The Urban Muse

What To Do With Old Business Cards

noreply@blogger.com (Susan Johnston) — Mon, 12 May 2008 14:11:00 +0000

Remember how cool it was the first time you got business cards? I was so excited that I took the old cards left by my predecessor and pasted my information on top of hers.

Ah, how times change...

Since I left my job, I discovered a stash of my old business cards that are now obsolete (don't worry, I have business cards with my freelance info, too). It seems a shame to waste perfectly good paper, so I came up with a couple of alternative uses for business cards:

Bookmarks: I have quite a collection of bookmarks, but somehow I can never find them. Business cards to the rescue!

To-do lists: they are perfect, pocket-sized option for scribbling a few notes (assuming I don't loose them afterwards).

Gift tags: the right size but probably the wrong sentiment. Doesn't exactly scream "Happy Father's Day," does it?

Are there any more creative ideas I've missed?

For those who prefer to actually use their business cards, Entrepreneur.com has an article on Smart Ways to Use Your Business Card.

New Way to Research Magazines

noreply@blogger.com (Susan Johnston) — Fri, 09 May 2008 14:05:00 +0000

One of my international freelance friends alerted me to a new feature on BarnesandNoble.com: digital magazine subscriptions. This is an awesome idea, because it eliminates wasted paper and space. Plus, you'll have back issues right at your fingertips for easy reference. Many magazines, including Cosmopolitan, Men's Health, PC World, and Business Week also offer single digital issues for purchase, too. For other ideas on finding magazines, check out my earlier post on Magazine Mania.

Ladies Who Launch Boston Event

noreply@blogger.com (Susan Johnston) — Thu, 08 May 2008 19:14:00 +0000

Last night I attended a panel about entrepreneurship presented by the Boston chapter of Ladies Who Launch. What a great group of successful, creative women! Even though I'm not peddling a product or planning to go public with my writing business, I still found that a lot of the advice resonated with me.

Here are some of the best sound bytes I picked up (I'm paraphrasing some of these for the sake of clarity):

"Let the naysayers push you forward." Fortunately, most of the people in my life are supportive. But occasionally I run up against someone who just doesn't get why I want to write. One of the women talked about a banker who refused to give her a small business loan to open a clothing boutique, and it forced her to rethink her business model. She said that after thinking about it and refining her idea, it actually ended up better than what she'd envisioned before (now she has a mobile boutique).

"You're your company 24/7." This is soo true! Rarely do I shut off my computer at 5:01 and call it a day. Every where I go, there are opportunities to find story ideas and connect with new people. You never know who you might meet at the gym, the grocery store, or a dinner party. If I'm not on my game, then I'm missing out on personal AND professional opportunities.

"Every opportunity is not necessarily a good opportunity." Women especially have a hard time saying no. I'm one of those women. But just because someone asks me to edit their newsletter or write for their website does not mean that it fits my vision for myself or that I have to do it. I should have that mantra taped to my computer screen!

"No is just the beginning." A veteran saleswoman-turned-entrepreneur mentioned this one. She said that if someone says no, then you have to keep in touch with them and keep thinking of ways to meet their needs until eventually you find a way to work together. I tend to just walk away after rejection (unless the editor says something encouraging that makes me think they might be open to more ideas), so I'll have to try this strategy in the future.

"Entrepreneurs give people what they want before they know they want it." I love this one! Not sure how it applies to writers, but it was in response to a (very smart) question about whether you should start a business based on a need or based on your own passion. One of the panelists pointed out that if you have the need, then other people have the need, too.

Any thoughts? What mantras or sayings about business inspire you?

Boost Your Writing with Social Bookmarking

noreply@blogger.com (Susan Johnston) — Wed, 07 May 2008 18:03:00 +0000

Check out my guest blog post on Freelance Writing Gigs: 5 Ways to Boost Your Writing with Social Bookmarking. Enjoy!

5 Q's with Maggie Marton

noreply@blogger.com (Susan Johnston) — Wed, 07 May 2008 14:24:00 +0000

Maggie Marton just completed her MA in writing at Hopkins. Her recent recent article in BUST magazine caught my eye, but she has also written for NationalGeographic.com and NicoleWilliams.com. All this while keeping a day job, too! Gotta admire those multi-taking skills.

Urban Muse: What clip are you most proud of? Why?
Maggie: I wrote an article for BUST called “The Lazy Environmentalist.” I’m incredibly proud of this one because I loved the magazine for years, so it was an honor to write for them. Plus I was excited to have the opportunity to research and write about sustainability from the angle of small changes that anyone can take to be a little greener. It was the perfect intersection of a magazine I love and a topic I care about.

UM: Any tips on juggling freelance writing and a full time job?
M: Invest in TiVo! Or, more broadly, set clear priorities. Working eight hours a day drains a lot of my creative energy, and it’s easy to get home and sit down to watch TV. But freelance writing is what I truly love, so I make myself set aside time, and I make it official by putting it on my calendar. I had a writing teacher once say that if you have time to keep up with American Idol, then you have time to write. I try to observe that everyday by eliminating mindless distractions so that my writing becomes my number one priority. Then, on the weekend, I can reward myself for a week of hard work by catching up on my favorite shows.

UM: What do you know now that you wish you'd known when you started freelancing?
M: It’s unlike any other industry because it takes more than just time to build up a solid freelancing career. After I sold my first couple pieces I thought bigger markets would instantly open up or editors would start banging down my door. But it takes a lot of hard work to sell ideas, and it takes even more hard work and consistent service to get editors to contact you with their ideas.

UM: How do you handle rejection?
M: I was crushed when I got my first rejection, which was, of course, for the very first query I ever sent out. I obsessed over it, read and reread the “thanks, but no thanks” email, stared at my query letter, and tried to figure out where I went wrong. That’s incredibly unproductive, and I wasted a lot of time obsessing instead of searching for other places to send the idea. So now I go into each new pitch assuming it’ll take a couple tries to find the right editor. With each new idea, I make a list of five people to send it to, assuming that it’ll get rejected at least a few times. That way, when I get a rejection, I already have the next editor lined up, and acceptance is always a pleasant surprise!

UM: Who are your favorite authors?
M: I love to read and will try just about anything. I’m really lucky because I get to sample new authors as a reviewer for the blog Conversations with Famous Authors. Right now, though, I’m reading a lot of humor from authors like A.J. Jacobs and David Sedaris.

Thanks, Maggie!

Learning to Delegate

noreply@blogger.com (Susan Johnston) — Tue, 06 May 2008 17:34:00 +0000

I had every intention of blogging about my first official day as a full time freelancer, but, well, I didn't have time. See, I was so determined to line up enough work for these first few weeks that now I am swimming in work. But this is a good thing, because it means I'm not twiddling my thumbs wondering what I was thinking. I'll leave you with a quick anecdote from the weekend...

Editor A from last week agreed to pay for a photographer (she would not want my photos in the magazine, trust me). I put the word out amongst my friends and coworkers that I needed a last minute photographer. They came through and I lined up a photo shoot for Saturday afternoon. We really only needed one or two shots of one particular cocktail, but of course, the cocktail has dots of herb oil floating on the top, making it almost impossible to shift the martini glass without ruining the effect.

The shoot takes two hours (and two drinks). The photographer tells me he'll burn them onto a CD, which I have to pick up the next day. It would have taken about two hours roundtrip for me, but I was willing to do it so I could get it done and move on with my life. Fortunately my boyfriend lives nearby and agrees to pick them up after his thirty-hour hospital shift (yes, I'm a lucky girl).

Sunday evening at 10pm, I go to email the photos to my editor and discover that they are too large to email (even individually). I download two different Zip programs, and it turns out that photos do not zip, because they are not vectors. Of course. I try to upload to Flickr, but again, the files are too large. I'm in the living room panicking, wondering if it's too late to find a 24-hour FedEx location so I can overnight the CD. My roommate has PhotoShop, so she reduces the file size (but not the resolution, of course) and emails the photos back to me. Crisis averted.

Last Day in the Office

noreply@blogger.com (Susan Johnston) — Sat, 03 May 2008 22:31:00 +0000

I've been anticipating my last day at work for awhile, but now that it's come and gone, it's kind of surreal (but not in a bad way). Like, for instance, when I realized that I didn’t have to reset my cell phone alarm for 7:20am or turn it to vibrate on Monday morning. I’ve been getting up earlier so I can get a jump on applying for writing gigs, but it’s nice to know that I don’t have to.

Today, in fact, I got up at 6am, because I was so excited about being full time freelance. I started emailing people (who probably think I am crazy for being on Gmail at 6am on a Saturday) and knocking things off my (rather lengthy) to-do list. Then I hit the gym, wrote an article, supervised a photo shoot for one of my other articles, and shopped for office supplies at Staple’s. That way I won’t have to feel guilty when I do my laundry or take a long lunch during the workday (competition is stiff for the dryer in the adjacent building – must schedule strategically).

You’re probably wondering how my last day at the office went. I won’t bore you with the details, but everyone seemed really, genuinely supportive. It helps that I’ve agreed to take them on as a client so we can tie up a few more projects. As I walked to the bar after work for my going away party, one of my coworkers mentioned that she’d invited a friend to join us.

“I hope that’s OK.”

“Of course,” I said. “Everyone is welcome.”

Her friend arrived and asked the obligatory question about what I’m doing next. “I’m a full time freelance writer now!” I announced proudly, unsure if this would mean anything to him.

“Really?” he answered. “I work for a PR agency, and we’re always looking for freelancers.”

I told him that I have a degree in public relations and shamelessly offered him my business card, which he accepted.

Like I said before, “everyone is welcome.”

5 Q's with Trish Ryan

noreply@blogger.com (Susan Johnston) — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 22:21:00 +0000

Trish Ryan is a longtime Urban Muse reader and a fellow Cantabridgian. Her first book, He Loves Me, He Loves Me Not, comes out this week, and I couldn’t be more thrilled for her. Trish and I talked about finding a publisher, favorite authors, and more.

Urban Muse: How did you stay motivated when you were writing your book?
Trish: One of my favorite things about being a writer is that you can edit. So motivation wasn’t too much of a problem, because every sentence I wrote carried (in my mind, at least) the caveat that it wasn’t necessarily going in the book. These were all just ideas I was capturing; I tried not to get attached. This is, I suspect, what it must be like shop with an unlimited budget: you have the freedom to try all sorts of crazy things, then decide later what you’ll actually wear.

UM: Could you tell us about the process of finding a publisher?
T: When I queried my wonderful agent, Elisabeth Weed, she’d just had lunch with Chris Park, an editor at Hachette who’d said something to the effect of, “I’m looking for an edgy book about faith.” So Chris was on Elisabeth’s list when we sent out the proposal. It was pretty much a perfect fit from the start…not at all something I could have orchestrated! But I’m super grateful, as Chris and her team really understood my vision and the story I wanted to tell.

UM: Any tips for first time authors?
T: I’m fairly certain I don’t have anything to offer new authors that hasn’t been said before, but here are my “big three”: Be teachable, Connect with other authors, and Read everything you can get your hands on.

UM: Who are some of your favorite authors?
T: It’s a long list! I have been a voracious reader since I was a little girl (my favorite day of school was when they handed out the deliveries from the Scholastic Book Club) and that continues to this day. I just finished two memoirs that were spectacular: THE MIDDLE PLACE by Kelly Corrigan, and REDEEMED by Heather King. Fiction-wise, I’m anxiously awaiting Allison Winn Scotch’s next novel, and Lisa Tucker’s latest, THE CURE FOR THE MODERN LIFE is one of the best stories I’ve ever read. Her creativity amazes me. And Anna Quindlen is a huge inspiration—she does it all.

UM: What are you working on next?
T: My next book will pick up where HE LOVES ME, HE LOVES ME NOT left off, with stories of figuring out this new stage in my life. It’s been an entertaining few years, and I’ve fallen in a pothole or two along the way (as readers of my blog can attest) so the book should be plenty fun to write!

Thanks, Trish! Can’t wait for the launch party.

Temp Agencies for Writers

noreply@blogger.com (Susan Johnston) — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 02:38:00 +0000

Now that I've cleaned up from yesterday, I thought I'd share Lori Widmer's Temp Agency Primer. I have been marketing like mad these last few weeks and I've gotten emails from two different creative staffing firms wanting to discuss writing projects. But not having any experience with this type of work and fearing it could turn into a bad remake of Office Space (it was bad enough the first time), I asked Lori's advice. She kindly obliged.

Manic Monday

noreply@blogger.com (Susan Johnston) — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 22:23:00 +0000

Editor A needs photos. Editor B wants to see a revised query. Editor C hasn't sent me a contract yet, so I have to follow-up with her. One of my copywriting clients asked for massive rewrites in the next 48 hours. And my boss needs copy for a new product by Friday, but he's not entirely sure how the product works.

All of this begs the question of why I'm blogging instead of working. Hmm... excellent question!

UPDATE: an editor (not saying which one) just asked me for rewrites to an article I didn't write. This is not my day!

May 1 is RSS Awareness Day

noreply@blogger.com (Susan Johnston) — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 13:08:00 +0000

Daily Blogging Tips has proclaimed May 1 RSS Awareness Day. Their goal is to get as bloggers as possible talking up the benefits of RSS so that more readers will use it. I thought I was a late adopter of RSS, but it turns out that the vast majority of internet users still have not caught on to how easy it is.

I signed up for Google Reader back in December, so here are my five reasons why you should use it, too:

See all of your blog reading aggregated in one place. This saves me a TON of time, because I just scroll through all the new posts and decide what's worth reading.
Don't waste time visiting blogs that haven't been updated. Before I signed up for RSS, I spent quite a bit of time each morning checking blogs that didn't have any new content, hoping maybe this would be the day for a new post.
Get recommendations on related blogs. When you sign into Google Reader, it suggests other blogs that you might like based on the content that is currently in your feeds (similar to Amazon.com recommendations). This is a good way to discover new blogs.
Find out what your contacts are reading. If your Gmail contacts choose to share their feeds, then you can see what they're reading and discover new blogs that way, too.
Show your favorite bloggers some love by subscribing to their feeds. Yes, you should still comment regularly, but subscribing to their feed is another way to voice your support. Bloggers love big numbers (at least this blogger does, so sign up for my RSS feed here).

This post from the archives has more tips on organizing information online.

When You Need an Elevator Pitch

noreply@blogger.com (Susan Johnston) — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 01:49:00 +0000

Today I was chatting with one of our interns and said to him "so, you know I won't be in the office after next week, right?" He's not my intern, so I can understand why he hadn't heard yet (but that is another story).

"No, what are you doing after next week?"

I'd tried to keep the freelance thing on the DL prior to my big announcement, but now I figured I could let him in on my double life. "I'm going to focus on my freelance writing."

Some college students have no idea that staying home to write about cocktails or luxury hotels is even an option. But this guy is a film student, so he knows about nontraditional careers.

"Wow, that's so cool! How'd you get into that? What do you write about? Do you mind my asking?"

Now, if you're going to do something cool, then you should be willing to talk about it. Even if you hate bragging or you feel self-conscious talking about yourself, when someone gives you an opening like that, you need to say something. It totally made my day.

5 Q's Update

noreply@blogger.com (Susan Johnston) — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 01:08:00 +0000

I've been posting interviews with other writers on and off for the past year. I think we've all gleaned some insights from their wisdom (at least I know I have), but the results of my informal poll show that's not the content you're most interested in. And honestly, I'm happy to drop that from my to do list. I will still interview writers when the mood strikes, but not on a weekly basis and not necessarily on Wednesdays (I might shake things up and post on a Monday - who knows?).

But... There are two 5 Q's alums who have exciting new projects going on, so I thought I'd highlight them this week.

First, Jen A. Miller's guide to The Jersey Shore just came out. Jen is a busy writer who has contributed to The New York Times, Woman's Day, and Psychology Today, among other places. She's also an avid book reviewer. In case you missed our interview back in December, you can read it here.

Second, the paperback edition of Allison Winn Scotch's The Department of Lost & Found is available this week. Allison has contributed to many of the glossies, and she generously shares advice with other aspiring writers at Ask Allison. I read the hardcover edition of her novel and thoroughly enjoyed it. Allison participated in 5 Q's last May.

Happy reading!

Big News (not involving a ring)

noreply@blogger.com (Susan Johnston) — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 00:29:00 +0000

On Friday I told my boss that I'm making the jump to writing full time. I couldn't blog about it until I told my coworkers and created a plan for the transition, but now I can finally share this exciting bit of news with all of you!

It's funny because earlier in the week, someone blogged about how two weeks is too much notice. I respectfully disagree, because I'll be consulting part time for my company for at least another month after I step down from my position. It's the perfect set-up for me and my coworkers, because they won't need to panic if they have questions and I won't have to worry about bringing in enough money during my first month or so on my own.

But even funnier are the reactions I've gotten. A few weeks ago when I emailed friends to say "we need to meet for drinks, I have big news on the horizon," not one but TWO of them replied with "You're engaged aren't you?"

And tonight, when I met Penelope Trunk for dinner, one of the first things she said was, "did you get engaged?" Must be the glow of someone who knows her days of riding the subway during rush hour and working out of a cube are almost over.

A few people were concerned for my well being ("what happens if you get sick?" "won't you be lonely at home all day?"), but most of my coworkers have been remarkably supportive. I was worried that some of them wouldn't see freelance writing as a legitimate career path, but after reading No More Mondays, I decided it didn't matter. This was something I needed to do, and I was going to do it.

I'll admit I've had a few moments in the last few days where I've been tempted to log onto Monster and search for a new job (which is silly because I could certainly resume my old post), but mostly I feel an incredible sense of liberation and relief.

Same Blog, New Domain

noreply@blogger.com (Susan Johnston) — Sun, 20 Apr 2008 21:33:00 +0000

The old blogspot URL will still work, but you might want to update your bookmarks just in case. My new domain is www.UrbanMuseWriter.com (Google assures me that this link will work for everyone over the next few days). Happy reading!

In case you're wondering what I've been writing...

noreply@blogger.com (Susan Johnston) — Sun, 20 Apr 2008 14:36:00 +0000

Sharp-Dressed Girl
Quiz: Are You a Risk Taker?
Long-Distance Love
The Exit Interview
Dynamic Duet (this is the article I freaked out about last fall - I think it turned out rather well)

Hope everyone is having a good weekend!

Random Thoughts on CVS

noreply@blogger.com (Susan Johnston) — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 23:45:00 +0000

Forty-eight percent of you said the content you enjoy reading most on this blog is my random musings. The rest of you can skip this post.

I love CVS coupons. When I get one of those coupons for $4 off a $20 purchase, I will literally scour the aisles and fill up with my basket with $20.01 worth of drug store lipstick and Post-It Notes. Or if it’s $2 off of toilet paper or vitamins, I’ll stock up on those. But it’s OK, because someday I will get another $4 in Extra Bucks.
Sometimes, though, I get coupons for diapers or baby wipes. And supposedly, this is because someone in marketing has been analyzing my purchases and strategizing to get me to buy more. What about a person who buys lipstick and toilet paper says “I have a child”? Maybe they should give me a coupon for $1 off e.p.t... Because I’m starting to wonder.
Yesterday I went into CVS to get Dr. Scholl’s gel inserts to go inside a pair of new shoes (I’d bought them cheaply because they were cute and now I had to pay another $12 to make them wearable). Whose idea was it to put shoe supplies and foot care products on opposite ends of the store? They must get a sick thrill from watching me hobble around in confusion. In case you ever need to know, Dr. Scholl’s is a foot care product, not a shoe supply.

5 Q's with Alexandra Levit

noreply@blogger.com (Susan Johnston) — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 12:51:00 +0000

A friend of mine recommended Alexandra Levit's book They Don't Teach Corporate in College. I enjoyed it so much that I interviewed Alexandra for an article on myths about the working world (more on that later). Once I heard about all of her new writing projects (including How'd You Score That Gig? which comes out this week), I also asked Alexandra to do an interview on the blog. She graciously accepted...

Urban Muse: How have you managed to juggle working full time with your writing and home life?
Alexandra: When I was writing my first book, They Don't Teach Corporate in College, I had no choice but to work full time and write on the weekends, as I had to make a living! I was fortunate, though, in that the book did well, and I was able to parlay it into a new career as an author and public speaker. By the time I was working on my new book about dream careers, How'd You Score That Gig?, I had the freedom to do my marketing communications consulting three days a week, and spend the rest of the work week interviewing and writing. I tried not to work on weekends this time around, so that I felt I had enough time to spend with my friends and family.

UM: Did you go through an agent or directly to publishers for your first book? What was that process like?
A: I sold a nonfiction book proposal about surviving the corporate world as a new college grad directly to a small publisher, and was then paid a small advance to write the book. Selling it actually wasn't that difficult and didn't take that long, but one of the worst days of my life was when that first publisher went out of business, and the book, already written, was without a home. Luckily, with the help of an agent this time, I re-sold the book eventually and it was published as They Don't Teach Corporate in College in late 2004.

UM: Any tips you'd like to share with first-time book authors?
A: First, find a niche, or a topic you think is interesting that you can offer a unique perspective on and that hasn't been done to death already. Then, start and market a blog on this topic before attempting to sell a book proposal. Having a successful blog makes one very attractive to editors who are looking for writers with an already-established audience.

UM: You've successfully positioned yourself as an expert on young people in the workforce. How does one create a niche for oneself?
A: In order to sell anything, a book included, you must be able to differentiate it from the competition. We've mentioned niches. To find one, look to your own experiences for something that's personally meaningful to you, that you feel passionate about. Then do some research to determine what has been written on that subject, and by whom. Your goal is to create a spin on the topic that hasn't been addressed before, in which you can offer certain knowledge or expertise. The spin doesn't have to be completely different from what's out there, just a littledifferent. Even though I've published a few books already, I still have to differentiate each new idea I come up with. For instance, How'd You Score That Gig? is different from other books about dream careers in that it organizes the jobs by personality profile and is written in an engaging narrative style rather than a thumb-through, reference style.

UM: What's next for you?
A: I'm in the process of promoting How'd You Score That Gig? and my third book, Success for Hire, now. This summer, I will begin work on Change Your Job, Change Your Life (Random House/Ballantine, 2009), which will profile people who have made drastic but successful career changes. If any of your readers have done this, I would love to hear from them!

UM: Alexandra, congrats on your new boo, and thanks for sharing your insights with Urban Muse readers!

Newsflash: Blogger Adds Scheduled Posts!

noreply@blogger.com (Susan Johnston) — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 23:03:00 +0000

Until recently, the one thing that I felt was missing from Blogger was the ability to schedule posts. Well, now you can using Blogger in Draft. Thanks to Erik Sherman's WriterBiz blog for the tip-off, because I'm sure this feature will be a huge help to Blogger users. In fact, I'm writing this on Sunday afternoon and if all goes according to plan, you'll be reading this later in the week when the post goes live. As far as I'm concerned, Blogger is now practically par with WordPress. Any thoughts?

5 Q's with Leslie Pepper

noreply@blogger.com (Susan Johnston) — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 03:07:00 +0000

This week's 5 Q's subject is Leslie Pepper, an editor-turned-freelance writer who has contributed to magazines including Women's Health, Parade, Good Housekeeping, and Parenting. Here are Leslie's insights into winning over your editor, finding a niche, and other tricks of the writing trade...

Urban Muse: Since you've worked as an editor, is there anything that a freelancer should or should not do in their query and initial communication with an editor?
Leslie: Um, can we start with spell my name right? It’s infuriating that when my name is printed on a masthead, some bumbleheads can’t copy it down correctly. If you can’t get that straight, you’re going to have a very difficult time getting your facts straight on a story. I won’t read anything further. And read back issues of the magazine – if we’ve covered your idea in last month’s issue, I’m going to have a tough time believing that you have actually even read a copy of the magazine ever.

UM: How do you stay focused when you're working on a project?
L: Focused? Me? Ha! I’m usually working on four to five different stories at a time, and I have three children, so I don’t think you can say the words Leslie and focus in the same sentence. I sometimes work in 10-minute time chunks – email someone here, interview someone there, then write up a few lines later. It’s actually a miracle I get anything done. I don’t think that’s helping your readers much, is it?

UM: Well, I don't have kids, but I'm glad to hear I'm not the only writer who struggles with that! What writing clip are you most proud of? Why?
L: That’s tough because there are a few I’m proud of, but I’m probably most proud of a piece I wrote for Child, about how kids are no longer allowed to fail. We, as parents, think our kids must be happy happy happy all the time, and we’re constantly trying to bolster their egos by telling them how wonderful they are. And with that, we never allow them to fail – we give every kid a trophy on the soccer field, we don’t let kids play musical chairs at birthday parties anymore, for fear that the kids that get out will be upset – so we’re raising a nation of children who are ill-equipped to handle the real world. The piece was originally my idea, and it was a great collaboration with my editors. Child was a great magazine. I’m crushed that it folded.

UM: How important is finding a niche?
L: I fell into my niche – health, because the health and fitness editor was leaving New Woman (the magazine I worked for) and they offered me that spot. I lucked out because I just loved it. After I went freelance I got even luckier – I hit it off with the then-executive editor of Marie Claire, and she offered me a monthly health column. So health (and by extension diet and nutrition) just became my beat. That’s not answering your question, is it? My friend Kelly James-Enger is big into this – finding your niche. I do think it’s important to have a specialty for a few reasons. First, it can make you an editor’s go-to gal – when an editor has a health story to assign, I hope I’d be at the top of her list. Second, it makes your job easier. I have a Rolodex full of health experts that I can call on when I need interviews. I know what websites to go to when I’m researching a health story. So I’m essentially starting with a base of knowledge already, which makes my job easier. That’s not to say that I don’t do stories outside my niche. I also do parenting articles - I recently wrote a piece on dealing with kids who are different than you for Family Circle. And I do articles that are completely out of my realm - I had piece last month in Parade about extended warranties. Those pieces do take longer, because I’m starting from scratch with each one. But it’s fun to stretch my brain a bit.

UM: What are your interests outside of writing?
L: Is it cliché to say my kids? Free time is pretty much non-existent in my world! These days I’m addicted to Scrabulous, but that’s about all the time outside of writing and my kids that I have!

UM: I'm not going near Scrabulous, because it sounds highly addictive. Thanks for sharing your insights on writing, Leslie!

In Defense of the Charticle

noreply@blogger.com (Susan Johnston) — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 23:39:00 +0000

Today several writers on an email list I frequent were buzzing about the charticle, which is basically a hybrid of an article and an illustration. They said it wasn't real writing and that it's bad for writers, because it means fewer words (and hence a lower pay scale).

Au contraire, my freelance friends.

I had happen to enjoy a good charticle, because they are faster and easier to write than normal articles (which means that yes, you're making less money but you're also spending less time on the project). Granted, they're not award-winning journalism, but charticles appeal to readers who are pressed for time (aren't we all?) and need visuals to comprehend things. Supposedly our children (I mean children in general, not MY theoretical children) will grow up to be plagued by illiteracy and ADD, so I'm sure we'll be seeing more charticles in the future.

As New York magazine's weekly Approval Matrix proves, even short pieces like charticles have room for a cleverly crafted bit of irony or humor. Granted, you have to be pretty sharp to be witty in under 200 words. I just did it in 190.

6 Things to Do Before You Send Your Query Letter

noreply@blogger.com (Susan Johnston) — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 00:47:00 +0000

We've all been: precisely 2.5 seconds after you click "send" on your query email you wish you could take it all back and start over. Unfortunately, most email programs don't have this feature, so you'll have to get it right the first time. Here's a little check list to help.

Find out if your idea has been done. Before you start searching for stats or crafting your query, check if the publication has covered the topic in the past year. Unless you have a really creative angle, I wouldn't bother pitching something that's been covered recently. Instead, focus on finding other ideas or creating new twists on those evergreen ideas.
Write a strong subject line and opening paragraph. I generally use the formula "Query: Name of Proposed Article" as my subject. "Query Letter" or "Story Idea for X Magazine" is boring and tells the editor very little about your idea. Write a compelling subject line and an attention-catching opener so they'll want to read more.
Check your spelling, but don't rely on spell check. Last Friday, Penelope Trunk blogged about why writing without typos is totally outdated. I agree with her point that good content is more important than good spelling, but that doesn't excuse laziness (especially if you're querying a major print pub that doesn't churn things out at the same pace as an online news source). If nothing else, be sure that you spell the editor's name and the name of the publication correctly!
Remember to include writing samples. You'll look pretty silly if your query says "I've attached a few writing samples for your perusal" and you forget to upload the attachments. In fact, a lot of writing experts recommend that you use links to articles instead of attachments so you don't get caught in an editor's spam filter. Best to double-check the links first, though. If you don't have writing samples, then don't say "I don't have any samples." Just gloss over it and focus on why you can write this piece.
Add the editor's email last. This tip is actually a cover letter tip from career expert Lindsey Pollak, but it holds true for query letters, too. Avoid embarrassment by composing your email first and reading it over before you add the email address.
Don't obsess. We've all made email blunders, but it's best to let them go. And since there's no guarantee of an assignment based on a query, I try not to spend more than a few hours on each one. If you waste a whole evening searching for that perfect, poetic turn of phrase or the too-good-to-be-true stat, then you're missing out on personal time or time that could be spent developing other ideas. Get your ideas on paper, let them marinate overnight, and move onto the next one.

Anything I've missed? Leave a comment and let me know!

Writer's Digest's 101 Best Websites for Writers

noreply@blogger.com (Susan Johnston) — Sun, 06 Apr 2008 03:59:00 +0000

My June issue of Writer's Digest arrived today, and I was thrilled to discover that this blog is listed in their 101 Best Websites for Writers for 2008! The list is so new I couldn't find it online, but I'll be sure to post the link once it goes live. Thanks to those who nominated me, and welcome to Writer's Digest readers!

Here is the post mentioned in the round-up: Five Ways to Promote Your Blog
And here's the sequel: Five MORE Ways to Promote Your Blog

Vote on The Urban Muse's New Look and Feel

noreply@blogger.com (Susan Johnston) — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 14:27:00 +0000

This is my 300th post on The Urban Muse. I'm considering making a few changes to the blog this spring/summer (including a move to my own domain!), and I'd love a little feedback from readers. Since this poll is multiple choice, feel free to leave comments with more specific suggestions.

4 Shortcuts to Save Blogging Time

noreply@blogger.com (Susan Johnston) — Sun, 30 Mar 2008 14:48:00 +0000

You know those weeks where you're running around so much you barely have time to breath, much less blog? Where dinner consists of a Luna bar and a banana hastily consumed on the way to the subway? This is going to be one of those weeks for me, so you probably won't hear much on this blog or if you email me (don't worry, I'm not dying, I just have a crazy few days coming up). I had this outline saved, so this seems like a good time to use it.

1. Don't moderate comments. Sounds risky, I know, but I tried it when I went on vacation, and it worked out great. No one left offensive or inappropriate comments, and readers didn't have to wait three days for me to slog through my email and approve their comments. Of course, the feasibility of this one will depend on the nature of your blog and the number of comments you get. I've decided to leave my settings the way they are to make it easier for everyone, but if it becomes a problem, I would not hesitate to moderate again.
2. Bookmark interesting articles for later. I could spend hours blog-hopping, commenting, and reading posts about a myriad of topics, but it won't improve my output as a writer or blogger. I try to keep the mindless surfing to a minimum by saving articles that look interesting in my delicious links. I can include these in a future blog post or read them later as a reward for finishing a task.
3. Write posts in advance. On days like today when I'm rushing out the door, I don't have time to wrack my brain for blog post ideas (my muse doesn't work on demand; she's fickle like that). You can write a few posts at once when you have the time, and then spread them out for posting later on.
4. Post via email. Yes, I know that all you WordPress users can publish things years into the future, but Blogger users cannot. I get around this by saving drafts in my email folder, then pressing send when I want to publish. Blogger has more detailed instructions on publishing via email here.

What's your time-saving secret weapon when it comes to blogging? Leave a comment, and tell us about it!