Tips from a Master Pitch Writer
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The Creating Other Media Issue MAY/JUNE 2018 The Official Publication of the American Society of 03 Journalists and Authors 5 STEPS TO SMART PASSIVE INCOME TIPS FROM A MASTER How your freelance business can make money while you sleep Q&A with PITCH WRITER Linda Formicelli ALSO INSIDE The #MeToo Reality for Freelancers How to Write Infographics // Turning a Memoir Into a Play CONTENTS MAY/JUNE 2018 Features “SO, ARE YOU DEAD?” FROM PAGE TO STAGE How Michele Wojciechowski puts Discovering the similarities— laughter to work in her writing and differences—between 16 20 writing memoirs and plays by Claire Zulkey by Nancy Kelton WRITING INFOGRAPHICS Meaty visuals compel readers 22 to dive deeper into your stories by Rae Padilla Francoeur FOR FREELANCERS, A POWERFUL #METOO MOMENT 30 Independent writer Deborah Copaken shocked the New York media world with accusations against an Observer editor. Now, she tells us about the risks facing self-employed journalists by Randy Dotinga Cover story 5 STEPS TO SMART PASSIVE INCOME How your freelance business can make money while you sleep by Damon Brown 26 www.asja.org Vol 68 / No. 3 Follow ASJA! The Official Publication of the American Society of Journalists and Authors 08 12 14 34 DEPARTMENTS COLUMNS MARKET 8 Member News 14 Volunteer Spotlight: 5 From the President REPORT Susan Johnston Taylor 34 Across Women’s Lives 10 Paycheck 6 From the Editor 15 2018 NYC ASJA 11 New Members Writers Conference 12 Protecting Yourself May/June 2018 / Vol 68, No 3 3 WWW.ASJA.ORG Publications Chair ASJA MISSION AND ADMINISTRATION Laura Laing Founded in 1948, the American Society of Journalists and Authors is the nation’s professional Editor association of independent and entrepreneurial nonfiction writers. ASJA is a primary voice in Aleigh Acerni representing freelancers’ interests, serving as spokesperson for their right to control and profit from Creative Director the uses of their work in online media and elsewhere. ASJA and the ASJA Charitable Trust bring Christina Ullman, Ullman Design leadership in establishing professional and ethical standards, as well as in recognizing and encouraging www.ullmandesign.com the pursuit of excellence in nonfiction writing. Since 2010, the ASJA Educational Foundation has been offering programming that covers all aspects of professional independent writing for both established Contributors and aspiring writers. ASJA headquarters is in New York City. Damon Brown, Randy Dotinga, Rae Padilla Francoeur, Nancy Kelton, David Leichtman, Board of Directors Standing Committees and Chairs Sherry Beck Paprocki, Claire Zulkey PRESIDENT Sherry Beck Paprocki ADVOCACY Tam Harbert VICE PRESIDENT Milt Toby AWARDS Salley Shannon and Janine Latus Proofreaders TREASURER Howard Baldwin CONTRACTS AND CONFLICTS Joan Burda Stephanie Bouchard, SECRETARY Jennifer Goforth Gregory EXECUTIVE Sherry Beck Paprocki Risha Gotlieb, Janine Latus, Mark Ray IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT Randy Dotinga FIRST AMENDMENT Sally Olds Postmaster PAST PRESIDENT Minda Zetlin MARKETING/COMMUNICATIONS Tami Kamin Meyer Send address changes to: At-Large Members CLIENT NETWORKING Wendy Helfenbaum VIRTUAL CLIENT CONNECTIONS The ASJA Magazine TERMS ENDING 2018: Jennifer L.W. Fink, Jennifer Goforth Gregory American Society of Journalists and Authors Beverly Gray, Nancy Kriplen MEMBER NETWORKING Tania Casselle 355 Lexington Avenue, 15th Floor TERMS ENDING 2019: Patchen Barss, FORUM CHAIR Chelsea Lowe New York, NY 10017 Wendy Helfenbaum, Emily Paulsen PEER-TO-PEER Pamela DeLoatch TERMS ENDING 2020: Jennie Helderman, Phone: (212) 997-0947 SIGS Kate Silver Lottie Joiner, Laura Laing www.asja.org MEMBERSHIP GROWTH & RETENTION Chapter Presidents Jennifer Goforth Gregory Email: [email protected] ARIZONA Jackie Dishner ASSOCIATE MEMBERS Lynn Freehill-Maye BOSTON Johanna Knapschaefer Magazine Editor: [email protected] RECRUITING Satta Sarmah-Hightower CHICAGO AREA Jera Brown The ASJA Magazine (ISSN 1541-8928) is published EASTERN GREAT LAKES Sallie G. Randolph MEMBERSHIP RETENTION bi-monthly by the American Society of Journalists FLORIDA Merlisa Lawrence Corbett AND DISCOUNTS Christina Chan and Authors, Inc., 355 Lexington Avenue, 15th Floor, NEW YORK CITY TRISTATE TBA HOSPITALITY Karen Kroll New York, NY 10017. Subscriptions: $120 per year as a benefit of membership. Periodicals postage paid NEW YORK DOWNSTATE Traci Suppa, Lisa Iannucci MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION REVIEW at New York, NY, and additional mailing office. NORTHERN CALIFORNIA Donna Albrecht Terry Whalin ROCKY MOUNTAIN Sandra E. Lamb The articles and opinions on these pages are those of NOMINATING Mickey Goodman SAN DIEGO Gina McGalliard the individual writers and do not necessarily represent PUBLICATIONS Laura Laing SOUTHEAST Mickey Goodman the philosophy of ASJA. Please obtain permission ASJA MAGAZINE Aleigh Acerni SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA Matthew Worley from ASJA and individual writers before reproducing ASJA CONFIDENTIAL Sandra Gurvis TEXAS Susan Johnston Taylor, Debbie Blumberg any part of this newsletter. ASJA WEEKLY Laura Laing UPPER MIDWEST John Rosengren © 2018 American Society of WASHINGTON DC Pat McNees, Emily Paulsen VOLUNTEER RECRUITMENT & APPRECIATION Journalists and Authors, Inc. Nancy Dunham and Linsey Knerl ASJA Charitable Trust BOARD OF TRUSTEES Sherry Beck Paprocki (chair), Howard Baldwin, Milt Toby Past Presidents Council ASJA Staff Thomas Bedell, Lisa Collier Cool, Eleanor Foa Dienstag, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Holly Koenig ASJA Educational Foundation Randy Dotinga, Jack El-Hai, Katharine Davis Fishman, Mark Fuerst, Samuel Greengard, Florence Isaacs, Evelyn GENERAL MANAGER Gemma Rainer PROGRAM CHAIR Minda Zetlin Kaye, Jim Morrison, Sally Wendkos Olds, Salley Shannon, STAFF ASSOCIATES ANNUAL CONFERENCE Carolyn Crist, Janice Hopkins Tanne, Russell Wild, Ruth Winter James Brannigan, James Cafiero Nancy Dunham, Dorri Olds MEETING PLANNER Patrick Dougherty PERSONAL MENTORING TBA ASJA DIRECT Estelle Erasmus Writers Emergency Assistance Fund CONTROLLER Maame Nantwi INTERIM CHAIRS Randy Dotinga and Milt Toby ASJA MAGAZINE ONLINE Ullman Design ASJA's 70th Anniversary Campaign CHAIR Brooke Stoddard TREASURER Neil O'Hara 4 ASJA Magazine / A Members-Only Publication SHERRY BECK PAPROCKI Freelance Writer and ASJA President From the President’s Desk ASJA MEMBERS WORK SO HARD ON SO MANY DEADLINES EVERY 8 YEAR, that the vast majority of you remain amazingly humble people despite your awesome 10 HUGE SURPRISES careers. Do you hear me? You have an awesome career. (By the way, a quick survey last winter his column is the last for me to write FACEBOOK MAY OR MAY NOT BE OUR revealed that ASJA members had produced at as ASJA president. My emotions FRIEND. The company sent four representa- least 25,000 unique stories and blog posts in 2017. I am in awe of these numbers; some of you aren’t mixed at all. I have no pre- 4 tives, including former broadcaster Campbell reported producing up to 250 stories, yourself, ordained idea that I must remain at Brown, to our 2017 Awards ceremony, where it was a sponsor. But we didn’t know at the time that that year.) Tthe helm of ASJA for another minute beyond Facebook had sold more than $6 million in adver- midnight on June 30. tisements to Russians who were interfering with the ASJA IS A BEEHIVE OF BRAINPOWER. It is clear that Milt Toby will do well in this U.S. presidential election in 2016. (Read the indict- If you ever have a major problem to solve, role when he steps into it on July 1. I’ll be ments issued by Special Counsel Robert Mueller post it on the forum and you’ll find the help around to continue cheering you on as you 9 for more explanation.) Immediately after discussing you need. It doesn’t matter what your problem, make significant advances in your writing the indictments with other ASJA leaders, I put in a ASJA members can help you because they have career. Or as you finally go to work on that request to Facebook for a significant sum of money written about, researched, or experienced the dream project. that would help the company rebuild its tarnished problem you are trying to solve. And ASJA As I wrap up my term, I am sharing 10 huge reputation, working with ASJA to create classes members are a sharing tribe. surprises I have had as ASJA’s president: to inform writers about bot-created causes, fake news, and the democratic process. This contribu- I WOULD TRUST YOU WITH MY tion would benefit ASJA’s 70th Anniversary Capital IT IS UP TO ASJA’S LEADERS TO LIFE. All of ASJA’s staff and its volun- Campaign and ASJA’s Educational Foundation. I’ll UPHOLD THE FIRST AMENDMENT teers are heartfelt people who want let you know if Facebook wants to remain friends. 10 1 because the president of the United States the best for each writer and for each writer’s has no respect for a free press. (Traditionally family. You people do not give up. I can’t tell you employed journalists are no better at this than MATT LAUER IS PROBABLY NOT OUR how much I have appreciated that. we freelancers.) ASJA’s First Amendment and FRIEND. (His reported inappropriate Advocacy committees continue to be vigilant on 5 office behavior isn’t very friendly.) these issues and others. To all members: Please In the coming months, I’ll remain deeply continue to do everything you can to make sure involved in the organization, overseeing the First Amendment stays intact. TENSIONS WILL RISE DRAMATICALLY the ASJA Educational Foundation as first AMONG ASJA MEMBERS when there past president of the ASJA Charitable Trust. ASJA MEMBERS ARE SPECTACULARLY 6 are technical challenges. Blame will be I’ll continue to work with ASJA’s Board COMPETITIVE WITH EACH OTHER. immediately placed. As busy writers, we resent of Directors and with the advisory group 2 Spectacularly. That applies even when they roadblocks in our deadline-driven days and we overseeing the Gender Identity grant. want tech problems solved fast. (Each of us is are doing volunteer work. Competitive people I’ll join Brooke Stoddard and Neil O’Hara have taken this organization to an all-time new fiercely independent, and working with a team and others as we request contributions from height in member programs and member expec- to solve a problem sometimes slows us down.) you for ASJA’s 70th Anniversary Campaign tations.