The piece on Believing in Yourself I wrote for Textbroker has been accepted by the client. I am officially a writer! My account has been credited the vast sum of $5.64. Someone paid me money to write for them. I suppose I will have to update my Goal 1 to " Someone pays me more than enough money to buy a Happy Meal to write for them"
My new Examiner page is up and active. My first published work, on Otakon, can be found here
It's baby steps, but it's something!
Friday, July 30, 2010
Thursday, July 29, 2010
Practice makes perfect
Today I did my first few assignments for Textbroker.com. The basic idea for that site is that companies hire writers to write or ghostwrite for them. So far today, I have written glowing reviews of two gift items, and a small treatise on men's hats. It pays peanuts, but you can do as many as you want in a day, so it's good practice.
My eventual goals are as follows:
1) Have someone pay me money to write stuff for their publication. once I receive actual money for my writing, I will then feel justified in calling myself a writer. Even if it's just a buck or two. Being a "writer" to me means someone, somewhere is paying you money to write.
2) Actually make a few bucks at this thing, so that I can afford treats and extras. With the recession strangling my business, I need to find another source of income to supply my needs...Okay, my wants. I want to have new clothes, I want a laptop, I want to be able to travel and see my friends. I'm a needy sort. Maybe I can spin this thing into paying for my extras.
3)Someday, somehow, have one of my book ideas published as a real honest-to-god book. With covers and pages and my picture on it and everything. From a real publishing house, not a vanity press. Yes, friends, I also harbor the impossible dream of being a successful author. It's a faraway, candy-colored dream, but it's in my brain.
And yes, on the day that I receive my giant check for writing the new awesomeness, I will buy you all drinks.
My eventual goals are as follows:
1) Have someone pay me money to write stuff for their publication. once I receive actual money for my writing, I will then feel justified in calling myself a writer. Even if it's just a buck or two. Being a "writer" to me means someone, somewhere is paying you money to write.
2) Actually make a few bucks at this thing, so that I can afford treats and extras. With the recession strangling my business, I need to find another source of income to supply my needs...Okay, my wants. I want to have new clothes, I want a laptop, I want to be able to travel and see my friends. I'm a needy sort. Maybe I can spin this thing into paying for my extras.
3)Someday, somehow, have one of my book ideas published as a real honest-to-god book. With covers and pages and my picture on it and everything. From a real publishing house, not a vanity press. Yes, friends, I also harbor the impossible dream of being a successful author. It's a faraway, candy-colored dream, but it's in my brain.
And yes, on the day that I receive my giant check for writing the new awesomeness, I will buy you all drinks.
Small Success
On Tuesday I applied to Examiner.com to write for them. I chose Baltimore history as my topic and put together a sample. Submitted, received, thanks you'll hear from us in two weeks blah blah blah...and 24 hours later, there's a mail in my inbox saying I've been accepted. Someone liked my writing. That alone is pause worthy.
It's small, and it's not remunerative, but it's "published". It will look good on my resume.I expect it will be pretty fun to do the research and write the pieces. My sample piece had a 250 - 300 word max, which was hard for me. My original piece was 500 words, I had to do some major evisceration on it to meet that maximum. For interested parties, here's my sample:
_____________________________________________________________________________________
Federal Hill is renowned for both it’s beautiful views and it’s role in Baltimore history. With panoramic views of the Baltimore Harbor, the hill provides visitors with an opportunity to see the historic waterfront in a park setting.
Digging deeper into the history of Federal Hill uncovers some important episodes in the city’s history . Federal Hill was known a until 1789 as Signal Hill, and was the location of a maritime observatory. During the celebrations to commemorate the signing of the Constitution, it was renamed Federal Hill.
There are a number of tunnels under the hill. The original purpose of the tunnels is unclear, with local speculation ranging from mining excavation to storage for ammunition. The city has made no archaeological efforts to study the tunnels.
Federal Hill played an important role in the Union’s plan to control Baltimore during the civil war. The southern sympathizing city was an important railroad , and the Union need it to move men to southern battlefields. Early Union troop movements through Baltimore resulted in angry mobs of Baltimoreans harassing Union soldiers , culminating in the Baltimore Riot. In 1861, Federal Hill was occupied by Union troops under the command of General Benjamin F Butler. Earthworks and gun emplacements were built, with the guns faced into the recalcitrant city’s business district. Legend has it that one of the tunnels under the hill was built in this era to allow soldiers enter the fort.
Federal Hill today is a beautiful park. In the summer months, the free “Flicks on the Hill” series at the American Visionary Art Museum brings families to the hill to watch free movies projected onto the Museum wall. Tourists and locals alike climb the hill for fresh breezes and a beautiful view of the waterfront, among the whispers of history.
It's small, and it's not remunerative, but it's "published". It will look good on my resume.I expect it will be pretty fun to do the research and write the pieces. My sample piece had a 250 - 300 word max, which was hard for me. My original piece was 500 words, I had to do some major evisceration on it to meet that maximum. For interested parties, here's my sample:
_____________________________________________________________________________________
Federal Hill is renowned for both it’s beautiful views and it’s role in Baltimore history. With panoramic views of the Baltimore Harbor, the hill provides visitors with an opportunity to see the historic waterfront in a park setting.
Digging deeper into the history of Federal Hill uncovers some important episodes in the city’s history . Federal Hill was known a until 1789 as Signal Hill, and was the location of a maritime observatory. During the celebrations to commemorate the signing of the Constitution, it was renamed Federal Hill.
There are a number of tunnels under the hill. The original purpose of the tunnels is unclear, with local speculation ranging from mining excavation to storage for ammunition. The city has made no archaeological efforts to study the tunnels.
Federal Hill played an important role in the Union’s plan to control Baltimore during the civil war. The southern sympathizing city was an important railroad , and the Union need it to move men to southern battlefields. Early Union troop movements through Baltimore resulted in angry mobs of Baltimoreans harassing Union soldiers , culminating in the Baltimore Riot. In 1861, Federal Hill was occupied by Union troops under the command of General Benjamin F Butler. Earthworks and gun emplacements were built, with the guns faced into the recalcitrant city’s business district. Legend has it that one of the tunnels under the hill was built in this era to allow soldiers enter the fort.
Federal Hill today is a beautiful park. In the summer months, the free “Flicks on the Hill” series at the American Visionary Art Museum brings families to the hill to watch free movies projected onto the Museum wall. Tourists and locals alike climb the hill for fresh breezes and a beautiful view of the waterfront, among the whispers of history.
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
First!!1!!!1
In all seriousness, I'm starting this blog to hone my writing skills as I begin pursuing my dream career - writing. Yes, at my advanced age, without a formal education, and completely broke, I've decided that this is the perfect time to become a writer. Right now, I've just started to apply for freelancing gigs and build up my Kate Moss thin resume. The old saw is "practice makes perfect", so practice I shall. I'm going to use this blog to both track my progress as I try to become a paid writer, and hone my craft.
Expect random snippets of stories I am working on, essays on stuff I'm reading and thinking about, and the occassional vent on wether or not I can do this. Oh, and anything I do for samples, and news if anyone actually pays me money to write something. So, expect pretty much anything.
So, grats on finding my blog. This is either going to work out amazing well and I'll be using my mad writing money to take my friends on extravagant trips, or I'll never make a cent and become frustrated and bitter. Either way, it's going to be a hell of a journey.
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