| Real Estate has "Location, location,
| |
| | submitting it for publication.Save Your
|
| location," and writing has "Clips, clips,
| |
| | ClipsAs soon as you are published
|
| clips."When people ask me how I became a
| |
| | anywhere, start saving your clips. I
|
| syndicated columnist, I usually say, "it
| |
| | always photo-copy mine because newsprint
|
| just snowballed." And basically that's
| |
| | begins to yellow over time. Make sure the
|
| what happened: one publication led to
| |
| | publication date is noted on the clip,
|
| another, which led to another, and so
| |
| | then place it in a protective binder.
|
| forth.I began my career writing for a
| |
| | Hopefully you'll be making more copies of
|
| small community paper in my neighborhood.
| |
| | these clips soon when you write your
|
| To look back on those first published
| |
| | syndication proposal...or your book
|
| clips is quite entertaining! But how can
| |
| | proposal!Watch Your ContractsWriters are
|
| I be ashamed? The work I did at The
| |
| | artists at heart, but unfortunately, in
|
| Julington Creek Plantation Press (the
| |
| | the world of publishing, there's a lot of
|
| JCPP) became a springboard for my now
| |
| | business-minded tasks to take care of. In
|
| nationally syndicated column "Shore
| |
| | particular, it's important to learn about
|
| Duty."(If you read between the lines
| |
| | contracts...or find someone to learn
|
| here, what I'm saying is, Don't be
| |
| | about it for you.My husband is my
|
| impatient, and don't expect quick
| |
| | personal "business advisor" who helps me
|
| success! Be willing to work your way up
| |
| | to think with my "career" mind rather
|
| and focus on getting the coveted
| |
| | than my "artsy" mind when it comes time
|
| published clips.)But a giant "snowball"
| |
| | to sign on the dotted line.Here's one
|
| was not all it took for me to become a
| |
| | very important thing I've learned (by
|
| writing success. Admittedly, it took
| |
| | error) about contracts: be cautious of a
|
| hard-work, research and persistence too.
| |
| | "Work for Hire" deal. If you sign a "Work
|
| Below are some things I learned along the
| |
| | for Hire" contract, you are basically
|
| way:Never Submit Shoddy Work, No Matter
| |
| | signing away all the rights to your
|
| How Small the PublicationWhen I was
| |
| | writing. In effect, the publication, not
|
| working for the JCPP I knew the
| |
| | you, owns the article/column you produce.
|
| interviews and spotlights I was writing
| |
| | If you should ever want to reprint that
|
| were not Pulitzer material. In fact, I'd
| |
| | piece (in a book, etc.) you then have to
|
| be surprised if even a hundred people
| |
| | ask permission from the original
|
| ever even read those first pieces.
| |
| | publication.A much better way is to sign
|
| Nevertheless, I made sure every
| |
| | a "Freelancer Contract". This type of
|
| submission was flawless and an excellent
| |
| | arrangement assures you the rights to
|
| reflection of what I can do as a writer.
| |
| | your work. You are actually only lending
|
| (You never know who might read your
| |
| | your work to the publication, and you
|
| work...even the small work!)Providing
| |
| | still retain all rights to reprint or
|
| error-free copy and meeting deadlines
| |
| | publish however else you choose (except
|
| sets up a precedence of professionalism
| |
| | that most papers will ask that you not
|
| that will follow you throughout your
| |
| | publish in another competing local
|
| career. Never forget the editors you are
| |
| | paper).A good book to educate yourself
|
| writing for now may be the ones writing
| |
| | about contracts is Understanding
|
| your next referral or recommendation.A
| |
| | Publishers' Contracts by Michael Legat.If
|
| great book for grammar and proofreading
| |
| | You Have the Choice, Go With
|
| help is The Associated Press Guide to
| |
| | Self-SyndicationThere are two ways to
|
| Punctuation by Rene J. Cappon.Never Let
| |
| | syndicate: through an agency, or on your
|
| Your Readers DownDeveloping a
| |
| | own. Below are the pros and cons of both
|
| relationship with your readers is the
| |
| | (as I see it).Going through an AgencyThe
|
| ultimate goal (editors only buy what
| |
| | experts do all the business work for you
|
| their readers demand!), so it is
| |
| | (marketing, writing proposals, etc.)Your
|
| important to make sure all your writing
| |
| | mind is freed up to be artistic and
|
| (however small or insignificant) is
| |
| | write, write, write.Agencies have
|
| entertaining and consistent with your
| |
| | contacts and networks you do not.Selling
|
| abilities.Building a firm base of loyal
| |
| | a syndicated column can be a full-time
|
| fans and readers should be your utmost
| |
| | job; if you want to write full-time,
|
| concern. Never let your readers down!
| |
| | leave the business of promotion and sales
|
| When I write my column each week, I have
| |
| | to an agency.However, an agency will take
|
| in my mind the mother who will be sitting
| |
| | a hefty chunk of your profits.An agency
|
| down to breakfast Tuesday morning and
| |
| | creates a middle-man through which you
|
| opening the Life section to see my
| |
| | have to work.An agency takes "control" of
|
| submission. I don't write for editors
| |
| | your career.Self-Syndicating Your
|
| (well, ok, so I do a little bit); I write
| |
| | ColumnYou retain control and direction of
|
| for readers.Building my readership base
| |
| | your own career.You don't have to share
|
| has paid off. Now I have loyal fans
| |
| | profits with an agency.You don't have to
|
| throughout the country emailing their
| |
| | work through a middle-man.BUT, you do
|
| local papers to request Shore Duty! And
| |
| | have to work really hard to market
|
| I'll say it again: Editors only buy what
| |
| | yourself and your column.Self-syndicating
|
| their readers demand!Always Approach the
| |
| | is like taking on another job. (You will
|
| Managing EditorThere are many benefits to
| |
| | be solely responsible for sales,
|
| querying the Managing Editor of a
| |
| | promotion, understanding contracts,
|
| publication, as opposed to a section- or
| |
| | creating invoices, etc.)For me, however,
|
| other editor. Ultimately, the Managing
| |
| | the biggest benefit of going the
|
| Editor makes the monetary decisions for
| |
| | self-syndication route has been the
|
| the paper, which gives them the "last
| |
| | satisfaction I get from knowing I am in
|
| word." If you want a quick "yes" or "no"
| |
| | control of my own career and that I've
|
| with few middle-men in between, direct
| |
| | gotten here through my own talents and
|
| your query to the Managing Editor.Once
| |
| | hard work.A good book for understanding
|
| you get the job, however, strive to build
| |
| | the differences between self-syndication
|
| a good working relationship with the
| |
| | and syndication through an agency is
|
| editor of your section. This will be the
| |
| | Successful Syndication: A Guide for
|
| person you deal with on a regular basis.
| |
| | Writers and Cartoonists by Michael H.
|
| Always meet deadlines (in fact, be early
| |
| | Sedge.If you work hard enough, have
|
| and they'll love you!), and as much as
| |
| | patience and collect lots and lots of
|
| possible, reduce the amount of work for
| |
| | clips, you are well on your way to being
|
| your very busy editor: always proofread
| |
| | a columnist.I wish you luck, no writer's
|
| and "tighten" your writing before
| |
| | block, and many days of writing success!
|
