Making $$$ The Write Way A free eMagazine for writers of integrity *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ November 20, 2002 Volume 1 Number 4 *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ To subscribe, and receive the FREE eBook, "So You Want to be a Travel Writer," surf here: http://www.ebookstand.com *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ In this issue: 1.) Letter From The Publisher---On The Home Front 2.) Ask an Expert/Questions and Answers 3.) COMP-ortunity of the week 4.) Online Success- Internet Marketing Tips and Strategies For Writers 5.) The Business of Writing by Duane Newcomb 6.) Editor's Pick/Reviews 7.) The Boast Post---Bragging Board of Writers Triumphs and Victories *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Making $$$ The Write Way eMagazine is a division of The Magnum Group ISSN pending. Copyright 2002 Write Spirit Publishing. All rights reserved. *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Start Comping today by purchasing our best selling eBook: "BEEN THERE---COMPED THAT!" Free Travel, Dining, and Entertainment, All for the Cost of Some Ink Available at: http://www.ebookstand.com *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ ~*~ On The Home Front Carmel L. Mooney News from the "Home Front" Is it just me or maybe it's just in this area of California…but I can't remember a year when the colors were this vibrant? I'm really enjoying the beauty this year. It reminds me of a special fall drive we took through Yosemite when I was a little girl. Even my three year-old stops everywhere we go to pick up the gorgeous fallen leaves. I'm so inspired to just curl up in front of a fire with a hot drink and write. If life's responsibilities like teaching, small children, and running a household, didn't come first, I think I could happily be a writing hermit for about a month. For most of us who love to write, who NEED to write, to feed our souls, the creative part of writing is what we thrive on. But alas, one must eat and pay the bills, so at some point, every serious writer is required to come to terms with the business aspects in the writing world. This issue is a treat. Our Internet Marketing Expert Hazel Nieves, our writing expert/columnist Duane Newcomb, and our editor/columnist Victoria Beninga all uncover some gems in this area. So cuddle up with a cozy warm drink, and enjoy the contents of our fourth issue. Best wishes and COMP-liments to all, Carmel *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ ~*~ This week's newest COMP-ortunity California Wilderness Resort Website: www.calcabins.com Address: PO Box 100, Castella, CA 96107 Phone: 530 235-2222 Contact: John and Beth Location: Castella, CA near Mt. Shasta Description: A gorgeous mountain retreat for family reunions, weddings and other group retreats. Coverage desired: Groups, during the summer. Couples after Labor Day Prefers writers with: any professional writers Possible comp: Overnight stay, off-season *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ ~*~ "Ask a Pro" Publishing/Comping/Writing Q&A "Your Questions---You Always Wanted To Ask," answered by professional writing consultant/coach/instructor, Carmel L. Mooney To ask Carmel a writing, publishing, or comping question, email her at: Carmel@ebookstand.com. Questions may be edited for length or content if necessary. Question: Do you subscribe to the magazines for which you write? It is not always easy to find past issues of smaller journals and I was wondering if I should commit to subscribing. I would like a little income to balance any outgoing for doing this. What is your advice? A. Braunstein, N. California Answer: As I teach in my seminars, it's extremely important to really know your markets before querying. If you are serious about writing for a certain publication and you are having difficulty obtaining a few back issues to study, then I would recommend subscribing. This is probably a business expense/tax deduction (ask your tax professional) and if you enjoy or learn from the publication, all the better. To ask Carmel a writing, publishing, or comping question, email her at: Carmel@ebookstand.com. *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ ~*~ Internet Marketing Tips and Strategies For Writers How to sell your publications online by Hazel Nieves, Our E-business Marketing Expert and Consultant Marketing Your Business By: Hazel Nieves Attention to marketing is key to survival! Why do I hold this view? A business-marketing concept actually forms the foundation, on which all company-marketing strategies are built. It should focus on satisfying customer wants and needs, and how a business will align customer satisfaction with the overall purpose of the business. Your marketing concept requires that you and/or your employees concentrate on three main areas: 1. Consumer-oriented focus: This refers to all of your business processes from product development to services offered. How does the customer perceive it? What is their take on the need you are attempting to fill? 2. Emphasis on long-term profitability versus short-term profits: Your marketing concept should focus on relationship building; being "in it for the long haul." Building customer relationships and loyalty is paramount in this new business landscape. 3. Integration and coordination of marketing functions and other networking functions. No business function or transaction is an island, so all business activities need to be linked and coordinated with networked marketing efforts. Are you in the health business? How about networking with a chiropractor, a health publication, an organic produce grower, etc. If your business follows this system, then it has what is called a marketing orientation, as opposed to a production orientation or a sales orientation. See the difference? The sales orientation is usually most common during economic periods when supply exceeds demand, and businesses stress aggressive promotional techniques to push their products/services to consumers. You see, instead of learning what the customer wants, and making and/or doing it that way, a sales orientation is concerned with selling, selling, selling---regardless of how the customer feels. In marketing street talk, this is known as "C&R," short for "cramming and ramming" the product down the customers' throats. Let me tell you, this is NOT an effective way to grow your business or even stay in business these days! A production orientation emphasizes the physical production and technology. Businesses that stress this philosophy do best when demand exceeds supply. A business simply provides or produces a product or service and expects that customers will buy it because it's hot or vogue. In today's business environment, few businesses can survive without attention to the marketing process. For that reason, businesses that hold fast to a marketing orientation way of doing business are going to be the winners in this new economy! ---Hazel Nieves, expert on Internet Marketing and Online business success is owner of Web Development Company, Sierra Technology Solutions. Inc. She has 20 years experience in sales, marketing, and technology and is a committed crusader in helping take the confusion out of taking your business online. You can Contact Hazel at 530-367-2915 or customerservice@sierratechnologysolutions.com Special Offer! Writers Special E-biz Website Package Turn-key Package Includes: *5 Custom Pages *Shopping Cart (up to 10 products) *Secure Server *One year hosting service *Uses your own domain *Up to 15 Email accounts *Attractive Professional designs to choose from *Copyright Statement page Special Price: $ 600.00 complete Get started today with your Affordable Professional E-business website here: http://www.sierratechnologysolutions.com/writers/writers_special.htm Learn more from Hazel at: http://www.sierratechnologysolutions.com *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ ~*~ The Business of Writing by Duane Newcomb Understanding Magazines as a Business To maximize your article writing income you need to make sure that you understand the business relationship between your articles and the magazines you are aiming at. First, let's understand what magazines are. They aren't, as some writers seem to believe, a place to show off a writer's work. Magazines are businesses in which someone has invested money in hopes of making more money in return. These business people want to attract as many readers as possible so advertisers will place ads in the magazine. The editor and publisher of a science magazine want to attract readers interested in science. Home repair magazines are supposed to attract an audience interested in fixing up their homes. Most magazines go further than this and try to reach a readership that falls within a certain age group, makes a certain amount of income and has a particular lifestyle. This allows them to provide advertisers with a very specific target market. For Instance, Town and Country magazine says its readers "have a taste for vintage scotch and are on their way to wealth or are already there. Town and Country says, "they are a special guide to our readers' special way of life." These facts give writers good clues on how to sell more articles to particular magazines and make more money. Unfortunately in my writing classes only 10% of my adult students realize this. Some say they don't care; they want to write what they want to write. That's fine but most of these stay unpublished. I have a few, however, who study every magazine carefully, look at the ideas that the editor is buying, and the style of the magazine. Then they try to match their ideas to one particular magazine. These students often go on to sell their first article and the next 30 or 40 articles. This is the key to a good writing income. Study the magazines carefully, focus on one magazine, decide who their audience is, then tailor your idea and your article directly to this magazine. Never, ever write an article that is not intended for a particular magazine. This is always an invitation to poor sales. Now go out and make yourself a good writing income. Duane Newcomb is a literary consultant with 36 non-fiction books to his credit, over 5000 articles and more than 150 client books in print. He has taught articles and non-fiction book courses at numerous colleges, universities and writer's conferences across the United States. Duane's The Professional Author Newsletter is a free monthly newsletter that is full of tips and techniques for writing, finding a publisher and publicizing your book. It is the writer's ultimate helper. Subscribe at dnew@thegrid.net and visit his Writing the Non-fiction Book web site a www.bookforce.bizland.com. *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ ~*~ Editor's Pick Book, Magazine, Website, and e-Book Review by Victoria Beninga, Editor This week's review: WRITERSWEEKLY.COM Are you enjoying MAKING $$$ THE WRITE WAY? If so, clear some time on your calendar every Wednesday because I have another great free eMagazine to recommend. WritersWeekly.com is delivered every Wednesday via e-mail. Each issue contains regular weekly features, including The Publisher's Desk, Letters to the Editor, Ask the Expert, Success Story, Warnings, Markets & Jobs, and Classifieds. In addition to the regular features, there are contests and informative feature articles. Editor Angela Hoy personalizes each issue by providing an update of what is going on in her life. I feel as if she is one of my friends, and I have never met her. If you are yearning for even more knowledge, you can sign up for online classes offered through WritersWeekly University covering a wide variety of writing subjects. The September 25, 2002 issue listed the following classes: Remember, Write, and Publish Your Life Story; Profitable and Exciting Travel Writing (taught by our very own Publisher/Carmel Mooney); Six Secrets to the Perfect Plot; Creating Three Dimensional Characters; The Basics of Grant Writing; Creating a Buzz Plan Without the Guesswork (Marketing for Authors); Procrastinate Your Way Into Writing a Novel; and How to Trick Yourself Into Finishing Your Novel. The fees for these online classes vary from $40 to $330. This is just the tip of the iceberg of what you will find each week in WritersWeekly.com, so I recommend going to their website at www.WritersWeekly.com and taking a look at the current issue or some of their past issues. If you are as impressed as I was, you'll subscribe immediately. Victoria Beninga, Travel author/columnist/Associate Editor eBook, RV PACKING SIMPLIFIED, available at: http://www.ebookstand.com/m/victoria *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ ~*~ The Boast Post Don't be modest—we applaud you! Whether it's an assignment victory, a publishing accomplishment, comp, or a writing goal achieved, we'd love to hear it. Send your boast in 50 words or less to: Carmel@ebookstand.com (may be edited for length or content) Well, it worked. I comped an escorted tour of the Everglades for myself and my husband following a cruise we have scheduled for December. I am already researching magazine sites and gathering guidelines to send out my query. A. Braunstein, N. California I've written two chapters that appear in the new book, "Confessions of Shameless Internet Promoters" by Debbie Allen. You can read one complete chapter by going to: http://www.CelebrateLove.com/netshaker.htm. (Shameless plug: Lots of great stuff for "Authors & Speakers" at: http://www.CelebrateLove.com/authors.htm). Larry James, Scottsdale, AZ Professional Speaker, Relationship Coach and Author of "How to Really Love the One You're With," "LoveNotes for Lovers" and "Red Hot LoveNotes for Lovers" www.CelebrateLove.com www.CelebrateIntimacy.com (I've also been quoted this year in the January and July issues of Cosmopolitan magazine.) *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Coming Soon/Around the Corner: -Guidelines, rules, topic, and prize listings for the upcoming autumn writing contest -Upcoming class/seminar schedule for: eBooks, Print on Demand, Travel Writing, Freelancing on the Internet and much more! *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ It's FREE---List your inn, resort, restaurant, entertainment venue, business, or destination seeking written coverage---contact the publisher at: Carmel@ebookstand.com *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Making $$$ The Write Way eMagazine TO SUBSCRIBE: Send an e-mail with "subscribe" as the subject to: subscribe@ebookstand.com TO UNSUBSCRIBE: Send an e-mail with "unsubscribe" as the subject to: unsubscribe@ebookstand.com *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Write Spirit Publishing P.O. Box 3405 Auburn, CA 95604 Contact us at: Carmel@ebookstand.com We welcome your comments/suggestions/requests/contributions Carmel L. Mooney, Publisher Victoria Beninga, Associate Editor http://www.ebookstand.com If our links don't work for you this may mean your E-mail program doesn't like our code. If so, please click directly from our online issue at: http://www.ebookstand.com/newsletter_archive.htm This eMagazine may be FREELY distributed to friends, discussion lists, and writing groups as long as the entire issue is included. *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~