Hello again. And thank you for being a valued subscriber to E-
Writer!

I've had quite a few new subscribers since the last issue, so I
thought perhaps I should start by recapping on the basics.
Apologies in advance if you've heard this before...

Let's start with the question, why E-Writer? Well, the E stands
for two things, Entrepreneur and Electronic. Entrepreneur,
because that's my angle. I work full time as a freelance writer
and my number one aim is to make a (good) living from it. I'm
not saying I wouldn't one day like to write the great novel, but
my motives are primarily commercial, not so say financial! So in
each issue of E-Writer I aim to pass on a range of ideas - some
quite unusual - for turning your writing skills to profit.

The E also (of course) stands for Electronic. I use the net
a lot in my work, and hope to share through this newsletter a
few hints and tips I have picked up along the way, and some
useful resources I have discovered for "wired-up" writers. The
net is also a market of growing importance for writers, and in
the newsletter I aim to reveal ways you can get a slice of the
online writing action yourself.

In each issue I also share any interesting market information I
have come across. E-Writer is never going to be a long list of
markets which might consider your work, however. There are
other websites and e-zines which do this far better than I ever
could (see, for example, http://www.worldwidefreelance.com).

As for frequency, I've settled into a routine of every two to
four weeks. Sorry it's a bit irregular, but I have to fit the
newsletter in among my other writing commitments. Still, I hope
it will always be a pleasant surprise when it does turn up!

You can view all the past issues of E-Writer from the archive
page of my website at http://www.nickdaws.co.uk/EWarchive.htm.
The archived versions of the newsletters have been tidied up a
bit and some extra features added, e.g. the section headings are
hyperlinked from the contents list at the top of each issue. I
can't actually do this in the e-mail version of E-Writer, which
is sent in plain text format (so that everyone can read it).

One other general comment is that, as the archive gets bigger,
you may find it harder to locate an item you saw in an earlier
issue - so on the front page of http://www.nickdaws.co.uk I have
added a search engine (provided by Google). Enter the term you
are looking for - e.g. Kwickee - and the search engine will list
all the pages on my site where this term can be found.
Incidentally, you can set this to search either my site or the
whole Web if you prefer.

February was a busy month for me, which is one reason it's
been a bit longer than usual between issues. For one thing,
it's the shortest month of the year, but I still have to fit in
all my usual monthly commissions. It's amazing the difference
those 'missing' two or three days make! In my previous life as a
wage-slave I used to like February, as it was less time between
salary payments, but as a freelance you get a rather different
perspective!

Anyway, my big news is that I have just (i.e. yesterday) put the
finishing touches to my new writing course for WCCL and sent it
off to them. I can now exclusively reveal that the new course is
going to be called Quick Cash Writing. Whereas my earlier course
for WCCL deals with book writing, this course will cover a huge
range of shorter writing projects, from readers' letters to
articles, short stories and greeting card slogans to ideas for
Hollywood movies!

I hope Quick Cash Writing will prove an ideal complement to
'Write Any Book in Under 28 Days'. For one thing, it may appeal
to those of you who would like to write but don't feel able to
take on a full-length book at the present. But even if you do
write books, I hope Quick Cash Writing may be of interest as
well. There's a lot to be said for combining shorter writing
projects with your longer ones - as further discussed in my
article below.

Quick Cash Writing isn't out yet, but don't worry - as soon as
it is, you'll be the first to know! The course will come with
some great freebies as well, including a unique mini-program
called the Inspiratron, which knocked my socks off when I first
saw it! And what's more, if you order via my site, I'll be
throwing in another valuable and exclusive special bonus as
well. So keep watching your inbox in the next few weeks!


2. Article: Building Your Writing Portfolio

A couple of E-Writer readers have written to me recently asking
how exactly I make my money as a freelance writer. Here's more
or less what I told them...

I have four main streams of income:

1. Work for my regular clients. I have three mail-order
publishers in particular whom I work for every month. This is
mainly article writing, but also includes proofreading, editing
and so on, as required. This is my 'bread-and-butter' income.

2. Royalties and commission income from my books and courses.
I'd also include in this category PLR (public lending right
payments, which all UK authors receive in respect of lending in
UK public libraries) and ALCS (mainly photocopying fees).

3. One-off jobs. This includes work from semi-regular clients
such as Lagoon, who contact me when they have a project
requiring my skills. It also includes jobs from new clients, who
might perhaps contact me having seen my website. And I would
also include here conference speaking, speaking to writers
groups, and so on.

4. Internet marketing. This includes income arising from AdWords
advertising (as explained, for example, in E-Writer issue 10 -
http://www.nickdaws.co.uk/ew010.htm) and affiliate sales. It
also includes AdSense advertising on my websites, as discussed
in the last E-Writer (http://www.nickdaws.co.uk/ew016.htm).

These four categories are roughly equal in importance, though
(1) is probably declining relative to the others, and (4) is
gradually increasing.

As you'll have gathered from the above, and from my editorial,
I'm a firm believer in having what financial advisers would call
a 'balanced portfilio' where writing is concerned.

Writing books and book-length courses is great for getting your
name known, and of course the cash rewards can be considerable.
On the other hand, books do take a while to write and sell, even
using the methods set out in my '28 Days' course. And if you are
paid on a royalties basis you will probably only get one or two
payments a year, and have little idea how much to expect
(royalties are, of course, entirely dependent on sales).

For that reason I like to have a range of shorter projects
alongside my longer ones. In particular, it's great to have
regular clients whom you work for month in, month out. This
provides a regular baseline income to help pay the bills and
even out the peaks and troughs of your book-writing income.

Diversifying in this way has other attractions as well. For one
thing, you are no longer so dependent on one particular project
or client. What if your book publisher goes into liquidation or
decides at the last moment not to publish your book after all,
for example? (These are both things that have happened to me, by
the way.) At least if you have other, shorter projects on the
go, you will have another source of income to pay the bills.

And finally, it can be quite therapeutic to have something else
to work on from time to time. Big writing projects can be
stressful, especially in the early stages when you can't see the
end in sight. At these times, writing an article or short story
can be fun and relaxing, and you can return to your book with a
fresh sense of purpose (plus a few more pounds or dollars in the
bank).

So if you're mainly writing books at the moment, I would
strongly urge you to consider writing shorter items as well. My
new course, Quick Cash Writing, will provide lots of possible
ideas you can pursue (and that's the last time I'll mention it
in this issue, I promise!).

And equally, if you currently make most of your writing income
from shorter pieces such as articles, why not try your hand at a
novel or non-fiction book as well? Even if you're making good
money from article writing, having a book under your belt can
raise your profile and get you access to more, better-paid work
in the future.


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3. Market Info - Miscellany

Here are a few more potential markets for you, starting with one
supplied by an E-Writer reader...

It's always good to hear from subscribers about what they are
doing. Christopher Gooch dropped me a line last month about his
new website for mystery writers, Christopher Gooch's Emystery
Ezine. It's a monthly online publication, and there is an email
list anyone can join to receive announcements when each new
issue is posted. Christopher says he will be publishing pretty
much any mystery story under 6,000 words (all lengths), mystery
poems (under 20 lines), and reviews of mystery books or stories
- newly published or years old (350-750 words). Christopher says
he is looking for non-exclusive, one-time rights, as he will not
be keeping any archives. No payment, but the chance to see your
work published on the web and hopefully receive useful feedback
from other readers. For more info, go to
http://wwww.christophergooch.com.

A bi-weekly writers' ezine is looking for "how-to" articles
helpful to experienced freelancers, written by writers for
writers. Humour is welcome, and they are happy to consider
reprints as long as they haven't been published all over the
net. Paste the article (350-700 words), your bio and previous
publication info (if applicable) in the BODY of the e-mail (not
as an attachment) to submissions-at-justmarkets.com. Payment
is US $10 cash, or a three-month subscription to JustMarkets
Daily (value $30). Check out also their website at
http://www.justmarkets.com.

And here's another market for articles about writing. The
website WritingStuff.com is seeking stories of writing mistakes,
cons or scams, for a new book designed to educate all new
writers. They ask you to imagine that a new writer has asked for
your advice - what would you warn them about? They are initially
seeking 20-200 word accounts of your experiences. They will also
be looking for feature stories to go in the book. They say if
they are interested in using your story as a feature, they will
contact you and request a 500 to 2000 word article. Payment will
be $50 to $200. To submit, and to see full details, visit:
http://www.writingstuff.com/submissions.html. 

The Vacant Funhouse is a new, bi-monthly webzine featuring
original works of horror, dark mystery, crime and suspense. They
welcome submissions of short stories in these genres up to 2500
words (query for longer or previously published stories). They
say: "Since this is a new publication, we are open to different
types of tales, but the stories themselves should be intriguing
and disturbing. Send a tale that makes us think about it days
after we’ve read the last word. Supernatural, psychological,
stories with a twist are welcome. We also like traditional
horror - werewolves, vampires and monsters of the night." They
are also interested in receiving unpublished dark poetry of 30
lines or less, and reviews of up to 300 words. Payment is five
cents (US) per word up to 2500 words for fiction, $10 per poem
up to 30 lines, and $15 per review. Submissions by e-mail only.
For more info, see http://vacantfunhouse.com.

Adams Media, Inc. in Avon, Massachusetts, is compiling an
anthology of stories for a new book tentatively titled
'HerStory: Why I Live in my Bathtub and Other True-Life Stories'
to be published in fall (autumn) 2005. The book will contain 30
true stories written by women that "celebrate the moments that
help women everywhere deal with the cathartic stuff of life".
They don't want essays or vignettes, but good stories with a
beginning, middle and end, that highlight a milestone or
turning point in your life, large or small. Length approximately
2,000 words. Contributors whose stories are included will
receive $200 and a copy of the book on publication. Full details
can be found at http://www.herstoryinfo.homestead.com. You will
need to move smartly on this, as the deadline is March 10 2005.

Back to the UK for this next one. Leeds Guide is launching a new
monthly arts magazine called Northern Exposure for Yorkshire and
the Humber area. It will cover art, theatre, books, film, dance,
classical, jazz and world music, and they're looking for writers
of any age who have an interest in the arts and can produce
engaging writing on the subject. They say: "Our first edition
will be the April issue and will go to print mid-March. We're
looking for writers to produce informative and interesting copy
about the arts in the region on a casual freelance basis. Maybe
your expertise lies in the Scarborough jazz scene, theatre in
Harrogate or art in Sheffield - whatever your interests, we'd
love to hear from you." To apply, send your details along with
writing samples (if available) to Kim Whatley, The Leeds Guide,
30-34 Aire Street, Leeds, LS1 4HT, or by e-mail to
kim.whatley-at-leedsguide.co.uk, including details of which
areas and specific genres you'd be best suited to cover.

Finally, the customary Kwickee update. As long-time readers will
know, I am a freelance editor for this UK company, which
publishes articles and fiction people can download via their
mobile (cell) phones, PDAs and the net.

The company has recently put out calls for writers to submit
reviews of their local pubs and restaurants. The aim is to have
every such establishment in the UK covered, so that anyone with
a mobile (cell) phone will be able to check what is on offer at
any particular eating or drinking place. If you aren't already
registered with Kwickee, see the next-paragraph-but-two to find
out how you can get involved.

By the way, in last month's issue I suggested that it was best
to use a text editor such as Notepad for writing or editing
Kwickees. However, I have since found out that the new
writing/editing interface can cope with Kwickees created in
Microsoft Word as well, so feel free to disregard my earlier
advice! The Kwickee guidelines have also been updated to reflect
the new situation.

One other 'Kwick' tip (sorry, the K thing starts to get to you
after a while) is to click on 'browse our categories' at the top
left of the Kwickee.com homepage. The page that opens shows the
most recently published Kwickees, and provides a fascinating
snapshot of what people are currently writing about. Click on
any title and you will be able to see the opening paragraph of
the Kwickee concerned, though to read the rest, you will have to
pay a fee!

For the benefit of new readers, Kwickee publishes articles and
fiction which customers can download via their mobile (cell)
phones, PDAs and the net. Anyone is welcome to submit material,
and writers receive a proportion of the payment received every
time someone pays for one of their contributions. For further
information, and to register as a contributor, see the web pages
http://www.kwickee.com and http://www.kwickee.info. Anyone from
anywhere in the world is welcome to contribute Kwickees -
payments to non-UK residents will be made by Paypal.


4. Useful Resource - Spybot Search & Destroy

Here's something that happened to me recently. I noticed that
every time I logged off my computer, I got a pop-up message that
a certain program was still running. I had to click on the 'End
Now' button to close it before I could log off.

At first I didn't think too much about this - it happens from
time to time with various programs - but then I noticed that I
didn't recognise the name or the file-path of the program that
was causing these problems.

Well, to cut a long story short, the rogue application turned
out to be a spyware program called TimeSink. This annoying
application installs itself secretly on your PC, from which it
reports back to its masters on your browsing habits. It can also
display pop-up ads, though it didn't in my case (probably
because I have not one but two pop-up stoppers).

If you haven't yet heard about spyware, you should get up to
speed about it. Spyware is fast becoming a bigger menace on the
Internet than viruses. As well as showing you advertising you
don't want, it is likely to slow down your PC, maybe even crash
it. And many spyware programs (as the name suggests) report back
on your web browsing and shopping habits. Some programs, known
as keystroke loggers, can even record every keystroke you make
and report back, meaning the software owners may be able to
obtain sensitive information such as your Internet banking
passwords.

Anyway, the resource I want to recommend in this article is an
application called Spybot Search and Destroy. It's free of
charge, and available from various places on the net, but its
home page is http://www.spybot.info. I've had Spybot S&D on my
PC for a while, and it enabled me to find out the nature of the
problem mentioned above (TimeSink) and to deal with it.

Once you have downloaded and installed Spybot Search and
Destroy, you can run it at any time on your PC and it will show
you a list of 'suspect' software it has found. Click on any of
the items in the list, and a pop-up box will appear telling you
more about the program concerned and why Spybot thinks it may
be harmful. It will then remove for you all the programs you
select.

Why doesn't Spybot just delete all spyware? Well, in some cases
what is and isn't spyware is a matter of opinion. For example,
Spybot S&D flags up some versions of Windows Media Player as
spyware, as this program apparently sends back certain
information about your usage to Microsoft. Most people would
probably not want to delete the free Media Player because of
this, however. As a general principle, I avoid deleting any
Microsoft applications Spybot flags up.

If you do delete something that you later regret, however, all
is not lost. Click on Spybot S&D's Recovery button and you can
restore any programs you may have deleted (or alternatively
banish them forever).

And here's one other thing that particularly impressed me about
Spybot S&D. When it detected TimeSink, it reported that it was
unable to delete the program because it was currently running.
However, it asked permission to launch itself the next time I
started Windows, before any other programs launched. Of course I
agreed to this, and it then deleted TimeSink before it could
start operating. Clever stuff!

If you don't have Spybot S&D or a similar program on your PC,
there's a good chance that your computer is already infected. I
don't want to be alarmist about this - most spyware does little
more than send some fairly innocuous information back to its
masters - but some of it is more sinister. Do give Spybot S&D a
try, therefore - but please don't just delete everything it
flags up!


That's it for this issue. I hope you've enjoyed reading it and
found something that may be useful to you. E-Writer will be back
again in a few weeks' time.

All good wishes,

Nick


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Copyright Info

Except where specifically stated, material in E-Writer is
protected by copyright of Nick Daws, 2005. Material from the
newsletter may, however, be reproduced in other online or off-
line publications so long as (a) the text (including any URLs
and e-mail addresses) is not altered in any way, and
(b) the souce is acknowledged and a link or text reference is
provided to my website at http://www.nickdaws.co.uk. Notifying
me is not essential but would be appreciated - please use the e-
mail address above or the link on my site. Many thanks!

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