A DISPUTE OVER USE OF COPYRIGHTED TEXT

PRESAGES POSSIBLE CHANGES IN THE “FAIR USE” RULE 

After reversing its decision demanding the Drudge Report remove seven posts that used quotes from its newswire, the Associated Press announced it was going to rethink the limits it placed on quoted text.  

The “fair use” rule exempts writers who use short quotations for specific purposes. For example, when a brief quote is used for non-commercial purposes like comment, criticism, teaching, research and the like, it is not a violation of copyright as long as it doesn’t serve as a replacement for the entire article. But there are no hard and fast rules.  

The issue is highlighted by the widespread growth of blogging. The essence of the blogging world is comment, and many bloggers present the actual quotation before commenting on it. That makes a lot of sense, but A.P. officials don’t totally agree. They urge bloggers to summarize the text, not quote directly. They also suggest urging readers to link to the complete article. 

A.P. plans to ask for input from the Media Bloggers Association before revising its guidelines. The deciders have to be extremely cautious not to stymie independent commentary and opinion no matter how controversial. These are key elements of successful blogging. Hopefully, a fair balance will come out of these efforts. 

THE CURRENT FALL-OFF IN ADVERTISING

MEAN SMALLER NEWSHOLES FOR EDITORIAL 

It’s been bad enough to watch more and more print publications close up shop over the past few years, severely limiting opportunities for freelance placements. Now with continuous reports of decreased advertising revenue, newsholes are becoming tinier, limiting even more possibilities for writers.  

Business-to-business publications have been particularly hard hit during the first quarter of this year, according to the Business Information Network. Ad pages have fallen by 7.3% from the poor showing of the past two years.  

Experts predict the Internet won’t suffer as badly as offline advertising because customers of online retailers are basically more affluent. The gurus at eMarketer predict a 14+% growth in e-commerce sales for the year.  

All this seems to indicate a favorable picture for authors selling their books on the Web, but a much tougher market for freelancers peddling articles to print media. 

Charlie’s Choice

Weekly Tips to Help You Write,

Publish & Promote Your Work 

MAXIMIZING COVERAGE IN A SHRINKING PRESS 

      For the past two weeks we’ve devoted this column to commercial (business) writing and the various components available for freelancers. Now that you’ve snagged the right assignment, it’s time to hone your publicity skills to maximize the coverage you receive from a press that is shrinking in size. 

      Editorial etiquette will help you get much further with editors and reporters. They are human beings just like you despite the popular myths of grouchy, crass individuals who rush you off the phone and demand rewrites when you and your best friend believe your copy sparkles. They are under almost constant pressure. It’s not easy to post a completely new edition of a newspaper seven days a week, nor a 90-page magazine every month. 

      Realize that editors need you as much as you need them. They are always on the lookout for a capable contributor who understands their publication and produces the kind and quality of copy they require. 

      Telephone calls are terribly interruptive. They ring at the most annoying time…just when you are writing a difficult piece or planning a layout with your art director. I know; it happened to me far too many times. Try not to call. Send an e-mail or snail mail so the editor can peruse it when the pressure eases. If you must contact him/her by telephone, get right to the point. Use as few words as possible, thank the editor when you have your answer and hang up. Phone courtesy is essential when you contact an editor. 

PRESS RELEASES  

      Two documents are used to alert an editor to a situation that is newsworthy. If it is a specific event that requires the presence of a reporter or other representative of the publication, the pitch is preferable. The function of the press release is to relay information that hopefully will reach print. 

      Let’s start with the release. It’s task is to inform. To give the editor the facts and/or figures on an accomplishment of the business you are writing for, perhaps the introduction of a new product, a change in upper level management  or any other information about your company or product that you deem newsworthy.  

      The release should be written in a very straight-forward, simple style. The key fact should appear in the opening paragraph, with the supporting information trailing below. The release, whenever possible, should be no more than a page in length. The headline must be perky, succinct and reflective of the key message of your release. It serves as either the door opener or slammer. Very often editors never get beyond the headline. When that happens, your release is headed toward the wastebasket. 

      Above the headline at the left margin, enter the date the information may be released, preceded by the words “For Release on.”  On the right side place your contact information, the name, phone number, e-mail address or snailmail address with which you want the reader to make contact. 

      The Internet has a number of press release distributors who will send your work out to a wide variety of digital publications and web sites. Some are free, while others charge at a variety of levels. For example, www.prlog.com is a worthwhile free and easy service to use, while www.prnewswire.com requires a $150 membership fee to new members. Study what each distributor offers, and select the one that will place your release where it will bring you the most benefit. 

PITCHES  

      The pitch copy is simple to write. It is usually sent in letter form to a specific individual. The opening paragraph is designed to whet the appetite of the reader. To make him/her think that attendance at the event you speak of is an absolute must that can’t be missed.  

      Don’t go into exacting detail in your pitch. That’s the task of the press kit that accompanies it. The kit should supply all of the information your reader requires to make  a decision. Think of the pitch itself as a call to action. 

        Whenever you send out a release or a pitch, follow up with a reminder. It is usually formatted in a “who, what, where” pattern. Its job is to give just the basic information to someone who plans to cover the event. Headline it with the words “Media Alert.”  Don’t ever forget to include contact information at the end of the pitch. 

PREPARING PROMOTIONAL ARTICLES 

      When there is an interesting story to tell about the company you freelance for or about a product or a staff member, writing an article may be your most effective tool. These can be distributed both on and offline. 

      Articles have become one of the most successful promotional tools used on the Web. There are a number of article distributors who will send your article out to hundreds, indeed thousands, of web sites and other targets. Of course, these are not sorted as exactingly as they would be if you selected specific targets and sent them out yourself. But the coverage achieved by the thousands of places the directory reaches will likely include the majority of the specific targets you seek. Understand, however, that you will not be compensated for the article that your write. Their value will be the attention they generate for your client. 

      Most look upon www.ezinearticles.com as the premier directory, and it is excellent. The site includes a vast array of subjects. Potential readers around the globe select the subject and then read the articles they choose at no cost. There are many other directories. You can find them by searching for “Article Directories” in your favorite search engine. 

      The articles you submit cannot be blatantly promotional and self-serving. If they are, the directory will probably not accept them. However, you can sell and sell hard in the short box that follows the articles.    

      Print article distribution is very different from that on the Web. You must be cautious not to send the identical article to competing publications. If you do reach out for more than one publication at a time, be certain to announce you are making “Simultaneous Submissions.”  

      Use the Writer’s Digest that I mention so frequently as your source to find the best consumer magazine or trade journal to which you can send your piece. They are sorted by subject making it very easy to locate the top targets for your piece. 

      This series of articles should have given you an overview of the commercial writing industry and helped you select the specific aspect of business freelancing that best suits your interest and your ability.  

      Now let’s turn to a delightful form of freelancing that to outsiders seems like great fun (and is), but also requires a good deal of solid work to be able to turn out saleable articles and books. Many, many people dream of becoming a travel writer. Let’s see what it takes and enjoy some insight into the life of a professional travel writer. 

      Until next week, Keep writing!     
 

GOOD NEWS FOR PRODUCERS OF

BOOKS FOR YOUNGER READERS 

The latest study conducted for Scholastic reports that 82% of children in the five to eight age range love reading for pleasure. Nearly one fourth of the children surveyed stated they read for pleasure every day. An additional 53% read between one and six times a week. 

As the kids grow older, however, their interests drift from print to online. They spend more time on the Internet than they do reading for pleasure. Among teens ages 15 to 17, the study found that only 55% either “liked” or “loved” reading. 

Reasons for not reading more among all the age groups included a desire “to do other things,” “too much school and home work” and having “trouble finding books that I like.”  

Parents who read frequently were found to be six times more likely to have children that are regular readers. The survey showed that parents generally were supportive of more pleasure reading by their kids. They feel that reading skills are vitally important. 

Those of us in every segment of print publishing have some real work to do to extend that early love of reading into the teens and on to adult years. The future of our industry depends upon that.   
 

ARE YOUR BUYERS LEAVING THE SHOPPING CART

BEFORE THEY COMPLETE A PURCHASE? 

If you’re an authors selling your work on your web site, pay heed. A report by Market Live reveals that almost 19% of  Web shoppers are leaving the shopping cart before finalizing their purchase. This had been a problem in the early days of digital selling when worries about security of credit card information was the culprit.   

With secure purchasing through Pay Pal and similar programs, those worries are minimal today. Shoppers in the current economic crunch are bargain seekers. They increasingly comparison shop, investigating prices on several carts before making a purchase.  

A similar study by PayPal found that shipping costs were a frequent turn-off. The researchers found that two-thirds of customers never completed a purchase. According to this study, the primary reason shoppers abandon a cart is the high price of shipping.  

What a shame to waste the cost and effort of a promotional program that brings your customer to the brink of a purchase and then loses him/her at the very end.

GROWTH IN POD PUBLISHING

FAR OUTPACES TRADITIONAL INCREASES 

While the 276,600 books produced by traditional publishers last year is far greater that the POD output of 134,700, the growth rate of POD production far outstrips that of traditional book publishing. In 2007, traditionals increased a modest 1%, according to reports from R.R. Bowker, while POD reached its 134,700 level climbing from just 21,936 in 2006. 

That growth motivates the big question: Is this just a momentary quirk or does it forecast a powerful trend that threatens to change the face of publishing radically?  

Continuing on the subject of publishing stats, The Association of American Publishers reports that year-to-date figure for 2008 show an overall increase of 1.3%. The latest report from AAP covers the first quarter of the year.  

Adult hardcover slipped badly in March, bringing sales down to 17.9% for the year. Adult paperback continued their rise, reaching 23.1%YTD, with adult mass market increasing by a modest 0.9%.  

The children/young adult’s market paralleled adult results. Hard cover YTD sales dropped 4.8%, while paperbacks grew by 12.8% 

Not a very rosy picture overall for the industry. 

WHEN IT COMES TO PROMOTING YOUR BOOKS,

THINK E-MAIL AND DIRECT MAIL 

Although text messaging and social networking are the most talked-about techniques on the Internet these days, studies now show that while they are the media of choice for reaching friends, they are nowhere near as effective for marketing your work. 

The 2008 Channel Preference Survey by ExactTarget reports that in almost every age bracket, three-quarters of the people who completed a purchase as a result of a marketing pitch did so as a response to direct mail.  

E-mail came in a very close second with two-thirds of respondents indicating they made a purchase in response to an e-mail message. The telephone was the third most effective source, while text messages, social network promotions, instant messaging and RSS all tailed far behind. These new technologies slipped even further as the age of respondents increased. 

So it’s fine to reach your buddies through the newcomers, but stick to the tried and true when you promote and sell your books or your services. 

Charlie’s Choice

Weekly Tips to Help You Write,

Publish & Promote Your Work 

June 18, 2008 

FINDING YOUR NICHE

AS A COMMERCIAL FREELANCER 

      Last week, this column introduced you to business/commercial freelancing. We talked essentially of how to open the door to this lucrative arena. Now let’s explore the different segments of the business world and the opportunities that are available in each. 

      Underlying almost every promotional activity a business undertakes is the goal of increasing revenue for the company. That process begins by making potential customers aware of the products or services the company offers. It then moves to the more sophisticated task of whetting the appetite of those potentials and converting them to buyers. 

      Indirectly related to increasing sales, every business also strives to develop its reputation as a trusted member of its community and of its industry. If it is publicly held, the business must also maintain strong relationships with its investors. Each of these activities presents a unique opportunity for you to call upon your interests and your freelance skills.  

Writing for Trade Journals 

      Writer’s Market, the freelancer’s bible, lists 52 different categories of trade journals. They are spread over 135 pages of this superb directory. With between three and four journals listed on every page, that adds up to 475 possibilities in a broad spectrum of subjects.  

      If you have spent any time working in a given field, there is a very good chance you are familiar with one or more of the magazines that cover the field. Look in Writer’s Market for the ones you know, and discover others as well. Trade journal editors are voracious users of articles. They publish monthly, and have to fill their pages with relevant, interesting content.   

      Writer’s Market will provide you with the name of the proper contact and the address and phone number of the journal. It will tell you the type of articles the editors look for, give you information on compensation, deadlines, length and how best to submit. 

Assisting Corporate PR Departments 

      The workload of a corporate public relations department peaks and ebbs. When overloaded with work, the director outsources specific tasks to freelancers. This eliminates the need to carry unproductive staff during slower periods.  

      Naturally, the preference is for an experienced writer, still better one with a history of media contacts. But the fact that you are highly knowledgeable about the industry gives you a great advantage even without that degree of experience. You have the background to write an informative press release or article, and if your writing isn’t top grade, a staff member is always available to polish your prose. 

      (In next week’s column, we’ll show you how to write a powerful press release, a pitch for an event as well as articles and where to place them for distribution both on and off line.)  

      If your writing is sharp enough, you might be asked to prepare a speech for a company executive. When it is time to prepare the annual report, you will probably be assigned specific sections to be researched and written. At other times, the department may prepare brochures or flyers requiring your help.  

      Don’t cold call when seeking freelance work. It is best to write a letter to the director of communications (or public relations) at the company outlining your background. When the need for additional help arises, the director can refer to his files and retrieve your letter…and your phone will ring. 

Finding Work at an Advertising Agency 

      The functions of an advertising agency are quite different from those of a corporate PR department. Remember, advertising is paid publicity, while the goal of PR is to develop as much publicity as possible at no cost. 

      An ad agency may require your services as an addendum to a busy copy writing division turning out text for ads and for brochures. 

      Writing good copy is a very specialized activity, and you may not at first have the skills to produce it. However, you do have what the agency needs at that particular time…knowledge. You certainly are capable of putting the needed information on paper in an intelligible, readable way. Just as in the PR department, a more skilled copy writer can polish up your words. 

      Agencies need freelance help not just because workloads burgeon. Occasionally, they have the opportunity to snare a new client, but have minimal expertise on staff in the client’s specialty. If you have that knowledge, you are extremely valuable to the agency both in planning the presentation that leads the client to select that agency and in producing what the client needs once the contract is signed. 

Using Your Desktop Skills 

      Having the skills needed to produce a newsletter or a brochure on your computer opens the door to a totally different area of freelancing. You can pursue this entirely on your own. By that I mean, you can create and publish your own newsletter dealing with a favorite subject and attempt to build a subscriber list on your own. 

      Select a topic that you know well. Make certain it truly interests you, for week after week, you will be pounding out the copy. It is essential to set a schedule for producing your own newsletter and then maintain it meticulously if you hope to build a large following. 

      You can begin by offering the newsletter free in an effort to attract subscribers. Once you have a workable base, you might solicit voluntary donations as many newsletter authors have. That will help pay the cost of ink and other supplies. Once firmly established, you can announce that you are now forced by costs to charge a modest fee. Yes, you may lose a few subscribers, but if your content is really informative few subscribers will opt out.  

      You can also offer your desktop talents to a business to produce flyers, brochures or even a company newsletter. You will be warmly welcomed by smaller companies that can’t afford to hire a major PR staff or pay the high rates of a large PR firm or agency to do these things. 

      Much of this work can be done at home at your own pace on your own desktop equipment. It is an ideal supplement to any other income you might be receiving.  

      Next week, as I mentioned earlier, we will look at several of the primary tools used in promoting a business so that when you apply for freelance work, you are knowledgeable and capable to meet any challenge you are given. 

      See you next week. Keep Writing! 
 

B&N LAUNCHES THREE NEW PROGRAMS 

Barnes and Noble has announced the start of three new programs designed to guide and assist readers in choosing books.  

“Guest Books” in which artists, writers and celebrities share their love of books, and talk of their favorites. 

“Five Books” Five books will be suggested to help readers hone their knowledge on a specific subject. Books are selected by topic. 

“The Book Files” This is described as an original Web video series uncovering extraordinary stories related to books. The series begins with James Joyce’s Dubliners.  

BOOK RETAILERS REACT FAVORABLY TO THE

LAUNCH OF THE INDIE BOUND PROGRAM  

In my blog on Book Expo America two weeks ago, reference was made to the new program sponsored by the American Booksellers Association (ABA) to support and strengthen independent bookstores. The program got underway this past week with the shipment of a “Literary Liberation Box” containing a variety of tools retailers can use to promote the program and their own involvement in it. 

First shipments went out to ABA retailers on the East Coast, with other regions due to receive theirs within the next few days. 

The program is designed to make readers more conscious of the importance of the independent bookstore, just as the industry is stressing the growth and importance of indie publishing. Some of the tools in the Liberation Box include cards to explain the program to customers, a design for a shopping bag, bookmarks, a red t-shirt promoting the program and window decals. 

One of the primary aims of the program is to make community officials and residents aware of the valuable contribution independent bookstores make to a community.