Become the Next Great Writer

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B GERCEOAMTEWTRHITEENRE..X. T not the best place to start. Consider magazine, journal, newspaper, or newsletter EBdy itCo hrr-iins-tCiahnieDf,.AMtaHleosmice, iMnBBAe,rIkOsM authorship. There are two common ways to proceed. The first, and most common, is to find a need and fill it. Talk to the editor of the publication for which you wish to write to find out what content they need. A little known fact is that most magazines and journals theme each issue and often make available their Editorial Calendars, outlining the themes for the upcoming issues. If your expertise corresponds with an upcoming theme, contact the editor to see if they will allow you to try your hand at a piece for consideration. Write it down! Tell the sense of self-satisfaction when your work is The second, less common approach is to world. published. just write. Find a topic to which you bring passion, expertise, and experience and write Accomplished authors, whether known Focus less on becoming the next multi- an outstanding article. Work it and rework worldwide or only in smaller professional million dollar author of Harry Potter it. You are on your own time – you have no circles, are able to reach every dream and more on being you. If you are not a deadline. Revisit it in subsequent days or faster... and then some. Want to grow storyteller, fiction may not be your area. weeks to lay “fresh eyes” on it. When you your business - write. Be offered the next Plus, unless you want to change careers to have it almost where you want it, share it promotion - write. Get a job, or a new job become a full time author, it will do little to with a trusted advisor for their input and - write. People look up to the successful help your current career. Write non-fiction; feedback. Rework it some more. Only after among us. They affiliate themselves with that is, how-to, why-it-works, knowledge, it is perfect – shop it around. Send it to the accomplished. They hire, promote, or and educational pieces that will help others editors of journals, magazines, newspapers, buy from the expert who has demonstrated know what you know. Don’t worry about and newsletters to see if they will accept they are a mover and shaker in their field. writing yourself out of a job, thinking if it. Don’t just send it to any editor of any Are you? you write it down they won’t need you publication. Research them first and make anymore. On the contrary, you will become an honest judgment call on if your article What to Write THE source for your clients and co- would fit well in their publication. workers alike. You are an expert. There is something, I have personally had much more success maybe many things, which you do How to Get Published with the latter method; though, fellow exceptionally well or know much about. authors tell me it is the path less travelled Putting your wisdom to the page provides “You should write a book” is a common and much more difficult to find success. credibility to your work, helps your fellow phrase in American lexicon that we hear, or With over a dozen articles published in man in an area with which they want to say, often. Maybe a book is in your future. national publications and dozens more in learn or improve, and gives you a strong But, if you are not a writer now, and have state and local print, I have not found this, never been published before, it is probably however, to be the case. How Long Publications differ. In broadly speaking terms, there are three different article lengths – think of them as small, medium, and large. The common measuring tool is in number of words, as opposed to characters, found with some social media (such as Twitter); or, column inches, found predominantly in the newspaper world. A small article, then, is 600 to 800 words. Anything smaller is not really an article 22 AT HOME IN BERKs february 2013

HBAberks.org I 610.777.8889 at all; but rather, an interesting fact, very You know us for our Outside products. short story, or report on an event. After being laid out on the page, adding graphics, Decking • Railing • Fencing • Roofing • Siding • Windows advertisements, or sidebars, a 600 to 800 word article fills less than a full printed see what we can do for you inside! page. Visit our showroom. Medium-sized articles are the bread and butter of most publications, ranging from Kitchens • Baths • Cabinets • Countertops 800 to 1,200 words with a median length of 1,000 words. They either fill the printed Aspiring authors should become page or extend to a second page when familiar with proofreaders marks laid out and enhanced in production. It on their submitted content. is possible that they will extend to a third Naturally, most authors hope to see page, though this is rare. I recommend you as few of these markings on their focus your early attempts in targeting this text as possible! size. This is the perfect sized article to get an editor’s attention. As articles approach 1,200 words in length and exceed it, they become feature articles. Most magazines and journal have three or less feature article in each issue. Newspapers have one per section. And, newsletters have one per issue. Every author wants a cover story. You have to earn it. History is full of ‘naturals.’ Maybe you are one of them and can hit it out of the park on your first time at bat. Most of us thrive at on-the-job training. We make our mistakes along the way. Learn. And, improve. All Authors Hate Editing You should have enough to say. In fact, you should have too much to say. It is much easier to ramble on long-winded than it is to be succinct. If you find yourself on the other side of the equation – searching for what to write – you have picked the wrong topic. As an example, after writing, re- writing, reviewing and tweaking this article, it was 1,557 words (I cut 362 words). Continued on page 24 february 2013 AT HOME IN BERKs 23

HBAberks.org I 610.777.8889 Continued from page 23 your efforts in writing the best piece will reward you with greater success in your possible and getting it to print rather than career of choice. Editing it down to size is always the the few hundred dollars a paid author may hardest part of writing a piece, large or receive. Success begets success. The more Become an author. Grow your career. small. It separates the adults from children. you are published, the easier becomes to Improve your life! get published. If you are good, editors will Never send out into the world any piece want you. Whether writing is your passion About the Author: unless you are convinced it is your latest or you write about your passion, my advice masterpiece that outshines all previous is the same: get a few dozen publication Christian D. Malesic, MBA, IOM is the work. Should an article not rise to that level, successes under your belt before you ever Executive Officer of the Home Builders keep it to yourself until you make it so. consider doing so for payment. Stay an Association of Berks County. He provides amateur writer as long as you can. When insight on construction issues, business Professional vs. Amateur you go pro, go fast and make a splash. operations, marketing, personal finance, and occasionally, on political philosophy/history. Pros get paid. Amateurs do not. Again, Dream big. Choose the most glorious Contact Christian at the HBA of Berks unless you are interested in changing publication in your field and work your way County office: [email protected] careers to become a writer, use it as a up to becoming a regular author in it. Your or, to receive notice of the newest articles supplement to your current career. Focus peers, contemporaries, clients, and boss will written by Christian, follow him on Twitter all appreciate your accomplishments and @CDMalesic. GRE(ASTIDWEBRAITRE)R ... Topics cover the gamut on issues of interest At Home in Berks is especially to Berks County residents; but, can be unique as it is written by experts, not thought of as falling into two general professional authors. In fact, employees categories: residential & business. of member companies are given top At Home in Berks magazine is the priority to write for the magazine, Home Builders Association of Berks Residential: according to the editorial calendar, on County’s (HBA) 32+ page, four color topics on which they are exceptionally glossy, premium magazine that is Articles of all sizes, shapes, and colors proficient. Additionally, budding distributed to more than 2,500 covering the obvious ones you might expect amateur writers (defined as: unpaid), locations bi-monthly. from the Home Builders Association (such who are Berks County residents Though a copy is delivered to all as: How to Hire a Remodeler, Tips on and are willing to write on topics as members of the association, its target Getting the Perfect Deck, Preview of the assigned by the Editor-in-Chief, are audience is the homeowner or soon- 2012 Parade of Homes) plus the not so also given the opportunity to grow to-be homeowner who resides and/ obvious ones (Property Tax Independence their talents and build their portfolios or works in Berks County, PA. Thus, Act, The Do’s and Don’ts of Social Media, such that they may someday become copies are also available at dozens of Decorating Techniques) and everything in professional writers (paid for their distribution points throughout the between. written work). As such, the magazine county, including: doctor’s & dentist’s works with the communications offices, retail locations, big box stores, Business: and journalism departments of our mini-marts, building supply outlets, wonderful Berks County colleges appliance stores, remodelers, and Most of our business articles are geared and universities to give students this builders, to name a few... to the small business owner with a “News unparalleled opportunity (though You Can Use” flair, that is, information anyone is eligible to write for us, not you can put to use immediately in your just students). business without a lot of glitz, glamour, philosophy, or pontification. What’s more, Your only investment is time, not though we may love our fellow Americans money. The article cannot be an ad to in the Great States of Iowa, Maine, and use your services, though you will get Oregon or enjoy visiting warm-weathered credit as its author in the by-line and in Florida, New Mexico, or Texas, our articles very short “about the author” paragraph are focused on home – business in Berks. at the end. This FREE public relations Some topics have included: Leasing is the reason the Board of the HBA Commercial Real Estate: A How to Guide; created At Home in Berks - to give our King Cash, Queen Cash Flow, and Prince members the opportunity to go directly Profit; and Using Social Media to Increase to the public to demonstrate their Business. expertise and increase business. 2424 ATAHTOHMOEMIENIBNEBREKRsKsdefceebmrbueary20210213