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This Month in Media News

It’s the end of the month so it’s time to recap some of the stories you may have missed: The Columbia Journalism Review had a rather interesting blog post commenting on ZDNet’s post about printing and things that are making offset printing obsolete. Lauren Kirchner’s “Don’t Get Your Printing Advice from a Printer Manufacturer” is great, if not for the great analytical content, then simply for this: “So essentially, I realized, I was reading and analyzing a blogpost written by someone like Microsoft’s Clippy.“ Hilarious. Al Qaidia entered the magazine business this month with the Inspire web... [Read More...]

Don’t Forget the Old-School: Pen & Paper Interviews

Over the next couple of weeks, I’m going to talk about some oldie, but goodie elements of article writing that are still important for writers. It’s easy to dismiss some tried and true techniques because of all the fancy, technological whiz-bangs available to writers, but when technology fails – and it will from time to time – it’s good to have something to pull out of your coonskin cap. Do I sound 100 years old yet? Good. Pen and paper interviews. Important. Reliable. Still in use even after the invention of the iPhone. Why? Because technology doesn’t have your best interest at heart. It doesn’t  care... [Read More...]

Clips ‘n Things

This week my family is moving some things around and one of the places I dreaded attacking was my clip file. Wait, I should call it my clip bin, like one of those storage bins people store knick-knacks or winter clothes, etc… I have a bin full of clips. I’m not saying this to brag, because there are multiple copies of each piece. Largely because my husband hordes my work. He picks up at least five copies and only because I begged him to stop picking up 10. To be honest I don’t go through them often enough. So in the midst of the moving and dragging I sat down and went through a couple… Wow. It’s pretty cool to see... [Read More...]

Persistent and Consistent – Keys to successful article writing

I talked to a friend and mentor the other day and she stressed the importance of being persistent and consistent in whatever you do. Initially, I was inspired to apply those key terms to another area of my life when I realized she said, “in everything you do.” It applies to article writing as well. Are you persistent – writing despite things going on in your life or business? This is important especially if you’re a blogger, but applies to magazine and web writers as well. Blogging on a regular basis despite sickness and strife helps build and keep your audience. They know  your blog isn’t another fly-by-night fancy... [Read More...]

However…Making Transitions Count

A killer article has a few key components: developed, compelling lede, thought provoking closing, thorough research and smooth transitions. Writers will spend hours, if not days, combing over their research. They will take a hard look at their lede and closing to make sure each gives the desired impact. Many will check over the article for proper word usage and spelling, then send it in to the editor. Wait. You missed a spot! Transitions cannot be ignored. They give an article flow, acting as speed bumps, yellow lights and stop signs throughout the piece. Have you ever read an article that starts and stops like freeway traffic during rush hour?... [Read More...]

Three Things to Do When You Lose Your Editor

Freelance writers and editors often are portrayed as having an adversarial relationship. The long suffering writer has to bow down to the editor – supreme being of a publication. The editor has unfair demands and a fickle finger. One minute you’re in, the next you’re a kill fee. On the other side, editors are rumored to be workaholics who have so much to balance and not enough time to do it. They are besieged by freelancers who keep spelling the editor’s name wrong and while mass pitching 1000 word/$5 per word pieces.  They juggle writers who miss deadlines and who those who can’t tell the difference between a lede... [Read More...]

Too Many Articles Killed the Freelance Writing Star

Success is going to happen. As a freelance writer, if you keep plugging away, success will happen for you. Sometimes it will hit all of the sudden. A deluge of articles, projects and client meetings suddenly appear in your email box. In between giddy high fives to yourself, you quickly say yes to everything and get to work. Other times it builds slowly, like a tide coming in and you suddenly find yourself surrounded by work. Soon you’re slogging away frantically trying to meet all your deadlines and while steak for dinner is nice, you don’t really get to enjoy it because you’ve got to wolf it down between edits. Sound familiar?... [Read More...]

10 Popular Article Writing Questions – Answered! part 2

5. How do you write a great lede? The lede is one of the most important components of an article. It hooks the reader, tells them what the article is about and encourages them to continue reading. Before writing the lede, ask yourself “What is this article about?” Go through your research and find the information, statistic or anecdote that best represents the article’s information and formulate your lede around it. Also check out “Driving Rules for Getting to the Point with Your Lede” and “Lede On, Hook Your Readers Every Time” 4. What makes a good article? A good article has a great lede, satisfying... [Read More...]

Popular Query Questions Answered! part 2

If you missed the first Popular Query Questions post, be sure to stop by and take a look! 5. What is a good query? A good query is like a old school burlesque show. Take the lady with the giant fans. There’s a show going on, but the tease is killer. You want to see how it ends even as you enjoy what’s happening. The performer knows just how long to lead you on before you get bored and turn back to your drink. She also knows how much to show to keep you interested. You’ll never see it all – that’s another kind of show. The same holds true for a query. Get the editor interested, make them think about the possibilities,... [Read More...]

Popular Query Questions Answered!

Piggybacking again off of Deb’s popular Frequently Asked Questions and the first part of 10 Popular Article Writing Questions, I’m also tackling query questions. If I miss one of your burning questions please let me know! 10. What is a query? A query is like a sales letter aimed at the editors of a publication. It is used to pitch a specific article idea and yourself as a writer. Some liken it to a cover letter, but I believe there is a difference. A cover letter is interest in a specific job and pitches yourself to the hiring manager, a query letter has a narrower focus. 9. How do you write a query letter? Carefully. A query letter... [Read More...]

10 Popular Article Writing Questions – Answered!

The FWJ mailbag is always pretty full and there are a few questions that pop up regularly. Deb reposted her super popular Frequently Asked Questions and made me think about the most popular questions I receive over here at the Article Writing blog. So here they are in no particular order: 10. How do you write an article? It’s true, I get this one pretty often and it’s kind of like asking someone how to cook – there’s a lot to it. So in pretty general terms: start with a topic, research the topic and based on your research find an interesting angle to the piece. Make an outline and be sure to include references (and locations... [Read More...]

5 Ways To Tell Your Article Angle Sucks

Coming up with article ideas or interesting angles is one of the challenges of being a freelance writer. Throw out the thoughts of being in competition with other writers, your main competition is yourself. Can you continually come up with ideas and angles? Are those angles fresh and interesting or the stale standard? Do you have the determination to mine resources for new ideas? I know, it gets tough out there. It seems there are a million “writers” and actual writers covering every topic under the sun. The internet has spawned a deluge of information and the average writer may get lost in a sea of evergreen articles. But, you’re... [Read More...]

This Week in Media News 4/25 – 4/30

Back again! Here’s media news you may have missed this week: Edmund Lee from AdAge has a great post about papers/publishers using “content mills” to supplement their news and opinion articles. Demand Studios and Associated Content are mentioned: More Publishers Trying Outsourced Journalism Thomas K. Zellers talks about: Paper or Pixels? NewsCorp is taking steps to be carbon neutral by the end of the year. Folio.com reports: “Women’s Publishers See Positive Signs Over First Three Months of 2010” Editor and Publisher: “Press Freedom Marching Backward Around the Globe, Freedom House Survey Says” The New... [Read More...]

Remember When? Article Queries Edition

I was clicking through the Freelance Writing Jobs web site reading articles and coming up with ideas for May’s editorial calendar when I came across this old blog post of mine: “There’s Rejection and Then There’s REJECTION!” I found myself giggling at a question “Is it just me or does it sting more when you’re rejected by hot key?” I was talking about the digital querying age and how rejection form letters are often a hot key away from delivering a swift, coarse “No.” I then got a little nostalgic about the good old days of querying. Remember… Stocking up on stamps and heavy weight paper... [Read More...]

Why are you writing that article?

Is it because the rent’s due? You like to see your name in print? It’s a part of a bigger plan of total world domination? You’d anything not to go back to a corporate job? Think about it, we write article after article here at FWJ discussing the best way to write an article, interview techniques, source cultivating, how to make money at the craft, the pros and cons of freelance writing, etc. Today I ask, “What is your motivation?” Some of us are adrift. We write the articles, we send the invoices, we look for more work. A lot of us are very successful at our jobs. We put food on the table, pay the bills and have a... [Read More...]