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Kristen Fischer, The Journalism Expert

July 10, 2020 Post a comment

We wanted to get to know Kristen Fischer (NAIWE’s Journalism Expert) better, so last month we sat down with her. Here is what she shared with us.

What defines a source?

A source is a person with the credentials applicable to lend credibility to a story.

What are ways to verify a source?

My favorite way is to Google the source’s name. Also, visit the institution they are currently at to ensure that they are, in fact, employed there.

What are some of the credentials to look for in a source?

If you’re writing a story about cancer, you’d probably want to talk to an oncologist if you need a professional source. There are certain credentials you may want for different topics; for that cancer article, the oncologist should be an M.D., for example. You may also want to see if that source authored research or wrote a book on the topic. If they are a member of a related trade association, that looks good as well. You just want someone currently working in a related role or someone retired who was highly regarded in the field.

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Want to know how to quickly find reputable sources? We’ll go through tips and tricks from journalists to find the right sources for stories–in a pinch. This will include experts for quotes, as well as written research for articles.

You can join in this conversation on July 20, at 4 pm eastern, when NAIWE will host a discussion on finding sources. The cost for NAIWE members is only $10! Non-members can join for $30. Register today!

Days to Celebrate in July

June 26, 2020 Post a comment

July 12: National Simplicity Day. Henry David Thoreau was born on July 12, 1817. Thoreau was an advocate for living a life of simplicity. In our busy lifestyles, National Simplicity Day is the time to take a step back and begin to simplify our lives. One can start by decluttering and striving for balance.

July 15: National Give Something Away Day. In the United States, giving is on the rise. What can you give to your clients or to the publishing industry?

July 17. World Emoji Day. Emojis are images that express, similar to emoticons (emotions + icons) that are produced from an arrangement of keyboard characters.

July 18: Get to Know Your Customers Day. When businesses get to know your customers, you also get to know more about your need to grow. Reach out to your patrons and get to know them better.

July 18: Toss Away the “Could Haves” and “Should Haves” Day. Created by author and motivational speaker Martha J. Ross-Rodgers, this day is intended for all to let go of the past and live for the present. Make a list of your business regrets and then throw it away and live for today.

July 21: National Be Someone Day. What can be done in 10 seconds? Spend 10 seconds to make a business commitment such as pursuing professional development.

July 26: National All or Nothing Day. Throw caution in the wind and go for broke. What is one business challenge that you would like to overcome?

July 31: National System Administrator Appreciation Day. Show appreciation to your IT professional.

Member Benefit: Newsletter Promotions

June 19, 2020 Post a comment

Posts on your NAIWE blog may be promoted in The Edge: Success Strategies for People Who Work With Words, which has a subscriber list of over 6,400, as of January 2020. Both members and prospective clients subscribe to The Edge, so your blog posts promoted in the newsletter become one more way to introduce yourself and promote your books and services.

Visit the NAIWE website to see all of the member benefits.

Mark Allen, The AP Stylebook Expert

June 12, 2020 Post a comment

We wanted to get to know Mark Allen (NAIWE’s AP Stylebook Expert) better, so last month we sat down with him. Here is what he shared with us.

Does this edition have more changes than in past editions?

There are fewer changes this time around and not as many big changes as we’ve had in the past. The AP Stylebook editors want their usage advice to reflect what’s going on in the world, and sometimes that means changing long-standing quirks to reflect reality. Changing the way things have always been done is what causes an uproar each year on social media, as with accepting “over” for numerical differences in 2018.

For 2020, there are many significant changes that didn’t cause a stir on Twitter. Some of the changes come in the area of conscious language and dehumanizing terms: gender neutrality, older adults, sexual harassment and sexual misconduct, disabilities and addiction, homelessness. I count 83 new entries and 69 updated entries for this edition.

Did the COVID-19 pandemic play any part in what was changed?

The thing AP Stylebook does better than other reference sources is keep up with the news of the day. The coronaviruses entry was added online on February 3 and expanded to 368 words for the print edition. The Stylebook has had usage advice on pandemic since 2007, and the editors saw no need to update it.

What change were you most surprised to see?

The most surprising change was not a new entry but a business decision to publish the book in physical form every two years instead of every year. That was surprising because physical books still tend to make more money than online subscriptions, but there are many reasons that the online edition is superior. Some other surprises came in updates to entries that had only recently being updated, proving if nothing else that the editors of the AP Stylebook are listening to feedback.

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Changes are plentiful if not dramatic in this year’s Associated Press Stylebook, published in May. The growing reference tome offers advice on gender-neutral language and language dealing with sexual assault. It cautions against the “senior citizen” label. And it says “mistress” is not a very useful term. AP Stylebook Expert Mark Allen will run down all the updates in the new edition and talk about moves away from the paper book and toward doing more online.

You can join in this conversation on June 29, at 7 pm eastern, when NAIWE will host a discussion on the 2020 updates of the AP Stylebook. The cost for NAIWE members is only $10! Non-members can join for $30. Register today!

Days to Celebrate in June

May 29, 2020 Post a comment

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 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.

Member Benefit: NAIWE Blog

May 22, 2020 Post a comment

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 our social media accounts, expanding your reach even further! You can also look at the NAIWE Member Activity Feed to see what other members are doing with their member blogs.

Visit the NAIWE website to see all of the member benefits.

MJ Courchesne, The Copyright & Permissions Expert

May 15, 2020 Post a comment

We wanted to get to know MJ Courchesne (NAIWE’s Copyright & Permissions Expert) better, so last month we sat down with her. Here is what she shared with us.

In what situations must permission be obtained?

If you do not own the copyright to a piece of intellectual property (whether text, photos, or art), in many cases you should obtain permission prior to incorporating it into your work. Although there are exceptions, it’s important to understand when you should seek permission.

Is there standard language or a template of a permission letter?

There are certain items that should be in every permission request including but not limited to the name of your publication, when it’s publishing, what format(s) your work will be published in, as well as language(s) and territory (territories) it will publish in.

In the writing industry, besides publishers, who else requires permissions?

Anyone wishing to re-use intellectual property that is not their original creation should consider whether they need permission before re-using, adapting, or putting the original IP into a new format.

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Learn the ins and outs of what publishers require when they ask you to “clear” permission for third-party materials you are incorporating into your work. What things do you need to have in a permission agreement, and how do you go about getting permission anyway? How long will this process take?

You can join in this conversation on May 27, at 3 pm eastern, when NAIWE will host a discussion on handling permissions. The cost for NAIWE members is only $10! Non-members can join for $30. Register today!

Days to Celebrate in May

April 24, 2020 Post a comment

May: National Get Caught Reading Month. Wherever you go, the campaign challenges you to get caught reading.

First Week in May: 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 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 12: National Limerick Day. Celebrate the birthday of English artist, illustrator, author, and poet Edward Lear who wrote 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.

Member Benefit: NAIWE Website

April 17, 2020 4 Comments

Each member receives a website on the NAIWE website. You may have read about how a strong presence on the web can build your writing or service career, and you may not have wanted to spend a lot of time and money creating a website from the ground up. As a member of NAIWE, a professionally-designed website will be available to you. Adding content to your new website is as easy as typing an email, and you will be provided simple how-to instructions to get you started. You can also look at the NAIWE Member Activity Feed to see what other members are doing with their member sites.

Your NAIWE website, with the memorable web address of www.YourName.naiwe.com, includes

Homepage where you can introduce your books or services
Portfolio pages, for reviews, testimonials, references, and samples (whatever you’d like to include)
Professional profile page, including education, experience, publication history, and more
The ability to add more pages
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!

Visit the NAIWE website to see all of the member benefits.

Ruth Thaler-Carter, The Networking Expert

April 10, 2020 Post a comment

We wanted to get to know Ruth Thaler-Carter (NAIWE’s Networking Expert) better, so last month we sat down with her. Here is what she shared with us.

A common misconception of networking is to talk up ourselves, but this is not how it works. Instead, would you suggest take a 180 degree turn and spend your time learning about other people and their services?

Absolutely. Networking is a two-way process, and it starts with the other person. You want to be seen as someone who knows how to listen and learn from colleagues, and then as someone who can offer advice, resources, and other aspects of helping each other do our work better.

What are two synonyms you have for the word networking?

Interacting, two-way process

With social distancing in effect and other restrictions in place due to the COVID 19 pandemic, what changes will we see in the networking world?

Networking is likely to become more and more virtual, with meetings—both two-person and large-group—being held electronically, whether through something like Zoom or Skype (where you can see each other) or by teleconference. Some organizations won’t be able to hold large events such as annual conferences and might break those events into smaller pieces and offer sessions as webinars. Some organizations are going to lose a lot of money because of having to cancel their annual conferences, so networking will be more valuable but harder to do on a large-scale basis.

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Networking is more than a common buzzword; it’s an important key to success as an independent writer or editor. Learn about the best ways to make networking an effective, functional element of your independent business, as well as what not to do.

You can join in this conversation on April 23, at 7 pm eastern, when NAIWE will host a discussion on effective networking. The cost for NAIWE members is only $10! Non-members can join for $30. Register today!

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Kristen Fischer, The Journalism Expert

Days to Celebrate in July

Member Benefit: Newsletter Promotions

Mark Allen, The AP Stylebook Expert

Days to Celebrate in June

Member Benefit: NAIWE Blog

MJ Courchesne, The Copyright & Permissions Expert

Days to Celebrate in May

Member Benefit: NAIWE Website

Ruth Thaler-Carter, The Networking Expert

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