| > | | | | I love state [of the] art commission/council websites. |
| | | | They are chocked full of new announcements, |
| Part One | | | | competitions, grants, as well as instructional ideas and |
| Answers to questions about the writing life — | | | | meetings for writers and artists. These groups are |
| and work - from your peers — almost entirely | | | | underutilized in my opinion. |
| unedited but for formatting and [corrections]. | | | | Teresa Acosta, editor & publisher, The Romance |
| Yes, editors commit errors too, especially when | | | | Rag — |
| communicating via the quick and dirty method we | | | | Writer's Market Online; About Romance, Gila. |
| lovingly call e-mail | | | | Question # Three - What style manuals do you use |
| Question # One — Editors, how do you find | | | | and recommend and why? |
| writers? | | | | Tiffany Owens - |
| Tudor Hampton, associate editor, McGraw-Hill’s | | | | I've only used AP style in my various positions -- |
| Engineering News-Record - | | | | seems the most easily accessible and widely used of |
| Strange as it may sound, it is very difficult for us to | | | | all. |
| find freelancers who clearly understand what readers | | | | Jenny Kasza — |
| are looking for in a publication. For us, it is important to | | | | I consult with my AP Stylebook. |
| find writers who understand the difference between | | | | Dana Cassell — |
| writing news-driven rather than marketing-driven copy. | | | | I prefer the AP Stylebook because it is easier to |
| Our publication is a 129-year-old, weekly trade | | | | use. I also frequentlyrefer to "One Word, Two Words, |
| magazine with a paid circulation, a rarity, and many | | | | Hyphenated?" By Mary Louise Gilman. |
| freelancers are accustomed to writing for "controlled" | | | | Page Five |
| circulation trade publications, which typically have a | | | | Tudor Hampton — |
| more relaxed editorial ethic and generally serve | | | | Regarding style, we should let the academics |
| advertisers more than readers. | | | | debate the rules. In theprofessional world, good style is |
| Page One | | | | something not found in any manual, although every |
| That said, we look to find quality news-savvy stringers | | | | writer should own a worn-out copy of Strunk and |
| who are not heavily involved with competitive | | | | White's The Elements of Style. |
| publications. The challenge herein lies in a freelancer's | | | | Mechanically speaking, writers should be familiar with all |
| ability and quickness to become familiar enough with | | | | mainstream styles but not get too hung up on them. |
| our readers, the tone of our work, and respond | | | | Telling a good story is paramount. |
| accordingly. | | | | Lori Widmer - |
| Journalistic associations can be a good source for | | | | AP Style Guide--absolute must for some of the |
| locating qualityfreelancers, but generally speaking, I | | | | publications I write for. |
| have found good people through mere luck as well as | | | | Also, a good grammar and sentence-structure primer |
| trial and error. | | | | is essential. I use the Harbrace College Handbook. It |
| Tiffany Owens, managing editor Corporate Logo | | | | answers those nagging questions about where my |
| magazine - | | | | commas should be. |
| My favorite resource for finding writers and | | | | I would recommend that every writer have a working |
| freelancers are personal recommendations, whether it | | | | knowledge (or the appropriate manual sitting on his/her |
| be someone I've worked with in the past and know to | | | | desk) of both AP and Chicago styles. |
| be a strong contributor, or referrals from industry | | | | Depending on the industry you write for, you should |
| peers whose work I respect. | | | | also have the APA style or the AMA style down pat, |
| Dana Cassell, editor, Cassell Network — | | | | as well. I don't, but that's next on my list. |
| Because we have our own Network of Writers ( I | | | | Teresa Acosta — |
| would go there first to find a writer -- either by posting | | | | Chicago Manual of Style; The Elements of Style |
| a notice on the Member Bulletin Board, or doing a | | | | (Strunk and White); The Elements of Editing (Arthur |
| search of our Writer Data Bank, or looking in our Guide | | | | Plotnik). |
| to CNW Writers. | | | | Page Six |
| If none of these located a writer or editor who could | | | | Question # Four - How do you deal with the stress of |
| do exactly what I needed, then I would likely do a | | | | your kind of work in particular? |
| search on Google for the subject or skill (copywriter, | | | | Jenny Kasza — |
| brochures, direct mail, ghostwriter) and something like | | | | How do I deal with stress? Editing can be stressful, |
| "freelance writer" -- searching for those writers who | | | | as there is always a deadline. To alleviate stress, I try |
| have their own websites. | | | | to take a lunch break where I just sit in the car, read a |
| In the past, I posted jobs to the better-known general | | | | book, or get out and walk. |
| and larger writer-specific job sites, but received too | | | | Dana Cassell — |
| many responses, most of which were not at all what I | | | | I think the stress of impending deadlines stimulates |
| was looking for. So I've learned to more tightly target | | | | both the creative side of the brain and the drive to get |
| and control my searches for freelancers. | | | | at it. Without the stress of thosedeadlines, I don't think |
| Page Two | | | | we would get nearly as much accomplished, so it's not |
| Jenny Kasza, editor, NASPA Technical Support - | | | | necessarily a bad thing. |
| In general they are IT magazines and sometimes | | | | Lori Widmer - |
| the Internet. I find great writers by attending shows and | | | | By being in constant motion. If I'm idle, then I notice |
| conferences and asking people to write. | | | | the stress. |
| Sometimes, writers just find me via the Web or they | | | | Oddly, if I'm busy, it calms me down. I finish one project |
| were a previous member of NaSPA and now want to | | | | while farming out for two or three others. I keep in |
| get involved with it again by writing. | | | | contact with my contacts in my part of the industry. |
| Our sales staff also points me to people who may be | | | | For instance, yesterday a fellow freelancer let me |
| able to write, as they talk with people in the IT industry, | | | | know that a former boss of mine had offered her a |
| too. | | | | story she's not able to do. I sent him a quick email |
| Anonymous — | | | | "Hey, how are you--need anything?" and scored an |
| My situation is unique to associations: our audience | | | | easy assignment. |
| and our contributors are mostly members. I use very | | | | It's putting your name (and sometimes your face) in |
| few freelancers. | | | | front of potential customers that keeps the "happy |
| Freelancers contact me from time to time, and, | | | | stress" going and wards off the "bad stress". |
| depending on how they present themselves and how | | | | Page Seven |
| qualified they look, I may follow up. But most of my | | | | C. Hope Clark - |
| articles come directly or indirectly from our members. | | | | I control my schedule. I rarely get stressed in relation |
| I'm a publications staff of one--I do all the planning and | | | | to my work because I love it so much. |
| production myself. I do use an outside proofing service | | | | The biggest stress I face is when I can't deliver a |
| called Editorial Services based in Washington DC. | | | | product (i.e., newsletter) to my membership on time. |
| I keep my job because it suits my needs and provides | | | | That's happened only twice in 3 1/2 years with a |
| me with security--I'm confident they would have trouble | | | | weekly newsletter. Other than that, my stress is |
| finding someone else who could do this or who would | | | | limited. |
| want to! (I work very hard.) | | | | Teresa Acosta — |
| Dennis Bridges, publisher/editor ComputerBits magazine | | | | Take short breaks, preferably outside and try to |
| — | | | | stretch and drink water every hour. |
| Page Three | | | | Question # Five - What are your favorite time |
| I get the majority of articles via an email with the | | | | savers? |
| editorial calendar to authors who have previously | | | | Tudor Hampton — |
| written for Computer Bits. New authors find us either | | | | "Just Ask" is my mantra. If you have a question and |
| via word of mouth or on the Internet and contact me | | | | don't know the answer, reliable resources are more |
| with their proposals. | | | | likely to help you before you can do it on your own. |
| Question # Two — What are your favorite life | | | | Technology can waste a lot of time, too. In my |
| and work resources? | | | | experience, it's faster, not but easier, to make a phone |
| Lori Widmer, freelance editor, writer and former editor | | | | call than to write an email. And without question, people |
| of Risk & Insurance magazine - | | | | are more important than the Internet. |
| Getaways--This one's weird. I like to go to Ontario, | | | | Jenny Kasza — |
| to my parents' fishing camp, and sit by the river with | | | | Don't be afraid to delegate to people. When people |
| my journal or just sit and read a book. | | | | ask if you need help with anything, say yes, and give |
| Oh, and I fish. Nothing soothes the nerves and brings | | | | them a project to do. |
| you back down into the earth better than connecting | | | | Page Eight |
| with it on a personal level. Of course, that's only | | | | Lori Widmer - |
| because I like to catch bass and would use any | | | | Email! My gawd, it's changed my life. Folks who |
| excuse to fish. | | | | would normally avoid the phone usually respond much |
| Communities--I like participating in either email writing | | | | faster to an email (if they're going to respond at all, that |
| groups or local ones, though I've not had much time | | | | is). |
| until now for either. I also plan to join the Chamber of | | | | Also, I've made templates of my own personal invoice |
| Commerce and schmooze that way. | | | | so I only need to pop in the info and not reinvent the |
| Books--The Well-Fed Writer, Harbrace College | | | | wheel each time I send out my invoices. |
| Handbook, AP Style Guide, The Synonym Finder | | | | I'm also a list-maker. I have my Outlook calendar |
| (better than Roget's Thesaurus, I think). | | | | littered with notes telling me what I should work on for |
| Web sites--About.com's freelance [writer] group, | | | | that day if I want to remain on schedule. |
| creativemoonlighter.com, mediabistro.com, (do we see | | | | Dana Cassell - |
| a pattern here?), Salon.com, NYTimes.com, | | | | I have several utility software programs that save |
| prnmedia.com, businesswire.com, writerswrite.com | | | | time with copying,pasting in frequently used text and |
| C. Hope Clark, editor, FundsforWriters — | | | | passwords, filing, remembering, and backing up -- such |
| Page Four | | | | as ClipMate, TypeItIn, Second Copy -- all of which I |
| Mine is a constant effort at seeking new sources. | | | | would not like to be without. |
| I have few I rely on all the time since I like to keep my | | | | C. Hope Clark - |
| work fresh and innovative. I believe in professional lists | | | | Skipping house work, skipping cooking dinner, and |
| online from which I glean a massive amount of | | | | never watching television. My work is from home, and |
| information. It's like tapping into experts via a daily | | | | that's where I gather my free time. |
| digest mode. | | | | |