National Association of Independent Writers & Editors
Member Benefit #4
The Member’s Edge is a monthly newsletter for NAIWE members that equips them to take advantage of their member benefits. It features NAIWE experts and grammar articles. From the Expert is a monthly newsletter for NAIWE members that educates them on a specific Board of Expert member’s expertise.
Visit the NAIWE website to see all of the member benefits.
We wanted to get to know Laura Pennington Briggs (NAIWE’s Business of Writing Expert) better, so last month we sat down with her. Here are some thoughts she shared with us.
Why spend our valuable time on marketing in the good times?
Too many freelancers live in feast-or-famine mode. They wrap up a big project or series of jobs and realize they have nothing on the books. This causes unnecessary stress. There are marketing tasks you can do that take very little energy and time, and they will keep your name out there to help prevent the feast-or-famine mode so you’re not continually starting from scratch.
Do you have a unique suggestion of a marketing tip?
Never underestimate the power of past clients. Sometimes people forget their good experience with us or forget our names and just need a good reminder we’re out there. I always start by reaching out to past clients when I need to drum up business quickly.
What macros do you have set up to make marketing easier and more efficient?
I use template pitches with links to my work focused on each aspect of my business. For example, I have separate digital marketing, project management, editing, and content writing pitches and work links to make it easy to send what I need when I need it.
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Marketing is often overwhelming and ignored by freelancers until they finish a big project or lose a client and realize they have nothing lined up. In this webinar, freelancers will learn the importance of the statement “always be marketing” and how to make it an easy, consistent lift for your freelance brand. Discover how to find your highest-value marketing activities, schedule them, and consistently build a warm pipeline of work.
You can join in this conversation on June 22, at 2:00 pm eastern, when NAIWE will host a discussion on effective marketing practices. The cost for NAIWE members is only $10! Nonmembers can join for $30. Register today!
Laura Pennington Briggs is the founder and CEO of the Freelance Coach. A two-time TEDx speaker on how freelancing is changing the economy and the host of the weekly Advanced Freelancing podcast, Laura has helped over 15,000 freelancers start and scale their business. She’s an expert on systems, project and client management, marketing a solopreneur business, delegating to team members, retainers, and developing multiple income streams for writers of all stripes. Laura is the author of five books, including the Six Figure Freelancer and How to Start Your Own Freelance Writing Business. She’s also the founder of Operation Freelance, a national nonprofit providing free entrepreneurship training to military spouses worldwide.
June 1: National Say Something Nice Day. Make the day pleasant for someone today by saying something nice.
June 2: National Leave the Office Early Day. This day is an incentive to many who often work more than 40 hours each week.
June 3. National Repeat Day. Take this opportunity to repeat something you needed or wanted to do again.
June 6: National Higher Education Day. Spend a moment educating or inspiring others who are interested in pursuing a similar career.
June 10: National Ballpoint Pen Day. Write a client a note today with a ballpoint pen to commemorate the patent filing on June 10, 1943.
June 11: National Making Life Beautiful Day. Celebrate those who make life beautiful through their words.
June 13: National Random Acts of Light Day. Bring light to a colleague by sharing some encouraging words.
June 21: National Selfie Day. Take some selfies that show you are balancing work-life activities.
June 30: Social Media Day. Post on all of your social media accounts today, letting potential clients know you are available for hire.
In the cool air of autumn, the big, small town of Albuquerque is heating up! Bodies are piling up at the zoo — both inside and outside of the lion enclosure. Murder mystery lover in her spare time, and full-time zoo veterinarian, Miranda Scott finds herself in the middle of this deepening mystery. With a mobster for a godfather, and a father who has lots of secrets and gangster friends, Miranda begins to wonder if she might be the next victim. Can the voices in her head — Agatha, Raymond, and Sherlock — the handsome detective who’s smitten by her, or her mobster uncles help her solve the mystery before the animals she loves devour her?
If you love murder mysteries and animals, you’ll be captivated by Marcia Rosen’s latest book, Murder at the Zoo. Get ready to stay up late — brew a pot of coffee or open a bottle of wine — because you won’t be able to put this one down!
Murder Mystery Lover, Animal Lover, aka the DogEaredGhostwriter!
NAIWE is always coming out with new on-demand training!
We are doing this to help you learn about new services you can offer to further expand your multiple streams of income. Whether it be fiction writing, nonfiction writing, journalism, proofreading, editing, designing, or more, we are working to expand your toolbox.
A new webinar that just became available earlier this year is Publishing Demystified, presented by NAIWE’s Fiction Expert Karin Beery.
NAIWE benefit partners have even led webinars to assist publishing professionals with new software and resources to increase member productivity and improve member skills. (And these webinars are FREE to NAIWE members!)
What on-demand training have you benefited from recently? What topic would you like to see covered in an upcoming training?
April Michelle Davis has been the executive director of the National Association of Independent Writers and Editors (NAIWE) since 2018. Prior to that, she was NAIWE’s Social Media Marketing Expert. NAIWE is an association that focuses on career building for writers, editors, and other professionals in the publishing industry by developing multiple streams of income; it helps its members market their products and services through social media, newsletters, and more.
She is also the coordinator for the Virginia chapter of the Editorial Freelancers Association, a lifetime member of the American Copy Editors Society, and a freelance editor, indexer, proofreader, and author. April Michelle has taught courses through her own company, Editorial Inspirations, as well as for associations and colleges on topics such as editing, indexing, grammar, writing, and creating macros.
Her credentials include a master’s degree in publishing from George Washington University and a bachelor’s degree in English from Messiah College, as well as certificates in editing (University of Virginia), book publishing (University of Virginia), and professional editing (EEI Communications).
April Michelle has shared her insights about her career development by contributing quotes and vignettes to several books. She has presented sessions on various editorial topics to many groups, including the Virginia Writers Club, the Communication Central conference, Randolph-Macon College, the Christian PEN: Proofreaders and Editors Network, the EFA, Copyediting newsletter, RavenCon, and the Hanover Book Festival. In addition, April Michelle has published three books.
Member Benefit #3
A feature of your NAIWE website is a blog where you can reach out to readers and potential clients with business breakthroughs, new books published, speaking engagements, articles, tips, news, resources, and more! Every time you post on your NAIWE blog, NAIWE will re-post it on its social media accounts, expanding your reach even further! You can also look at the NAIWE Member Activity Feed to see how other members are using their member blogs.
Visit the NAIWE website to see all of the member benefits.
We wanted to get to know Leslie Truex (NAIWE’s Author Representation Expert) better, so last month we sat down with her. Here are some thoughts she shared with us.
What is a literary agent?
A literary agent helps authors sell their books to publishers — that’s the short answer. Literary agents usually help authors get the manuscript ready for submission (many will edit and work with the author on the manuscript before it’s sent off to publishers), review the contract to try and get the best terms, mediate between author and editor when needed, help keep the authors on track so they don’t miss deadlines or necessary work publishers need, etc. Agents stay up-to-date on what’s going on such as what editor isn’t answering email as quickly, where editors have moved to, what editors are now looking for (they change their minds a lot), and more.
Do most authors work with literary agents?
Today, most, but not all, traditionally published authors in the big 5 will have a literary agent. Smaller presses often take nonagented work, but the author needs to understand contracts. Some contracts are bad and an author can commit all their future work to a press if they don’t know what they’re signing (I’ve seen some bad contracts!).
Of course, indie authors don’t have agents for their manuscripts, but some use agents to sell other rights, such as audio or foreign rights to their indie works.
What role does a literary agent play in the submission process?
Literary agents prepare the submission based on what editors want (e.g., query, synopsis or proposal, manuscript). Before submission, agents work with the author to make sure the manuscript is its best based on what agents know editors are looking for. Agents usually submit in batches, which allow for edits if the feedback suggests it. I submit to the big five publishers first, but agents can only submit to one imprint in a big 5 at a time (so if a publisher has two imprints that would work for my book, I can only submit to one). After big 5 imprints are exhausted, if there isn’t a sale, agents send to mid-size and smaller presses. Agents submit the package to the editors and correspond with them. If they ask for the full manuscript, agents send it. If they make an offer, agents get in touch with the author and contact all other publishers that have the manuscript to let them know an offer is in and give them a deadline for responding.
If the author likes the deal, agents review the contract and talk to the author about it. Once the negotiation is done and the contract is signed, the author works with the editor directly, but agents like to stay in the loop to help the author through the process.
Advances (if any) and royalties go to the agent and are then distributed to the author.
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Learn how to set your book submission apart from the hundreds . . . even thousands . . . agents receive a year. In this workshop you’ll learn:
You can join in this conversation on May 17, at 2:00 pm eastern, when NAIWE will host a discussion on the role of the literary agent. The cost for NAIWE members is only $10! Nonmembers can join for $30. Register today!
Leslie Truex is a literary agent with Blue Ridge Literary Agency and an author coach. She began her writing career by accident after starting a career website in 1998 that resulted in a freelance writing career and two traditionally published nonfiction books. However, Leslie’s passion lies in writing fiction. She is the author of a dozen romance and mystery novels using a pen name. Leslie enjoys sharing her insights and experiences to help emerging authors get their books published. She also supports authors through her online community for romance writers and coaching to both fiction and nonfiction authors. Leslie has spoken and provided workshops as an author and agent at a host of events, including The Virginia Festival of the Book, Malice Domestic, Maryland Writers Association, The Virginia Writers Club, as an adjunct at Piedmont Virginia Community College, and more, and she is the former president of The Virginia Writers Club.
Today’s podcast episode is a Member of the Month episode, where we get to know one of our fellow NAIWE members.
Our guest today is William Butler.
William Butler, an honor student at Syracuse University, a former successful technology executive, built two BI startups and is now an author and speaker. He wrote two nonfiction Amazon #1 bestsellers: Highway to Homelessness: Road to Recovery and Navigate the Medical Maze. He was raised in Fayetteville, New York, and now resides in Westboro, Massachusetts. William Butler is a second-degree black belt, and his son is a producer in Hollywood.
Q: Please share a little of your professional history with our readers.
My name is William Reiley Butler, I was raised in Fayetteville, New York, and graduated from Syracuse University. I have one son, Billy, who is a producer in Hollywood. I am happy to say I had a good career selling IBM computers, built up two high-tech companies, and sold business intelligence software until retired. Four years after retirement, I began to write.
Q: How and when did you make this business a reality?
In 2018, I finished my first book. The business became a reality when I published my second book (Navigate the Medical Maze), which became a #1 Amazon bestseller, so I started my company Life’s Realities LLC. At that point in 2020 and 2021, the business became reality when my 3rd book (Highway to Homelessness: Road to Recovery) became a #1 Amazon bestseller.
Q: What’s the most important lesson you’ve learned so far in your career?
Some experts say that writing about your experiences in a book is the best way to start writing nonfiction, which encouraged me to do just that. Reader feedback lets me know what people had their lives around. The last two books are about real people, events, and places. Just last week, I received an email from a man named Dave, who said that in my blog an alcoholic brain can become normal along with the body features. He stopped drinking, his normal skin color returned, and spider veins disappeared. The lesson learned is that I can help individuals by letting them know that they are not alone and with better choices can improve their lives.
May: National Get Caught Reading Month. Wherever you go, the campaign challenges you to get caught reading.
May 1: National Mother Goose Day. This day honors Mother Goose, the imaginary author of a collection of fairy tales and nursery rhymes we loved as children and also as adults.
May 7-13: Small Business Week. Small businesses account for half of America’s workforce, and more new jobs come from small business than any other source.
May 12: National Limerick Day. Celebrate the birthday of English artist, illustrator, author, and poet Edward Lear who wrote A Book of Nonsense.
May 16: National Biographer’s Day. Commemorate the anniversary of the first meeting of Samuel Johnson and his biographer James Boswell in 1763 by honoring biographers.
May 30: National Creativity Day. Celebrate you and your creative pursuit!
May 31: National Speak in Complete Sentences Day. This day is dedicated to using proper sentence structure while speaking.
Mystery writer Marcia Rosen knows that the most powerful lines of William Shakespeare’s Tempest:
O wonder!
How many goodly creatures are there here!
How beauteous mankind is! O brave new world,
That has such people in’t
tell only half our human story[1].
Indeed, the opening lines of Murder offer readers into a man-made dystopia: From the lion’s den at the Albuquerque Zoo, a human arm, chewed off from its shoulder, beckons to the public.
Rosen’s sleuth, Dr. Miranda Scott, is tasked with solving this murder—but she faces five challenges. First, she hears voices in her head, each in its own trademark manner:
“Agatha, even for a dame, you talk too damn much.”
“Raymond, my dear, you’ve used that line too many times. I fear it is a bit uncouth.”
Sherlock snapped, “Will you both be quiet so I can consider the evidence?”
The snark and wisdom of Raymond Chandler, Agatha Christie, and Sherlock Holmes persist as the pile of bodies at the zoo increases. And Miranda finds time to serve her day shift as its senior veterinarian.
Second, Miranda copes with an unusual set of divorced parents. Her mother Lillian, who lives on a ranch near Taos, is a grifter forever pushing Miranda around. Miranda’s father Jacob, whom she lived with following the divorce, holds close to the vest his relationship with a certain criminal syndicate. Miranda’s appetite for detection was nourished by a steady supply of mystery and gangster novels and their cinematic adaptations, thanks to her godfather Joseph.
Third, Miranda faces corruption on the part of the local government. Readers will recognize the shameless egoism of Senator Matthew Graham and company.
Fourth, there is corruption on the part of the zoo staff, though Miranda may be too busy and too close to see.
Finally, Miranda entertains distraction from her duties, exchanging thrusts in an extended romantic exchange with a certain Bryan.
“Mystery lovers will enjoy Rosen’s nods to films and novels both old and new, making use of important tropes popularized by Raymond Chandler, Agatha Christie, and even Edgar Allan Poe. Rosen’s dialogue and narration—“I have to go. Have to see a lion about a man”—offer a gentler version of Chandler’s nonstop talking wise.
Murder at the Zoo is heartily recommended for vacation reading.
[1] The Tempest, V.1.182–5. These lines are spoken as a royal marriage comes together. The exile of Miranda, with her father Prospero, Duke of Milan, is coming to an end thanks to Miranda’s alliance to Ferdinand, the King of Naples’ son.
Since 1986, Jon Hartmann has reviewed books, films, and performances for academic, professional, and general audiences. Jon teaches Technical and Business Communication at The University of Texas at Dallas, and he copyedits government reports on food security in places like Haiti and East Africa. Hartmann wrote The Marketing of Edgar Allan Poe (Routledge, 2008) and has published pieces on filmmaker Melvin Van Peebles. Jon recommends his latest paper, published in Who Makes the Franchise (McFarland, 2022, edited by Rhonda Knight and Donald Quist), titled “You Always Spoof the One You Love: Thirty Years of Professional Take-Offs on The Muppet Show.”
Elizabeth Belasco, PhD