As media professionals, we have come a long way since the days of scribbling in black-and-white composition books and fretting over dangling participles. Now, we write for the Internet — a medium where things are constantly changing and it can be hard to keep up.

For example, The Associated Press stalled for years to change its guidelines on the word “website” from “Web site” while the rest of the industry insisted it was one word but couldn’t get confirmation from one of the leading authorities on writing style. The media giant finally caved to popular opinion in mid-April, which sent shockwaves, and relief, through the editorial arena.

But there are a slew of old-school conventions, like “don’t split an infinitive” and “always write in complete sentences,” that are customarily set aside when writing for the Web — and when they are, the content gets even better.

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Going for the Quick Skim

By nature, Web writing begs to be kept concise and succinct. Whether you are crafting an e-newsletter article or sales-based copy, it is likely that you want people to read the text — or at least get a gist of what the message is. That’s why it is okay to use shorter paragraphs or sentences. Copywriters tend to use this method for extra drama, and a more conversational tone can be more effective and relatable. Hey, whatever conveys your point.

“Web writing is becoming increasingly more choppy and more SEO-driven… Formal style rules have effectively gone out the window,” says Christina Couch, a Chicago-based freelance writer. “I write for certain sites that don’t even abide by paragraph form anymore. I believe that Web style is far more driven by the graphics, audio or video accompanying text than it is by any of the traditional rules of style.”

“I tend to use a punchier and much more conversational style than I do for print. People read slower on a computer monitor.”

Couch notes that because the majority of Web content is designed to emulate speech, you can get away with breaking traditional conventions provided that your reporting is strong and the tone of the piece flows well. But not all online writing should appear this way. For example, there is plenty of research published on the Web, and that would follow a more traditional style. “You have to know your publication to tell the difference,” she says.

Breaking It Up

Mallary Jean Tenore, a copy editor and writer with The Poynter Institute, says that sub-headlines do wonders for breaking up text.

“When I’ve done a lot of reporting for a story and am trying to figure out how to structure the information in a way that won’t seem overwhelming to the reader, I use subheads to break up the text. Subheads seem more common online,” she says.

Michelle Goodman, a Seattle-based freelance writer and author of My So-Called Freelance Life, says that she always uses subheads when shifting from print to online writing. “Online, all your editors want catchy subheads to break down 750- to 1,500-word stories into digestible chunks. In print, you don’t always get the luxury of using subheads to clearly delineate new topics and transitions in an article,” she notes.

Ed Gandia, co-author of The Wealthy Freelancer: 12 Secrets to a Great Income and an Enviable Lifestyle, does the same thing because he says attention spans are shorter on the Web.

“I tend to use a punchier and much more conversational style than I do for print. People read slower on a computer monitor, so I try to make it very easy on them,” says Gandia, an Atlanta resident.

Writing with Keyword Intentions

While we may not have been instructed to fit in keywords, say, in headlines, the Web is a vastly different place where the right blend of words (especially on the top fold of a page) can mean the difference between getting noticed and, well… not. In addition to being able to quickly skim a page, SEO plays a huge factor with Web content, especially in headlines. The right word combination can get your content noticed, and can also help readers find out what they can learn from an article.

“When it comes to writing for the Web, I think that headlines that let readers know what they’re going to learn can really help. For a recent story I wrote about bounce rates, for instance, I wanted people to know what they could learn from the story. So I titled it, ‘5 Strategies to Lower Your Site’s Bounce Rate,'” says Tenore. In this instance, she was able to offer a catchy headline while getting a keyword — bounce rate — prominently up top.

Starting Sentences… and Ending Them, Too

In addition to a more choppy style, the Web frequently models content that starts with conjunctions like “but” and “and.” And that is perfectly okay according to Robyn Bradley, a Massachusetts-based copywriter who has also worked as a journalist for print and Web. “Readable writing — especially on the Web — mimics the way people talk in real life. So go ahead: Listen to how people talk. We start sentences with words like ‘but’ all the time. And it sounds perfectly okay to do so,” she says.

“Fact is, grammatically correct copy — copy that would earn an A from your junior high English teacher — is often boring copy.”

Bradley, also known as The Copy Bitch™ on her blog, says writers creating online content should consider breaking the rule about ending sentences with prepositions. “It’s okay, especially if it sounds too clunky to rewrite it ‘correctly,’ but grammar purists hate me for it,” she says. “That’s when I pull out a quote (often attributed to Winston Churchill) to make my point: ‘Ending a sentence with a preposition is something up with which I will not put.'”

The Age-Old Split Infinitive Debate

Whether it was your seventh-grade English teacher or your college literary professor, they probably both voted against splitting infinitives. An infinitive is a verb preceded by the word “to” as in the phrases, “to play” “to make” or “to be.” You probably learned in school to keep your “to’s” and your verbs together, as in “to be absolutely sure.” But in the Internet copywriting age, it’s okay to write like you speak so long as it’s professional and doesn’t change the meaning of the sentence. If you want to tell potential customers “to absolutely be sure,” for example, that’s absolutely alright!

Ditching Third-Person Tone

As a student, you were probably told to keep things formal. And that made sense at the time, because all you wrote were term papers. That’s the way it was for Tenore. “I was always taught, for example, to never use the first person when writing news stories,” she recalls.

Many formal publications, such as newspapers, probably agree that unless it’s a first-person account of something, reporting should be objective — and thus, from a third-person point of view. But depending on what you write, especially on the Web, you can get away with first-person. “I like occasionally using the first person in news stories because it can give them more personality and voice,” says Tenore.

But sometimes, first-person gets a little too narcissistic. “When some people use first-person, they fall into the trap of ‘I, I, I’ or ‘me, me, me,'” says Susan Johnston, a Boston-based freelance copywriter and journalist who just released The Urban Muse Guide to Online Writing Markets. “Too much of that can feel self-indulgent, and if you’re trying to sell a product, you really ought to focus on the customer’s needs, rather than making it all about you.”

Another one of Johnston’s pet peeves is when a solopreneur tries to beef up their business by using “we” in the copy. This could also fall under your English teacher’s age-old rule of keeping things factual.

Contractions are Conversational, Catchy

Your English teacher may have taught you how to use apostrophes to make one word out of two (for example, “let” and “us” becomes “let’s”), but as your education went on, you likely weren’t encouraged to use contractions.

But online content, is more powerful when it is conversational, so a contraction here or there cannot hurt; just don’t use them too much. They help to make everything a little more personal, as opposed to visiting another site where the writing sounds like a technical journal. Copywriters may be more apt to use them than journalists, but unless you are writing technical information, make your text more casual by considering the use of contractions.

“Fact is, grammatically correct copy — copy that would earn an A from your junior high English teacher — is often boring copy,” says Peter Bowerman, an Atlanta-based copywriter and author of The Well-Fed Writer series. “To make something readable and engaging, I’ve broken a lot of rules. Using contractions liberally? Don’t hesitate. And starting sentences with “and” or “but”? But, of course.”

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Kristen Fischer is a copywriter, journalist and author living at the Jersey Shore. Visit www.kristenfischer.com to learn more.

Writing for children is tougher than you think. It calls for a unique balance of creativity, concise explanations, good values, and fun — and while the market may not pay as much as the big boys, it also offers a lot of opportunities that many writers have yet to tap.

For one, there’s stability: Many children’s pubs tend to rely on different sources of revenue — a particularly loyal subscription base, product sales, the development of educational materials, and more. Parents who might cut a subscription to Time out of the family budget might be less likely to cut Cricket, a Carus Publishing magazine that offers as much in terms of educational value as it does in pure nostalgia. “People have an emotional tie to our magazines,” says Victoria Telfer, editorial assistant for Cricket Magazine Group.

Remember that with children’s magazines, the lead time may be much longer, and the manuscript review period (that’s right, many pubs want your finished manuscript, no queries) can be quite long. Persistent follow-ups may not help you as much as patience in this particular market. Read on for details about how to pitch:

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1. Babybug

This Cricket Magazine Group “listening and looking” full-color publication focuses on art, simple stories, and poems for infants and toddlers six months to 2 years of age.
Pay: Varies, $25 minimum.
Advice: “We consider all submissions for all of our publications, so there’s no need to submit the same piece to more than one of our magazines,” says Telfer. “However, we appreciate authors who craft their pieces with a specific age group in mind. There’s a significant difference between writing for a Babybug reader and writing for a Ladybug reader. We do try to maintain the highest literary standard, which exists even in poetry for very young children.”
Direct all pitches to: Editorial director Alice Letvin or associate editor Jenny Gillespie, Babybug, Carus Publishing / Cricket Magazine Group, 70 E. Lake St. Suite 300, Chicago, IL, 60601

2. Ladybug

This “reading and listening” magazine from Cricket is geared toward 2- to 6-year-olds.
Pay: $0.25/word for fiction and nonfiction; $3/line for poems.
Advice: Telfer says editors are always looking for gentle nonfiction stories as well as fiction, poems and activities for the “World Around You” section. And be mindful of your tone: “We see a lot of writing that’s too childish, or patronizing,” she says. “Children are smart and they know when they’re being talked down to — kids don’t want to read that sort of thing, and neither do we.”
Direct all pitches to: Editorial director Alice Letvin or associate editor Jenny Gillespie, Ladybug, Carus Publishing / Cricket Magazine Group, 70 E. Lake St. Suite 300, Chicago, IL, 60601

3. Spider

This magazine focuses on literature and activities for 6- to 9-year-olds.
Pay: $0.25/word max for stories and articles; $3/line for poetry.
Advice: “Spider readers gravitate toward stories, poems, and nonfiction with humor (from subtle and hyper-realistic to absurd) and memorable characters and topics,” says editor Margaret Mincks. “I see many submissions with humor but little character development, or vice versa; these tend to fall flat. If writers create complex, believable characters, kids will connect with them and, by extension, with the material. Spider readers like names, descriptions, funny tics, habits, etc. — all those little things that make a character and the world of a story come to life.”
Direct all pitches to: Editor Margaret Mincks or editorial director Alice Letvin. Please send complete manuscripts only, no queries, to Submissions Editor, Spider, Carus Publishing, 70 E. Lake St. Suite 300, Chicago, IL, 60601

4. Cricket

The flagship of Carus Publishing’s Cricket Magazine Group, the first issue of Cricket printed in 1973. Cricket publishes fiction and nonfiction, poetry, puzzles, crafts science experiments, and more for children ages 9 to 14, nine issues per year.
Pay: $0.25/word max for fiction and nonfiction; $3/line for poetry.
Advice: “Our readers love fantasy — ancient Greece, Lord of the Rings… We’re also looking for engaging, quality science fiction,” says Telfer. “And all the magazines are looking for humorous pieces. Cricket nonfiction can be more in-depth, more sophisticated. Keep in mind that Cricket readers are coming at an article with a broader knowledge of the world. Our nonfiction articles range from science and engineering to history, biography, and art.”
Direct all pitches to: Editor Lonnie Plecha, Cricket, Carus Publishing, 70 E. Lake St. Suite 300, Chicago, IL, 60601

5. Cicada
Cicada is a bimonthly literary magazine for teen and young adult readers, ages 14 and up.
Pay: Varies
Advice: “Cicada can get pretty edgy,” says Telfer. “Teen readers can handle more mature topics, although keep in mind that 14-year-olds are also reading this magazine. We’re also starved for humor submissions. It’s always good to balance out the angst with some clever wordplay!”
Direct all pitches to: Send completed manuscripts, not queries, to Deborah Vetter, executive editor, Cicada, 70 E. Lake St. Suite 300, Chicago, IL, 60601

6. Click

This nonfiction children’s magazine seeks experienced science writers to tackle topics relating to each issue’s central theme, relating to natural or social sciences, the arts, technology, and other topics for readers ages 3 to 6 years old.
Pay: Varies
Advice: Writers are encouraged to check out not only the website but also several issues of the magazine before contacting editors. According to Telfer, the three science magazines under Cricket Magazine Group — Click, ASK, and Muse — require writers with a strong level of scientific expertise. “Writing nonfiction requires a different skill set than writing poetry for the ‘bug’ magazines,” says Telfer. “Our science magazines appreciate writers who come at the topic from a strong, knowledgeable scientific background.”
Direct all pitches to: Experienced science writers should send a resume and published clips to editor Amy Tao at Carus Publishing, 70 E. Lake St. Suite 300, Chicago, IL, 60601

7. ASK

This nonfiction publication for 7- to 10-year-olds will have nine issues in 2011 and features themes for every issue. All themes revolve around various science disciplines and the world around us, including history, the arts, math and technology.
Pay: Varies
Advice: “If you can send me a short piece of writing that makes me sit up and say, ‘Hey, neat, I never thought of that before!’ or ‘Oh, now I get it!’ or makes me want to run out and show it to my friends, that’s what I’m looking for,” says Elizabeth Huyck, editor. “If you’re stumped for a subject, try your hand at short answer (100-200 words) to one of those tricky questions kids ask — why is the sky blue? Why aren’t there dinosaurs? I’m looking for writers who can explain things clearly and concisely, and with humor.”
Direct all pitches to: Authors should first query ASK with clips or a resume demonstrating a background in science. Send queries only to Elizabeth Huyck, Editor, ASK Magazine. Carus Publishing, 70 E. Lake St. Suite 300, Chicago, IL, 60601 or by email to ASK at CARUSPUB dot COM.

8. Muse

This nonfiction magazine for 9- to 14-year-olds revolves around “life, the universe, and pie-throwing.” One of Carus’s three science magazines, Muse seeks writers with subject expertise, so send in your credentials before submitting a manuscript.
Pay: Varies
Advice: “Muse readers are kids and teens with a deep-seated curiosity and a good sense of humor. They don’t want to be talked down to, and they certainly don’t want to read anything that looks like it came from a textbook,” says Elizabeth Preston, editor. “Muse seeks articles that cover science, history, and the arts, always asking the bigger questions instead of settling for an overview of information.
Direct all pitches to: Send queries to Elizabeth Preston, Muse, Carus Publishing, 70 E. Lake St. Suite 300, Chicago, IL, 60601.

9. Clubhouse

This Christian children’s magazine is published by Focus on the Family, and is geared toward 8- to 12-year-olds.
Pay: $0.15-$0.25/word; $200+ for feature-length fiction; $150+ for nonfiction.
Advice: “It’s easiest to break into the magazine with our shorter pieces,” advises Jesse Florea, editor of Clubhouse and Clubhouse Jr. “Fiction (historical, or modern-day with a strong take-away value) stories of 800-1,000 words is a good place to start. Quizzes with a point or fun factoids are also a good place to break into. Plus, we also need fun crafts that can be made at low cost (hopefully with stuff around the house) that fit a theme — maybe Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Christmas, etc. We avoid stories that talk about magic or romance, and those without takeaway value. We’re looking for character-building stories.”
Direct all pitches to: Joanna Lutz, assistant editor, Clubhouse, Focus on the Family, 8605 Explorer Drive, Colorado Springs, CO 80920. Send completed manuscripts only.

10. Clubhouse, Jr.

Focus on the Family’s 24-page magazine for younger children aims to entertain and teach Christian values to 4- to 8-year-olds around the world. Circulation is about 700,000.
Pay: $100-$200 for unsolicited fiction, nonfiction, and Bible stories. $75-$150 for rebus stories. $50-$100 for poetry. $30-$80 for puzzles.
Advice: “Our greatest need is finding stories of ordinary kids doing something extraordinary. For Club Jr., those kids should be between 3-7,” says Florea.”
Direct all pitches to: Joanna Lutz, assistant editor, Clubhouse Jr., to Focus on the Family, 8605 Explorer Drive, Colorado Springs, CO 80920. Send completed manuscripts only.

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Katie Bunker is an associate editor at Diabetes Forecast magazine and a freelance writer in Washington, D.C..

Children’s publications provide writers with a unique opportunity to stretch their creativity, offer education, and captivate readers in a fresh and exciting way. In part two of our Children’s Markets series, read about how to pitch powerhouses like National Geographic Kids and Sports Illustrated for Kids. You need to do your homework, read the magazine, and query like a pro. Developing the right voice to speak to a young reader is a challenging task, and essential to landing an assignment.

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1. National Geographic Kids

This monthly from the National Geographic Society publishes general nonfiction for 6- to 14-year-olds. Like many established magazines, each editor has a list of go-to writers, so make your pitch solid and concise, and be sure to include clips and a resume. For the complete writer’s guidelines, email MKRAUSS at NGS dot ORG.
Pay: $1/word on average
Advice: Managing editor Rachel Buchholz advises writers to study “at least three years’ worth” of issues before querying. And don’t assume every story has to be about kids. “Instead, pitch us something that reflects what we do — for instance, a fun Amazing Animal story, a query with a wacky twist, or an Animal Rescue idea — anything that shows you have an understanding of what will work for our audience. A fun, energetic query letter is also key.”
Direct all pitches to: Rachel Buchholz, managing editor, for queries about human interest, archaeology, history, pets, and entertainment stories to; or to Catherine Hughes, science editor, for queries about science, space, technology, wildlife, and geography. Editors can be pitched by mail, at NG Kids, 1145 17th Street NW, Washington, D.C. 20036. Include clips with your submission.

2. Sports Illustrated for Kids

This monthly magazine for kids and young teens has been published since 1989, and reaches readers through subscriptions, online at SIKids.com, at live events, and in schools.
Pay: Varies.
Advice: “Our stories need to be interesting, fun, well-reported and well-written,” says Der. “The biggest mistake some people make is thinking they can submit a ‘dumbed down’ version of a story that they have previously written for a publication aimed at adults.”
Direct all pitches to: Bob Der, managing editor, at BOB_DER at SIKIDS dot COM, or Justin Tejada, assistant managing editor, at JUSTIN_TEJADA at SIKIDS dot COM, or via snail mail to Sports Illustrated Kids, 1271 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020. Editors don’t recommend sending completed manuscripts.

3. Boys’ Life

The Boy Scouts of America began publishing this monthly magazine in 1911, and it now has a circulation of 1.3 million. The magazine is for boys ages 6 to 18.
Pay: $400 to $1,500 for major nonfiction articles. $750 and up for fiction short stories. $150 to $600 for departments.
Advice: “It’s best for a writer to start with queries for departments briefs in our Heads Up! section,” says Paula Murphey, senior editor. “These columns run from 150 to 300 words and cover subject categories that include science, nature, health, pets, sports, outdoors, history, cars and space and aviation.”
Direct all pitches to: For fiction, send queries or manuscripts with a cover letter to senior editor Paula Murphey; For departments, send queries to associate editor Brad Riddell. All submissions should be sent by regular mail to Boys’ Life, 1325 West Walnut Lane, P.O. Box 152079, Irving, TX 75015.

4. AppleSeeds

This Cobblestone magazine by Carus Publishing focuses on social studies for readers ages 6 to 9, or a third-grade reading level. Visit CobblestonePub.com for writer’s guidelines and themes for the year’s nine issues.
Pay: $50/page
Advice: “Especially if a writer is new to AppleSeeds, I look for a well-developed query that goes into some detail about the particular approach the writer will take to the subject. A query that says: ‘An article on Thomas Edison and his invention of the light bulb’ doesn’t tell me much, as opposed to a query that describes the way the writer plans to tell the story, important details to be included, etc.,” says Susan Buckley, editor.
Direct all pitches to: SUSANBUCKLEYNYC at GMAIL dot COM

5. Calliope

This Cobblestone magazine by Carus Publishing focuses on world history and is geared for readers ages 9 to 14. Visit CobblestonePub.com for writer’s guidelines and themes for the year’s nine issues.
Pay: $0.20 to $0.25/word for features, supplemental nonfiction, and fiction. Rates vary for activities, puzzles, and projects.
Advice: “A query should also be accompanied by a writing sample and a reason why the prospective writer chose the query topic and the qualifications the writer has to write on the topic,” says Rosalie Baker, editor.
Direct all pitches to: Rosalie Baker, Cobblestone Publishing, 30 Grove Street, Suite C, Peterborough, NH 03458. Send hard copies only. For queries submitted well ahead of deadline, you may wait several months before your query is answered.

6. Cobblestone

For this flagship publication at Carus Publishing, read lots of sample issues before developing a pitch and be sure to include a detailed and complete bibliography.
Pay: $0.20 to $0.25/word for features, fiction, and supplemental nonfiction

Rates vary for activities, poetry, and games.
Advice: “If an author is new to Cobblestone, a lot rides on the query. I read an average of 50 queries for each issue, so I need something to jump out at me… A creative title suggestion is always a good hook for me. It is easy to tell, too, when an author is passionate about a subject, and I like to see that,” says editor Meg Chorlian. “[Also], we break a subject down into specific aspects or events so that we can go into greater detail — for example, the debates between Lincoln and Stephen Douglas deserve their own article rather than being lumped in with a general article about Lincoln’s political career.”
Direct all pitches to: Meg Chorlian, Cobblestone Publishing, 30 Grove Street, Suite C, Peterborough, NH 03458. Send hard copies only.

7. Dig

This Cobblestone magazine by Carus Publishing focuses on archaeology and is geared for readers ages 9 to 14. Visit CobblestonePub.com for writer’s guidelines and themes for the year’s nine issues.
Pay: $0.20 to $0.25/word for features, supplemental nonfiction, and fiction

Rates vary for activities, puzzles, and games.
Advice: As always, study up on the publication before pitching. “The query should focus on a specific topic related to an upcoming theme, with a bibliography of resources (not just websites and encyclopedia-type information, but current analysis as well),” says Rosalie Baker, editor of Calliope and Dig.
Direct all pitches to: Rosalie Baker, Cobblestone Publishing, 30 Grove Street, Suite C, Peterborough, NH 03458. Send hard copies only.

8. Faces

This Cobblestone magazine by Carus Publishing focuses on world cultures and geography and is geared for readers ages 9 to 14.
Pay: $0.20 to $0.25/word for features, supplemental nonfiction, and fiction

Rates vary for activities, puzzles, and games.
Advice: Visit CobblestonePub.com for writer’s guidelines and themes for the year’s nine issues.
Direct all pitches to: Elizabeth Crooker Carpentiere, Cobblestone Publishing, 30 Grove Street, Suite C, Peterborough, NH 03458 or email queries to FACESMAG at YAHOO dot COM

9. Odyssey

This science magazine from Carus Publications is for readers ages 9 to 14. While the standard approach for getting published in Odyssey is to send a query relating to a particular issue theme, this magazine’s senior editor says she likes completed manuscripts, but only if they are well-executed.
Pay: $0.20 to $0.25/word for all content.
Advice: “I would recommend reading about science on a regular basis — journals, magazines, and good websites. Then you’re likely to have ideas for articles that relate to Odyssey‘s theme list,” says Elizabeth Lindstrom, senior editor. “Follow the guidelines and make sure your query includes a lead that shows you have a lively writing style, a bibliography that includes recent research and interviews with scientists, and an outline that shows that you have a good grasp of the subject matter.”
Direct all pitches to: Mail hard copy queries to Elizabeth Lindstrom, Cobblestone Publishing, 30 Grove Street, Suite C, Peterborough, NH 03458 or email them to BLINDSTROM at CARUSPUB dot COM

10. Jack and Jill

The U.S. Kids magazines Humpty Dumpty, Turtle, and Jack and Jill are published by the Children’s Better Health Institute, was established in 1976 and is a part of The Saturday Evening Post Society. The Institute aims to educate parents, teachers, and professionals about good health. This U.S. Kids publication is for 8- to 12-year-old readers and focuses on education and healthy living, promoting activity and nutrition.
Pay: $0.25/word for fiction and nonfiction, $25 to $50 for poetry, $25 minimum for puzzles and games.
Advice: “We’re looking for things that encourage a fun, healthy lifestyle and encourage kids to live well,” says Julia Goodman, editor of Jack and Jill. “Don’t preach [to kids] — show, or demonstrate, instead. And encourage kids to live well and broaden their horizons.”
Direct all pitches to: Editor Julia Goodman: J dot GOODMAN at CBHI dot ORG

11. Humpty Dumpty
Humpty Dumpty is geared at readers ages 5 to 7 and features puzzles, crafts, and content that promotes health and nutrition.
Pay: $0.35/word for fiction and nonfiction, $25 to $50 for poetry, $25 minimum for puzzles and games.
Direct all pitches to: Editor Terry Harshman: THARSHMAN at CBHI dot ORG

12. Turtle

This U.S. Kids publication is a bi-monthly read-aloud magazine for preschool kids ages 3-5.
Pay: $0.35/word maximum for fiction, $25 to $50 for poetry, $25 minimum for puzzles and games.
Direct all pitches to: Editor Terry Harshman: THARSHMAN at CBHI dot ORG

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Katie Bunker is an associate editor at Diabetes Forecast magazine and a freelance writer in Washington, D.C.

The famous African proverb says it takes a village to raise a child. Well, to market a bestseller it also takes a village of another sort, a self-made coalition of authors.

Just take it from Daylle Deanna Schwartz, author of several books including Nice Girls Can Finish First (McGraw-Hill, 2009). “When I meet a writer I like, I reach out and offer what I know about promoting a book. Others do that for me. I’ll invite someone to be a guest on my blog, ‘Lessons from a Recovering DoorMat,’ if their topic is suitable. Sometimes writers email me for advice and I can do the same… I’ve also gotten online contacts for sites that I can syndicate my blog to. These contacts are hard to find on your own.”

Although publishing houses typically assign in-house publicists to promote their titles, those budgets are quickly being slashed. The result? Authors are taking it upon themselves to build their own buzz. Since there’s only so much you can do yourself, the latest DIY option is to pool resources with fellow authors to help build a bestseller. And although book sales are the ultimate goal of any promotion, there are countless other rewards waiting for you.

Referrals, Last-Minute Support___ and Edits

For instance, Schwartz is a member of the American Society of Journalists and Authors (ASJA), and got one of her literary agents from a recommendation from a writer friend at an ASJA holiday party. “I got lots of suggestions on the [online] forum when I had to leave another one… I believe that helping others attracts support in return, though not necessarily from the person I helped. So I try to help other writers when I can and meet writers who feel the same way that help me.”

Alexandra Owens, executive director of the ASJA, mentions one of the first places to start building your network is a professional organization. “Find places where writers interact. Then you can come to a conference, see people in person, join the Facebook group.” Plus, she mentions once you get the word out that you need sources, seeking information about book promotion and joining a professional organization “gives you a huge leg up compared to colleagues who don’t.”

One of the several colleagues Schwartz frequently shares information with is Tina B. Tessina, Ph.D., author of Money, Sex and Kids: Stop Fighting about the Three Things That Can Ruin Your Marriage (Adams Media, 2008). They met on the ASJA forum about 10 years ago, liked each other from reading their posts, and according to Schwartz, “recognized each other as supportive chicks. She always offered her support to me and vice versa. She lives in California and I live in New York. I only just met her in April when she attended the ASJA conference. We were like old friends, reuniting instead of meeting face to face for the first time.”

In addition to sharing blog posts, book reviews, agents, editors, book store information, and more, Tessina knows she can count on her writer friends for a last-minute lift when needed. “In 2008, when my book was about to come out, the editor blindsided me with a last-minute (24 hour notice) need for book blurbs. I was on a cruise, and had to do everything via the ship’s imperfect email system. My ASJA friends came through like troopers, giving me a huge list of powerful blurbs for the book. Again, I’m more grateful than I can express.”

“We’re all aiming for the same thing — more readers, more sales — so I think a lot of us are happy to collaborate.”

Another way to share resources is joining or even starting a writer’s group for valuable face time. Gretchen Rubin, New York Times bestselling author of The Happiness Project: Or, Why I Spent a Year Trying to Sing in the Morning, Clean My Closets, Fight Right, Read Aristotle, and Generally Have More Fun (Harper, 2009), says authors know how to write but there’s more to learn in terms of marketing; her groups serve as networking/strategy sessions. “I remember when I did my first book signing and I didn’t know what to write! I didn’t know where to sign it, I was like what do I do? Writers can help you. I’m in another group where it’s just four of us, and we have different careers and we talk about strategies like, “I’m thinking that I need to do more with video, but I can’t decide.”

Two Book Tours are Better Than One

Although bouncing ideas off each other can occur within any genre, some nonfiction writers choose to cross the border and build alliances with fiction authors, too. Essentially, the art of book promotion is different for nonfiction and fiction authors. Although nonfiction authors may frequently share media contacts to be quoted as an expert on a radio show or news program, fiction authors are somewhat limited in their exposure. That said, both nonfiction and fiction authors have an audience which may overlap and find common ground. For instance, a woman reading chick lit may also be interested in reading a nonfiction book about friendship.

Irene Levine, Ph.D. and author of Best Friends Forever: Surviving a Breakup with Your Best Friend (Overlook Press, 2009), met Joanne Rendell, author of The Professors’ Wives’ Club (NAL Trade, 2008), a scholar in residence at NYU. “She hosted a lecture and invited me and it was a wonderful audience, perfect for my book,” says Levine. Plus, they swapped information about the publishing process. “It’s informal knowledge that you learn along the way. No one has more of a vested interest in the marketing of your book than the author.” In another example, Levine forged a blogging alliance with four women who write about friendship from a slightly different perspective. They frequently cross-promote on each others’ blogs.

For Allison Winn Scotch, author of New York Times bestseller The One That I Want (Shaye Areheart Books, 2010), appearing at an upcoming book signing with a fellow author will bolster the size of the crowd and bring in new readers. “I’m doing one of these next month with Jonathan Tropper, whose books I have been a fan of before I was a fiction writer, and I’m almost more excited about it than my solo signings. Again, we’re all aiming for the same thing — more readers, more sales — so I think a lot of us are happy to collaborate in any way possible.”

Crystal Patriarche, founder and publicist for BookSparksPR, notes that joint book signings are a way to build buzz as publishers scale back book tours. Her advice? “Team up with similar authors or debut authors or well-known authors and share an event and introduce each other to your fans.”

We’re All in the (Twitter) Trenches Together

Since the very essence of social media is just that — social — authors have reached out to colleagues online. Winn Scotch has contacted a lot of authors she admires via email, Twitter or Facebook and many have become close friends. “One of my closest friends is an author, Laura Dave, whom I emailed many years ago when I read her first book. We went out to coffee shortly thereafter and now, she is one of my closest confidantes both in the industry and outside of it. We read each others’ drafts, offer counsel on the publishing industry and are just there offering general support… Authors really do enjoy connecting with other authors: we’re all in the trenches together.”

Rubin says authors using social media effectively are promoting others instead of themselves. “It’s a way to shine the spotlight on the things you think are valuable. It’s a fantastic way to help other writers and support other work you think is good.” Kevin Daum, author of Roar! Get Heard in the Sales and Marketing Jungle: A Business Fable (Wiley, 2010), shares media contacts with members of his author’s group which result in media appearances and adds, “It’s better to have someone else talking about your book than you talking about it yourself. You must work every angle.”

The Bottom Line

And as for how the village helps with book sales? “You know, there’s no way to really know — it’s cumulative, especially online,” notes Tessina. “I’m quoted in so many articles, books and blogs that it accumulates. It gets me better Google ratings, I’m more findable online, and that leads to more sales. In this way, I’ve managed to keep my books in print and alive online for many more years than most books last.”

Although Schwartz has seen her numbers on Amazon improve after an appearance, she explains, “Each media hit is like planting a seed that can generate sales. Every seed has potential, which is why it’s always good to get them.”

Building your own seeds through alliances result in a win-win all around in a profession that is otherwise isolated by nature. Schwartz adds, “There’s room for all good writing. If you’re threatened, work on becoming a better writer. A confident one isn’t scared of sharing or losing a sale to someone you help.”

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Vicki Salemi is a freelance writer based in New York City. She is the author of Big Career in the Big City: Land a Job and Get a Life in New York. Follow her on Twitter @VickiSalemi.

The famous African proverb says it takes a village to raise a child. Well, to market a bestseller it also takes a village of another sort, a self-made coalition of authors.

Just take it from Daylle Deanna Schwartz, author of several books including Nice Girls Can Finish First (McGraw-Hill, 2009). “When I meet a writer I like, I reach out and offer what I know about promoting a book. Others do that for me. I’ll invite someone to be a guest on my blog, ‘Lessons from a Recovering DoorMat,’ if their topic is suitable. Sometimes writers email me for advice and I can do the same… I’ve also gotten online contacts for sites that I can syndicate my blog to. These contacts are hard to find on your own.”

Although publishing houses typically assign in-house publicists to promote their titles, those budgets are quickly being slashed. The result? Authors are taking it upon themselves to build their own buzz. Since there’s only so much you can do yourself, the latest DIY option is to pool resources with fellow authors to help build a bestseller. And although book sales are the ultimate goal of any promotion, there are countless other rewards waiting for you.

Referrals, Last-Minute Support___ and Edits

For instance, Schwartz is a member of the American Society of Journalists and Authors (ASJA), and got one of her literary agents from a recommendation from a writer friend at an ASJA holiday party. “I got lots of suggestions on the [online] forum when I had to leave another one… I believe that helping others attracts support in return, though not necessarily from the person I helped. So I try to help other writers when I can and meet writers who feel the same way that help me.”

Alexandra Owens, executive director of the ASJA, mentions one of the first places to start building your network is a professional organization. “Find places where writers interact. Then you can come to a conference, see people in person, join the Facebook group.” Plus, she mentions once you get the word out that you need sources, seeking information about book promotion and joining a professional organization “gives you a huge leg up compared to colleagues who don’t.”

One of the several colleagues Schwartz frequently shares information with is Tina B. Tessina, Ph.D., author of Money, Sex and Kids: Stop Fighting about the Three Things That Can Ruin Your Marriage (Adams Media, 2008). They met on the ASJA forum about 10 years ago, liked each other from reading their posts, and according to Schwartz, “recognized each other as supportive chicks. She always offered her support to me and vice versa. She lives in California and I live in New York. I only just met her in April when she attended the ASJA conference. We were like old friends, reuniting instead of meeting face to face for the first time.”

In addition to sharing blog posts, book reviews, agents, editors, book store information, and more, Tessina knows she can count on her writer friends for a last-minute lift when needed. “In 2008, when my book was about to come out, the editor blindsided me with a last-minute (24 hour notice) need for book blurbs. I was on a cruise, and had to do everything via the ship’s imperfect email system. My ASJA friends came through like troopers, giving me a huge list of powerful blurbs for the book. Again, I’m more grateful than I can express.”

“We’re all aiming for the same thing — more readers, more sales — so I think a lot of us are happy to collaborate.”

Another way to share resources is joining or even starting a writer’s group for valuable face time. Gretchen Rubin, New York Times bestselling author of The Happiness Project: Or, Why I Spent a Year Trying to Sing in the Morning, Clean My Closets, Fight Right, Read Aristotle, and Generally Have More Fun (Harper, 2009), says authors know how to write but there’s more to learn in terms of marketing; her groups serve as networking/strategy sessions. “I remember when I did my first book signing and I didn’t know what to write! I didn’t know where to sign it, I was like what do I do? Writers can help you. I’m in another group where it’s just four of us, and we have different careers and we talk about strategies like, “I’m thinking that I need to do more with video, but I can’t decide.”

Two Book Tours are Better Than One

Although bouncing ideas off each other can occur within any genre, some nonfiction writers choose to cross the border and build alliances with fiction authors, too. Essentially, the art of book promotion is different for nonfiction and fiction authors. Although nonfiction authors may frequently share media contacts to be quoted as an expert on a radio show or news program, fiction authors are somewhat limited in their exposure. That said, both nonfiction and fiction authors have an audience which may overlap and find common ground. For instance, a woman reading chick lit may also be interested in reading a nonfiction book about friendship.

Irene Levine, Ph.D. and author of Best Friends Forever: Surviving a Breakup with Your Best Friend (Overlook Press, 2009), met Joanne Rendell, author of The Professors’ Wives’ Club (NAL Trade, 2008), a scholar in residence at NYU. “She hosted a lecture and invited me and it was a wonderful audience, perfect for my book,” says Levine. Plus, they swapped information about the publishing process. “It’s informal knowledge that you learn along the way. No one has more of a vested interest in the marketing of your book than the author.” In another example, Levine forged a blogging alliance with four women who write about friendship from a slightly different perspective. They frequently cross-promote on each others’ blogs.

For Allison Winn Scotch, author of New York Times bestseller The One That I Want (Shaye Areheart Books, 2010), appearing at an upcoming book signing with a fellow author will bolster the size of the crowd and bring in new readers. “I’m doing one of these next month with Jonathan Tropper, whose books I have been a fan of before I was a fiction writer, and I’m almost more excited about it than my solo signings. Again, we’re all aiming for the same thing — more readers, more sales — so I think a lot of us are happy to collaborate in any way possible.”

Crystal Patriarche, founder and publicist for BookSparksPR, notes that joint book signings are a way to build buzz as publishers scale back book tours. Her advice? “Team up with similar authors or debut authors or well-known authors and share an event and introduce each other to your fans.”

We’re All in the (Twitter) Trenches Together

Since the very essence of social media is just that — social — authors have reached out to colleagues online. Winn Scotch has contacted a lot of authors she admires via email, Twitter or Facebook and many have become close friends. “One of my closest friends is an author, Laura Dave, whom I emailed many years ago when I read her first book. We went out to coffee shortly thereafter and now, she is one of my closest confidantes both in the industry and outside of it. We read each others’ drafts, offer counsel on the publishing industry and are just there offering general support… Authors really do enjoy connecting with other authors: we’re all in the trenches together.”

Rubin says authors using social media effectively are promoting others instead of themselves. “It’s a way to shine the spotlight on the things you think are valuable. It’s a fantastic way to help other writers and support other work you think is good.” Kevin Daum, author of Roar! Get Heard in the Sales and Marketing Jungle: A Business Fable (Wiley, 2010), shares media contacts with members of his author’s group which result in media appearances and adds, “It’s better to have someone else talking about your book than you talking about it yourself. You must work every angle.”

The Bottom Line

And as for how the village helps with book sales? “You know, there’s no way to really know — it’s cumulative, especially online,” notes Tessina. “I’m quoted in so many articles, books and blogs that it accumulates. It gets me better Google ratings, I’m more findable online, and that leads to more sales. In this way, I’ve managed to keep my books in print and alive online for many more years than most books last.”

Although Schwartz has seen her numbers on Amazon improve after an appearance, she explains, “Each media hit is like planting a seed that can generate sales. Every seed has potential, which is why it’s always good to get them.”

Building your own seeds through alliances result in a win-win all around in a profession that is otherwise isolated by nature. Schwartz adds, “There’s room for all good writing. If you’re threatened, work on becoming a better writer. A confident one isn’t scared of sharing or losing a sale to someone you help.”

---

Vicki Salemi is a freelance writer based in New York City. She is the author of Big Career in the Big City: Land a Job and Get a Life in New York. Follow her on Twitter @VickiSalemi.

Coming up with new and interesting sex-related story pitches isn’t easy. More often than not, writers will find themselves in Carrie Bradshaw’s Manolos, racking their brains to squeeze out a fresh take on the subject.

If you’re a writer hoping to have some success in pitching sex-related content to an editor, gird your loins, because you’ll need cover your bases. It has to strike the right tone. It has to be novel and insightful. It has to offer a strong point-of-view. And at the very least, it has to be an entertaining read. We tapped sex writers and editors to find out what it takes to make sex (articles) sell.

S*x: Get Past the Spam Filter

First things first, you have to get your pitch past the editor’s hockey goal of an email spam filter. If you are approaching an editor for the first time, writing team Em & Lo, who specialize in sex and love-related topics, suggest trying to keep the email’s headline “as PG as possible” since you don’t know what might trigger the editor’s spam filter. “Sometimes we’ve even had to write “s*x” to get something through,” say the prolific duo, who have written for the likes of Glamour, Details, New York, Cosmo, Marie Claire, and Men’s Journal, and have co-authored six books including Sex: How to Do Everything and Rec Sex: An A-Z Guide to Hooking Up.

More practically speaking, “I like my subject lines to include the word ‘pitch’ so I know what it is,” says Sarah Harrison, YourTango.com senior editor, “and including a hed in the style of those used on our site always get my attention. That means it’s straightforward instead of clever word-play, it includes the angle of the piece, and it’s something a reader would click on.”

Take Risks Without Being Too Racy

As Helen Gurley-Brown once said, “At Cosmo, all those years, people thought we were successful because of the sex [or] we were successful because we were so outrageous, but really, the writing is what did it — very clear, very specific, very literate. It was never boring.”

James Bassil, editor-in-chief of men’s lifestyle website AskMen.com, says, “I think a lot of writers make the mistake in thinking that the salaciousness of the topic is its selling point, when clearly we all know that by its very nature, a lot of sex content is going to be a little racy.”

“And if anything for us, we want to tone that down because we want it to be more practical and more accessible for our [readers]. We want it to be content that every guy will feel comfortable approaching and will be able to digest without feeling self-conscious about it. So in that sense, I would say stay away from the raciness,” Bassil adds.

“Don’t confuse erotica with sex writing,” advise Em & Lo. “Yes, you’re covering a topic that may deal with salacious issues, but you rarely want your writing to be titillating,” — unless, of course, you’re pitching Penthouse.

Stephanie Auteri, assistant editor at YourTango.com and a freelance writer, says dialing back on the level of salaciousness or explicitness goes beyond editorial considerations. “As frustrating as it can be for sex writers and editors working with sex content, most publications have to be careful about what they run because they risk scaring off advertisers,” she says.

“The key is not necessarily coming up with a new erogenous zone or position or technique — good luck with that! — but just finding a new way to package [or] present the material so it makes sense to people in a way it never has before.”

Do Your Research

Before you waste your time and the editor’s, it’s always a good idea to check the website’s or magazine’s archives to be sure your story hasn’t already been covered. Stories that have been written about “a trillion times before” are the “type of evergreen content that can be easily churned out in-house,” Auteri says.

For story idea sources, “the latest scientific and academic research on sexual topics is always a good place to start,” say Em & Lo. “We have a few student interns each semester who help us keep on top of sex news, trends, and research, from pop culture to literature to science. But there’s no reason why a writer can’t do that research on their own — we just need a high volume of research because we have two daily blogs,” (EMandLO.com and “Naked Love“).

They also suggest finding stories using good ol’ reliable news.google.com and experimenting with different key word searches like “sex research,” “dating study,” and so on. “We also like scholar.google.com for finding original research — though you have to search hard there to find complete papers for free,” they say, because the site often charges for the full study beyond the abstract. They also read several U.K. newspapers online, such as the Guardian and the Telegraph. “They seem to cover a lot more sex research stories than the U.S. papers. In addition, we’ve made a lot of contacts over the years at various conferences and by interviewing various experts for articles, so we always encourage those people to get in touch when they have news to share,” Em & Lo say.

Same Sex, New Package

The most difficult part of successfully pitching a sex story is “trying to come up with something new and fresh to say about sex, or at least coming up with a new way to say it,” say Em & Lo. “That’s what everyone wants — even the women’s magazines that seem to run the same articles about sex just with different titles,” they say.

“The key is not necessarily coming up with a new erogenous zone or position or technique — good luck with that! — but just finding a new way to package [or] present the material so it makes sense to people in a way it never has before. For example, we recently wrote a piece on male and female sexual anatomy, and there wasn’t really any new information in there about anatomy itself — it was more the way we made comparisons between the various man and lady parts. It helped readers think about anatomy in a different way,” Em & Lo say.

Auteri, who’s also written for Time Out New York, Playgirl, TheFrisky.com, and Nerve.com, says, “When putting together your pitch, ask yourself, ‘Is this especially relevant now [and/or] does it have a news hook? Am I approaching it in a new and intriguing way? Can I think of a new and creative way to package it? As far as what will give you that extra edge, I’ve been told that my writing has impressed because of how honest it is… how open I’m willing to be,” says Auteri.

Getting Personal

You can always draw on your own relationships for story ideas, something that’s not for the faint of heart, and something Em & Lo say they “very, very rarely” do. For most publications, “there’s a firm line between reported articles and personal essays. So don’t assume you’ll have to write about your own sex life if you want sex to be your beat,” the duo say. But it certainly helps readers relate if you do decide to share details about your life.

“If you’re unwilling to be open about your personal experiences, an editor is going to wonder why she shouldn’t just assign the story to someone else… someone who is willing,” says Auteri. “In fact, before hiring me to write my Sex With Steph column, my editor at The Frisky specifically asked if I would be willing to weave in my own personal experiences. My response? ‘Don’t you know I’m the queen of TMI?'”

“If you’re unwilling to be open about your personal experiences, an editor is going to wonder why she shouldn’t just assign the story to someone else… someone who is willing.”

“That personal touch allows for relatability, helping the reader to feel more comfortable engaging in a dialogue around the topic. And in the realm of Web content, especially, we want that reader interaction. That openness and honesty also make for a more trustworthy narrator,” Auteri says. For example, when Auteri wrote “How To Get Pregnant When Your Sex Life Is Sub-Par” for YourTango.com, she boldly injected her own revealing personal experiences into the story. “I received a slew of comments thanking me for my honesty, and for providing a forum where people could discuss such a difficult topic,” she says.

Have A Sense of Humor

Humor can be a welcome relief and can also put readers at ease when it comes to sexual content, but it’s a “balancing act,” say Auteri. “You should have fun with the content you’re producing without being flippant. You should be upbeat. You should be able to shine a spotlight on your most cringe-worthy moments, laugh at them, and then learn from them,” she adds.

Corny double entendres, however, should be avoided “at all costs — there are far more intelligent ways to write about sex with humor,” say Em & Lo. The “wink-wink, nudge-nudge locker room humor” is also something you may want to reconsider, they add.

“We think the best approach is simply not to take sex too seriously — but the humor should be mature,” Em & Lo say. “Immature humor” will make the reader think you’re embarrassed to be talking about the subject — and “therefore they should be too,” they say, which is not the effect you want to have. “Also, we tend to tone down the humor in magazine pitches — that can come later, and is too often misconstrued in a simple pitch,” they say.

Auteri cites the piece she wrote for Lemondrop.com, “Feeling Out of Shape? We Try the Sexerciseball,” as a story where humor served her readers well. “Basically, show that you’re human,” she says. “You don’t need to be that porn-perfect sex kitten. Show your doubts, your neuroses, your flubs.”

NEXT >> How To Pitch: YourTango.com

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Jennifer Pullinger is a freelance writer and book and film publicist in Richmond, Va. Visit her at www.JenniferLPullinger.com.

You see a job posting that’s perfect. Decent salary, nice benefits, and you meet all the requirements for the position. But wait. It’s located… where?

The media is a fast-paced industry, and if you want to keep up — and move up — you need to go where the jobs are. Even though many professionals know this is a normal part of the field, our suffering economy has placed some under more pressure than usual to relocate just to stay employed. Look at ReadyMade magazine, for example. Meredith, its parent company, wanted to move its staff in the Bay Area to Des Moines, Iowa. The magazine operations relocated; the founders and their staff decided not to follow suit. So is job-jumping a strategic step to further your career or just a here-and-now act of desperation? Here, three media vets share their own relocation stories and reveal when it’s the right time to pack up for a paycheck.

The Upside to Going Down South

After being laid off for about a year from her previous position in print publishing, Kelly Love Johnson began freelancing for Austin-based Broad Street Interactive from her home in Charleston, South Carolina. When that company started experiencing a boom in growth, the founder offered her a full-time position to manage everything from media strategy and content to marketing and online media buying. If the market for a job in the publishing arena hadn’t been so bad, she would likely not have imagined Austin as a home. But she knew print publishing was a dwindling field. So Johnson accepted the job and packed her bags for Texas.

“My biggest concern was getting back into print publishing when I knew there was a distinct possibility I could relocate just to end up unemployed again,” says Johnson. She feels comfortable in Austin because it’s a solid place to find a job if she needs to in the future. Right now, she loves her new career in online media and enjoys the city.

Another plus to the move was the opportunity to expand her skill set. “Working for a digital media agency… does expand my media expertise,” she says. “While I still have deadlines and the job often requires high attention and energy, it doesn’t define who I am. It’s my job. I’m still a writer and author,” says Johnson. “When your job defines who you are and you lose it, it’s a hit to your self-esteem, your identity, your creativity.”

“My biggest concern was getting back into print publishing when I knew there was a distinct possibility I could relocate just to end up unemployed again.”

She still refers to 2009 as “The Year of Suck,” but says the relocation forced her to expand her horizons. “I expected to spend my entire career working in print media,” she adds. “Now I’ve fallen in love with the online media industry.”

Relocation is an Industry Norm
Coka-Lani Kimbrough, a radio on-air personality and music director, knew that moving would be part of her career when she started about 13 years ago in Washington, D.C. Since then, Kimbrough has moved to Baltimore, Philadelphia, Miami, and Tampa to advance her career.

When she was laid off from her job as a music director for a radio station in Tampa, the word got out. Grupo Radio of Mexico knew she was talented, creative and multi-lingual, so they offered her a job and even flew her down to check out the studio. While Mexico was lovely, she was hoping she’d get another gig in the U.S., and waited about six months before accepting the job. (She was fortunate enough to have a generous severance package, which took some pressure off.)

“I was never hesitant about moving around the country, but moving to a different country with a different culture… I’d never really ever fathomed that I would be doing that,” says Kimbrough, who actually got more dough at the new job, too.

Although being laid off was upsetting, Kimbrough has a practical outlook on moving around. She has always known that to be successful in her line of work, she had to be able to travel. If you’re working on your career and you continuously want to grow, she says, any employer is going to look at the fact that you’ve relocated for work and think of it as a plus. Right now, it’s easier for Kimbrough because she doesn’t have her own family — her two pooches have also made the moves — but she hopes all the shuttling around will pay off so she can settle down in the future.

“You just have to be willing to make the moves that are necessary so you can continue to grow and be successful in your career,” she adds.

Moving — or Moving On Up?
That’s how Allison Alexander, the evening anchor at ABC6 in Providence, Rhode Island, views transferring. She has moved to six states throughout her 13-plus years in the broadcasting arena, and says every transfer was always for either better money or a better role… and sometimes both.

“The reason to relocate was always what I considered to be a promotion, either in position or in salary,” says Alexander, who has worked in Oklahoma, Texas, Louisiana, Arizona, and Ohio. She didn’t take every job she was offered; some were in places that her spouse did not want to live, the position was not a good fit for her, or the salary offer was not attractive enough.

When she arrived in New England, she took less of a raise but was able to work for a former boss in a more desirable area. Now, she anchors the evening news during the weekdays, so her hours are more predictable, as well.

Making the Game-Time Decision

So, let’s say you’re facing a move that you otherwise wouldn’t make. Here are a few things to contemplate:

1. Who pays for the move? The physical act of relocating can be challenging and downright expensive. “Put a lot of money away because you may have to pay for a lot of your own moving expenses,” warns Eve Tahmincioglu, career columnist at MSNBC.com and author of From the Sandbox to the Corner Office.

And if you can, see if the company will pony up. “It’s key to try to negotiate for support from your new company to help you move,” adds Cynthia Good, Atlanta-based founding editor and CEO of Pink and Little PINK Book. “Many companies are reluctant to do this these days since dollars are still tight. Nevertheless, see if they will pay to physically move your belongings.”

2. Does the job offer enough moolah? If you take a low-paying gig and spend more money to make a living situation work, it can hurt rather than help your career. Think about your current living situation. For example, if you own a home are you able to sell quickly or will the company pay your living expenses until your homes sells? If you have an immediate family, will you relocate them too or simply commute?

“Media jobs famously pay less than other industries because so many people want them,” says Alexandra Levit, Chicago-based author of New Job, New You. “Make sure that you can afford the cost of living in your new city. If you are moving to the capital of the media world — New York City — you are going to be hard-pressed to live on a $30K salary.”

3. Will the job help your career as a whole? Moving can be a boost, or it can set you back. It may sound silly to be picky in today’s economy, but taking a job that is at a less-reputable company, or is a step down on the corporate ladder may not be the best way to reach your goals. “I am seeing jobs lately that are temporary positions to fill in for people on leave, or as a way for a publication to bring in more people but not make a commitment,” notes Tahmincioglu. “That could lead to a full-time job, but you’re taking your chances.”

Levit agrees. “Be certain that the job is a sure thing before uprooting your entire life. You must have a signed offer letter in hand… don’t rely on a verbal commitment.”

Think about what your resume will look like with the prospective job on it and use that as a tool to help you gauge whether or not a change of address is worth it. Remember, while people in other industries may now be grappling with relocations for the first time, media veterans know that being uprooted every now and then is normal.

“I think a lot of people… what they fail to realize is just because you move to a different city to work, it doesn’t mean you’re going to retire there,” Kimbrough says. “The whole relocating thing, before the recession, it was just part of the job. You have to think of moving to another city as a temporary relocation to market yourself.”

NEXT >> 9 Reasons You’re Still Unemployed

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Kristen Fischer is a copywriter, journalist and author living at the Jersey Shore. Visit www.kristenfischer.com to learn more.

We’ve all heard that reporters today need to be able to do more than just write. Now editors at newspapers, magazines, blogs and websites want to see stories accompanied by some kind of visual content, whether it’s photos, video, graphics and/or audio slideshows and even polls and other interactive content. Smart journalists are scrambling to learn the new technologies, applying their storytelling skills to multiplatform packages.

But having a variety of multimedia skills is just the beginning. Most of the bigger online publications with a strong commitment to multimedia have full-time photographers and even video producers on staff. If you’re not on staff, getting your work published (for pay) is no easy task. Place like The New York Times, say, produce all their multimedia content in-house, in part because they have the budget and the staff to do so, but also because it makes managing multimedia assets and all the technical specifications that go along with them much easier.

That said, there are still opportunities to pitch and sell your work to online editors and even become a regular digital contributor. But you’ll need to learn as much as you can about the publication’s work flow, style and needs so that you can help fill any gaps they may have. You’ll also need to have your own equipment: that means the hardware and software you’ll need to deliver your content. And as always, it’s crucial to know what kind of multimedia content the site already publishes, so that you can identify what they’re likely to want. Here, editors and consultants reveal what freelancers can do to get noticed.

1. Build your portfolio
As in the print world, building a portfolio is key. If you’re a freelance multiplatform producer and you’re looking to show editors what you’re made of, you’ll need to provide samples of your work. Every editor we spoke to said they want to see your work before they commit to hiring you. That doesn’t mean you need to have been published on an established site; showcasing your video and audio slideshows on your own blog is enough to give an editor an idea of your ability to execute ideas visually.

2. Pitch the right editor
Pitching a video on a local football team to the sports editor for the print edition is a dead end. Most publications with a budget for multimedia have a separate team dedicated to digital content production. At the Wall Street Journal, for example, there are separate editors for multimedia and video, so don’t pitch an interactive Flash piece to the video editor and a video to the multimedia editor.

“In the pitch, mention that, while you can deliver a finished product, you always keep raw files for editing later on in the process.”

3. Know the publication’s style
As with all kinds of pitches, it’s best to have a solid understanding of what kind of multimedia content the site produces. You don’t want to bust onto the scene, guns blazing, looking for a way to revolutionize a site. Start out by showing the editor you can adapt to his needs.

“I have a lot of time for people who have seen what we do, the style, the length, the kind of presentation we have and when they can refer to other videos we’ve done,” says Adam Najberg, senior editor for video for The Wall Street Journal.

4. Include a print component
Most publications run multimedia content in conjunction with print stories. So, don’t just pitch an audio slideshow or a video without also including at least some text. That will give the piece some kind of landing page and help the digital editor identify where the story can be housed on the site (whether it’s in the style section, the sports section or world news) and which editor he will need to approach about the story.

At Budget Travel, assistant managing editor Tom Berger said while they’re still working out their video strategy, he’d be open to reading print pitches where the reporter also suggests a video component. But, as with their magazine content, what they’re really interested in seeing are service-oriented pitches of the “here’s how you can make your trip better” variety.

“The video that we would be interested in would have to have a strong tip component or a ‘how to,'” said Berger. “We’re not interested in just pretty footage. We like to give people practical means for improving their own trip anywhere and that would extend to video.”

5. Make sure the piece will be editable
When building your portfolio, by all means, package your content in an interactive Flash shell. Show off your full range of multimedia skills — just make sure that each individual component is editable. That means that if you’re pitching an evergreen multimedia Flash story on how oil is cleaned up after a spill, with interactive maps, charts and graphics, in addition to video and audio elements, make sure there’s a way to break the piece down and divide it up.

“Our students love to put together these packaged interactive multimedia Flash pieces, but most publications just want the components: the videos, audio, photos and text,” says Jeremy Rue UC Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism. “We have had to learn to accept that when freelancing, you can’t have your cake and eat it too.”

Even sites looking for the convenience of a fully packaged story are going to want to be able to edit the components.

“If you’re putting together a video, don’t throw away the raw files,” says Amy Webb, CEO of Webbmedia Group, an international digital media consultancy. “An editor may like the material you’ve captured, but not necessarily the way you’ve edited it. In the pitch, mention that, while you can deliver a finished product, you always keep raw files for editing later on in the process.”

6. Pitch startups and smaller publications
With their established workflows, complex organizational structures and more robust staffs, many of the larger publications are harder to penetrate. Even if an editor likes your idea, he might decide it’s just more trouble than it’s worth to work with a freelancer, whereas smaller outlets could be dying to get their hands are pre-packaged content.

“There are plenty of smaller organizations: newspapers, newsletters, religious organizations, association websites, industry magazines that would love to get packaged multimedia stories ready to run on their sites,” says Webb.

“Showcasing your video and audio slideshows on your own blog is enough to give an editor an idea of your ability to execute ideas visually.”

7. Think breaking news
Breaking news also offers a chance for freelancers to break in to more traditional outlets. If you have proximity, flexibility and access to a developing news story that you know a particular outlet is following, then reach out to the digital editors and let them know how you can help.

“Jump on a developing story and take advantage of it and offer to help with it,” says Cory Powell, the managing editor for new products and innovation at the Minneapolis-St. Paul Star Tribune. “If it’s a big story, that is one way to get in. Capture something that we are not going to get to.”

8. Offer expertise in a specific beat
If you’re uniquely qualified to report on high school football, community theatre or in some other area where you know a particular outlet is looking for more content, then use that to your advantage.

“Having experience where you can produce video in an important content area for us, such as music or high school sports” is another way to break in, says Powell. Just be sure you “have a body of work and a pitch to demonstrate” that expertise.

9. Get to know the backend
Obviously as a freelancer, you’re not going to have access to a company’s content management system (CMS,) but it does help to have at least some idea of how things work, so that you can adjust your pitch accordingly. For example, if a publication produces audio slideshows in SoundSlides, then you shouldn’t pitch an audio slideshow that was produced in Final Cut Pro and exported as a video file. Knowing these kinds of details will help you show the editor that you are willing and able to work within their means. The best way to get that information is to either email or call someone at the publication and ask them specific questions.

“This often means contacting someone in a lower echelon, like an online producer, and learning about what the publication can take and what their specifications would be before pitching to an editor higher up,” says Rue.

10. Focus on storytelling
More seasoned reporters may feel like recent college grads are nipping at their heels when it comes to their technical skills, but at least one editor says those tech skills still can’t compensate for a lack of reporting expertise.

“It’s still about good storytelling,” says Najberg. “It’s rare that a 23-, 24-, 25-year-old can nail a story that first time out. What captures my eye in a pitch: I want something that’s telling me how this is a great visual story and how you’re going to tell it and show it. You have to be a great storyteller: solid, strong and mature in delivering what you say you’re going to deliver.”

While freelancing multiplatform content may seem like a long and winding road, the good news is that demand for this kind of content is likely to grow down the line, so getting an early in with editors will put you ahead of the competition.

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Darragh Worland is a New York City-based multimedia consultant and educator. She teaches multiplatform storytelling at mediabistro.com and NYU, digital video at ABC News, and helps print publications figure out how to incorporate multimedia into their daily operations.

There is a reason delighting in the fashion foibles of celebrities is a popular online pastime, why “The Landlord” from FunnyOrDie.com was an instant classic (more than 73 million views so far), and why what happens in your everyday life can produce the biggest laughs on Twitter and Facebook. When it comes to standing out on the Web, funny wins every time.

But what if you simply aren’t that comical, or have trouble translating your brand of humor into something that online audiences will find amusing? It’s not as hard to do as you might think.

Write Like You Talk

“I’ve always been one of the main people in my circle of friends who was always cracking jokes or was always being light-hearted about a situation,” says blogger Shareka Roberts, who is also known as “Fresh” on her satirical blog Crunk & Disorderly, which skewers African-American celebrities and pop culture figures. “How I write is directly the same as how I speak to my friends in real life.”

While writing just like you speak is one way to see if your sense of humor works for online audiences, honesty can stir up laughs from out of no where too. “A lot of people think funny things in their head all the time, but they just don’t say anything. That’s one of the main reasons I love Twitter. Everyone’s a comedian, or comic rather, on Twitter because — you have how many characters? 140? — to say whatever is on your mind,” Roberts says. “People generally tend to speak their honest opinion — they regret it later, of course! — but they say whatever. I think that’s what a lot of people who are considered to be funny___ that’s what we do.” If that doesn’t work, try being a “more sarcastic version” of yourself online, she suggests.

“The [blog] format lends itself to ridiculousness, and if you try too hard to be funny on top of that, people will get turned off.”

Blogger Amy Corbett Storch, who chronicles the humorous highs and lows of juggling parenting and life in general at Amalah.com, has similar advice. “Think about the last time you told a story to your friends at a bar or dinner party and got a laugh. Now try writing that story down and see if the humor translates. Sometimes it’s just a ‘write like you talk’ thing; sometimes you might need to punch it up with photos or illustrations or mess with the structure a little bit,” Storch says.

Dan Abramson, a writer with FunnyOrDie.com, actor Will Ferrell’s and writer/director Adam McKay’s comedy video website, has another take on how to inject humor into your blog. “Blogs are inherently funny. Just the word can make someone laugh. It’s hard to take someone seriously if they’re talking about their blog. Especially if they have vlogs, too. So with that in mind, just own it. Acknowledge that the world of blogging is just funny in and of itself. I think if you have fun with it, other people will too. The format lends itself to ridiculousness, and if you try too hard to be funny on top of that, people will get turned off,” Abramson says.

There’s A Difference Between Edgy and Offensive

While it may seem that “anything goes” when it comes to blogs, tweets, and TMI-ing on Facebook, there are some subjects you should probably avoid when looking for laughs, like death, incurable diseases, and kids, says Roberts. While she has her own standards of what she will and won’t find the humor in, she says people need to come up with their own personal guidelines for where to draw the line. “That’s the thing about humor___ What one person thinks is too far may not be far enough for their audience to get a response out of it,” she says.

“I think the same subjects that are off-limits in real life are the same in blogging,” says Abramson. “That said, things can exist context-free on the Internet. It’s the reason why Antoine Dodson went from random eccentric living in the projects to international singing sensation. You can focus on his over-the-top ridiculousness, and easily forget that the original video was actually a newscast of him defending his sister who was almost raped. Rape, the reigning champion of off-limits subjects in mainstream comedy. Can’t really turn on reruns of Frasier to find Niles Crane making rape jokes,” he says.

Knowing your audience may be the best way to gauge where to draw the line between what’s funny and what’s offensive, says Storch. “I’ve seen just about everything on earth played for laughs on the Internet. Everything. And I’ve seen some of it done really, really well, to the point even I can’t believe I’m laughing. I’ve also seen it done really badly and been kind of offended,” she says.

Snapping funny pictures of people on the street and sharing it with your Twitter followers is another gray area of online comedy. For example, you are out on the street and see some unfortunate old man donning a pair of shorts with black socks and sandals. Celebrities who are in the public eye are one thing, but should you go after people who didn’t ask to be photographed and tweeted about?

“I try not to do twitpics of people who I don’t know. I’m a pretty open person [though] so I’ll ask a person, ‘Let me take your picture,'” Roberts says.

Befriend the One-Liner

Twitter and Facebook are two of the biggest tools for promoting your blog and generating audiences in their own right, so it goes without saying it serves as an extension of your humor, albeit in smaller doses. So what makes for a funny tweet or Facebook wall post or status update? Absurdity, perceptiveness, and self-deprecation are tops with Storch, as well as “something that makes me think, ‘OMG, I know!’ and wish I wrote it. And no spelling errors, typos or excessive abbreviations,” says Storch.

While Abramson jokes that references to Beverly Hills Cop are always winners on social networks, “Facebook posts and tweets really lend themselves to the one-liner, which is hard. Not as hard as taking down a gang with the help of Judge Reinhold though,” he says.

If It Doesn’t Work, Who Cares?

The great thing about the relative informality of the blogosphere is that it tends to allow you to be more of who you are — less uptight — an advantage that bloggers and website content producers who don’t think they have a natural gift for humor need to seize upon.

“Informality can free you up, bringing out some great humor___ And if it doesn’t work, who cares?”

“That informality can free you up, bringing out some great humor. If you’re just writing your own blog and you have nobody to report to, you can do anything you want,” says Abramson. “And if it doesn’t work, who cares? Just edit it. Write something else. The shelf life of most things online is pretty short and nothing’s really set in stone. And that’s really fun,” he says.

So visualize your friends in front of you, or pretend like you are emailing a friend, and make that a blog post. Blogging is really nothing new in the modern sense of the word, says Storch. We’ve almost been doing it for ages.

“I recently found a big stack of short stories and essays I wrote in college and my early 20s that I guess I hoped to have published in the traditional sense — and with just a couple exceptions, they are terrible, and sound nothing like me. They sounded like what I thought a magazine or paper would print as “‘funny.’ The only drafts I think are funny are — if you can believe it — just stupid stories I wrote down to make my friends laugh in class. Stuff mocking our professor or an author we were reading and disliked, or stories about me getting drunk and falling out of a cab, or about ‘That Time I Did That Really Stupid Thing.’ Basically, I was writing blog entries for them before there was such a thing,” Storch says.

Above all, Roberts says bloggers and tweeters who aspire to generate knee-slaps should just simply “have fun” with it. Of course, if you plan to joke about others, you should probably prepare for a few barbs to come your way, as well. “You have to develop a thick skin in order to be dishing it out to thousands of readers everyday,” she says.

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Jennifer Pullinger is a freelance writer and book and film publicist in Richmond, Va. Visit her at www.JenniferLPullinger.com or @JLPullinger.

Early in her writing career, Jessica McCann was given the opportunity of a lifetime: An interview with U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor.

“I was a bit star-struck to be speaking with such a powerful woman in America’s history,” recalls McCann, an Arizona-based writer and author of All Different Kinds of Free.

During the phone interview, she wound up saying something that seemed to cause O’Connor to clam up___shortly after, all she got was short answers and plenty of silence. “It was a disaster,” adds McCann.

McCann faced an issue that many reporters deal with: interviewing a prominent individual or celebrity. Dealing with this kind of situation goes beyond calming your own nerves. To nail a sit-down with an important person and still churn out a top notch report, there are certain things even the most seasoned journalist must consider.

Doing your homework

Let’s face it: well-known people typically get asked the same questions over and over. Celebrities, in particular, often grant interviews during press junkets or a media tour, which means every other reporter will likely have the same information about the project that you do. If you want to get more than the cliche “this is my most personal album” answer from a musician or the “everyone on the set was like a family” quote from a TV star, you must do some digging beforehand in order to stand out.

Veteran music journalist and filmmaker Nelson George summed it up this way: “Try not to ask the same questions they’ve been asked a million times. That’s a good start. Some things are inevitable, but if you’ve got to ask it, ask it in a different way. So it’s always about trying to find an angle that’s different. One of the most important things is to know their body of work. Artists love it when you know about not the hit records or the hit books or the hit movies, but the things that weren’t as successful. Be aware of their complete body of work.”

Kenneth Miller, a seasoned journalist who has written for Time, says the key to a good discussion with a well-known subject — or anyone, for that matter — is to learn about him or her, and what they do.

“That helps establish a rapport from the get-go,” he says. “The celeb is usually grateful that I’ve bothered to do my homework___many reporters don’t, apparently.”

When Jane Hodges, a Seattle business journalist and author was interviewing the CEO of a real estate investment trust recently, she took the time to research the company.

“People appreciate it if you’ve done your homework and if you can speak to them in the acronyms and lingo of their business. It makes them feel confident that you’ll use the material in context and that they can share juicier things with you,” she explains.

“First and foremost, she’s a human being. It’s critical to relate to her on that basic level, person to person, rather than gush and fawn like an idiot.”

Breaking the ice

Understandably, a high-profile interview can present some jitters; so many journalists try to warm up the atmosphere before diving in with hard-hitting questions.

“Offering up a compliment or two is a great way to break the ice and get the interview subject to open up, as long as compliments are sincere,” says McCann. Just don’t overdo it, she advises.

I once stumbled over my words with Maroon 5 front man Adam Levine and wound up telling him he had mastered the “f***-you song” since many of his tunes incorporate feelings of anger. But Levine wasn’t miffed. He seemed to take the gaffe as a compliment and a sign that I was approachable.

But is it a good idea for reporters to disclose their admiration to an interview subject?

“Why not?” asks Vincent Schilling, a freelance journalist. When he interviewed Wayne Newton, he let the singer know that he was a fan of Mr. Las Vegas. “Sure, there is a gray line between idol worship and professional, but my job is fun. Being a stick in the mud stinks.” He says saying something pleasant or joking a bit in a lighthearted manner helps break down some walls, which can lead to a great discussion.

Broaching the difficult topics

A solid handshake or some chitchat can go a long way to enable the subject to feel comfortable with you. But before you begin saying or doing anything, it’s important to develop and sequence your questions in a way that allows your interviewee to open up and deliver the answers you need.

In the event that you have to ask questions of a sensitive nature, Hodges says to talk about other topics first if possible. But when you do have to ask about a scandal or other touchy subject, distance yourself so the question is posed in way that shows you are not personally interested, but are simply gathering information.

“I say things like, ‘Well, I do have to ask you about what’s happening with___fill in the blank. I know that’s probably not a pleasant topic for you, but as part of the story I’m doing I need to address that with you. Others have said [this and that], but what do you have to say?'” Hodges offers.

Schilling says honesty is best, and he lets his subject know that they can speak off the record. “I will honor it,” he adds.

Brad Holbrook, a former journalist who makes promotional videos for actors at ActorIntro.com, once interviewed the CEO of an oil company after its oil well exploded and killed several employees. “I had to spend the first 15 minutes of the interview chatting about his favorite football team just to establish a sense of trust between us,” notes Holbrook. After the pleasantries were exchanged, Holbrook said the CEO was much less guarded.

Working with publicists

Sometimes no matter how thoroughly you prepare, it’s not you or the newsmaker who poses obstacles to information, but his gatekeeper. Managing a relationship with a publicist can be tricky: he’s there to protect his client and will likely tell you how long you have for the interview and what subjects to stay away from. In some cases, he may tell you that something his client said cannot be used in the article.

“If you’re interviewing a star involved in a scandal so big that you’d be remiss not to ask about it, you have to ask. The worst you can be told is no.”

But remember that you’re there to get quotes and facts for your story, regardless of how the interview subject may feel. “Publicists can control access to a person, but they can’t make you strike from the record things that the source or expert has already shared with you,” notes Hodges.

Heather Larson, a writer and on-air personality based in Kansas, says working with a publicist is imperative to secure current and future interviews. If the publicist asks you not to talk about a topic with his client you can still turn around and ask the question anyway. But consider that relationship gone if you do, she says.

“If you’re interviewing a star involved in a scandal so big that you’d be remiss not to ask about it, you have to ask. The worst you can be told is no,” she says.

McCann says it’s better to keep your word if you tell the publicist you won’t touch on a topic. “Don’t make empty promises only to land the interview. It will come back to bite you. Publicists talk to one another, and if you get a reputation for being deceitful, it will hurt your chances of landing high-profile interviews in the future.”

Sometimes, a publicist simply may not grant you access to the person he represents.

In that situation, Hodges says you can always say that without hearing from the client, you have to resort to speaking to other people about the topic. “Tell the publicist that you’d rather let the source speak for him/herself than let others gossip,” she adds.

Whether you are nervous about bringing up a celebrity’s stint in rehab, can’t stand the politician you have to write an expose on, or simply blush when you get to interview the singer of your favorite band, being a journalist isn’t always easy.

McCann says the most valuable takeaway she learned from her flub with Chief Justice O’Connor was not to put an interview subject on a pedestal. “First and foremost, she’s a human being. It’s critical to relate to her on that basic level, person to person, rather than gush and fawn like an idiot.”

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Kristen Fischer is a Certified Professional Resume Writer (CPRW) living at the Jersey Shore. Find out more about her by visiting www.kristenfischer.com.