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Making The Most of Professional Consultation

Written by Christina Hamlett

2005-05-31

Making The Most of Professional Consultation

By Christina Hamlett

One of the terms you’ll often encounter on the path to being a screenwriter is “script coverage.” Script coverage actually refers to two different levels of critique. The first type is done by studio readers whose job is to give each project either a pass (thumbs down) or a recommend (thumbs up). What they are looking for—and subsequently summarizing in one page or less—are projects that are not only professionally packaged but are in keeping with the studio’s corporate vision, budget, and wish list.

You, as the writer, won’t be privy to what appears in a studio critique unless you have someone inside the system who can find out for you. Therefore, should your submission receive a polite “No, thanks,” you’ll have no clue whether they thought your premise of flesh-eating hamsters from Saturn was a singularly stupid idea or if it had too many similarities to a flick on flesh-eating woodchucks from Akron they had already optioned three months earlier.

While rejection without explanation is one of the more frustrating realities of this business, the sheer volume of material received and the shortage of personnel to process all of it makes it impossible to counsel individual writers on why their work didn’t click.

The second type of coverage is a paid critique that screenwriters do see. Unlike the pass/recommend format, this type is designed to address the strengths and weaknesses of a project in the context of a teaching tool for the writer to improve his/her craft. Coverage consultants (who may or may not be affiliated with a studio or agency) are either generalists or specialize in specific genres (i.e., romantic comedies) or aspects of screenwriting (i.e., character development).

The fees charged for coverage services vary in accordance with expertise, level of detail and recommendation provided, and whether the client wants to engage in an ongoing mentor relationship. While script consultants are fairly easy to find on the Internet and in the classified sections of screen trade magazines, finding one who is committed to giving you honest and practical advice is a little harder. Just as there are unscrupulous therapists who prolong the recovery of patients who represent a long-term meal-ticket, there are also all manner of “script doctors” whose method of cure has more to do with reducing your bank account than maximizing your talent.

Certainly one of the best ways to find professional assistance is through word of mouth. If you know of fellow screenwriters who have engaged the services of a script consultant and were pleased with the feedback they received, find out whether you can be referred to them. Screenwriter chat rooms are also a good place to post your query and garner a wide variety of suggestions…including which ones to stay away from.

If you haven’t already bookmarked the following websites, you’ll find them to be a good source of consultants who are not only accomplished writers themselves but who additionally have worked as agents, entertainment lawyers, directors and producers.

American Screenwriters Association www.asascreenwriters.com

InkTip www.inktip.com

Writers Guild of America www.wga.org

MovieBytes www.moviebytes.com/directory.cfm

(Note: This directory lists contests which are sponsored by coverage consultants as well as studio competitions that provide feedback to each entrant.)

Did you hear a good speaker at your last screenwriters’ conference? There is a strong network of writing professionals who are always more than happy to do referrals to colleagues and/or recommend courses in which one-on-one feedback is a major component. If you subscribe to trade magazines such as SCREENTALK, MovieMaker Magazine and Scr(i)pt, you may want to extend your sleuthing to the bios of contributing authors and editors, many of whom do independent consulting and referrals.

What can you expect to get back in terms of professional advice? Again, this is contingent on the background of the consultants and the value of their time. For my own clients, I provide 5-8 single spaced pages of analysis covering the following topic areas: originality, character development, dialogue, pacing, structure, budget, and marketability. In addition—and dependent on a submission’s degree of polish—I recommend upcoming competitions, websites, and independent studios that I feel would make a good match.

While this type of consultation works well for many writers in identifying what kind of first-aid their scripts need, others will seek out someone who can do a line-by-line analysis of the full text and, if necessary, participate in an actual rewrite. For those who are just starting out, consultants who can provide mini-critiques of the first 10-20 pages plus a synopsis are all they really need to let them know if they’re on the right track.

Keep in mind, of course, the subjective nature of this exercise. One of the caveats I always include in my own coverage notes is that it is up to the individual writer whether or not to incorporate the recommendations into subsequent drafts. Certainly the more people you invite to read your work, the better handle you have on how it’s going to be received by a broader audience. Just because you have paid someone money to render a critique of your work doesn’t mean that his or her opinion is more valuable than nine friends of yours from college who just read it for free. What it does mean, however, is that you are tapping the expertise of an industry pro who can provide solid guidance on how to fix trouble spots that may be keeping your work from getting produced.

That said, you need to remember why you engaged the consultant’s services to begin with, especially if the critique you receive is less glowing than what you were anticipating. For as many clients as I mentor who come away with a clearer understanding of what needs to be done in order to make their work stand up to scrutiny and tough competition, I have an equal number who take a defensive stance and spend more time arguing than learning.

If you decide to get a professional evaluation of your work, the following things should be taken into consideration.

What are your expectations of the critique? (i.e., an evaluation of your strengths and weaknesses, a referral to a studio or agent, a mentoring relationship.)
What are the qualifications of the consultant who will be reviewing your script? What do others have to say about the quality of their work?
What can you afford to spend on script coverage? Since fees range from less than $100 to over $1,000, it pays to shop around.
What kind of timeframe is involved between submission and receipt of a coverage document? (Note: If you’re planning to enter the script into competition, allow at least 4-6 weeks in order to have the coverage done and address the recommended changes.)
Do you need the entire script reviewed or just a few scenes that you feel are cumbersome? Some consultants, such as myself, will do mini-appraisals that not only save you money but enable you to assess whether you could have a comfortable relationship.
How well do you feel you handle criticism?
Are there provisions in place for follow-up questions with the consultant after receipt of his/her critique of your script?
Is the consultant amenable to second-reads of the same material at either a reduced fee or gratis?

Former actress/director Christina Hamlett is an award winning author whose credits to date include 21 books 115 plays and musicals, 4 optioned features and columns that appear throughout the world. She is also a professional script coverage consultant for the film industry, and for those of you who have taken the time to read all of this small print, she will offer a half price consultation (normally $450) to any aspiring screenwriters who identify themselves as a WRITER ONLINE subscriber between now and June 30, 2005. Contact authorhamlett@cs.com for details.

Non-Fiction Contests – How to make the Truth Dance

Written by Grace Tierney

2005-05-31

Non-Fiction Contests – How to make the Truth Dance

by Grace Tierney

‘I find the contest, you write the entry.’

Non-fiction writing is one of those topics that I reluctantly raise with other writers. Some fiction-writers see it as the poor cousin of fiction. Others enjoy writing it, but mainly for the greater financial rewards and publication chances it can bring. Meanwhile there’s a quiet body of non-fiction writers scribbling away in the shadows, who simply love finding and presenting facts to readers in a creative, informative, and entertaining manner.

As for me, where do I stand? Well, this column is non-fiction and so are many other pieces that I’ve written and published. I enjoy writing them as much as I enjoy writing fictional works; so I’m happy to wear both hats. I’d like to believe that I write what is known as creative non-fiction because I always strive to combine facts with elegant prose and humor.

Creative non-fiction is defined by Lee Gutkind (editor of www.creativenonfiction.org) as “Dramatic, true stories using scenes, dialogue, close, detailed descriptions and other techniques usually employed by poets and fiction writers about important subject — from politics, to economics, to sports, to the arts and sciences, to racial relations, and family relations. Creative non-fiction heightens the whole concept and idea of essay writing. It allows a writer to employ the diligence of a reporter, the shifting voices and viewpoints of a novelist, the refined wordplay of a poet and the analytical modes of the essayist.”

That sounds kind of fun, doesn’t it? Well creative non-fiction writing should be. It also isn’t the easiest genre in the world to master, but it’s worth the effort. While searching for non-fiction venues, something crystallized for me as I waded through lakes of non-fiction contests to fish out the mere 27 challenges. These you will find below. Many top-shelf literary magazines run non-fiction contests alongside their short fiction contests, so don’t automatically ignore those publications if you’re a non-fiction-only writer.

Mr. Gutkind has also written several books on the topic including “The Art of Creative Nonfiction: Writing and Selling the Literature of Reality” (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0471113565/002-1732383-9380013?v=glance), which will be particularly useful for those writers venturing into this genre for the first time. You can even study for a degree in creative non-fiction if you’re totally dedicated to this field of writing.

A cheaper way to improve your skills is to take a copy of your favorite non-fiction publication (newspaper, Web site, newsletter, theater program, glossy magazine, or even breakfast cereal packet) and analyze how the writer made you enjoy its information. Did they give examples and sidebars, unusual anecdotes, quirky comparisons to other fields of interest, or simply arresting prose? Did they use short or long sentences? How often did they quote statistics and experts? Was it written in the passive or active voice? What kind of verbs lurk between the facts? How did they generate the newsman’s beloved “human interest angle?” All these things can be extracted from any good article and should teach you a thing or two about your own work.

Other tips which I’ve gathered from editors over the years include; avoid the words “nice” and “interesting” when describing something, because those words mean little; use the active voice; eschew verbs like “to be” and “to have” as they are boring; and if possible, use short sentences. Getting your spelling, grammar, and facts right should all go without saying. But hey, so should the avoidance of clichés, and I just fell into that trap myself!

The sources of topics for your non-fiction are equally abundant. You can write about what you already know or choose to research a new topic. Many of the contests listed here provide the topic for you. Write about food, travel, personal lives, politics, career, hobbies, etc. Anything goes from a reference-heavy academic essay on the mating habits of the greater-spotted-toad, to a review of a good movie, an interview with a local celebrity, or even a humorous essay about your child learning to walk.

Please beware that the scam-artists lurk in the shadows of the non-fiction world just as much as they do for fiction. They tend to play on writers’ natural love of telling their own life story so check contests for personal essays or memoirs particularly carefully. But of course with your non-fiction research hat on; that should be no problem for you.

Now get out there, stand up and be counted as a non-fiction writer; write creatively, and go win some contests! Don’t forget to scroll down for my regular contest round-up for the coming month.

Happy Writing!

Late-Breaking Contest Details

Kore Press First Book Award

June 2

poetry collection - book-length poetry manuscript by a woman

www.korepress.org

****

Unless otherwise noted, contests are annual and open to all writers.

TooWrite non-fiction writing competition

non-fiction/personal essay

www.toowrite.com

run regularly

Byline Contests

Various categories, often non-fiction

http://www.bylinemag.com/contests.asp

run regularly

New Millenium Awards

http://www.mach2.com/books/NewMillenniumWritings/awards.html

fiction, poetry, and non-fiction

June 17

Pilgrimage Writing Award

creative non-fiction on the theme of hope

http://pilgrimagepress.org/award.html

July 1

Cat Writers' Association Contest

40 fiction, non-fiction, and graphics categories for feline-oriented articles and columns, short stories, poetry, books, photography and video/audio tapes published in magazines, newspapers, newsletters and online

www.catwriters.org

July 1

Richard J. Margolis Award

non-fiction essay which combines warmth, humor, wisdom, and concern with social justice

http://www.margolis.com/award/index.html

July 1

Writers Notes Fiction and Non-Fiction Writing Contest

Fiction and non-fiction

http://www.WritersNotes.com

July 31

Bellevue Literary Review Prizes

writing related to themes of health, healing, illness, the mind, and the body in poetry, fiction, and non-fiction forms.

http://www.blreview.org/

August 1

Surrey International Writers' Conference Contests

short fiction, non-fiction, poetry

http://www.siwc.ca/contest/

September 9

Preservation Foundation Competition for unpublished writers

non-fiction stories – categories are general and travel

http://www.storyhouse.org/contest.html

September 30

Rogers Communication Literary Non-fiction Contest

literary non-fiction

http://prism.arts.ubc.ca/contests/index.htm

September 30

FundsForWriters Annual Essay Contest

essay / non-fiction about writing life

http://www.fundsforwriters.com/annualcontest.htm

October 31

Random House Contest - Twentysomething Essays by Twentysomething Writers

http://www.randomhouse.com/rhpg/20by20contest/index.html

Non-fiction essays about, but not limited to, the following subjects; family, career, sex, society, and self.

November 24

Write a Gripe Contest

http://www.writeagripe.com/

short non-fiction of the complaining variety

November 30

True Life Story Contest

http://www.truelifestorycontest.com/

creative non-fiction

November 30

Rosalie Fleming Memorial Essay and/or Creative Non-fiction Prize

http://www.soulmakingcontest.us/

creative non-fiction

November 30

Praire Fire Writing Competitions

http://www.prairiefire.mb.ca/contests.html

creative non-fiction

November 30

The Writer's Digest International Self-Published Book Awards

Self-published book in various following categories, many of them non-fiction

http://www.writersdigest.com/contests/

December 15

Heyward Broun Award

non-fiction published or broadcast during 2004 in print media, web sites, magazines, radio, TV

http://www.newsguild.org/awards/display.php?storyID=906

January 28

Grain Magazine Contests

Dramatic Monologue, Postcard Story, Prose Poem, and Long Grain of Truth (creative non-fiction)

http://www.grainmagazine.ca/contest.htm

January 31

Lamar York Prize for Non-Fiction

Essay, non-fiction

http://www.chattahoochee-review.org/

January 31

Columbia Contests

fiction, non-fiction, poetry

http://www.columbia.edu/cu/arts/journal/

February 1

Caketrain Non-Fiction Competition

creative non-fiction essay or memoir

http://www.caketrain.org/

February 22

CNW/FFWA Florida State Writing Competition

fiction, non-fiction, children’s literature, and poetry

http://www.writers-editors.com/Writers/Contests/Contest_Guidelines/contest_guidelines.htm

March 15

Flint Hills Review Non-Fiction Contest

non-fiction

http://www.emporia.edu/fhr/nonfict.htm

March 16

GCWA's "Let's Write" Literary Contest

Fiction, poetry, and non-fiction

http://gcwriters.org/contest.html

April 15

Event Creative Non-Fiction Contest

creative non-fiction - writers are invited to submit manuscripts exploring the creative non-fiction form

http://event.douglas.bc.ca/contest.html

April 15

Coming Soon to the Writing Contest Department

Forthcoming features will focus on no-fee contests, humor writing, short story contests, travel writing, writing for children, speculative fiction, contests with unusual prizes, mystery writing contests, and romantic writing contests.

I’m always looking for new contest types to research so if you’re looking for a particular type of contest for your writing, just drop me a line. I’d also love to hear from you if you win a contest you read about here or if you have a contest to suggest for inclusion. Please note that I will only include contests that are open to writers anywhere in the world as our readers are geographically dispersed.

Contest Deadlines from July 1 to 31

July 1

Pilgrimage Writing Award

creative non-fiction on the theme of hope

http://www.pilgrimagepress.org

****

July 1

Cat Writers' Association Contest

40 fiction, non-fiction, and graphics categories for feline-oriented articles and columns, short stories, poetry, books, photography and video/audio tapes published in magazines, newspapers, newsletters and online, plus awards for fiction and for new writers.

www.catwriters.org

****

July 1

Arizona Authors Association Literary Contest

various categories including unpublished novel

http://www.azauthors.com/contest.html

****

July 1

Jerry Jazz Musician Fiction Prize

short fiction

http://www.jerryjazzmusician.com/mainHTML.cfm?page=fictioncontest.html

****

July 1

Richard J. Margolis Award

non-fiction essay

http://www.margolis.com/award/index.html

****

July 1

Santa Barbara Summer Poetry Workshop Poetry Contest

Poetry

http://www.communityofvoices.com/poetry_contest.html

****

July 1

The Sara Henderson Hay Prize

Poetry

http://www.city-net.com/~tpq/

****

July 1

Sex with Style Contest

erotic flash fiction

http://www.triskelionpublishing.com/contest.html

****

July 4

The Dabbling Mum Free Essay Writing Contest

Essay

http://thedabblingmum.com/contests/essay.htm

****

July 10

Tall Tales Press Contest

short fiction from an existing starting point

http://www.telltalepress.net/contest.html

****

July 12

West Virginia Poetry Society Poetry Contest

poetry of various types

http://www.wvpoetrysociety.homestead.com/Contestpage.html

****

July 15

Quercus Review Poetry Prize

Poetry

http://www.quercusreview.com/QR%20POETRY%20BOOK%20AWARD.htm

****

July 21

Inkspotter's Finding the Right Words Flash Fiction Conte

flash fiction

http://inkspotter.com/contest.htm or http://inkspotter.com/contests.htm

****

July 23

WritersWeekly Summer 24-Hour Short Story Contest

short fiction

http://www.writersweekly.com/misc/contest.html

****

July 30

Barestage Theater Contest

theater play

www.barestage.com

****

July 30

Ozarks Writers League Contests

short fiction and essay / non-fiction contests

http://www.ozarkswritersleague.org/contests.htm

****

July 30

The James Still Short Fiction Award

short fiction

http://www.wind.wind.org/

****

July 30

Screenwriter Showcase Screenwriting Contest

Screenplay

http://www.screenwritershowcase.com

****

July 30

Leaf Press Prize

love / romantic poetry

http://www.leafpress.ca

****

July 31

The Gerald Brady Memorial Awards

haiku style poetry

http://www.hsa-haiku.org/res-hsa-contests.htm

****

July 31

Wells Festival of Literature Competition

short fiction/poetry

www.somersite.co.uk/storyrules.htm

****

July 31

A Woman's Write

short fiction, essay, memoir, or book chapter

http://www.awomanswrite.com/

****

July 31

Reading Writers Query Letter Contest

query letter

http://www.readingwriters.com/contest.htm

****

July 31

The Writers Bureau Poetry and Short Story Writing Competition

poetry and short fiction

http://www.writersbureau.com/competition/index.htm

****

July 31

Spire Short Story Contest

short fiction

http://www.spirepress.org/spire.html

****

Grace Tierney is a freelance writer who lives in Ireland. When she’s not researching writing contests, she enjoys gluttony, reading, gardening, and travel. Her short stories have been published internationally in magazines, books, and online media. Her non-fiction has been published in Ireland, the UK, America, and Australia. She is a staff writer with Writer Online, Netsurfer Digest, and The Good Book Guide. Contact Grace via www.gracetierney.com

“FRIEND-LY” Prospecting: Why Haven’t You Called Your Friends For Work?

Written by Peter Bowerman

2005-05-31

“FRIEND-LY” Prospecting: Why Haven’t You Called Your Friends For Work?

By Peter Bowerman

I think the conversation started over the onion dip. I was at a party and struck up a conversation with the fiancée of a friend of mine as we scooped and munched. “Whattaya do?” back and forth. He was the owner of a small but growing commercial/residential security system provider. When he found out what I did, he chuckled and said, “Really. Hmmm. I’ve been working on a brochure for my company and not making much headway.”

“Well,” I replied – very low-key, not wanting to turn a social function into a business meeting – “that’s what I do.” We swapped cards. Bottom line, I just finished $2,500 worth of brochure work for him and we’re now talking about his web site. Ponder this: here was a 10-year-old company that had no – zero, nada, zippo – professionally printed marketing materials. And their web site had one page of copy. One. I promise there are more like him. And all through a social contact.

Fast-forward a few months. I get a call from a friend who works for a graphic design firm. Why I never contacted her for work before is beyond me. And her first question revealed how sorry a job I’d done of letting her (and certainly others) know exactly what I did for a living: “Do you do anything besides technical writing?” she asked. Huh? How about anything BUT technical writing? (Apologies to the TWs in the house; just not for me). A quick referral call to her contact and I was hired to rework huge chunks of a big client’s (a household name carpet manufacturer) web site. Another $2,500.

I’d wager that 80+% of everyone you know works for some company. And every one of those companies has a need – IF they want to stay competitive – to be constantly refining, improving and enhancing their written marketing message, as it appears in a variety of collateral materials (internal, external, print- and web-based). Have you tapped your “social” network? No? Let me guess. You don’t want to “hit up” your friends, right? Let me ask you this: If you were approached by a friend you knew was good at what he or she did, making a “gentle” inquiry as to possible contract opportunities with your firm, what would you do? I’m guessing you’d want to help them if you could. And I’m further guessing that your friends feel the same.

A few caveats on this “friend-ly” approach to prospecting. Be low key. Remember: you should get the work, NOT because you’re someone’s friend but because you’re competent and reliable. If you’re new to the business and “unproven” in your friend’s eyes, don’t lean on them. Ask them if they’d be comfortable steering you to the right person or department and to be honest with you. If you’ve got a web site, invite them to check it out to boost their confidence level in you. Allow them to decline and don’t hold it against them. Remember, their butt’s on the line if you’re hired and it doesn’t go well.

Always have your radar up for opportunities in social settings, but don’t turn into an obnoxious self-promoter. If you sense an opportunity, inconspicuously introduce yourself, swap cards, get the OK to give them a call and leave it at that. If you vastly prefer “warm” calls to cold ones (don’t we all?), don’t overlook this possible goldmine of work – and no further than your address book!

Peter Bowerman is the author of The Well-Fed Writer (2000), an award-winning Book-of-the-Month Club selection, and its companion volume, The Well-Fed Writer: Back For Seconds. A commercial freelancer, business coach and seminar leader in Atlanta, Georgia, his client list includes Coca-Cola, BellSouth, IBM, UPS, Cingular Wireless, American Express, Mercedes-Benz, Junior Achievement and others. Visit www.wellfedwriter.comfor more info and to subscribe to his critically acclaimed free monthly ezine on commercial writing, THE WELL-FED E-PUB.

WOL Newsletter - May 31, 2005

Written by Jodi Rowland
2005-05-31
May 31, 2005 A WriterOnLine Publication My dear readers, Digital rhetoric and literacy. What the heck is that supposed to mean? It is a topic that has become near and dear to my heart as it is the topic of my master's thesis. It is also, I believe, a critical issue for society. First, an examination of terms. Rhetoric: "Art of effective or persuasive speaking or writing" (Oxford Desk Dictionary, 1997). Add the word digital to that definition, and you have the art of effective speaking or writing using digital media. Now let's look at the definition of literacy. In simpler times, to be considered literate, one need be able to read, write, and do basic computation. The Workforce Investment Act of 1998 defines literacy as "an individual's ability to read, write, speak in English, compute and solve problems at levels of proficiency necessary to function on the job, in the family of the individual, and in society." (http://www.nifl.gov/nifl/faqs.html#literacy) There are now 52.6 million websites on the Internet. Most business and a considerable amount of personal communication is done by email and instant messenger. Email is now considered to be legal documentation. Blogging is revolutionizing the mass media. We could go on, but the point is to emphasize the importance of proficiency in digital media for modern-day literacy. The thing of it is, our traditional styles of reading and writing are changing drastically, also due to (surprise!) the Internet. In fact, did you know that the screen has now replaced the page as the primary vehicle for delivering text? And that even so called traditional pages are being designed more and more to look like computer screens? The trend is for a page to be a self-contained module as opposed to a step in a linear progression. So get ahead on the curve and think about your writing and how your genre of choice will be affected by these new concepts in text and writing. The theme for this issue of WriterOnline is commercial writing where Peter Bowerman is our guru. Don't miss his article! And for all you commercial writers out there, cheers to you! Keep up the good work. WRITERS' MENTORING SERVICE In our previous issue we introduced a Writers' Mentoring Service. We call it a mentoring service because we want to help you wherever you're at with your writing, whether it be reading some odds and end notes you've collected and helping you figure out how to proceed with your career, or editing that manuscript before you send it off to an agent or publisher. Read more about it. SUBSCRIBER INCENTIVE PROGRAM Here's your chance to get a wonderfully delightful piece by Mark Twain free for recommending subscribers to WOL. Receive a copy of How To Sell a Story and Others when we get a new subscriber who you recommend. Instruct your writing friends, neighbors, and colleagues to send an email to editor@writer-on-line.com requesting to be added to our mailing list. And also tell them to be sure to include your name and email address. LEARNING CENTER SUMMER SESSION Remember – we are offering some great savings on our Learning Center courses for the months of June, July, and August. Sign up for any one course and save 10%, two courses – 15%, and three courses – 20%! What a way to spend the summer, brushing up on your writing skills or learning to do a kind of writing you've never done before. Go for it! Read on, my friends, enjoy, and until next issue, keep that ink flowing and those keyboards a'clacking My warm regards, Mary Anne Donovan P. S. Have you seen Writer Online Learning Center lately? Just like here at WOL, the Learning Center has a whole new look, not to mention a new name. We have 25 courses, covering a broad range of interests and subject matter. New to the line up is Fiction Know-How, taught by Deborah Sutton. Check out the course description. Another cool course is Writing Poetry Inspired by Landscape or Place, taught by Jodi Rowland. Then, on the other end of the spectrum, check out Digital Communication Methods and Introduction to Technical Writing taught by yours truly. IN THIS ISSUE Peter Bowerman gives a new meaning to “using friends” in “Friend-ly Prospecting: Why Haven’t You Called Your Friends For Work?” Don’t forget to take your medication…with you when you head to a conference. A good tip from Regina Allen in “Bringing the Essentials.” If your looking for a writing challenge, take a look at “Non-Fiction Contests – How to make the Truth Dance” by Grace Tierney, where she offers some good advice on writing creative non-fiction and provides information on many, many contests. Pamela Beers shares her editor’s eye in “The Curmudgeon Speaks: Watch Out: Is That What You Really Mean?” This is sure to make you laugh. After you have a few laughs, try this issue’s puzzle Grammar, Grammar Everywhere! Offering some more helpful commercial writing tips is Christina Hamlett in “Making the Most of Professional Consultation.” What exactly is commercial writing? Judy Shenouda provides us with an exciting vision of commercial writing in “A Commercial Writer by any Other Name.” Are you a vocabularian? Find out by reading Shelley Bueche’s News. You also won’t want to miss out on this issue’s contest, “Take Me Out to the Ball Game.” This is your chance to share in America’s favorite past time: baseball. ANNOUNCEMENTS SAVINGS: LEARNING CENTER SUMMER SESSION They're back! Those infamous lazy, hazy days when many of us writers tend to languish on our front porches sipping mint juleps and scratching at mosquito bites. Instead, this summer, swat those mosquitoes, switch to iced tea, and hone your writing skills with a course (or two, or three) from the WriterOnline Learning Center. And take advantage of our special Summer Session pricing: Take 1 course, save 10% Take 2 courses, save 15% Take 3 courses save 20% Decide which courses you want to take, and we'll be back with sign up details in our next issue! Let us guide you on your writing path We have a cadre of wonderful writers and teachers who are available to work with you whatever your writing need or problem. If you need advice on what direction to take your writing, we can help. If you have a manuscript that needs a good edit, we can help. If you need someone to brainstorm article ideas with, we can help. And if you have any other issue with your writing, we can help. Contact us with a description of your need and desired service. We will then contact you so we can find the person who will best suit your needs. The cost of our service is $35 per hour. For more information email editor@writer-on-line.com Contest Take Me Out to the Ball Game We all have childhood memories of watching baseball, eating hotdogs and cracker jacks. Some of us even have memories of playing “little league” games or pick up games in our backyards. Read more Puzzle Grammar, Grammar Everywhere! Last issue it was flowers, this issue it's grammar. We got a robust response for our last little grammar puzzle, so here's another one to sink your teeth (and keyboards) into. Read more News By Shelley Bueche One Bark or Two? DO Judge a Book by its Cover! One the Road Again—I Just Can’t Wait to Get on the Road Again Are You Calling Me a Vocabularian? Read on …

Paying Markets Newsletter - May 24, 2005

Written by Kevin Rux

2005-05-24

May 24, 2005
A WOL Publication

We've Moved!

That's right, the JustMarkets biweekly markets listings have moved from www.justmarkets.com to the WriterOnline site at www.writer-on-line.com . Now get the listings you can't live without alongside the articles, short stories, poems, contests, and puzzles in WriterOnline, recognized as one of the top 101 sites for writers in Writer's Digest magazine.

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ADVERTISING DIRECTOR WANTED
Top ezine for writers seeks highly-motivated, energetic, focused, and committed individual to develop leads and sell advertising space. Person should have prior sales experience, ability to handle basic technological issues involving ad files, and be willing to develop and implement an advertising plan. This opportunity offers a generous commission structure for the right individual.
Please send resume to editor@writer-on-line.com

MARKETS

May 16
NEED HUMOROUS SCRIPTS FOR FILMS FESTIVAL PROJECTS
NYC production company looking for humorous scripts for film festival projects. Must be in script form - no short stories! Should be 5-10 minutes in length. No attachments - paste script in the body of the email.
Compensation: to be negotiated
Reply to: info@kellytv.com

May 14
BUSINESS AND LEGAL RESEARCHER
Book publisher seeks remote business and legal researchers. Must have specific experience doing high-level business or legal research, including researching valuation analysis for deals, public company research, laws/statues, knowledge of where to find "best of reading sources" on a particular topic, and ability to find/research any other business or legal topic. Preferably has experience using research sources such as Hoovers, Lexis/Nexis, MergerStat, and others.
Please email reed@aspatore.com with information on your background, previous experience examples and resume. Pay is per report researched (there are 3-5 topic areas researched for each report), with each project taking between 3-10 hours. There will be 100-300 total research projects over the foreseeable future. Please only submit resume if you have had specific experience doing business or legal research in the past.
Compensation: $75-$200 per report
Reply to: reed@aspatore.com

May 13
FREELANCE ABSTRACTOR
This is a freelance, part-time, offsite writing position. The abstractor will provide short summaries (<150 words) of documents related to public affairs and public policy from around the world. Abstractor may also be asked to provide summaries of scholarly journal and periodical articles from the fields of sociology, political science, social services, and public policy.
This position requires strong facility with the Internet (a broadband connection is a good idea) and the capacity to work in an almost exclusively electronic medium. Background in the social sciences preferred.
Compensation: $5.00 or $10.00 per piece depending on document type
Reply to: jkendall@csa.com

May 12
FREELANCE TRAVEL WRITER NEEDED FOR WEB ARTICLES
A leading travel company is looking for a freelance travel writer to author four articles on romance travel. Each article will be approximately 750 words and address a variety of subjects--two "how-tos" for planning Romance travel, and two features. The topics will be finalized through consultation with editorial staff and the freelancer.
Pay is commensurate with experience. Subject your resume and two writing samples, and please articulate your ability to craft four works of editorial art on the romantic fables of travel within the United States, Caribbean, and Europe. Articles will be due around mid-June.
Compensation: $500-750 per article
Reply to: anon-72777115@craigslist.org

May 11
COMEDY WRITERS
Innovative production company with a number of different projects on the table, looking for talented writers to develop a faux-reality treatment & plot outline based off of several loosely developed characters for a No Budget DV feature. Nominal "Courtesy payment" upfront with equal profit sharing on the backend. Possible ancillary distribution in place. Think "Curb Your Enthusiasm" or "Fat Actress". We already have some great people involved with the project and you could be one of them.
Please submit a query letter with a 1-3 page writing sample. Serious inquiries only.
Compensation: $500 upfront with equal profit sharing on the back end.
Reply to: anon-72649835@craigslist.org

May 10
EDITOR NEEDED TO TYPE & EDIT SCREENPLAY
I am a freelance screenwriter & I need someone to convert a handwritten screenplay into a professional script formatted document. Roughly 120 pages long. Preferably someone with script & editorial experience.
Compensation: Per page payment negotiable. Name your price
Reply to: anon-72456704@craigslist.org

May 9
WEBSITE CONTENT WRITER
Content for a nutrition based website needed. For a subject that could otherwise be weather too medical or too mainstream.
The website with a very distinct style. It's irreverent, edgy, fun, factual, interesting, easy to read and witty.
Take a look at their email newsletters and site www.trendsetters.com before answering.
Compensation: to be defined
Reply to: ytnutrition@verizon.net
Please send samples of your work that represents that style. No other style will be considered. Please include your pay per word fee.

May 7
LITERARY AGENT IS LOOKING FOR SUBMISSIONS
HUMOR: Any topic is fair game except smut. It should be short, and require either illustration or photography. It can be zany, quirky, irreverent, peculiar, envelope-pushing - even bizarre - but not off-putting. Think of it as a book you’d give to someone, purchased as a last-minute, spontaneous gift.
REFERENCE: Take a complex subject and make it simple; break it into small chunks so that items can be understood via short complete passages. It can relate to home owning, vacationing, pets, nature, science, health, travel, leisure, virtually any subject on which you are the expert (credentials of some sort will be necessary). “Brilliant solutions to every-day problems” is one editor’s guide to keep in mind for submissions.
YOUNG ADULT FICTION: No catastrophes, no terror, no disasters, please. No overt sex; no sci-fi.
ADULT NON-FICTION: A wide-open genre (all good ideas are encouraged): gift books, game books, picture books, biographies, war stories, cat books, whatever.
ADULT FICTION: Anything except short stories, poems, romance, fantasy and science fiction.
For details, please see http://www.nobleliteraryagency.com
Compensation: $5,000 plus royalty contract for each accepted manuscript
Reply to: mikenoble@nobleliteraryagency.com
Ideas as well as manuscripts are acceptable. Please submit Word docs and/or PDFs

May 6
HARDCORE FOOTBALL JUNKIE WRITER IN NY AREA
Cold, Hard Football Facts.com (www.coldhardfootballfacts.com) is the most entertaining, most irreverent, most accurate and fastest growing sports site on the Web. They are looking for a hardcore football junkie to write about football in general and the New York NFL teams in particular.
You MUST be a talented writer who can replicate the voice of the Cold, Hard Football Facts or offer a compatible style (see their archives). You MUST be able to weave together entertaining copy and Cold, Hard Football Facts. You MUST be willing to take on the established NYC media and rip apart their error- and opinion-filled copy (see Pigskin Detention). You MUST be able to write entire columns without the word "I" or the phrase "I think."
Review the site's style before writing to us. Your opinions about football are meaningless. We care only about Cold, Hard Football Facts.
Compensation: negotiable
Send a short query with up to three samples to kerry@coldhardfootballfacts.com.

May 5
FREELANCE WRITER, FREELANCE GRAPHIC DESIGNER, FREELANCE COPY EDITOR
InkwellEditorial.com is an expanding online job and information portal for and about the editorial and creative industries. This month, they will add a "Success Story"section to the site.
If you are a full-time, freelance creative professional (eg, writer, copy editor, graphic designer, etc.), we'd like to know how you did it. We seek essays/success stories that outline such particulars as:
1. What you do? Eg, are you a copy editor, graphic designer, writer, etc.
2. Your Background: How many years of experience do you have in your area of expertise.
3. Reason for Freelancing: Why did you decide to go out on your own
4. How you did it? This is perhaps the most important. How you built your client list; how long it took before you were able to successfully sustain yourself fully from your freelance earnings, etc.
All the above must be included, along with any other particulars you'd like to add: eg, advice to those starting out, what NOT to do, failures you experienced, what made you hang in there, how you set fees, etc.
Length: Can be as in-depth as you like (as long as the first four points are covered).
Resource Box: Feel free to include a generous resource box advertising your product/service at the end of the submission.
Rights: We ask for first, exclusive rights for 90 days. Must be original; no reprints please.
NOTE: If you do not freelance full-time, please do not submit, as we are only interested in submissions from those who make their living completely from freelancing.
Compensation: $25 via PayPal, so you must be able to accept payment via this method. Pays on the day of publishing, which is the second Thursday of every month. Publishes one success story per month and will contact you if we intend to publish your submission.
Reply to: info@InkwellEditorial.com

May 4
COPYWRITER - CREATIVE, INNOVATIVE, EXPERIENCED TELECOMMUTE
P2 Media Communications, a creative marketing communications
agency located in Westchester County, NY, is seeking a gifted
freelance online marketing copywriter for a long term online
copywriting project.
Copywriter will service ongoing programs with a highly visible
global client account. The position requires a proven skill set
in developing concepts and writing for online B2B and B2C
campaigns and informational programs that are strategically
focused and innovative. You will collaborate with senior
creative, AE, graphic designer and other members of an account
service team to communicate and realize your vision. There will
be moderate amounts of client contact, so pitch and presentation
skills are extremely important.
The position is virtual and does not require reporting to an
office. However, you must have broadband connectivity either
through DSL or Cable, and be comfortable with FTP software.
As Copywriter for our company, you will:
* Create and produce innovative advertising and marketing promotional copy and messages for a well-known heavily branded product
* Develop and recommend creative copy concepts for new, as well as existing, marketing communications programs that achieve established strategic objectives, adhere to corporate style guidelines, and work with overall design concept
* Work with an online project handling marketing communications that clearly meet managements expectations
* Articulate concepts to client management by discussing and presenting how those concepts meet the brand's strategic marketing objectives
* Work closely with graphic design team from concept to completion
* Have the ability to adapt to changing project parameters and diverse project assignments
* Participate in project input sessions, brainstorming sessions and client meetings as required
Note: computer literate with advanced skills in Word, Power Point, Excel and Outlook required.
Competitive hourly rate and/or project fees with additional work assignments available based on performance and successes.
Email your resume, URLs and portfolio samples to
resumes@p2mediacommunications.com

May 3
FREELANCE EDITOR/WRITER TELECOMMUTE
Hello, my company is developing a training course. I urgently need someone who has excellent writing skills to help with its development.
Your assignment would be to rewrite approximately 6 chapters of the course. (Approximately 100 pages) There also might be some additional work in editing to follow.
Due to deadlines that we are trying to meet we need someone who would has the time to complete this assignment immediately.
Contract Pay: $200
Must have a an editing/writing background. Please send brief text resume along with an article or sample of your writing to us at: ureachme1@mailbolt.com

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