General Advice - MBToolBox

Become a Profiling Pro

Noah Davis — Thu, 19 Apr 2007 14:00:00 +0000

Produce profiles rivaling those written by the masters of the genre.
Become a Profiling Pro
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New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.

The Ultimate Resource List For Freelancers

Noah Davis — Tue, 17 Apr 2007 12:13:21 +0000

If you work as a freelance writer, you’ll inevitably have questions about the industry. Finding answers quickly is vital, as searching endless Web pages for the solution to your problem wastes valuable time that could be spent writing, pitching, and perfecting your craft.
Cue the helpful folks at FreelanceSwitch.com, who understand your predicament. “To help all you freelancers out there we have compiled a gigantic list of resources, categorized up for your benefit,” the site proclaims. And it delivers the goods: With sections ranging from “Invoicing” and “Business Tools” to “Timing” and “Project Management,” the extensive list provides 101 links where you can find the answers you need quickly and efficiently.

101 Essential Freelancing Resources

FreelanceSwitch.com

New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.

How to Write and Cast Your Awful Film

Rebecca — Tue, 13 Feb 2007 13:00:00 +0000

An L.A. publicist explains how to get your movie off the ground and into the “pre-production” stage — no matter how bad it is.

How to Write and Cast Your Awful Film (Image: SonyPictures.com)

New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.

Wait Not, Want Not: Advice From A Novelist Who Gets It Done

Noah Davis — Thu, 08 Feb 2007 10:00:00 +0000

“Stop waiting for the world to nudge you along.” Award-winning novelist Nicole Bokat learned this basic writing lesson through years of painstaking experience, and now she shares it with her new online novel revision class.

“No agent, editor, or publisher will come knocking at your door. You need to develop a self-imposed discipline that becomes a lifelong habit, so that you write regardless of your mood, lack of inspiration, or any of the obstacles that life inevitably will put in your way.”

Novel Writing: Revision with Nicole Bokat begins February 26.
-Amanda Barrett

New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.

MB Feature: Either, Or? It’s Neither

Rebecca — Thu, 01 Feb 2007 17:00:00 +0000

Mediabistro editorial director Dorian Benkoil comments on the false division between “new” and “old” media.
Either, Or? It’s Neither

New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.

How to Sell an Awful Film

Dorian — Wed, 24 Jan 2007 15:51:24 +0000

A PR expert reveals the tricks of marketing movies so bad they can’t even make the remainder bin. D-List celebrities and fake film festivals are only the beginning.

How to Sell an Awful Film in 12 Easy Steps (Image: BadMovies.org)

New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.

…And Finally: Learn How to Say No

Claire — Fri, 29 Dec 2006 14:46:16 +0000

I hope this bodes well for the rest of my freelance life, but shortly after I sent out the message that I was in need of employment, several people passed opportunities they knew of on to me. I was lucky, and grateful, and said “Sure, I’m interested!” right away. I don’t know if it was the excitement, the desperation, the anxiety to please or the fact that it was the holidays and that school is out and things feel less busy than usual. But after thinking about it for a while, I realized: I’ve promised my agent a new draft of my novel in January, and my thesis for graduate school is due in March. (Plus, I have a day job.) I was going to end up spread more thinly than ever before.
It felt lame to have to email a few people and say, “You know, thank you so much for the advice and the tip but I have some serious commitments early in this year that have recently arisen. I’m sorry for taking up your time but I think I probably can’t work on this until the summer. I don’t want to disservice a client by not being able to give him/her my full attention. I hope I can follow up with you in June.”
The recipients of said emails might think “Whatever, flake” and never want to work with me again. Which I can live with. But I DO think it’s better for them–and me–if I don’t take on a project and immediately it’s a huge burden. Point is, I can sleep better at night now, knowing I have more time to focus and that I–professionally I hope–dodged the bullet of having to fake it at something that would come more easily if I could really concentrate on it.
So that’s it for me, folks. Happy New Year!

New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.

Losing a Client: Spread the Good News

Claire — Fri, 29 Dec 2006 14:17:16 +0000

Editing this blog was definitely more than freelance work for me; it was a part-time job. So when I learned that the blog will be manned in-house next year, the first thing I did was email all my friends who work in media as writer, editors, reporters, freelancers, etc. Just a short note letting them know that I would have some free time and if anybody knew of any projects or openings, to keep me in mind (which is pretty much the email verbatim.) I tried to keep it only to colleagues who I know at least slightly more than professionally, so it didn’t come off as being too desperate, and I kept it short and professional, with a few details about the job I previously held.
And guess what: within a few days I had recouped some of the work. So, if you find that you’ve lost a major client, be proactive about it and let people know, because the perfect gig might be available for you but you wouldn’t know unless people knew you were available for it.

New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.

Some Top Topics at Absolute Write

Claire — Tue, 26 Dec 2006 14:04:55 +0000

The message boards at Absolute Write are alive with chitter chatter on topics important to many freelancers. Here are a few:

Freelancing – A Lonely Life?
“Coffee with magazine editor: I pick up the tab, right? Or is that a type of ‘bribery’ and seen as inappropriate?”
Tips for creating a writer’s website
And a whole ton on Writing for Trade Magazines and Custom Publications.
Wnat to find a whole lot more sorted by category and popularity? Go here.

New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.

Finding Time and Pitching Essays

Claire — Tue, 26 Dec 2006 08:56:38 +0000

Two good questions over at Ask Allison:

How do you balance working on your novel with freelancing? I’m having trouble carving out time for fiction writing–it seems that paying work always gets the priority, and I can’t figure out how to change that.

and

My question is, what is the best way to pitch a personal essay? I was told one sentence was enough to introduce the essay (something catchy, of course) and then just include the essay in the email. Would that suffice, or should there be more of a real pitch, something more comprehensive to introduce (and sell) the personal essay?

New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.

Signing Off

Claire — Fri, 22 Dec 2006 11:33:03 +0000

The ladies at the Renegade Writer give some thought to the importance (or not) of the signature line on an email. Me, I like just the facts, ma’am. I think it’s nice when people find, say, an inspirational quote that they love, but it’s practically invisible to me (unless I get confused and think it’s some sort of postscript and I wonder, Wait, why is she talking to me about Anais Nin?. Having an unprofessional signature can also turn off an editor. But a funny one might make them laugh and like you. Read more about choosing one here.

New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.

Bulletin Board Blab 12.20.2006

Claire — Wed, 20 Dec 2006 14:17:09 +0000

The latest topics being talked about on the mb boards. You might be able to help, or, get your question answered:
Food writers/editors: how do you not gain weight?
Hello, can anyone recommend a reputable career counselor in Manhattan? I am seeking a career change from ad sales into SOMETHING ELSE, I do not know what. I guess you could say that I’m at mid-career level. I also can’t go TOO expensive, so someone under $100 per session would be best.
How do you self-edit?
Whatever my word count, I always seem to go over and then agonize over what to cut out and what to leave in. I feel like whatever I cut out, it will ruin the flow of the feature. Any tips on how not to do it in the first place and how to cut a feature, when you’re already over?!
I’ve completed a young adult mystery and have sent either query letters or sample chapters with outline to about 30 literary agents who represent YA authors. I’ve gotten rejections by either email or a standard form letter. Now I’m not sure whether I should shelve the project and move forward, send out more queries to agents, send it to publishers, self-publish it or turn it into a screenplay. I’d love some advice from people who have gone through the same process.

New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.

Above and Beyond

Claire — Wed, 20 Dec 2006 11:43:58 +0000

When an editor or publisher posts a call for writers online, it’s almost a given that they’ll be swamped with submissions. We writers are always looking for work, and a “writers wanted” posting sends most of us into a drooling tizzy. So, when responding to these ads, you know the odds are stacked against you– the competition is going to be fierce. However, there are ways to stand out in the crowd.

Absolute Write’s Jenna Glatzer shares those ways here.

New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.

The Write-At-Home Mom

Claire — Tue, 19 Dec 2006 15:54:41 +0000

Being a stay-at-home freelancer and mom sounds great to me. But then again I don’t have kids, I’m not married and I have a day job. SO, it’s possible that it’s more difficult than I imagine it is. For those of you who suffer the stress of balancing both jobs, Christina Katz at Writer’s Digest has some advice.

New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.

The ASJA January Newsletter…

Claire — Mon, 18 Dec 2006 16:29:50 +0000

…is now available online, for members and nonmembers (PDF). Pick up a few tips on humor writing, literary agents and mo’.

New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.