Special Events

Wide Range of Successful Approaches to the Business of Writing at the Washington Independent Writers-Johns Hopkins University Workshop

By Melissa Golding, WIW Member

More than 100 writers learned techniques for developing a freelance career from experts at a joint workshop titled: “Mastering the Business of Freelance Writing,” co-sponsored by Washington Independent Writers (WIW) and Johns Hopkins University’s (JHU) Master of Arts in Writing Program. The full-day, four-panel event was held in the JHU Washington Center for Arts and Sciences’ Bernstein-Offit Building near Dupont Circle Saturday, Oct. 30. It featured presentations by writers, editors and academic professionals who discussed everything from developing a career roadmap to writing effective query letters, from what constitutes a contract to how to make conversation at networking events.

In kicking off the event, WIW Treasurer and Workshop Chair Al Portner emphasized the importance of WIW’s relationship with Johns Hopkins: “Johns Hopkins University is one of the great partners that WIW has, not only here today, but also in May at the WIW Washington Writers Conference.”

During the first session, panelists Ellen Faris, Ed Vilade, Mary Collins and Eileen Murdock described the myriad opportunities open to freelance writers, gave advice on how to take advantage of them, and shared personal lessons they’ve learned from their own careers. Faris, who manages proposals as Director of Media and Marketing for the Native American Management Service, discussed the many federal proposal-writing opportunities available to freelancers. “There is a huge amount of proposal-writing work out there. Once you learn the proper format, it can be easy to learn how to write proposals. Look at the Federal Register for examples of the style. A good place to get proposal-writing job leads is www.FedBizOpps.gov.”

Vilade described the lucrative opportunities open to those who join the “silent profession” of speechwriting. “Speechwriting is the best-paid non-supervisory work there is in the corporate world,” he said, noting that top speechwriters earn between $6,000 and $10,000 per speech. He said that one way to get speechwriting experience and build a sample portfolio is by writing speeches for non-profit, civic and charitable organizations on a pro bono basis.

Collins, who teaches graduate writing courses at JHU, told the story of how she launched a freelance career and got to write for such clients as National Geographic and McGraw-Hill. “I built my business on the basis of two things: diversifying and staying in subject areas I had a passion for,” she said. “I entered National Geographic as a researcher making $30 an hour. I would do the research and then hand a packet over to the writer who wrote the article.” She used the research job to build her contact base at National Geographic and was eventually able to write for the publisher’s Children’s and Educational Products Divisions. “They are desperate for known entities,” she said. “Once they know you, they will give you work.”

Murdock, vice president of communications for CK Marketing Solutions, discussed the important roles that planning, self-marketing and being able to deal with rejection play in every freelancer’s career. She is also a public speaker and encouraged those with an interest to explore public speaking, noting that it can be a great way to get contacts.

In the session on writing proposals and query letters, David Everett, who is the co-chair of and teaches in the M.A. in Writing Program at JHU, and Meg Guroff, Features Editor for AARP Magazine, stressed that all magazine query letters should be written with the editor’s needs in mind. “When you send out a query letter, you should be able to put your credentials in a couple of sentences,” Everett said. “You should write a lead paragraph for the letter the way you would write the lead for a story. You instantly want to mark yourself as a pro. Your letter should prove that you could do what you say you can do.”

WIW Secretary Ken Ackerman, a lawyer and author, spoke about a variety of business-related matters, including the various forms that contracts can take. Also on hand for the contracts and business details session was John C. Lowe, head of Washington Area Lawyers for the Arts (WALA, www.thewala.org) and a lawyer with Finnegan, Henderson, Farabow, Garrett & Dunner LLP, the world’s largest intellectual property law firm. He said that for the WALA $15 annual membership fee members might attend WALA workshops and clinics, as well as receive referrals to pro bono consultations with lawyers at top local firms who donate time to WALA. Lowe shared a strategy that can be used to get an oral contract into writing: “You can send the client an e-mail with the terms you’ve discussed, and add, ‘If I’ve misstated anything here, please let me know.’”

During the final session, authors Emory Hackman and Linda Adams dispensed advice on networking and negotiation. They recommended such classic business books as Herb Cohen’s You Can Negotiate Anything and Stephen Covey’s The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, and shared tips on how to make conversation at networking events. “You can ask people about the food, or the weather, or the event itself,” Hackman said. “You don’t have to have something really special to say—just honor the event.” Both speakers reminded the audience that as writers, we always have something to discuss at networking events: the writing we’re doing.

All of the panelists emphasized the importance of persistence in establishing and maintaining and freelance career, and Murdock reminded attendees that being able to write is a gift: “You’re very lucky to be among the select people chosen to write. Never give up.”