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Write Now! 2010 Writers’ Conference

It’s that time of year again, folks. Time to sign up for our annual conference! We’ve made some changes, based on your feedback. This year we have separate classes for novice and advanced writers, so there’s something for everyone. We’ve also added a small group mentoring session, where you can meet your fellow attendees and ask published writers questions about your career goals. We hope you’ll join us!

***PLEASE NOTE that the conference location has changed to Wake Tech’s Main Campus, south of Raleigh.

Triangle Area Freelancers (TAF) will hold its annual nonfiction symposium Write Now! 2010 at Wake Technical Community College (Main Campus) on Saturday, March 27, 2010, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Local broadcast journalist and WRAL crime beat reporter Amanda Lamb will deliver the keynote address. Amanda is the author of three books: Smotherhood, Deadly Dose, and Evil Next Door, which is scheduled for an April 6 release.

The conference classes, taught by nationally published writers and journalists, are presented in two tracks. The novice track will include topics such as “Crafting a Winning Query Letter,” “Five-minute Mentoring,” “Nurturing the Writer/Editor Relationship,” and “Technology for Beginning Freelancers.” The advanced track will focus on “Moving Up to the Major Markets,” “Podcasting for Success,” “Chasing the Human Interest Story,” and “Niche Writing.”

Registration information is available on the TAF website:
www.triangleareafreelancers.org. Online registration is available with payment made through PayPal. The cost of the conference is $59 ($49 for students with a valid ID and seniors 65 and over). Only 100 seats are available. The registration fee includes a continental breakfast, box lunch, and beverages. For more information, call Donald Vaughan at 919.873.9833.

A Few Tips for Freelance Success

Having spent three decades in the freelance trenches, I’ve learned a thing or two on what it takes to succeed in this crazy biz. Following are ten (hopefully) helpful tips for both journeyman and novice writers alike:
1. Find a niche. Establishing yourself as an expert on a particular topic is a great way to keep the assignments coming. Just make sure it’s a subject with a lot of common appeal, otherwise you may find yourself writing only for low-paying specialty publications.
2. Be a general freelancer. It’s a wonderful way to learn (and write) about a broad array of fascinating topics. In my case, I’ve written features on everything from Marine sniper training to how to bathe a kitten, and I’ve enjoyed them all.
3. Don’t be afraid of the quick turnaround. Writers capable of turning around assignments quickly are an editor’s best friend. Be that kind of writer and you’ll work a lot.
4. Always maintain a high degree of professionalism. There’s a lot of competition out there, and professionalism in every aspect of the job will go a long way toward keeping you at the head of the pack. This means listening to your editor and delivering clean, quality copy before your assigned deadline.
5. Learn to interview well. This is one of the most important tasks a freelance writer must learn to master. Do it poorly, and your work will certainly suffer.
6. Hang around with other writers. And editors. And agents. Face time with others in the profession is a great way to stay abreast of industry changes and – perhaps most importantly – get (or share) work.
7. Keep pitching, even when your plate is full. In freelancing, you’re only as good as your most recent sale. So even if you have plenty to keep you busy, continue to send out queries and make contact with editors. You may not get a new gig today, but you might tomorrow when you really need it.
8. Don’t fear negotiation. Contracts are seldom written in stone, so don’t hesitate to ask for better conditions when you feel you’re getting the short end of the stick. If your requests are reasonable, most editors will say yes, or at least offer to meet you half way.
9. Read, read, read! There’s a lot of great journalism out there, so try to expand your literary horizons beyond the daily newspaper and your favorite magazines. I encourage my students to subscribe to Esquire, GQ and Rolling Stone, all of which regularly feature writers they can learn from.
10. Learn to occasionally say no. It’s easy to say yes to every offer that crosses your desk, especially if you’re a beginning freelancer eager to bolster your portfolio. But the smart writer is at least a little bit picky. When considering an assignment, ask yourself a few questions, including “Is the fee worth the time and aggravation?”, “Will this assignment challenge me as a journalist?”, “Would the time I’ll spend on this assignment be better spent in some other pursuit?” and “Will this assignment lead to more and better work?”
– Don

Another Guy Named Vaughan

My love affair with comic books is no secret. I’ve spoken often about my passion for this uniquely American medium, and I write often about comic book-related topics.

Many who haven’t read a comic book since their youth still think of them as sophomoric and juvenile — disposible pablum with no literary merit. To those people I have just two words and a middle initial: Brian K. Vaughan.

Brian is no relation to me, though I’d be honored if he were. Fans of the television show Lost may know Brian as one of the show’s more recent writer/producers. But before he got into television, Brian wrote comic books. Remarkably good ones.

The series that brought Brian to my attention was Y: The Last Man, which is the story of what happens when every male mammal on the planet suddenly dies from an unknown plague, save for one young man named Yorik and his pet monkey, Ampersand. It’s a remarkable story that literally spans the globe, and it offers some truly well-developed characters and sparkling storytelling. I’ve recommended this series to everyone I know who enjoys a good yarn, and none has been disappointed.

Brian is also the author of a one-shot graphic novel titled Pride of Baghdad, which is an allegory for the war in Iraq as told from the perspective of a pride of lions who escape from the Baghdad Zoo during the first days of the American invasion. It’s a strong, very compelling story that will stay with you for a long time.

More recently, I’ve started reading another series by Brian titled Ex Machina, which is about a man who develops unusual “superpowers” as a result of coming in contact with alien technology, and who later reveals himself to the public so he can run for Mayor of New York. And that, my friends, is when things really get weird.

Brian K. Vaughan is an exceptional writer who just happened to choose comic books as his mode of literary expression. His stories are just as strong, compelling and thought-provoking as anything you’ll find in the literature section of your favorite books store, and I heartily encourage you to seek out his many series and give them a read.

Trust me, you won’t be disappointed.

– Don

Fool for Spring

Fool for Spring

Many people describe themselves as “fools for Spring” in a metaphorical sense, but my meaning is fairly literal. Each Spring I act against my own best interests in a manner contradictory to good advice. It all started when I was 10 years old and my teacher declared that I was sniffling too much and needed to go to the doctor. Mrs. M (even now I am too terrified to type her whole name) disapproved of many of my habits and, to her mind, my sniffling was a deliberate attempt to drive her mad.

My doctor gave me a once-over, diagnosed me with allergies, and sent me away with a list of Do’s and Don’ts – mostly Don’ts.  As I went over the list, Ì felt my world closing in on me. Stay inside. Keep windows closed. Get rid of pets. Get rid of any stuffed animals. Throw out old bedding (yes, even my Star Wars sheets).

Can I say that at 10 I was still not ready for this? I looked at my mom, she looked back, and I refolded the list and “forgot” it in the car.

I grew and my allergies receded to a large extent. Since that fateful doctor’s appointment, I had made a conscious attempt not to learn exactly what my allergy triggers were so that I would not be forced to remove them from my life. Then I moved to NC where Spring does not so come in so much like a lamb as like a blinding chorus of angels.  When I say blinding, I mean that literally. And when I speak of angels, you must know that these angels are made of pollen. One of the most beautiful sights that I have ever seen is that of a 40 foot wall of yellow pollen blowing across the beltline. If I had not known that pollen was a possibility, I would have thought it a chemical attack.

In the time since I was first diagnosed with allergies, medical science has made great leaps. I take my antihistamines each night, and when things are really bad I take some real P-S-E-U-D-O-E-P-H-E-D-R-I-N- E. I expect the knock on my door from the meth-squad any day now, but it is worth it.

What is not worth it is the list. You see, the list is still around. It’s changed in a few small details, but the essence is the same. I offer a shortened version of the most modern advice for your convenience:

1. Sterilize the indoor environment.
2. Shut out the outdoor environment.

Here is what I do:

1. Open the windows as much as possible.
2. Sit outside as soon as the weather is suitable, or on sunny days.
3. Walks are good.
4. Gardening is better.
5. Smell flowers, lots of them.

My car is yellow, the window ledges are yellow, and the azaleas are popping off one by one. Today we have the Spider and Princess varieties as well as three other kinds whose names I have forgotten, and the traditional “big old pink” azalea. I have my blinds and windows open and I will be heading off to the garden store later today. I have a shopping list that can be summarized as “things to give me an excuse to stick a shovel in the dirt and inhale its rich sweetness.” I suspect that I shall get some pollen up the nose when I do that, but you won’t catch me crying about it – sniffling maybe, but not crying.

5 Great Reasons to attend Write Now! 2009

TAF’s second annual nonfiction conference is just around the corner, and you may be wondering: Should I attend? The answer is yes, and here’s why:

1. If you’re new to freelancing, this conference offers a wonderful opportunity to learn from writers with years and even decades of national freelance experience.

2. You’ll have the opportunity to network with individuals who are in a position to advance your writing career.

3.  Writing is a never-ending education. You may think you know it all, but you don’t.

4. You’ll be able to share your aspirations with others who have similar dreams. Learn from each other.

5. We’re offering some great door prizes this year, including books autographed by best-selling novelist Jodi Picoult, and the legendary Ray Bradbury.

If you haven’t registered, do so now. Write Now! 2009 is an opportunity you don’t want to miss.

– Don

Write Now! 2009 Writers’ Conference

It’s that time of year again! Time to sign up for the TAF writers’ conference. If you’re interested in freelance writing, or you’re already a freelancer but you’re not doing as well as you’d hoped, this conference is for you. With top notch instructors and two tracks of classes, you’ll find both the inspiration and the skills to take your writing (and your earnings!) to the next level. Last year’s participants enjoyed the conference so much, they predicted it would be a huge success going forward. And registrations are already pouring in. There are only 100 spaces available, so don’t wait! Sign up today. Here are the details:

NONFICTION WRITERS CONFERENCE
Triangle Area Freelancers (TAF) will hold its second nonfiction symposium Write Now! 2009 Writers’ Conference at Wake Technical Community College’s Northern Wake Campus on Saturday, April 18, 2009, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Local novelist, nonfiction writer, and private editorial consultant Peggy Payne will deliver the keynote address. Her most recent novel Sister India is a New York Times Notable Book.

The conference classes, taught by nationally published writers and journalists, are presented in two tracks. “The Craft of Writing,” will include topics such as Finding and Developing Marketable Topics, When Being There Makes All the Difference, Breaking into Triangle Markets, and Avoiding Freelance Faux Pas. “The Business of Writing” will focus on Writing for the Web, Taxes and Other Boring (But Important) Stuff for Writers, The Legalities of Freelance Writing, and The Writer’s Life.

Registration information is available on the TAF website:
www.triangleareafreelancers.org. Online registration is available with payment made through PayPal. The cost of the conference is $59 ($49 for students with a valid ID and seniors 65 and over). Only 100 seats are available. The registration fee includes a continental breakfast, box lunch, snacks and beverages. For more information, call Donald Vaughan at 919.873.9833.

Revisions Over Wine

On Sunday, Barton and I spent the afternoon revising a book proposal that we are sending to a publisher in New York. The weather was so gorgeous that we broke out a bottle of wine and sat on the back porch to read the entire fifty-page book proposal aloud to each other including headings, subheadings and footnotes. While my husband read from his computer, I read from a hard copy attached to a clipboard, and we would switch reading after each section or a few paragraphs.

Why would we do such a thing? Well, first of all, it was fun. Of course we are two Creative Writing majors, so any chance to read poetry or stories provides an opportunity to enjoy the texture of language. We poured over the words and how they weaved the story together.

Reading aloud also gave us time to weed out misspellings, forgotten words, inconsistent tenses and awkward phrases. We were able to collaborate together in a new way- do we really need a comma here? This word sticks out. That sentence just doesn’t sound right. What if we…

Cleaning up grammar is my husband’s forte, but here, we both active participants in the revision process.

We read over pizza and wine, now taking turns so the other one could eat. We read late into the night, the flicker of citronella candles slowing the pace just slightly. I admit, my night-sight is starting to fade so typing changes on Barton’s computer did take some concentration, as I was hunting for letters in the soft light.

Only when we had finished did we realize how late it was. Feeling like we had done the best we could, we zipped the revision to our contact in New York. What an incredible afternoon!

What matters most

As many of you know, I teach freshman English at an area high school. As a first year teacher, it’s extremely easy to manage my free time – because I don’t have any! Add to that my position as a football coach, and I’m lucky to ever see my wife when she’s awake. With my endless teacher to-do list and my hours spent on the football field, I’m missing the one thing that means the most to me – my time to write.

Writing is a catharsis of sorts for me. I have so many emotions and feelings over the course of any one day as a teacher and football coach – even as a husband and stepfather. Writing allows me to funnel that emotional energy into something useful and productive – whether it is my non-fiction magazine writing or my fiction novel writing. When you lose an outlet of expression, those feelings build up and begin to really affect your life.

I am finding that it is essential to find time to write everyday. My psyche needs that freedom of expression. It’s like my soul acts like a pressure cooker without a release valve. I have to get my words down on paper.

I took part in the Poetry Slam competition, in conjunction with sparkCON, last Saturday night in Moore Square. Just being immersed in the language, whether my words or the words of the other poets, soothed my soul like a warm towel draped across my face. Like a long, tall, cool drink on a hot summer afternoon. The saying, “You don’t know what you’ve until it’s gone” is so apropos as a description of my life right now.

I have now promised myself that I will write something – ANYthing – every single day. I owe it to myself. This is the first step to regaining my creative muse. There is a section from the song “Breathe (2AM)” by Anna Nalick that sums up my situation perfectly:

“2 AM and I’m still awake, writing a song
If I get it all down on paper, it’s no longer inside of me,
Threatening the life it belongs to…
And I feel like I’m naked in front of the crowd
’Cause these words are my diary, screaming out loud
And I know that you’ll use them, however you want to…”

 I ache when I cannot write. I actually have a physical reaction now when I fail to release the words that are inside of me. We owe it to ourselves to obey the muse, to obey the needs of our writer’s soul, to do what we need to do as writers to actually BE writers. A smart man once said you cannot call yourself a writer unless you actually write.

 I can once again call myself a writer.

- John Wood

What I Do

I am a writer. Why do I write? I have to.

When I don’t write, I feel like things are getting away from me. I get nervous and anxious. Writing organizes my mind, so that I can focus on one thing at a time.

I have several writing projects underway, and I have several more ideas that I am very excited about, but it takes peace and quiet for me to “get my creativity on” – so to speak.

I have two small sons who are my constant companions, and their companionship is the opposite of peace and quiet.

I love this time in my life. I love to be with my boys and watch them grow. I have a son who is almost sixteen years old, too, so I know how soon this season will be just a memory. Every milestone they reach, every inch they grow, makes my heart ache with a longing to keep them just as they are, always.

I often wish that I was more productive with my writing. I feel like I should be honing my skills, working on my big projects, selling articles (?!?), etc., but for that I need peace and quiet.

What I can fit into my crazy day is a couple of minutes to write down what my boys are up to. It’s writing. It’s fun. It’s therapeutic. It calms me – to know that I haven’t let these moments get away from me.

When my little guys have grown up, and moved away, and have lives of their own, I won’t have to wonder where the time went. I can look back and read and remember, and never forget how much fun we had, and how lucky I am to have had these years with them.

As to the rest, I write when the opportunity arises. Some days are more creative than others. Some days I just have to hire someone to take care of my mom job. Then I can go somewhere peaceful where nobody wants anything from me, and I can write for hours without interruption.

I know that someday I’ll have so much time to myself, that I will have to seek out distractions. For now, if what I write isn’t right, or if I am not doing all that I would like to do, or if my thoughts are scattered, or if I can’t complete sentences, I am at peace with the reasons why.

–Naomi Sikur

The perfect day

As freelancers, we’re often told that in order to be most productive, we should mimic the office workday. We’re advised to start writing first thing in the morning, work standard hours, and put a sign on our office door saying we’re not to be interrupted. Personal phone calls during the day are a no no, as are household chores, which should be done in the evening or on the weekends.

On the surface, this advice makes perfect sense. Except sometimes ideas that sound good don’t work as well as they sound.

My brother is the founder and CEO of a large manufacturing business, and people are always asking him the secret to his success. The real secret, one he is too humble to admit, is plain old-fashioned hard work, sustained, over a long period of time. But a close second, in my book, is his counterintuitive thinking. If the cost of raw materials goes up, instead of increasing the prices on his products (as do his competitors), he either lowers them or holds them steady, finding alternative ways to cut costs. In other words, he does the unexpected. By doing so, he gains customers who appreciate his concern for their pocketbooks so much that they stick with him for life.

Many of us decided to become freelance writers in order to get away from the 9 to 5, so why should we try to recreate the same old grind at home? Why not, instead, design the perfect day?

I am a night owl, as are many writers, if the volume of late-night email from my freelancing buddies is any indication. So my morning starts later. I’m also an ease-into-the-morning type, instead of a jump-out-of-bed-and-get-going kind of person. After a few cups of tea and a quick glance at the news, I used to try to get to work as quickly as possible after tidying up the kitchen and throwing a load of laundry in the washer.

But it’s never felt quite right to me, so lately I’ve been trying something different. Partly for the exercise, and partly to save money instead of hiring a cleaning lady, I’ve been adding a few extra chores to my morning routine. Hard chores, like scrubbing toilets and washing window sills, that make me sweat. After a shower, I’m not only feeling productive and refreshed, I’m actually ready to sit. I’m more focused after “shaking my sillies out,” and I tend to get less overwhelmed than when I try to work in a messy house. It shifts our whole day later, but my husband works long hours, so it’s not a problem for us.

As for the interruptions, I’m fortunate, because our kids are grown, although I still get plenty of calls from my stressed-out college girl. Family members and friends also forget that I’m working and call here and there during the day to chat. But, having worked in many office environments, I know that there are plenty of interruptions there too. My feeling is that socializing, within reason (whether it’s in person at work or on the phone at home), isn’t a total waste of time. When we’re too isolated, we sometimes just spin our wheels.

While a day at home alone might sound like bliss to our friends who can’t leave the office except for lunch, eight hours working by yourself can prove to be long and uneventful. We all need connections, and feedback. Granted, if you’re on a roll writing the best article ever, you don’t want to answer the phone and lose your focus. But writers often create in what I call chunks—the first pass chunk, the flesh-it-out chunk, and the editing chunk. We all know that stepping back from our work from time to time to let our words percolate helps us to see things we’ve missed (like my misuse of the word “waist” instead of “waste” in my first pass on the previous paragraph).

In between chunks, it makes sense to take a break and respond to a friend’s call. When our first blush of excitement about an article or a blog post wanes, sharing our ideas with others can often re-energize us. After having done so, I often go back to my work with more clarity, and add a few interesting details to the piece I’m working on based on our conversation.

Let’s face it, if you’re freelancing, chances are that you aren’t too crazy about routines anyway. Why be conventional if you don’t have to? Experiment with your day. Try different schedules in order to find the one that’s perfect for you. Do you write better at midnight, after a walk, or after cleaning out the fridge as I did today? Do you prefer the TV on and the windows open? Go for it. Even once you discover the formula that works for you, don’t get stuck in it. Be creative. Mix it up now and then. As long as you get your work done, there is no wrong schedule.

Contrary to what common sense would suggest, conventional wisdom isn’t always the best kind.

- Elaine Luddy Klonicki