If you are a writer focused on the arts, then this grant program might be just the thing you were looking for. Provided by the Creative Capital/Warhol Foundation and deadline is May 15th so hurry up!
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Two organizations where writers can connect with their colleagues in Atlanta are the Atlanta Press Club and the Magazine Association of the Southeast. Luckily, they are both having mixers in February and you can join me there with my friends. Here are the links to RSVP:
Atlanta Press Club mixer Magazine Association of the Southeast mixer See ya there! All publications - online, print, trade, glossy, international - all run smoothly thanks to the great invention that is the editorial calendar. Almost all publications will have their editorial calendar displayed on their website and some reference might be made to it on their print editions as well. As a writer, whether you want to write for glossies, trade mags or otherwise, this is a great tool for pitching articles. Most websites will have this information in their About Us section or in the Contribute section. You can see what broader topics they will address during the year as well as any specific interest areas they are keen to focus on. If this happens to be an interest area for you as a writer, then this is your job half done. All you need to do is formulate a few article ideas based on the editorial calendar and shoot them out to the editor. They will definitely reply if the pitch is on-target. If this is a topic you don't know much about but are willing to write on, send in a query to the editor and see if they have any specific stories they'd like to assign you. If you don't see an editorial calendar on the website then go ahead and inquire with the magazine - they probably have one they don't share, have not updated the latest calendar online, or have all their stories assigned and don't need more writers. Many magazines prepare for issues 3-6 months in advance so it might help to check with the editor which issue you can pitch for. In my experience, working with an editorial calendar has been the best. If I am pitching to a new magazine, then I look for the calendar on their site. If I find it, then I write in to the editor highlighting the stories I'd be interested in and checking which months I should pitch for. If I don't find it, I write in asking if there is one and if it could be shared so I can pitch. I have never had someone reply saying no! Many magazines, especially the new up and coming ones, are always looking for writers and are very happy when you reach out to them for assignments. That said, here are the links to editorial calendars for a few magazines. Maybe you will find some ideas here and an opportunity to write: 1. Buckhaven Lifestyle 2. Computer World 3. Architectural Record 4. Ebony 5. Mother Earth News Good luck! because you never know when they will get back!
I am talking about writing to editors for opportunities with their publication. I always make it a point to write in to an editor of an online or print mag if I find no way to send them a pitch on their website or magazine. No editorial calendar, no contribute or write for us tab with information, no way to know how to write for them at all. I always send in a query saying I would like more information. What's to lose? Sometimes they reply with an editorial calendar, sometimes they want samples, sometimes they have enough writers and do not need more, sometimes they connect you with somebody they think needs writers, and sometimes they just do not get back at all. It's alright - at least you know what the circumstances are. But every once in a while, they will keep your information on file, and check back with you when they do have an opportunity. So don't ever go to a site and just give up because the information you are looking for isn't easily found. Ask around, and the fact that you asked, shows that you take initiative, and you do want to write for the outlet. I wrote to one such magazine about a year ago inquiring about an opportunity with them. I never heard back, and I let it be. Today, the editor of the magazine emails me thanking me for my expression of interest, and if maybe I would like to do some food and travel writing for them. Yes, it helped that I had written on those topics before and had samples to show when asked for it, but the fact that a note sent to them a year ago was now bring back paid work my way was a fabulous way to begin the day! I'll be sure to share a link to that article once it is published. I am unsure if I might have mentioned this before. But if I have not, then I am glad I finally did. Help a Reporter Out or HARO is a great resource for reporters, journalists, article writers, etc. You can submit a query to the site and it will head out in one of their newsletters during the day. Next thing you know, you have a few sources to get inputs to quote in your article. You can also get a basic free account to sign up to be a source. You will receive their newsletters with all the pitches made by reporters and you can respond. That way you can get your name out there as well. I have used HARO both ways. I have used it for getting sources for my articles. I recently did an article for Social Media Monthly where almost all sources were those who responded to my pitch on HARO. You can read that article here. I have also used HARO to be quoted as a source. Just this morning an article was published featuring my inputs. I had responded to the pitch on HARO and sent my responses to the writer. This had to do with my green business but you can read it here. So go ahead and use this to your advantage. They have some paid plans as well but the basic free plan has worked for me just fine.
I read a few different websites and articles everyday pertaining to my writing, editing and proofreading services. I am not saying any of those sources are right or wrong but they always provide some food for thought. I get new ideas to work on, or maybe there is something I am forgetting or overlooking in my work that I am reminded of. So here is one such website that I hop on over to read up every once in a while - let me know what you think? Are there other helpful websites you would like to share? A few articles in and most of us have figured out what is the best manner for us to query or pitch an article to a prospective publisher, be that print or online. Of course, some media outlets are very specific in their accepted formats for query letters and article pitches. But I believe most are laid back enough to be at the receiving end of an email that is addressed to the appropriate contact on staff, and clearly states what the article idea is, what the story will cover, who the sources will be or where information will be gathered from. In my experience, I have just mailed in to a publication asking if I can write for them. If the answer is yes, then I proceed with poking around their website and ideating on possible stories I can do for them. I have not written for too many publications but for the few that I have, I have never been asked to provide a query or pitch in a particular pre-specified manner. I would definitely be interested in knowing how you query or pitch for your articles, and what methods have proved successful or futile. Please share them here as comments to my blog post. My brother's visit to Atlanta was simply lovely, a great break for him and for me. Glad to be back in action, rejuvenated and happy! Since tomorrow is Feb 14th, I wanted to show some love towards the networking groups I am a part of for this business. Since I have another business specializing in green products from India, I have to network specifically with groups pertaining to these businesses.
I am a member of the Freelance Forum of Atlanta as well as the Atlanta Independent Women's Network. You can check them out here and here. I am also chapter President for Ed2010 - a networking group for professional magazine editors and those who want to pursue a career in magazine editing. It is open to editors, writers, reporters, and pretty much all folks in the publishing industry. Check out the Atlanta page right here. When working on your business plan for the year. again something I learned at one of my group meetings ...
What bad habits do your clients practice that you want to do away with? What are your own habits that you need to do away with? What is the most profitable product or service you have invested in? What is the role of social media in your work? What are you doing to increase leads through your website? What networking groups are you a part of? Who is the one person that has made a big difference in your professional life and how? What is one important thing you are doing to attract new clients? What are the top 3 new services you can offer clients? What are the services that you can stop offering clients? What new technologies are you using and why? What are you doing to invest in yourself? Some of those questions had me thinking... I attended a group meeting recently where the speaker talked about how we could build a plan for success in just 3 days. Of course, that got my attention. The steps were simple - define an objective, establish a timeline and devise a strategy. Look at what steps can be taken immediately, and what can be done in a few days. Put realistic deadlines against each step towards your goal and enlist the help of a mentor or an accountability partner that will keep you going after your big plans. I've already begun, maybe you'd like to join me?
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