Surprise Mini Writing Success -- Published by Yahoo! News

Yahoo! News picked up my Illinois sales tax holiday article  Monday. (I came across it the next day.) This article was originally published on Associated Content from Yahoo! (AC). Nifty little confidence booster for the week. The article screen shot will also add more variety to my writing portfolio.

It's a little funny that Yahoo! published this article, though.  I've done a few Yahoo! partner calls via AC. For example: One on the ending of the home-buyer tax credit, which (I assume) was sent back because the credit was extended the day after the article was purchased or it possibly just wasn't a good fit.

Another Yahoo! partner call I completed concerned the unemployment extension. Instead of going to Yahoo!, an offer was made by AC News.

The sales tax holiday piece was not a partner call. The article was an easy regular news assignment I claimed from AC's assignment desk. All it required was to detail my shopping experience and what items I saved on.

So after submitting articles targeted towards Yahoo! I finally make it there--in a round-a-bout way.

Other AC Contributors that have found their way onto Yahoo! sites include Carol Bengle Gilbert, Steven Bryan, Jan Corn and Pam Gaulin.

Graphic from Yahoo! press kit.

Feelin' Hot, Hot, Hot!

All-Around Blazin' Day

It's been a pretty awesome day, considering the sweltering temps outside. It started with a nice mention on Marie Anne St. Jean's writing blog, Write, Wrong or Indifferent. I won her first-ever giveaway and now get to sport the adorable feline Wreggie's pic on this blog as a reminder.

Daring to risk the noon heat to check out my new flower bed (which I had just planted at midnight), I was treated to a preview of a small garden statue a neighbor is painting for me. He then welded my broken flower holder and sandblasted my guy's grill. Just when you think the neighborhood can't get any better, the neighbors on the other side fed everyone delicious smoked barbecue and fried green tomatoes!

Later, clicking over to my Associated Content from Yahoo! (AC) account, I discovered I made the Hot 500 for July 2010. Sweet! I wasn't too sure about making it, hitting a little less than 30,000 page views for the month. Pretty excited about making the cut since the Hot 500 started, but need to write more consistently for AC. In typical overachiever fashion, I'm shooting for the Hot 100 next month.

Other July 2010 Hot 500 Writers Worth Checking Out:

Since I've already brought Marie Anne St. Jean to your attention, it's worth mentioning that her AC profile is also ablaze.  Marie Anne is a featured Crafts and Hobbies Contributor and retired U.S. Marine. She tackles everything from crochet to news to blogging tips.

Jolie du Pre is another AC Hot 500 writer for July 2010. As a featured Arts & Entertainment writer, she dishes up unique angles on celebrity news and gossip. A published author and editor of erotica, Jolie's most recent article "How to Prepare for Your Book Reading" culls from her personal book promoting experiences.

Freedom of Freelance Writing: Outdoor Offices

My front yard has been dubbed "The Redneck Internet Cafe" by a neighbor. The title fits. We embrace it.

 My Redneck Internet Cafe

The disreputable shop table often holds three laptops, assorted tiller parts and fishing reel guts. It's a comfy space graced by some of my potted flowers and jovial company. A true testimony to the freedom and portability of being a freelance writer.

An outdoor office space can allow a writer to escape the confines - real and mental - of four unchanging walls. The colors of nature and activity in the street help me feel stimulated and connected to the world in a way that an indoor office never did.

It helps set a relaxed tone for more informal writing, like blogging or opinion pieces. I feel more creative and brainstorm story ideas better outdoors. Maybe it's the fresh air invigorating my brain. 

I don't do well writing structured, in-depth, articles out here. Those require more concentration than listening to chatter or a tiller starting for the 50th time allows. Then I just pick up my laptop and move my office to the backyard or indoors. Ahh...freedom.

 Photos by Tamara McRill

Some Writing Rejections Hurt Less--Thankfully

There it was sitting innocently in my inbox, the reply to my FanHouse NFL pre-season coverage application. Slightly excited, I open the email. Meh. Rejection.

As far as form letter writing rejections go, the note was pleasant. It stated that the site was likely to go with staff writers, instead of through Seed.com applications. (I read this as the cream of the crop may get the gig.) They will keep my resume on file (I hope they really do) and will use it to evaluate me for other opportunities (again, fingers crossed). I will be updated of further opportunities. (The cynic in me guesses this will be via Seed assignment listings, but I could be wrong.) All-in-all a personable rejection that listed reasons and left a glimmer of hope. LOVE that.

Did this rejection bum me out? Sure. They always do, for about 2.5 minutes. Okay, slightly longer than that. I did receive the news Tuesday morning and waited a couple days to post on it. It's been said time and again, but you need to develop layers of thick skin as a writer.  These layers are often papered with the many rejections you are likely to get. You learn to be slightly thankful for the nice ones.

By nice rejections I don't just mean the polite "we're going in a different direction." I include any rejections that include specifics. No writer is perfect for every gig or assignment they apply for, just as an article won't jive with every publication it's pitched to. When an editor takes the time to point out how you or your article doesn't fit, internalize and learn from that advice.

Listen to any critiques on style or voice. This can help you as a writer and gives you better guidelines to go by, if you choose to query the publication again. If missing the gig is a matter of too little experience, you know where the bar is set and have something to reach for. Nice rejections can be turned into positive lessons in your writing career.

Photo by GoBuggyGo/flickr.com

Is Junk Spilling Into Your Writing Space?

My Desk Has Been Buried

Every random odd and end seems to find it's way into my writing space. Doesn't matter if it's a corner of  the living room or my temporary office. If it can be stacked, tossed or haphazardly piled above my head, it will be. It's not even just the fiance's fault. I'm guilty too.

That's what stopped my fuming when my temporary office became storage for everything stashed in the rooms we tore off. How can I complain, when I don't respect my own writing space?  Let's face it--I know that the mess will distract me from writing. I'm well aware that unearthing my desk eats into productive writing time.

I have to stop minimizing the place where I write. Yes, it's a super convenient location for switching laundry loads and feeding the dogs on break. That doesn't make my workspace any less designated or money generating than any other business office.

So I will have to respect my writing space and keep it clean, organized and productive.

What's the messiest space you've ever had to write in?

Could You Write in this Mess?

Photos by Tamara McRill

Lazarus Potentially Useful for Online Writers

Firefox Add-On that Resurrects Lost Writing in Article Templates

In tonight's gorge of follow-the-next-link reading, I spotted a post about Lazarus. Lazarus is a form entry data saver add-on for Firefox users. It can recover typing lost in forms due to the server crashing, hitting the wrong button, etc.

I had to immediately check this app out!

I have yet to use an online publishing template that hasn't at some point glitched an article away. The logical advice would be to not type directly into the template. But sometimes as a writer deadline pressures loom and I just open the darned thing and start pecking away.


Installing Lazarus took a couple mouse clicks and a Firefox restart. The add-on is free, but there is an option to donate money.

I headed over to my Associated Content account to see how this bad boy would work. Starting a new article template, I filled in the title, description and article fields. Without saving, I clicked my 'Account' button. Then hitting 'Back,' my now blank publishing template was displayed.

A right click in the title field gave me the option to Recover Text (my title was listed next to this). I chose my title and Lazarus filled in all three missing fields! (Title, description and article.) Pretty sure I heard angels singing.

There was a little bit of a let down when I left the article-again without saving-and went to access it from the content tab. (Article was saved as incomplete.) Lazarus was unable to resurrect any of my writing this way. BUT - if I hit the 'Back' button until arriving at the original template opening, the app was able to fill in my text.

Next time I hit an article-eating glitch I'll post an update on whether Lazarus was able to come to my rescue.

Lazarus   Photo originally uploaded by Art-Visionary/flickr.com

Writer's Resumes: Do You Have More Than One?

Having recently spiffed up my sports writer/editor resume to apply for AOL's FanHouse.com NFL gig brought to mind all the resumes I've tweaked throughout my writing career. I have crafted separate resumes that concentrate on news reporting, feature writing, newspaper experience, online content, sports, health and more. It's a necessary part of landing many writing gigs - showing each company how well a position fits.

The facts are all the same, it's what I choose to emphasize on each that varies. Does a sports site care that I'm a crafting maven, passionate about fashion, obsessed with politics, versed in geriatric diets or a DIY home renovator? Probably not. My years spent making deadline, covering games and interviewing athletes and coaches? That's the meat they're looking for.

Don't make an editor/client have to wonder if you have any experience or strengths that qualify you for the job. Emphasize that you do. Address in your resume how you meet all the qualifications or risk being filed away for good.

Even if you have periods of employment doing something other than writing, think how that position uses a skill needed for the job you are applying for. Did you meet constant deadlines? In charge of gathering information? An expert on that subject? You never know which bit of employment history will make you stand out and get the gig.

Photo by a curious queen / flickr.com