Clarity is the quality of being clearly expressed. Is your future success clearly expressed? How clear are you about your desires for your writing career in general? How clear are you about your goals for 2007? How clear are you on what you need to do the first week of January to get off to a great start?

Am I ruling out spontaneity, instinct and intuition by making such a strong statement? Absolutely not! Use them as much as you can. But remember, it’s your clarity that determines your forthcoming success. Setting a clear intention (or intentions) will help you stay on course.

If you don’t know where you are going, your writing career is most likely not going anywhere (at least not this year). So take a day or two now to get clear. Tune in. Listen to your gut. What do you really want? What do you actually need? Don’t forget to stretch yourself as much as you can. If you are not getting beyond your former comfort zone, chances are good you are stuck in a rut.

Get concrete and take one step in the right direction. Join one writer’s association. Save money to attend one annual conference. Pitch one book concept (as opposed to writing a full proposal—I explain how in my forthcoming book, Writer Mama, How to Raise a Writing Career Alongside Your Kids).

And then take more steps. Avoid detours, tangents, pipe dreams and any thinking that you cannot back up with common sense and you will succeed.

Here we go. Roll up your sleeves and write yourself a bridge to the not-so-far-away land of your writing dreams. Then clean yourself up, suit yourself up and walk across that bridge to meet your objectives halfway.

That’s how it works. Because clarity isn’t merely a to-do list, it’s an attitude.

I wish you the clarity you'll need to achieve all of your writing dreams and, of course, the writing spirit,

Two classes with Christina Katz begin on January 10th: Writing and Publishing the Short Stuff and Writing and Marketing Nonfiction Features. Classes do fill, so don't delay. Register today! Get the full scoop at http://www.writersontherise.com/classes.html.

Writer Mama, How to Raise a Writing Career Alongside Your Kids is an irreplaceable career-growing tool for mom writers everywhere. If you are excited about the book’s release (in March), please show your support by pre-ordering from Amazon by February 14, 2007. Writer Mama makes a great gift for you and all your writer mama friends. Christina appreciates your support! And you support WOTR when you order at our Amazon store!

Writers on the Rise is asking for your support! Here’s how you can pitch in:

Managing editor Sage Cohen’s essay "All I need to know I learned from Hamachi" was accepted for publication in A Cup of Comfort for Dog Lovers, an anthology published by Adams Media.

Contributor Susan Clark’s article "Teaching Children to Garden" appeared in the January/February issue of Touch the Soil.

Contributor Lori Russell's article “Attending to the Details: Small Changes Bring Energy Savings” appears in the January issue of Ruralite magazine.

What would six-weeks of consistent effort, surrounded by like-minded others, teach you about your ability to write and get published? Six-week writing classes with Christina Katz begin on January 10th, February 28 and April 18th. Visit WOTR Classes to learn more about how hundreds of writers have benefited from six weeks of sustained focus and effort. Select from four classes and jump-start your writing career in 2007!

Give books away, give ‘em away, give ‘em away now! That’s what Writers on the Rise is going to do all year long, starting in January 2007!

We've got a Winner! Mary Jo Campbell won BEV WALTON-PORTER’S sparkling and insightful, Sun Signs for Writers (Writer’s Digest Books, 2006). Thanks for the referrals, Mary Jo!

Every month of 2007 we'll be giving away one copy of Writer Mama, How To Raise a Writing Career Alongside Your Kids. This copy, signed by the author, can be yours, absolutely free, when you invite three writer friends to subscribe to Writers on the Rise. CC or BCC us a copy of the e-mail you send them at Sagewotr@earthlink.net. And you will earn one chance to win in our end-of-month drawing. Invite three more and win another chance. The more (legitimate writer friends only, no spamming, please!) you share us with, the better your odds of winning. (Offer not available for WOTR columnists.)

Unless otherwise indicated, Lisa Kae Van Meter Perry contributed our seasonal photographs, which offer this issue a little flavor of the season. You may view her credit below.

Q: Do you think there are specific traits that make freelance writers successful? If so, what are they?

A: I’m not sure if “traits” is necessarily the right word – maybe “habits.” Believe it or not, I would not say that great writing skills are at the top of the list. I would say that it’s important to at least be a good writer, but I’ve seen plenty of people succeed at freelancing that I wouldn’t consider to be great writers. Likewise, I have friends who are arguably better writers than I am, but they don’t have the knowledge, experience or habits to make it in the freelance world. (Or at least, they aren’t applying them!)

So what do I think it takes? In no particular order: organization, tenacity, intuition, persistence, the ability to multi-task, self-esteem (to face all those rejections!) and patience. Freelance writing is as much a business as any other profession, so ask yourself what characteristics you think you’d need to, say, open a restaurant. Now pretend you don’t get any customers for the first month. Do you give up – or reevaluate what you’re doing to try to make it work? The same applies for freelancing.

Q: I keep applying for all these writing gigs that I see on the Web but I’m not getting any responses. What am I doing wrong?

A: I probably get this question more than any other. Obviously, I don’t know what specific gigs you’re applying for or what you’re sending them in terms of a resume, introduction or clips, but I can offer some general advice.

It’s important to remember that many of the more popular freelance newsletters and Web sites that list gigs may have thousands of readers, which means there could be hundreds of writers applying for one gig – especially if it pays really well. Depending on your experience, many of those people could be more qualified than you. So how do you get around that?

First, make sure your intro email is short and focused. You can attach a resume and clips if they ask for these, but use the body of the email to let them know what you are the most qualified for the job. For example: If you’re applying for a gig writing about horses, let them know that you ran a ranch for five years and are a full-time freelance writer with plenty of clips on horse-related topics that can easily be reworked to get them some pieces ASAP because you still own all the rights.

Second, be sure to do a follow-up about a week later – unless they specifically ask that you NOT follow up. Send your stuff again and just gently remind them that you are still interested.

Third, look for information on the company and use it to your advantage. If the company gives its name (many don’t!), do a GOOGLE search, review its Web site, and look for an in. (I don’t recommend calling though.) Mail them a packet with some great samples. Send them a follow-up card to let them know you’re still interested. Mention something specific from their Web site when you apply to show you’ve done your homework.

If you’re still not landing any gigs after a couple months, consider looking for some other, less-trafficked writing sites. The jobs may not pay as well, but you might have a better shot of landing a gig, which will build your clips to help you later.

Articles, books, greeting cards, oh my! Wendy Burt is a successful full-time freelance writer and editor who has more than doubled her income since leaving her job as a newspaper editor just three years ago. With two women's humor books for McGraw-Hill and more than 1,000 published pieces, Wendy's typical day might including writing ad copy, greeting cards, health articles, personal profiles or her marketing column for Her Business magazine. Her work has appeared in such varied publications as Family Circle, The Writer, MSNBC.com, NewYorkTimes.com, Home Cooking Magazine and American Fitness. Wendy teaches "Breaking Into Freelance Writing" and still finds ample time to spend with her beautiful baby, Gracie. Visit www.BurtCreations.com to see books by Wendy and her award-winning dad.

Think you're exempt from building a nonfiction platform to support your writing career?

The word platform simply describes all the ways you are visible and appealing to your potential, future, or actual readership. Platform development is not only important for existing authors; it’s also crucial for wannabe authors or soon-to-be authors. And not only is platform development a refreshing switch from the daily grind, it can quickly become another satisfying and prosperous income stream for your writing career that enhances your bottom line. And what writer wouldn’t want that?

If you want to be successful in today’s literary marketplace, the smartest career strategy for your time and money is to begin to build, from scratch if necessary, the most productive platform you can. At this juncture, I’m talking about a simple Web site, blog or e-newsletter. That’s it. Nothing fancy or exotic. None of whatever is the latest technological breakthrough. Just the tried and true stalwarts. Because building a platform takes time and effort and, initially, you may build it and no one may come. But without a platform, you will have to work ten times harder to get your book (or future book) known. Perhaps a hundred times harder.

When I started developing my platform, I had no idea what I was doing. But I have loved the Internet since I fist logged on with a dial-up account in the dark ages, about seven years ago. I am also a writing instructor and I’ve been one since 2001. For me, as far as platform evolution, a relocation from Bellingham, Washington to Wilsonville, Oregon a couple of years ago caused me to have to leave behind three year’s of writing students and two classes I loved teaching at the local community college. I felt disappointed to be moving just when I’d discovered something (in my thirties, mind you) I loved to do and that seemed to be building, quite naturally, into a dual career I could love: writing for publication and teaching others how to write for publication.

And yet, the lure of the right job in Wilsonville for my husband was too strong to resist. In the final six months that we lived in Bellingham, I published, with the help of my students and the college, an anthology of their best writing. We gave a public reading and, shortly thereafter, my husband and I packed up a truck and moved with our two-year-old daughter to Oregon.

In August 2004, I was sitting in my new home office with my daughter, Samantha, playing at my feet. I had no babysitters, in fact, no personal connections in our new town whatsoever. I felt pressure to start over and do what I'd already done: go find another college, apply to teach, and start building a core of students all over again. But I couldn't get over the feeling that letting go of the personal relationships I'd nurtured with hundreds of students and starting over was the right decision, even though those former students were hundreds of miles away.

My solution to this dilemma was to take my appreciation for the Internet and leverage it to stay connected with my students through an e-mail newsletter that I had already begun. I also made the decision to fly solo as a writing instructor, taking one of the classes I’d been developing and turning it into an e-mail class. Thanks to the Internet, I've been teaching Writing and Marketing Nonfiction Features for almost six years now. Becoming a distance teacher instead of a classroom teacher encouraged me to specialize initially, since I had to allow time to do my own administrative work. I think when you're just starting out with anything, it's a really good idea to specialize until you find your groove.

A simple Web site, an e-mail newsletter and one e-mail class comprised my platform when I received an e-mail from a producer at “Good Morning America” inviting me to be on the show for an interview with Diane Sawyer. So what really landed me on “Good Morning America”? A GOOGLE search.

A GMA production assistant pulled up my article, “The Art of Making Time for Yourself,” which had been published four years earlier on Bluesuitmom.com. It came up at the top of the search page. On GOOGLE, the URL at the top of the list is the most-often read on that specific search topic. The producer e-mailed. I thought his message was SPAM. He called. I was still skeptical. After a long conversation, he convinced me that he really was a GMA producer and I really was the right person to appear on the show. Eventually, he agreed to fly my daughter and me to New York to be on the show (though my daughter had a meltdown on the set and had to be carried off by her Aunt).

Good things can and will happen in your writing career if you work continually on your platform. This is why you need to determine what your platform is and start working on it right away. Building a platform is an act of optimism because, really, you have no idea what will result from it, nor can you control this. And why would you want or need to, when good things are so much more likely to happen in your writing career once you have a platform? Why not get to work right now stacking the odds in your favor?

http://hellomynameisscott.com: Example of how a 26-year-old success story leverages his self-published books using his online platform.

http://sethgodin.com: A master of the online platform. Started a blog for each of his books and linked them to his Web site. Brilliant!

http://www.jkrowling.com: I wanted to include fiction writers, so let’s go straight to the top. Your inner child will love this site.

Christina Katz placed her forthcoming book, Writer Mama, How to Raise a Writing Career Alongside Your Kids (Writer’s Digest Books, 2007) at the 2005 Willamette Writers Conference. To keep current with Christina, her upcoming classes, and her book tour, please subscribe to this online zine (jump to subscribe).

In my biweekly critique group, a common question arises from the guests and new members. “How do you find time to write?” Then excuses spew forth from the newbies as to why they haven’t published, researched or written a story in months. The problem is, they preach to the choir – a choir that writes religiously.

The serious members in my group consist of a night nurse, a pregnant full-time mother of two pre-schoolers, a high school statistics teacher and single mom, and assorted others with full plates. These folks carved enough moments out of their schedules to publish short stories, features, plays and even novels. Life throws us a wide assortment of duties to perform in our brief 24-hour days, but many of them are disguised as obligations when they are not.

My writing career began when I was a federal manager raising three sons. “Burn out” was my middle name. When a medical expert advised me to make changes for the umpteenth time, I immediately went home, fed the family and delivered the announcement that I would write daily and not be interrupted except for personal injury or extreme emergency – then shut my bedroom door. My fingers penned stories and poetry for fifteen minutes every night. Those sacred moments embedded themselves into my daily ritual until they became one of my obligations.

Within weeks I’d sold a story to an anthology for $150. As time went on, my credits escalated to online websites, local magazines and newspapers, and ultimately national publications – magazines like Writer’s Digest, The Writer, and ByLine Magazine – that finally recognized my personal investment in the craft.

How do you find time to write? One little minute at a time. Once those few moments harden into an obligation to yourself, they get greedy. Before you know it, writing is a respected part of your life, not only in your mind, but in the eyes of everyone around you.

C. Hope Clark is founder and editor of FundsforWriters.com, annually recognized by Writer’s Digest in its poll of 101 Best Web Sites for Writers. She delivers four newsletters each week to thousands with her specialty being grants and income opportunities for writers of all sizes. She’s published over 200 articles on paper and online. Her magazine credits include Writer’s Digest, The Writer Magazine, ByLine Magazine, NextStep Teen, College Bound Teen, Landscape Management Magazine, TURF Magazine, and American Careers Magazine. Hope is a motivational soul known as “Freelance Hope” in many circles. Those reluctant to promote their writing cherish her trade paperback The Shy Writer: An Introvert’s Guide to Writing Success. Find more hope for your writing career at www.fundsforwriters.com & www.theshywriter.com

Seal Press of Emeryville, California, was founded 30 years ago with a single, hand-printed volume of poetry and the intention to provide a forum for women writers and feminist issues. Currently an imprint of Avalon Press, Seal has published many groundbreaking books since 1976 that delve into diverse issues such as women’s health, parenting, travel, popular culture, women’s studies and current affairs.

Acquisitions Editor Brooke Warner joined the company two years ago, after spending five years as editor of North Atlantic Books in Berkeley where she edited two anthologies, Panic: Origins, Insight and Treatment and Abu Ghrab: The Politics of Torture. Each month, many nonfiction manuscripts on women’s issues cross her desk. Each year, Brooke chooses 20 that will make it into print. Here she talks about what she looks for and how to get your book proposal noticed.

What catches your attention when you review a proposal?

BW: Sometimes a cover letter draws me in. Other times, something feels like the right fit but needs more work. So I ask the writer, “Would you be willing to rework this a little bit and make it ‘Seal-specific’?” I’m developing relationships with authors even before the proposal is finalized.

What do you consider to be “Seal-specific”?

BW: What I meant by this is that I’ll work with a potential author to bring out the elements of a given proposal that make it more geared toward women, or to bring out a certain tone. With some of my younger authors I’ll encourage them to let loose a little bit, to not be afraid to unleash their voice. Some writers are very cautious in proposals, trying to cater to the broadest readership possible. So sometimes I can see that a writer has something but maybe it needs to be narrowed, or maybe they just need permission to break free from a format or structure that’s limiting to them in certain ways.

Do you work with authors directly, even if they don’t have an agent?

BW: Yes, although manuscripts solicited through an agent have an advantage, because I know a lot of time has been spent on the proposal before I see it. I’m really looking for professionalism in a proposal.

Do you see any trends in the topics of books you’re looking for in the year ahead?

BW: There’s a lot of criticism that anthologies, mothering memoirs and books by sex workers have been overdone. We publish those kinds of books, but we look for a different angle. Maybe a memoir by a younger mother who’s able to reach an audience who doesn’t connect with the memoirs that are out there by women who went through that experience ten years ago, or someone whose writing is distinctive and who tackles her subject from a different vantage point. I spend a lot of time looking at comparative books and thinking about how we can make a topic distinctive through its hook or packaging.

What if an author’s subject has been written about many times before?

BW: Writers shouldn’t think that because there are a lot of books out there on the same topic that theirs won’t sell. In some ways it’s an advantage, because we know there’s a market for it.

How do you feel about working with first-time authors?

BW: I genuinely like to help emerging writers. We can take risks on first-time authors because our expectations are more realistic. We don’t have to sell 50,000 copies of a book to be successful. We generally run shorter print-runs than the larger houses and we operate on a smaller scale, and so for that reason we are able to publish books that might be overlooked by the big houses. Also, we can publish books that seem risky to big houses in terms of voice. We have a reputation for publishing edgy books, and sometimes these authors aren’t right for a mainstream publishing house because the work is too raw. So that’s a positive for us.

BW: Target their cover letter to a specific house that publishes books like the one they’re writing and a specific editor at that house.

Do you have advice to writers submitting to Seal for the first time?

BW: Spend time looking at the submissions guidelines (which are posted on the website, sealpress.com). People may spend a lot of time on their proposals, but then not enough time making sure they meet the house guidelines. The guidelines are pretty clear, and meeting them is a basic thing that makes a good impression on an editor. Sometimes people want to skip one of the steps called for, but they’re doing themselves a disservice. I’m going to have a year-long relationship with this person, and I want to know that she has the stick-to-it-ness to get through the process. I want to think, “This is someone who really wants to be at Seal.”

Cindy Hudson understands the relationship between freelance writers and editors. In her own career she lands freelance writing assignments from editors of national trade magazines, regional magazines, online publications and daily newspapers. She lives with her husband and two daughters in Portland, Oregon, where she writes weekly for the Oregonian and consults on developing and managing mother-daughter book clubs. Visit her online at www.cindyhudson.com.

Want to make your living as a writer? You must treat your career like a business. This requires that you build your business just as any entrepreneur does by planning, working hard, promoting, and taking advantage of technology. You need to become a Writer-preneur.

What do you think when you hear the word branding? Does Coca-Cola or FedEx come to mind? Their logos and colors just popped into your head, right? This is branding. Solid brands build loyal customers.

Writers benefit from brand recognition just like products. What about Murder She Wrote or Law and Order? Did your favorite show characters come to mind? Think of Stephen King, Nora Roberts and J.K. Rowling. Even if you've never read their books, you know these names and their genres. For writers, branding is the process of creating a perception that you are the best person for the job. It's about building your image.

Everything the public sees about you, your books and articles, the interviews you give, and even your daily correspondence strengthens your position as an expert and creates your brand recognition.

An easy way to begin your branding program today: take advantage of email signatures. Email signatures are those few lines of text at the bottom of every email you send. They're easy to create and can automatically be included in your emails. Think of them as a virtual business card.

You can access the signature creation option in your email program by clicking on the "Options" or "Preferences" link and following the simple directions provided. In most cases, you'll type your signature into a box and click "include with every email."

Diana Burrell, co-author of The Renegade Writer and Query Letters that Rock, goes a step further using multiple signatures. She recommends that you "customize your signature depending on who an email is going to." Diana has different signatures for personal, press, client, and interview emails.

A few email signature rules: Keep it to six lines or less; Provide your contact information, especially your email and web addresses; Don't use cute messages, they don't brand you as a professional; Do include your current marketing message (promote your new book or project); Change your signature on a regular basis--at least once a month.

Gregory A. Kompes (www.Kompes.com) is a writer, speaker, mentor and coach. He is the author of the #1 bestseller 50 Fabulous Gay-Friendly Places to Live, The Endorsement Quest, Turning Your Writing Hobby into a Writing Career, and The Everyday Gay Activist. Gregory is the editor of The Fabulist Flash, an informative newsletter for writers, founder of LAMOO Books, and Coordinator of the Las Vegas Writer's Conference. The author holds a BA in English Literature from Columbia University, NY, and is currently a MS in Education candidate at California State University, Eastbay.

The Parent Writer: Strategies for Success

Use Your Parenting Experience to Generate National Pitches

By Sharon Miller Cindrich

As a writer and a parent, there’s no question that your experiences with your children will inspire your writing. But before you try peddling that essay on your amazing labor or pitching an anecdote about how incredible it is to be a parent, think again. While your twist on parenthood and child rearing may be unique, a more practical approach to the parenting market will get you those first assignments.

Consider this: There are 8-10 feature stories in a national parenting publication, dozens of shorts and tips and often only one personal essay per issue, frequently written by a regular columnist. The chance of your personal reflection on the meaning of parenthood making it to publication is slim…

Boost your odds of landing an article by using your own experience as a springboard for a service-oriented approach. Instead of spending loads of time crafting an essay about your partner’s fear of cutting the cord, try a generalized pitch entitled “How to squelch labor room fears”. Instead of a cute personal account of your child’s first potty chair success, broaden the appeal of your query with an article like “Taking a leak: A practical guide to potty training.” Use your own experience briefly as an intro to your query to establish yourself as an experienced parent, but expand the pitch to include other experts – doctors, psychologists or teachers – who will add additional credibility and make your article well rounded.

As for all those great stories and anecdotes…write them down. Essays are great for local publications, contests and your own memory books. Plus, once you’ve established yourself with a national publication, you can submit an essay or two.

Sharon Miller Cindrich is a freelance writer whose work has been published nationally in magazines and newspapers around the country including The Chicago Tribune, Parents Magazine, and The Writer. She is a Contributing Editor at FamilyFun Magazine and writes a bimonthly humor column for West Suburban Living Magazine in the Chicago Suburbs. She is a regular contributor to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel's Lifestyle section and Metroparent Magazine. Her book E-Parenting: Keeping Up with Your Tech-Savvy Kids is due out from Random House at the end of the year. Read more about Sharon at http://www.mediabistro.com/sharoncindrich.

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The ‘View: Writing Book Interviews

Interview III: The Return of the Renegades

Query Letter That Rock by Linda Formichelli and Diana Burrell

By Christina Katz

Well, the Renegades have done it again. They’ve written a helpful and entertaining page-turner on a topic that is one of the most frustration-provoking for writers: query writing. But before you zip into cyber-space to order your copy, read this interview first. It’s loaded with helpful, practical advice straight from the mouths of two professionals who have done their due diligence and come back with suggestions for writers who want to turn ideas into queries that get assignments.

Writing query letters that rock has become something of the elusive Holy Grail for writers and, apparently, according to you, for editors as well. What’s all the fuss about querying, anyway?

(Linda) I get this question a lot: Why not save a step by writing up the article and sending it in? If the writers' guidelines say the magazine wants articles on spec (that is, they don't offer you a contract unless they decide to run the piece) and you really want to write up the article with no guarantees of publication (or pay), go for it. But most editors want to see query letters so when they assign the piece, they can shape it for their audience: the word count, the style, the packaging, and so on. You may have a great idea that works for the magazine, but the chances that you'll hit everything dead on, from the word count to the exact slant, are slim. And writing a query will save you time in the long run: often I end up using my title and lede from the query in my article, and I can use much of my research as well.

Okay, so let’s say I land an assignment…Wahoo! I’m stoked. In my article draft, I have terrific quotes, research, and a winning writing style. Do the details, like title, sidebars, and my lede really matter to my editor? Better yet, do they matter in my query?

(Diana) A huge part of my responsibility as a writer is to make my editors' jobs easier, not more difficult. That's why I try to get their expectations on the table before I start writing. For example, during the assigning phase I'd ask if they want a sidebar with the story – I wouldn't just shoot one over for the heck of it. And although 99.9 percent of the time editors write their own heds and deks, I still write them for my queries, just to give them a peek at the idea that follows. (If you stink at writing them though, skip 'em – editors won't hold it against you.) If they sent me the publication's style guide, I've followed it to the T. A killer lede, however, is crucial. It's crucial in your query, it's crucial in your article. What you turn in to your editor should be a clean final draft that meets – nay, exceeds – her expectations.

You two give excellent examples and use entertaining word choices in your Renegade books. Why is this important for writers and how did you get so darn good at it?

(Linda) As Diana said, your job is to make editors; jobs easier, and that includes using a style that fits the magazine. My natural style is edgy and funny, and I can often incorporate that into any type of article, from a health piece to a business profile. Examples that illustrate your point are also important because they help the reader understand what you're saying, and that's your number one job: Educate the reader. One tip is to be specific instead of general in your examples and in your wording in general. For example, don't write, "When something you just bought breaks, write a complaint letter." Say, "When your brand new iPod fizzles or your just-bought Liz Claiborne blouse loses a button, don't fume -- write a complaint letter."

Back to that snappy lede (sometimes spelled ‘lead’)…again, I’ve written a good query letter or article. If that’s the case, how killer does my lead have to be?

(Diana) Pretty killer. When we were talking to editors for QLTR, the one thing most editors said was that they read these pitches quickly. If the writing sucks or they can't figure out what you're pitching, they're not going to wade through several paragraphs to give you the benefit of the doubt. You can have a great story idea, but if it's buried under three paragraphs of warm-up material, forget it. They're going to move on to the next idea in the inbox. But a lede that's enticing and well-written, and that offers a story that's perfect for their publication? Most editors will stick with you through the end. What's sad is that most editors we spoke to see so few of these letters – yeah, it's depressing, isn't it? – that they actually get excited when they receive one.

Now that you’ve written three Renegade books (okay, one was a rewrite, but still) and your readers are feeling quite liberated, whatever will you do next? Is there another book in the pipe for the Renegades?

(Linda) Diana and I have lots of plans for our Renegade Writer blog (http://www.therenegadewriter.com); for example, next year we'll be choosing two more winners in our Renegade Writer Makeover and, well, having our experts make them over. I'll also have a Q&A with the author of a book that inspired me. Diana and I are also working on a couple of e-books, including one where editors of top magazines rant (anonymously) about their writer pet peeves.

One final request: your top three pieces of advice for writing a query today that is guaranteed to grab an editor’s attention for all the right reasons.

(Diana/Linda)

1. Let your personality show. A little sense of humor and style is a good thing. I notice that many new writers are so afraid of querying that they write in an uninspired business-like style, but when Diana and I were researching The Renegade Writer's Query Letters That Rock, the queries that editors remembered and loved (and assigned!) showed the writer's personality. One writer I interviewed often ends his queries with a joke, and another ended his query on a blues DJ with, "If you don't give me this assignment, I just don't know what I'll do."

2. Don't give the editor a reason to say no. We both teach classes, and we're still struck by how many writers write things like, "I've never been published" or who pitch Cat Fancy with, "Would you be interested in 'Cats: Why You Should Own One'?"

3. And there are no guarantees. Even the best query letters get shot down because magazines are over-inventoried or the editor just assigned something similar. A good letter simply increases your chance of getting noticed by an editor – noticed in a good way, of course!

Christina Katz is the author of Writer Mama, How to Raise a Writing Career Alongside Your Kids (Writer’s Digest Books). To keep current with Christina, her upcoming classes, and her book tour, please subscribe to this online newsletter (jump to subscribe).

When not writing articles for the REI company newsletter and intranet site, KELLY HUFFMAN still contributes the occasional theater review to the Seattle Post-Intelligencer. Last month she reviewed a cabaret production called "Forbidden Xmas."

JOANNA NESBIT published “Anacortes Community Theatre—A Community Gem” in the January ’07 issue of Entertainment News Northwest.

Success happens in clusters, writers! Keep the announcements coming and keep inspiring us!

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The Secret Language of Editors

Freelancers’ Phrase Book

By Abigail Green

It was like a scene from “Girls Gone Wild” – a beach, bikinis, and plenty of daiquiris – only without the topless part.

Did I get your attention? Good. That’s the point of a query letter, also known as a pitch. A query is a freelance writer’s calling card. It’s how you pitch an idea, show an editor that you can write, convince him or her why you’re the best person to write the story, and hopefully, clinch the assignment.

Beginning writers often believe there is one perfect formula for queries. Not so. A query can be two sentences or two pages long, formal or chatty, sent by e-mail or snail mail. I’ve sent all kinds of queries that yielded assignments. That said, it is a good idea to tailor your pitch to each circumstance.

For instance, when I’m approaching a new-to-me editor, I always address my query to Mr. Bigshot Editor or Ms. Bigshot Editor. (Of course, I look up the correct editor’s actual name on the masthead, or better yet, call the magazine. And I triple-check the spelling before sending it out.) If in her reply, the editor signs off as “Cathy,” fine. But wait for her to indicate that you’re on a first-name basis.

I begin my query with an attention-grabbing lead, similar to how I’d start my article. (See the first sentence of this column.) Say you’re pitching a story on the recent trend of “girlfriend getaways.” If you begin, “I would like to write an article on the increasing focus of tourism professionals on the female demographic,” the editor will toss your pitch – or doze off – before she gets to the next sentence. Dazzle her from the start.

Next I give the editor a taste of the goodies I’ll include in my article – a recent statistic, a juicy quote, or an exciting source. You don’t have to do all the research up front, but sometimes a quick call or Web search can yield a tasty bit of info that will set your query apart from the rest.

Then I show that I’m familiar with the magazine: “I see this as a good fit for your Travel Trends section.” Next, I tell her why I’m the best writer for the job: “In addition to writing regularly for This Magazine and That Magazine, I just got back from a girlfriends’ getaway to Cancun.”

Finally, I assume the sale, as they say in the business world. “I hope to hear back from you” is too weak. Better: “I look forward to working with you on this piece. I’ll follow up in a couple of weeks if I haven’t heard back.” Then send it. A strong query is the first step to netting an assignment.

Abigail Green (www.abigailgreen.com) is a freelance writer in Baltimore. Over the past 10 years, she has written about health, travel, weddings, business, education and more for national, regional and online publications including AOL, AAA World, Bride’s, Baltimore Magazine, Cooking Light and Health. Her latest project is raising her first child, which she chronicles in her blog: http://diaryofanewmom.blogspot.com/.

The Conferences Are Coming!

Are You Ready?

By Mary Andonian

“The agent wants to see my first forty pages.”

“The editor wants to publish my ‘How-To’ book.”

“The Hollywood producer wants the rights to my Young Adult series.”

You hear these things all the time at a writers’ conference. So what’s holding YOU back? If you’ve ever considered going to a conference, this is your year! We’re going to get you ready so you can put your best foot forward, regardless of where you are in your writing career.

Why a conference?

You could spend time and money on any number of things: writing courses (both in person and on-line), writing critique groups, an M.F.A. degree, editing services, and instructional books, to name a few. Each contributes to your writing in special ways. But only at a writers’ conference will you come face-to-face with the very people who BUY what you write. If you want to start selling your product—your words—then it’s time to find out what those agents and editors are saying about your merchandise. You can only do that at a conference. A good conference.

What’s a good conference?

They’re the ones that have a little bit of everything: established agents and editors who actually buy the types of things you’re writing, workshops that will help you improve your writing, business strategies to help you market your writing business, and networking opportunities with other writers. If they offer a writing critique service, then you’ve hit the mother lode.

Action steps this month:

Find the conference you want to attend this year, and when you find it, mark those conference dates on your calendar using a big, fat, permanent red marker. Pamela Kim’s column, The Conference Confab (see below) offers tips for the most promising upcoming conferences. If you’d like to do a wider search online, Google the words “writers’ conference,” along with your city and state (or province or country, etc.). You can also access www.shawguides.com, and search under their “Writers Conference” tab. And don’t forget the two trade publications devoted to writing: Writers Digest and The Writer. Both magazines offer a “Conference” tab on their websites.

What NOT to Do:

Some conferences look shiny, exotic and expensive because, well, they’re shiny, exotic and expensive! That doesn’t mean they’re the best conference for you. Don’t get distracted by the glitz. Instead, go for local/accessible, targeted toward your specific needs, and pitch-oriented.

Mary Andonian is the agents and editors coordinator for the Willamette Writers conference—one of the largest writers’ conferences in the United States. In past years, she was Co-chair and Program Coordinator. She just completed her second book, Bitsy’s Labyrinth. You can reach her at (maryandonianwwconference at yahoo.com).

Places To Meet and Greet Industry Insiders

By Pamela Kim

San Francisco Writers Conference, February 16-18, 2007

Billed as a writer’s best value, the San Francisco Writers Conference brings together over 100 literary agents, publishers and editors from the West Coast and New York. Over the three-day event, you’ll have access to how-to sessions, panels, and workshops taught by best-selling authors. You’ll discover the latest information on publishing and have an opportunity to network with other writers. Plus, you can take advantage of Speed Dating for Agents and Speed Dating for Editors – unique one-on-one opportunities to pitch your work directly and search for the perfect literary agent. The conference covers a wide range of genres including non-fiction, fiction, romance, thrillers, memoir, books-to-film, and more. Registration for this event – a sell out for the past three years – is open at http://www.sfwriters.org.

21st Annual Southern California Writers’ Conference (SCWC), February 16-19, 2007

Sunny San Diego is another option for your President’s Day Weekend. Boasting $3 million in facilitated deals for first-time authors and screenwriters, the SCWC delivers an intimate setting where attendees can rub elbows with bestselling authors, literary agents, publishers and editors. Dozens of read and critique opportunities are available as are interactive problem-solving and assignment-oriented workshops on topics such as “Sustaining Narrative Tension,” “Query Letters that Stick,” and “Landing an Agent/Getting the Deal.” If you like, you can submit a manuscript in advance of the conference for an extended one-on-one evaluation while you’re there. SCWC is a great event for veteran and emerging writers who want comprehensive feedback on their work. http://www.WritersConference.com.

Whidbey Island Writers Conference, March 2-4, 2007

Inspiration and motivation await you on idyllic Whidbey Island in Washington where you can hone your craft, stimulate your ideas, and network with peers and professionals. During the Author Fireside Chats, for example, you’ll mingle with authors, agents and editors in your genre as you enjoy coffee and cookies in the privacy of stunning island homes. You can pitch your story idea and learn what's strong, what sounds right on track for market interests, and where to refine your approach or your writing. Hands-on workshops, master classes and open mic night add to the in-depth interaction and encouragement. Get all the details at http://www.writeonwhidbey.org.

Writer mama Pamela Kim writes non-fiction articles about kids, single mommyhood and the joy of organizing the stuff of life. She leverages eighteen years of experience as a corporate communications consultant to connect readers with the information they need and want. When not traveling the conference circuit – each year finds Pam at writing, blogging and health conferences – she lives in Northern California with the fabulous Katie Kim who is six.

Did you know that most of Writers On The Rise columnists are speakers on a variety of topics?

Take a peek at their outstanding Bios. I think you will agree that Writers On The Rise has a pretty impressive line-up of contributing writers. Feel free to contact any of our columnists via their personal Web sites.

To view Christina Katz' appearance schedule for 2007, please visit: www.thewritermama.com

Julie and Julia: My Year of Cooking Dangerously by Julie Powell

Reviewed by Cathy Belben

My summer experience as a nanny for an infant required that I find things that I could do while watching him (at least from a short distance) and that could be done in the 5-10 minute intervals of time during which he wasn’t crying, pooping, or otherwise requiring attention. Surprising not only myself but many people close to me, I began cooking. And I don’t mean the usual cooking I’d been subsisting on for the last 30+ years—the kind that involved poking holes in a microwavable pouch and then spinning the food around in the magic box for a few minutes. I mean actual cooking. The kind that requires drizzling tomatoes with olive oil and blanching things and soaking small fruits overnight in a bisque of brandy and cranberry juice. I made white sauce, clam sauce, pesto, chili, artichoke-garbanzo bean soup, and a bunch of other stuff that’s much easier to just buy in a can. But now I know what it feels like to be Julie Powell. Sort of.

Powell is the author of Julie and Julia: My Year of Cooking Dangerously, her account of the year she cooked every recipe in Julia Child’s Mastering the Art of French Cooking. No easy task, but Powell, feeling stuck and bored in her job as a temp, was eager for a challenge. Child’s cookbook is “childishly simple and dauntingly complex, incantatory and comforting,” Powell writes. Reading it, she says, “I thought this was what prayer must feel like. Sustenance bound up with anticipation and want.”

I won’t spoil the story for you, but I will say that reading about food is almost as fun as eating it, especially in the talented hands of a writer like Julie Powell. She could’ve written a book about deciding to watch NASCAR racing every day for a year and I probably still would have found it hilarious, fascinating, and completely impossible to put down. She’s that entertaining. Even if it doesn’t send you to the kitchen, Julie and Julia serves up a terrific sampling of how to weave a story and a life into an entertaining memoir.

Cathy Belben lives in Bellingham, Washington, where she earned early fame for her award-winning fourth grade essay, “What the flag means to me” and later wrote bad rhyming poetry for the Whatcom Middle School Warrior Express. She recently survived a year in Hollywood writing for the show Veronica Mars. She’s returned to her normal life as a high school teacher and librarian, a triathlete, a weightlifter, a yogi, a dog’s mom, a cat’s slave, an artist, a napper, a nanny and an auntie. She’s thankful every day for everything.

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Green Writer Marketplace

Mother Earth News

By Susan W. Clark

For a writer with the urge to write green, Kermit the Frog’s old song, “It’s Not Easy Being Green,” turns out to be wrong. In 2007, it’s actually cool to be green. The purpose of this column is to help you break into one of the dozens of publications dedicated to saving the ecosystem. So what are we waiting for? Let's start at the top of my list.

The venerable bi-monthly Mother Earth News is now thirty-five years old and reaches more than one million readers. Their mission is to promote “more self-sufficient, financially independent and environmentally aware lifestyles.” The Editor is Cheryl Long and the Managing Editor is John Rockhold.

Freelance opportunities for this publication are limited, with most features written by Mother Earth News contributing editors, but two departments offer a door-opening first chance. For payment of $25 to $50, try writing 100 to 300 words of how-to for Country Lore. Or you could write up to 2,000 words in the first person about some topic related to sustainable lifestyle for Firsthand Reports from the Field. They pay $150 for these pieces.

If you’re a writer with both clips and relevant experience, you can propose a feature by sending a synopsis and a one-page outline to letters @ MotherEarthNews.com. To quote from their Contributor Guide, “Practicality is critical; freelance articles must be informative, well-documented and tightly written in an engaging and energetic voice. Don’t forget to read our magazine.” If you get the assignment, your pay will be in the neighborhood of $1 per word.

Because this is a widely distributed publication, you should be able to find copies to review in libraries.

Award-winning writer Susan W. Clark champions sustainability and farming in her writing. Her work has appeared in the Capitol Press, In Good Tilth, Small Farm Journal, Touch the Soil, and Permaculture Activist. Check out her land trust work at (www.osalt.org).

The Copywriter's Paycheck

Get Ready to Grow Your Business in 2007

We’ve all heard that copywriting is a great way for writers to make extra money. Guess what? It’s true. But first a couple of minor details—how to actually get clients and write copy. Welcome to The Copywriter’s Paycheck! In 2007, I’ll share practical guidelines for building a business along with tips for honing your craft.

Getting Started Tip: Nab your first client—yourself

As an aspiring copywriter, it’s easy to get your first client. Just accept the job of writing your own marketing materials. Start with a simple brochure—something that demonstrates your skills and provides contact information (see content tips below). For design and printing, try an independent copy outlet that uses a digital press. They’ll provide basic layout services and can print a small, economical run of your materials. Then, hand out your brochure—with confidence—to every business contact you meet.

Copywriting Tip: Think (a lot) before you write

Good copy may look simple on the page, but it’s actually the result of careful planning backed by marketing savvy. Before you begin writing, learn all you can about your client’s business (conduct an interview, read other marketing materials). Then, answer the following questions: What is my client selling? Who is my client selling to? What problems does this market face? How does my client provide solutions? Next, determine what kind of language—soothing, hip, upbeat, serious—your client’s market will respond to. Use this information as a guide throughout the writing process.

Elizabeth Short is a freelance copywriter and graphic designer with a passion for helping small businesses clarify and broadcast unique marketing messages. With a focus on websites and print materials, she brings together content + design in one easy, affordable package (www.write-design.biz). Check out her e-book, 7 Steps to Effective Web Content (www.write-design.biz/e-books.htm) to learn the secrets of writing copy for the web.

Happy New Year, writers! Here in China, 2007 is the Year of the Golden Pig, a rare event that occurs once every 60 years when the pig sign coincides with the gold element. According to Chinese zodiac lore, babies born this year will have good fortune, especially in financial issues. (Translation: Golden Pigs make big bucks.) In preparation for this auspicious year, couples all over China have been scurrying to make babies. (According to The Shanghai Daily, a local English newspaper, the Shanghai Population and Family Planning Commission predicts that 131,000 babies will be born in the city this year, up from 123,901 last year. Now that’s a lot of Golden Pigs.)

Since I missed my shot at being a Golden Pig by about forty years, I’ve sidestepped the Chinese zodiac calendar and dubbed 2007 the Year of the Golden Writing Adventure. In 2006, I married and moved to Shanghai, and ever since, marriage and China have been the two subjects that compel me most as a writer. These two wonderfully spirited, complex adventures command my attention every day. I ponder them over cups of chrysanthemum tea, roll them over my tongue like stones, dream about them in the wee morning hours, blog about them, wrestle them to the ground, admire them by starlight, explore them with my husband, and of course, write about them.

My goal for the Year of the Golden Writing Adventure? Get it on the page and get it out there to readers. All of it. Novel. Essays. Articles. Blog. Even that poem that’s been poking at me for the last few months.

What does the Year of the Golden Writing Adventure have in store for you? Where does your life coincide with your writing? What tugs at your attention? At your heart? What do you obsess about? What do you want to say? Think about this for a few minutes, then grab your journal and write it down. Pour it onto the page…everything you want this year to bring. When you’re done, when you’re sweaty and spent, when your tears have smeared the ink, tear out the pages and hang them above your desk with a little sign that reads “2007—The Year of the Golden Writing Adventure.”

Kristin Bair O’Keeffe is a writer and writing teacher living in Shanghai, China. Her first article about The Middle Kingdom will appear in Highlights for Children. In addition, her work has been published in The ELL Outlook, PortFolio, The Gettysburg Review, The Larcom Review, Permafrost, and Hair Trigger. As a teacher, Kristin has been inspiring and motivating students for the past thirteen years. Her blog, “Shanghai Adventures of a Trailing Spouse,” explores the curiosities of life in China and garners the interest of readers all around the world. To learn more, visit “Shanghai Adventures of a Trailing Spouse” at http://web.mac.com/kristinokeeffe.

Welcome to 2007! Let’s start the New Year with our eyes on the writing and publishing prize, shall we?

By now, you have probably made your list of resolutions for everything you plan to do better this year. I’d like to propose that we replace the concept of resolutions (which suggests that we’ve been naughty, and now it’s time to be nice) with the concept of intentions (which suggests that we have the capacity to materialize what we visualize.)

Intentions are along the lines of a mental snapshot of a desired end result. Here are a few examples. In 2007, I intend to:

You get the idea. (Or, you can read Wayne W. Dyer’s The Power of Intention if you’d like to learn more.) Now, here’s the hitch. We must not, under any circumstances, think about all the reasons these intentions might not be possible. Jack Canfield, co-founder of the Chicken Soup for the Soul anthologies, advises that once we target a goal or intention, it’s important not to trip ourselves up by immediately trying to figure out how we’ll get there. The formula he recommends is simple:

Canfield uses the metaphor of driving from New York to California. We don’t have to perceive the entire trajectory from start to finish; we can make it across the country seeing only 200 yards in front of us at a time.

Dave Ellis, author of Falling Awake: Creating the Life of Your Dreams, suggests that when setting intentions, we set our sights on “Paradise X 4.” He argues that since we are typically able to achieve 25% of our intentions, we would ultimately arrive in Paradise.

I tried this myself. At the beginning of 2006, I spent a few hours visualizing the year. I wrote a long list of writing––and life––goals (some more grandiose than others), and then filed them away. This week, I revisited the list and was stunned to discover that I’ve achieved nearly 90% of my goals. Even a few of the wildest ones. Welcome to Paradise!

Sound a little far out? Maybe it is. Or maybe it’s not. You won’t know until you try.

Sage Cohen is managing editor of Writers on the Rise. With a decade of corporate communications expertise (www.sagecohen.com), a long track record of creative writing accolades (www.sagesaidso.com) and a life coach practice dedicated to supporting writers with their craft, she is passionate about the alchemy of imagination and language. Sage’s writing has been published in journals and anthologies including Cup of Comfort for Writers, Poetry Flash, Oregon Literary Review, www.blueoregon.com and San Francisco Reader. She writes a monthly column for Black Lamb and was awarded first prize in the 2006 Ghost Road Press poetry contest. Tune into Sage’s musings about the life poetic at www.sagesaidso.typepad.com.

Inspiration, Insight and Ideas For Emerging Writers Volume Four, Issue One -- January 2007 View Columnist Bios) Subscribe/Unsubscribe and Donation Instructions at bottom of page

What catches your attention when you review a proposal?

What do you consider to be “Seal-specific”?

Do you work with authors directly, even if they don’t have an agent?

Do you see any trends in the topics of books you’re looking for in the year ahead?

What if an author’s subject has been written about many times before?

How do you feel about working with first-time authors?

Do you have advice to writers submitting to Seal for the first time?

The Secret Language of Editors

Freelancers’ Phrase Book

Are You Ready?

Why a conference?

What’s a good conference?

Places To Meet and Greet Industry Insiders

By Pamela Kim

San Francisco Writers Conference, February 16-18, 2007

Whidbey Island Writers Conference, March 2-4, 2007

Julie and Julia: My Year of Cooking Dangerously by Julie Powell

Reviewed by Cathy Belben

The Copywriter's Paycheck

Get Ready to Grow Your Business in 2007

Getting Started Tip: Nab your first client—yourself

Copywriting Tip: Think (a lot) before you write

Inspiration, Insight and Ideas For Emerging Writers
Volume Four, Issue One -- January 2007 View Columnist Bios)
Subscribe/Unsubscribe and Donation Instructions at bottom of page