unpublished writers can achieve publication here.

Keep sending the crap holidays into the Observer. Let's see how many more of my students can get their work published in this slot before the end of the year.

And if this has whetted your appetite, UK based students should check out The Guardian on a Saturday. In their Family section they have a 'Family Life: Your Stories' section, and they pay up to £75 for some of the contributions. Over to you then!

Good luck.

And Another Crap Holiday!

Well folks, we've done it again! Chris Lacey emailed to say that his 'crap holiday' was published in last week's Observer. To read it click here.

Thanks to everyone who wished me a pleasant 'retreat' with my writer friends. I've just got back and am in the process of catching up with my emails.

For those of you who don't know, I go to a writer's circle that meets monthly in Telford, Shropshire and some of us have fallen into the habit of going away at this time of year in order to write. We hire a large house somewhere not too far away and for a few days the aim is to escape the pressures of everyday life, the phones and family and to write.

If you're interested in finding out what we got up to, there are pictures and videos on the writer's circle blog, which can be found here.

Cheers

Simon

Don't Forget Your Front Coversheet!

Firstly, apologies for not posting for a while, but I've been away running another writing holiday, and I'm just about to go away again! (Oh such is the life of an international jet-setting writer .... well Wales is another country, sort of.)

Anyway, I've been busy marking the assignments that came in whilst I was away and I noticed an interesting trend. Not one of those students had given their articles a front cover sheet!

It's important that you give all your articles and short stories a cover sheet. Not only does it make it clear to the editor what you're submitting to them, but in some magazines, the editor will scribble a price on the front of it, rip it off from the rest of the manuscript, and that's what gets sent down to accounts to pay you. So cover sheets or title pages are important!

Remember, a cover sheet should include:

• The title of your article / short story
• Who it is by (so put a pen name here, if you are going to use one)
  
• The number of words
• Your (real) name, address and any other contact details you want to provide
• And finally, details of what rights you are offering the editor (First British Serial Rights, First Indian Serial Rights, First Malaysian Serial Rights etc)

First impressions count, so make sure your title page looks as professional as you can make it.

Right, I'm off to Wales for a few days with a few of my writer friends on our annual retreat. We've hired a large mansion near the Welsh Coast and are escaping from the modern world in order to write, so I'll let you know how I get on. In the meantime, for those of you here in the UK, if you want a laugh, then take a look at this week's "Take a Break" magazine (issue 48 - purple cover). It's my short story on page 57, and it'll probably demonstrate why I don't do short stories very often!

Good luck!

Another Crap Holiday!

Penny Legg has just emailed me to say that her 'Crap Holiday' has just been published in the Observer! Well done!

To read about Penny's unfortunate experience, click here.

That means that since my piece was published in the Observer, two of my students have now had their pieces published. Anyone else had a go? Do let me know if you're successful!

If you haven't heard about this reader's column in the paper, the details are as follows:

Have you had a crap holiday? If so, tell us about it. The writers of stories we publish will receive a £16 Lifesystems Adventurer First Aid Kit from Cotswold Outdoor (0844 557 7755; cotswoldoutdoor.com) for taking the sting out of minor holiday mishaps. Email crap.holidays@observer.co.uk

To get a taster of what's expected, read a selection of other people's 'Crap Holidays' at this link.

Good luck!

No, but Yes, but No, but Yes, but ...

Lubna Shahab forwarded an email that she'd been sent from an editor and I have pasted it below for you all to read:

Good morning!

How are you?! Thanks for your email and sorry about the late response. We've
read through the piece and while it's a great piece, we have already done
articles on the topics you have covered in it. So we can't repeat, I hope
you understand. Would be happy to hear some pitches though. Let me know your
thoughts...

Now I'm sure you'll agree that Lubna was disappointed that her article had been rejected. This is a classic example of where the magazine feels that it has already covered this topic recently and to ensure that they don't bore their readers, don't want to revisit the subject for some time. But notice how the editor has told her that this was a 'great piece'. So her writing was good, and clearly her article was targeted at the right publication because the magazine has already covered the topic. Clearly, Lubna has done everything right here. Unfortunately it hasn't worked out, purely because Lubna wasn't aware that the magazine had recently covered this topic. That doesn't mean that Lubna didn't do her market analysis - on the contrary, if she'd examined the last 3 issues the chances are this subject hadn't been covered then. The topics may have been written about 6, 7, or even 8 months ago. But it's still too soon for the editor and the readers.

But look at the final sentence of that rejection email : Would be happy to hear some pitches though, let me know your thoughts. WOW!

Now let's get one point clear. Editors don't ask writers to send in article ideas if they are naff writers! They get inundated with ideas from naff writers everyday, they don't need more. But they DO invite the writers who show promise, and clearly Lubna's article demonstrated that she could write to a high standard, and it also showed that she knew what the magazine's readership wanted. That's what the editor is thinking. Here's a writer who can write, and can write well for our readership.

So I've told Lubna to send in a list of three or four ideas. She needs to think carefully about them, and approach the ideas in the same way that she did for her article. But if she can supply three or four, the editor may like one of them and ask her to write it up.

Now this is NOT a commission. If the editor likes an idea it does not mean that it will definitely be used. However, it puts Lubna in a much stronger position because she knows that the editor already likes her idea. It also means that when she submits the finished article she can begin her email:

Please find, as requested, my article entitled ...

Again, this gives her a stronger position because when the editor looks at the email he/she will know that it is an idea that is suitable. He/she has already asked to see it.

So what started out as a 'reject' email, actually ends up very positive. If ever you find yourself in this position then do send the ideas in.

Never worry about your ideas being stolen. This just doesn't happen. People often have the same ideas at the same time (funnily enough, lots of writers are having ideas about credit crunch / financial doom and gloom articles at the moment).

Ever wondered why in assignment 2 when you're asked to analyse the publication right at the end of the analysis you are asked to come up with several ideas that you can offer them? Now you know!

The rejection began as a "No", but it definitely turned into a "could be!"

Good luck.

Not My Crap Holiday, But Sarah's Crap Holiday

I see that one of my students, Sarah Radev, has commented on my blog about my crap holiday and advises that her crap holiday has been published in today's Observer! To read about Sarah's eventful trip (more of a journey than a holiday) click the link here.

So, I feel a challenge coming on... how many more of my students can get their crap holidays in the Observer? To find out how to submit your work, read Sarah's piece and my piece to assess the style. The details on how to submit your crap holidays are provided at the very end of the columns.

Of course, perhaps it is just Sarah and I who've had crap holidays ... but something tells me that if the Observer are running a whole series on this, then we're definitely not the only ones!

Let me know how you get on.

Good luck!

Your Vote Could Make The Difference

One of my students, John Price, has emailed bringing me up to date with all of his activities, one of which has been the joining of a writers' group. Now I'm an advocate of such groups, but I'll let John explain in his words what he is enjoying most about it:

"A group of other writers seemed to be a good idea so I sought one out and it's been a joy. Apart from the laughs, the incentive to have something to share each week - whether it's in response to the prompts given out at the meetings or one of my own writing projects - has certainly got me writing more quickly and even dabbling with unfamiliar genres. But Rising Brook Writers in Stafford is different from other writers groups in this area in that it is a voluntary charitable trust that aims to promote the joys of creative writing among the over-50s and the disabled. As well as weekly meetings and on-line workshops, each year we run a series of touring workshops for senior citizen groups, care centres and the like that encourage people to share their memories, which we help them to write and publish as both a book and a CD. Last year the theme of the workshops, which are supported by lottery funding, was wartime memories, this year it's seaside holidays, and I've been asked to lead the sessions and write the book. So, I joined the group for company and feedback on my own writing and end up getting paid work. It really is true that there can be writing opportunities in the most unexpected places."

So, if you want to broaden your skills, friends and overall writing experience, then look for a writing group in your area. John would now like our help to gain some grant funding for a project they're involved with:

"We have applied to the Staffordshire County Council’s Local Member Initiative Scheme for funding to replace computer equipment to enable senior citizen volunteers to operate a weekly online writing workshop for the housebound. If you would be kind enough to vote for us by text message before 31st October, It would be a great help. Just send Vote SW11 to 60003. "

Please remember that your mobile phone operator will charge you for texting your vote, and that votes need to be cast by 31st October.

Good luck John.

My Crap Holiday

Apologies for the rude word in the title, but I'm only quoting the section in The Observer newspaper that is open to freelance submissions.

Many of the newspapers have sections which are open to 'readers' and in The Observer's Escape section (travel and holidays) there is a 'Reader's Page' mainly consisting of letters asking for help with their holidays. There is however, a section of about 400 words entitled "My Crap Holiday" where readers can describe their worst holiday. There's no payment, but there is a small prize of a First Aid Kit (designed to 'take the sting' out of future holiday disasters!).

To give you an idea, why not read an example of someone's 'crap' holiday and see if you have one that's even crappier?

Click on this link to read an example - yes folks - it's my crap holiday - which was published yesterday Sunday 19th October 2008. It's easy to do. I emailed it to the address that the paper provides on 8th October and here it is 11 days later. And no - they didn't tell me they were going to use it. Why should they? After all, it's on the "Reader's Page" therefore they expect me to be a reader every week and buy a copy anyway!

So go on. Have a go. We've all had at least one crap holiday. Haven't we?

Good luck!

New Magazine Launches (with free copies)

Lonely Planet magazine is just about to be launched (it is being operated by BBC magazines) and as you can see from the picture, a free copy is available. Now I'm never one to turn down a free opportunity to analyse a new market!

It's only available to UK addresses unfortunately and the offer closes on 31st October 2008, so you'll need to be quick.

To claim a free copy (there is the cost of the telephone call to consider - approx 5p per minute from BT lines) ring 0844 243 9861 and quote code LPEM08.

They are offering a free copy of the very first issue (December 2008) which will be available in mid November (and posted out then).

Scotland Outdoors is another new magazine that has been recently launched and looks at anything to do with Scotland's great outdoors whether it is nature or sports related.

On the subscription page of the magazine, it is offering a free copy for readers to look at. The website says that the offer is available whilst stocks last but it makes no mention of whether only UK addresses can claim, so if you're based abroad, all i can suggest is that you try it and see!

Visit their website for more details and to find out more about the magazine.

Good luck!

When To Stop Titivating?

Ros Houghton recently emailed and asked, "I keep tweaking my work and cannot leave it alone. Am I going mad?"

Firstly, I told her that she wasn't going mad! It's important for a writer to assess their work and look for ways to improve it. Work should be the best it can be when it is submitted.

However, if there comes a time when tweaking or titivating is preventing you from submitting a piece of work then you need to stop!

Ros's situation is that a publisher has asked to see the first few chapters of her work, so whilst she's waiting for the publisher to respond to that, she's busy 'tweaking' the rest of her manuscript. This is fine because her work is still being considered whilst she looks for ways in which to improve her text, so that when (thinking positively!) the publisher asks to see the rest of the text, she knows it is the best she can make it.

I always advocate putting your work aside for a day or so and then reviewing it with fresh eyes. If you make an amendment, put it to one side again and then review it later with fresh eyes, and continue doing this until you read it without making an amendment.

So if I write a first draft of an article on a Monday, I'll review it Tuesday, then Wednesday and so on, but usually by Thursday I'm ready to submit it.

But of course, if you keep 'tweaking' a piece of work forever, you will never send it out and the only way it will get published is by submitting it. So be realistic with yourself. If the only amendment you are considering making is whether a comma should or should not be taken out, make a decision and then send your work out. Your work won't be rejected on the basis of whether that particular comma is right or not.

A writer whose aim is to write for publication, but keeps amending their work and never gets around to sending it out IS going mad! So don't go mad ... get it written ... get it right ... then send it out!

Finally, I just want to say congratulations to Sarah Radev who has just been offered a regular column in Kennel and Cattery Management magazine. She's certainly someone who can't spend all her time tweaking her work now - she's got a monthly deadline to adhere to!

Good luck.

Write for Writer's Forum magazine

Writer's Forum magazine is a great magazine for writers, but it is also one of the most accessible ones to write for.

Here are the guidelines for anyone interested in writing for this magazine. One such area in the magazine where you may be able to achieve publication is if you can interview a writer you know. Now the writer doesn't have to be famous, but if a member of your writer's circle has achieved publication, or has had a great experience with self-publication then other writers may be able to learn from this (see notes below on what is and is not acceptable with self-published stories).

And if you are based abroad, are there any good markets in your own country that you can write for, or have had success writing for yourself? How did you break into these markets? The reader's of Writer's Forum magazine are interested in any tips - just like you are! So if you have any knowledge you can share, then this could be a useful market to share it with!

This is what the editor, Carl Styants (make a note of his name!) has to say:

SUBMISSION HELP FOR NEW WRITERS

We welcome feature ideas from both new and established writers, but we expect journalism not opinion. [Top tip!] Back up any statements with facts and figures. Unless the story is personal and told in the first person, keep your voice from intruding.

In almost all instances, articles should show research of current markets or issues affecting writers, and include quotes from relevant experts. [Aren't I always telling you how quotes add credence and authority to your work?]

Space is limited and articles that try to cover too much will not be able to explain any part in detail. Stick to one topic, but make it one that will be of interest to enough readers.

Avoid formats used by regular contributors in their columns, such as 'Where I Write'. [I know Phil Barrington who writes this piece and I can tell you, he wouldn't be very happy with someone muscling in on his territory. PS - He's just interviewed me about my writing space - look out for in an issue around Spring 2009 - I might mention it nearer the time in the blog! It's where I mark all your assignments too!]

As in all good writing, show don't tell. Give detailed examples of any points being made; ask other writers, publishers and relevant experts for them.

The main reason for rejection is that an article tells us things we already know; advice that even a relatively new writer will have seen too often. If you want to cover a familiar aspect of good writing, show why and how it applies in today's publishing world. New ideas in writing are extremely rare but there always new ways to present old ones.

Articles examining an issue that affects writers (eg legal, political or financial matters, or those involving writing relationships or health concerns), are especially welcome. Again, these require quotes from relevant experts. [In other words any 'off-beat' or more unusual articles about writing stand more chance than traditional 'how to write' type articles.]

INTERVIEWS

Author interviews should concentrate solely on the process of writing and getting published. We prefer masterclasses on a specific technique or style for which the author is known. The content of books, plots and characters should only be discussed in those terms; as examples to illustrate a piece of advice. Do not praise the author or the quality of his or her work but state reported facts, such as 'bestselling', 'controversial' or 'prize-winning'.

PERSONAL STORIES

If you are writing about your own success in getting a book published, pick out aspects that make your story unique or interesting. Everyone knows they should keep going and not give up, but how did you do it? Tell your story chronologically and stick to your own experience. Show don't tell, eg: 'This is what happened to me and this is what I would do next time.' Don't presume to speak for all writers, or lecture the readers on what they should do. Let them decide which parts of your story are useful.

SELF-PUBLISHING

We are inundated with stories from readers who have self-published a book. We welcome how-to articles on specific aspects but please don't send submissions describing the whole process. Contact Siobhan Curham selfpublishing@writers-forum.com who uses lots of case studies for her Self-Publishing Workshops. She plugs the books of those featured who can help out with anecdotes and tips.

Remember that Writers' Forum is a trade magazine, not a literary review. The language should be kept simple and all jargon explained in passing. Save any literary flourishes for your creative writing. Be informative, accurate and, just as importantly, entertaining.

NUTS AND BOLTS

How to suggest ideas:

All ideas should be sent in the body of an email to features@writers-forum.com. Briefly describe the proposal in the subject line to make it stand out. Be as concise as possible but explain the aim and scope of the article. Add a few words about your writing experience, if any. [From my own experience, Carl will get back to you if interested although allow several weeks before chasing.]

How to send copy:

Once agreed, articles should be sent attached as a Word document preferably (.doc not .docx) or as a Rich Text File (.rtf).

Use a single plain font at 12pt or 14pt. Bold and italics are fine but keep it simple. Please do not format the text with tabs, indents, borders, colour, images, headers and footers etc.

There's no need for a cover sheet but make sure your contact details are in your email and at the top of the copy on the first page (not in a header).

Freelances often ask about wordcounts but it is more important to get all the details into your article. We edit all articles on the page and it is easier for us to cut material than to add it. As a very rough guide, an article that suits a page should be about 800-1000 words, or about 1500-1700 words if it suits a spread, depending on photos, book covers etc. We'd rather receive 500 tightly written words than a 1500-word article padded out with repetition and deviation.

How to send images:

Mention any available images in your submission but you needn't send them until requested. You should source images of anyone interviewed – we prefer normal colour photos to arty black and white 'author' shots. If necessary, you must seek the consent of the copyright holder and supply a credit.

Electronic images must be print quality – 300 dot per inch (dpi) at a decent size. Web images at 72dpi will not reproduce well unless they are four times the size they will be used in the magazine (ie a 20cm square web image at 72dpi will be only 5cm square when printed at 300dpi).

Give them filenames that are brief captions, eg sam_at_her_desk.jpg You can also send images to be scanned by us, although we cannot be held responsible if they are lost in the post. The address is:

Writers' Forum,
PO Box 6337
Bournemouth BH1 9EH

We appreciate that many contributors will be new to feature writing and do not mind if these points are not followed to the letter. The ideas and level of detail are far more important than the presentation.

******

Here in the UK Writer's Forum is available in most large newsagents. You can buy back copies which may be a good idea for those based abroad. Click here for more details.






My article about writing for the outdoor magazines was published in this issue








and my article about arranging your own Writer's Retreat was published in this issue.







Good luck!

Read a magazine for free!

Rob Innis kindly passed this one to me, which I think many people will be interested in.

There's a website called goreadgreen.com which enables people to subscribe to magazines but read them electronically instead of buying a paper version. The idea is to cut down on the number of trees cur down!

Part of the initiative allows people to have one free electronic magazine subscription. Now the site is American, but it's an opportunity for a free market study of an American magazine.

For further information and details of their terms and conditions, visit http://goreadgreen.com/category/subscriptions/featured/ to see the sort of magazines available.

Good luck.

Wouldn't You Believe It?

Unfortunately, an elderly family member of mine is back in Addenbrookes Hospital in Cambridge, which means that I'm travelling the 160 miles across the UK to visit them when I can.

Addenbrookes is quite a famous hospital and well known for its pioneering enterprise. (Unfortunately my elderly relative is an ordinary Cambridge resident and therefore her ailments do not push Addenbrookes' pioneering boundaries back further. Perhaps that's why she was admitted to A&E last Tuesday needing an urgent MRI scan, and here we are a week later, and they still haven't arranged it for her. Still, that's a completely different posting, and one that if I said everything I wanted to say, would probably see me in court for saying naughty things I shouldn't!)

Anyway, whilst she waits for the urgent MRI scan, we've been chatting, and when you're in small wards you often start chatting to the other patients as well. And across the ward in a bed opposite is an elderly woman whose husband was posted in the rural town where I live in Shropshire, during the Second World War. She heard us talking about the Long Mynd, the big hill that dominates the town.

Now, my neighbour and his son have been exploring the hill and have recently discovered some remains of what look like some Second World War buildings. They're quite large and looked as though they may have housed some big machinery.

Well, wouldn't you believe it, but the elderly woman in the hospital bed opposite says, "my husband used to drive tanks up and down the Long Mynd," and suddenly I realised what those huge buildings were.

I'm now in the process of doing some more research for an article on this subject, but isn't it amazing how someone in a hospital bed 160 miles away from home can unlock a whole host of ideas? The thought of driving up The Burway, the single track road that climbs up and over the Long Mynd fills many drivers with dread, for the sheer drop on one side that they might get acquainted with if they don't pull into a passing place properly when they meet something coming the other way. I'd hate to think what they'd do if they met a tank coming in the opposite direction!

*****************************************************

I must say congratulations to Joan Newman who's just told me that her second assignment has been retained on file by Best of British magazine. She was a little disappointed that the editor hasn't said that it will definitely be published. But I've reminded Joan that editors don't have a habit of hanging onto unpublishable material!

*****************************************************
Ships Monthly magazine is on the look out for nautical related articles. It's preference is for all types of sea going vessels except yachts and it prefers boats to be 20th or 21st century models. Alternatively, a sea related topic such as lighthouses, shipyards and harbours may also catch the editors interest.

As you can see from this month's front cover, it's not just British orientated, so perhaps those of you based further overseas may be able to sell an idea to the editor, More information can be found at the magazines website www.shipsmonthly.com


Good luck!

Boy You Have Been Busy!

Well what can I say, apart from sorry that it's been so long! The last time I posted I was getting ready for the National Association of Writer's Group's Festival of Writing in Durham, and that was three weeks ago.

After a hard working but enjoyable conference there, I nipped across the Pennines to the Lake District and spent the rest of that week climbing mountains with my father.

But just like any other job, when i got back home, I had several hundred emails to plough through as well as numerous assignments from some of you to catch up on. Sometimes you wonder whether it's worth going away in the first place!

It's good to see though that so many of you have been busy. One student, Lara Haddadin, wrote an email quite dejected that her article produced for assignment 2, had been rejected. However, she sent me the email that the editor had sent her, and this quite clearly said that although the article was right for them on this occasion, they would love to see any other ideas she had.

Now, bear with me for a moment while I get on my high horse again, but this is actually a GREAT REJECTION! Was the editor saying she was a crap writer and should give up? NO! Was the editor saying that she should find an isolated garret somewhere and learn how to write? NO! Was she telling her not to darken her inbox with any more material in the future? NO! In fact, far from it - the email says that the editor would LOVE TO SEE ANY OTHER IDEAS SHE HAS.

Yes it was disappointing that this article was right for whatever reason, but reading between the lines, it was an encouraging rejection. Let's be honest here, editors do not have the time to read work from writers who produce completely unsuitable work. Therefore they do not encourage such writers to send more work in.

To reiterate this point even further, Lara told me that she had rewritten this piece to fit a different magazine and had sent it off to them. GREAT! This is exactly what you should be doing with rejected work. Don;t get downhearted - think positive - it's a new opportunity!

Within days, Lara had a response from the editor who loved the piece and wants to use it. Not only that but the editor also asked for more work and the phrase 'regular column' has been mentioned. Now nothing is finalised at the moment, but again Lara has done the right thing and produced the next article quickly. And I've suggested that she thinks of up to 8 more ideas, to demonstrate to the editor that a regular column could be sustained on the topic she's writing.

So what have we learnt from this? That good things can come from rejections.

I also want to publicly congratulate Penny Legg who has just been made the editor of magazine for the Society of Women Writers and Journalists. That's pretty good going for someone who hasn't even completed the comprehensive course yet!

So keep up the good work everyone. And if you're getting rejections, don't let that dishearten you. It could be the start of a much more exciting journey!

Good luck.

But It Says September On The Calendar!

I'm just preparing to go off to the National Association of Writer's Group's Festival of Writing at Durham in Northern England where I shall be running 3 workshops this year. After that I shall be spending a few days on holiday, so this is my last post for a week or so.

I just wanted to take the opportunity to remind you about timescales in this writing world of ours. I've marked a couple of assignments this week by students who have submitted articles that would be appropriate for the November issues of the publications they were targeting. However, even though it's only the beginning of September now, the November issues of monthly (and some weekly magazines) will already be finalised.

Ideally, you need to be working about 6 months in advance for a monthly magazine. I'm currently writing articles for January issues at the moment, and thinking about February and March. For weekly publications you need to be thinking at least 12 weeks in advance and submitting material at least 10 weeks in advance.

This often means that for the writer it's a very topsy turvey world. In Winter you're writing about summer stories and in summer you're writing winter stories!

Of course, nothing in this game is wasted, those students merely need to file their work and then send it off next May in time for next November. And let's face it, if you're thinking of ideas for next February and March, it'll be next May before you even know it!

Good luck.

Dealing with PR Departments - How To Stay In Control

You scratch my back and I'll scratch yours. Essentially, that's how PR departments and writers get on with one another. We NEED each other. If PR departments don;t give us the information, then we have little to write about. And if we have little to write about, the products that the PR companies are trying to sell won't see the light of day. It's the perfect relationship isn't it?

PR departments can give us information, facts, statistics and even be a good source of free pictures. However, in order to give us this free information, they want to ensure that their products are getting the right sort of 'spin'. Sometimes it's common for PR companies to ask to see a copy of your article to check that the right message is coming across. Now there's no right or wrong answer to this. However, with PR companies I tend to refuse and say that as a freelance writer I have no control over the piece once I've submitted it. So if the PR people made changes to my article, I can't guarantee that the piece the returned to me is the piece that is published. I was once commissioned by a magazine to write an article about going to the Lake District in winter. The tourist board were immensely helpful in providing information and pictures. They didn't ask to see my piece, and it was probably a good job too. The editor commission me to write a 1500 word piece, but all that was published was 800 words. (I was paid for 1500 words - it was a last minute problem with space that led to the cutting.) But the point I'm making is that if the tourist board had seen the 1500 word article and asked me to make changes, the changes I'd made would probably have been cut anyway.

There are occasions when I show my work to others, usually if I've interviewed somebody and I want them to check that I've understood what they told me and not made any errors. But essentially, with PR departments, I say no. So how can you stay in control?

Explain exactly what you're up to. When you approach a PR officer, make it crystal clear what your feature will be about, the angle you are taking and how you would like them to help you. Remember, there needs to be something in it for the company the PR officer represents. Tell them how you see it as an opportunity for them. I once wrote a feature about staying in unusual self-catering holiday accommodation in the UK and approached two agencies asking for pictures to help illustrate my feature. I explained that the article would be targeting the American market. These agencies like this because when Americans come over to the UK they tend to stay for a couple of weeks rather than just a few days - so they hire accommodation for longer periods.

Clarify what is expected of you. PR officers often make requests of you and you need to follow these (as long as they are reasonable). I once produced a regular column for a local magazine about outdoor clothing and had contacts with over 20 PR officers at various companies. What they requested differs, but I did my utmost to accommodate them. Some just ask me to credit the pictures to their company, whilst others ask me to send them a photocopy of the published feature. This is quite understandable because it becomes the evidence that they can show to their bosses that they've been doing their job properly!

Be prepared with your own facts. Try to have some facts and figures about the publication you are writing for. I almost lost a PR contact I had with my clothing column. They'd been providing me with some brilliant pictures, but unknown to me there had been some internal confusion in the company concerning costs. Because of this, they were reviewing the help they were giving me. Apparently it was costing £80 a time to supply me with the images I was asking for and they weren't sure whether they could continue. I explained that my feature appeared in a magazine with a circulation figure of 20,000 and a readership of over 30,000. Could they get that sort of advertising for £80? When they realised this, they saw that the costs were reasonable and continued to help me.

So treat PR officers with professionalism - it is a professional relationship. You never know how they may be able to help you in the future. And if they've helped you in the past, then send them a Christmas card. It's business etiquette and allows you to put a personal message thanking them for all of their help.

Good luck.

Analyse Magazines on the Cheap!

The downside to writing for magazines is that the only real way to understand who they are written for and where the freelance opportunities may exist is to look at a copy. And even then, it's best to look at three or four copies, not just one issue. Some magazines occassionally theme their issues, so if you happen to pick up a 'travel special' or a 'gardening special' then you won't be getting a true reflection of the opportunities available in that particular magazine.

One way to reduce the cost of magazine analysis is to look out for any subscription special offers. Magazines sometimes offer the next three issues for £ or £1 each if you subscribe by direct debit. When magazines often retail at between £3 and £5, this can be a great saving! It does mean that you have to be on the ball with regards to your Direct Debits! Let the magazine take the first payment and then cancel the direct debit, so the company can't take any further funds. the joy on online banking makes this much easier.

If you're lucky, some magazines are offering 12 month subscriptions for a relatively low price. I currently subscribe to Esquire magazine because the offer was £12 for 12 issues!

One of the best places to look for such offers is Martin Lewis's MoneySavingExpert.com website. He has a specific forum posting page for these sorts of offers. Click here to find out what's on offer at the moment.

Current offers include:

• Subscribe to Red magazine for £6 for 6 issues.
• Yours magazine - 4 issues for £3
• Mother & baby / Pregnancy & Birth - 3 issues for £3
• Practical Photography - 3 issue for £3
• Today's Golfer - 3 issues for £3

The magazines hope that you'll enjoy the magazines so much you'll then continue with your subscription (or 'forget' to cancel your subscription after the first 'offer' issues). And if you study them well and make a sale, what you get paid will more than cover the full price subscription anyway!

So check out those offers and get your market analysis done on the cheap!

Good luck!

Head and Shoulders Above The Rest?

Do you have a head and shoulders picture of yourself that you can offer to editors with your articles? More and more editors are using these images either at the beginning of the magazine near the contents page, or on the page where the writer's article appears.

It seems that readers want to know more about the writers and this is the editor's attempt to give the magazine a friendlier style.

Don't use those dreaded passport style photos against a plain background where you're trying to stifle a grin, yawn or snigger! Try to find one of you in a relaxed situation. And try to be appropriate. So here's the one I use when offering my walking articles - I'm out in the hills!

If you want to write about travel, then find a picture of yourself somewhere sunny. Cooks should be photographed in the kitchen, garden writers in the garden and those targetting parenting magazines should be on the floor with their children!

So next time you're just about to send off an article, double check the magazine/publication that you're sending it to. Do they print pictures of the writer anywhere? If so, then you should consider doing the same. Smile now!

Before I go I would like to pass on some more congratulations. Julie emailed me to say that Woman's Weekly want to use her fifth assignment piece about her recent past life as a rocker! And another of my students, also called Julie, has emailed to say that Your Cat magazine has asked to use her article about a cat getting stuck up a tree.

Congratulations to you both. Enjoy the moment, and try to get addicted to the feeling of success. It's a useful spur to keep you going!

Well done.

Success for Said!

Well Said Y Mohammed is having the perfect start to his Writers bureau course. He's just sold his article produced for his second assignment to his local paper the Bridge. To view a PDF version of his article (onpage 2) click here.

"I am glad to inform you," Said wrote in his covering letter for assignment 3, "that I have sold assignment 2 to The Bridge magazine. I have made the changes you suggested and added some suitable statistics and they jumped at it. They paid me US$100."

But it gets better than that. Said continues:

"They also asked me to write another piece for them on Somali wedding ceremonies for their September issue."

So not only has he got his second assignment published, but he's just received his first commission.

So well done Said. Keep up the good work!

After Caerleon

Well, I said I'd let you know how I got on doing my afternoon lecture at the Caerleon Summer Writer's Holiday, so here I am. Clearly I survived and wasn't bombarded with rotten fruit!

Actually it went really well, but then that's the whole atmosphere at Caerleon. It's so friendly there, I could feel everyone in the audience 'willing' me to do well. In fact I lost count of how many people came up to me afterwards to say how much they enjoyed it, although I do remember one person doing that - Raymond Allen, author of the BBC hit television series "Some Mothers Do Have Them". That was really special.

If ever you've thought about going to a writer's gathering, I would encourage you to do so if you can. The Writers Holiday at Caerleon runs every year and if you book online, you'll save £10. However, if you book for 2009 by post by sending a cheque BEFORE 30th September 2008 AND you mention my name, you can get £25 off the cost of the 5 day break. (Who said I'm not worth knowing?)

The venue is part of the University of Wales and is located just outside Newport, Cardiff, and it's student accommodation (but I didn't realise that students had it so easy these days. It's all single rooms, with ensuite toilets, wash basins and showers!)


Here's a picture of the tables and chairs outside the bar area, which shows that if you can write while you're busy drinking, the views are pretty inspirational too!

You have the option to choose two courses for the duration of the break (from a choice of 14 next year). There are two workshops on the first course on Monday morning, two more on Tuesday morning and then the final one is on Wednesday morning. After that on Wednesday morning, you then have the first workshop of your second course, followed by two more on Thursday morning and two more on Friday morning.

During the afternoons there is an afternoon lecture whethere a writer tells how they got involved in the business (hence my talk) which lasts for about an hour and there is usually a question and answer session. Later on, there are called After Tea sessions which last an hour and some are run by the tutors (I ran two different ones) whilst others are run by other delegates. Anyone can run an After Tea session. Then, after dinner, there is an evening lecture, again by a successful writer, usually for an hour.

In between all these there are plenty of opportunities to meet up with other writers and chat over tea/coffee. I've already mentioned the bar too, so that's gets busy in the evenings! We all eat and socialise together so you can chat to the tutors as much as you want.

On the last night of the holiday, the evening lecture makes way for the Cwmbach Male Voice Choir who provide over an hour's musical entertainment. Then they all pile into the bar (are you spotting a trend here?) where they continue to sing several songs, but this time accompanied by by a pint of beer in their hands. It seems to have become traditional now, for regular tutor and novelist Jane Wenham-Jones to climb up onto the snooker table and dance to one of their songs!

If you want to see more of the Cwmbach Male Voice Choir, they've been used in a television advert recently, a copy of which can be seen on YouTube

Of course, it is a holiday, so you can do as much or as little of all of this as you wish. I went to all of the lectures and some of the workshops, and I've picked up several tips, and I think that's what works well about Caerleon. We all share ideas and we all learn from each other.

And if I haven't put you off enough, I shall be there next year tutoring the Travel & Other Features for Magazines course.

If you book up, I guarantee that you'll want to go every year!

Can You Manage 100 words?

You'll need to be quick because the closing date is August 15th, but then how long will it take you to write 100 words? Actually, I would tell you to take as long as it needs (before the closing date) to get your entry perfect, but if you're up for a challenge why not enter the Wigtown Book festival 10th Anniversary Short Short Story competition?

Student Heather Bestel brought this to my attention because she lives nearby in the beautiful Scottish region of Dumfries and Galloway. If you've never been, then go - it's scenically outstanding and a very quiet region of Scotland - perfect for getting some writing done.

Wigtown is also Scotland's official Book Town, and is full of secondhand and new bookshops - a bit like Hay-on-Wye in Wales. I've been there a couple of times and always seem to come away from there with another carrier bag full of books!

Anyway, if you click here, this will take you to the site where you can read the entry rules, and if you;re chosen to be the winner, you could win a free ticket to every event in the 2009 Wigtown Book Festival. Entry won't even cost you a stamp, you have to email them, so there's no excuse.

There is a theme, "On The Edge" so your short, short story needs to be linked to this theme in some way.

Good luck!

Who Is Going To Read Your Work?

In the assignments I've marked this week, I've noticed that several students have analysed their target magazines to get a feel for where the freelance slots may be in the publications, and how many words will fit into those slots, but there hasn't been much focus on the reader. Yet it is the reader after all, who you are writing for in the first place!

Back in February, I posted a blog about using media packs to get information about readers, and I'm going to repeat it here, particularly for those new students who have recently signed up to my blog. But if you've already read it before, it's worth rereading it again. The reader is the most important person in our equation. Satisfy the reader and you'll satisfy the editor.

You stand more chance of getting published if you write with a specific reader in mind. It doesn't matter whether you are writing a letter, article, short story, novel, non-fiction book ... whatever. You need to know who you are talking too.

If you're writing for the magazine market, let me give you a sneaky little secret. Do a seach on the internet for the 'media pack' for the name of the magazine you're interested in writing for. They are often available as PDF files, which most computers can open particularly if you have Adobe's free reader programme (http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep2.html)

A Media Pack is designed for advertisers, not writers, so it isn't all of interest to writers, but they have their uses. Let me give you an example. Eve magazine is a woman's magazine here in the UK and they have a media pack, which you can view online at http://www.evemagazine.co.uk/eveglobalmediainfo.pdf

Go through and you will discover useful information about Eve readers including:

• the magazine views itself as a 'truly, luxurious treat for intelligent, independent and stylish women in the 30s'
• they are well educated, interested in personal development
• 30% of its reader earn between £50,000 and £100,000 per annum
• spend over £90 per month on beauty products
• the magazine has 294,000 readers

The media pack also mentions a special website for their readers about cars http://www.evecars.com

The average eve reader is 37 years old.

Wow - that's quite a lot of information. But already you can see that if the readers spend an average £90 per month on beauty products, then your "Ten Top Beauty Tips for under £2.50" clearly isn't going to fit. That's not to say that "Ten Top Beauty Tips for under £2.50" isn't a great idea - it just isn't a great idea for Eve's readers. (And if Eve's readers aren't going to be able to identify with your idea, then the editor certainly won't.)

A WORD OF WARNING

Using media pack information is NOT a short cut to market analysis. A media pack WILL NOT tell you how long the average article is. It WILL NOT tell you which pages are open to freelance written material. It WILL NOT tell you how much they pay for reader's letters.

But used in conjunction with your own magazine analysis, they will help you gain a better understanding of who your reader is.

Here are some media packs for a range of UK magazines which may be of interest:

• People's Friend http://www.marketing.dcthomson.co.uk/pdf_window.asp?pdf=peoples_friend.pdf
• My Weekly http://www.marketing.dcthomson.co.uk/pdf_window.asp?pdf=my_weekly.pdf
• Animals and You http://www.marketing.dcthomson.co.uk/pdf_window.asp?pdf=animals_and_you.pdf
• I'm Pregnant! http://www.marketing.dcthomson.co.uk/pdf_window.asp?pdf=im_pregnant.pdf
• Nuts magazine http://www.ipcmedia.com/mediainfo/nuts.pdf
• Country Life http://www.ipcmedia.com/mediainfo/countrylife.pdf
• Chat http://www.ipcmedia.com/mediainfo/chat.pdf
• Homes & Garden http://www.ipcmedia.com/mediainfo/homesgardens.pdf
• Marie Claire http://www.ipcmedia.com/mediainfo/marieclaire.pdf
• Woman's Weekly http://www.ipcmedia.com/mediainfo/womansweekly.pdf
• Woman & Home http://www.ipcmedia.com/mediainfo/womanhome.pdf

I shan't be posting anything next week, because I'm away at the Writer's Holiday at Caerleon in South Wales (see this post for more information). I'll let you know how it went when I get back.

Good luck.

Are You Competitive Enough?

Do you consider entering writing competitions? Student Sarah Husselmann has and she's now landed herself a regular column in her local magazine!

There are thousands of writing competitions out there, but I usually advise writers to target the smaller competitions first - the ones that don't get quite so much publicity. That way you'll reduce the number of other writers competing against you too!

Winning, or being placed in a competition not only gives you a huge psychological boost (YOUR writing was chosen above all the other entrants) but it is also something worth putting on your writing CV. When you approach other editors with ideas, being able to mention that you came first in a competition on a similar subject, gives you extra authority.

You never know where a competition win may lead. I once won a travel writing competition in a small magazine, and on the strength of that was asked by another magazine to produce a feature on my local county. So not only did I get a win, and something to put down on my CV, I also got a commission out of it too. Sarah now has a regular column, so she'll be getting plenty of writing experience now - and best of all, when she approaches other editors with idea, she can legitimately tell them that she is regularly published, and has a monthly column. And that may not have happened had she not entered the competition in the first place.

So next time you see a competition advertised, why not consider submitting an entry? Not only will the writing experience be a useful one, but you never know where it may lead.

Good Luck.

PS - I'd also like to say congratulations to Penny Legg, who has been offered a wonderful writing opportunity. She's written numerous articles and pieces for local publications and now, she's got to make what could be a life changing decision - and I bet it's one she never thought she'd be making when she started her Writers Bureau course!

Calling All Writers Bureau Students! Write and Edit A New Magazine

I don't know if any of you subscribe to the Writer's Bureau Ezee Writer Monthly newsletter (click here to sign up, if you don't), but the organisation is looking to create a quarterly online magazine written and edited for students, by students. See below for more details:

We have an exciting project we want to get up and running in the near future. We want those of you who are already students, to put together your own writing magazine, which we will publish in a new student community area we are in the process of creating on our website.

We are looking for people who would be interested in designing the magazine, editing it and, of course, we need contributors. This will all be done on a voluntary basis by whoever chooses to take on the roles and is completely flexible. So, if you want to edit/contribute/design the magazine for 1 month, 3 months or a whole year it is up to you! We are planning on the magazine being quarterly to begin with.

The topics of the articles and all other content will be chosen by the editor and can be related to writing or about something else completely. They could be on how writing has changed your life, where to get articles published, how to research, your top tips for each other. You may also want to include puzzles and teasers, such as writing related crosswords and inspirational ideas. You can also send in your own work for publication, this can include poems, short stories, in fact anything you like.

It could also be useful for those of you who feel a little nervous about sending your work to publishers. You can try out the techniques and build you confidence using other students as a sounding board.

This is a fantastic opportunity for you to see publishing from the inside. You get to experience the trials and tribulations of being involved with a publication firsthand, which offers a unique perspective for those who choose to give it a go.

The main thing to remember is that this is a magazine for students by students; so the world is your oyster!

If you want to get involved, send an email to ezeewriter@writersbureau.com.

Good luck.

Love Your Local Bookshop - Take 3

You may recall last week that I got involved in my local bookshop's events planned for the Independent Book Shop's Booksellers Week. Well as you will have seen from my earlier post, we managed to get a passerby to take a picture of the event.

The industry's trade magazine - The Bookseller - asked bookshops to send in any pictures, so even though I'm an author, not a bookseller, (I am a subscriber to the magazine - not cheap at £4.40 a week!) I sent in the picture.

Well it just goes to show that nothing ventured, nothing gained! Boy did I get a surprise yesterday morning when the postman delivered the latest issue of The Bookseller. There I was sitting in bed with a cup of tea, just flicking through the pages when, the page above jumped out. (click on the picture to see a bigger version) Talk about spit a mouthful of tea across the bedclothes!

I don't know why they used my picture quite so big or why the two pictures underneath of authors Kate Mosse and Alan Titchmarsh are so much smaller.

If nothing else, my local bookshop was pleased!

Writing From Life

If ever you are stuck for ideas, Lynne Hackle's new book "Writing From Life" (ISBN:978-1-84528-241-7) will be just the antidote you need.

Lynne is a prolific short story writer and regularly uses personal experiences as the basis for her tales. For those of us who know her, we're still waiting to see a short story based on her experience when she was on the Channel 4 game show with Noel Edmonds, "Deal Or No Deal" (and won!).

In her book, Lynne shows you how to sell a snippet of conversation (how many times have I told you to get eavesdropping?), how to take your boss and your best friend and come up with an entirely new character, sell one experience to several different markets and how to make the most from your hobbies.

Whether you write fiction or non-fiction, we always put elements of our own experience in our writing, and Lynne's book shows you how to maximise this.

The book is also littered with quotes from a variety of writers about how they've used their experiences to get into print, (read mine on page 40!), as well as a series of exercises to help you delve into the inner depths of your memories and recover those life experiences you thought you'd forgotten.

I read Lynne's book in one sitting and jotted down five ideas without really thinking about them. One I've already submitted as a letter, and two which I'm currently developing as articles.

So if you're stuck for ideas, then check out Lynne's book.

Good luck.

Editors Are God

One of my ex-students, John Rooney, mentions in his blog (The Ups, Downs and Sometimes Insane World or Freelance Writing) that sometimes editors seem to have a knack of asking for the impossible.

John submitted a query idea to an editor back in February. He heard nothing. Then, and during a time of crisis for him and his family, the editor wrote back asking him to write the article within the next four days. John actually had less than four days because the magazine doesn't accept email submissions, so he had to allow time for the postal system too.

Now many people would dismiss the letter and say that the editor is being completely unreasonable. He has, after all, had since February to make his mind up about whether he likes the idea or not.

However, it is not as simple as that. It may well be that John's idea, now has an element of topicality that makes it suitable for the next issue of the magazine. Perhaps a news item broke last week, and suddenly John's idea is the perfect idea now. This means that it wasn't the perfect idea three weeks ago.

Or perhaps another writer has let this editor down and he's desperate for something to fill the gap at short notice, and he's picked John's idea.

Or perhaps the postal system has swallowed John's idea since last February and only recently spat it out on the editor's desk last week.

Whatever the reason is, moaning about the tight deadline does not solve the problem. If you read John's posting (and I recommend that you do - click on the link above) you'll see that John takes a pragmatic approach to this. Yes it is a pain in the neck that the deadline is just four days. It's unfortunate that it has happened at a time of personal crisis for John. But in this freelancing world, it isn't the writer's place to moan. The editor cannot leave two blank pages in his magazine and just print a sorry excuse saying:

"I'm sorry but the writer was unable to meet their deadline so these pages are left blank."

Reader won't accept it.

Whatever an editor asks for, you have to deliver. If you want his work, you have no choice. If you won't another writer will certainly step into your shoes. In this light, an Editor is God, particularly if you want to be published in that specific magazine. Of course, it is down to you whether you decide to worship that God or not.

But John took what I feel is the right approach. He took the deadline head on, and he delivered on time. The editor could still reject his piece. But the editor will certainly remember that John delivered what he asked, when he asked him to.

It would have been so easy for John to turn around and say, "sorry, I can't do this at the moment." But he didn't. He was still there for his family, but he also found a way of delivering work to the editor too. The chances are, John will be rewarded with more work in the future because of this.

So next time you receive a response from an editor, which wasn't what you expected, stop and think. Could you deliver it if you really put your mind to it? Go on, have a go. You might be surprised with what you achieve.

Good luck.

Don't Be A Solitary Writer - Be A Holidaying Networking Writer

As you sit at your desk beavering away at an assignment or other writing p
roject that you may be working on, it's all to easy to become isolated. Every now and then it is necessary to get back in touch with the real world, and thankfully there are a couple of great ways to do this. Writers holidays.

Caerleon, new Newport, Wales is the venue of the Writers Holiday, held at the end of July through to the beginning of August. From Sunday through to Friday, you can mix with over a hundred other writers as you tackle a variety of workshops in the mornings, listen to visiting writers lectures in the afternoon, attend even more workshops and classes after tea, and then listen to more writers after dinner. (Then it's all down to the pub after such a hard working day.)

If you're able to attend, I would seriously encourage you to do so. Yes, it costs a few hundred pounds but that's inclusive of accommodation, all meals, all workshops, tuition, after tea sessions and lectures. All you have to pay for is the drinks in the bar!

I led one of the series of workshops last year and this year I shall be giving one of the afternoon or after dinner lectures. It's a great, friendly atmosphere and I guarantee that if you went with a blank address book with you leave the event with it full of new friend's contact details.

For more information visit http://www.writersholiday.net/

If you're unable to get to Caerleon, or you do and you catch the bug (which I would be surprised if you didn't), the National Association of Writers Groups (NAWG) run the Open Festival of Writing at Durham over the first weekend in September. Again, it's packed full of other like-minded writers and is a non-stop weekend of fun, frivolity and workshops. Saturday night is also the gala dinner when the winners of the organisations competitions are announced, and the Oscars have nothing on this ceremony!

The NAWG Festival is sightly cheaper than the Caerleon holiday, but then is a long weekend event rather than nearly a week. More details can be found at NAWG FESTIVAL. I shall be running 3 workshops at Durham this year.

There is another 'event' - the Swanwick Summer School in Derbyshire in the second week of August, which is also popular.

If you're unable to make this year's events, do consider 2009. Start putting a few pounds a week aside now, or try to sell a couple of articles to pay for the break. They are great learning opportunities, as well as great holidays. You'll make lots more writing friends and who knows where that networking could lead?

Love Your Local Bookshop - Take Two

So here I am with a cup of tea (no change there then) at my local bookshop as part of the "Love Your Local Bookshop" week. (Emma and I didn;t just drink tea and eat chocolate biscuits. We also put the world to rights over avrious matters and even sold some books!)

It's always interesting chatting to people when they walk past. One woman bought 3 copies of my dog books (thank you- I can eat next week now) and then said how much she enjoyed my walking book - Best Walks in the Welsh Borders). It's so nice hearing this feedback from readers. A lot of effort goes into producing any book, but the walking route guides have to be checked and double-checked against official rights of way maps, so it's delightful to hear from readers who enjoyed following my route. It makes the effort so worthwhile.

An unsuspecting couple from Cheltenham who'd popped up to Church Stretton for a couple of days were soon pounced on when they said they were looking for some interesting walks to do. Naturally they left with a copy of my book too (signed, of course!).

All the staff at Burway Books worked hard (although it might not look like it in the picture!) and there are several more authors going there throughout the week, culminating with bestselling novelist Kate Long (Author of The Bad Mother's Handbook) on 8th July.

And if you ever needed more of an incentive, Burway Books are offering a 10% discount on purchases throughout the week long event. More details can be found here.

I had fun at my local independent bookshop. So why don't you pop along to your local independent bookshop to see what they're doing. You may be served by a writer, not a bookseller!

Do You Love Your Local Bookshop?

Do you love your local bookshop? Here in the UK, the first ever Independent Booksellers week is running between 1st and 8th July 2008. As a result a whole range of events are taking place at over 300 independent bookshops next week, with many authors getting their hands dirty and working on the other side of the till!

Pop into the Little Green Dragon Bookshop in Alton, Hampshire next week and Alan Titchmarsh might be the one to help you with your credit card transaction. Gyles Brandreth will be helping out at a bookshop in Kew, and Mark Billingham will be at Stoke Newington Bookshop.

To find out more about what's going on in your own area next week visit www.localbookshops.co.uk

I do wonder if the local independent bookshop owners know what they're letting themselves in for. I shall be helping out next week in my own local bookshop, and I just hope that I don't short change anyone! I'll let you know how I get on.

Wish me luck!

Love Your Local Bookshop

Fact Files, Side Bars, Further Information Panels and other snippets

Writing for the magazine market means giving editors more than they need. This does not mean giving them a 2,000 word article when they only print 800 word articles. What it means is giving them a choice.

Flick through any magazine these days and the vast majority have extra snippets of information related to the article, but dotted around the page. These are called Fact Files, Side bars, Side Panels, Further Information Boxes ... in fact there's probably as many different descriptions for them as there are boxes!

If the magazine you are targeting uses these, then you should provide them too. Often they are used to provide the reader with extra information, or add a touch of humour. Bullet points are particularly popular, especially if the fact file offer Five Top Tips For ...

For travel magazines these are ESSENTIAL. With a travel article your aim is to get the reader to want to follow in your footsteps. If you achieve this, then the fact file and further information boxes will give the reader all they need to know in order to do this. Empower your reader with contact addresses, website addresses, currency rates, useful tips, opening times etc, etc, etc.

I have an example posted on my website about the Royal Yacht Britannia. It's in PDF format and is 10MB, so it's quite large, but you can download the full article here, and at the end you'll see the various fact files and side panels that were used. (Note my phrase 'that were used').

I always offer the editor a wide range of information and fact files. It is up to the editor how many or which ones he or she uses. They're not always used. But it gives the editor the choice to decide what to use and where. It helps them spread information around the page.

Some students query about how this affects your word count. It doesn't. When giving a word count, always quote the length of your main article, excluding the extra fact files etc. I sometimes put on my cover sheets:

A 1500-word article
(with additional 500 words of further information)

...just to make it clear to editors that the 1500 words relates to the main body of text.

Will you get paid more for providing more words? Probably not. However, the extra information you provide can make the difference between an acceptance and a rejection.

So next time you finish an article, think about what 'added bonuses' you can give to an editor. Afterall, everyone likes getting something extra for free don't they?

Good luck.

New Magazine - The Sea

I've just discovered a new magazine called The Sea, which may be of interest to students. It's affiliated to the RNLI (Royal National Lifeboat Institution) and Sea Vision, but seems to cover a variety of topics connected with the Sea, and not just Britain's waters.

Issue 1 is dated June 2008 and has articles about the following:

• The history of the Bikini
• The Science of Oceanography
• An article about RNLI volunteers
• A Q&A section (how far can icebergs travel? how does the gulf stream work?what's the best paid job at sea?)
• The Plight of the Albatross
• Maritime Crime - Pirates and People Smuggling!
• An article onone of the largest Container ships in the world
• An article about fish in the Caribbean Sea
• Sustainable seafood
• A history of lighthouses

So you see, it's packed full of a variety of sea-related features and not just UK based ideas either!

For further information visit the magazine's website

The magazine is also doing a special subscription offer for those based in the UK - 3 issues for £3. This is great opportunity for some market research and at £1 per copy is one of the cheapest ways to do it! Click here for more information.

The website is also offering the opportunity to but just one copy of the magazine for £3.70. Click here for more details.

Many people love the sea - I'm sure we can all think of something to write about, wherever in the world we are!

Editor: Alison bridge
Postal Addres: The Sea, Signature Publishing Ltd, Headley house, Headley Road, Grayshott, Surrey, GU26 6YU

Good luck!

Seven Ways To Structure Your Article

Las Vegas needs gamblers, London needs Harrods, and articles need structure. Apart from a beginning, a middle and an end, the main body of your feature (the middle) needs a structure that’s fun to read and easy to write. And once you know how, the structure can help you generate many more ideas for hundreds more articles!

27 Ways To Get Rich

How many times have you seen such a claim on the front cover of a magazine? Readers love numbers, which means that editors do too. Look at the title of this blog. This method of structuring is perfect for those articles that comprise a number of themed ideas. It’s easier to deal with each idea as a separate paragraph, and this will keep you focused and to the point. Popular numbers are multiples of 5 (10, 20, 25, 50, 75 etc) although any number works. Company magazine recently had “237 new fashion ideas”. I sold an article to Cumbria magazine about humorous incidents on its open top bus service, and called it “Ten Open Top Tips”.

Alphabetti Spaghetti

If you can’t use numbers then how about letters? Want to write an article about the healing properties of herbs but don’t know where to begin? Well why not write it as an A-Z? Identify one herb that begins with each letter of the alphabet and write a few sentences on each one, then move onto the next. Get a good idea and an editor may want to spread the article over two separate issues. An A-Z is an excellent way of getting the basics across about a new subject, but it can also be flexible. The Lake District Magazine recently ran a piece entitled “An A to Z of the Lake District” where each letter focussed on an individual village. Sometimes your creativity is required with the X’s and Z’s, but often a tongue in cheek approach adds humour!

The Taj Mahal Approach
Travel articles are popular with writers because they can feature somewhere near or far. What’s on your own doorstep will be exotic to someone else in a different location! But if you’ve been asked to write about your locality for a national audience, structuring the article can be the most difficult challenge. What do you write about? Which attractions do you mention, and which do you leave out? The answer is to make comparisons. You’ve heard of the 7 wonders of the world, well why not give them the 7 wonders of Winnipeg? Your local country estate garden may not be the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, but I bet there’s one feature there that is unique to them. Sow that seed in the reader’s mind and then find your next wonder.

The Time Line
Historical features appear in many general interest magazines such as The Lady, Best of British, People’s Friend and the Scots Magazine in the UK. In the USA titles such as American Heritage, British Heritage, Gateway Heritage and Preservation Magazine are good markets to approach. But it’s very easy to confuse your readers if you jump from one time period to another and then back again. A chronological approach is better, allowing you to break each paragraph down into centuries, decades, years or weeks depending on the time frame that you are covering. Time can be a useful way of telling a particular story of an unusual job or organisation. Articles that are titled “A Day In The Life Of …” are popular with editors and are often used as the final article in the magazine. With a title like this, there’s only one way of dealing with the information, which means as a writer your thoughts and comments will be clear and concise.

The Accumulator

This is a variation of the numbers structure, but it needn’t follow a mathematical pattern. It’s often used to suggest to readers how they can save thousands of pounds, with several short and easy to achieve tasks. (Save £6,000 by following these 12 easy steps.) However, instead of numbering each step 1 to 12, the figure used is how much you could save by implementing each piece of advice. So the first idea may show a total saving of £50, combine this with the second idea and you could save £125, implement the third and you save £220, the fourth £390, and so on.

Excuse me, but how do you do that?

In