Archive for April, 2008

Naming Your Price

Author: Michy

Apr 28

One of the most common questions I get asked from fledgling freelancers is, “Someone wants me to write some articles for them and name my price. How much do I charge?”

I have to admit, this is the most difficult part of freelancing for me. I have a hard time assigning a value to my writing and then turning around and charging folks for it. Shoot, there are days I’m still amazed people are willing to pay me for doing what I love!

For me, I much prefer writing for publications that have posted prices they pay for certain content, whether it be by the word, inch, character, article… I want to know what I’m getting upfront and what to expect. I also like to write for sites that read your article on spec and then make you an offer for it that you can then either accept or reject. This is what I prefer.

That being said, sometimes I’ll have someone contact me and give me some specs on writing some articles for them and ask me how much I’ll charge.

I have to come up with a number… so what do I do?

There are lots of things you can do to determine a price to charge – you can charge a flat-rate for your writing and sell it the same to every person – usually this is a per word rate, such as 1-100 words for XX dollars, 101-250 words for XX dollars, and so on, or it can be a flat rate per word such as .10-1.00 per word, or more or less. You set the rate.

The problem I have with flat rates is that every writing is different and the research and time it will take to write or the style required will vary and thus so should the price. I have one client I charge $50 bucks for doing a monthly newsletter article for about 900 words, while another client pays me $150 bucks to do a monthly newsletter article for the same length. The difference is, one is a very easy subject in a casual tone and requires almost zero research, while the other requires references, links and a lot more research, so it should pay more.

One thing you can do is try to put it back on the contractor requesting your services. Tell them, “I don’t have a flat rate, but rather charge for each unique project,” and then ask them, “Did you have a budget you were looking at for this project?”

They might or might not tell you, but maybe they’ll hint at an amount so that you know what your ballpark is to work with.

If they won’t offer you any hint, then the next step is to go and look at other publications/sites that are similar to what is being asked for and find out what the going rate is, or as close to it as you can get, and then I’ll set a rate that is close to that going rate.

Set your rate a bit higher than you really want or need and be prepared to offer a lower rate if they say that’s too high. After all, it’s a negotiation as it would be with any contracting type of job. Set yourself a threshold that you will not accept less than XX amount, and don’t let them talk you into less than that unless they can offer you some other benefit besides cash (backlink, free promotion for other things, etc that might benefit you).

Now, being that freelancing is my only job and I have a lot of things floating around submitted
and pending and I am not in a position that I have to take any job that comes my way to make ends meet. Even when I was in a financial situation when I really needed the money, I had to learn that sometimes turning down a project because they weren’t willing to pay enough is BETTER for your career than accepting a lowballing writing job.

The goal as a freelancer is to constantly increase your breadth of published credits and to make money to support you in your career – that does sometimes mean taking higher and lower payment on similar type content, BUT if someone is really lowballing you, I don’t care how much you need the money, don’t sell yourself short. You’ll get a reputation of working for peanuts and eventually that’s the only jobs you’re going to be able to get.

So, to recap:

~look at what others are paying/charging for similar content
~try to get the contractor to let you in on their budget
~don’t sell yourself short
~offer a bit higher than you are acting ‘needing’
~set a minimum threshold and don’t go below it
~and did I mention don’t sell yourself short?

Keep in mind, writing is a profession. Regardless of what some people may think or tell you, writing well is a skill, a talent, an art… and you deserve to be paid a livable wage for the quality work that you do.

Any questions?

Michelle L Devon
  • 0 Comments
  • Filed under: Writing Information

    • Agent or No Agent: Which is Better?

    Author: Michy

    Apr 26

    There was a question posed today on my forum about whether one should have an agent or not.

    Below is a partial C&P of the response I made on the forum about agents:

    NEVER PAY AN AGENT A PENNY UNTIL THEY HAVE SOLD YOUR MANUSCRIPT!

    Any legitimate agent will not charge a penny until your manuscript is sold. Now, some agents charge a percentage and some will charge a percentage and some itemized fees, like long distance calls, postage, etc…. both are standard in the practice, but you should never ever ever pay an agent anything upfront nor should you have to pay an agent a reading fee, nor should you have to pay an agent a monthly maintenance fee or an account set up fee.

    Let me say it again: a legitimate agent will not charge you a single penny unless/until they sell your manuscript to a publisher!

    Now, as to the age-old question about whether you should get an agent or not… it’s a tossup really.

    All of the major publishers, the big sisters in the publisher world, require an agent or for you to know someone in order to submit a manuscript. These are the companies who are offering those 6-figure plus advances and then own your soul for a few years after. If you want a deal like that with one of the big publishers whose names we all know like the back of our hand, then you will have to get an agent, period.

    But below those big-wig publishers are imprints of the same big-wig publishers and other large publisher that don’t all require agents. Now, the rumor is, agented submissions often get preferential treatment. Sometimes an agented submission bypasses the slush pile straight to an editor, because that’s what an agent does, or should do – they don’t just submit for you, but they foster relationships with publishers and editors, so that when an agent calls on a publisher and says, “I’ve got just what you’re looking for,” the publisher/editor knows the agent is well-versed in what each editor is looking for and providing only manuscripts that fit that need.

    All that being said, some writers have landed decent deals with mid-sized to even larger publishers without an agent.

    http://www.invirtuo.cc/prededitors/pubagent.htm

    P&E has a listing of all agents they are aware of – both good and bad – with the reasons why they are good or bad, user complaints, etc, and they are an exceptional resources.

    I am looking for an agent…. I will still submit to unagented mid-sized publishers on my own though too.

    Thing is, it’s really up to you… some writers will tell you an agent is a waste of money while others will tell you that you’ll never make it big without one… I think it’s all a matter of how you play the game whether an agent works for you and your type of writing or not.

    I want an agent, because the one publisher I dream of being published with will only accept agented manuscripts. I’m going to write it to their liking, try to secure an agent I know who has placed with them before, and play the game the way it should be played.

    But for some of my other manuscripts, I’ll probably keep looking around at mid-sized publishers myself.

    Agents take anywhere from 5-25% of whatever the deal is they can make for you. 10-15 is standard, if you get 5, I’d worry about their legitimacy, and anything over 20 (without certain rights and other benefits) is probably getting too high.

    An agent can also charge for certain ‘extra’ things, like the cost to make copies of the manuscript, the cost for long distance calls, etc… BUT they don’t charge for these itemized things until they’ve made a deal for you and then like an attorney almost (and some attorneys are agents) they will list the costs and itemize it. When the publisher pays the advance and then the subsequent royalties, they pay it to the agent, and then the agent takes out their percentage and itemized things and then remits payment with a statement to you.

    If you are going with a small to mid-sized publisher that doesn’t have shelf placement with a major retail bookstore or which doesn’t have good distribution set up, you’re not going to be making much money, and giving away that much of it to an agent is going to really bite into your profit, if there even IS any.

    Only you can decide whether an agent is going to benefit you or not. I’d say if you are unpublished, self published or have only published with small houses and do not yet have shelf placement on a book, haven’t received a sizable advance, and you believe your writing is better than the shake it’s been given, seek an agent who can help you get that fair shake.

    Otherwise, you might want to try it on your own with some mid-sized publishers who have acquired shelf placement in major retail bookstores… worst they can do is say no, and then you can tweak, edit, resubmit or start searching for an agent then. The only thing you really have to lose at that point is time.

    Anyhoo, that’s my ramble about agents today….

    Any questions? Comment?

    Love and stuff,
    Michy

    Michelle L Devon
  • 0 Comments
  • Filed under: Writing Information

    • Using RSS Feeds to Increase Pages Views

    Author: Michy

    Apr 23

    Man, I’ve talked about this so much, I’m surprised there are still folks who don’t know about this!

    I’ve mentioned it in the forums in at least three different threads, and then wrote an article about promotion that included this idea… but some people are just now hearing about it, as evidenced on my writers forum today, so I figured I’d take a moment and share it with all of you guys and gals.

    RSS Feeds… what does RSS stand for? Simple! No, really, it stands for Really Simple Syndication… honestly, that’s what it means!

    Why? Because it IS simple. There are still many who haven’t gotten into how to use feed readers yet, but I and many others like me love them. In fact, when AC started having so many problems with their emails, I quit subscribing to people on AC and have instead subscribed to their feed in my feed reader, and it shows me every time the feed updates, which would be any time a new article is posted or their profile is updated in some way.

    AC publishes a partial feed, which means that people seeing the feed can only read a teaser, which in this case is usually the abstract we put on our articles, and the title of the article. Then, in order to read more, the reader would have to click on the link and go to your article on AC, thus giving you a page view.

    If the reader likes your content, they can subscribe to your feed, and then they too will be updated every time you update the page or publish a new article. This is all automatic – YOU don’t have to do anything to make it happen.

    BUT… how do you get it where people can find your feed?

    Good question!

    You have to submit your feed to feed submission sites, where directories of feeds are listed.

    You can Google “RSS Feed Submission” and you’ll find a list of sites where you can submit your RSS Feed. Add the word FREE to that – “Free RSS Feed Submissions” and you get sites you can post list your RSS feed for free. I don’t recommend paying for feed submissions, but for the lazy amongst us, you can pay to have a service blast your RSS feed to all the submission sites they have listed. I don’t think it’s worth it.

    This website: http://www.rss-specifications.com/rss-submission.htm

    Has a list of a bunch of feed and blog submission sites where you can get your profile on AC listed in their directories. I like using this link because you can just go down their list and not have to search all over for it.

    Of course, some of the links are dead, and some of the sites are not going to work for everyone on AC, because they are genre specific, but many of them will work, and you can sign up for them or add your link very easily.

    It’s time consuming at first, BUT once you submit it, as long as you post an article regularly, you won’t ever have to update or resubmit your feed!

    Some of the sites want the main URL and some want your feed URL. If it asks for your feed URL, you will want to go to your AC profile, and look after the gray profile stuff but before the articles for a button that looks like this:

    Only it will be smaller. Just click on that, and you will see in the top of the page where your URL usually is, there’s a new URL that ends in .xml

    If you are prompted to submit the feed URL, that one ending in .xml is the one to submit.

    If you go down the list in the link I gave you above, and submit your feed URL to every site you can find that accepts submissions, then you will have your profile posted in the feed directories where readers who are looking for things to read can stumble upon your feed and just might subscribe to it. It also helps to build PageRank for you as well, which helps you rank higher in the Google results.

    Setting up all the accounts, posting the feed link, entering a category, etc… this takes time in the beginning, but with the exception of a few of the sites, you will never have to post or update or do anything to the feed again. It will automatically update every time a new article is posted, and anyone who is searching the directories for feeds or who has subscribed to your feed can read it.

    It really is that simple.

    It took me about three days to get all the feeds submitted that I wanted to and could do, and then after that, except for pinggoat and technorati, I haven’t touched them or even thought about them since.

    One word of warning though – much like submitting to search engines and directories with your regular feed, you don’t want to submit it multiple times to the same place. Also, if the majority of your content is parenting articles, don’t submit your feed to a technology feed submission site. Please keep your feeds on topic and appropriate for the site you submit to.

    Short of that, git to submittin’…

    For more information and to see one AC CP’s experience with using the RSS submissions, you can visit the forum here at this thread and see our discussion about it.

    Any questions?

    Love and stuff,
    Michy

    Michelle L Devon
  • 0 Comments
  • Filed under: Writing Information

    • Author Interview: Don Miles

    Author: Michy

    Apr 23


    Don Miles, Author Interview

    www.DonMiles.com


    It’s rare today to find an author who does nothing but write for a living. Do you have a ‘real’ job other than writing, and if so, what is it? What are some other jobs you’ve had in your life?

    Don Miles: I’m supposed to be retired, but here I am writing books and loving it. My “real” jobs from the 1950’s through 2001 included elementary school teaching, university professorships and on-air radio newscaster and news director.

    What compelled you to write your first book?

    Don Miles: In New York City, I had to defend a radio station’s decision during arbitration proceedings to fire someone. I had been writing memos for years on what we should – or should not – be doing in the newsroom. It dawned on me that there were very few books on this topic in the 1960’s and early 70’s, so I decided to fill the gap.

    Have you always wanted to be a writer?

    Don Miles: In one way or another, I guess so. An uncle of mine who worked for Disney at the time illustrated a little story that I wrote in the 1940’s, and I handed out a mimeographed newspaper that I wrote for a while in third grade. Then, I wound up writing something new every hour as a radio newscaster between 1963 and 1993.

    Tell us a little bit about your book/s. What are their titles; which is your favorite if you have more than one, and briefly let us know what they are about.

    Don Miles: I currently have five books in progress, one of which has been published but which is about to be upgraded with pictures, maps and charts. They are all about Cinco de Mayo and the French intervention in Mexico during the 1860’s. The first one is nonfiction, in English. It will come out in three editions within the next year or so as 1) the upgrade, 2) a Spanish edition for students, and 3) a bilingual coffee table edition with photography for the U.S. and Latin America. Then, there’s a novel about the same time period, in both English and Spanish, due out sometime in 2010.

    Have you ever won any writing awards? If so, what?

    Don Miles: Writing was an essential part of my statewide Best Newscast Award from Associated Press in Nebraska back in 1983. I’m very pleased that many of my former colleagues and college students have won awards for broadcast journalism while I was their news director or professor.

    How did you feel the day you held the copy of your first book in your hands?

    Don Miles: It was a very pleasing experience. I had lowered my expectations during the two years that went by between submitting the manuscript and actually seeing the book. Suddenly, there was a feeling that the wait had been worth it.

    What type of music, if any, do you listen to while you write?

    Don Miles: I don’t listen to music while I’m writing, but I love classical music and always have it on in my car when I’m driving.

    What inspires you and motivates you to write the very most?

    Don Miles: So far, it has been the discovery of a need for each book. In the New York case years ago, there were hardly any books available on the topic of broadcast news. In the Cinco de Mayo case, it was originally the fact that many teachers were telling their students that May 5th was Mexican Independence Day. Even a principal was annoyed when I told her that Mexicans celebrate their independence from Spain in September. Referring to May fifth, she replied very sternly, “Well, we’ve always taught it that way,” (meaning ‘don’t make trouble!’)

    What one thing are you the most proud of in your life?

    Don Miles: Saying “yes” when a gutsy young señorita from Mexico City asked me to marry her. It was the best decision I’ve ever made – one I never regretted.

    What about your family? Do you have children, married, siblings, parents? Has your family been supportive of your writing?

    Don Miles: My family has been extremely supportive. My wife acquired U.S. citizenship, then earned a Bachelors, a Masters, and a Ph.D. She died in 2006, but she lived long enough to see our daughter become a helicopter pilot and our son advance through the State Department to various diplomatic posts.

    The main characters of your stories – do you find that you put a little of yourself into each of them or do you create them to be completely different from you?

    Don Miles: In nonfiction books about Cinco de Mayo, the characters themselves are very colorful! As I wrote the nonfiction version, I kept telling myself, “Nobody could possibly make all of this stuff up!” In the novel, I build the plot around a stagecoach company that’s based in the seaport of Veracruz. The gutsy young señorita who can ride, swim and shoot faster than her four brothers is based on my wife. Other characters in the story are in-laws who own hotels in other towns along the highway between Veracruz and Mexico City, along with a few French officers and some American Confederates who drift into Mexico and become involved.

    Location and life experience can sprinkle their influence in your writing. Tell us about where you grew up and a little about where you live now – city? Suburb? Country? Farm? If you could live anywhere you want to live, where would that be?

    Don Miles: I grew up in Mount Vernon, New York, which borders on New York City. It certainly had an influence on my later career as a broadcaster. As early as 1949, when I was only 13, I won a prize on the air from a nearby radio station. When I went to collect the prize, I was so fascinated with the reams of paper being spewed out by the United Press teletype machine that I visited the station frequently to take the news from their trash barrel and read it aloud at home. My wife and I raised our family in New Milford, Connecticut and Gainesville, Florida, but then as empty nesters we spent three years in Lincoln,Nebraska, and more than 20 years in Austin, Texas. I love Austin. It’s great!

    Bring us into your home and set the scene for us when you are writing. What does it look like? On the couch, laptop, desk? Music? Lighting, handwriting?

    Don Miles: I live on a quiet, tree-shaded residential street in South Austin. The desk where I write at my PC looks out into a cozy front yard filled with various trees and shrubs.

    Do you watch television? If so, what are your favorite shows? Does television influence of inspire your writing?

    Don Miles: I watch much less television than I did before my wife passed away. It’s something that we did together every evening, but now I’m satisfied with just watching the local and then the network news.

    What about movies? Same question.

    Don Miles: Movies were also something my wife and I did together, and we bought DVD’s and whole seasons of TV shows for a while. I’m not consciously avoiding that now, but somehow I find myself busily engaged in other activities.

    Focusing on your most recent (or first) book, tell our readers what genre your book is and what popular author you think your writing style in this book is most like.

    Don Miles: The genre is history. I try to model much of my writing after other authors in this genre, such as Civil War author Bruce Catton and British biographer Jasper Ridley.


    How long did it take you to write your most recent (or first) book? When you started writing, did you think it would take that long (or short)?

    Don Miles: It took about five years, including the outline and the library visits. That was a bit longer than I originally thought it would, but I was doing it as a hobby with no deadlines. I find that if you’re enjoying the process, the time spent is usually seen as a positive.

    Is there anyone you’d like to specifically acknowledge who has inspired, motivated, encouraged or supported your writing?

    Don Miles: Yes, indeed! That lovely young señorita who came into my life in the fall of 1961, and who married me and raised two children with me changed everything! We traveled all over Mexico for 44 years – with and without the kids – and I learned a great deal by osmosis. The books are all dedicated to her memory.

    Now, use this space to tell us more about who you. Anything you want your readers to know?

    I have a website, www.DonMiles.com, and as we progress toward the publication of all five books that are now on the agenda, I’m sure more projects will come along. Several Spanish teachers are field-testing both the English and Spanish editions, and I’m working with some folks on developing DVD’s and teachers’ guides in both Mexico and the U.S.

    My website includes a calendar page for my appearances and a way of getting in touch by email, so by all means, keep in touch!

    .

  • 1 Comment
  • Filed under: Author Interviews

    • Author Interview: Don Miles

    Author: Michy

    Apr 23


    Don Miles, Author Interview

    www.DonMiles.com


    It’s rare today to find an author who does nothing but write for a living. Do you have a ‘real’ job other than writing, and if so, what is it? What are some other jobs you’ve had in your life?

    Don Miles: I’m supposed to be retired, but here I am writing books and loving it. My “real” jobs from the 1950’s through 2001 included elementary school teaching, university professorships and on-air radio newscaster and news director.

    What compelled you to write your first book?

    Don Miles: In New York City, I had to defend a radio station’s decision during arbitration proceedings to fire someone. I had been writing memos for years on what we should – or should not – be doing in the newsroom. It dawned on me that there were very few books on this topic in the 1960’s and early 70’s, so I decided to fill the gap.

    Have you always wanted to be a writer?

    Don Miles: In one way or another, I guess so. An uncle of mine who worked for Disney at the time illustrated a little story that I wrote in the 1940’s, and I handed out a mimeographed newspaper that I wrote for a while in third grade. Then, I wound up writing something new every hour as a radio newscaster between 1963 and 1993.

    Tell us a little bit about your book/s. What are their titles; which is your favorite if you have more than one, and briefly let us know what they are about.

    Don Miles: I currently have five books in progress, one of which has been published but which is about to be upgraded with pictures, maps and charts. They are all about Cinco de Mayo and the French intervention in Mexico during the 1860’s. The first one is nonfiction, in English. It will come out in three editions within the next year or so as 1) the upgrade, 2) a Spanish edition for students, and 3) a bilingual coffee table edition with photography for the U.S. and Latin America. Then, there’s a novel about the same time period, in both English and Spanish, due out sometime in 2010.

    Have you ever won any writing awards? If so, what?

    Don Miles: Writing was an essential part of my statewide Best Newscast Award from Associated Press in Nebraska back in 1983. I’m very pleased that many of my former colleagues and college students have won awards for broadcast journalism while I was their news director or professor.

    How did you feel the day you held the copy of your first book in your hands?

    Don Miles: It was a very pleasing experience. I had lowered my expectations during the two years that went by between submitting the manuscript and actually seeing the book. Suddenly, there was a feeling that the wait had been worth it.

    What type of music, if any, do you listen to while you write?

    Don Miles: I don’t listen to music while I’m writing, but I love classical music and always have it on in my car when I’m driving.

    What inspires you and motivates you to write the very most?

    Don Miles: So far, it has been the discovery of a need for each book. In the New York case years ago, there were hardly any books available on the topic of broadcast news. In the Cinco de Mayo case, it was originally the fact that many teachers were telling their students that May 5th was Mexican Independence Day. Even a principal was annoyed when I told her that Mexicans celebrate their independence from Spain in September. Referring to May fifth, she replied very sternly, “Well, we’ve always taught it that way,” (meaning ‘don’t make trouble!’)

    What one thing are you the most proud of in your life?

    Don Miles: Saying “yes” when a gutsy young señorita from Mexico City asked me to marry her. It was the best decision I’ve ever made – one I never regretted.

    What about your family? Do you have children, married, siblings, parents? Has your family been supportive of your writing?

    Don Miles: My family has been extremely supportive. My wife acquired U.S. citizenship, then earned a Bachelors, a Masters, and a Ph.D. She died in 2006, but she lived long enough to see our daughter become a helicopter pilot and our son advance through the State Department to various diplomatic posts.

    The main characters of your stories – do you find that you put a little of yourself into each of them or do you create them to be completely different from you?

    tyle="font-size:100%;">Don Miles: In nonfiction books about Cinco de Mayo, the characters themselves are very colorful! As I wrote the nonfiction version, I kept telling myself, “Nobody could possibly make all of this stuff up!” In the novel, I build the plot around a stagecoach company that’s based in the seaport of Veracruz. The gutsy young señorita who can ride, swim and shoot faster than her four brothers is based on my wife. Other characters in the story are in-laws who own hotels in other towns along the highway between Veracruz and Mexico City, along with a few French officers and some American Confederates who drift into Mexico and become involved.

    Location and life experience can sprinkle their influence in your writing. Tell us about where you grew up and a little about where you live now – city? Suburb? Country? Farm? If you could live anywhere you want to live, where would that be?

    Don Miles: I grew up in Mount Vernon, New York, which borders on New York City. It certainly had an influence on my later career as a broadcaster. As early as 1949, when I was only 13, I won a prize on the air from a nearby radio station. When I went to collect the prize, I was so fascinated with the reams of paper being spewed out by the United Press teletype machine that I visited the station frequently to take the news from their trash barrel and read it aloud at home. My wife and I raised our family in New Milford, Connecticut and Gainesville, Florida, but then as empty nesters we spent three years in Lincoln,Nebraska, and more than 20 years in Austin, Texas. I love Austin. It’s great!

    Bring us into your home and set the scene for us when you are writing. What does it look like? On the couch, laptop, desk? Music? Lighting, handwriting?

    Don Miles: I live on a quiet, tree-shaded residential street in South Austin. The desk where I write at my PC looks out into a cozy front yard filled with various trees and shrubs.

    Do you watch television? If so, what are your favorite shows? Does television influence of inspire your writing?

    Don Miles: I watch much less television than I did before my wife passed away. It’s something that we did together every evening, but now I’m satisfied with just watching the local and then the network news.

    What about movies? Same question.

    Don Miles: Movies were also something my wife and I did together, and we bought DVD’s and whole seasons of TV shows for a while. I’m not consciously avoiding that now, but somehow I find myself busily engaged in other activities.

    Focusing on your most recent (or first) book, tell our readers what genre your book is and what popular author you think your writing style in this book is most like.

    Don Miles: The genre is history. I try to model much of my writing after other authors in this genre, such as Civil War author Bruce Catton and British biographer Jasper Ridley.


    How long did it take you to write your most recent (or first) book? When you started writing, did you think it would take that long (or short)?

    Don Miles: It took about five years, including the outline and the library visits. That was a bit longer than I originally thought it would, but I was doing it as a hobby with no deadlines. I find that if you’re enjoying the process, the time spent is usually seen as a positive.

    Is there anyone you’d like to specifically acknowledge who has inspired, motivated, encouraged or supported your writing?

    Don Miles: Yes, indeed! That lovely young señorita who came into my life in the fall of 1961, and who married me and raised two children with me changed everything! We traveled all over Mexico for 44 years – with and without the kids – and I learned a great deal by osmosis. The books are all dedicated to her memory.

    Now, use this space to tell us more about who you. Anything you want your readers to know?

    I have a website, www.DonMiles.com, and as we progress toward the publication of all five books that are now on the agenda, I’m sure more projects will come along. Several Spanish teachers are field-testing both the English and Spanish editions, and I’m working with some folks on developing DVD’s and teachers’ guides in both Mexico and the U.S.

    My website includes a calendar page for my appearances and a way of getting in touch by email, so by all means, keep in touch!

    .

  • 1 Comment
  • Filed under: Writing Information

    • COMCAST problems….

    Author: Michy

    Apr 22

    If you are a subscriber to my Accentuate Writers board, and you are a Comcast Subscriber, you should know that Comcast is being way too aggressive and stupid about their spam blocking.

    I very rarely will badmouth any company, particularly in public where anyone and everyone can read it, but I am sick and tired of Comcast’s aggressive spam filters that block out innocent non-spam emails that YOU as a Comcast subscriber have requested and actually want to receive.

    It is not right for Comcast to take it upon itself to tell you what email you can and can’t receive… that is YOUR choice.

    As such, Comcast has blocked my domain and my domain mail because the mail server my host uses has been flagged for spam.

    See, this doesn’t mean *I* am a spammer, or even that Comcast is saying that I’m a spammer. What they said is that the mail server that my mail and probably hundreds of other people go through too has been blocked because (and I’m quoting here), “Our filters have determined that email from your mail server has been sent in patterns which are characteristic of spam. In an effort to protect subscribers, your mail server has been blocked from sending email to the Comcast network. Mail servers are typically shared by many users so it may be the case that another party using your mail server has sent spam, even if you have not. “

    Isn’t that nice of them?

    What this means to Comcast subscribers on my board… or if you are someone who emails me from a Comcast address?

    It means I can’t respond to your email or send you an email, even if you have me whitelisted.
    It means you can’t register on my forum using a Comcast email address and get your login information. It means you can’t get any U2U private message notifications. It means you can’t subscribe to a thread and get updates from the board that someone has commented to the thread.

    It also means that I have to go to the gmail web mail service to send you an email or, get this, RESPOND to an email YOU SENT ME – EVEN IF I’M ON YOUR WHITELIST!

    If you are a Comcast subscriber, please consider calling or emailing them today and tell them that YOU want to receive all the email you have requested and to quit blocking innocent people with their super aggressive spam filters. It’s one thing to have a bulk mailbox you have to sort through, but it’s another thing entirely for Comcast to completely block the email so you never get the chance to see it!

    I’m not happy with Comcast at all right now!

    Can you tell?

    This message will be reposted on all my blogs until such time as Comcast delists me and stops this stupid and aggressive spam blocking of innocent emails that are not spam!

    BTW, I am not the only one who has had issues with Comcast. They are just too aggressive in their spam accusations and if they aren’t careful, they’re going to end up getting themselves sued. Do a Google search and you’ll see… Comcast sucks at spam blocking!

    Comcast, get a clue!

    I now return you to your rant free day!

    Love and stuff,
    Michy

    Michelle L Devon
  • 1 Comment
  • Filed under: Writing Information

    • Six-Word Story Winners!

    Author: Michy

    Apr 22

    Well, you’ve waited long enough for them, so now it’s time to announce the winners of the six-word story challenge!

    Ready?

    Drum roll, please……

    Our Third place winner is…..

    “Last human, alone. Knock, knock, knock.” ~~by Opher

    Our Second Place winner is a tie! Yes, a tie! Congrats to:

    “Crimson puddle. He got home late.” ~~by MelanieS

    AND

    “Mother sighs with baby’s first cry.” ~~by twnkltoz

    Our Grand Prize First Place winner is:

    “Husband and dog for sale. Cheap!” ~~JRiva

    Congratulations to Jean, Jennifer, Melanie and Opher!

    You guys are the first ever Accentuate Writers contest winners…. Jean, if you’ll email me you mailing address, I’ll send your prize in the mail tomorrow morning, and the other three of you, I will contact later in the week to send your e-prize to you via email!

    Congrats again!

    For those who have no done so yet, be sure to enter our Short Story Contest:

    http://www.accentuateservices.com/xmb/viewthread.php?tid=752

    There is a cash prize as well as free editing for the winner, so your short will be ready to be submitted to publishers along with a few other neat prizes too.

    The deadline is drawing close and we haven’t received very many entries at all, so get yours in now!

    Congrats again to the six-word story winners and good luck to the short story entries!

    Love and stuff,
    Michy

    Michelle L Devon
  • 0 Comments
  • Filed under: Writing Information

    • The Downside of Freelancing

    Author: Michy

    Apr 18

    As many of you know, I was recently in the hospital for about five days, and I’ve only been home a couple of days and am still trying to get back into ‘normal’ for me.

    You see, freelancing is great… I love it and there is a lot of money to be had freelancing, but there is a downside, and it’s a downside I just experienced.

    When freelancing, you’re self employed, and this means, no sick pay, and if you don’t work, you don’t get paid.

    Saving and investing your income for times when you may not be able to work is important. Finding private insurance is important too. And private insurance is NOT cheap!

    I really haven’t done this myself.

    So this 10k plus hospital bill, the meds, etc, are going to eat me alive. Not only that, but while I was sick, I couldn’t work, so that means no income.

    OK, not trying to scare anyone here… but it IS something you need to consider before you quit your day job with benefits and try to write full time as a freelancer.

    Find out if you can keep your current insurance through your employer if you leave – if not, how long can you keep COBRA so you don’t end up with a pre-existing condition. Check out private insurance plans and buy one! Some writing groups offer group insurance coverage at slightly cheaper rates if you join their group or association.

    Do a little research… but it is one thing to keep in mind when deciding whether you want to freelance full-time or not. Not working means not getting paid, and sometimes surprises like emergency hospital stays you weren’t planning on will happen!

    I know!

    As for me, I’m doing better…. I’m much stronger than I was when I first came home, and I’m going to get back into the swing of working soon, and I appreciate everyone who sent their well wishes, love and prayers. Thank you to all of my readers for sticking this out with me!

    Love and stuff,
    Michy

    Michelle L Devon
  • 0 Comments
  • Filed under: Writing Information

    • Where Has Michy Been?

    Author: Michy

    Apr 12

    It’s detailed here on my Myspace blog - you don’t have to be a Myspace member to read it.

    The 6-word story challenge winners WILL be posted next week, and the short story contest is still on so get your fingers writing for that cash prize and free editing and fun stuff!

    I don’t know how long I’ll be in the hospital, but they said AT LEAST a week, but once the pain wears off from the central line, and I’m not on pain pills, I’ll have nothing to do but work on stuff…. stuck in a bed all day!

    I promise to bug you soon!

    Love and stuff,
    Michy

    Michelle L Devon
  • 0 Comments
  • Filed under: Writing Information

    • Author Interview: Karin Abarbanel

    Author: Michy

    Apr 8


    Karin Abarbanel
    Co-author,
    Birthing the Elephant: The woman’s go for it! guide to overcoming the big challenges of launching a business
    (Ten Speed Press, March 2008)
    www.birthingtheelephant.com

    Author Bio Karin Abarbanel:

    I’m an author, speaker, and small-business owner. I have a passion for helping women realize their dreams. I started my own solo communications firm in the 1990s because I craved a more independent work life and wanted to spend time with my baby son.

    I love the flexibility that my business gives me but I know firsthand the demands involved and want to arm women emotionally for the ups and downs they’ll face.

    In addition to co-authoring my newest book, Birthing the Elephant, I’ve published four other how-to guides. I love writing and sharing what I’ve learned, especially with other women. I also have a love of playwriting and am making a foray into fiction.

    I received my MA from Columbia University and a BA from Middlebury College. I live in New Jersey with my husband, son, and my nonvirtual assistant, Dr. Watson, a sheepdog-shepherd mix who holds a PhD. in Snackology.

    Author Interview:

    What compelled you to write your first book?

    Karin Abarbanel: I fell into writing my first book! I was in graduate school working on my MA in English literature and not enjoying it, when I happened to see a flyer in the student aid office.

    It described a women’s career guide in search of an author. I took the bait and ended up co-authoring the book. It was both an overwhelming and an exciting experience. I was in way over my head, but I was excited about writing a how-to guide for women that would really make a difference in their lives. I just loved being a published author!

    Have you always wanted to be a writer?

    Karin Abarbanel: Yes, always! I was always reading, writing poems, making up stories, and plays – living in a fantasy world was very satisfying to me as a kid. Even now, I get excited when I sit down to write. I love that blank-page feeling: anything is possible. And paper is so forgiving! Reading has always been an emotional experience for me – and that’s one of the reasons I write: I want to evoke a feeling or provoke an action in someone else.

    Tell us a little bit about your book/s. What are their titles; which is your favorite if you have more than one, and briefly let us know what they are about.

    Karin Abarbanel: I’ve written/co-authored five books. My first was The Woman’s Work Book, a career guide for women. My third book, How to Succeed on Your Own is a special favorite because I was the solo author on it and it took a very creative look at being your own boss. My fourth book, The Dollar Bill Knows No Sex, is the rags-to-riches story of a woman entrepreneur I knew very well. It was really challenging and fun to write.

    I spent about 6 months just interviewing my subject and the next six months writing her story: capturing someone else’s voice and style in print was very satisfying.

    My newest book, Birthing the Elephant: the woman’s go for it guide to overcoming the big challenges of launching a business (co-authored with Bruce Freeman), was also a wonderful writing experience. The women entrepreneurs interviewed were so creative and awesomely persistent in pursuing their dreams. They were tremendously generous in sharing their advice and mistakes. The emotional aspects of launching a business are so important, yet they’ve been largely ignored. This book breaks new ground by taking women step by step through the launch cycle — I’m very proud of it!

    What inspires you and motivates you to write the very most?

    Karin Abarbanel: I just love words and playing with them. When a wonderful phrase pops into my head, I just feel so excited. I think what inspires me most is simply the urge to express myself, to be heard, to share what I’ve learned, either from my own personal triumphs and heartbreaks or from the accomplishments of other people. I seem driven to share ideas with people that I believe will move them and help them. Must be the Pisces in me!

    What about your family? Do you have children, married, siblings, parents? Has your family been supportive of your writing?

    Karin Abarbanel: My 17-year old son Alex, my husband, David, my two sisters, Stephanie and Judy,and my brother, Peter are very supportive of my writing. So’s my dog, Watson. Sometimes, though I get a little intense and obsessive about what I’m working on and people don’t really understand. I’ve been working on a play and biography of Sojourner Truth, the African-American evangelist, for quite a while. I just think she’s a fantastic person and feel driven to bring her alive. I get a little crazy with it!

    When growing up, did you have a favorite author, book series, or book?

    Karin Abarbanel: I have loved Willa Cather ever since an inspiring teacher introduced me to her in the 6th grade. I first read a short story of hers called, “Neighbor Rosicky” and I just was so moved by it. She is such a lean, yet emotional writer. So much is unspoken in her work.

    I read many of her novels and marveled at her range.

    Do you have any pets? What are they? Tell us about them.

    Karin Abarbanel: We have a sheepdog/lab/shepherd mix named Dr. Watson. He is my constant companion and keeps me company in my office. He takes me for walks and gets me out of my house.

    He is a gentle soul and I really love him.

    How long did it take you to write your most recent (or first) book? When you started writing, did you think it would take that long (or short)?

    Karin Abarbanel: Writing Birthing the Elephant was a great experience. All in all, it took just over a year, from first interviews to publication. The book was actually finished in about seven months, but then editing, revisions, permissions, and design took about another five months. I was very disciplined about writing this book and worked on it every day.

    Is there any one particular book that when you read it, you thought to yourself, “Man, I wish I’d written that one!”?

    Karin Abarbanel: I love Thornton Wilder’s Bridge of San Luis Rey – what a mystical, magical book. Very spare, yet so rich in life and meaning. I’d love to write a work of fiction with that drive and moral intensity!

    What is your main goal or purpose you would like to see accomplished by your writing?

    Karin Abarbanel: I would say that my main goal or purpose is to inspire and move people to make meaningful changes in their lives.

    Now, use this space to tell us more about who you. Anything you want your readers to know?
    I feel very blessed and fulfilled to be doing work that I love and to be able to make my living by my pen. I also really enjoy working on my own and running my own show – and champion this choice for other women. That’s why I loved working on Birthing the Elephant. I believe it really helps women who want to launch their own ventures and design their own destinies boost their chances of success. Doing work you love is so important, both for your own fulfillment and for your family.

    You can find out more about Birthing the Elephant by visiting: www.birthingtheelephant.com

    .

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