By Tim Beyers
Check out my about.me page!

BusinessWeek has a new cover story in which it describes today as the era of permanent temporary workers, one in which corporate profits have soared as pay has sagged and benefits have gone missing. Read it here.

source: guardian.co.uk

Be warned: the story is depressing. And yet I take comfort — irrational comfort, possibly, but comfort nonetheless — in this quote:

“With the economy expanding again, and employers loath to add permanent workers, temp employment is one of the few sectors of the labor market that is growing rapidly,” writes BusinessWeek’s Peter Coy.

That’s good news. Skilled writers with the temerity to risk rejection may be positioned to profit from the economic rebound underway, even if the publishing industry isn’t recovering as fast as others. Or at all.

Indeed, this business is harder today than it was when I started in it six years ago. Right now, as I type, Scott Joplin’s “Solace” — also known as the theme to 1973′s, “The Sting,” starring the late Paul Newman and Robert Redford — is reminding me of this truth as it serenades me. I wonder if this freelance binge is a sting meant to get us to accept more assignments for lower pay. Or maybe it’s a permanent economic shift that we, as social writers, will adjust to and ultimately benefit from.

For now, I remain an optimist, even if I am working more now than I ever have before.

Where do you stand? This is an open thread, so please use the comments tab below to share your thoughts. You can also click on the ‘Editorchat” tab above to learn more about the weekly conversation fellow freelancer Lydia Dishman and I host on FriendFeed. Tonight, beginning at 8:30 pm eastern, we’ll be talking about technological shifts. All professional writers and editors welcome.

© Copyright 2009, Tim Beyers.

By Tim Beyers
Check out my about.me page!

Along with family, friends, presents, and far too much food, Christmas Day brought news of a thwarted terrorist attack on board a flight from Amsterdam to Detroit. CNN is reporting that a 23-year-old Nigerian man named Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab activated an explosive device that caused a fire as the airplane began its descent.

On TV, talking heads are speculating about heavy-handed new security rules. Ignore them. We already know how the Transportation Security Agency and airlines are responding, thanks to analyst Charlene Li. Here’s what she wrote today about checking in for a flight headed for the U.S. from Canada:

Source: Twitter

To be fair, these changes appear to apply only to inbound international flights. I’m nonetheless disgusted by this whole affair — the attack most all. Once more, an extremist moron puts America on lockdown.

And yet the optimist in me reigns supreme. Upon reading about Li’s tweet at BusinessInsider, my better angels wondered if these new draconian rules, if they persist, would see more of us buying novels, newspapers, and magazines for long-haul air travel.

Or in simpler terms: A terrorist attack could help save the publishing industry. How would that be for unintended consequences?

© Copyright 2009, Tim Beyers.

By Tim Beyers
Check out my about.me page!

After 11 months on the job, Editorchat is taking a break for the winter. Well, okay, not for the whole winter, but for December. My co-founder Lydia Dishman and I are taking the month to try and make the experience, and the blog, better.

You might say we’re returning to our roots. We’re taking time to remember why we started this thing. Here’s what we said back in March, when former BusinessWeek Executive Editor John A. Byrne joined us for a chat:

If you have yet to try Editorchat, think of it as the world’s cheapest, real-time writer’s conference covering issues of substance facing the publishing industry. We think these sorts of discussions are essential for survival as writers. Having BusinessWeek join us makes us think that we’re onto something.

We still believe in this idea. Now we want to make Editorchat a better destination, because we believe that when smart people gather in a common cause, good things can happen.

Source: mindmorsel.com

So we’re off to make a pot of coffee and figure this out. You won’t see us on FriendFeed tonight or any other Wednesday night during December. But we’ll be back in January, and in the interim we’ll be posting news items, musings, and announcements to the #editorchat tag on Twitter and to our FriendFeed page. We’ll also be working on a Facebook page.

What else should we be working on? This is your community as much as it is ours, and we want to hear from you. Leave a comment, send an email, find me on Twitter, or even give me a call. My Google Voice number is +1 (303) 351-1905.

Merry Christmas, and see you all again in the New Year.

© Copyright 2009, Tim Beyers.

By Tim Beyers
Check out my about.me page!

Twitter sometimes acts like it’s in college; everything’s fine till someone throws a party.

Dozens are invited, of course. Tweets flow like beer and whiskey. Tweeps get louder and more obnoxious with each thread, right up until someone breaks a stereo — I mean, server — and the killjoys who weren’t invited hear the noise and call the cops.

Stumblers head for the exits. Some make it. Others enjoy a nice, quiet ride downtown to the drunk-tank. Everyone else passes out on the couch, waiting for Twitter to rally from its out-till-3-am alcohol and Cheetos bender.

Source: Photobucket

And of course all of this happens in a matter of minutes — just enough time to transform Editorchat from a joy to an annoyance. My friend Lydia Dishman and I prefer it when Editorchat is a joy, which is why we’ve moved the chat from Twitter to FriendFeed.

Friend who? That’s FriendFeed to you, mister. Or, if you’re feeling punchy: FaceFeed, to account for Facebook’s recent $50 million purchase of the site.

We like FriendFeed for three reasons:

1. Private rooms are easy to set up and manage. (Here’s where you’ll find Editorchat on FriendFeed.)
2. Twitter and FriendFeed play together nicely. Those longing for the old Editorchat don’t need to look hard to find us.
3. Conversations occur naturally because of FriendFeed’s threaded format. (Side benefit: No more need for transcripts. Conversations are stored as they occur, and in context.)

We still like Twitter, we’re just respecting its limitations. And seeing as Lydia and I are both parents, we’re loath to set a bad example by encouraging one of our favorite services to totter off on a weekly, Wednesday night bender. (From 8:30 to 10 pm eastern, for all you writers and editors who have yet to try Editorchat.)

So we’re taking the responsible approach and moving to FriendFeed. We hope you’ll join us. Should you need information about using or joining FriendFeed, click here. And be sure to check in at the feed and the blog throughout the week — we’ll be posting noodle-cooking content about the publishing industry there and on Twitter as often as time permits.

© Copyright 2009, Tim Beyers.

By Tim Beyers
Check out my about.me page!

My idea of freelance writing heaven is having an editor who is one part Pitcher and one part Partner. But these are only two of the six types of editors my friend Lydia and I dream of when thinking of working with that Great Typewriter in the Sky.

Source: Flickr

Fortunately, I’m already living the dream daily. My editors at The Motley Fool are heavenly. What’s your favorite editor archetype? Please read Lydia’s post and leave your comments there. We’d love to hear from you.

© Copyright 2009, Tim Beyers.

By Tim Beyers
Check out my about.me page!

Source: Google image search

Starbucks brews a decent cup of coffee, but it stinks as a place to work when I need one.

Look at the store designs, and the lines. Every Starbucks store is made to move people in and out as fast as possible. The pitching, foaming espresso machines may as well be screaming at me to get my drink and leave.

But you wouldn’t know that from management’s comments. In March, a spokesperson told The Wall Street Journal that changes to its menus and pricing were meant to give Starbucks the feel of a coffeehouse.

Um, no. Have you seen the furniture? No way does Starbucks doesn’t want for me to think of its stores as a destination, an office away from my office. Choose from a cushion-less, wood Gestapo chair or the surrounding comfort of a sofa chair? Something’s going to suffer — either my back, or my hands. (You try alligator-arming your way through a story from a sofa chair.)

And that’s annoying. Days like yesterday are when I need Starbucks most. Days like yesterday are why I pay for a monthly subscription to AT&T’s Wi-Fi service. Starbucks serves Ma Bell’s particular brand of wireless brew, providing an oasis when my own network breaks down.

Or at least that’s how it would be if I were welcome at Starbucks. I’m not.

So when I found myself connectionless yesterday morning I went first to Stella’s, a Denver-area coffeehouse that has spacious tables, chairs with cushions and at least some back support, free Wi-Fi, friendly service, and a lot less noise. Stella’s, in other words, is everything Starbucks isn’t.

Source: Google image search

Well, almost everything. Stella’s suffers from inconsistent Wi-Fi service. Welcoming chairs and tables and friendly service don’t mean much when I can’t file my scribblings or reach my editors. Starbucks really should be my go-to when I need a break, or when my network breaks. It isn’t.

Dozens other Denver-area Wi-Fi hotspotters are better suited to my needs, including McDonald’s, Panera Bread, Barnes & Noble, and best of all, my local library. They won’t break my back, my hands, or my bank account.

I loathe you, Starbucks. And that can’t be how CEO Howard Schultz wants it.

© Copyright 2009, Tim Beyers.

By Tim Beyers
Check out my about.me page!

Once again, Twitter failed us during #editorchat.

If you’re unfamiliar with #editorchat, it’s a weekly discussion on Twitter run by yours truly and my friend Lydia Dishman. Writers and editors use the forum to talk about topics of interest to the beleaguered publishing industry and in the process help each other to work smarter and more profitably.

Source: newswire.poormojo.org

Tonight, we had hoped to tackle pay. We knew it would be a contentious topic, one guaranteed to raise tempers and maybe even voices. How it could not when outlets are increasingly choosing to pay by the penny, and still shift risk to their freelancers?

Big Publishing Brother apparently doesn’t like such talk. So, he decided to shut down the conversation before it could begin. Maybe. All we know for sure is that the Fail Whale belly-flopped into our #editorchat tweetstream.

We’re going with the conspiracy theory, if only because we find it more entertaining. Herewith are our top 5 Big Publishing Brother reactions to tonight’s proposed #editorchat topic, none of which have any basis in fact other than they were trending topics on Twitter when #editorchat stalled. Drum roll, please:

5. Post a petition to send Beyonce to Brazil. Because, you know, Brazilians love bootylicious bikini wax.

4. Get Bill Maher to impose a New Rule: No fair pay for freelancers in Wonderland.

3. Start yet another ridiculous Harry Potter rumor. “No, seriously! Voldemort is Harry’s father!”

2. Four words: Unleash the resourceful mommies!

And the number one Big Publishing Brother reaction to last night’s #editorchat topic: Off the Taco Bell chihuahua.”Sorry, pooch. No quiero Taco Bell.”

To find out more about #editorchat, please visit the blog. You can contact Lydia, who contributed to this post, via email. Or click here to read her blog, The Other -F- Word. No dogs were harmed in the writing of this post. Not even by Big Publishing Brother.

© Copyright 2009, Tim Beyers.

By Tim Beyers
Check out my about.me page!

The Web is the second-best resource ever created for writers. The library is still better, by far. Here’s why.

Source: Strahov Theological Hall, Prague

1. You get free access to the Web at most libraries. My local offers two options. Patrons can either bring their own computers and log on with free Wi-Fi, or they can reserve one of the library’s computers. Either way, the library gives you the Web and a lot more.

2. You can find top reference books. When I was first starting out as a freelance writer, I’d spend $20-$30 for a shining new copy of the annual Writer’s Market. My local has its own copy that I can use every time I visit. Even better: I can check out copies of the magazines that WM is telling me about. Money saved is money earned.

3. You get access to professional researchers called librarians. Detecting a patten here? “Free” is the watchword when it comes to library resources, and few are more useful than your friendly neighborhood librarian — a trained researcher who can help you to find what you need. Try your tough questions out on the kind souls at the information desk sometime. My guess is you’ll be pleasantly surprised.

4. You get a quiet place to work without paying rent. Do you really want to spend your writing time at Starbucks? Yeah, okay, there’s the caffeine boost and the company but what about the noise? Not exactly an ideal writing environment, unless you prefer being surrounded by overcaffeinated teens and screeching, steaming espresso cannons. Remember: There’s a reason the newer Starbucks stores have drive-thru windows.

5. You can rent movies. Save on Starbucks and Netflix, too? Talk about awesome. The hitch: Most libraries have a waiting list to sign up for available flicks, and the wait can be months long. But the price can’t be beat. Sign up for enough movies and you’ll have at least a night’s worth of entertainment every week.

Writers who eat well keeps expenses low. That’s why we love the Web; so many of the resources we find there are free. But so is the library. It offers access to the Web plus a whole lot more.

© Copyright 2009, Tim Beyers.

By Tim Beyers
Check out my about.me page!

Author Alice Hoffman has taken a beating for using Twitter as a bazooka to attack a reviewer of her latest book, “The Story Sisters.” She has since compounded that error by closing her Twitter account.

Source: The Boston Globe

More about why this is a mistake shortly. First, some background. The Boston Globe published freelancer Roberta Silman’s lukewarm review of “The Story Sisters” on June 28. Shortly after, Hoffman responded angrily via Twitter, calling Silman “a moron” and questioning her credentials as a reviewer: “Now any idiot can be a critic. Writers used to review writers. My second novel was reviewed by [Anne] Tyler. So who is Roberta Silman?”

Globe writers Mark Shanahan and Meredith Goldstein have since answered Hoffman’s question by pointing to Silman’s own career as a novelist and short story writer, which includes work published in The New Yorker. (Ouch.) The result? Hoffman’s rant, while understandable (all of us die a little when our work is criticized), looks childish. She has since apologized. Sort of.

“I feel this whole situation has been completely blown out of proportion,” Hoffman said in a statement to The New York Times. She also said that she “didn’t mean to hurt anyone” and that she understands that reviewers like Silman are “entitled to their opinions.” Hoffman’s Twitter account, @AliceHof, is no longer active.

So be it. Hoffman is an established author with nothing more to prove to reviewers or publishers and is moving on. We should too, taking with us three lessons as we go.

1. Think before you post. The “well, duh” lesson. Hoffman even cops to this truth in her apology. “Of course, I was dismayed by Roberta Silman’s review which gave away the plot of the novel, and in the heat of the moment I responded strongly and I wish I hadn’t,” Hoffman wrote. (I’ve also acted rashly in posting to discussion boards and in replying to reader comments, so I sympathize.)

2. Remember that Twitter is conversational. Twitter is a digital petri dish, perfect for growing viral topic threads like Hoffman’s assault. Further conversation by way of re-tweets and replies was inevitable. Media coverage of the viral uprising was also inevitable. Yet Hoffman, who says her comments were “blown out of proportion,” seems to have been unprepared for the germy, digital sauna that she created.

3. Don’t quit Twitter! Once she quit, Hoffman lost the ability to converse with fans and foes alike on a grand scale and in her own words.

This last point is most important, and why I say in the headline that Hoffman blew it. Twitter is frustrating, often overwhelming, frequently underperforming, and one of the best tools ever invented for conversationally engaging People That Matter – regardless of where they may be in the world.

Please reconsider your decision to leave Twitter, Ms. Hoffman. The conversation about your work will go on with or without you. Why not be a part of it?

[Full disclosure: As of this writing, I owned shares of New York Times Co., parent company of both The New York Times and The Boston Globe. I've since sold.]

© Copyright 2009, Tim Beyers.

By Tim Beyers
Check out my about.me page!

Was I wrong to tell my fellow freelancers to not write for content aggregators? Recently, I sold a reprint of an article that I first wrote for Helium to Hope Clark for her FundsforWriters newsletter. “5 Ways to Boost Your Word Count” appeared in the June 21 issue.

One query, 31 times the earnings

Find the original article from last August here. Helium readers and reviewers liked it but didn’t love it, ranking it 11 of 23 articles on the topic of writing more. So far, my story — which I have since improved — has earned $0.47 in shared advertising revenue. By contrast, Ms. Clark paid me $15 for one-time reprint rights. One query and a modest rewrite netted me 31 times the earnings.

Had I never written for Helium and instead pitched FundsforWriters directly, my take-home would have been $40 — 85 times my 11 months of Helium earnings. And even that would have been low: My final piece was 595 words long, I’d have been paid just 15 cents per word. Better than the 2.5 cents a word that I actually received but still peanuts. (Welcome back to the 1950s.)

Interestingly, either rate is far better than the average take-home for a Helium writer. Freelancer Erik Sherman did the math and found that most earn 80 cents per article and the very lucky ones earn $5 per. Why not just pay in Monopoly money?

The real problem with content aggregators

Mostly, I like Helium. I’m glad to see a forum where writers can develop their craft, as I once did. What troubles me is the business model. Content aggregators have cleverly shifted risk from publisher to writer. Here’s how.

1. Everything is on spec

Magazine writers and even digital regulars like yours truly work under contracts. Assignments are made, deliverables promised. The publisher shares in the risk by promising payment of a certain amount, at a certain time.

Helium and its peers don’t face this issue. Rather, they’re like high-risk borrowers with you, the writer, as the bank. You lend your writing and in return you expect a payoff — except that you have no control over the rate or the schedule. You can’t even repossess the property. Helium’s license is irrevocable.

2. Quality will suffer, because it must

As Sherman’s math proves, only via extraordinary volume could any writer hope to pay even a grocery bill with their Helium earnings. I can’t even imagine it. And I say that as someone who writes more than 22,000 words monthly for The Motley Fool.

Pressure to produce creates mistakes, even among the most prolific of us. I’ve had more than my share writing 50 stories a month. At 500 or more — the level at which a Helium gig might produce meaningful income — the odds of a mistake becoming a serious blunder or a lawsuit-inducing catastrophe increase dramatically. Volume means being less careful.

And who suffers when you’re less careful? Not the aggregator. Helium isn’t a brand as The New York Times is. The brands — the ones that confer accuracy, quality, and so on — belong solely to the writers who reside there.

The secret of successful freelance writers

Top freelancers get a good hourly rate. They accept reasonable risks for fair rewards. And when they take outsized risks, they expect outsized rewards. Helium, in the end, demands outsized risks for meager rewards. Balance the equation, content aggregators, and you won’t need to invite top writers to join you. They’ll show up on their own.

© Copyright 2009, Tim Beyers.