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.”

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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.

NEXT >> Ready, Set, Star: Produce Your Own Online Video Show

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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.

NEXT >> So What Do You Do, Justin Halpern, Author of Shit My Dad 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.

Is it April already? Not quite, but it is the season of dread, otherwise known as tax season. So as you scour your files for errant receipts, collect your 1099’s, and finally figure out if you can claim your home office as a business expense, now is the time you should also explore whether you are missing out on other, lesser known deductions. Plus, there are new “twists” on well-known deductions for your 2010 return. Health Savings Accounts

One of those “hidden” tax deductions least considered by freelancers and the self-employed are HSAs, or Health Savings Accounts. They are “as good as a retirement saving account, and in some cases, even better because you get the upfront tax deduction when you contribute money to an HSA,” says Eric Tyson, author of the forthcoming Personal Finance in Your 20s For Dummies and several other best-selling personal finance books.

“The investment earnings compound without taxation over time, and then if you withdraw the money in the future for healthcare-related expenses, you do not pay taxes on the backend. There are no retirement accounts that can give you that so-called triple-tax free benefit where you are getting the tax benefits upfront, on-going, and then on the back-end,” Tyson adds.

Even if you don’t use all of the money in your account for health care reasons, you can still withdraw money for other, non-health care expenses, although you will pay a penalty if you’re under 65. If you decide to tap into the account early, you will also need to pay income taxes on the money just like you would with a retirement account withdrawal. Other restrictions apply so read the small print if you decide to sign up.

Health Insurance Premium Deduction

Health insurance premiums are also tax deductible, but there is a new twist for 2010. When Congress passed the Small Business Jobs and Credit Act in September, it included new provisions for the self-employed. “In 2010 only, you get to write off the full amount of the premium on your tax return not as a business deduction, but as an adjustment to gross income on your personal return,” says Barbara Weltman, tax and business attorney and author of J.K. Lasser’s Your Income Tax 2011: For Preparing Your 2010 Tax Return.

Previously, self-employed individuals could deduct premiums from their income before calculating income tax, but not before calculating self-employment tax. Now, they can deduct the cost of health insurance premiums from their income before computing self-employment tax. Again, this is for 2010 only.

Home Office Deduction

Have you ever sat down and really scrutinized Schedule C to see if you are maximizing your deductions? “There are a lot of individual line items and within each line item on Schedule C, there are a lot of different things that you can take. I have found that simply the process of people proactively familiarizing themselves with what they can take as deductions gets them thinking about that during the year,” says Tyson.

“I hear some people say, ‘Don’t take it because you are going to subject yourself to an audit.’ Well, that’s just dumb. If you are legally entitled to take a home office deduction, you should take it.”

Most freelancers and self-employed people are aware of the home office deduction available on Schedule C, yet many are reluctant to actually take it. “I hear some people say, ‘Don’t take it because you are going to subject yourself to an audit.’ Well, that’s just dumb. If you are legally entitled to take a home office deduction, you should take it. If you are in a grey area and the deduction is not worth much, then that’s a different situation. But if you qualify based upon the reading of the rules, then by all means you should take it,” Tyson says.

Section 179 Depreciation Deduction

If you purchased a new computer, printer, iPad, or other piece of office property in 2010, the Small Business Jobs and Credit Act eased restrictions on how much you can depreciate and when. These kinds of property write-offs are known as Section 179 deductions, and for the 2010 tax year you can now, if you qualify, deduct the full cost of your new computer or printer instead of depreciating it over several years. “This 100 percent bonus depreciation is very favorable,” says Weltman. “The only caveat here is that it only applies to new property, not to pre-owned property.” The other requirement is that your office purchase must have been placed into service after September 8, 2010 in order to get the full write-off. If in use before then, you can only qualify for 50 percent bonus depreciation.

Payroll Tax Holiday

In December 2010, President Obama signed into law the Tax Relief, Unemployment Insurance Reauthorization, and Job Creation Act of 2010, which created a new tax break that applies to 2011 earnings, popularly referred to as the Payroll Tax Holiday. Sure, you can’t take it now, but it is a bright spot on next year’s tax horizon.

“For employees, [the Payroll Tax Holiday] means a 2 percent cut in the social security portion of their FICA. But if you are self-employed like many freelancers are, they get the benefit of this break by reducing the social security portion of their self-employment tax that would basically be considered the employee’s share. So they are going to get this break, but because they are not on the payroll, they get it by reducing their estimated taxes,” Weltman says.

“The tax law is very complicated. There are provisions that are effective only in 2011. There are provisions that are effective for the first time in 2011, and that is a challenge for people to know what they need to do in order to take advantage of tax savings opportunities.”

Whether you decide to take some of these lesser known tax deductions in 2010, the best overall advice for maximizing — and safe-guarding — your return is what we all (hopefully) already know: keep detailed, organized records throughout the year.

“Document, document, document. First of all, when it comes time to preparing your return, the documentation will help you to make sure you’ve captured everything and get it into the right categories on the form. Longer term, in the unlikely event that you do get audited, you’ve got the documentation to back up what you are claiming,” says Tyson.

Weltman adds, “The tax law is very complicated. There are provisions that are effective only in 2011. There are provisions that are effective for the first time in 2011. There are provisions that expire and are no longer effective in 2011, and that is a challenge for people to know what they need to do in order to take advantage of tax savings opportunities.”

The life of the self-employed is indeed rough. The key is to stay up on the latest tax laws (or, let’s face it, find a good accountant), so you can keep more of those increasingly hard-to-come-by dollars and focus on the fun stuff, like working at your leisure. After all, isn’t that why you went freelance in the first place?

NEXT >> Tax Time Tips for Freelancers

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Jennifer Pullinger is a freelance writer and publicist in Richmond, VA. Visit her at www.jenniferlpullinger.com.

At any given minute, a writer somewhere is being told ‘no’ by magazine editors, book agents, consulting clients, and these days, even potential connections on LinkedIn.

Aspiring freelance journalist Ishea Brown Arnold says she might have received the quickest rejection email in history after pitching a story idea to a popular online women’s magazine. “I was both excited and slightly nervous to pitch my first story idea,” says Arnold. “Imagine my surprise when [the editor] responded to my email within five minutes. I attempted to throw a few more story ideas her way and was once again shut down in record time.”

Even the most established scribes know that for every 10 ideas they generate, a paltry one or two might actually result in a byline. But if you are committed to your craft and story, stick to it. Rejection may be inescapable, but it’s the recovery that makes all the difference.

What One Publication Won’t Accept, Another Will

Pitching is as unpredictable as a roll of dice, says Demetria L. Lucas, relationships editor at Essence. “Sometimes you can pitch something to say, six or seven different magazines, and the first six will say, ‘Eh, it’s not really for us,’ but the seventh will say, ‘I think this is great.’ Sometimes somebody will pitch something and it’ll be a great story, but not for us.”

Short story writer and author Dolen Perkins-Valdez avoided rejection of her novel Wench because she didn’t submit the manuscript prematurely. She also says writers often are too preoccupied with the logistics of book publishing, instead of perfecting the material first.

“I think sometimes as writers we get so excited when we have a completed manuscript, and we start to submit it before it’s ready. Don’t think about the publisher and the agent, just write the story,” says Perkins-Valdez. “Get it written and then worry about that, and if that doesn’t work, then self-publish. The important thing is that we write our stories.”

While you’re at it, consider searching for other magazines or publishing houses that may be interested. Pitching is constant, so researching various outlets should be, as well.

Know When to Say When

It’s easy to become attached to an idea, but there comes a time when “no really does mean no,” according to Stephanie Davis Smith, editor-in-chief of The Atlantan and contributing editor to Jezebel and Men’s Book Atlanta. “I say if three editors don’t see the value in it, and you know it’s right for their publication, scrap it. It might be something they’ve seen before or someone on their team is already working on it.”

“Once, I taped all of my rejection letters on my wall and then it covered the entire wall.You have to just keep going forward.”

Lucas says going for the usual hot topics, such as current events or hot guys and sex, in an untimely manner is a trap many writers fall into when pitching to Essence. “A clear sign for writers to drop their ideas is when you see the same things somewhere else. As much as [editors] brainstorm on ideas all the time, there are very few new things,” she says. “What makes it fresh is the perspective that a writer brings to it.”

If you haven’t received positive feedback from any editor, go back to the drawing board, Lucas adds. “If you’re pitching ideas, you want them to sell. You want them to get picked up, and good ideas usually go pretty quickly. [Editors] know a good idea immediately when they see it.”

Find a New Hook

Sell your story by making it relevant and timely. “The best way to pitch a common story is updating the cast of characters in it and tying the story into something going on in the news,” says Jozen Cummings, digital content director for hip-hop magazine, XXLmag.com.

Cummings says writers should ask themselves what makes their story idea unique before formally pitching to editors. A common mistake music journalists make is pitching profiles or Q & A’s on new artists who the editorial staff is likely to have covered already. “Find some nuance in the story you pitch, a hook that makes it different from all the stories we’ve read on a similar topic.”

He shares an example, “I don’t want someone to pitch me a story on Yelawolf being the ‘new white rapper of the moment.’ That’s obvious. But if someone pitched me a story on Yelawolf and other rappers from Alabama who hit it big, that’s a Yelawolf story I can possibly get into.”

Smith suggests brainstorming exercises to generate new story ideas. “Sometimes I just like to write down an idea and then brainstorm on 10 or 12 different ways to angle that story,” she says. “After three or four, wild ideas start to come out and that’s usually when you get something original or new.”

Befriend Your Editor

Sometimes a no is a just a delayed yes. Building a rapport with editors through follow-up is key in turning a rejection into an assignment, Smith says. “It’s all about developing a relationship with the editor where you’re bringing them great ideas,” she says. “The better and more original the ideas, the more likely they will respond and assign you something.”

Editors may not have time to explain why story ideas or manuscripts were denied, but sending a simple handwritten thank you note or email with more suitable pitches attached is still in order.

“If I get a personal note from an editor that says, ‘Thanks, but no thanks,’ I’ll write them back,” says Perkins-Valdez. “I don’t do it often, but if the door’s cracked open — I can see a little bit of light — I’m stepping through that door.”

“Every single person who’s gone on to be a great writer or a great editor has had tons of rejection letters.”

There are more innovative ways to keep editors engaged after rejection. When pitching them, include links to your blog or website, Facebook and Twitter handles. Lucas says even if the story idea is rebuffed, writers can still leave lasting impressions. Though she may not greenlight every piece, she will keep writers in mind for future assignments after reading their work and checking out their online interactions.

“I think using social networking is brilliant,” Lucas says. “It’s the smartest thing you can do to stay on an editor’s radar because please believe we’re all on there. We’re on Gawker; we’re on Twitter and Facebook. We’re always searching for ideas.”

Let Rejection Motivate You

Perkins-Valdez’s Wench was accepted by its first publisher, but for the last 10 years, she’d been writing short stories for journals, such as The Kenyon Review. In that time, four of her stories were published, but she received plenty more snubs. Consequentially, she developed a thick skin she says is required for writers.

“Once, I taped all of my rejection letters on my wall and then it covered the entire wall,” she recalls. “You have to just keep going forward. Every now and then, when I think maybe I’m not a short story writer, something gets accepted.”

It’s impossible to sell every story or manuscript, so be creative in establishing relationships with editors, know when to drum up new ideas, and dig for alternative outlets for an idea, even if that means posting it to your own blog. Lastly, don’t take being turned down personally.

“It’s not a rejection of you; it’s a rejection of the idea,” Lucas says. “Every single person who’s gone on to be a great writer or a great editor has had tons of rejection letters. It happens to the best of them.”

NEXT >> Pitching An Agent: The Strothman Agency

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Alisha N. Tillery is a freelance writer living and working in Memphis. She maintains a personal blog, Because I Said So.

It seems every day a journo starts a blog. At first, it’s like any relationship. You love it and spend lots of time trying to make everything perfect. Then, the reality of maintaining it sets in. A day off here turns into a week off there, and before you know it your blog ends up one of the many left to curl up and die in cyberspace. But, when is it really the right time to abandon your blog?

That depends on your motive, says social media expert Jay Baer, whose widely read ConvinceandConvert.com has not suffered such a fate. While it’s tempting to write your blog’s obituary if it’s collecting dust, ask yourself a few simple questions before pulling the trigger.

Figure Out Your Motive And Stick To It

There are three main reasons people decide to launch blogs: to create community, to generate business or to increase awareness. So, if you’re a writer, you might blog to show off your writing chops or to attract paying assignments. Understanding your blog’s DNA can help you stay on track, advises Baer. Focus too much on comments, and you’ll go insane.

“That’s where people get messed up,” he explains. “If your goal is to build community, you need a personal touch. If that’s not your goal, comments are nice to have, but not critical.”

Graphic designer Josh Taylor launched his blog MakeSeriously.com to turn snippets of his life into a comic. In 2007, he started posting witticisms about work and the advertising world, hoping to entertain friends and strangers. Somewhere between getting married and buying a house, the daily-ness of life edged out blogging. “It’s just so hard to find time,” he says. “Isn’t that the tenet of blogging, that it shouldn’t take very long?”

Just as getting into shape and learning a language are time-consuming pursuits, blogging is no different. Baer updates his blog three times a week and has stuck to that schedule for three years. Blogging is a commitment, and if you want a dedicated audience, you have to “make the time to do it. The idea of ‘I don’t have the time’ is a fallacy,” says Baer.

“I’d get all excited in the beginning and then say ‘you know this is boring. No one’s reading this, why even bother to keep it?'”

The co-author of The Now Revolution is a frequent speaker at social media conferences across the county. During his weekly travel stints, he finds flying extremely conducive to blogging. He’ll bang out four or five posts at a time in transit and schedule them to publish throughout the week. “When the writing flows, you have to stick with it.”

When It’s Time To Purge Or Concur

Beth Gootee has launched four blogs within the last two years. As of June 2011, two remain. Gootee’s Forever Learning blog about “quirky life’s lessons” was never meant for prime time. “It’s about observations on the journey of life,” she says.

But even personal blogs can die on the vine. Just as Taylor launched his blog with great gusto four years ago, Gootee says hers is “going downhill fast. I haven’t written in a month or more.”

In early May, after she was laid-off from her job as a project coordinator at an automotive company, the sudden change prompted her to launch blog number four, Admin4hire.wordpress.com. The idea was to attract future employers and give voice to the exhausting process of looking for a new job, she says. So far, she’s made several posts and feels great. “My focus is more on the new one, because it’s about a current life situation.”

Gootee’s decision to off her other blogs was instinctual and quick. “They were purely personal. I’d get all excited in the beginning and then say ‘you know this is boring. No one’s reading this, why even bother to keep it?'” she says.

She considers Admin4hire a reflection of her emerging personal brand and views it through a more professional lens. “It’s a good way to capture attention, and hopefully a future employer will look at it and say, “We shouldn’t be so hard on these folks. Look at what they’re going through.'”

“There is an information annuity built into blogging. Even if you haven’t updated in a while, it can still be found on Google.”

How Bad Is It?

Before you blow up your blog, figure out if it’s worth resuscitating. If it’s a source of shame, that could be a sign it no longer serves you — but it may just need a remake.

Taylor, a designer at an advertising agency in Indiana, decided to put MakeSeriously.com on hiatus until he was ready to give it more attention. He scratched it from his resume and didn’t talk it up at social functions. “If any employer goes to it, it will be a dead site,” he told us earlier this year. “But it’s a physical portfolio of my work. I think of it as being in transit.”

Since then, he’s re-launched the blog with his wife, trading off duties every few days. Because creating comics is a time suck (an hour and a half to design, color, scan and upload), he’s considering purchasing a tablet to shorten his blogging time from an hour-and-a-half to 15 minutes.

While it’s tempting to hit the delete button if, like Taylor, you haven’t posted in a year, Baer suggests holding your fire. “There is an information annuity built into blogging. Even if you haven’t updated in a while, it can still be found on Google. The objective is to make sure people can find you.”

The seduction of the 140-character ease of Twitter has turned many dedicated bloggers into micro messaging fiends. However, real-time social media is no substitute for an in-depth blog post, and even the pithiest tweet has a half-life of four minutes.

“You can interact with people on a blog,” says Baer, whose posts generate 24 to 40 comments on average, “plus it’s more searchable.”

Streamline Your Tactics

Spending too much time designing and formatting a post could really be what’s killing you and your blog. If you need help with software interface, hire someone. Google “WordPress tech support” and you will find 5 million results. And don’t wait until you have something to say to post; commit to blogging once a week. You can even hire a virtual assistant to set up your blog and upload your posts. If you’re unsure that your blog is resonating with readers, track it. Services like Postrank and Google Analytics provide insight to blog traffic and post effectiveness. This makes you realize you are not alone and that your posts have merit.

Oh, and remember that can-do spirit Gootee expressed earlier? Well, giving an upbeat voice to the unemployed through blogging seems to have helped her own situation. As of press time, she tells us she’s secured a new position.

Keeping your blog afloat is easier than it sounds. If you can cope with the equivalent of living in a messy house that hasn’t been picked up in six months, Baer says the rewards of keeping a dormant site far outweigh the alternative. “Don’t kill it.”

It’s time to commit blogocide if:
1. Your goal is to create community, but no one’s reading or commenting.
2. Your blog is a means to sell a service or create an action, and that hasn’t happened.
3. You haven’t updated it in over a year.
4. It causes more embarrassment than pride.
5. You can’t remember the name of your blog.

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Kathleen Pierce is a Boston-based journalist who blogs intermittently at www.bistrobroad.com.

“The very best place for a new writer to break into magazine writing is in the front-of-the-book section,” says Aliya S. King, an author and award-winning journalist who kicked off her career with a small piece on the death of disco legend Gwen Guthrie for Vibe in 1998. “This is where shorter, timely news stories are covered, and it’s generally where an editor may take a chance on a new writer.”

Hear that, freelancers? You can spend hours fighting other contributors for space in the feature well or gunning for a chance to pen that investigative cover if you’d like, but smart writers know that a 65-word blurb is likely the best shot at a byline.

With fashion spreads chocked full of photo captions, clever bulleted lists and quick news roundups, the front of the book sets a publication’s editorial tone. (Think: GQ‘s “The Manual” or Newsweek‘s “NewsBeast.”) And writing for this important but oft-overlooked section is an art.

Study The Magazine

How exactly do you give readers the information they need while being entertaining and direct? Study the publication or its dotcom as you would an exam. “You have to pay close attention to the voice of the publication as well,” King says. “Study what writers have done in previous issues and use that as a template.”

Every magazine’s voice and audience is different. Henry Goldblatt, Entertainment Weekly deputy managing editor and director of brand development, says he looks for the latest briefs on pop culture for the “News and Notes” section, which covers up to 10 pages in the print edition and is also published online. He also counts the section as the one his editorial assistants often write for before moving up.

“The editors are looking for the basics delivered in a tight, concise style.”

Erin Meanley is associate editor of San Diego Magazine and has worked for several glossies, including Glamour, Ellegirl and Seventeen. “You have to think about the audience. I assign short (articles) because that’s what my readers come to my magazine for,” she says. “If you can handle (reading) long, you’re reading Vanity Fair or The New Yorker.”

‘You have to be persuasive and punchy’

With a limited word count, you don’t have the space to be grandiose. “The editors are looking for the basics delivered in a tight, concise style,” says King. “They don’t want to see you write with a flourish. They need the facts.”

Make your facts interesting or even humorous. Meanley suggests, “Try to be economical with your words and give all the necessary info, adding just enough voice to make it fun to read.”

Above all, Goldblatt says it’s imperative that writers do extensive research on the subject and avoid factual errors. Practice the universal ABC’s of journalism: accuracy, background and context, then “hook them with a strong lede.”

“Sometimes, writing a short story requires even more talent than penning a 2,000-word feature, because you don’t have the luxury of a ‘wind-up,'” he explains. “You have to be persuasive and punchy in a tiny amount of space.”

Do so successfully, and it could lead to juicier assignments at that publication.

“If you can write a great front-of-the-book story, that demonstrates to an editor that you know how to express yourself in a coherent, tight fashion,” Goldblatt says, “and that you’ve been able to wade through your mass of reporting to surface the very best of it.”

Keep Your Word Count Down

Often, front-of-the-book writers have the task of turning what would normally be a 750-word story into just a few paragraphs. Keeping your words to a minimum is often the most difficult part, but doing so proves your ability to follow the editor’s instructions.

King recalls, “The [Vibe] story was assigned to me at a very low word count, maybe 250 words. It was so hard for me to keep the count down. I ended up sending in over twice that amount. Not a good idea.

“For many writers, myself included, writing small is harder than writing a long feature. Luckily, my editor was patient with me, and that obit in 1998 jumped off a career at Vibe that continues to this day.”

“If you can write a great front-of-the-book story, that demonstrates to an editor that you know how to express yourself in a coherent, tight fashion.”

Meanley advises writers to flex their journalistic muscles without getting too cocky. “I think it’s lazy when writers send in 700 words when I asked for 250,” she says, “And it’s self-indulgent when they give me a 600-word blog post when I said no more than 200.”

If you can’t get out all your thoughts in the allotted parameters, you “leave it for the editor to do massive cutting,” she says. And, as any freelancer knows, making an editor happy is part of your job description.

Think Visually

Sometimes a simple paragraph won’t do. With FOB writing, you can often have a little more fun with the creative presentation. An editor might not assign you one page on the five best getaways for bachelors, but she might approve a photo gallery with a few captions on each locale’s dude friendliness.

And, with more pubs churning out daily content for their websites, there’s often opportunity to channel your FOB flair into additional assignments for the magazine’s dot-com ___- or, in the case of Complex, the opposite. The company’s editorial director, Orlando Lima, told mediabistro.com earlier this year that he uses Complex.com as a launch pad for writers before he’ll consider them for the front of the book or anywhere else in the print pub.

“The way we get freelance writers to begin with us is if they can actually do a good [online] list for us — usually a ‘top’ type of list — Top 10s, Top 25s, Top 50s, such as “50 Biggest NFL Playoff Fails,” he says.

Even if your list or charticle idea isn’t a go, an editor will likely appreciate your ability to think outside the simple text box.

Hit The Right Pitch

Once you’ve decided to write for the front of the book, remember to pitch the types of stories the publication will publish.

“Make sure your pitch is irresistible,” Goldblatt says. “Take something in the news and provide a twist.” Some popular front-of-the-book stories from Entertainment Weekly and EW.com range from “Donald Trump for President, Really?” to a story on the vampire craze in Hollywood.

Also, FOB stories are brief for a reason, so don’t suggest a word count when pitching. Your editor knows the amount of space available and can determine if your idea is better as a blurb or a feature.

Writing for the front of the book can be challenging yet rewarding. You’ll have an opportunity to show editors your knowledge of the magazine and likely face less competition from other contributors. So, rather than fight the rite of passage, embrace it. As Goldblatt says, “New writers should expect to begin at the front of the book.”

NEXT >> The Art of the Listicle: Craft a Perfect ‘Top 10’

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Alisha N. Tillery is a freelance writer living and working in Memphis. She maintains a personal blog, Because I Said So.

After moving to New York City to become a writer, Alida Nugent found out things weren’t quite the way they appeared on Sex and the City. In “Carrie Bradshaw Math,” a post written on her blog TheFrenemy.com, Nugent summed up the would-be-life of the fictitious character, pitting her daily diet of designer pumps and fancy dinners against some real-life price points.

Nugent’s post, which was published by Gothamist.com and Refinery29.com, was written out of frustration and confirmed what other writers already knew: Freelancing comes with a price.

“I feel like [Bradshaw’s] lifestyle was sort of insane,” says Nugent. “Maybe other people realized $800 dollar outfits aren’t what happen when you freelance write — because it’s not. Don’t be fooled!”

While freelance writing can be extremely rewarding (making your own hours, the high of that first byline), there are some definite downsides. Here’s what we wish they taught us in J-school. 1. Freelancing is a full-time gig.

If you thought freelancing was easy, think again. When you’re not writing, you’re coming up with new story ideas, maintaining your personal website, tweeting to build a following, or attending industry events to increase your network. Mashaun D. Simon, a former contributor to Black Enterprise and TheGrio.com, admits to his own misconceptions about the business. “It seemed like a lot of fun and freedom and gave me exposure,” he says. “I did not expect it to become as much of a struggle as it has been. Freelancing is a business within itself, and, in order to be successful, one has to be on top of their game.”

Bené Viera, who has written for Juicy and GlobalGrind.com adds, “You really have to treat freelancing like it’s your 8-to-5 job. “You have to wake up in the morning; you have to have pitches; you have to send a ton of pitches to various publications and hope that you get a reply back.”

So, follow up with editors and pursue new leads. Establish your own business hours and don’t take personal calls during the day. You should maintain a constant flow of work, even after pitches are submitted.

“Freelancing is a business within itself, and, in order to be successful, one has to be on top of their game.”

2. You may have to get a “real” job.

That’s right. Until you can sustain yourself on assignments alone, chances are you’ll be doing something other than just writing every day. The media industry is constantly changing, so today’s freelance journos are dabbling in related fields to build skills, as well as supplement income.

“I have recently come to realize that in order for me to be the success I want to be and financially stable as I need to be, my sources of income need to come from diverse places,” says Simon. “So, I am in the process of truly making myself a business.”

Viera, who also takes on editing projects and works as a substitute teacher in New York City Schools, warns writers to beware of the inherent inconsistency in the profession. “You may have five pieces for one month and then go three months without writing one single piece. I think you have to be multi-talented and think outside the box and utilize your skills. It’s what you make it, really.”

3. You still have a boss: your editor.

While freelance writers may not literally punch a clock, their editors still call the shots. Sometimes, a story will require a few rewrites before it’s approved, or maybe you’re working with several editors simultaneously. Successful scribes accept the fact that the end product may not always look how they intended. Freelancing may be a solo gig, but it still entails lots of collaboration.

Janelle Nanos, senior editor for Boston Magazine and writer for Marie Claire and Forbes, knows the tricky relationship between writer and editor all too well. She suggests that writers speak with their editors in advance about the publication’s expectations and be receptive to constructive criticism.

“Sometimes writers really need their hands held if a story is unique to fit the publication,” she explains. “You sort of have to be able to fit the needs of every editor you’re working with and go in with an open mind.”

Sherri Williams, a contributor to Heart & Soul and Ebony, adds that the relationship with an editor is just like one with any supervisor, so first impressions are important. Build a good reputation now, and it could lead to more assignments in the future. “Don’t miss your deadlines,” she warns. “They need to see that they can trust you.”

4. You may be chasing your checks… or not get them at all.

Waiting on a back payment? Welcome to freelancing. Many writers have horror stories of never being compensated, being asked to work without a contract, or even having to take publications to small claims court for their wages.

“You don’t want to get there,” says Nanos. If you’re wondering when you’ll be issued payment, don’t panic and don’t ask your editor either, she advises. “Asking the editor is probably going to seem like you’re a little bit anxious.”

Instead, consult with the business manager who oversees payment or refer to your contract to see what the payment terms are. For example, a magazine may not issue payment until 30-45 days after publication. So, if you’re working on a piece in January for the April issue, you might not see any money until May. However, if a significant amount has passed and you still haven’t received payment, contact your editor.

“Letting an editor know, if you’ve already reached out to the business manager, that you haven’t heard anything is certainly one way to do it because they can light the fire, and make sure that things are moving accordingly,” says Nano.

“I think you have to be multi-talented and think outside the box and utilize your skills. It’s what you make it, really.”

And, no matter what the editor promises you, don’t (read: never) work without a contract. “Everyone’s looking to get that first clip, but make sure that it’s a reputable place, somewhere you feel like you’re going to be paid and respected as a writer,” adds Nano.

5. Pitching will become your life.

Because good pitches result in assignments and income, writers are always thinking ahead for hot topics that fit the publication and its sections. “Learn the publication. Most magazines have different pieces which can recur with every issue,” says Nanos. “The key is knowing what those pieces are and writing your pitch to fit that section of the magazine. Be upfront about it: ‘I read the last few sections, I thought this would sync up well with what you’ve been doing.'”

After a lengthy career in daily newspapers, Williams had to remember to pitch stories that would entice readers months ahead, instead of daily. She suggests studying a magazine’s editorial calendar, usually found in its media kit, to find out what kinds of stories are published throughout the year. “Dig deeper for trends to make the story more current and fresh.”

6. You might need an accountant.

When the money starts rolling in from assignments, it might be best to let a professional tackle those 1099’s. “One of the top reasons to get yourself a quality tax preparer or accountant is their ability to maneuver your deductions,” write Joseph D’Agnese and Denis Kiernan in The Money Book for Freelancers, Part-Timers and the Self-Employed.”

As an independent contractor, expenses for items necessary to perform your job, such as office space, furniture, computers, travel expenses and magazine subscriptions can all be deducted on your tax return.

“TurboTax can only do so much,” says Nanos. Make the investment.

7. You’re not in this alone.

Sorry, Candace and Carrie, but this gig typically involves more stalking of editors than stomping in Louboutins. But, for those brave enough to forge a career as a writer, there are some awesome connections to be made and resources to rely on.

“I wish I had known about Writer’s Market in the beginning,” says Talisha Dunn, writer for Patch-Crofton. “This book helped me discover what my niche was and learn how to expand writing opportunities. It comes out every year and is very expensive, but the advice and resources are priceless.”

There’s also the Freelancers Union for help with late payment issues and sites like Ed2010 that post full- or part-time gigs if you’re looking for something to tide you over between projects. And, after reaching out to Williams for an interview for this piece, I learned that she landed a story in The Source after reading mediabistro.com’s “How to Pitch” section. “I pitched in April, and my story will run in August,” she says.

Make life easier for yourself by accepting the downsides of the profession now and finding ways to overcome them. Stave off deadbeat clients by only working under contractual agreements. Be prepared to spend possibly more time researching new ideas than writing about them. If tax season turns out to be a nightmare, get an accountant to ensure the best return, and, by all means, nurture that relationship with your editor and don’t burn bridges.

Says Simon, “You cannot just sit around and wait for opportunities to come to you.”

NEXT >> Hidden Tax Write-Offs for Freelancers

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Alisha Tillery is a freelance writer living and working in Memphis. She maintains a personal blog, Because I Said So.