Liz Strauss says I’m an official S.O.B.
Based on my work here at Writing For Pay, Liz Strauss has declared me a Successul and Outstanding Blogger. Huzzah!
Add comment October 27th, 2008
Posts filed under 'Miscellany'
Can I declare a hiatus retroactively?
Ed Healy hailed me on Twitter, asking if I was working on a new episode of the podcast. I’m not, I answered. Not yet.
I seriously underestimated the effect that my new job at a PR firm would have on my life. On show after show I kept saying that I’d make changes that would give me more time to pursue projects I care about, particularly this one. But honestly: the first six months at any new job always kick your ass. There’s nothing you can do about it except to focus as hard as you can on learning the ropes.
So in case you were wondering, that’s what I’ve been doing since June. But summer’s over and I’ve more or less gotten my sea legs, and it’s time to start planning for the next “season” of Writing For Pay. I’ve had a number of emails from people who’d like to be guests on the show, and I’m going to start writing those folks back and setting up interviews.
Although there’s one troubling development: Mysteriously, I see that my subscriptions have gone UP since I stopped posting shows. Maybe what my audience really wants is for me to stop talking?
1 comment October 7th, 2008
Writing For Pay Ep. 012 Show Notes
Christa Terry is the writer and editor of the bridal blog Manolo For The Brides. Her book iDo: Planning Your Wedding with Nothing But ‘Net is out in bookstores now.
- From blogger to book author
- Finding a niche and pitching the concept
- Who owns the information in Christa’s head?
- Winning over skeptical editors with statistic
- Writing a book under a tight deadline: tears and Tofurkey for Thanksgiving
- The publishing world can be a warm and nurturing place
- Christa’s next project: writing books and building a brand
- Advice #1: Value what you do and make people pay you for it.
- Advice #2: Bloggers - building a following online is all about interacting with your readers.
- Advice #3: Journalists - don’t expect to make big bucks doing glamorous work. Expand your repertoire by taking other gigs.
- Advice #4: You don’t have to be a freelance magazine writer to be a “real writer”. That world is very stressful and takes a very specific kind of person to do it.
- Christa’s book “iDo” did indeed come out on June 10th, but this episode was unfortunately delayed. Go buy it, wedding planners!
Christa’s book:
iDo: Planning Your Wedding with Nothing But ‘Net
Christa’s blogs:
http://www.manolobrides.com
Christa recommends:
The Everything Guide To Writing A Book Proposal
Music by Morgansorange
Add comment June 14th, 2008
Quick writing contest: win free shoes from Zappos
The CEO of online shoe retailer Zappos likes to throw out quickie contests via his Twitter account. There’s a new one going on that’s right up our alley - but you gotta be fast! Deadline is 11:59 PM on May 5th. (That’s today.)
We think our order confirmation emails lack pizzazz. They just aren’t fun, weird and “Zappos-ish” enough. So who better to help us make them better than you (since you’re the ones who read them!)?
Below is our standard email confirmation. Send your revised versions to [email address]. The winner will recieve FREE SHOES! (and they’ll become a part of Zappos Zeta history)!
The winning entry will be the most entertaining entry that we feel best exhibits the Zappos core values and personality.
Tony will pick a winner and notify them via email. All entries must be received by 11:59 PM PST on May 5th, 2008.
Details here. Good luck!
Add comment May 5th, 2008
Kobold Quarterly #4 reviewed in WIRED
Issue #4 of WFP guest Wolfgang Baur’s magazine Kobold Quarterly got this stellar review on WIRED’s Geekdad blog:
The sole remaining professional roleplaying game magazine, Kobold Quarterly became number one by beheading all of its competitors in spectacular urban swordfights.
NICE.
Here’s the episode where Wolfgang and I talked about the magazine, right before its launch.
(Via Open Design)
Add comment April 4th, 2008
Meet me at SXSWi 2008
I’m in Austin, Texas right this very second for the South by Southwest Interactive festival. If you’re coming too, keep an eye out for this clown:
Here’s a photo I took in downtown Austin with my new BlackJack mobile phone:
I believe this is where the Ghostbusters will have their final showdown with Zuul.
Add comment March 6th, 2008
MP3 download problem fixed
Awesome WFP listener Charles Tan hepped me to the fact that the MP3 download link for the new episode was broken. That’s weird, I thought, I tested it as soon as the show was posted and it worked fine.
Well, right after testing the link I’d enabled PodTrac on this site to collect stats on how many times the shows are downloaded. To accomplish this, PodTrac somehow redirects the download through its service - and THAT was what broke. I’ve disabled PodTrac for the nonce, and all is well again. Sorry about the inconvenience!
Add comment November 20th, 2007
Episodes and show notes now easier to find
Oh, and also: I tinkered with the categories a little to help make it easier for you to find the individual episodes and show notes on this site.
The episodes can be found in the Podcast category.
The show notes can be found in Show Notes.
Add comment November 12th, 2007
So where’s the new episode, Wade?
I’m workin’ on it, I’m workin’ on it! In fact, right this very second I’m editing my interview with Joyce Gorsuch.
I’ve had a lot on my plate lately. Too much for anyone’s good, probably–I suspect that I’m somewhat overcommitted with my work and volunteer obligations. I’m trying to sort things out so that instead of doing a lot of things erratically, I can do a few important things consistently.
I just got back from Blog World Expo 2007, where I got to meet some of my podcasting role models and bask in the light of their wisdom. Look, I can prove it! Here are photos of Leo Laporte, Scott Bourne, and Alex Lindsay from my Flickr photoset:
Also DJ Steveboy:
…who up until Thursday night I knew primarily as talented science fiction writer Steve Boyett. Now he’s a very successful DJ and podcaster which, y’know, is probably a hell of a lot more fun than writing.
One of the panels I attended was about choosing the right equipment for your home recording studio. If any of y’all have been wondering if I’d be offended if you sent me a Rode Podcaster microphone, I can assure that that I WOULD NOT.
So to circle back around: yes, new episode. Soon. In fact, how about I set a deadline? You’ll get a new show by this Saturday. If I fail to deliver you can line up and kick me in the junk.
Add comment November 12th, 2007
Vegas, baby! An unexpected interview, plus mojitos
So there I was, at a party in Las Vegas on Friday night, talking with a woman who I primarily knew through friends and family. And the woman wrapped up an anecdote by saying, “…but I get enough freelance writing and editing work to support myself.”
“Excuse me,” I said. “Did you say…?”
Today we sat down together and recorded a great conversation about writing for pay, from the jungles of the Philippines to the neon canyons of Nevada. That makes two new episodes of WFP in the works! (I knew there was a reason I packed my portable recorder.)
Next weekend I’m driving down to Portland, Oregon where I hope to grab some time with another freelancer who’s agreed to appear on the show.
Oh, hey - if you’re ever in Las Vegas, I highly recommend that you try two restaurants, one old-school and one new-school. The first is the Omelet House, a beloved local joint that serves huge omelets stuffed with all sorts of delicious things. (Even the “baby size” versions are almost too large for me to finish.) My favorite is the Bugsy Siegel, which contains big chunks of tender roast beef and red sauce. Seriously. It’s good.
The second place is the Firefly tapas bar, which has some of the best macaroni and cheese you’ll ever find, and mojitos by the pitcher. Generally speaking most cocktails taste like paint thinner to me; but this stuff was GOOD.
1 comment September 30th, 2007
