Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with writer

Memoir/essay audiobooks

andrewesque — Mon, 30 Nov 2020 07:43:33 -0800

I've discovered I like essay collection/memoir-type audiobooks that are (preferably) read by the author. What are your favorites in this genre? Examples of what I've liked have been The Groom Will Keep His Name by Matt Ortile or Dear Girls by Ali Wong -- both are read by the author, are collections of essays/memoirs on a number of different subjects, a little bit funny, and easy to dip in and out of.

I'd like to avoid very dark/grim subjects (doesn't have to be Pollyanna-ish but if the whole book is about abuse or things like that, it doesn't work for me in audiobook format), don't want straight-up fiction, and would like audiobooks with chapters/episodes that are more on the "self-contained" side, i.e. enjoying the book doesn't depend on having closely paid attention to one narrative through the whole book. (I listen to audiobooks almost exclusively when driving, and I don't drive every day, so I often go long times without listening to a book.)

If it's not read by the author but otherwise fits these recs, I would be open to considering it as well.

Bonus points for lightly humorous, LGBTQ, non-white or non-American content, but please don't limit yourself to those categories!

Looking for a good copyediting recruiter for corporate copyediting

lometogo — Mon, 25 May 2020 21:17:29 -0800

Highly experienced tech industry copyeditor seeking a recruiter who could hook me up with ongoing corporate copyediting. I've worked 15 years @ IBM, 2 years at Huawei, and ongoing work at The Motley Fool.

I've had great success with recruiters when working in sales/marketing, but have never used one to find quality, copyediting assignments.

Do they exist? I'm American with respectable credentials but live overseas so am seeking remote work.

Thanks in advance.

My memoir was accepted for publication but I'm nixing it. YAY or NAY?

MiraK — Thu, 13 Feb 2020 11:39:15 -0800

My memoir was accepted for publication but I'm nixing it. YAY or NAY? Pathetic details inside My memoir was accepted for publication but I'm nixing it. YAY or NAY? Uh.

Ummm IDK where to start...

Okay, until three years ago, I was in an abusive marriage, and I wrote about how going to therapy helped me deal with the marriage ending in a memoirish series of essays. I wrote a lot about coming to terms with the fact that my marriage was abusive, even though my ex isn't a character. The writing was supposed to be just for myself, but I'll be honest, in my heart of hearts it wasn't just for me. I labored over it. I was totally working on it like a legit writing project. Ugh. I brought this on myself.

On my birthday late last year, in a heady overconfident carpe diem kind of mood, I sent out the first few pages and a query to The [Redacted], a prestigious although badly-paying online literary magazine, and I just got an acceptance for serialized publication. HOLY SHIT.

On one hand, this is like a dream come true. I've only published a few short stories and poems before, and being published on The Fucking [Redacted] would be like... wow.

But let's be honest. This is the internet. Anonymity is a lie. In the event that someone were to doxx me and word of it reached my barely-online ex-husband, it would likely cause issues because

----------- buried lede alert -------------

my ex husband and I are still amicable coparents.

THIS IS CRAZY and CLEARLY I SHOULD NOT BE PUBLISHING THIS. So I'm just about to shoot off an email to the editor to say sorry, this was a bad idea.

But I wanted to ping you, the hivemind, before turning down this crazy dream of an opportunity. Am I doing the right thing?

I mean, let's say the series becomes popular and then I inevitably get doxxed.... My ex isn't dangerous, and the worst that would happen is that he'd get sulky, huffy, might get his feelings hurt, etc. It's not like he would stop co-parenting with me over it. Nobody we know is highly online, so it's not like his reputation is tarnished. The kids are too young for this to be in their orbit.

And I'm not sure I should stay silent and refuse to publish just because the guy who raped me would be upset about me talking pseudonymously about the fact that I left a marriage due to being raped? Which he already knows and scoffed at me and called me crazy for??

Talk me down from this ledge, MeFi. And while you're talking me down, please can you tell me what IS the equivalent of jumping: is it publishing, or is it pulling the piece?

How can I develop my career in fiction without going crazy or broke?

foxmardou — Fri, 04 Oct 2019 07:21:05 -0800

Can you help me make the best next step from burnt out freelance writer to balanced day jobber/novelist? I am a thirty-something writer who has a semi-successful career flip flopping between being a magazine editor and a book publicist. My career has been brilliant but a bit scattered because honestly, all I want to do is develop my career in fiction (writing novels and short stories, and teaching creative writing). Yes it's risky but I've experimented and worked across industries, and have the discipline, perseverance, and craft to possibly succeed fiction.

After a few months of trying to freelance full time (I wish people would stop glamorising the freelance writing life... but that's another post), I find that it not only burns me out but I'm not invested/interested in developing my profile or selling myself as a non-fiction writer and journalist but only in fiction. I would prefer to have a day job that is complementary but not focused on writing and preferably not in media. Does anyone have any suggestions?

On serious note: this decision has been a source of great stress and confusion for many months leading to accumulation of debt, and social isolation. I feel frustrated that I should have pursued fiction ten years ago instead of journalism when I had the chance. I am, however, not depressed but incredibly overwhelmed. I also do not want to ask my peers, friends or family again as I usually get a multitude of conflicting answers with hidden agendas.

Thank you so much in advance.

Not quite a pen name...

Beardman — Fri, 12 Jul 2019 07:02:11 -0800

Plenty of famous writers have dropped their first name and gone by their middle name (e.g. Adeline Virginia Woolf). Have any famous writers dropped their surname and just gone by some combo of their given names? The reason I ask is that I'm looking for inspiration. I'll be trying to publish a novel in the next year, but I've never liked my surname. However, my three names are all interchangeable as first and last names, and there is one rearrangement that strikes me as more aesthetically appealing – e.g., going from something like "Thomas James Craig" to "James Thomas."

Has this ever been done by a writer of note? I'm iffy about the idea and looking for precedents.

Making Money by Writing

Sassyfras — Wed, 26 Jun 2019 19:06:25 -0800

I love to write essays, articles and perfectly worded letters and correspondence. I have no formal education beyond high school and a few years of college. But, I have been told countless times that my writing is beautiful, powerful and well-written. I'd really like to make some money doing this! Should I go back to school or take writing courses? How would I find jobs or work writing? I'm really at the beginning thoughts of actually considering making a go of writing and making a few bucks, so any thoughts of a direction I should go or explore would be very welcome! Also, I am not looking to make a ton of money (although that'd be awesome) at first or for this to be how I support myself.

(disclaimer: this askme question is not indicative of my writing abilities)

Advice for bidding on a freelance writing job?

Anonymous — Wed, 10 Apr 2019 04:57:16 -0800

I am a freelance writer, but I have little experience submitting bids for work. I have an offer to submit a bid on a massive copy writing job for a large company. I really want at least some of the job, but I don’t want to underbid. This is anonymous because I don’t want to risk the employer finding it. Is 50 cents a word realistic for health / medical writing? Would it make sense to quote a word rate, then offer a discount if they commit to giving me a large share of the project?
Or an hourly rate? I have trouble gauging how much time it will take because some elements would require more time than others. I’d really appreciate any advice or anecdotes you can tell me. If you’ve hired freelancers or looked at project bids, I’d like your insight too.

Region is Midwest US, btw.

Evaluating Book Publishing Routes

CollectiveMind — Sun, 10 Jun 2018 16:30:01 -0800

The process of selecting a self-publisher is daunting. Lots of self-publishers evaluate themselves against their competition. And surprise, they always seem a so much better deal than their competitors. On the other side, finding a traditional publisher often requires first, finding an agent. And I've heard agents are focused on repeat performers, not untested first timers. I have a plan to work my way slowly and individually, through agents and publishers to maybe find a fit. But I am also looking at self publishing. So, is there a place where I can get an objective evaluation of legitimate self-publishing companies?

Short horror film screenplay ISO short horror film director

ejs — Fri, 16 Feb 2018 00:26:42 -0800

I wrote a screenplay for a short (5–8 minute) low budget horror film, the kind I watch all the time on YouTube and Vimeo, for a project that never got off the ground. Now I wonder whether there might be any aspiring short horror film directors looking for scripts to shoot, and if so, is there an easy way to find them? (I still own the rights to my screenplay.)

I'm not trying to cultivate a screenwriting career. I'm not looking to sell the script, I'm happy to grant it for free to a director who would be happy to film it. (With some profit-sharing provision in the vanishingly unlikely case that Guillermo Del Toro wants to turn it into a feature film.)

If there's an easier way to do this than cold-emailing every short horror filmmaker in my browsing history, I'd love to hear it! Thanks!

Getting the right Facebook Page to show up when marking self as a writer

divabat — Wed, 08 Nov 2017 14:39:18 -0800

I got prompted by Facebook to confirm that I write for particular publications, so I tried to add the publications I actually do write for regularly. For some reason, instead of that publication's official Facebook page, I can only add the Facebook-generated Interest page for that publication. How do I get the right page to show up as an option. So I was recently prompted to confirm that I write for Publication X so that my own Facebook Page can be linked as a byline for that publication's posts. ("Make it easier for readers to find your articles. Confirm that you write for Publication X").

I tried to add in the page for an actual publication I'm an active staff writer for (Publication Y) in the section to Confirm Publications. However, Publication Y's actual Facebook page does not show up as an option. The FB-generated Interest page for Publication Y does show up, as well as two pages for old products, but not the current Publication Y-run Facebook page.

I currently have admin access to the Publication Y Facebook page. Is there some kind of setting we can toggle to enable writers to confirm that they write for us? How do we get the right Publication Y page to show up?

(Trying to Google this gets me help pages for publishing Facebook pages in general)

Career options for former journalist / writer / fiction MFA?

toomuchkatherine — Fri, 21 Jul 2017 11:25:29 -0800

All-around smart person and good writer with varied employment history (magazine editorial, freelance journalism, nonfiction author, adjunct writing teaching, fiction MFA) seeks to understand the career options from here. Hey. So, late-thirtysomething here with a somewhat unusual/spotty background is trying to figure out what's next, or what could be next. Help me think of paths I might not have considered before. Feel free to be specific. I largely don't know what's out there, besides what I've already done.

Here's me: graduated from a pretty good liberal arts college with an English degree. I also have an MA in English from a good university, and by next year, an MFA in creative writing (fiction) from a different good university. In terms of employment, I did the New York City publishing thing for a while, working as an editor at two different magazines that have since folded. My title was "online editor," but this was a handful of years ago and I feel that my online skills are no longer cutting-edge. I do think I'm an excellent editor of text, though. About six years ago, I left my last full-time job to write a nonfiction book. It was published by a major press and reasonably well reviewed, though it wasn't a big commercial success. Since that time, I've done a little freelancing (my book was on a medical theme, and I've packaged myself in the past as a science/medical journalist, though I feel like a generalist at heart, and I've also written about food, travel, design...). I also taught writing for several years as an adjunct at a well-regarded university extension program, as well as been paid as a copy editor. Now I'm fulfilling a longtime dream of getting an MFA in fiction writing. I'm working on a novel. I'd love to get that novel published and be in a position to apply for tenure-track creative writing teaching jobs at colleges. Landing a job like that would be a dream come true. But I'm also trying to understand what I could do instead, since there are many, many people competing for those jobs.

-I'll be almost 40 by the time I'm done with this program, and I don't really want to earn another degree at this point, but I wouldn't rule it out 100 percent.

-I'm a mom now, my husband works freelance, and I like the idea of a "real" job that provides health insurance and benefits. The endless hustle of freelancing doesn't appeal much anymore.

-I do love to teach, and I've looked into teaching at a private high school, which seems like an option. An academic schedule would go so nicely with being a parent and a writer. On the downside, these jobs don't pay much and they're pretty low-prestige.

-Journalism itself feels like a sinking ship. It's hard for me to imagine moving back to New York and trying to get back on that train. Though I could imagine putting my journo skills to work at a nonprofit or government agency or something, if I could understand how that's done.

-Our family can move anywhere.

-INFJ, so my need to do something I can feel good about is pretty high, though I like to think I am getting more pragmatic as I get older.

-I've always been intelligent and a quick learner, I graduated Phi Beta Kappa from college, yadda yadda, but I never developed a particular marketable skill besides writing and all-around critical thinking. All my jobs have been in the greater writing/journalism/arts/education world, but I have hopped around a lot, and gone in and out of self-employment phases, rather than going super deep in any one corner of that. All that leaves me wondering how to package or present myself, and how I will look to potential employers, now that I'm looking at looking for a real job again, one that I can keep and grow in this time.

Thank you!

How do I prep for a Google Technical/Programmer Writer interview?

Irony — Sun, 18 Jun 2017 13:47:55 -0800

Got through some initial screening with the Google recruiter and my writing exercises and samples were approved, but what comes next? How should I prepare and balance the technical part with the writing part? Backing up a bit, I'm in the greater Seattle area and looking to work at either the Seattle or Kirkland Google campus as a technical or programmer writer. A friend who works at Google currently got my resume to the right folks, and with that, I took a writing test and sent that back in with some of my previous technical writing samples. I just got word from the Google recruiter that they liked what they saw and I might be talking to someone in a phone screen next week.

Here's what I'm hoping the greater MeFi community can help with - a lot of info online is outdated or pretty focused on the technical interviews for software engineer types who want to work at Google, but there isn't a lot of current information out there for Google technical writer-specific interviews. I'm hoping that folks here have some anecdotes or other information from the current hiring process so that I'm better prepared for the next steps.

Can anyone share some tips for preparing myself properly for interviewing as a technical/programmer writer?

Thanks all.

Finding a literary agent for very different kinds of writing.

Anonymous — Tue, 13 Jun 2017 23:05:49 -0800

How do I find an agent to represent both political blogging and literary fiction? A few years ago I was signed to a very good literary agency with a literary fiction novel which attracted interest from four major publishers but was not bought.

I am working on a second novel which should be ready before the end of the year. However, in the meantime I have established a political blog on Facebook which now has 50,000 followers and is growing rapidly. I am interested in turning this blog into a book and exploring opportunities in television (I have some experience as a presenter and producer), but I don't feel my current agent is the right person to represent it because, to put it bluntly, she's not on Facebook and doesn't own a TV. When I mentioned expanding my brand into television my agent was dismissive and didn't seem to understand how or why that would be done.

I would like to change literary agents, but am unsure how I can find an agent who will represent literary fiction (which feels like a very conservative area of publishing), as well as the more irreverent, social-media based writing I am producing as well.

How do I go about finding an agent to represent both styles of writing effectively? Do I need two agents, or do I approach agents who would be good for one genre and hope they can work with the other too, or... what?

How do you credit a technical consultant for a novel

dontjumplarry — Wed, 29 Mar 2017 08:52:04 -0800

OK, so I have fiction project. To do it properly, it's going to need factual, reality-based insights into a field I'm not an expert in. My buddy is, however, and he's going to consult to get the non-fictiony bits right. Cool! But this isn't like a retired detective doing some fact-checking and correcting process-based details. It's consultation on some core thematic & big idea stuff. Like imagine Orwell tried to write Animal Farm but only had a Wikipedia-level grasp of the USSR. How do I credit that?

Celebrity turned author, how much writing do they actually do?

Youremyworld — Tue, 21 Mar 2017 18:35:40 -0800

I love reading books about makeup, fashion, celebrity lifestyle etc. I have a number of books in my collection written by celebrities or people that are not from writing backgrounds (a costume designer for example). I am really curious to know how much actual writing they do and how the relationship with the 'written with...' person works. Examples after the jump. Here are some of the books I am wondering about:

Your Beauty Mark Dita Von Teese with Rose Apodaca
Style A-Zoe Rachel Zoe with Rose Apodaca
The Power of Makeup Trish McEvoy with Kathleen Boyes

Do the celebs write anything?

The reason I am curious is that in Dita's book it says things like, 'Rose likes using XX product' making it sounds like Dita's voice. In Trish's book, she thanks Kathleen for bringing her words to life (or something like that). So I am really interested to know if the other writer is sitting down with the celeb, talking to them and then writing it in their voice. It's just not a total ghost-writer situation. Can anyone shed some light on the process?

Who was this writer

PinkMoose — Fri, 16 Sep 2016 23:26:26 -0800

made a splash in the late 1990s as a teenage journalist from Alaska, became far right under Bush, renegged at the end of that war. Called himself gonzo, had a few books out, wrote for playboy for a while, published by mtv news. White dude?

How to make next steps in IT marketing/communications

mosschief — Tue, 29 Sep 2015 13:39:38 -0800

I've been working as a freelance copywriter/white paper writer mainly for IT companies but am looking to make the next step in education or job. I've been working for several years as a freelance marketing copywriter/white paper writer on technical subjects, mainly for IT or IT related companies. In the past year or so I have been starting to think about moving forward. I like what I do and make enough money (not a lot, but enough to live comfortably and save), but making more money, learning more, having more stability etc. would be nice. Also, currently 27 years old.

Although I have a personal interest in infosec and other IT related topics, I don't have any formal education or training related to this. I am able to write about these topics reasonably well (particularly after interviewing subject matter experts) but would love to feel like I really understood the big picture better as well as the technical details.

I am also interested in keeping my career moving forward, maybe even moving into a position with more responsibility . Perhaps a marketing exec in one of these companies, that's the part I'm a little unsure of.

Also, I like freelancing quite a bit. I want to explore all my options (including 9-5 in-office perm jobs), but it would be a plus if the career path had potential to some day lead to freelance consulting or perhaps my own business. I'm mainly interested in building my skills and resume at this stage though.

So my question is really two parts:

1. What kind of job would make use of my current skills and experience (writing/marketing) but perhaps incorporate more technical knowledge, more money, and/or more responsibility? (maybe in infosec?)

2. What steps should I take to move towards this hypothetical job (training, intermediary jobs, etc)?

Thanks in advance!!!

P.S. Also generally interested in getting better at my current work (sounding more knowledgeable, understanding more concepts)

Is my plan to change careers feasible? If not, how can I improve it?

glass.hourousha — Sun, 16 Aug 2015 10:06:55 -0800

Objective: Career change to technical writing. Obstacles: My current demanding job. Needing to relocate to place that actually has technical writing jobs. **Please help me determine the feasibility of my plan to relocate and change my career. Details inside.** Background:
My job pays very well but is highly demanding in terms of hours (on call, forced overtime, rotating shift work) and effort. We are seriously short-handed, so 1 person does the job of 3-4. It only gets worse with advancement. I'm stuck in fieldwork, which is a square hole to my round self. It's hurting my morale and killing my chances for advancement.

I want to do technical writing. It’s what I was originally hired for and what I did at first, before I had qualifications to do field work. Also, I like technical writing. I like it even more after going to the STC summit this year, reading extensively about it, and creating my first portfolio pieces.

However, I live in the country far from STC chapters (the nearest is Houston). There is no one to network with in person. And work is all-consuming. I rarely have time for networking online, let alone adding to my portfolio and applying for jobs. At the rate I’m going, it will be 10+ years before I ever change jobs. I’ve been investigating technical writing and working on my portfolio in stolen moments for a year already.

The Plan:
My plan thus far is to quit my job, move to Houston, and finally network and secure a technical writing job there. I'm aware that though I've written technical reports at my current job, companies will want to see portfolio pieces that use software like FrameMaker instead of just Word, which is the extent of my experience. So it may take a while to get a "real" technical writing job (not an internship or volunteer work). I have enough money saved for a year of not working, much longer if I actually budget. No kids or debt.

To make my savings last longer during the transition, I plan to substitute teach, tutor, and/or temp. (My English M.A. should help with the first two.) Originally I had planned to start this in Houston, but then it occurred to me: it would be better to start in my home state so there isn’t a work history gap. I.e. starting in Louisiana should grease the skids for me in Texas (right?). And I can stay at my current job during the search.

Questions:
But what if I go to Houston and no one hires me for technical writing or my contingency jobs, and I ruin myself financially? Once I leave my job, I won't be able to come back. I have no familial support, either. How can I increase my chances of success with this gamble?
Is there a specific amount of time I ought to do my contingency jobs in Louisiana to improve my odds of finding similar work in Houston?
What can you tell me about Houston's job scenes in technical writing, teaching, tutoring, and temping work? Or other relevant points about moving for career changes etc?

Is the plan feasible in the current job market? If not, is there something I can do to improve it?

Thank you for reading and especially for your advice.

Denise Levertov's poem Beginners: year?

kalapierson — Sat, 04 Jul 2015 19:06:14 -0800

Denise Levertov's poem Beginners: specifically in what year did she write it? I know it was published in 1982 or earlier, and I know it's dedicated to two activists who died "in the mid-70s" (although I don't know whether it was dedicated to them posthumously).

Help me identify this old New Yorker article?

lunasol — Thu, 25 Jun 2015 18:27:14 -0800

I'm trying to find a vaguely-remembered New Yorker article from the 1990s about a young, struggling writer. I remember reading it when I was a teenager (my parents had a subscription, I was a nerd, etc.), so it would have been sometime in the 90s. Probably closer to early 90s.

It was a profile of a young author who had written (published?) at least one book that had been compared to - I think - Moby Dick by a critic or a publisher/editor. The article went into a great deal of detail about how much trouble he had getting by financially, despite his talent, and I think the grim point of the article was that there was no room for quality literature in the literary marketplace anymore.

I've tried googling and searching the New Yorker's archives, but have turned up nothing.

A path to journalism?

EmptyEmpire — Sun, 24 May 2015 21:24:48 -0800

I want to be a journalist, but I'm not sure how to get there from where I am now. Looking for any advice, tips, or resources anybody can offer me. I'm 27 years old. And it has become obvious to me the career I should have always pursued: journalism. My main "passion" (hate that word) in my life has always been current events, politics, and foreign affairs.

For some reason, I discounted the possibility of becoming a journalist in and after college. But I realize now it's really what I should be doing. It's what I care about and it's what I'm good at.

My relevant experience:
-I wrote for the student paper in high school. My very first article discussed problems with the Patriot Act.
-I was a columnist for my university paper in college. I mostly wrote about US foreign policy and the war in Iraq.
-I started my own website/blog to discuss politics and related issues.
-I wrote and self-published a nonfiction political book about US foreign policy (and why said policy is terrible).
-I recently had a piece of mine published on Jacobin.

After college, I spent 3.5 years living and traveling in Asia by teaching English. I'm presently back in the US and unemployed.

As you may have guessed, I approach journalism from a very critical/left-wing perspective. My role models are people like Glenn Greenwald, Noam Chomsky, Jeremy Scahill, and Amy Goodman.

My ultimate goal is to become a columnist (though I know it won't happen right away). I suppose I prefer commentary over straight reporting. I also would like to write in-depth books on subjects of interest to me.

The problem is, I'm not sure what I should be doing to get where I want from where I stand now. As I said above, I'm currently unemployed (money is not an immediate issue but it will be in the foreseeable future).

What should I be doing?

-I've tried pitching and submitting articles to probable sympathetic outlets. Aside from the Jacobin article mentioned above, I haven't met with any success. Should I just keep trying?
-I've applied for several journalism internships and jobs. Never heard back from any of them.
-I've considered going back to school for a master's degree, but I simply can't afford it. And I am NOT willing to go into yet more debt for another degree.
-I've also considered moving back abroad to teach English or something, and continue my blog and pitching on the side until at some point it hopefully might take off.
-I know networking is the best way to get a job. Unfortunately, I don't have much of a network, and I personally know a grand total of zero people in journalism.

I need to get the ball rolling somehow. So, how do I make my goal a reality? What actions should I be taking? What advice can you offer me?

How to deal with a diva? This is really freaking me out...

cartoonella — Wed, 13 May 2015 05:09:41 -0800

A few years ago I interviewed a locally-based but internationally-known folk musician about her life and work. Her stories were great and I thought she should write a memoir, but she said he didn't have the time. So I volunteered to help. I ended up working with "Alice" as an editor/agent. I had never done a book before and had no publishing contacts, but I was finally able to get a book deal last year.

We were going great guns, and had a substantial book put together a few months ago. As we got closer to the deadline, Alice called me up and started attacking me over a number of things she was unhappy with. I smoothed it over, but was taken aback. I had never seen her like that and it shook me up.

I asked our publisher for an extension, and they also raised our word count limit. So now we're coming up on our new deadline, and I get a message this morning from Alice: "There's a lot more to come. Don't submit yet!"

But if we don't get our book to them in a couple of days, our contract is void and we'll have to relinquish our advances. And this amazing book won't see the light of day.

The publisher is an outfit that produces entertaining, readable memoirs for the lay public, not huge tomes that look so intimidating they won't sell. But Alice seems to think this book should be the encyclopedia of her life. I'm afraid of going against her wishes -- afraid of some form of retaliation on her part. There's some kind of unhealthy mother-daughter dynamic going on. I realize that I'm so scared I'm becoming paranoid. I'm not in my right mind, and I don't know how to get back to feeling competent and confident about this project.

Also, what about the publisher? How much do they need to know about what I'm going through? Could I enlist them as an ally? Would they be able to reason with Alice? Or should I just do what I have to do? We don't have any more wiggle room, but I feel like I'm going against Alice's wishes in submitting the book, and I'll be in disgrace (just like with mom). Feeling very childlike and powerless right now.

I would love to hear from anyone with publishing experience, or anyone who's ever dealt professionally with a diva. How do you deal emotionally with this stuff? Thanks.

Building a network in technical communication despite location

Anonymous — Sat, 02 May 2015 22:20:14 -0800

Do you think I can build a network and find a job in technical communication despite living in the country with no STC chapter? My foundation is decent: an English degree and current technical job. Said job has few technical writing roles, and none available for the foreseeable future. More inside. Do you think I can build a network and find a job in technical communication, given the following information? I live in the country, and Louisiana doesn’t have an STC chapter; Houston is the closest one. My foundation is decent: an English degree and current technical job (which I am being vague about so word doesn't get out that I'm looking elsewhere). Said job has few technical writing roles, and none available for the foreseeable future. Throwaway email: tc.comm.51@gmail.com

I really want to get in touch with established writers (especially in and around Baton Rouge and New Orleans) and learn everything I can about this field. I’m also wondering about opportunities in Houston, Austin, or Atlanta*. Specifically, what kinds of technical communication work can be found there (computer software, engineering, healthcare, etc.)? My area of interest is computer software.
* Because I am seeking an entry level job, I am willing to consider other places and subject matter to get into the field.

Would I benefit from going to the summit in Ohio this year? (I’m already an STC member.) It seems like a prime opportunity for networking. How can I maximize the experience?

And what about the internet? I have a LinkedIn profile but have hesitated to approach people, partly because I don’t know them in real life. How does one approach forum users or blog commenters? Any recommendations for active online groups?

Finally, once you’ve made connections, how do you keep the network strong?

Have you ever hired a resume writer?

djfreex — Sun, 22 Mar 2015 09:53:18 -0800

I am considering hiring a resume writer. I have 10+ years of experience in a specific industry (industrial manufacturing related) and interested in branching out to different industries. I feel like I should be doing something different than the usual. Has anyone hired a resume writer ever? How was your experience with it? Any tips? My fear would be to get a canned resume that I could do better myself. Are there any personalized services out there that could really help differentiate the resume?

Keeping a site free but setting up donations

yoHighness — Thu, 19 Feb 2015 07:28:35 -0800

I manage my writer friend's site where he puts up (not otherwise published) longform articles for free. Film criticism, fiction and articles about literature and philosophy, close to 500 entries. Due to his ethics he is against marketing or monetising and only now after some years we are investigating donations (definitely not monetising). Is this feasible, and how do I not get this wrong? My motivation is assisting my friend who is uncompromisingly committed to writing. Due to his ethics my friend early on in his career got fed up working for "glossy magazines", national newspapers and in academia. He only publishes in (what I'd call highbrow) magazines and on his website. The site is the top hit on Google for several film studies terms, making up most of the traffic; however the analytics also show people actually stay up to 40 minutes reading individual stories and articles. The site uses about 2GB a month which thanks to ninja firewall & crawler throttling I'm confident isn't all bots and hacking attempts; even Wordpress only eats a small amount of bandwidth due to caching plugins and a minimalist design. In fact the single image on the site is the icon for downloading a dynamically generated PDF of your article of choice for free, which people regularly do.

Our plan is to add a small, subtle donation button on each article page, possibly next to the PDF icon. This would lead to a page where a visitor can donate.
Q1. In your experience, will this be feasible and worthwhile accepting donations or micropayments that way?
Q2. Can you suggest any good payment processors?
Q3. Since this goes to a private individual, it would technically be more like accepting payment, I assume? Or is there a legal, acceptable way these can be donations - as articles will remain free?

We haven't got any experience with ebook publishing. My friend does not like Amazon, for one thing; for another I'm not sure how it would work with hundreds of articles, individually and separately. Getting ISSNs for each one? We are however just now testing out epubli to see about something like collecting articles into books and selling those. But that shouldn't exclude the donations idea, right?

I've felt stuck with this for a while; I need to do something so I can stop feeling like I'm letting down my friend (and the arts). Thank you so much for any advice you can spare.