Breaking Out Of Your Cube
There are times when you set out to write an article with a specific idea in mind, but as you keep writing and researching, you end up with a finished piece that is completely different from your original vision. That’s what putting together this issue was like. It’s not a bad thing—oh, contraire! Some of the best themes emerge organically.
We planned for this month’s issue to be all about magazines—writing for them, industry trends, etc.—but as the articles and interviews came together, they told a different story. It’s what screenplay writers like to call a “throughline,” or what poetry writers call an underlying theme. Instead of magazines being the main focus, the writers’ journey became the main focus.
Breaking Out of Your Cube is about taking a chance on writing, believing in yourself, and shifting your focus. We’re not saying that everyone should quit their day job and start freelancing full time, but we want you to know that it is possible with careful planning and determination. Maybe it’s time to follow your dreams and to do something new with your writing life. Now that summer is gone and fall is here, it’s time to reassess our writing goals again. Are you ready to get started? We have a great issue for you!
A big, warm, thank you goes out to our freelancers and staff members:
We welcome Krysten Lindsay Hager, a new freelancer, to the WOW! family. Krysten chats with Susan Shapiro, author, newspaper and magazine writer, and contributing editor to Writer’s Digest, in this feature interview. Great job, Krysten!
We also welcome two new freelancers featured in our Break Out Slam. Thanks goes to Sylvie Malaborsa, who shares ten markets for freelance writing, and to Devon Ellington, for giving us the skinny on interpreting ads. Welcome, ladies!
Sarojni Mehta-Lissak pilots our Freelancer’s Corner Column this month with her delightful and succinct article, Get Published 13 Strategies for New Writers. Welcome to the WOW! family, Sarojni! We love your style.
We welcome back WOW! Alumni Member, Susan Johnston! Susan’s previous articles include Online Portfolios That Work, and a 20 Questions interview with Kristen King. In this issue, she interviews cube-buster Michelle Goodman in an inspiring 20 questions interview. It’s always a pleasure, Susan!
Thanks goes out to LuAnn Schindler, WOW! Columnist, for helping us de-stress this issue. Her interview with Kate Hanley is not to miss if you’re feeling a little tension. Be sure to check out Kate’s video for a few exercises you can do immediately in your office chair.
To C. Hope Clark for her on-topic article, Magazines: Bytes vs. Paper. Hope shows us the differences between the glossies and online guidelines—complete with market listings!
To WOW! Columnist, Marcia Peterson, for her awesome article, How To Successfully Repurpose Your Articles. Reselling articles is the bread and butter of any freelance writer’s career, and a must read if you want to make the most of your words. Thanks Marcia! Excellent job.
And to Annette Fix for bringing us an inspirational interview with Kyle Zimmer, founder and president of a truly generous organization that provides books for children—First Book. And, of course, for her wonderful editing skills.
Announcements:
Fall 2008 Essay Contest
We are proud to announce a whole new contest sponsored by skirt! Books. The Fall 2008 Essay Contest breaks out of the cube by offering you new features:
Word Count: We’ve raised the word count to 750 words. We’ve provided you with an extra 250 words to tell your story—that’s half of our previous word count of 500. Enjoy!
Limit of Entries: We’ve limited the number of entries to 300. That is the minimum amount of entries to cover the cost of the contest. If we receive 300 entries before deadline, we will close the contest early. So, please get your stories in early this season to be included.
Critiques: Due to popular demand, we’ve committed to offering you a critique option. Last season was definitely a learning curve. We discovered just how much time was spent, and how many editors we had to contract to ensure accuracy, and we’ve come up with a comprehensive system. If you would like a critique, the option is readily available to you. We aim to please!
Visit our Contest Page to find out more.
Now, on to the issue...enjoy!
