Make Money Writing Press Releases

As you’re all probably aware by now, I’ve never depended solely upon income from published articles and books. Instead, I decided almost at the start of my career to also offer writing services to businesses. They need what we offer, and therein resides a great opportunity for all writers. And there’s no better time to offer writing services than during a recession.

I started as a writer during one of the lowest points in the economy during the Reagan/Bush administrations, when the Seattle area was in a deep recession. Okay, so the politicians called it a little downturn in the economy, but for those living there during the ‘80s, it was anything but insignificant. More and more people were starting their own businesses because they had been laid off from jobs in the corporate world. Remember, this was the era of downturns in the fishing and logging economy, plus the savings and loan scandals and corporate takeovers—meaning more job losses. What do people just starting a business need most, no matter how small their enterprise? Publicity! What do newspapers and magazines want most during economic downturns? Stories about new and/or successful ventures. And that’s where you, as a writer, come in.

If you don’t know how to write a “news” or “press” release, read my book, Portable Writing to learn how. Also, read some of the articles in the business section of your local newspaper and you’ll spot stories based upon news releases. Almost all stories printed in the business section arrive on the editor’s desk via press releases. They tell about new ventures, what product or service they offer, who their customers are, and maybe a little about the background of the new business owner. Pay attention to what information is provided in the articles and develop a questionnaire for your clients based upon that information. Then write a news release about your own writing venture and mail it and a photo out to all the newspapers in your area. Remember, you’ll want publicity for your writing skills, too. Make it fascinating enough, and a local television station may want to cover it, too.

Sometimes the media uses press releases as written, and sometimes they expand the coverage into a long article, especially if the business is unusual or the only one of its type in the community. As a writer, it is up to you to write a release that plays up the significance of the business to the community.

A chapter in Portable Writing: the Secret to Living Your Dreams with 25 Projects to Fund Your Freedom covers news releases, and includes a sample copy of a press release that was published in magazines and newspapers. Other books on news releases are available at your library or through Booklocker.com and Amazon.com. You’ll need to know how to format a news release and what information to provide at the top of the page so that an interested editor can get in touch with your client, or you as their public relations representative (if you will also be fulfilling that role).

This is a great project to jumpstart your writing career—and before you know it—it will lead to so many more writing opportunities!

“Over-the-Road Wireless For Dummies”

It was bound to happen eventually—a “Dummies” book for wireless service on the road. I haven’t personally seen a copy of this book, but ran across an ad for it in the RV Travel Online Newsletter this week. It sounds perfect for RVers who need to manage their investments or keep in touch with loved ones while on the road.

You’ll supposedly learn how to choose equipment for Internet access on the road, including how to choose a Wi-Fi service and locate hotspots as well as the many other services available while traveling. 364 pages. Go to this link to read a chapter from the book or order: http://rvbookstore.com/shop/detail.aspx?m=2&p=941.

Photos of bighorns that greeted us by the entrance to the Canadian Rockies, and a photo of the bear that kept threatening a man trying to get too up-close and personal.




RVing the Canadian Rockies – Mom Sees a Bear in the Wild

Sweeping views of boundless scenery and amazing wildlife—those are what we remember from our trip through the Canadian Rockies. When we left Edmonton, we headed towards Jasper and as we entered the park, we saw our first bighorn sheep. They were in the road just outside the gate, wandering around like shaggy bums looking for handouts. Then we spotted some moose and our first bit of snow. Mom and hubby got out and threw snowballs at each other against a backdrop of moose and mountains. What a picture postcard setting that was.

Our first real crisis would involve Mom and her dream that night. She had attended church services at Shakers Acres the day before and the minister had told about a boy with some food in a tent in his backyard who was attacked and killed by a bear. So that’s what she dreamed about. “I sure hope we don’t see any bears,” she remarked as we sat at a picnic table at our campsite in the thick woods, enjoying breakfast.

Later as we drove through spectacular scenery, we suddenly spotted a black bear by the side of the road eating dandelions. No cars were parked on our side of the road, so we pulled the motorhome over to watch. A couple of cars had already pulled up on the other side, and two guys were out in the middle of the road trying to get pictures. One had his camera on a tripod and kept inching closer and closer to the bear.

I decided I had to get out of the motorhome to get some pictures, only I’m not your average idiot. I planned to stay behind the RV and use my telephoto lens! As I grabbed the camera, Mom screamed in a terrified voice, “You’re not going out there, are you?”

“Of course I am,” I replied. “The bear’s got enough bait right there in the middle of the road. He won’t be interested in me.” I hurried out the door and positioned myself behind the back of the motorhome where I could make a quick getaway if needed.

Well by this time, that bear was getting real irritated with the guy who kept moving closer to it, so it charged him. When the man backed up a few feet with his tripod, the bear turned and went back to its dandelions. However, the numbskull with the tripod kept pushing his luck, and the bear made a few more running, threatening steps towards him. Then it made a sudden turn and slowly ambled my direction. By this time, several cars had pulled up behind us and stopped to watch. As I backed up and turned to go in, I bumped into Mom, who had plastered herself against my back so she could watch over my shoulder.

We got untangled and headed inside, but not before the bear sashayed past us as if we were the least of its worries. I guess it knew it was outnumbered, so it simply strolled between the vehicles to get to the huge meadow on our side of the road where it didn’t have to put up with the curious crowd of gawkers.

Mom had seen her bear and unlike her dream, she had survived it. We continued our trip down to Lake Louise, Banff, and on to Radium Hot Springs before heading back to Washington State. The only other critters we saw were mountain goats, marmots and some tiny chipmunks that came up to us at Lake Louise. All the wildlife helped create wonderful memories of the trip.

Mom was in her late seventies then, and this wouldn’t be her last excursion with us. Her next short trip with us would infuriate her and provide hysterical laughter for us and some museum employees in Montana.

Personalizing Your RV’s Interior

While many people are happy with their new motorhome, travel trailer or 5th wheel’s interior, sometimes it needs tweaking to fit the new buyer. And sometimes, it doesn’t fit the buyer’s need at all. If you’ve been shopping for a new RV and can’t find one that suits your purposes, sometimes it’s more economical to shop for a used RV and redesign the interior to fit your own needs. That’s what we did the first time we bought a motorhome.

It quickly became apparent that no new vehicle was going to have the furnishings and accessories we desired, so we shopped for an older, top-of-the-line motorhome that we could furnish to suit us. Our “new” motorhome had orange shag carpeting, woven wood blinds, orange striped furniture, and it held an icemaker and a curved banquette that we didn’t need. It had been a party machine owned by a businessman who used it to entertain. Bought at a reasonable price, we felt no sadness at ripping out the previous owner’s favorite pieces and replacing them with furnishings that fit our lifestyle.

First, we ripped out the carpeting and had it replaced with commercial grade plush carpeting in a taupe color with an occasional blue thread. Since we already had the furniture out to replace the carpeting, we sent driving seats and the sofa out to be reupholstered in a taupe, cream and blue patterned fabric. Next, we threw away the dusty woven woods and replaced them with peach colored blinds, and we covered the dark wood paneled walls with a light-colored, textured wallcovering. The kitchen didn’t need much since it had a rust colored tile backsplash, neutral counter tops and good appliances, including a built-in blender and ice crusher (from its party days). We bought an occasional chair in taupe, and moved our computer desk in where the icemaker had been. The dining banquette was torn out (except for the seating section over the furnace), and replaced with a 2-drawer file cabinet. The space over the seat and furnace was used for storage, so we covered the entire top with a counter top (extra working space) and a cupboard door to hide stored items.

We ended up with a motorhome that was brighter by far on the inside than the original, and with a metal body (remember those?) that when polished, shone like a new RV. Plus, we now had space for the desk I would need, and for the computer, printer, and office supplies that were necessary to run my business on the road. It would take a few more years for technology to catch up with us so that we could keep in touch by cell phone, and for the Internet to become public, but until then, we managed by pay phone and snail mail.

Next time I’ll talk about changing a few things inside a new RV to make it more workable for you, and upgrading interiors when they become shabby after too many miles of enjoying them. I’ll also include a few photos of our changes.

NEW ARTICLES

Writing opportunities come in all forms, including those that aren’t necessarily conventional. Below is an article on the Artist in Residence in National Parks program with a link to find more information on these unique opportunities along with a list of the National Parks that participate. These are wonderful possibilities to find creative inspiration in a new setting, and another experience to add to your writing resumé.

There is also a short piece about a t-shirt that alerts you when you are within range of a Wi-Fi site (great for travelers looking for a place to hook-up to the Internet), and a story about my mother-in-law and her first RV trip with us to Canada.

Next week (Feb. 11th), I’ll be going down to the Gypsy Caravan get-together in Casa Grande to take some copies of my books, which will be sold at the author’s co-op booth.

ARTIST-IN-RESIDENCE PROGRAM

The National Park Services offers opportunities for two-dimensional visual artists, photographers, sculptors, performers, writers, composers, and craft artists to live and work in the parks. There are currently 29 parks participating in the Artist-In-Residence program, although a few only want visual artists. In most cases, housing is available. You may need to provide samples of your work and references, but contact the parks you are interested in to determine their needs, duties you’ll be expected to perform, accommodations, dates of residency, etc. Get more information at: www.nps.gov/archive/volunteer/air.htm.

NOTE: Voyageurs National Park posted a comment that funding was cut for 2007, so this residency may not be available there for 2008. Funding to national parks has been deeply cut, so some of the other sites listed below may no longer offer the artist-in-residence program. Check at the contact addresses below to determine if they are offering the program for 2008.

ACADIA NATIONAL PARK, Maine
Contact: Artist-In-Residence Coordinator at Acadia_Information@nps.gov or call 207-288-3338, "O" for operator.
For additional information, write: Artist-In-Residence Program, Acadia National Park, PO Box 177, Eagle Lake Road, Bar Harbor, Maine USA 04609

AMISTAD NATIONAL RECREATION AREA, Texas
Contact: AIR Coordinator at 830-775-7491 ext. 211 MST or eric_finkelstein@nps.gov
For additional information, see out website at www.nps.gov/amis/supportyourpark/air.htm or write: Artist-In-Residence Program, 4121 Veterans Blvd., Del Rio, Texas USA 78840

BADLANDS NATIONAL PARK, South Dakota
Contact: Artist-In-Residence Coordinator, 605-433-5245 MST or badl_information@nps.gov
For additional information, write: Artist-In-Residence Program, Badlands NP, PO Box 6, Interior, South Dakota USA 57750

BUFFALO NATIONAL RIVER, Arkansas
Contact: Artist-In-Residence Coordinator at 870-741-5443 CST or buff_information@nps.gov Complete details and application form are available at www.nps.gov/buff
For additional information, write: Artist-In-Residence Program, Buffalo National River, 402 N. Walnut, Suite 136, Harrison, Arkansas USA 72601

CAPE COD NATIONAL SEASHORE, Massachusetts
This national seashore hosts two individual residency programs.
Contact: Tom Boland, Residency Coordinator, at tomboland@mediaone.net
For additional information, write: Provincetown Community Compact, Inc., PO Box 819, Provincetown, Massachusetts USA 02657 (Include a 52-cent stamped self-addressed envelope)

Contact: Send a 52-cent self-addressed stamped envelope to OCARC, 22 Nelson Avenue, Provincetown, Massachusetts USA 02657

CUYAHOGA VALLEY NATIONAL PARK, Ohio
Contact: Mary Pat Doorley, Cultural Arts Program Manager, at 440-546-5995 CST, or mary_pat_doorley@nps.gov or Joni Starr, Summer Camp & Arts Director, Cuyahoga Valley National Park Association, 330-657-2796 ext. 114 or jstarr@cvnpa.org
For additional information, call 800-642-3297 or write: CVEEC Artist-In-Residence Program, 3675 Oak Hill Road, Peninsula, Ohio USA 44264

DELAWARE WATER GAP NATIONAL RECREATION AREA, New Jersey
Peters Valley Craft Education CenterContact: Peters Valley at 973-948-5200 EST or pv@warwick.net
For additional information, write: Peters Valley Craft Education Center, 19 Kuhn Road, Layton, New Jersey USA 07851

DENALI NATIONAL PARK AND PRESERVE, Alaska
Contact: Denali Headquarters at 907-683-2294 AST or DENA_Info@nps.gov
For additional information, write: Artist-In-Residence Program, Denali National Park and Preserve, P.O. Box 9, Denali Park, Alaska USA 99755

DEVILS TOWER NATIONAL MONUMENT, Wyoming
Contact: Christine Czazasty at 307-467-5283, ext. 224, MST or christine_czazasty@nps.gov
For additional information, write: Writers-In-Residence Program, Devils Tower National Monument, Wyoming, Montana, USA 82714 or Bearlodge Writers, PO Box 10, Devils Tower, Wyoming USA 82714

EVERGLADES NATIONAL PARK, Florida
Contact: AIRIE Program Coordinator, 305-242-7750 EST or EVER_Interpretation@nps.gov
For additional information, write: Artist-In-Residence-In-Everglades, Everglades National Park, 40001 State Road 9336, Homestead, FL 33034. AIRIE applications are available on-line at: http://www.nps.gov/ever/supportyourpark/artistinresidence.htm

GLACIER NATIONAL PARK, Montana
Contact: Artist-In-Residence Coordinator at 406-888-7942 MST or matt_graves@nps.gov
For additional information, write: Artist-In-Residence Program, Glacier National Park, P.O. Box 128, West Glacier, Montana USA 59936

GOLDEN GATE NATIONAL RECREATION AREA, California
Headlands Center for the ArtsResidencies open to: California, North Carolina, New Jersey, and Ohio two-dimensional visual artists, photographers, sculptors, performers, writers, video/filmmakers, composers (Each state has individual eligibility requirements)
Contact: Holly Blake at 415-331-2787, ext. 24, PST or hblake@headlands.org
For additional information, write: Holly Blake, Residency Manager, Headlands Center for the Arts, 944 Fort Barry, Sausalito, California USA 94965

GRAND CANYON NATIONAL PARK, North Rim, Arizona
Contact: Artist-In-Residence Coordinator at 928-638-7739
For additional information, write: Coordinator, Artist-In-Residence Program, P.O. Box 129, Community Building, Grand Canyon, AZ USA 86023

HERBERT HOOVER NATIONAL HISTORICAL SITE, Iowa
Contact: Adam Prato at 319-643-7855 CST
For additional information, write: Artist-In-Residence Program, Herbert Hoover National Historical Site, 110 Parkside Drive, PO Box 607, West Branch, Iowa USA 52358

HOT SPRINGS NATIONAL PARK, Arkansas
Contact: Jeff Heitzman at 501-620-6707 or HOSP_Interpretation@nps.gov
For additional information, write: Artist-In-Residence Program, attn: Volunteer Coordinator, Hot Springs National Park, 101 Reserve Street, Hot Springs, AR USA 71901

ISLE ROYALE NATIONAL PARK, Michigan
Contact: Greg Blust at 906-487-7152 EDT or greg_blust@nps.gov
For additional information, write: Artist-In-Residence Program, Isle Royale National Park, 800 East Lakeshore Drive, Houghton, Michigan USA 49931-1895

JOSHUA TREE NATIONAL PARK, California
Contact: Tim Terrell at 760-367-5539 PST or artmojave@aol.com
For additional information, write: Artist-In-Residence Program, Joshua Tree National Park, 74485 National Park Drive, Twenty-Nine Palms, California USA 92277

NORTH CASCADES NATIONAL PARK, Washington
For additional information: Brochure
For application information: Application

ROCKY MOUNTAIN NATIONAL PARK, Colorado
Contact: Artist-In-Residence Coordinator at 970-586-1206 MST
For additional information, write: Artist-In-Residence Program, 1000 Highway 36, Estes Park, Colorado USA 80517

SLEEPING BEAR DUNES NATIONAL LAKESHORE, Michigan
Contact: Lisa Myers at 231-326-5134 or lisa_myers@nps.gov
For additional information, write: Artist-In-Residence Program, Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, 9922 Front Street, Empire, Michigan USA 49630

VOYAGEURS NATIONAL PARK, Minnesota
Contact: Teri Tucker at 218-283-9821 CST or teri_tucker@nps.gov
For additional information, write: Artist-In-Residence Program, Voyageurs National Park, 3131 Highway 53, International Falls, Minnesota USA 56649-8904

In my book, “Looking Back,” I wrote about some of the challenges facing our nation, including the rising cost of healthcare and the lack of availability of basic healthcare for the uninsured. I mentioned that it was cheaper to fly to India and other foreign countries for surgery than to have in here. Below is information from a recent article that appeared in “AARP Bulletin.” Who knew that in some instances, traveling to a foreign country was cheaper than even paying the co-pay on insurance?

OVERSEAS FOR OPERATIONS?

Recently AARP Bulletin had an article about traveling to places like Indonesia for major surgery. Costs can be dramatically less than even the out-of-pocket expenses for the same operation in the U.S. For example, a spinal stenosis surgery for one man cost $4,618.03. It would have cost him at least $14,000 out-of-pocket in the U.S. Other countries that cater to U.S. citizens needing surgery are India, Singapore, Hungary, South Africa, Dubai, Cosa Rica and Brazil. Thailand is the most popular choice. There are downsides, of course, such as limited or no legal recourse in the case of negligence. There are now books on medical tourism and agencies that will book your trip! Read the whole story and find resources at http://www.aarp.org/bulletin/yourhealth/traveling_for_treatment.html

Reprinted from "RV Lifestyles" a free ezine featuring tips and resources about the RV lifestyle. Visit http://www.rvhometown.com for subscription information, back issues, and more RV information.

WI-FI DETECTOR T-SHIRT

Now there’s a t-shirt that alerts wearers (and anyone standing nearby) that a Wi-Fi signal is available. No need to crack open your laptop to check for a signal. The bars on the front of the shirt glows and are animated, changing as Wi-Fi signal strength fluctuates.

While a clever idea that would certainly appeal to techies and computer geeks among us, you would have to either own several of the shirts (cost $29.99), or wash and wear daily. Washing involves removing a decal and unplugging the battery pack. Order and see a sample at the Website: http://www.thinkgeek.com/tshirts/generic/991e/.

Arboretum in Edomonton, Alberta, Canada

Two of the theme rooms in the Fantasy Hotel at the Edmonton Mall.

WHO SAYS AN RV TRIP WITH A MOM IN TOW CAN'T BE FUN?

A year after our first RV trip with Sadie the cat, we decided to travel up through Alberta, Canada, and then back down through the Canadian Rockies. So in mid-May we rented a 34-foot motorhome and invited hubby’s mom along with us. The cat stayed home this time with a house sitter.

First, we headed for Edmonton and THE MALL. This was (and may still be) the largest mall in the world and I was looking forward to seeing every store in it. However, to do so I would have to ditch Mom, but I was sure she wouldn’t mind being left to wander and shop at her leisure. Instead, she freaked out when she saw how huge it was, so together we managed to see as much as three full days and her stopping to touch every item in every store would allow.

My shopping style is to walk into a store, give a quick glance around, and I’m out of there if I don’t see what I’m looking for. I had shopping down to a science and I was specifically looking for some dishes for our new (but as yet un-purchased) motorhome.

Mom likes bargains, and there were no bargains in the Edmonton Mall. No bargains meant it was no fun for Mom and she constantly complained about the price of things. See why I was anxious to ditch her?

While my husband distracted his mother with a game of miniature golf (yes, you can do that inside the mall), I scooted off to a shop I had noticed before to buy my dishes, which have now survived 15 years of sliding around in a cabinet doing 60 miles an hour down the road.

You would have to see the Edmonton Mall to believe what all is located inside its walls! There is an underwater submarine and a dolphin park, an entire amusement park with a 13-story death drop, an ice rink, approximately 100 restaurants, more than 800 shops, a water park with a sandy beach and big waves, a casino and a hotel. Buses pull up outside and unload dozens of elderly ladies clutching their purses to their bosoms, all of whom rush inside to do whatever amuses them. Since winter weather is so extreme in Edmonton, this mall is the central gathering place for its citizens. If a huge snowstorm hits while they’re there, they can even spend the night in the hotel. It’s like a destination resort for almost anything a person wants to do.

Since I was on a working vacation gathering information for articles, I was able to get into some places that most tourists don’t, which gave Mom an opportunity to see a few things that truly amazed her. One was a tour of the Fantasy Hotel at one end of the mall. The rooms were each decorated as a theme room, and some were unbelievable. Mom was really stunned when she saw a bed in a buggy in one room, and in another, a bed in the back of a pickup. She couldn’t get over that. “Who would pay to sleep in the back of a truck?” she asked the hotel’s public relations person.

Mom was totally insulted when hubby and I decided we wanted a video made of the three of us as a rock ‘n’ roll band. We insisted, then marched her in and took our places behind the microphones and instruments like we knew what we were doing. Mom was on drums, I was on keyboard, and hubby was the lead singer with a guitar. Of course, none of us knew the words to the song, but it didn’t matter. Hubby and I decided to fake it. Mom was still mad, and the video of us pantomiming to “Old Time Rock ‘n’ Roll” shows her pounding the drum like it was tough piece of shoe leather she was trying to turn into minced meat. We still have that video somewhere to remind us of the time Mom played in a rock ‘n’ roll band. She was not amused that we also had copies made for her daughters!

While we frittered away our days in the mall, nights were spent at Shakers Acres RV Park a few miles away. While there, we met the McLeods—I’ve forgotten their first names. His grandfather settled Alberta and both McLeods knew a lot about the area, so they offered to show us around. One of the places we saw was an amazing natural history museum, and in the entry stood a grand statue of Mr. McLeod’s grandfather.

We had a wonderful afternoon touring the city of Edmonton, where we saw the glass pyramids of the arboretum (I think I recall that’s what they were) and many other fabulous sites that we might have missed had they not so graciously shown us around. Afterwards, we took them to dinner at that good old American standby, Olive Garden. Yep, they have them there, too! Predictable food, but always good.

Next time I’ll write about the Canadian Rockies portion of the trip and Mom’s encounter with a bear.

NEW BOOK IS REVIEWED IN ESCAPEES MAGAZINE - JAN/FEB. 2008

Looking Back: Boomers Remember History from the '40s to the Present just received a wonderful review in the latest issue of Escapees Magazine. Since many of the contributors to the book are also Escapees members, and because so many RVers are also boomers whose history the book covers, this magazine was an ideal publication to review the book. As a writer who needs all the publicity the book can garner in order to sell them, I really appreciate their kind words.

For those of you who may not know, Escapees is an organization of RVers that owns several parks around the country and offers discounted camping at hundreds of other RV parks. They produce a magazine that is published every two months and also hold RV rallies called Escapades. The next big one will be in July in Gillette, Wyoming.

Also, copies of both Looking Back and Portable Writing will be on sale at the writer's co-op booth at the upcoming Gypsy Caravan in Casa Grande, Arizona starting Feb. 11, 2008. If you plan to attend, look for them there.

Question: What is the difference between a writer and an author?

A writer is someone who writes with the hope of getting paid for it. An author is someone who gets paid for writing.


PROMOTE YOUR WRITING WITH A BLOG OR WEB SITE

It doesn’t make sense not to start a blog for your book or to promote other writing services and projects that way since they cost nothing but your time. A Website costs very little and some providers even offer free Website hosting.

The difference between a blog and a Website is that a Website stays more or less static, while new messages should be posted on your blog on a regular basis to keep readers interested in coming back. You can promote a book project on either site, and can provide links to purchase your book or get more information from either a blog or a site.

Websites
A list of Website hosts and their rankings are available by googling "Website providers." The first thing to do is compare these providers, then register the domain name you want to use for free. Then register for a site and decide what you want your site to look like, and what information you want to include. I studied the sites of other writers, then sketched out on paper what I wanted to include in mine before I sat down at the computer. You can use software that’s probably already available on your computer, or purchase software to design your Website. Or you can hire someone to design a site for you, but templates in the software make it easy to create a nice site.

Blogs
Blogger (www.blogger.com) offers free blogs, and all you have to do is sign up, then find the layout you like and start posting. You can add your photo, your book’s photo, links to related sites, and information about yourself or your book in a section that stays up permanently. Each post you add is displayed for awhile, although newer posts will be added above it, and eventually they will be pushed off that page. They’ll still be available to readers in the archives. Posts should ideally be 300-600 words, but if you are providing information that requires more words, that's okay, although you might lose some readers who don’t want to take time to read a long post.

I have four blogs currently up and running, two for each book that has been published in the past two years. One is for my newest book, Looking Back: Boomers Remember History from the ‘40s to the Present. That title was too long, especially for those searching the Internet, so one blog is: http://boomersrememberhistory.blogspot.com for those looking for books on the boomer era. The other blog for that book is: http://lookingbackboomersrememberhistory.blogspot.com for those who have heard of the book or read a review and are searching by the title. The book titled: Portable Writing: the Secret to Living Your Dreams with 25 Projects to Fund Your Freedom has one blog titled: http://portablewritingnewsletter.blogspot.com for those who know the title and know that I produce a regular newsletter. The other blog is http://freelancewriter.booklocker.com for Internet users searching for books about freelance writing.

One note about blogs: your blog must include key words that Internet users would look for on search engines. Higher rankings put your blog at the top of the list, but they don’t necessarily keep that same ranking. You need to post regularly to your blog to keep it somewhere near the front of the list so that whenever someone googles a key word in your blog, it pops up near the front of the list.

I believe that my blogs have definitely helped sell books. It’s a way that those who don’t know me can find out a little about me. It is still necessary to publicize my blogs so that people know about them, and know where to look, so each email that goes out includes a signature line that includes my name and the title of my blogs. That way, all of my regular correspondents know about them—and hopefully, help spread the word.

It’s also a good idea to promote your blog and Website on business cards, brochures, and on any other written materials you might regularly hand out to potential clients/customers. Then let the blog and Website do the selling for you.

Blogs and Websites work for you 24-7, promoting your book or writing skills. Make sure you use these cheap and simple tools to further your writing career.

Rock ‘n’ Roll Music Finally Debuts at RV Parks

Finally! RV Park activities directors are scheduling music performances that appeal to the Boomer audience. When we first started RVing, I couldn’t get over the music played regularly at RV park events—the same music that used to entertain my parents. Then I looked around and realized that I was one of the younger RVers on the road then. But as the years passed, I couldn’t help wondering if rock ‘n’ roll music would ever be heard in the parks, or would they continue to hire groups that played ‘30s and ‘40s music until the last WWII survivor played no more. The following tells the good news.

"THE CATSKILLS AREN'T DEAD YET—they just moved to RV Parks in Arizona. The Smother Brothers and many other Sixties headliners like Ricky Skaggs, Tanya Tucker, Frankie Avalon and Brenda Lee, are performing now for the Boomer (and older) RVers. Jacque Lamoree,Valley del Oro's activity director, played a pivotal role in launching the talent sea change for Arizona's RV industry. "Our people just go crazy. And our audiences are just like teenagers again. "See who's playing at
http://www.azcentral.com/community/ahwatukee/articles/1228ev-bignames1229.html."

"Reprinted from "RV Lifestyles" a free ezine featuring tips and resources about the RV lifestyle. Visit http://www.rvhometown.com for subscription information, back issues, and more RV information."

Apparently this small cat feels right at home as our dashboard kitty. Although we've had him checked for a microchip and signs are posted, no one has claimed him yet. Who could not fall for this handsome little guy?

FOUND - ONE SMALL BLACK CAT

This is an unusual notice for this blog, but on the chance that the person who lost a small black male cat at Thousand Trails Verde Valley might be reading this (and I realize the chances are pretty slim), it's now safely in our care.

This little guy has been running around the park for more than a week and was reported to joyously run up and greet anyone walking a dog. He also sauntered up to our neighbors yellow lab and made friends, even though Dixie is many times his size. That's how we finally got possession of him after our neighbor fed him and made friends.

So this is what we know. He must have escaped from his owner's RV, and the owner must have also had one or more dogs. By the time we finally managed to get him into the motorhome, he was quite skinny but appeared otherwise healthy. He's very sweet, and after a few minutes of exploring the motorhome, he headed for the dash and settled in. That makes me think his owner might have driven a motorhome and he was probably a dashboard kitty.

One other thing I know is that he has been declawed. Imagine how scared he must have been as he wandered the park at night trying to stay out of reach of a gray fox, a coyote, and a band of skunks that have been roaming the park recently. He couldn't eat (if he could even find anything, since he obviously didn't have claws to catch his own prey), drink, potty or sleep without constantly watching over his bony little shoulder. He couldn't have defended himself from any type of predator and he couldn't escape up a tree. However, he was healthy looking, his hair was shiny and clean, and other than being a little skittish at sudden noises or movement, he soon settled down to normal.

It's apparent that someone dearly loved this kitty and took great care of him, and somewhere, his family and at least one pooch companion are probably missing him terribly. So if you hear of anyone who has lost a small black cat at the Verde Valley Thousand Trails, please tell them to contact me at portable.writer@yahoo.com and identify the cat's special appearance. Although he has won our hearts, I would love to see him back with his owners again if they want him. And how could they not?

TOO MANY IDEAS? So what’s the problem?

I have a serious problem! Too many ideas. I always have been able to generate more ideas than I have time to pursue. One of this newsletter’s subscribers wrote a while back saying he has the same problem. A lot of writers would love to have this problem, but I suspect there are many more who also suffer from the same malady.

Having too many ideas is a natural extension of being creative. As writers, we spend our lives in a creative world, coming up with characters, scenarios, and original ideas. The same thought processes that provide us with original ways of telling stories also give us unique perspectives and ideas.

So if you suffer from the malady of “too many ideas” here’s how you can conquer the desire to pursue them all.

First of all, write your latest idea down immediately before you forget it. Keep a small notebook handy where you can record every idea that pops into your head. You might head some pages, “Ideas for writing projects” and “Ideas for articles.” Other pages can hold “random thoughts” which might be an idea for a personality trait for one of your characters, or it could be something you witness that you realize would make a good topic for conservation among your characters. Notes could also lead to new ideas for a book or article topic. I could go on and on here, but you can think up new divisions for your notebook based upon your own thoughts and ideas.

When I first started writing, I made up charts on the computer for “article ideas” and would add a topic each time I thought of one. I would list the magazines that I thought would be appropriate for the articles. Since I was writing mostly travel articles, I would list a place we planned to visit and the idea for a story. Often these topics would become obsolete because we never made it to the place I planned to write about, or once I did get there I discovered an entirely new angle for my article. Still, the list was a road map for my future.

Next, when you have a spare minute or two, go through your notebook and choose a project idea. As you read over the ideas you’ve previously written down, you’ll probably find some that seem silly, foolish, or no longer relevant. Cross those off your list immediately. No need to wade through a long list of irrelevant ideas every time.

Having too many ideas can be as crippling as not having any ideas because they can clutter your mind, which can hold you hostage. You must be able to prioritize your time and projects so that you can always keep busy and can move smoothly from one project to the next. You’ll be well on your way to becoming one of writing’s success stories.

NEXT 24-HOUR SHORT STORY CONTEST!

The WritersWeekly.com Winter 2008 24-Hour Short Story Contest is now open for entrants! It is limited to 500 entrants. Contests usually fill up, so don't delay if you want to participate. The contest is tons of fun! You can see the list of 85 prizes (first prize is $300, second is $250 and third is $200 - plus 82 other prizes!), and sign up here: http://www.writersweekly.com/misc/contest.html.

REAL CAMPING!!!

One day while my husband was outside working on something on the motorhome, a young man walked by and started a conversation about RVing. Then as he was walking away he remarked, “We don’t have an RV. We do real camping.”

We had a good laugh over that, because we had at one time also been so-called "real" campers. Too real! But we got over it. We began to reminisce about our early camping experiences.

My first was with my aunt and uncle, and possibly their oldest daughter who would have been about three at the time, my mom, sister, and me. No tent, no amenities of any kind, and the nearest toilet was about a quarter of a mile away. We spread quilts on the ground, and that’s where we slept, lined up side-by-side like toy soldiers.

I was probably about eleven or twelve then and my sister a year younger—that age when we didn’t like each other very much. But we did have one joint concern. Since our mother was all we had, we didn’t want anything to happen to her, so we slept on the outside and made sure she was safely tucked in the middle next to our aunt. Our uncle was on the other end of the lineup. Of course, my sister wiggled her way in next to mother because she was the youngest. I was not happy!

We were in the woods in a State Park, a place where I was certain wild animals roamed, and there I was exposed like raw, fresh bait in a trap, on the edge of the group. I lay awake imagining the humongous bear that would come out of the woods and carry me away. After my sister got to sleep, I tried to climb over her and shove her to the outside edge, but she promptly woke up and screamed her lungs out. Geesh, could she be annoying! That was one long night of sheer terror for me, and one I wouldn’t ever repeat.

Fast forward about ten years and my sister and I are grown and married, and by now we’re also good friends. We decided to go camping at the same State park with our mom in a roomy tent loaned to us by my aunt and uncle. My husband wasn’t with us because he was on duty defending our country against commies, but my sister’s husband was along to carry heavy things and protect us from wild varmints.

We arrived in late afternoon when the temperature was around 100 degrees with humidity to match. The Congo jungle couldn’t have been more unbearable. We unloaded the car and started pitching the tent. Now in that heat and humidity, this was no easy chore and required some liquid refreshment. Actually, lots of it! Neither my mother, sister nor I liked beer, but we were desperate to cool down and finish the task at hand before we could eat and go to sleep, so we drank sodas until we reached sugar overload, then in desperation tried the beer. Pitching the tent took an incredibly long time!

My brother-in-law had been a big, tough Marine, but obviously he was absent the day they taught tent-pitching. We weren’t having much luck getting it up. We each took a corner and tried to get our side to stay up long enough to stake it, but the tent kept tumbling over. We struggled with it, and giddy by this time from too much cold wet stuff, we kept falling into the center, howling with laughter each time it caved in once again. By the time we finally got the tent to stand on its own, it was late and dark. I’m sure our neighbors were as anxious for us to get the tent up and get in it as we were, but rather than offer to help four obviously camping-deficient folks, they had quietly slipped away to another site.

After eating, we all crawled into the tent and realized there was no way we could sleep there. Four of us huddled together inside that high-humidity, sweaty atmosphere was unbearable! So we crawled back out and made beds on the picnic table and benches. Just then, an army of mosquitoes discovered our fresh, tender flesh and mercilessly began dive bombing us.

We had just managed to adjust to them when we heard thunder and spotted lightning. Within seconds a rip-roaring thunderstorm was on top of us, dumping Arkansas River-loads of rain. It didn’t take much discussion before we grabbed everything and threw it into the tent, which to our amazement was still standing. We crawled back inside, soaked to the bone, and tried to make sleeping nests out of the mess. We just about got settled down again when one of us noticed mud oozing under the edge of the tent.

Okay! This was the moment we knew “Someobody Up There” was trying to get our attention. So even though it was by now close to midnight and we were desperate for sleep, we grabbed everything and chucked it into the trunk of the car to make the two-hour drive to my sister’s home.

I vowed never to go camping again, but a Volkswagen bus would convince me that there were easier ways to camp out. A mattress in the back, a fully stocked ice chest, and we were in tall cotton, as they say in Arkansas. Compared to “real camping,” a Volkswagen bus was heaven!

So would I go “real camping” again? Not on your life, or mine! Not even if I was twenty-two again, or even twelve!

Christmas in the RV Park

This Christmas we decided that instead of joining the Christmas rush on the highways to visit friends or family, we would stay in the RV park and enjoy food and festivities with fellow campers. A few days before Christmas it looked as though we might have a very small group on hand for the celebration.

Then a couple of days before Christmas, the rigs started pouring in. The park was nearly full to capacity by the time December 25th rolled around. What could have been a quiet Christmas turned instead into an endless celebration as we met new friends and enjoyed scrumptious meals in the family center.

On Christmas Eve, some of us attended the candlelight service in the park. Then on Christmas day, each family bore a steaming plate of food to the family center, where the park had prepared turkey and ham. So much food, so little time! Everything looked tempting, but we finally settled down to a plate of delicious food followed by delightful delicacies for dessert.

Celebrating didn’t end December 26th. There was New Year’s Eve and a noisy party in the family center with a great band and lots of dancing and reveling. Oh, and I shouldn’t leave out the wonderful food. We shoveled in prime rib and salmon wrapped in pastry plus appetizers, twice-baked potatoes, and again, wonderful desserts. Then on New Year’s Day, we all swarmed back to the family center for a 3-hour breakfast buffet. I mention the time because some people, like hubby, spent the entire 3 hours sampling everything on the buffet line.

In between activities at the family center, we heated up the nights by our fire pit. We have great next-door neighbors in the park with the sweetest, most gorgeous yellow lab we’ve ever seen named Dixie. Our neighbor has been gathering driftwood from down by the river for days, so we placed our fire pit on the grass lawn that separates our rigs, and have so far sat around it twice sharing popcorn and cookies with anyone who wanders by. The last time we had twelve RVers sitting around swapping adventures.

If you’re wondering what will happen when you’re RVing on holidays and can’t make it back home to your family, rest assured that most RV parks offer their own celebrations in the form of wonderful meals and festivities. If they don’t, you can always find some willing fellow campers to share meals and experiences with. There’s never a reason to be alone when you are in your home on the road—no matter how far from “home” you might be.

Writer's Digest Yearbook is on Newsstands Now

If you've never read a copy of Writer's Digest, or even if you have, now is the time to buy the Writer's Yearbook 2008. This is always the best issue of the year with "100 Best Magazine and Book Markets for Writers" plus other useful articles on getting published. It's $5.99 for a copy on most newsstands, or check your library.

Communicating on the Road

We just made another step forward in being able to communicate while on the road in the RV. We purchased a USB720 connection for our Verizon broadband access to the Internet. We already had broadband/nationwide access with a PCMCIA card, but the USB connection allows us to use it with either the laptop or the desktop computer—although not at the same time—and costs the same as the original access. What a giant leap from the modem connection through our cellphone just two short years ago. Talk about slow!

Access to the Internet is even faster than with the PCMCIA card, although we’re still only receiving Nationwide access where we’re parked right now. Still, it’s a little faster and is just one more step towards making it possible to communicate with the world via the Internet from almost any location.

What makes a good writer?

I’m not talking about great! Shakespeare and the classics authors have stood the test of time, so can be fairly judged to fit the term, “great.” I’m discussing contemporary writers here.

Among contemporary writers, what makes their work stand out among their peers?

We each have our favorite writers, whose books we must believe are good or we wouldn’t read them. They string words together well and their writing holds our attention. They’re articulate and they don’t make grammatical errors. However, what specifically distinguishes a good writer from the rest of the crowd?

Here are a few thoughts on the subject.

The writing is engaging. It captures readers’ attention and holds it all the way through the story or book. It probably even leaves readers wanting more.

The writing is grammatically correct. Good writers’ novels are properly punctuated. And outside of dialogue, the language is grammatically correct. If it’s a novel about an illiterate character, then it might be okay to ignore some rules. To be good, the character’s dialogue must be written in the language he or she would use—no matter how fractured their verbal skills might be. If a real person living in the setting the character appears in would commonly use ain’t, then the book’s character should use it.

Good authors can put their thoughts and feelings into words. Some writers are much better at this than others. They can describe ordinary places, people, and objects in words so that you understand exactly what they’re saying. You as a reader can visualize the scene as if you were there. You can feel the subject’s emotions.

Among contemporary writers who can do this, William Least Heat-Moon stands out as one of the best. He can take everyday situations and make you part of the action. When he describes people, his words sing.

Here is a brief quote from his book, Blue Highways that tells you exactly what he sees, but he describes things in words most of us would never think to use to express our thoughts. But they’re perfect. “The waitress wore threads of wrinkles woven like Chantilly lace over her forehead...”

Another wonderful passage describes another waitress, this one young and rude.
“Early in life she had developed the ability to make a customer wish he’d thrown up on himself rather than disturb her.”

Good authors can make their readers either laugh out loud or cry a flood of tears. Sometimes they can do both. Readers feel the emotions of the lead character. The writer makes every scene and circumstance come alive. Sometimes good writers pop up where we least expect them.

Janet Evanovich is a contemporary writer who has created her own best-selling niche that appeals to millions of readers. Her heroine, Stephanie Plum, is a bounty hunter, and as such, is a giant accident waiting to happen. Her antics are in turn hilarious and frightening. And when I grab one to read, I can’t put it down until it’s finished. Some people would categorize her books as chick-lit, but my husband loves them, too!

A good author is popular. I’m not sure this is a fair category because I’ve read some books by popular writers that weren’t all that great. At least I didn’t think so. But if their books consistently make the bestseller lists, then their fans are certainly finding the books interesting and entertaining. But will they stand the test of time?

Good writers are not always the most popular, but their work will remain popular through the decades and even centuries.

John Steinbeck’s works evoke strong emotion and have stood the test of time, so he falls under my description for a “good” writer—maybe even a "great" one. His beautifully descriptive words have caused readers to laugh and cry, feel happy and sad, and his writing evokes great empathy for his characters. It is a very special writer who can challenge the status quo, and inspire people to act for the betterment of those less fortunate.

The question you may be asking yourself is do I (Kay Kennedy) think I’m a good writer? P-l-e-e-e-z-e! I wish! My goal is to someday be a fairly good writer who can entertain readers, inspire people, and give hope to the hopeless, but I’m still a long way from there. But I keep plugging away.

I make grammatical errors sometimes and I am guilty of typos that slip through. My worst problem is writing a sentence that I’m sure won’t make sense to readers, so I re-write it and while erasing the previous sentence, accidentally leave a stray word in from my previous thought. Or I accidentally erase a word that should have been there. And somehow, these mistakes escape notice during proofreading or editing.

Every writer worries about mistakes slipping through, but I try not to focus on them. If I did, I could never put my thoughts and feelings into words. I would never manage to help readers see what I see. I have a feeling this is something good writers don’t worry about either. They leave that until last, after their words are down on paper and already successful at telling the story.

So until I can get every word perfect, make my writing interesting to readers and maybe even inspire them, I’ll never consider myself a “good” writer. And maybe that will never happen, but I love writing and I’ll keep on trying until the day I’m pushing up daisies.

And that’s what I want you to understand. If you like to write—especially if you love it—keep doing it. Everyday! Even if you think you can’t sell a story or article, write for yourself, or your friends and family. Some good writers are never discovered until after they’re gone, just like famous artists. Who knows? You and I may someday be remembered as great writers.

CAMPING AT WALMART

This time I want to talk about something serious. I promise that next time, I’ll resume telling about some of our humorous RVing moments.

I’m sure you’ve seen RVs parked at Wal-Marts and wondered why they’re there. Well, there are probably a couple of reasons why RVers stop overnight courtesy of Wal-Mart.

1. They are trying to save money. If an RVers wishes to stop for a brief nap, they may not think it’s worthwhile to pay $25-$40 plus for a place to park their RV for a few hours when they don’t plan to use any of the park’s amenities.

2. They can’t find an RV park nearby. Maybe they’re exhausted and need to catch a few hours sleep before heading out again, and they really don’t want to leave the Interstate and travel (maybe for miles) searching for an RV park. We’ve found this to be the most common reason RVers stop in Wal-Mart lots.

One time we were traveling the Interstate through Phoenix on a hot 100 degree-plus evening and needed to stock up on groceries and gas, so we pulled into a Wal-Mart & Sam’s hoping to fill both our pantry and gas tank. A security guard rushed over as we pulled off the road and said “you can’t park in this lot.” We told him we really needed groceries and gas, and asked if we couldn’t park on the outskirts of the lot and hike to the store to get groceries? “Oh sure,” he told us, “but then you’ll have to leave. The city doesn’t allow overnight parking in our lot, and cops patrol and ticket RVers.”

Well, we got our groceries, but while we were doing that, the gas pumps closed down for the night. So already low on gas, we had to make our way miles further down the freeway to fill up. If we could have spent the night there, we would have filled the gas tank first thing before we left in the morning. As it was, it took a couple of hours to find a rest area where we could stop. We hadn’t passed a single sign for an RV park along the way.

So, you wanna know, what’s up? You see RVs park in Wal-Mart all the time. There are two reasons that RVers might be turned away.

1. Some RVers set up camp for a few days, and they sometimes leave a mess behind. Those types give all RVers a bad name and destroy parking possibilities for us all.

2. Usually it is because nearby RV park owners raise a commotion about Wal-Mart letting RVers park there, and talk local authorities into forbidding it.

We worked for two RV parks back when we were work-camping that actively tried to prevent local Wal-marts from allowing RVers to stay overnight. In one park, there were two seasons when an available camp site couldn’t be found anywhere within 50 miles, but even then, the owner couldn’t stand to see RVers parking at Wal-Mart.

The other owner was much more militant. He wanted to prevent non-commercial camping anywhere in his state. He was president of his state’s campground owner’s association, and his group was actively lobbying the state legislature to pass a law that would prohibit State and National Parks from having campsites! Wal-Marts were also on their "search and destroy" list. Without competition to keep them honest, our greedy park owner and others could charge as much for rundown, bare-bones facilities as they wished. And that’s exactly what they would have done!

If you decide to park overnight at a Wal-Mart, always check with a manager first. They can tell you if it’s permissible and where it’s best to park. Thank them, and be sure to spend some money in their store. Then be sure to keep your parking site clean, and don’t extend slide-outs or awnings, or set out your lawn chairs and barbeque. And don’t stay more than one night. If you need to stay longer, find a nice RV park where you can spread out and enjoy your visit.

Many Wal-Marts offer excellent parking opportunities for when you are in a hurry and want to stop for a couple of hours or so to rest, or for when you can’t locate a nearby RV park. But RVers should never abuse their generosity by making the parking lot look like a disorderly homeless camp.

Just like in any civilized society, courteous behavior is a requisite if we want to keep emergency parking spots available to all of us. Surely, each of us can do our part to ensure the continued cooperation of Wal-Marts and communities across the country.

FOR THE LOVE OF BOOKS!

One of the greatest gifts we can give to someone we love, especially a child, is the love of reading. Youngsters don’t normally discover books without a guiding hand from a parent, grandparent, or an adult they respect.

I was taught to love books early and remember hungrily scouring the library’s bookshelves as a kid, searching for that special book with which to spend a hot, lazy summer afternoon.

And then one day I realized books have the power to provide a complete education to anyone willing to learn. Want to know how to hunt for wild game, then dress it and prepare it? That information is available in a book. Want to know how to write a computer program? You’ll find that in a book, too. No matter what anyone wants to learn, it’s all there on the bookshelf.

When I wanted to learn how to make a living as a writer, I searched every library within a 100 mile radius, looking for information that would educate me. Stacks of books lay about my feet and I greedily devoured them all, searching for the clues that would make me a successful writer and making notes to keep for later reference.

After almost twenty years of practicing what I learned, I wrote a book about making money from writing titled “Portable Writing: the secret to living your dreams with 25 projects to fund your freedom.” You see, the secret I discovered from books is that writing could fulfill all my dreams. I can live where I want, travel where or when I desire to, and make money while pursuing the pleasures of life. Not a bad way to live.

So to all you aspiring writers out there, I recommend that you read my book to learn how you can live your own fulfilling life and pursue your own dreams on your own terms. And think about others on your shopping list this Christmas who would love to learn from a simple, easy to understand book how they can lead a successful life as a writer. You can order a copy by clicking on http://www.booklocker.com/books/2461.html or at www.Amazon.com.

For those aging boomers on your list who might be interested in recalling the turbulent ‘60s, or the civil rights movement, or any other profound moment that has happened during their lifetimes, why not buy them a copy of “Looking Back: Boomers Remember History from the ‘40s to the Present.” You can buy it at: http://www.booklocker.com/books/3256.html or www.Amazon.com.

Give the gift of books this Christmas! Clothes wear out or go out of fashion, electronics become outdated, and food gets eaten and then is quickly forgotten. Books are the most lasting and meaningful gifts you can give to someone you care about.

Writing’s Dirty Little Secrets

You might think the writer’s strike in Hollywood doesn’t have anything to do with you, other than interrupting your favorite television shows. And it does do that—big time! Generally I’m not a fan of strikes to win concessions in labor disputes because they disrupt the lives of too many people. Strikes like those against grocery chains close down access to food, which we all, even the strikers, need to survive. Strikes by hospital workers can endanger a public in need of vital surgical procedures, or needing a safe, sterile environment in which to recover from a serious illness. Striking seems a little extreme.

Still, even though the writer’s strike might disrupt my TV viewing habits, it’s not going to endanger my life or my welfare. It will hurt those behind-the-scenes people whose livelihoods depend on the television industry for a paycheck, and who are struggling to get by. But maybe this is the only way writers can acquire an equitable share of the enormous income stream their words can generate. A writer works hard on a script, only to see it then be used to create endless income sources for production companies at little or no additional cost to them. Shouldn’t the writer be entitled to a piece of the action?

Here’s what points up the inequities best. If a songwriter writes a song, they get residual payments every time that song is sung anywhere, even if it’s in a private wedding ceremony. How? Songwriters belong to the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers, and that organization collects payments from anyplace that is likely to host a musical performance. When you see a piano player in a Nordstrom’s or another retail establishment, the store has to pay a fee to ASCAP to cover the music used. I don’t know, and couldn’t find information on whether someone at each business or venue has to keep a list of all songs played and report them, or if ASCAP simply collects regular fees from these venues based upon an “average” or “estimated” number of songs, then divides it among all songwriters.

We had a friend who was at one time a well-known songwriter and entertainer, and even though he’s no longer alive, his estate will continue to receive residuals from his songs. We knew he received checks every month, but I assumed they were from recording studios as they issued new recordings of his songs, performed by new artists.

For a couple of years we helped out in an RV Park in Mountain View, Arkansas, where music is a vital part of the community and traditions. Our park had a small clubhouse and also a little outdoor shed where pickers and singers could gather to jam. These were usually informal gatherings, in no way sponsored by the park, but still in park facilities. So one day, officials from ASCAP paid our RV Park a visit, demanding a monthly fee because there was an obvious stage in the clubhouse and a sign over the shed that said, “picker’s place.” By the way, Mountain View, the “Folk Music Capital of the World,” focuses on traditional folk and mountain music, so a lot of what is played there is no longer protected by copyright laws, if it ever was. And a lot of non-professional pickers and singers write their own songs. Still, ASCAP was seeking to protect its member’s copyrights.

Photographers and graphic artists generally have their work protected so that they can continue to receive payment if their photos or artwork are used in any other way than that specified in the original contract. Photographers ensure future payments by keeping the negatives of photos they take, even if a client pays them a huge fee to take the pictures thinking they will own their own photos and negatives. Artists and photographer assure their rights by getting a contract signed up front specifying those rights.

It’s not easy to protect writer’s works. Articles, stories, poems, etc. can be copied easily by anyone owning a copy machine, or can be scanned into any computer, making it virtually impossible to protect a writer’s work from illegal use. There is no way to police use of every phrase, poem, story, or larger work.

The other difference between writers and other creative professionals is a strong membership organization or union that supports photographers and artists—and frankly—one difference is tradition. Another is that there are so many writers. Now I didn’t say talented or even good writers, but there are a lot who are more than willing and desperate enough to take any writing job another writer refuses. Until writers unite into one strong organization, such as the Writer’s Guild, and demand fair payment, things will continue as they have always been.

The other dirty little secret

When I first started writing, I read that women writers were often paid less than men, and that fewer writing assignments were available to them. I pooh-poohed the idea since I believed from the start that I could succeed anyplace a man could.

Then I learned the awful truth! I was approached by a magazine publisher to write for their new magazine, and established a pattern of submitting an approximate 1500-word article each month, with photos taken by my husband. In the meantime, a young man assumed the editing position. Then one day my husband decided to write an article about an event he attended. He wrote a good, but brief article with one photo. I edited it and submitted it under his name. When his check arrived, it was 20 percent more than what I had been receiving. I was stunned!

So I discovered firsthand that there sometimes really is a difference in what men and women are paid in the magazine world.

There are a couple of things you can do to prevent being underpaid if you are a woman. I’ve read that some women writers use their initials instead of their first name, and magazines can assume whatever they will. For instance, a name like Barbara Jean Storm becomes B. J. Storm. If you do this, make sure your bank will accept checks made out to you that way. I’ve never tried this, so can’t say whether it works or not, but I don’t see why it shouldn’t.

You can also choose a pen name of the opposite sex. Some men writing romance novels use women’s names as their bylines, and I’m sure there are instances where women writers assume a man’s pen name. Or choose a non-gender specific name like Terry or Jerry.

Pen names are popular choices for writers because they give you a measure of anonymity should you became “famous,” and if your name is difficult to pronounce or spell, a pen name is easier for magazine editors and readers to remember. Since “Kay” is my pen name, when I receive a check made out to Kay Kennedy, I endorse it with that name and then sign my real first name underneath. I’ve never had a problem getting checks cashed or deposited.

Another sneaky way around the problem if you are married is to write the article in both spouses’ names. For instance, the byline would read “By Barbara and John Storm.” I have noticed that a lot of articles appear in various magazines under two names, usually a male and female, and maybe that actually helps sell articles. I can’t say. But that is what I did after realizing my husband’s byline was worth more than mine. I wrote a few more articles for that same prejudiced magazine because they paid promptly, but since my husband always helped with the articles and took pictures, I felt it was perfectly reasonable to use both our names as authors.

Sometimes, a writer’s got to do what a writer’s got to do to make a living in what is apparently, still a biased, sexist society.

And I say to those on strike, Good Luck! We writers may be passionate about what we do, but we have a right to make a living, too.

TIARA WEARING, BEAUTY AND BOOK SHARING PULPWOOD QUEENS

Last year, I discovered one of those pleasant surprises that make us realize that hope is not lost for literacy in America. Sometimes, all it takes is one clever woman who is creative and not above using large doses of humor to get people to pick up a book and read. Kathy Patrick of Jefferson, Texas had a beauty shop and she loved books, so she started what is probably the only beauty/book shop in the country.

But she went much further than that! She formed a book club, called the Pulpwood Queens, whose members read books and discuss them at regularly scheduled meetings. There's a twist to her book club, though. Every participant must wear a tiara! Big hair helps, too - this is Texas, after all.

Kathy's Pulpwood Queens club chapters are spreading across the country now. They place a needed focus on literacy and support hardworking writers who (trust me) don't get a lot of encouragement or support from either publishers or bookstores. I've provided a link to her Web site below.

Kathy is a generous, creative, and caring woman who is not immune to helping those in need. I'll write next time about the project she is pursuing to help the writer of a new book. Meanwhile, check out her Web site.

Current articles

• Gift idea for your friends and family
• Should writers use swear words in their stories and articles?
• RV road trip with a traumatized cat

CHRISTMAS IS RAPIDLY APPROACHING,

and what better gift for your friends and family than a book that offers an emotional stroll down memory lane?

The Book: LOOKING BACK: BOOMERS REMEMBER HISTORY makes a wonderful Christmas gift for those on your list who are reaching “that certain age” when the past begins to look better all the time. Or for your children and grandchildren, who need to know the story of the amazing moments their parents and grandparents lived through.

History is not boring—especially the history of the Boomers! Oh yeah, the way we were taught it in school could positively make me snore. But this history book is different! It is written by those of us who were there—who witnessed it all as it happened.

We watched the amazing drama unfold on the small black and white screens of that new invention, the television. Some of us even participated in various events that made the news back then. What exciting times we had, and how sorrowful some of it was as we wondered if the world would survive until we reached adulthood.

For a personal journey into the past that will bring back memories of assassinations, riots, an unpopular war, and a government that seemed to be coming apart at the seams, Looking Back provides a unique firsthand glimpse at the times. The book also recalls the polio scare that had our parents keeping us at home to avoid becoming one of those children confined to iron lungs or wheelchairs. Fortunately, a remarkable new vaccine was discovered to prevent the disabling and deadly disease, freeing us to once again enjoy childhood activities like going to public swimming pools and Saturday matinees.

Also recalled are drive-in movies—those theaters under the stars where almost all of us went with our families and on dates. Lacking shopping malls then, the drive-in movies were our social scene. And of course, the end of segregation is covered by three of us who attended Central High School during the integration crisis in 1957/58, by one who recalls the sorrow of segregation during those years, and by one Vietnam War veteran who first came face-to-face with integration while serving during the Vietnam War.

Looking Back is receiving great reviews for the way history was treated in the book—not as a dry, boring subject but as many interesting stories interwoven to reveal the emotions behind history. It’s not a book that readers have to read from front to back. Instead, readers can pick and choose the stories they want to read at any one time.

The beautifully designed book is available as paperback for $17.95 plus shipping and handling. It can be ordered online from http://www.booklocker.com/books/3056.html, with delivery within 10 days.

Or order directly from me for $22.00 (covers shipping and handling). Send check to: Kay Kennedy, P. O. Box 4566, Cottonwood, AZ 86326. Delivery should be within 10 days, but I’ll notify you if it might take longer.

My book, PORTABLE WRITING, also makes the perfect gift for the budding writer on your list. Or for the writer you know who claims not to be able to make enough money as a writer. Portable Writing offers detailed instructions for 25 different projects that definitely create a comfortable living for any writer, anywhere! It is based on my experience, so I know the projects make money. This book is also available by ordering from me with a check for $21.00 at the above address, includes shipping and handling.

Or order online for $16.95, plus shipping and handling, by clicking on the book image at top, right of this page.

SHOULD YOU EVER USE SWEAR WORDS IN YOUR WRITING?

A recent article by Morgan Hunt in Writer’s Digest discussed when it was okay to use swear words in your articles or stories. Anyone who watches much television or goes to movies knows that obscene words are proliferating in the media as quickly as mispronunciations of words. (Does anyone else get irritated by newscasters incapable of pronouncing words correctly besides me?)

Anyone who knows me knows that I’m no prude and have been known to, on occasion, slip naughty words into tales that I tell. Actually, more than on occaasion! However, I have my limits, and when it comes to writing, there’s a time and a place for that type of language. And yes, swear words do have their place in stories, articles and books, depending on the circumstances.

Non-fiction

For nonfiction work, why use swear words when emotions can better be expressed with other, more acceptable words unless you’re writing for a publication that regularly features articles laced with that type of language? However, if you are quoting someone else, swear words may best help readers picture that person’s personality. For instance, if you are quoting a well-known person who swears, then it is usually okay to use his or her words exactly as told to you (or use a row of symbols to indicate the word). And especially if you are using well-known quotes from a movie, book, etc., you should include the offensive words. I’ve never faced this decision, but if I was using a quote that employed the “F” word, I would look at the article’s intended audience.

If for a men’s magazine, then it might be okay to go ahead and use the actual word, but if writing for other magazines and they occasionally employ such usage, then I might use ‘f---’ or ‘f---in’, or symbols. Then it would be up to the editor to change it, or the reader to supply the rest of the letters, although most readers familiar with popular culture would know what was intended. Make sure you know your audience!

Fiction

For a fictional story or book, usage of obscene words depends on the characters. What social setting are they in? What era? Is the setting and the character culturally ‘hip’ and where swear words are commonly used? When writing about decades before the ‘60s, swear words would almost never be used unless you are writing about the underbelly of society. Obviously, gangsters and murderers would not be concerned with proper language, and instead would likely spit curse words out to intimidate victims or impress their peers. Young boys might also occasionally use naughty words to look tough that their mothers would frown upon. There are few other occasions to use swear words during earlier eras—but there are always exceptions.

I faced the question of using swear words when I started my new mystery novel. My goal is to write a book that is funny, hip, colorful, and will appeal to young women from every background. So I feel I should refrain from flagrant use of offensive language.

However, the lead character is a 30-ish single young woman who was briefly married to a dimwit redneck whose friends cursed to replace strong emotions, so she definitely has a nodding acquaintance with crude language. She works as a single interior designer working in Houston, a fairly socially conservative region of the country, but with lots of young people living away from home for the first time and struggling with their somewhat conservative roots while trying to fit into the freewheeling lifestyle of a sophisticated, large multinational city.

The lead character’s parents are very conservative, live a typical small town lifestyle, and attend church every week. So she’s caught in a cultural warp—between young, trendy peers who strive for the ‘coolness’ factor—and her parents’ "socially correct” world, which doesn’t tolerate swear words pouring out of the mouth of a woman. This is basically a “deep South” background and tradition where the distinction between the roles of men and women and how they are expected to behave is still clearly defined.

I do want the language to reflect real life, so my main character, who is as "with-it" as any young woman, uses the word ‘dang’ a lot—a currently popular swear word in Texas used by young people who find typical curse words offensive. The characters that swirl around her, though, are not as hesitant about cursing. Some occasionally blurt out mild curse words that express their frustration and anger. I’m still struggling with how to keep the story from being offensive while still staying true to the character of typical young people working in a stressful environment.

So should you use swear words? The line that separates when to use swear words and when not to in writing is not clearly drawn. Clearly, if writing for a religious magazine or newspaper, you would never use one. If writing for pop culture publications where the crude utterings of hip-hop artists and other young entertainers would shock almost anyone over 30, then swear words are almost expected.

Markets for magazine articles require that you understand who their advertisers and readers are and what their tolerance level is. If tough language is the norm, then you can follow suit, but if you fail to find even one minor swear word in any of their back issues, then don’t include a single one if you expect to sell your work to that publication.