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    Freelance Writer's Anatomy
    Freelance Writer's Anatomy
    Freelance Writer's Anatomy
    Ebook107 pages1 hour

    Freelance Writer's Anatomy

    By Louise F. Blank

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    About this ebook

    As a four-year old I dreamed of becoming a writer. In the dream, I sat at the table in our sunroom like a Clydesdale horse ploughing words onto paper. Everything in my anatomy led me to believe that my dream could become a reality.

    Many of my students and others struggling to achieve their writing dreams attribute the struggle to an anatomy deficit. There are no holes in your anatomy and mom didn’t forget to throw the writer’s genes in your milk. What’s needed is a lesson on how brain cells within an anatomy work. Like a GPS system, brain cells need to know which direction you are heading. Your thoughts and actions act like mapping coordinates. The freelance writing practices in this book help keep you and your brain cells on the right road. They also act as a workout routine for all the brain cells needed to condition you as a high-performance writer.

    Writing is like any other career. Learning and practice help you become really good at something you love. Visualizing yourself as a writer and pounding out words sends messages to brain cells that can help. Has an idea ever turned you on your heel? That would be your instinct at work after receiving directions that you are in need of an idea.
    Cells operate on the roadmap you provide. Putting out the word that you want to be a writer puts cells in motion. In turn, they send you ideas, string together delectable sentences that take you by surprise, and move you in the direction of a completed pitch. They could just as easily send you to the grocery store for eggs, gambling on the stock market, or tell you how to build a bridge. Cells thrust information into our brains and put our hands in motion based on our hopes, dreams, and actions. They don’t randomly send us on a wild goose chase without having a little help from our thoughts and actions.
    Exercise and good nutrition keep muscles and bones healthy and strong. Brain cells that nurture creativity and writing also need proper exercise and nutrition. There are more brain cells than we realize working diligently behind the scenes to nurture writing dreams into reality. Some brain cells help us put words to paper despite our fears and doubts. Others keeps us organized, helps us conduct research, and edit. Brain cells transform scattered ideas and words into articles and stories that have the power to make readers laugh, cry, cheer, or consider life from a different angle.

    Writers, like athletes, need to learn how to maintain a healthy, creative anatomy. Athletes cross finish lines because they work hard, exercise and feed every muscle. In the beginning, however, they may understand ‘what’ needs to be done, but not ‘how’ to go about it. That’s where coaches and trainers can help. Consider me your coach and this book a training manual for helping you become a high-performance writing athlete.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherLouise F. Blank
    Release dateJun 29, 2016
    ISBN9780980895810
    Freelance Writer's Anatomy
    Author

    Louise F. Blank

    Louise Blank’s articles have appeared in major Canadian and U.S. magazines. She shared her experiences as a freelancer through articles published in Writer’s Digest, Calgary Writer’s Association, and the Saskatchewan Writer’s Association, and in television and radio interviews with CBC Homestretch and Global television. As an instructor, she taught this course for five years and inspired many writers to believe they could indeed learn how to be successful freelancers.

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      Book preview

      Freelance Writer's Anatomy - Louise F. Blank

      Freelancer Writer’s Anatomy

      From Idea to Pay Cheque – how I became a successful freelancer

      By Louise F. Blank

      Smashwords Edition, License Notes

      This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to your favorite ebook retailer and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

      FREELANCE WRITER’S ANATOMY

      Written by Louise F. Blank

      Copyright 2016 Techlet Communications Inc.

      Distributed by Smashwords

      All rights reserved. Reproduction or utilization of this work in any form, by any means now known or hereinafter invented, including, but not limited to, xerography, photocopying, and recording, in any known storage and retrieval system, is forbidden without permission from the copyright holder.

      Mention of specific companies, organizations, or authorities in this book does not imply endorsement by the publisher, nor does mention of specific companies, organizations, or authorities imply that they endorse this book.

      Library and Archives Canada Cataloguing in Publication

      Blank, Louise, 1954-, author

      Freelancer writer's anatomy: from idea to pay cheque--how I

      became a successful freelancer / by Louise F. Blank.

      Electronic monograph in HTML format.

      ISBN 978-0-9808958-1-0 (html)

      1. Authorship--Vocational guidance. 2. Freelance journalism--

      Vocational guidance. 3. Feature writing--Vocational guidance.

      I. Title.

      PN153.B53 2016 808'.02 C2016-903996-X

      For every writer who dares to push their words out the door.

      Thank you to my friends Laurie, Kathy, and Diane who took the time to read my draft and provide their feedback and encouragement.

      TABLE OF CONTENTS

      Chapter 1 First Anatomy Lesson

      Chapter 2 Starting Out

      Chapter 3 Writing Spaces And Places

      Chapter 4 Anatomy Of A Magazine

      Why research a magazine?

      Beating the Odds

      Choose Magazines First, Ideas Second

      Writer's Guidelines

      Articles Wearing Snowshoes in June

      What's your minimum wage?

      Don't Write Just for Money

      How Magazines Pay

      Industry Rates

      Cover Page - Laws of Attraction

      Contents Page

      Masthead - Who Manages the Magazine

      Advertisers - Who Pays the Bills

      Editor's Note - Tone from the Top

      Final Notes on Research

      Chapter 5 Geography And Specialty Advantage

      Chapter 6 - Essay Vs. Article

      Chapter 7 - Ideas

      Chapter 8 Sources

      Chapter 9 Drafting A Proposal

      Chapter 10 Copyright Protection

      Chapter 11 Editorial Review Process

      Chapter 12 Getting An Assignment

      Chapter 13 Getting Paid

      chapter 14 other freelance opportunities

      chapter 15 writer's agoraphobia

      chapter 16 anatomy review

      about the author

      Chapter 1 First Anatomy Lesson

      Brains operate like a GPS system. When you express a desire to become a freelance writer your brain reads that as a destination and starts generating directions. Thoughts and actions remind your brain's GPS system of your destination and the continued need for directions. An average person has all the required genes and brain cells to become a writer if that's what they desire. This book provides additional guidance and directions to help you have a smooth ride to your destination as a freelance writer.

      Many of my students and others struggling to achieve their writing dreams attribute the struggle to an anatomy deficit. There are no holes in your anatomy and mom didn’t forget to put writing genes in your milk. What you may need is an understanding of how to guide and put your writer’s anatomy to work.

      Writing is like any other career. Learning and practice help you become really good at something you love. Visualizing yourself as a writer and pounding out words, sends messages to brain cells that specialize in that area. Has an idea ever magically popped into your head? That’s your instinct kicking in and answering your plea for an idea.

      Your brain operates on the roadmap you provide. Putting out the word that you want to be a writer puts your brain into motion. In turn, it sends juicy ideas, strings together delectable sentences that take you by surprise, and moves you in the direction of a completed article proposal. It could just as easily send you to the grocery store for eggs, gambling on the stock market, or tell you how to build a bridge. Your brain doesn’t randomly send you on a wild goose chase without having a little help from your thoughts and actions.

      Brain cells that nurture creativity and writing need proper exercise and nutrition. There are more brain cells than we realize working diligently behind the scenes to nurture writing dreams into reality. Some brain cells help us put words to paper despite our fears and doubts. Others keep us organized, help us conduct research, or edit our writing. Brain cells transform scattered ideas and words into articles and stories that have the power to make readers laugh, cry, cheer, or consider life from a different angle.

      Writers, like athletes, need a workout routine to maintain a healthy, creative anatomy. Athletes cross finish lines because they work hard, exercise and feed every muscle. Starting out, they may have some understanding as to ‘what’ needs to be done, but may not know ‘how’ to go about it. That’s why they have coaches and trainers. Consider me your coach and this book a training manual for helping you become a high-performance writing athlete.

      Many good books I read on freelancing covered the ‘what’, but not enough of the nitty, gritty ‘how’. My willingness to get my hands dirty and figure out ‘how’ to give editors, readers, and clients what they needed and wanted contributed greatly to my publishing and corporate success throughout the past 15 years. I leave nothing out. From idea conception to cheque in hand, I not only give you detailed instructions, but also provide full illustrations of everything to expect. This is the real deal.

      Back to the top

      Chapter 2 Starting Out

      Fear had kept my writing hidden in desk drawers. Leaving my three-year old daughter to work full-time after divorcing became a greater fear that motivated me to brave the publishing world. After the divorce, she needed my love and nurturing to help her feel safe and secure. Writing is in my blood and has been since I was four years old. Bringing it out into the light helped me become a better person and mother.

      I can see myself pushing her on the swings, making snow pigs together, or re-enacting

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