Freelance For You

Saturday, February 24, 2007

February "Freedom"

Hello, Fellow Bloggers, Family and Friends. I feel 20 pounds lighter on this Feb. 24 ,2007 morning.

Why? My manuscript for my latest nonfiction book, "Wit & Wisdom From Long Distance Grandparents" has gone into the mail this past week along with a CD of the manuscript. (Does anybody out there remember when CD stood for Certificate of Deposit?) I've actually managed to store in a safe place, all the backup material I've accumulated (letters, clippings, other information) since I got the "go ahead" in August. When I saw the publisher briefly in April and asked if he'd found somebody to do a book on long-deistance grandparenting, he said "send me a proposal." I sent an intro, the proposed first four chapters, and a rough list of planned additional chapters. It was a month before I received a "go-ahead."

When my first book was published by Quill Driver Books/Word Dancer Press, their catalog listed about 20 titles (all nonfiction). By 2007 the new catalog shows about 40 books. This press received recognition a couple of years ago as one of the 100 best Independent publishers, and in 2006 one of their books got on the New York Times best-seller list.

I probably will not hear until mid or late March, but am now getting back to writing the shorter articles, profiles, etc. that sell much faster than books.

The most recent development locally is that I have managed to market my "Sassy Senior" column. It now appears twice a month in the on-line, daily-updated news-zine, Sedona.Biz (www.sedona.biz) The column is now called "Sedona's Sassy Senior" ( lst and 3rd Friday every month.) Editor, Carl Jackson, has accepted other pieces from me and though the pay isn't great, it is better than giving the column away. (Who said that freelancers are in this business to get rich?) I have yet to ask Carl whether the columns will remain available but they are now to be found at http://www.sedona.biz/gorecolumn1.htm Since they are numbered, you will also find one by substituting the number "2" for number "1" I assume that the March columns will carry the numbers 3, 4, etc.

Jackson is a cordial editor, pays promptly, and encourages writers in the Sedona/Verde Valley area to submit pieces for his consicderation. That said, I will be collaborating with son, Alan, on a series of hiking stories for the publication. Alan does the hiking and photography; I do the writeups and submissions. Will see how that pans out.

I invite comments from any an all--about you, questions about freelancing that I may be able to answer, and any information on writing you'd like to share.-- Willma

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