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Writers Worth: Undoing the Client Posse

Posted on by lwidmer

What’s on the iPod: Down With the Shine by The Avett Brothers What a nice, long weekend! Mine actually started a little early — Friday was the first day in months that I didn’t have a ton of work in front of me. I’ve managed to get through three more projects, and the three remaining…

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Monthly Assessment: July and August 2015

Posted on by lwidmer

SOLD OUT: Sorry, but the FREE Marketing Q&A webinar hosted by Jake Poinier and featuring yours truly has no room. However, you can get on the list for the next one! Get on the list here What’s on the iPod: The Loneliness and the Scream by Frightened Rabbit This week’s marathon is nearly complete. I have…

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8 Traits of a Professional Freelance Writer

Posted on by lwidmer

SOLD OUT: Sorry, but the FREE Marketing Q&A webinar hosted by Jake Poinier and featuring yours truly has no room. However, you can get on the list for the next one! Get on the list here What I’m reading: Midnight’s Children by Salman Rushdie What’s on the iPod: I’m a Mess by Ed Sheeran Another week…

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Free Advice Friday: This Job, Not That Job

Posted on by lwidmer

SOLD OUT: Sorry, but the FREE Marketing Q&A webinar hosted by Jake Poinier and featuring yours truly has no room. However, you can get on the list for the next one! Get on the list here Remember that relaxing I wanted to do yesterday? Didn’t happen. Just as I exhaled, a favorite editor sent over an…

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6 Ways to Prove Your Writing Chops to Prospects

Posted on by lwidmer

SOLD OUT: Sorry, but the FREE Marketing Q&A webinar hosted by Jake Poinier and featuring yours truly has no room. However, you can get on the list for the next one! Get on the list here Can I breathe yet? By the end of yesterday, I’d finally dug myself out from under a rather massive…

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The Writer’s Guide to Negotiating Like a Pro

Posted on by lwidmer

FREE Marketing Q&A: Join Jake Poinier and me September 14th at 1 pm ET for a FREE one-hour Marketing Q&A. Reserve your spot today It’s only Tuesday? Why do I feel like last week just blended into this week? I had a weekend — a good one — but I came to the desk yesterday with a list…

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Free Advice Friday: Excuses That Will Sink Your Writing Business

Posted on by lwidmer

Doing anything September 14th at 1 pm ET? Join Jake Poinier (a.k.a. Dr. Freelance) and me for a FREE one-hour Marketing Q&A. Reserve your spot today This week, I tried doing the impossible — make more time show up between Monday and Friday. With several deadlines this week and early next week, I was looking at a…

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Freelance Technique: Capturing Your Writing Client’s Voice

Posted on by lwidmer

Have marketing questions? Want to find out what works best for successful writers? Join Jake Poinier (a.k.a. Dr. Freelance) and me for a FREE one-hour Marketing Q&A. Reserve your spot today What a week so far. I spent five days away, two of them on the weekend, yet I’m working like I’ve been away a…

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14 Go-to Sources for Clients

Posted on by lwidmer

What’s on the iPod: Hallelujah by Rufus Wainwright Well, back to work today. After a nice week off with family and other relatives, I’m playing catch-up this week. One of the questions I hear a lot from new and struggling writers is “Where can I find clients?” If you know me, you know I’m not…

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Free Advice Friday: Streamlining Article Writing

Posted on by lwidmer

What’s on the iPod: Timeless by The Airborne Toxic Event I’m still on vacation, though I’m now south of the Canadian border. Because of my unusually heavy summer workload, I needed to step away for a full week. It’s a combination of detox and much-needed cleaning. We talked a few weeks back about how to…

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  1. Paula Hendrickson Avatar
    Paula Hendrickson

    How I structure queries depends a lot on who I'm pitching.

    With most of my regular editors, I send a brief sentence noting the topic and angle. Occasionally I need to point out why the pitch is timely.

    With new-to-me editors, or people I've only worked with a couple of times, I'll list the questions, as you did, note what sources/interviewee I would use, and possibly note why the topic would be of interest to the magazine's subscribers.

    The only real difference is my long-time editors trust me to ask the right questions, so the pitch can be brief. But if it's an angle I don't think the editor will get right off the bat, I will include questions.

    You're right, Lori – asking those questions in the query make writing the article so much easier since you've got the lead, source list, and outline all on one page.

    Reply
  2. Lori Widmer Avatar
    Lori Widmer

    You make a great point about experts, Paula. I do typically include them. For the example, I didn't. Probably the first time in ages, too. Usually I'll scare up some likely candidates and present them as "I will talk with experts such as…"

    You're right — when you work with an editor for a while, they trust you to know what to ask of whom.

    Reply
  3. Paula Hendrickson Avatar
    Paula Hendrickson

    Exactly – I don't guarantee I'll get an expert. Or maybe I'll say, "I'll speak with experts from…" and name various companies, universities, or institutions.

    Reply
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