If you are new to writing or haven’t networked much with
other writers then there are a lot of terms that may leave you with a blank
stare, …say what? For a relatively inclusive list of words and terms that are
common in our writing industry go to http://www.word-mart.com/html/glossary.html
Telling people what you do for a living can be tricky. Just
answering a friend’s question about what you are (occupation) could get
confusing. If you tell some people that you are a writer they almost always ask
for the name(s) of a book you’ve written. Tell them that you are a journalist
and the response so often is, “Oh, so you aren’t an author?” They’ll ask where
you work and you’ll say at home… “No really, where is your office?”
Although the two are often used interchangeably, there are a
few subtle differences to the titles author
and writer. First of all, all
authors are writers but a writer can write anything even if it is not meant for
someone else’s eyes like a list, personal letter or even a diary; generally an author
has written a book, an article or a report for publication (or with the
hope/intention of publication).
A freelance writer
can work for one or more clients for piece-by-piece articles, assignments or
contractuhttp://www.word-mart.com/html/glossary.htmlyal basis but is not
otherwise obligated to that client as an employer. A staff writer is employed by a single entity and any writing
assignments are part of that responsibility and not paid individually; depending
on employee/employer agreements, some staff writers are able to freelance for
other clients as well. A contributing
writer can be either a freelancer (most common) or a staff writer and
contributes stories as part of a team; many newspaper supplements have multiple
writers involved with a themed project.
A freelance writer
can work from home, a home office or easy chair, and communicate with editors
and publishers via email. A telecommuter
is an employee who works from a remote site, possibly home, and is “connected
to his job” via a computer. There are other “work-at-home” jobs that do not
necessarily include writing as a main responsibility.
You are a blogger
if you post content to a blog whether it is your own or as a guest blogger for
someone else, sometimes you might earn a little money if you’ve monetized your
blog. A few of the ways you could earn revenue from a blog is to add affiliate
marketing or pay per click advertising, use your blog to sell ad space or your
own digital product or online course, accept donations or paid-for sponsored articles.
You are a freelance blogger if you
are paid by a client to write professional blog posts which can be used on a
business or company blog.
While the writer or author often retains copyright and
ownership on most written work, if you have been hired or tasked with a specific
assignment as a freelancer then the work you produce should be considered “work-for-hire” and the product becomes
the property of the client who hired you. As a staff writer almost anything you
write as part of your job responsibilities is assumed to be property of your
employer. This means that unless you have specific written permission to reuse
these pieces anywhere else, you do not have that right. Read all work/assignment
agreements thoroughly and know what rights you may or may not have, once you
sign it you are bound by those rules; many freelance assignments are not
accompanied by a contract however you should assume that an article you submit
on an assignment is not your property anymore.
Writing
Exercise: Write a short grocery shopping list. Dramatize and
re-write the list (yes the cabbage CAN play the hero!) so that these items are
all featured in a simple short story.
Writing
Prompt: From memory write down the plot of a TV show or
movie you recently saw. Add as much detail as you can remember.
Challenge
Assignment: Imagine any two or three random people from work,
your neighborhood or the beauty parlor. Think of an earth-shattering secret one
of them is keeping (pretend). Write a story involving them being trapped
together (just them) in a house, train, a car that has run off the road, etc.
They are together for hours at which point the secret is revealed (You decide Who
reveals it). An argument ensues.
