Getting Published: Like Waiting for Godot by Nannette Croce

The way some new writers approach getting published reminds me of the Samuel Beckett play Waiting for Godot. They insist on submitting to only the top-tier journals and end up waiting and waiting and waiting and never seeing their work in print.

New writers are aware, or at least they should be, when submitting to the "prestige" journals, that competition is fierce. You'll be up against the John Updikes and Alice Walkers who have learned a thing or two in their lifetimes including how to write damn good prose and poetry. You'll also be up against new writers who've graduated from the Iowa Writer's Workshop or attended Breadloaf or had one of those well-known writers as an instructor. However, you might also assume that, outside of these obvious advantages, the playing field remains fairly level. That is, editors read submissions as they come in and choose the best work to publish. All things being equal, sure, Annie Proulx wins out over Sally Unknown, but if Sally Unkown's piece arrives first, and it's really, really good, she has a pretty good chance of making it in.

Recently I had the opportunity to learn about a certain top-tier journal's acceptance process—which I think it's fair to assume is pretty representative. Call me naive, but, frankly, I was a little surprised at how tilted the playing field actually is. The process comprises three levels of readers and a piece can be rejected or advanced anywhere along the line. However, if the submission has an extra something going for it, say the writer has published with that journal before, or has a few prestigious credits, or is recommended by a known writer, etc., etc., that submission skips the slush pile and goes directly to the second level of readers. That may not sound like such a big advantage, but consider that, while that huge slush pile (because the pile of unknowns is always bigger than the pile of knowns) is being slogged through, the slots for the next issue are filling up.

I'm often surprised to learn how many writers still feel these elusive top tier credits are the only ones that really count. They're willing to go years and years writing for no one, rather than lowering their sights. That's not saying new writers should submit to publications that accept anything—though if simply having your work read is the goal, there's nothing wrong with that. However, there are many, many publications between the level of we-print-anything-we-get and the top tier, and many of those are online.

I can attest for the fact that The Rose & Thorn is selective. On the other hand, unlike the journal I describe above, we read and accept work as it arrives, and while credits are nice to know, they hold very little value in the selection process. In fact I myself have rejected many pieces by writers with a string of excellent print credits because the piece just wasn't a good fit for us.

Publishing online has several added advantages over print. Unless you can beat even longer odds and have your piece chosen for one of the award anthologies such as Pushcart or O. Henry or Best American, your work is likely to be read once and forgotten. It may live on in back issues, but how many people buy those? Online publications usually archive work, sometimes for several years, where it can be read and commented on with just a click of the mouse. (One of my pieces was re-discovered three years after the original publication and was linked to a someone's blog.) Also, by their very nature, online publications reach a wider audience. The Rose & Thorn is read by English speakers all over the world.

If you still prefer print, there are a number of mid-level and regional publications where new or emerging writers face less competition as well. Bottom line is good writers can get published but not necessarily in the top tier. So, if that's what you hold out for, you may end up "waiting for Godot."


Nannette Croce is Co-Managing Editor of The Rose & Thorn. Her short story The Box of Cereal recently appeared in the Winter '07 issue of The Rose & Thorn. Another of her short stories, The Foundations of Churchill, will appear in the inaugural issue of Sotto Voce this fall.

Part Three: Do You Need an Editor Now? by Kathryn Magendie

You’ve written your draft. You’ve polished it until it shined. You’ve had readers read and comment, and you’ve tweaked it again. Your manuscript is shiny and lovely. You are ready to query agents. You stop and think, “Should I get my novel professionally edited first?”

Here is where there is a bit of gray area. Whether you pay a professional editor (or a “book doctor") to help you refine your manuscript will be according to how comfortable you are with your final draft. It will depend on whether you feel good about not only grammar and punctuation (which, while having it perfect is not necessarily an issue, having it messy and unprofessional will be) and spelling, but consistency in voice and in point of view, whether those things the readers are “tracking” are resolved—did you tie up those “loose ends,” does the beginning entice and the ending satisfy? There are many things a good editor can do for your manuscript. It’s a tough world out there, the publishing industry is. For it is a business, and like any business, there is always competition. With competition, there is always someone else who wants to win. Yes, there are writers who can write a novel that is not a polished gem, and that writer can find an agent, and that agent can find an editor and then a publisher. However, it is my opinion one must have their manuscript clean and professional before beginning the query process.

So, am I saying to pay an editor? No. And I say this even though I edit novels as a freelance editor. Editing will add another layer of expense to your novel-writing budget. And face it: writers do not make much money from their writing, even after publishing a book. The hours you sweat over your manuscript are hours you are not paid for. Then, when the query process begins, there is the paper and ink to print (or the printing company, if you choose that route), the cost of postage and envelopes, the gas driving to and from the post office and/or printers. Professional editing can add substantially to that budget. And, as well, it is completely on the hope that once you spend the time and money, your manuscript will be picked up by an agent and then a publisher. Face it: it may not happen as quickly as you like (I will not say it will not happen, for I believe in never giving up) and months (years?) could go by without success.

Finding an editor to help you polish your manuscript should be a well-thought-out personal decision. However, if you know your manuscript needs help, help that you aren’t equipped to give it, then do your homework and find an editor you trust. There are editors (and book doctors) galore out there. Ask questions. See if they will look at a sample of your work before you both decide—and I say “both decide” because the editor must feel she is the right editor for you, as well. Find out what the editor’s fees are, and what those fees will cover. Make sure everything is up front so there is a complete understanding between the two of you—author and editor—of what you as the author needs and what the editor provides, and at what costs, how much time it will take, etc.

Whatever you decide, once you hold that Final Manuscript, the manuscript you feel is the best it can be, then you are ready to begin the query process. Whether you decide to query agents, go directly to publishers, small presses, or even if your goal is only to self-publish, you now have a manuscript you can be proud of.

Part Four... now what?

Kathryn Magendie is a writer and editor, and Senior Editor/Senior Newsletter Editor at The Rose & Thorn Literary Ezine. Kat’s essays, poetry, short stories, book reviews, interviews, photography, feature stories, restaurant reviews, interviews, and columns have been published in print and online publications. She has a successful blog, writes with three other Rose & Thorn writers in a year of gratitude blog (YOG), and as she has done here, participates in the Roses & Thorns blog. She has completed two novels and is at last in the query process.

Taking the Fever Out of the Pitch by Angie Ledbetter

Fresh from the Pen-to-Press Writer's Retreat in New Orleans, a few things come to mind to share with others who’d rather have an unmedicated root canal than pitch their novel to an agent or editor. Speaking with a literary agent at a writer’s conference, party, or anywhere can be a nerve-wracking thing. It doesn’t have to be that way if you prepare yourself and believe in your “product.”

Polish and polish some more: Before you approach someone to take on your project, make sure your "baby" is in its Sunday best. This includes having your little darling free of typos and errors. It should be edited to within an inch of its word count, and had several non-family/friend readers give it a critique. If you don't have a topnotch writers or critique group, get one. Your manuscript will be better for each set of eyes that look it over.

KISSS: Keep It Short and Sweet, Stoopid. The last thing you want when describing your work to someone is to see their eyes glaze over before you've even gotten to meat of your presentation. Know and practice your concise description and be able to explain your novel's plot in thirty seconds or less. What popular books, movies or characters help show your work's flavor? Familiarity breeds relaxation, and as trite as it sounds, practice really does make perfect. Know what you're going to say before you approach an agent/editor so you don't ramble and lose your train of thought and your audience's interest.

It's okay to "cheat" sometimes: I studied my notes and rehearsed my pitch until I felt comfortable, but for extra insurance against a bad case of nerves or freak bout of laryngitis, I had a few note cards tucked away in a pocket in case I went blank. Unlike political speeches, it's perfectly okay to memorize talking points. It's never okay to say you have a 100,000-word polished manuscript when you really only have four sketchy chapters or an outline.

Look for opportunities, but don't stalk: There are basically three categories of conference attendees you always see -- Chihuahuas (shy and skittish, they miss opportunities to pitch their mss and mingle with other writers, wishing they were home instead); Boston Terriers (adventurous writers who zero in on ways to hobnob with others in a friendly way); and Doberman Pinschers (all-out territory encroachers who attach themselves to the legs of speakers/agents/editors at every moment including meals and bathroom breaks. "Down, boy," is not in their vocabulary, so they obnoxiously hound others).

Relax yourself: Agents and others in the publishing industry are people too. They won't bite you or come off as ogres, unless maybe you're a "Doberman." When pitching your work or speaking with them, try to remember they are as interested in finding the next great writer as you are in being one. Speak in a relaxed, self-assured manner that shows your confidence as if you are approaching a friend or good old college professor. They know writers/authors who pitch to them are doing so in anxiety-producing circumstances and won't fault them for it.

Two simple words: Like Mom always said, don't forget to say "thank you." Many agents/publishers/editors spend a great deal of time traveling to conferences and events. It can't be easy (or always profitable) leaving home and family to live out of a suitcase. Let them know you appreciate their time, even if your pitch fell short or they aren't looking for work in your genre. A post-conference thank-you note is a nice idea too. On this point, I'd like to personally thank the literary agents I spoke with at Pen-to-Press: Laura Blake Peterson with Curtis Brown, you made my virgin pitch easy and comfortable; Melissa Flashman (Trident Media Group), thank you for the enjoyable conversation; Paige Wheeler (Folio Literary Management), I appreciate you listening and asking good questions; and Jaimee Garbacik (The Literary Group), thanks for the opportunity and quick reply. Cherry Adair and Natalie Collins, you were great Instructors and will always be my "peeps."


Most of these tips apply to querying an agent or industry professional as well as making a face-to-face pitch. Remember, agents, whether seasoned or new to the game, make their living by signing on good authors. Everyone wants to be a winner, but if you strike out with your pitch, don't give up. Research, re-write and edit if suggested, and make a new game plan for the next opportunity.



Angie Ledbetter is a freelance writer, author, and sometime poet. When not wrangling her three teens or teaching school, she works on various writing projects, including a fiction novel. She enjoys being part of The Rose & Thorn.

Maximizing the Writer's Conference by Angie Ledbetter

The success of every writer’s conference depends mainly on the quality of speakers and material presented, but there are several things participants can do to increase returns on the time and money invested to attend.

Just returning from the Pen-to-Press Writers Retreat, http://http//pentopressretreat.com/, several ideas and tips come to mind:


BE PREPARED –
DO arrive fully prepared to work on your writing project. Have supplies including hard copies and digital copy (on disk/flash drive) of your polished writing project; pens and paper; business cards (even if temporary ones with just your name and email address made at Kinko’s or on home computer); laptop; and appropriately dressy and casual clothing and shoes. Bring your comfort items if not provided by the conference or hotel, such as a travel coffeepot, bottled water, a special pillow, and whatever helps you sleep soundly away from home. Be well-rested beforehand. Chances are, you won’t be getting as much sleep while away, so stock up on it before you arrive at the conference. If possible, plan to arrive early and/or stay late so you can relax and unwind.
DON’T pack everything you own. Most hotels now provide blow dryers, irons and toiletries. Conference organizers will probably arrange for simple supplies on-site. Lots and lots of extra luggage and “stuff” to haul around will tire you unnecessarily.

SCHMOOZING –
DO take every opportunity to interact with speakers, classmates, agents, and editors as much as possible, including breaks between sessions, social gatherings, at the coffeepot, and anywhere possible. If your conference is mostly breakout sessions or classroom style, think about bringing a small gift to the teacher and/or organizer. Most work hard to host a good conference and will appreciate the thought. After the conference, thank-you notes are always nice.
DON’T stalk or harass conference presenters. They need downtime, too, and efforts to invade their personal space at every moment will not cause you to be remembered kindly. Maybe a speaker, organizer, agent, or publisher would enjoy dining with you if he/she doesn’t already have plans, and either way, it never hurts to ask.

TAKING NOTES –
DO bring a fully charged laptop if taking notes is easier on a keyboard vs. longhand if you will be at a table or desk. You may also want to “swap notes” with a fellow attendee afterward to make sure you’ve gotten as much solid information as possible.
DON’T think you will remember all the information presented without having to jot down a few reminders. Most conferences are intensive and packed with important tips and how-to data you’ll want later.

AFTERWARD –
DO transcribe notes while they are fresh. Organize handouts and information however it’s most useful and accessible. A three-ring binder might be helpful, or creating a new computer file may be more your style. Whatever method you choose, spend the extra time needed to get your notes in order to save time and effort later. Begin work on your writing, submitting, querying, or whatever your goal was before attending the conference. There’s something to be said for striking while the iron (and information) are hot, especially as it pertains to contacting agents, publishers, or speakers if given the green light.
DON’T go home and get back to business as usual. Make the effort to compile and process the information you got at the conference and make a plan of attack concerning writing goals. While enthusiasm is at a peak, you’re more apt to make strides. Many agents, publishers and speakers travel frequently to conferences, so do not assume they will remember who you are and what your writing is about six months from now. Make contact as soon as possible after the event.



Angie Ledbetter is a freelance writer, author, and sometime poet. When not wrangling her three teens or teaching school, she works on various writing projects, including a fiction novel. She enjoys being part of The Rose & Thorn.

Writing Classes: Are They Worth the Money? by Nannette Croce

It seems in the last decade or so the number of classes available to aspiring creative writers has exploded. They include enrichment courses offered by colleges and universities to non-matriculating students; adult night school classes; and innumerable online offerings. The prices vary widely. Online, for example, a class with Writer’s Village University might cost under $100, while a class with Gotham Writers’ Workshop runs closer to $400. College courses can cost even more.

How can a writer tell if the price of these courses is commensurate with the value, or if they need to take any classes at all?

To a large extent that will vary based on needs and expectations, but I've taken more than a few of these classes in my time, enough to give you some points to keep in mind when making your decision.

Don’t expect too much

Despite what they may advertise, no writing class can guarantee publication, and they won’t turn a rank amateur into a publishable writer. Don’t expect the equivalent of an MFA in six to ten weeks. Most simply focus on the basics like plot, tense, and POV. You may learn to avoid the verb “to be,” or to “show not tell,” but don’t expect to get into the nuances of sentence structure or word choice.

Ability of participants will vary widely

In non-selective classes—which most of these are—the abilities of participants will vary widely. Since most classes run on the workshop format, where participants share work and provide feedback, this can be a major factor in what you gain from the experience. Even when various levels of instruction are offered, if the only requirement is a prerequisite course, that’s no guarantee students were ready to move on to the next level. In the best scenario, at least some students’ work will inspire you to new levels. However, expect some participants who just want (usually undeserved) praise.

What is the instructor's role?

The instructor can, actually, make a world of difference no matter what the level of the participants. Some online classes set out a series of assignments but have no instructor at all or may have a facilitator who handles only technical issues. These classes can be helpful if you just want exercises to jump-start or improve your writing, but with no instructor, they have a tendency to disintegrate as students fall behind in assignments or drop out.

The best online classes provide feedback and regular “lecturing” from a competent instructor as well as—and this is rare online—certain demands on participants to get assignments in on time and make use of what they’ve learned. Some real-world and online classes may be run by well-published writers. This can certainly provide some valuable input and be worth a few extra dollars.

Online or Real-World

Nothing beats the convenience of online classes. You can attend in your pajamas, your instructor might live anywhere in the world, and while assignments have a deadline, you don’t usually need to be in a certain place at a certain time. On the other hand, while the level of instruction may vary in any class, you will never get, online, the one-on-one instruction or opportunity to ask specific questions about your work that you potentially receive in a real-world classroom.

Also, while that loosey-goosey quality of online makes for convenience, at least some students end up not taking it seriously, running late on assignments, and even dropping out, leaving you with only one or two other students or sometimes alone by then end of the class.

So, are writing classes worth the money?

In my experience, with non-selective programs you can probably learn just as much by reading a few good books and joining a writer’s group to get feedback. But sometimes the structure and discipline of a class can be valuable, not to mention the input of an enthusiastic instructor. Just don’t expect miracles and consider carefully before laying down a wad of money.


Nannette Croce is Co-Managing Editor of The Rose & Thorn and an official YOGer. Her work has appeared in various online and print publications including The Philadelphia Inquirer. For more information on her published work, visit her website.

Self-Publishing: Pros and Cons by Samella McClary-Brown

In 2003 Samella McClary-Brown self-published her novel Suddenly under the name Samella Trent. This is the first in a series of posts on what writers should know about self-publishing. Here she covers the general pros and cons.


So, you have written a book? And, like any writer, you want your work to be read by others. Hopefully and wistfully you dream of millions and millions of people reading your work and just loving it!

Now is a time when you have more choices for how to publish your work. You can go the traditional way, by scouting out a publisher, or you can use a small printing press to have copies printed, or you can self-publish, like I did.

When I completed my novel Suddenly (a romance/mystery) a few years back, I did not even entertain the idea of going to a traditional publisher, mostly because I did not feel like taking the time to try that avenue. Instead, I searched around and picked a self-publisher.

There are pros and cons to going this route. Some cons I found were:

• I had to pay someone to print my novel. Sounds absurd, right?
  
• I had to do all the proofreading to make sure there were no errors in my novel--a great task to say the least, and absolutely my least favorite part of writing.
  
• Then there was the marketing, and promoting, etc., not to mention pricing the book so that it was fair to a buyer, yet yielded some profit.

And next to editing, my least favorite aspect of self-publishing was telling friends and family about the book. Some friends, but mostly relatives, felt as though I should give them a book for free or at least at a discount and, truth be told, I needed them to buy two--if not ten--copies.

The pros were that the book was completed, published, and put to rest, which released me from the book, almost like putting your child to bed at night or completing a project that you have had on your to-do list--being able to let out a sigh of release and relief. At first, this was the only positive thing I could think of, but after giving it some more thought, I did come up with one other: that I was in complete control of my novel from start to finish.

If you have the time, patience, and energy, then self-publishing could be the way to go.

Would I self-publish again? Probably. Would I want to have to? No!

Samella McClary-Brown, AKA Samella Trent, is an Assistant Editor with The Rose & Thorn. Suddenly is available for purchase at Amazon.com and BarneandNoble.com.

Genres:The Over-Classification of Literature by Nannette Croce

In the beginning, bookstores were divided into Fiction, Poetry, and Nonfiction. The nonfiction might be subdivided into History or Biography. The fiction might include separate sections for Mystery, and maybe Science Fiction or Westerns. And Poetry was Poetry.

Your best bet, if you were looking for something specific, was to have the title of the book or the author’s name. Otherwise, you browsed, flipped through a few pages, and decided what you wanted to buy based on plot, style, or whatever caught your fancy.

Now we have mega-booksellers, either bricks and mortar or online, and the over-classification of literature into ever-more-minute genres. It started with Romance, Horror, Fantasy, Chick Lit (a name mercifully upgraded to Women’s Lit), and Thriller. Now those have subdivided into Paranormal Romance, Historical Romance, Political Fiction, Political Thriller, Paranormal Thriller, Spy Thriller, Psychological Thriller, Legal Thriller and . . . [pause for breath] Literary Fiction, which its practitioners might describe as “none of the above” or even “above the above.”

While it may sound counterintuitive, the problem, I think, with this over-classification of literature is not that it complicates, but that it oversimplifies.

Our current culture seems bent on putting everything into neat little boxes. Are you Conservative or Liberal? Do you live in a Red State or a Blue State? Are you for the war in Iraq or against it?

How many writers are told by agents that they have a good novel, but it just doesn’t “fit” anywhere? In a recent review of Jennifer Weiner’s new novel Certain Girls in the Philadelphia Inquirer, Jane Smiley wonders why “. . . Weiner herself has given up seeking a wider audience, and so given up developing her fictional premises from lots of different perspectives.”

My guess is, having established herself as a bestselling author for women with Good in Bed and The Guy Not Taken, Weiner’s agent/publisher is not likely to greet her cross-genre submission with a "Hallelujah."

The more minute the genres, the easier the sales tracking and the better to know how to stock the shelves. But what about all the fine work being written that we will never see? Or the work that won’t be read by a wider audience because it’s packaged for women or men or sits in a part of the store you rarely frequent?

One category I didn’t mention is Classics. Basically, Classics are books of lasting quality written before these minute genres were invented. One classic author, Jane Austen, might be published today, but her novels would definitely be sold as Women’s Lit with cover art no man would be caught dead with. And what about, say, the Brontë sisters? Wuthering Heights is too dark for Women’s Lit, and it can’t be Romance because the guy and gal don’t get together. Jane Eyre ends up well, but there’s that niggling thing about the wife in the attic (horror? thriller?), and some deep thinking on Jane’s part—Psychological Thriller?

Where would you put most of the classics genres-wise? Moby Dick? The Great Gatsby? Dickens’s work?

In my capacity as Book Reviews Editor for The Rose & Thorn I am receiving more and more promotions from small, independent publishers. These aren’t the same as self-publishing or vanity presses, but they are less expensive to produce because they are usually POD or e-books. Also, the author does much of the promotion—still not ideal for writers who would rather spend their time writing—but at least it’s out there.

If you like what you read in one of our reviews, please consider buying the book.

Acceptance of more non-genre-specific books opens doors, not only for writers, but also for readers. I’ve been put into enough boxes. I don’t need to be boxed into my reading preferences.


Nannette Croce is Co-Managing Editor of The Rose & Thorn and an official YOGer. Her work has appeared in various online and print publications including The Philadelphia Inquirer. For more information on her published work, visit her website.

6 P's of Networking by Angie Ledbetter

With my teaching job, rearing three busy teens, freelancing, working on writing projects, facilitating a writer's group, and volunteering at school and in the community, my time and brain cells are stretched thin. But there is a way busy writers can maximize writing productivity through networking.

Networking with others is an easy, fun way to increase sells and click with like-minded people who understand the craziness of trying to juggle writing with everything else going on in their lives.

I know the principles of networking work because I've been part of co-authored book ventures, facilitated several writing groups, written a humor/advice column with my twin sister, and am currently blogging with three fabulous women on the benefits of gratitude. Each of these ventures has been fun, but best of all, they have led me to writing relationships with others.

By joining live and/or cyber groups and subscribing to e-zines, we increase our exposure to the job market and to fellow writers. Exchanging submission callouts and opportunities is another benefit of group membership.

Following are the 6 P's which help me stay on track with writing:


Patience - The bad news first. Our personal writing Rome won't be built in a day, or even a year, so be prepared for lots of hard work and a heavy dose of patience while paying writing dues. There's a reason patience is a virtue. It's hard as hell to have it, hold onto it, and to trust in it. But it will yield results.


Persistence - We've heard the inspirational quotes; now it's time to believe them.

"Nothing in this world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. The slogan 'press on' has solved and always will solve the problems of the human race." ~ Calvin Coolidge

"Genius is one percent inspiration and ninety-nine percent perspiration." ~ Thomas Edison


Partnerships - Here's a personal quote: "Nothing worth doing is done alone." Never underestimate the power of your partnerships.

Prayer (or if you prefer, Positive Thinking) - Prayer power has been my most reliable weapon in the battle to get published. I've grabbed opportunities offered to me; I've cleaned houses (flexible and good cash) and gotten regular column gigs and private investigation jobs. All these I juggled with freelancing for a decent paycheck.


Playing the Field - Diversify your goals. Write your novel, but keep your writing fresh by trying your hand at articles, short stories, poetry, or flash fiction. Think about working for start-up publications. Who knows where these avenues will lead? By playing the writing field, you increase your chances of catching an editor's eye. You build your clip file. You gain experience. And again, you build your network. Are there contests you might enter? So what if you don't win? You have a finished product to edit and submit elsewhere. I'm a deadline-pressure-in-order-to-get-moving kind of writer, so contest deadlines help me produce.


Perception - See things differently, look outside conventions and boxes. To increase your writing and publishing scores, be different. Look for opportunities others overlook. If you see a publication's ad for an article writer and it's full of typos or bad grammar, offer your editing services. Think of creative ways to advertise your services. Partner up with others to decrease advertising expenses.

Don't forget to plant your seeds wisely and to tend to them afterward. Always thank those who've helped you along the writing road, and be sure to lend a hand to others when you can. Little kindnesses are appreciated; they come back to you in multiples, and they leave your name with a good connotation in others' minds.


Angie Ledbetter is a freelance writer, author, and sometime poet. When not wrangling her three teens or teaching school, she works on various writing projects, including a fiction novel. She enjoys being part of The Rose & Thorn.

Fanning the Freelance Fires by Angie Ledbetter

Freelancing isn’t easy, whether you’re aiming to edit, write copy for specific industries, online zines or print publications, or some combination thereof. If you’re just getting started, the old adage about not giving up your day job is sound. What the average part-time freelancer makes annually probably won’t allow for personal insurance, but there are a few things you can do to boost your chances (and income) while prowling the freelance jungle.

First, do not undercut yourself. Devaluing your time and hard work makes it harder to raise your rates significantly later on. And please do not be one of the freelance writers who spends years bidding on work through write-for-hire sites or writing for pay-per-view places. By agreeing to take on only projects that pay pennies, you will soon slam into the burnout wall. You’ll also join the ranks of those who give their work away and make it harder for others to charge a living wage.

So, what can a freelancer do to improve his chances and his bank account when he has no or few clips in his portfolio? Be smart – spend a good deal of time researching the industry. Use search engines to find out what salaries full- and part-time freelancers earn. A good pay scale calculator can be found here: http://www.payscale.com/af/calc.aspx?af=2385&src=SH1&job=freelance&city=&state=

Knowing what you’re worth at the outset will serve your career well. Just like other industries, you’ll have to start out at the bottom, but once you’ve gotten some exposure and experience, you’ll at least know what to charge by the hour or project, according to national averages.

Look for smaller publications and industry newsletters to get your feet wet. There’s nothing wrong with writing pro bono for nonprofit agencies for a while when you’re new. The clips you build will move you into a more profitable future. Once you’re ready for the next level – paid freelancing jobs and projects – forge relationships with a few editors and publishers. This is easier to do than many writers think. By being accurate, submitting early vs. just at deadline or (gasp) past due, you endear yourself to employers. And always give them lagniappe (a little something extra) with each assignment: a nice sidebar of resources or statistics, free companion clip art, correlating jpegs, or even an offer of a follow-up article. Once you’ve got the publication’s style and readership down and have sold a few articles, you can offer to do a feature or series. When your relationship with the boss has solidified with happy results on both ends, maybe you can snag a weekly or monthly column.

When you have a few dependable markets in your stable, you can branch out. As in all businesses, start slowly and build steadily so as not to take on too much at once until you know what sort of workload you can comfortably manage.

By following the simple equation of thoroughly researching your market, turning in quality work ahead of schedule, and always providing a small bonus, you won’t be lumped into the ever-growing pile of available freelance sources. Remember: just because “free” appears in your job title, doesn’t mean you have to give your work away.

Angie Ledbetter is a freelance writer, author, and sometime poet. When not wrangling her three teens or teaching school, she works on various writing projects, including a fiction novel. She enjoys being part of The Rose & Thorn.

Blogging: Is it helpful to your writing career? by Kathryn Magendie

Three years ago, I’d never visited a blog, much less thought about one for myself. An agent whose seminar I attended talked for twenty minutes about his client’s blog and how it helped her gain readership for her novels, and how if a writer doesn’t have a blog, then they are sorely missing out, and possibly quite stupid. I thought, “Yeah, sure, all I have to do is set up a blog and my writing dreams will come true.” His writer certainly was enjoying the fruits from the blogging tree! However, her published book(s) came before the blog; the blog only enhanced her success, it didn't cause it.

Well, possibilities overcame doubt. I googled "blogs". Oh, the plethora of information that appeared! I tried out a couple before settling on the one I use now. Setting it up is the easy part—keeping the blog alive and active and viable isn’t as easy. However, if you want a place to showcase your work, your voice, your abilities as an artist, writer, musician, or maybe just daily musings about your Aunt Minnie-moo the Cat, blogs are a beautiful thing. Know this: you will be read. And, if you have time to visit and leave comments, you assure more people will stop by your blog. Further, if you manage to be entertaining, or intriguing, or engaging, then you are assured readers will return. Not a bad gig, huh? But will it get you published? That's the gray area. That's where I have to shrug and say, "I don't know."

Although I tend to write with a free and easy hand for my blog posts, I keep an inner eye towards keeping the Who of who I am apparent—writer and editor. I’ve made blog contacts from all over the United States and abroad, and many of those will go on to click links to my published work and to my Web site. The writers, mothers, poets, fathers, artists, psychologists, butchers, bakers, candlestick makers, the genuinely interesting and kind people who read my blog encourages me to look forward to the day I have a book published and want to do everything possible to make sure it is a success. I sincerely believe my blog will reach many who can become potential buyers of my work. They will already “know” me through my writings. I am familiar to them. And my blog can act as further "advertising" for the published work.

Have I achieved success because of my blog? Well, let's see. Through my blog, I was contacted by a blogging agent and though we didn’t work together long (he agented part time along with a busy schedule of his own work, and I needed to find a full-time agent), the experience was positive and encouraging. As well, I have the immediate gratification of people who visit and leave positive comments or email me to say, “I’ve been reading your stuff and as soon as your book is published, I want a copy!” or “Where can I buy your work? Where can I read more?” Those blog friends are real readers and potential future buyers of my writings, published and will-be-published. When will I be “discovered?” Who knows. Maybe never. Maybe tomorrow. But, the possibility of someone reading my work and deciding it is just the thing they’ve been looking for is always there. Right?

A warning. Blogging can be time-consuming (particularly, if as I do, you have a blog, a Web site with a blog, and partner blog with Got Yog? and Roses & Thorns). If you do not post frequently, readership can fall away, and visiting other blogs as a courtesy to those who visit you can eat up your time. Then there is always the possibility of being “misunderstood” if one is not careful. Although it has not happened to me, I've seen it happen to others. Perhaps you’ve had a bad day and you post a tirade, or you spout your religious or political views and are offensive in some way you never meant to be (or maybe you did!), or write a scathing post you regret the next day, but it’s too late, you’ve been read and read and read—your dingy undies flapping in the breeze for all to see.

Is it worth it all? If your goal is to become famous through your blog—well, good luck! With some imagination and ingenuity, something magical could happen. Even more realistic for most is the creative outlet that assures you many readers—readers who leave those comments after reading your work or simply the stats showing the interest is there for those who are too shy to comment (but we LOVE comments!), along with the opportunity to market yourself and your future work. And none of it will cost you a penny.

If you’d like to visit my personal blog, the address is: http://kathrynmagendie.spaces.live.com/. My writers' and artists' blog is http://kathrynmagendie.com/howl/ .You are already here at the Roses & Thorns blog, so why not click around? And, finally, Got Yog?, where I, along with Roses & Thorns Publishing Editor Barbara Quinn, Co-Managing Editor Nannette Croce, and Editor Angie Ledbetter, write our Year of Gratidue, is at http://barbaraquinnyearofgratitude.blogspot.com/. Good Luck! Good Writing. Good Reading.


Kathryn Magendie is a writer, freelance editor, and a Senior Editor & Senior Newsletter Editor at The Rose & Thorn. Visit her website at http://www.kathrynmagendie.com/, her GOT YOG? blog at http://barbaraquinnyearofgratitude.blogspot.com/, or her personal blog at http://kathrynmagendie.spaces.live.com/

Writers and Taxes: Save Those Receipts* by Nannette Croce

Writing is a business.

You know, if you’ve been at it for more than a few months, that researching markets, tracking queries and submissions, and billing for your work can add up to more time than the actual writing. But writing is also a business when it comes to tracking income and expenses, and if you haven’t been doing that by saving your receipts, this time of year—tax time—may bring you up short.

Why save receipts?

As a writer, you are self-employed, whether you make $5 or $50,000. We all know, when we earn a regular paycheck, that Uncle Sam takes a share of every check in the form of withholding. (Depending on where you live, state and local governments may take some, too.) At the end of the year, if you paid too much withholding, you get some back. If you didn’t pay enough, you owe more.

As a writer, when you receive a check for a freelance job or a published story or poem or an article for the newspaper, no taxes are withheld, but that doesn’t mean you don’t owe any. It is a common misconception that income under a certain minimum or for which you do not receive a Form 1099 does not need to be reported. According to the IRS Web site “There is no minimum amount that a taxpayer may exclude from gross income.” In addition, if your net profit (meaning income minus deductible expenses) exceeds $400, you are required to file a Schedule 1040 SE for self-employment taxes. Self-employment taxes are the equivalent of Social Security withholding for the self-employed. Further, if after filing your taxes, you owe more than $1,000 for that filing year, you may need to file quarterly for the next year.

No one wants to pay more taxes than they have to. That’s why you want to keep your net income—the amount after deductible expenses—to a minimum. There are all kinds of legitimate expenses you can deduct from your writing income, but in order to prove that you need to keep your receipts.

What Receipts You Should Keep?

The self-employed can generally deduct the cost of doing business. The following are expenses that may be deductible and for which you should save receipts:*

Office supplies like pens, pencils, printer cartridges, paper, etc.

Postal fees for mailing out your work

Any work-related phone charges like setting up or conducting interviews or talking with clients or editors, or the entire phone bill if you have one line used exclusively for business

Dues to professional organizations or subscriptions to professional publications

Any advertising; for example, if you pay someone to maintain a Web site to promote your writing or sell your book

Any payments you made to a professional proofreader or “book doctor”

Mileage to and from your home to conduct an interview or meet with a publisher or agent

What about larger expenses?

Depending on your income you might be able to deduct larger expenses like travel to writers’ conferences or portions of the cost of your computer or automobile. You might even be able to claim deductions for parts of your home used for business. This gets a lot more tricky because you can only deduct for expenses that are for the exclusive use of your business. Also, sometimes complicated formulas apply for depreciation, etc. You should definitely seek the help of a reputable tax professional before venturing into these waters.

Why Keep Receipts If You’re Not Making Money?

Because hope springs eternal. Seriously.

The writing business is very unpredictable. You may be going along assuming another year of zero income when one of those contests you almost forgot you entered awards you a prize of $1,000 toward the end of the year. Or your freelancing may suddenly take off and you get several more writing contracts or one very lucrative one. Or someone may hire you to write a regular column. These are all things that have happened, unexpectedly, to writers I know. You will have to report all that as income and without proof of expenses it will all be taxed as pure profit when, in reality, your expenses could be most, all, or even more than what you made. Further, expenses for a year in which you had little or no income may sometimes be carried over to a year in which you do.

The Bottom Line

The bottom line—literally—is that you can’t afford not to report your income and track those expenses. It doesn’t require an elaborate bookkeeping system. Simply drop receipts for all your writing related purchases into a hanging file or that old standard cigar box. Don’t even worry about whether the expenses will be deductible. You can sort that out later. If worse comes to worst, you’ll have some paper you don’t need. Better that than having no proof of your legitimate expenses to offset your income.

If you haven't done so already, it's too late for your 2007 filing; however you haven't missed much of 2008. So, make a point from today forward. SAVE THOSE RECEIPTS.

*The purpose of this article is to make readers aware of general federal income tax filing requirements, topics on which they may need further information, and expenses that may be deductible. The information contained herein is not meant to take the place of filing instructions, additional publications available from http://www.irs.gov/, or the advice of a reputable tax professional.


Nannette Croce is Co-Managing Editor at The Rose & Thorn and a regular YOGer. Her work has appeared in various online and print publications including The Rose & Thorn and The Philadelphia Inquirer. Visit her website

The Organized Writer by, Angie Ledbetter

It’s hard to keep writing projects organized when working on several things simultaneously, but without some sort of plan or system, productivity can come to a crashing halt.

Successful writers – freelancers, columnists, poets, novelists, essayists, or a combination of several of these types – have a way of keeping their work on track. Many tout the benefits of submissions tracking software, while others prefer working with a hard copy, such as a writer’s calendar book. Either way, busy writers benefit from having a reliable system in place instead of trying to remember where work was sent or when a first draft or article is due. Tickler files for keeping deadlines and ideas straight is one method of taming the chaos which regularly threatens to invade writers’ desks.

Maintaining a production file in the writer’s workspace encourages the productivity flow. When projects and their parameters are compiled in a neat and accessible fashion, writers spend less time searching for pertinent information or waiting for the inspiration muse to do her magic.

Whatever system is used, a handy reference, calendar, and idea pile will always be nearby. When writer’s block threatens, opening up a production file full of ideas, quotes, research notes, and/or project due date reminders jumpstarts the creativity motors.

Filing systems can be housed in word processing documents, in expandable folders, on spreadsheet programs, in a recipe file box, or in a good notebook set aside for just that purpose. For travelers, a zippered binder will fit inside a laptop case for carrying ease.

The type of production file a writer chooses is less important than being dedicating to using it. Organizing thoughts, ideas, data, and deadlines benefits writers of all genres, no matter how long they’ve been in the writing biz.

Typical categories for Work in Progress (WIP) entries might include: Title of Work; Themes & Settings, Plot (Opening, Middle, and End), Threads, Character Traits & Personality, Physical Descriptions, Education and Profession, Synopsis, Outline, and Miscellaneous.

Important data for each project should contain detailed contact information, expectations, important submission deadlines and dates, and anything pertaining to the successful completion of the project. Having a place to store “extras” for each task, such as photos, magazine pictures, ideas for future use, research, sketches, and notes, is also helpful.

Organization keeps writers in the writing groove. It makes for productivity and saves time. Story ideas develop with more ease, and deadlines don’t fly past. With discipline, sweat equity and a workable production filing system in place, writing enthusiasm isn’t far behind.

Angie Ledbetter is a freelance writer, author, and sometime poet. When not wrangling her three teens or teaching school, she works on various writing projects, including a fiction novel. She enjoys being part of The Rose & Thorn.

Those Crazy Editors by Angie Ledbetter

I’ve come across a lot of wacky editors in the ten years I’ve been in the freelancing biz, especially in magazine and newspaper industries. Prose and poetry publications aren’t totally immune, but they seem to have a more stable staff on the whole.

As a newbie, I thought it was inexperience preventing me from understanding the parameters, instructions and requests dictated by editorial folks. But as I started moving in writing circles, I heard similar horror stories from other writers and poets. While it made me feel marginally better to know it wasn’t just me who dealt with less than professional people, it also meant the path to writing success was going to be fraught with roadblocks and potholes I hadn’t previously considered.

Here’s what (who) I’m talking about:

The Switch-and-Baiter – This editor never can get his publishing deadlines or editorial vision straight in his own mind, much less communicate to writers what he really wants for his magazine. An edict to write a 2,500 word article on the life of the fruit fly turns into a demand for a 700 word book review on The Lord of the Flies. He thinks nothing of requesting multiple rewrites or switching topics at the last minute. Any and all requests of writers, to his mind, are covered by the measly payment they will receive sometime in the distant future. If a non-paying venue, writers or poets are peons undeserving of thanks or human consideration.

The Commando – Meet the woman who annually appears on the Worst Bosses list. She held a mishmash of odd jobs the last two decades before taking over Uncle Elias’s weekly newspaper. She makes ridiculous demands of writers because she doesn’t know her butt from a hole in the ground. This slave driver thinks MLA style means Martinis Luncheons Always. She also has no idea she is publishing a rag that is journalistically/literarily bankrupt, and thinks nothing of making frequent outlandish requests of staff and freelancers. This unqualified witch often butchers perfectly lovely prose or sound articles because she is in love with herself and wants to impose her “vision” on every piece of work that crosses her desk.

The New at the Helm – This editor just took over editorial duties at a struggling publication last week. She has inherited unfinished projects, half-written articles or prose, communiqués from writers begging for promised clips or payment for work long ago published, an indecipherable editorial calendar, a deadline for the next issue which has already passed, and a large bottle of aspirin. By the end of her first day on the job, she realizes the terrible mistake she has made signing on with this outfit. There’s no way she can fix the mess the many previous editors have left, and it's impossible for her to impart her panicky expectations to writers. She will quit as soon as she lands a position with a reputable employer. Writers past, present and future will be left to figure out what’s what and who’s who and if they will be paid.

The Dictator – This supreme being thinks he is doing writers a favor allowing them to write for his publication or website. For the wonderful benefit of a portfolio clip, writers are forever beholden to him for allowing their work to see the light of day. Any and all demands made by this little Napoleon are to be met with absolute compliance and joy...no matter how ridiculous, callous or just plain inconsiderate. He is dating The Commando.

The Sweat Shop Employer – This unethical editor wants all writing done for free. If you refuse to provide it, he’ll get it somewhere else. He’s a fan of journalism job bidding websites and knows he can get free labor if he searches hard enough for new but desperate talent. If he runs dry of material, he will sometimes steal it off the Internet or elsewhere, remove the author’s name, and publish it on the sly for free.

The Purely Insane (TPI) – There are more and more of these editors out there all the time. Maybe they got that way from working with those described above. Or maybe they were born that way. They come in a wide variety: hazy addicts who picture themselves as heirs apparent to the literary throne, creative geniuses who can’t be bothered with mundane things like giving writers reasonable and understandable guidelines, and those afflicted with a host of untreated mental disturbances. Like the stock market and real estate fields, TPI are attracted to the writing world because of its constantly changing and exciting nature.

Thankfully, there are still some talented, considerate, aboveboard editors for and with whom writers are lucky to work. They are jewels in the literary crown, but like most good things in life, must be searched out. As they often go unrecognized and under appreciated, I’d like to say Thank You to the Rose & Thorn founder and staff for being some of those gems.

Angie Ledbetter is a freelance writer, author, and sometime poet. When not wrangling her three teens or teaching school, she works on various writing projects, including a fiction novel. She enjoys being part of The Rose & Thorn.