We can't ignore the online side of freelancing

The other day I was guest-lecturing a class at the local community college, talking about opportunities to sell their work in magazines and newspapers. As I looked out at the sea of young faces, I felt that what I was saying had minimal relevancy to their lives. Studies show that people under age 30 rarely read newspapers anymore.

I asked the class what they read. A couple of eager writer wannabes said they did read the paper all the time. One said she read science fiction novels. Others mentioned blogs, facebook, myspace. I gave my usual spiel, but as I thought about it over the weekend, I decided the next edition of my Freelancing for Newspapers book ought to have a new title, something like: Freelancing for Newspapers: Print and Online.

I don't think the print media are ever going to completely disappear. It's too nice to be able to carry the paper with you to read on the beach or on the bus or at breakfast. I like to cut stories out and save them. And I especially enjoy long narrative articles that I can settle in with for a good read.

So why add the online component?
1) When I want to know what's happening right now, I don't look at the paper; I go online. For example, I just read that Hillary Clinton won the Kentucky primary. These days, I don't want to wait for tomorrow's newspaper to find out; I want to know now. Online news is faster, plus you can choose what you're interested in and skip the rest. It also saves all those pages that wind up in the recycle bin.
2) Most newspapers publish online as well as on paper. In fact, I just found a site called www.onlinenewspapers.com that will link you to thousands of newspapers. My Google search turned up other sites, but this one site will give you plenty to do.
3) More and more publications are trashing the print version and publishing only online because it's so much cheaper. Some so-called newspapers never were in print; they only publish online.
4) Newspapers, magazines and broadcast media frequently refer their audience to extra content, including music, videos, photos, resource lists, and expanded interviews, on the Internet. If you only read the print version, you only get half the story.
5) Staff writers are blogging these days. Again, if you only read what goes in print, you miss half the story.


We freelance writers cannot ignore the Internet. We need to include it in the markets for which we write. Sometimes the pay is low, but the exposure is worldwide, and you can publish more stories more quickly. Do a search for online newspapers and start looking at the guidelines. I plan to do the same.

Newspapers are not disappearing, but they are doing a little shape-shifting. For more information, go to www . . . no, that's 30 for today, which in old-time newspaper talk means "the end".

Write soon.

Collecting presidents

I've now seen my second president. The first was President Gerald Ford, and the circumstances were very different. Fourteen years ago, the former president was stumping for Republican candidates at a mansion in Saratoga, CA, and I was the editor of the Saratoga News. Photographer Ed Lee and I had access to everything and everyone. I took notes like crazy. Ed Lee ran around snapping photos, so excited it's a wonder he didn't faint. When the speeches were over, we were invited into the living room, where we shook the former president's hand and sipped champagne from commemorative glasses. Of course we were two of many, but, as cynical as reporters are supposed to be, I was thrilled. I know, Ford wasn't in office that long, he wasn't one of the greats, he wasn't even my party, but who cares. He was a president.

Back at the office, I cranked out my front page story while Ed developed his photos the old fashioned way in the darkroom. We were stoked.

I'd seen lots of politicians. I'd interviewed state legislators, countless mayors and city council members. I even photographed Gov. Jerry Brown in his office in Sacramento. But Ford had been president of the United States.

This week I saw former president Bill Clinton. I was just part of the crowd, standing at the Newport marina looking through gaps between the shoulders of tall teens in gray hoodies. I recognized the media running around with their badges and the black-suited politicians and secret service members clustered around the back of the stage, but this time there would be no hand-shaking, no introductions. I was just one more anonymous, middle-aged Oregon coast voter.

Cheers erupted when an SUV pulled up from a service road at 4:30. As the black-suited men walked toward the stage, Clinton was taller than the rest, his hair shiny white. I was close enough to see his face clearly, and I was as star-struck as anyone else.

I was also jealous of the reporters, missing my newspaper days, although I'm not sure what I would have written. Probably just a caption. He gave the same speech at every stop. The glory would go to those taking photos of Clinton standing against the picturesque backdrop of the Yaquina Bay bridge.

A lot of teenagers came, saw, snapped pictures with their cell phone cameras and left, enabling to me to move closer and closer. They didn't know the history. They didn't vote for Clinton when he became our first baby boomer president. George Bush has been president so long he's probably the only president they remember.

I didn't even have a camera with me because I hadn't expected to attend. I didn't know until the night before that Clinton was coming to our little coastal town. And I didn't find out until that morning where and what time he would be speaking. If he had not been an hour late, I would have missed it because I was getting my hair cut.

What does one write about a former president seeking votes for his wife to become the next president, insisting she can still win when the numbers favor her opponent? I doubt that anybody really cared much what Clinton said. His basic message--the country needs fixing and Hillary can do it—was no surprise. Folks just wanted to see a former president. As did I. I'm thinking of collecting them, like commemorative quarters.

It was freezing out at the marina. Even in mid-May, bundled up in our heavy coats and stocking caps, it felt awfully cold, and after a while, I wanted so badly just to bend my knees, but I had gotten up to the fence and didn't want to lose my place.
I was supposed to be somewhere else, but I couldn't leave; this was history.

Clinton spoke for an hour, his white hair blowing in the breeze. I saw that familiar squinched-up face and heard that scratchy voice with the southern accent.
As soon as he finished, he disappeared. I suppose he shook a few hands and headed for his car while the rest of us walked in the other direction, hurrying toward warmth and dinner.

So what can a freelancer do with such a story? Odds of covering it as news are slim. You'd need a good connection with an editor who could get you advance information, credentials and a reserved space in the paper. You could write an opinion piece, e-mailing it as quickly as possible. Or you could look for a unique angle. How about interviewing the locals who were out there selling tee shirts or the kids attending as homework for their poly sci classes?

If you could obtain an assignment and permission from the campaign folks, it would be terrific to ride along with someone like Clinton all day, catching the in-between bits of life that the public doesn't see. After all, he traveled from the desert to Portland to the coast to two college towns all in one day. He's been doing the same thing all over the country. Did he eat? Did he sleep? Did he pop throat lozenges? Did he call Hillary to compare notes? What did he say about Newport as he cruised onto Highway 20? Did he or anyone else worry that he was behind schedule?
Narrative journalism is the thing these days. Capture the experience, not just the speech, not just the numbers of people who came.

I saw this president as a civilian and it felt strange. I'm writing this, I suppose, because I feel as if I must write something about such an event in our small town. Clinton's visit will be front page news Wednesday, when the next issue of the News-Times comes out.

As freelancers, we need creativity and connections to come out of the crowd and join the media. Who knows? Maybe you could even shake hands with a former president.

Question about reselling stories to other markets

I'm double-posting today to answer a question from a writer named Susan, who had some questions for me:

" I enjoyed reading your piece, "Newspapers: A Great Source of Freelance Opportunities."
I've taken the opportunity to sell work I've done to newspapers, primarily because I've found it a very comfortable relationship.
Since I reside in both Florida and Illinois, one line in your piece was of particular interest, " and the Chicago Tribune pays from $150 to $500 for travel articles--which you could resell to the L.A. Times or the Miami Herald...."
I haven't written travel articles, I write health features, but why did you specifically mention the Times or the Herald for resale, and how would I go about reselling pieces I've done for the Trib?
Thanks in advance for your advice.
Susan

Susan,
That I mentioned those particular papers was simply a matter of having the information and being impressed at their rates. In other words, it's a coincidence that they happen to be the papers from where you live.

That said, you can resell any type of article, not just travel articles, as long as you have not given up all rights and your story fits the mission of papers you're aiming for.

Let's talk about rights. Ideally, you signed a contract for your work, but if not, you should have an e-mail, letter or at least a verbal agreement as to what rights the first publication is buying. Don't accept an assignment without knowing what rights you're giving up. In the best situation, they only ask for first rights or claim exclusive rights for a limited period of time, which allows you to offer reprint rights elsewhere.

Some papers buy all rights. You can try to negotiate a change in that clause, but if you don't succeed, all is not lost. You can still write a new article using much of the same information but adding new material to fit the new market. Or you can go at the story from a different angle, making it a whole new piece.

Approach the new publication in much the same way as the first one. E-mail a query or send the whole story, making sure you mention where it ran before. Most publications pay less for reprints, but it still adds to the total you can make from that story.

A couple of cautions with newspaper reprints:
Most papers put a lot of their content online. If your story is going to be on the Internet indefinitely, that may harm your chances of republishing it elsewhere.
Many newspapers papers are part of conglomerates that own several newspapers. They often share content. Try not to offer reprints to papers in the same family.

I hope that answers some of your questions. There's more information in my Freelancing for Newspapers book, as well as in Writer's Market, at Writing-World.com and other sites for writers. I also recommend The Renegade Writer and The ASJA Guide to Freelance Writing, both wonderful books.

I'm at a conference--in my bathrobe

This week I'm attending the week-long Catholic Writers Guild Conference. It's one of a growing number of online conferences being offered these days. Although I miss the pricey hotels and the eight-variations-of-chicken meals, I'm liking the fact that I can attend this conference and still attend to my real life. Presentations are offered at specific times via chat room, which makes them more interactive than most live conference workshops where one just sits and listens. The handouts are downloadable, with a comprehensive e-book available at the end, and the presenters continue the conversations in forums available 24/7. This being a conference for religious writers, we start and end with prayers, which is nice. My only problem has been figuring out what time things were happening. But now I've got it. Listings are for East Coast time; subtract three hours.

I am Catholic but haven't written much for Catholic publications. I'm finding out about all kinds of markets I had never heard of before and getting a chance to chat with editors about what they want. A Catholic book publisher was also online earlier in the conference to take pitches, and now she's still lurking in the forums to answer questions. In addition, we get to plug our own blogs and books.

Cost of this conference? Free, although they'd like it if you donated something via Paypal.

Registration to this year's conference is closed, and you might not be interested in a religious conference anyway, but keep your eyes open for online conferences. It's a great way to get extra information and inspiration on your own time from your own desk.

PR, Part 2

Whew, that last blog entry threw a lot of stuff out in a hurry, didn't it? Sorry, but it gives you an example of how newspaper writing works sometimes. You write as you can type and hope it comes out all right in print. There are definitely times when you look at the published newspaper and wish you could gather up every copy and throw it in the trash.

But we're freelancers. We have more time, right? Well, sometimes.

Let's get pack to PR. You'd be amazed at how many press releases arrive at a newspaper office every day. They come by fax, by e-mail, by snail mail and get dropped off in person. Watch the editor duck so that in-person deliverer doesn't see her and ask for an unscheduled meeting.

Press releases may be well-written or incomprehensible. They may include photos. They may have contact information or not. They may come with all kinds of extras designed to woo the editor. For example, I have received CDs, books, a glittery costume-party mask, pages packed in a big red film cannister and envelopes full of that little gold and silver confetti that people put on party tables. DON'T DO THAT. They're probably still picking that stuff out of the carpet years later.

When you decide to send out press releases, whether you're a staff PR person or a freelancer, first consider who will care about whatever you're publicizing. Local newspapers cannot publish stories that have no local connection. So if I'm in Portland, OR and you're pushing a new album by a singer from Dallas, don't send me the CD and the press release unless that singer is coming to Portland. I'll keep the CD, if it's any good, but the story will never run. Every newspaper has a mission, whether it's to publish what's happening in a particular geographical area or covering a particular subject, such as a religion, an age group, or a hobby. Your press release must fit that mission or it goes straight into the recycle bin.

Assuming the release fits, let's talk about writing the release. In some cases, you may need to vary the press release to fit the publication, so you may be writing several different press releases. The release needs to be short and full of information. Some newspapers fill their pages with press releases published as submitted, but better newspapers do not run press releases verbatim, so don't expect your exact words to appear in the paper. Essentially they serve as notes for a reporter to use to write his own story. Remember that you're serving your client, not your ego.

The ideal press release will have: a header that tells us who you are, whom to call for more information, whether this is for immediate release, what section of the paper you'd like it to be in (is this designated for the calendar section or are you hoping for a big feature in the business section?), an interesting lead, a second paragraph that makes clear exactly what the story is, and several more paragraphs providing additional information. AND, the ideal press release will include a good photo with all the people in it clearly identified.

With releases where the timing matters, find out what the newspaper's deadlines are and make sure you get the release in on time, preferably early. If it's too late, it's too late. The space is filled, the paper has gone to press. Most papers publish their deadlines somewhere, but if they don't, telephone and ask.

How to submit? I'd go with e-mail these days. Copy your release into the body of an e-mail. Don't send stories as attachments to editors who don't know you. You will have to send your photo as an attachment, preferably in JPEG format, but they won't open it until they have decided the release is not spam. You can drop press releases off in person if you have time and you might even be able to meet the editor, but the chances of her being available are slim and she'd rather have it already in the computer. You can fax a release, but editors tell me they'd rather have e-mail. If you have something to publicize and no time to write a release, you could just call the editor, give her the basics and let her decide whether it's worth a story. But that well-written press release gives her something to hold onto and remind her to find a space for it.

Sooner or later, someone will ask you to write a press release. Why? Because you're a writer and they're not. I hope these guidelines help.

PR, part 1

I apologize to those subscribers who received an e-mail blog that simply said, "P." I hit the wrong button, and boom, it was published. Here's the real blog, a day late. The dogs ate it.

In responses to my previous blog about advertorial, some of you mentioned doing public relations work. I've been on both sides of the press release, so I thought I'd discuss that a little bit.
Public relations is a cousin to journalism. They teach it in the same department at the universities and you use many of the same skills, but the object is to publicize a product, service, person, business or whatever. As in journalism, you want to convey information, but it's more one-sided, making your client look good.
You can make more money at PR than you can at freelance journalism. You may also have the opportunity to take all-expense-paid trips and enjoy formal events with the leaders of whatever industry you work for. The downside is that you're not free to write what you want. You have to write what the client wants. Also, you do not get a byline.
I worked in the public relations department for the California School Employees Association ages ago. We organized events, put out a magazine that went to all the state's classified school employees (everybody who isn't a teacher or an administrator), and issued press releases to all the local media. Whatever we did had to be approved by our boss and the president of the organization. The press releases fit into a premade template and always ended with a paragraph explaining how CSEA represented X number of employees. Except for having to get up early in the morning and having a boss with a tendency to throw things, it was a good job, with excellent pay and benefits. I got to dress up and travel all over the state.
I have done unpaid press releases over the years for music and writing organizations to which I belonged as well as for my own books and concerts.
Press releases are really quite easy. You need to: address it to the right editor, provide contact information for you and your client so they can get more information if they need it, write a headline and an interesting lead and give them the facts, including dates, prices, addresses, phone numbers, etc. The best press releases are just one page long. If the editors wants more information, they'll ask for it.
Most editors prefer press releases to be sent by e-mail so they don't have to retype them. Some run the releases verbatim, while others rewrite them, shorten them into briefs, or use them as the basis for their own stories. Sometimes they throw them away because they don't fit their needs. Next week we'll talk about how to keep your press releases out of the recycle bin.
When you write press releases, you don't work for the newspaper; you work for whoever wants the publicity. How do you get these gigs? You might want to do some free PR for your church, social organizations or whatever to get samples. Then write a resume that stresses your public relations skills and get some business cards printed. You can look for classified ads and offer your skills to organizations that need publicity, but your best bet is to join the local chamber of commerce and start making connections. You should also check out PRSA, the Public Relations Society of America, which offers leads to public relations opportunities.
Of course, there is far more to say about PR, but this gives you something to think about.

Advertorial--one of those things we don't talk about much

Show of hands: how many of you know what advertorial is? Two? Good for you. For the rest, let's talk. Advertorial is a blend of advertising and editorial. It's articles printed on paid advertising pages that often look like any other article, but somehow support products or businesses. Sometimes they're printed in a different typeface or in a separate section from the regular editorial copy. Often the word "advertising" appears in small print at the top or the bottom of the page. However, most readers who have not been schooled in the newspaper business really can't tell the difference between editorial and advertising, and when you put the two together . . . well, it's hard to tell.

Let me be straight with you. For several years, I wrote advertorial pieces for the San Jose Mercury News. Because they were assigned by the advertising department, they paid far more money than the editorial sections. I'm talking $600 instead of $100 for the same length article. I was blessed with an advertising department editor who let me have free reign with my stories. His assignments may have been directly linked to ads in the section, but I wrote those stories the same as any others, and they were printed virtually unedited. I wrote many wedding articles--how to pick out a tuxedo, buy flowers, choose musicians, etc. I also interviewed the chefs of many of the area's most pricey restaurants--and yes, I got some free meals. For a section on senior health, I interviewed three very old but active divers. I also did stories on lighting and interior design, and I interviewed the winners of the annual "Design an Ad" contest. These stories were fun and paid well. Should I be ashamed that they ran in special advertising sections? I don't think so, but I'd love to hear your opinion.

These sections still exist in many papers, and in some of them all of the articles are written by the same person. That's a lot of freelance money. To get in, look for the sections, find the name of the supervising editor, and send him or her your resume, some clips, and a cover letter expressing your desire to write for them.

Now, for those purists who don't want to sully their hands with advertising, let's be honest. These days, advertising is everywhere in everything. Maybe the hard news sections are not influenced by ads; maybe they are. But the feature sections definitely have a connection. How often have you read an article about a product, a business, or a community event and noticed that there happened to be related ads right there on the same page or not far away? No connection? Get real. On the last paper I worked, when the Ford dealer wanted to promote something, I had to get over there and do the article, even though it wasn't much of a story. They hired a new salesman. Whoopee. Why write about it? Because Ford bought full-page ads in every issue. Likewise for the major grocery stores. If they had some kind of prize giveaway, I had to go shoot a picture of the winner. One store did it every month and expected a photo in the paper every month. Did we ever write anything negative about these companies? Not really. Their lack of standards was one of several reasons that I quit that job, but every paper is influenced by advertising in some way.

The boundary between editorial and advertising is getting very fuzzy in all media. Movie producers now list products in the credits and get extra money for using those products in their films. TV shows also feature products--notice the giant Coca-Cola glasses used by the judges on American Idol--because they know we fast-forward through the actual commercials.

I don't think you can completely avoid advertising in newspapers these days. Ads pay the bills. But if you don't mind a little commercialism, consider writing advertorial copy. Then it can pay your bills.

Heresy? No, I'm just being realistic. Look more carefully at the newspapers you read and see if you can find the advertising connections. I think the only place you're going to find no advertising connection is in literary magazines, but even some of those are littered with ads for MFA programs, editing services, books to buy, etc. The ones that don't run ads are fighting like crazy to survive.

For a little more on the subject, visit the Wisegeek site to read their article on advertorials. Check out their last sentence and tell me what you think.

Education for freelance journalists

There's a great blog discussion at Lisa Romeo's site, with experts giving their opinions about the value of an MFA, a master of fine art's degree, in writing. Is it worth the effort and money? Does it give you a boost in your career?

I have an MFA in creative nonfiction, earned in 2003, so I can address some of those questions myself, but first let's start at the beginning. Do you need any kind of degree at all?

I also have a bachelor's degree in journalism, with a newspaper reporting and edting concentration. I grew up wanting to write poetry and fiction, but I had a strong enough practical side to see that I might need to earn a living and it wouldn't happen in creative writing. It was a good choice. It got me working on newspapers for years, and I can still always go back to that if I need a job. If you want to be staff writer for a newspaper, a journalism degree is the most direct route. If you majored in something else, all is not lost as long you can prove that you can write. But you do need a degree in something to get a newspaper job.

As a freelancer for newspapers, it's extremely helpful to have had training and experience in journalism. You'll learn newspaper style, learn to meet deadlines quickly, and be required to complete an internship in the business to get the degree. You'll make contacts that will help you find work. My curriculum also included classes in freelancing that I could apply directly to my work. Earning my BA in journalism was one of the smartest things I ever did.

I never got a postgrad degree in journalism because the curriculum seemed to be all theory and minimal writing. Really the only use for it seemed to be if one wanted to teach. For a long time, I didn't have any interest in that. Now there are MA programs in creative nonfiction or literary journalism that can be quite helpful, but you certainly don't need them to be a freelance writer.

I did want an MFA however, mostly to get back to that creative writing I had been doing all my life. The degree was good for me in a lot of ways. It did get me back into poetry and fiction. It forced me to read great works of literature, and it forced me to take a new look at how I was writing. After decades of journalism, my prose had gone a little stale. I had also changed my mind about teaching, and the degree launched my teaching career.

But has the MFA helped me sell more articles or books? Nope. Has it paid for itself yet? Not even close. As you will see if you read Romeo's article, editors really don't care what degrees you have; they just want you to be able to write well and produce the kinds of work they need.

Now, a secondary degree in a specialized subject might be very useful in allowing you to write specialized articles in a particular subject such as business, science or law. But do you need an MA or MFA in writing or journalism to freelance? No. It's nice to have, but not necessary.

Just write. That's all it comes down to. Find out what they need and write it.