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Ready
For the "Odd Job" of Freelance Writing? By: Kelly Boyer Sagert |
During the summer of 1986, a stray cat moved into the funeral home that my father owned. Or, at least he tried. The black and gray tomcat would escort my father to and from work and, when funeral services were scheduled, the cat would comfort mourners at the door. He'd prowl the perimeters of the parking lot, chasing away unruly squirrels, annoying bugs, squawking birds and marauding dogs, and when my father printed bereavement leaflets on an 1880s printing press, the cat would perch upon the top of the press, intently observing the process.
My father insisted that he wasn't keeping the cat, certain that this feline hobo would soon move on to a new venue. But, all that changed that upcoming autumn, when Dad was voted as president of the local Rotary Club. To celebrate this achievement, a newspaper reporter stopped by and took photos. When the pictures were developed, the reporter called back to ask who was in the photo with him. My father started to reply "no one," then paused and asked, "Is it a scroungy-looking tomcat?" When the reporter confirmed that fact, my father sighed and said, "His name is Mr. Gray. He's an employee of the funeral home."
A few years later, I wrote an essay about this stray-cat-to-funeral-home-pet transformation, calling my essay, "Odd Jobs." I sent it off to Cats Magazine, (Tales and Tails column) along with a cover letter and an SASE*, and was pleased when the magazine sent me a check for $35 and two copies of the issue in which my essay appeared.
That was in December 1991, marking the beginning of my freelance writing career.
Freelancing. A freelancer, according to The American Heritage Dictionary, is a "person, especially a writer or artist, who sells his or her services to employers, as those services are needed."
Cats Magazine didn't hire me, per se. They didn't withhold any taxes or grant me any benefits beyond the $35 check. Instead, I simply wrote then sold them an article, providing a service that this particular publication needed. Therefore, I became a freelance writer.
In this column, I hope to answer the multitude of questions that new and aspiring freelance writers often have, the same questions that I had, over 11 years ago. I'll define words and phrases used in the writing and publishing world. I'll share ways to brainstorm topics, as well as methods for finding freelance work, building up clips** and networking with editors and other writers. I'll talk about effective query*** and cover letters and provide you with tips for marketing your work, and I'll share information about copyrights and selling and/or keeping rights.
I'll interview successful freelance writers, so that you can also benefit from their wealth of knowledge. Their advice may not precisely match mine, but that's okay. Maybe hearing their techniques, opinions and experiences will be the impetus to starting your own freelancing career. I'll recommend books about writing and share information about upcoming writer's conferences, and discuss other resources for the freelance writer.
All articles start with an idea; so, watch for this column in two more weeks, where I'll communicate techniques of finding article inspiration from the people, places and events in your own hometown. In the meantime, please feel free to email me with questions at kbsagert@aol.com.
* SASE: Self-addressed, stamped envelope, which many editors require that you enclose when you submit your manuscript to them.
**Clips: When you sell an article to a magazine, publishers generally give you copies of the issue containing your work. This published copy is called a "clip." When you are seeking work from other editors, you often professionally photocopy samples of your published work and mail the samples to them. The photocopies are also considered "clips."
*** Query: Letter sent to an editor, describing the article idea that you have, and where you usually also explain why you're the ideal writer for the assignment; clips are often sent along with the query letter.
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Kelly Boyer Sagert has sold over 1,000 pieces of her writing to magazines, newspapers, encyclopedias, literary journals and online venues. She has also published two small press books and contributed material to twelve other books. Sagert served as the managing editor of an award-nominated magazine publishing company for nearly four years and she currently teaches the following classes for Writer's Digest online: Creativity & Expression, Focus on the Nonfiction Magazine Article and Fundamentals of Nonfiction Writing. Sign up for one or all three at: http://www.writersonlineworkshops.com/viewinstructor.asp?instructorid=1028 Sagert is also available to speak at writer's conferences and she can be contacted at kbsagert@aol.com
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