Category: Writing

23 Ways Writers Alienate Clients, Publishers, Editors, and Agents

How writers alienate clients and plublishers

Being a writer isn’t usually thought of as a job that annoys and alienates other people. It’s not like you’re a telemarketer. But it’s entirely possible to so annoy and anger your clients, publishers, agents, and editors to a degree that they will never want to work with you again. Obviously, this is not the way to create a productive writing career. Here are twenty-three things you don’t want to do if you want to be successful and keep happy clients and associates.

Don’t follow directions

If you are told to keep a piece to a certain word count, do it. If you’re told to format a work a certain way, do it. If you’re told to turn in drafts at certain points during the project, do it. Clients and editors have these rules for a reason. You are not allowed to go against them just because you feel like it, or because you’re artistically inspired to do so. If you have a genuinely good reason for wanting to go against their directions, ask first. Don’t just do it and assume it will be okay. It won’t.

Miss your deadlines

Deadlines are set for a reason. The client needs the project. The magazine or book goes to the printer on a certain date. Your clients are counting on you to deliver by the deadline you’ve been given. Preferably earlier if you can manage it. Never miss a deadline. If something comes up that will make you miss the deadline, communicate that immediately and do all you can do to rectify the mess, but expect the client to be very unhappy.

Submit error-filled or incomplete work

You’re a writer. You’re the one they’re counting on to submit a clean manuscript. Errors, typos and mistakes happen, but do everything you can to make sure they don’t happen to you. Recheck everything to make sure you’ve included everything the client asked for. If the client wanted a messy, mistake-filled project, they wouldn’t have bothered hiring a professional.

Be demanding

Agents, editors, and their interns and assistants do not work for you. They can be your partners in getting your work published, but you do not get to give them orders or make unreasonable demands. Asking your agent’s intern to make ten copies of your manuscript for your family to read is just wrong. Make them yourself. Similarly, you don’t walk into a meeting and demand coffee or a twenty percent increase in your fee. You can advise when asked and negotiate when appropriate, but being demanding and pushy will get the door slammed in your face.

Be a diva

People who throw fits when things don’t go their way, who think that they are above criticism, and who insist that their work is always perfect and does not need revision are divas. No one is perfect and everyone’s work needs touching up. Get over it and be humble. Listen to the client and take feedback constructively. Throw your fits in private, not in the client’s office.

Don’t communicate

You don’t want to communicate so much that you become annoying (see #11), but most of the time you are expected to let the client know how it’s going, especially if you are having any problems. Ask questions if something isn’t clear and let the client know if anything might prevent you from meeting a deadline.

Be impatient

Clients, agents, and publishers all have a lot of work to do. They’ll get to your submission or your invoice when they have a chance. Pestering them daily will only make them mad. Exercise some patience. If a significant amount of time goes by without hearing anything or if they haven’t contacted you after promising to do so by a certain date, then it’s okay to send a quick email or make a quick call saying, “I submitted Project X to you on such-and-such date and haven’t heard anything. I just wanted to make certain you received it or if there are any problems.”

Don’t do the assignment

If you are assigned to write an article on fly fishing, the editor does not want to receive your fabulous article on bowling instead. You write and submit what you are assigned, not what your “muse” directed to you write. There are plenty of excuses writers use not to write. Don’t fall for them, and make sure you find the time to write.

Don’t seek clarification

If you don’t think you have a good grasp of what the client wants, you need to ask for clarification. Don’t do what you think they want, make sure you know it’s what they want. Too often a writer produces a work that technically meets the assignment guidelines, but falls short of what the client envisioned for the product. This is sometimes a failure to communicate and since you can’t read minds, you need to be sure you know what the client wants. Ask and then try to get it in writing so there are no misunderstandings later.

Be financially unreasonable

Fees for most projects are negotiated up front, as are the cases where the writer can increase the fee (the client asks for more revisions than negotiated, the scope or size of the project changes, etc.). That’s the time to ask for more money if you think you’re worth it. Holding the project hostage at the end while you argue for more money isn’t cool. If you do this, you’d better have a darn good reason and be prepared to end up in court.

Be needy

Yes, you want to communicate with the client and you want to be sure that what you’re writing is going to meet their needs. But you don’t want to be the person that they just can’t get rid of. Always calling and asking about tiny things, asking for feedback and critique when it’s not appropriate, and asking for detailed explanations of rejections just screams insecurity. Editors and publishers want confident writers, not writers that require babysitting.

Be unprofessional

If you have to go to a client’s office or appear in a video chat, dress appropriately. Skip the shorts, sweats, and pajama bottoms. Speak clearly and make eye contact. Don’t mumble or use slang and curse words. Be polite to everyone you interact with, including receptionists and interns. Act like the professional you are.

Don’t know your limits

Yes, you want to be involved in the production of your book or magazine article, but things like cover art, marketing, legalese, placement within the magazine, and paper choices are best left to the professionals. Once you’ve sold your work, other professionals step in to work through their parts of the process. If you insist on butting in at every stage, you’re going to wear out your welcome. Fast. If someone asks your advice, give it quickly (without expounding at length as to why you’re such an “expert” in this area) and then shut up.

Don’t know your limits, Part II

Don’t take on work for which you are not qualified. While it’s fine to stretch a little bit, claiming to be an expert at something that you know nothing about is wrong and will only cause problems when you can’t deliver the work as promised. Don’t advertise yourself as being able to write a proposal for a multimillion dollar grant if you’ve never written a grant proposal in your life, for example. Build your skills through volunteer work or for lower profile clients before you put yourself up for big assignments.

Resort to gimmicks to get attention

Calling at odd hours, sending gifts in the mail, sending singing telegrams, writing in strange fonts or colors, or in any way trying to “stand out” is frowned upon. If you must respond to someone’s kindness, a simple thank you note will suffice.

Be immature

Getting rejected sucks, but acting like a baby, throwing a tantrum over the phone, sending hate mail, or posting your gripes on Facebook or your blog will ensure that the agent or editor will remember you and will never look at anything you send in ever again. Ever.

Call or email when you’re mad

Something hasn’t gone right with a project and you’re pissed off. Resist the urge to pick up the phone immediately. It’s in the heat of anger that things are said that can’t be taken back and which aren’t even rational. Cool off, think the situation through, and then call or email. It may really be the client’s fault, but venting your anger all over the place isn’t going to help.

Outsource without permission

If you’ve taken on too much work, it can be tempting to ask a friend to help you out and write a couple of articles or chapters for you. But there are problems. First, your contract may prohibit this and there can be consequences if you’re caught. Second, the other person may not do professional work and you could be stuck with the bad rap. Third, this practice gives the impression that you don’t care about the client enough to pay attention to their project and that you are too disorganized to handle your workload.

Plagiarize

It doesn’t matter how strapped for time you are, or how unreasonable the client may be. Stealing another writer’s work is just wrong. And on the same note, never submit the same work to two clients without permission. No editor wants to see that their article is exactly the same as the one their competitor ran three months ago.

Play hard to get

An agent or editor isn’t going to spend days trying to track you down. Make sure that you give working and correct phone numbers and email addresses, and that information is consistent across your letterhead, website, and business cards.

Disappear

If at any point in the project you don’t think you can continue, tell the editor. Don’t just stop returning phone calls and emails, even if you think you have a good reason. Agents and editors will remember your disappearing act.

Have loose lips

Many clients expect confidentiality. Even those that don’t specify it contractually aren’t going to be happy to see you talk about their work or see you make fun of them on your social networking profile. And be careful what you say in public, too, because you never know who is listening. Keep your mouth shut about your clients, your work for them, and anything that you learn about them while working on their projects.

Be a drunken fool

The higher your profile in the writing community, the more that drunken or foolish conduct will reflect upon you. You might be able to get away with it if you’re unknown (but I still don’t recommend it), but if your name is appearing regularly in magazines and books, you have to watch what you say and do in public. Just because you work behind a computer doesn’t mean that you are invisible. You don’t want to get out of control at parties (particularly business-related functions), post a video of your drunken striptease on Facebook, or have your sister-in-law post pictures of you kissing the waiter at your cousin’s wedding. Clients don’t like to be associated with writers who engage in bad behavior.

Publishing and the business world are much smaller than you think. It doesn’t take long for word of bad behavior to spread. If you turn in shoddy work (or turn in nothing at all), act like a diva, and make unreasonable demands, you can expect to find that getting assignments will become very difficult, if not impossible. Be professional and on your best behavior at all times. That’s the way to make money as a writer.

(Photo courtesy of hobvias sudoneighm)

11 Elements of a Successful Author Website

creating an author website

Having a web presence is almost mandatory for writers these days. Whether you write fiction, non-fiction or are a freelance writer, a website gives readers and clients a way to find you, interact with your work, and hire you for jobs. It also gives you a chance to reach out to people who might be encountering your work for the first time. As with any communications medium, you need to to make a great first impression and offer people reasons to come back. In addition to making sure that it’s free of grammatical errors and typos, here are eleven things you should consider adding to your website.

Contact information

This is the most important thing to have on your website. You want people to be able to contact you with job offers, appearance requests, and questions. If you have fans, you want to be able to interact with them. Don’t make it hard for people to find you. If you do, they’ll give up and not come back.

Appearances/Events

Let your readers know where you’ll be appearing or speaking. Use this page to keep them informed of any events you’ll be attending or organizing. Let them know of any benefits for attending such as book signings, giveaways, discounted book purchases, etc.

Purchase information

If you have anything to sell, be sure to include links. You may offer the ability to purchase directly from your website (this will require some sort of e-commerce solution), or provide links to Amazon or other retailers. Include the ISBN numbers of any books so stores can easily order them. Make it easy for people to buy your work.

A clean, consistent, professional design

Don’t clutter up your site with lots of colors, fonts, animations, and images. Don’t make every page look different. Keep it consistent. Make your navigation system easy to follow. Make the site professional-looking. Cutesy might work if you’re a children’s author, but freelancers and book writers should keep it professional. People like sites that are easy on the eyes and easy to navigate. Funky colors and fonts may make an artistic statement, but they can also make your readers crazy.

Freebies

People love free stuff. Maybe you give away a short story related to your current novel, or you put together a short guide to your non-fiction subject of interest. Maybe you give away some character background information or provide a playlist that captures the mood of your book. Post sample chapters or excerpts from your work so people can try before they buy. Think of something that your audience will want or find useful and give it away. People also love contests, so you might consider hosting one every now and then.

About/Bio/Resume

For non-fiction writers and freelancers, this will be similar to a traditional job resume detailing your experience and expertise in your field. For fiction writers, it will be a list of your publishing credits and anything that makes you qualified to write that particular story (for example, your main character is a teacher and you’ve been a teacher for fifteen years). In either case, be sure to clearly describe the types of work you offer and maybe tell a bit about your personal story or how you got into writing. Just don’t go on too long or include too much irrelevant information. You can also include some reviews/testimonials about your work. Depending on your experience and what you offer this section might be one page, or a main page with several links leading off of it.

Media/Press Kit

This makes it easier for the press to find everything they need to know about you. You can include your bio, a photo, cover images from your books, links to other interviews you’ve done, and reviews of your work. These should be downloadable documents that the media can reuse them in their own materials.

Links to your social media platforms

If you’re on social media, include links to your active platforms. This is an easy and effective way to promote your writing.

A blog

A blog doesn’t have to be something that you contribute to five times a day. You can post once a week, or every other week, as long as what you have to say is relevant and interesting. Use it to keep readers abreast of your progress on various projects, or answer fan questions. Post about your work process so people can emulate you if they wish. Post about recent experiences you had at events or signings. Keep it relevant, though. Too many posts about your dog or your garden (unless you write about dogs or gardening) will turn people off who came to learn about your work.

Information about upcoming projects

If you have books in the pipeline, give your readers a heads up about what’s coming. You may be contractually limited in what you can say, but readers always want to know what you’re working on now. Even freelance writers can let their clients know that they’re expanding into new markets or pursuing a relevant non-fiction book.

Resources

This could be a list of links to some of your research sources, ideas for book clubs, ideas for teachers (if your work is used in classrooms), links to other sites or blogs on your subject matter or which you find helpful, FAQ answers, or anything else that you think your readers will find valuable.

Not everything on this list is necessary or applicable to every type of writer. The key is to understand who your readers/clients are and the things they’re likely to be seeking at your site. A young adult author will have a very different site from a scientific author. A freelance writer’s site will look different from that of a book writer. Give your readers and clients what they want from your site in a way that’s easy to navigate and understand and you’ll be on your way to success.

(Photo courtesy of chamko rani)

Using the Sims to Facilitate Writing

Use the Sims to help with creative writing

I confess: I’m a huge fan of the computer game, The Sims. I’ve played it since the first iteration and have spent an embarrassing amount of money and time on the game. It used to be a guilty pleasure until I discovered that I could use it to further my writing. I could play and work at the same time! (Well, sort of.)

The Sims lets me quickly create characters and let them live through situations (well, most of the time they live, sometimes they die) that would take me weeks of outlining to accomplish. I can experiment with various personality traits. I can give them jobs (they can even be writers), let them run their own business, keep them unemployed, or get them fired or promoted at work. They can be criminals or good guys. I can make them rich, or keep them poor. I can make them happy or mad. I can put them in relationships with other Sims (both hetero or homosexual), leave them unattached, or I can make their relationships go bust. They can even have affairs. I can give them pets or kids. Heck, in the latest iteration of the game I can even experiment with zombies, vampires, and witches and even send my Sims into the future or off to college. All of this is fodder for my creativity and stories.

More than once I’ve created a character and let them go about their business with very little assistance from me, just to see what they’d do. I’ve taken notes and used their actions and reactions in my work. If things get completely out of control, I can just exit the game without saving and go back to a time when things were better. That’s hard to do after you’ve spent a hundred pages going down the wrong path in a novel. Even better, I can save a pristine version of my character and use him or her over and over again in new games to create new stories. I can then pick the story I like best and write about it. That’s a lot easier than working through four or five stories on paper.

The Sims is a great way to spark my creativity when it’s at a low ebb. Sure, I still sit down with paper and pencil and sketch out characters and novel ideas. There are some things a computer game can never address, after all. But it is fun and different and it goes beyond just superficial details like looks and jobs. For example, I can create characters that are “made for” another character, or I can create characters that I know are going to antagonize or even hurt other characters. (These can later become supporting characters in a novel.) I can reform bad characters, or make good characters go bad. And then I can sit back and see what happens without having to slog through pages and pages only to discover that it wasn’t such a great idea after all.

I’ve even taken some of my characters and their stories and posted them to the online Sims community and let other Simmers give their input as to what the character should do next. It’s amazing what other people think of and getting their input expands my work even further. I can also take characters that others have created and add them to my game, creating even more mayhem. In a way, it’s a form of fan fiction that spills over into “real” the novels and stories that I’m working on.

Even if you don’t use it for your “serious” writing, The Sims can be a big help during NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) if you participate. When you get stuck, just boot up the game and play for a while (but not too long or you’ll waste too much time). You’ll quickly have lots of fodder for your story that will push you toward that 50,000-word goal.

If The Sims isn’t your thing, or if you need more of a fantasy element for your character creation, there are other options. There are plenty of MMORPG’s that allow you to create your own characters and situations, or you can try traditional paper and pencil role-playing games like Dungeons and Dragons or Pathfinder.

Okay, so The Sims is never going to qualify for a tax deduction as a “business related expense.” But it has helped my creativity and given me a chance to explore new characters and situations while having some fun in the process. I just have to be careful not to spend too much time with the game because then it just becomes a tool for procrastination.

(Photo courtesy of Eurritimia)

10 Common Writing Submission Mistakes

Common writing submission mistakes

Writers are sometimes their own worst enemies. We complain endlessly about being unable to get published or make money, but yet it’s often the case that we’re sabotaging our own success. Sure, sometimes you get rejected because your writing isn’t good enough. But often rejections happen because you made a mistake at the submission level and the gatekeeper turned you down before ever reading your work.

Remember that editors, agents, and hiring managers are swamped. They get tons of submissions every day. To quickly cull the pile, they look for any obvious reason to discount your submission. That may be something as simple as a misplaced comma or a misspelled name. You don’t want to go out this way. You want your recipient to at least read your work and then debate its merit, not dump you on the reject pile before the first sentence is even read. With that in mind, here are some common mistakes that writer’s make when submitting their work.

Grammatical Errors

Whenever you submit something, be it a story, letter, resume, article, or full manuscript, make certain that it is error-free. You’re asking someone to trust that you are a competent writer, yet if the first page has the word “You’re” in a situation where the word “Your” should have been used, you’re not coming across as competent. Always look to improve your writing so that there are no mistakes with it.

Submitting to the Wrong Person or Place

Don’t submit to houses or agents that don’t handle your type of work. Don’t submit to Editor A and Editor B at the same publishing house. Don’t address Mrs. Smith as Mr. Smith. (If you’re unclear on gender, a quick phone call to check is fine.) Don’t submit to the department manager if you’re supposed to go through human resources. Figure out exactly who should receive your work and send it directly to that person or department.

Mass and Blind Submissions

It’s irritating to get an email addressed to fifty agents or hiring managers. Such submissions often read, “Dear Sir or Madam,” and then proceed to describe, in very generic terms, why this person should accept your work. It’s efficient, but the problem is that your recipients don’t want to be part of a herd. They want to know why you chose them. They want to know who referred you, or to which ad you are responding. They want to know how you learned of them and why they are the best fit for your work. They want you to demonstrate that you’ve done some basic research into who they are and what they represent. Mass submissions are impersonal and only demonstrate that you know how to use the multiple recipient functions in your email program.

Failure to Follow Convention

Yes, convention can stifle creativity. However, every field has its norms that must be followed. You have to demonstrate that you understand the rules of the “club” and that you can follow them. If convention dictates that your submission be double spaced, single spacing can get you disqualified. If a certain format is required, you’d better follow it. Breaking convention won’t get you accepted, it will get you rejected.

Sending Dirty Work

No, I don’t mean pornography. I mean work that’s stained, crumpled, or torn. In this day and age of quick printing and copying, there’s no excuse for sending out anything other than pristine pages.

Looking Like a Paranoid Amateur

Many writers submit work with copyright symbols on it, or mentioning in the query letter that the submission should not be shared or forwarded for fear of idea theft. Similarly, don’t be vague about your work because you’re afraid it will be stolen. “I have a great idea, but I can’t share it with you until you commit to publication,” is ridiculous. This isn’t the way copyright works and no legitimate publisher or agent is out to steal your work. You’re only coming across as paranoid and no one wants to work with a nutcase.

Failure to Follow Directions

Send and do only what the recipient asks for. No more, no less. Send only what’s requested in only the format in which is it requested. Do not send snail mail if only email submissions are accepted, or vice versa. Doing exactly what is asked of you demonstrates that you can follow directions. To a gatekeeper, this increases the chances that you are someone they want to work with, not someone who is going to cause problems during every step of the process.

Failure to Include Contact Information

No matter how much someone likes your work, you’re going on the rejection pile if they can’t easily respond to you. They aren’t going to send a sherpa and a yak out to track you down. They don’t have time for that. Be sure to include your name, address, phone number, and email address.

Overpacking

Yes, you want your submission to arrive safely. But you don’t want to use so much tape that someone has to hack into the package to get to your work. Nor do you want to use packing peanuts that will explode all over someone’s office. Having to exert too much effort to get to your work means that the reader is already frustrated with you when they sit down to read your work. (Assuming they even bothered. Make it too difficult to get into a package and it might go in the trash unopened.) Keep the packaging to a minimum.

Failure to Properly Check Email Submissions

Email submissions are convenient, but they pose potential problems. If you’re asked to attach a file, make sure you’re attaching the correct one. No one wants to read your tax return when they thought they were getting your first chapter. If you’re using a submission page on a website, make sure you’re putting the right information into the right boxes. If you’re copying and pasting into an email or submission site, make sure you’re doing so correctly. You don’t want things to end up out of order, or discover that you pasted from the last draft of your novel when you meant to paste from the current version. Don’t use “Reply All” if you only mean to reply to one person and make certain you’ve got the correct recipient(s) in the address section. Double check everything before you hit the Send button.

You want to be judged on your work, but the only way that’s going to happen is if you successfully navigate the submission process. Think of the submission process as the first step to publication, because that’s exactly what it is. It’s time consuming and a chore to make sure everything is perfect, but that’s what the gatekeepers want to see. You won’t get past them with a half-assed effort. You’re being judged from the moment your envelope crosses their desk or the email shows up in their inbox. Be perfect.

(Photo courtesy of Aaron Davis)

Title Capitalization, Spell Check and More New Word Counter Tools

This word counter tool originally counted words, characters, and letters. As more people found it, we started to get requests of what the users would like to see added to the tool. Over the years, we have added many of these suggestions. We continue to strive to keep this tool updated and to add new features which users have requested which make word counter more beneficial to all. We recently added the following features which you can now use:

Spell and Grammar Check

We’ve added a button to the top left of the Word Counter tool which says “Spell Check” Once you have finished writing, you can click this button and a spell and grammar check will be performed on what you have written and will highlight areas of the writing that may be grammatically incorrect or have spelling issues. It’s important to note that this shouldn’t be exclusively relied upon, and as with all writing, you should proofread what you have written, but it may catch some minor errors you missed or show you an area of your writing which may be able to be more clearly rewritten.

Different Cases

There may be instances where you want to have your writing (or certain portions of your writing) displayed in a certain way. The “Case” button just to the right of the “Spell Check” button gives you four options to display your writing in different ways. There are two ways to use this. You can highlight a certain portion of your writing, and only the highlighted portion will be affected by your choice. For example, if you highlight your first paragraph and choose “Uppercase,” then only the first paragraph will be turned to upper case and the rest of the writing will remain as it was. If you choose one of the options without highlighting any of your writing, the entire writing will be formatted by the choice you made. The four choices available are:

Uppercase: WHEN YOU CHOOSE THIS OPTION, ALL WRITING WILL BE DISPLAYED IN UPPERCASE LIKE THIS. iT’S THE SAME AS PUSHING THE CAPS LOCK ON YOUR KEYBOARD.

Lowercase: when you choose this option, all writing will be displayed in lowercase like this. even after periods, the letters will all be in lowercase.

Title Case: Also referred to as title capitalization, this gives the proper way to capitalize titles for your writing, articles and blog posts. It can often get confusing which words should and shouldn’t be capitalized in the title of the paper, and by choosing this option, it will automatically give you the correct way to display it. For example, the title of this article, “Title capitalization, spell check and more new word counter tools” gets transformed to “Title Capitalization, Spell Check and More New Word Counter Tools” when the title case option is used.

Sentence Case: This options will turn all the writing to a typical sentence construction. This can be convenient if you happen to forget to capitalize after periods, or if you tried some of the other case options, but decide you want to back to normal.

Reading Level

On the right side under “Details”, there is now a section at the bottom that displays Reading Level. The reading level is calculated by using the Dale–Chall readability formula based on 3,000 common words fourth graders understand. This can be useful if you’re writing to a certain age group to make sure your writing isn’t above or below their level.

Keyword Density Options

Under “Options” (top right corner) you can now choose the number of keywords you want displayed for keyword density. The default has been 10 words, but you can choose as few or as many as you wish to fit the particular type of writing you’re doing.

If there are other tools you’d like to see added to word counter, feel free to contact us or to leave a comment. We try to continue to add and update WordCounter.net with things the users would find beneficial.

20 Helpful and Fun Products for Writers

writing tools

Most writers don’t need a whole lot to practice their trade. Once you have the basics like a computer, software, paper, and pens/pencils, (and oh, yes, space in which to write), those are the only tools you really need to be successful. That being said, there are many more products writers may find both helpful and fun. If you’re looking for a gift idea, or just looking for something that may help you in your writing life, take a look at the following list.

A Writer Tshirt

Giving a writer a fun writer Tshirt that can be proudly worn is a great way to show your support his or hers writing. It gives them the opportunity to show the world what they do with a bit of humor. If you’re not sure what to give as a gift to a writer, this is a great default.

A journal (maybe more than one)

A journal is a place where you can do your free writing, or where you can work through problems that are impacting your work. They can also be places to keep ideas and experiment with forms like poetry or lyric writing. You can have one journal for everything, or get a few and dedicate them to different types of writing.

Whiteboard (maybe more than one)

I tend to be forgetful and I tend to come up with good ideas when a pen and paper or my laptop aren’t available. Bad combination. To help, I got a couple of small whiteboards and put one in the bathroom and one in the kitchen. Now when I get a great idea in the shower or while making dinner, I can jot it down on the board. These are more water and damage resistant than electronics or paper and are great for messy environments.

Dictionary

Yes, I know the computer has a dictionary function, but many are not as robust as a large, old fashioned, print dictionary. Plus, if you’re a word nerd, there’s just something fun about looking up random words in the dictionary.

Thesaurus

See Dictionary, above. The same idea applies because most computer thesauri are not as comprehensive as their print counterparts.

Cork board

Some writers like to “storyboard” by writing or drawing elements and scenes from their books on index cards and then arranging them to see how they fit together. You can move the cards around if you think of a better arrangement. It’s a more visual form of outlining. A cork board makes this easier than laying everything out on the floor, only to have to pick it up to vacuum, or having it blow around when people walk past.

Spiral bound notebooks

During the back to school shopping season, you can find packs of four or five notebooks for less than $1. They’re great for jotting down ideas, research notes, and character descriptions. Keep one by your bed for those ideas that come to you late at night. Yes, you can use your computer or cell phone, and many people do, but I find that writing some things out longhand clarifies my thoughts more than banging away at a keyboard.

Calendar

Whether you go digital or get a wall calendar or weekly planner, a calendar is a must to keep track of deadlines and to-do’s,

Spreadsheet software

Good spreadsheet software can come in handy for creating submission trackers and expense/income spreadsheets.

Financial software or ledger

If you don’t want to use a spreadsheet to track your income and expenses, get some good financial software. At the very least, get a ledger and make sure you write everything down. It’ll make tax time much easier.

Basic grammar/style guide

The Elements of Style, by Strunk and White remains the gold standard grammar and style guide. If you are a technical writer or business writer, you may find The Chicago Manual of Style useful, as well. There are also guides for academic writers and other specialties.

Apps

There are tons of apps that you might find useful, too many to list here. There are apps for note taking, calendars, word processing, script writing, storyboarding, and many other things you might find useful. Spend some time shopping the app store for your platform of choice to see what you might find useful. There are also plenty of games to help you waste time, so shop carefully.

File cabinet and files

No matter how digital you try to be you will always have paper to file. It keeps drifting in even when you actively try to avoid it. At the least you’ll probably need a file drawer in your desk or an accordion file. At worst, you’ll need a full blown file cabinet or some banker’s boxes.

Amazon Prime membership

For $99 per year, you get free two day shipping on most things that Amazon sells. (You also get free movie rentals and book loans, but those are just perks. The real value is the shipping.) It’s so nice to be able to order ink, toner, paper, envelopes, and other supplies (plus not having to take time away from writing to go to the store) and have it on your doorstep in two days.

Digital recorder

There are apps for this, or you can buy a more old school recorder. Either way, these come in handy for recording interviews and making notes to yourself on the fly.

Lap desk

A lap desk is great to have on hand for those times when you want to write or do research on the bed or couch. It keeps your laptop from burning your legs and lets you get into a variety of positions so you can work in comfort.

Amazon gift card

This comes in handy for buying those deeply discounted Kindle books, apps, and MP3’s that Amazon sells. Having a gift card balance on your account eliminates the need to put bunches of those $1.99 or $0.99 charges on your credit card, which can get your card shut down for suspected fraud. If you have Prime, listed above, it’s also great for all those $5.00 shipments you can now order without paying for shipping.

Page flags

These are great for marking passages while researching or editing. They’re perfect for marking passages and making short notes in library or borrowed books in which you cannot make your own notes.

Personalized note cards

Yes, much of life is digital these days, but there is still something to be said for the power of a handwritten thank you note on a nice note card. They’re great for sending to agents, editors, and others who’ve taken the time to help you.

A good coffee machine

If you’re a coffee drinker, you can save a fortune by making your own instead of hitting Starbucks every day. You might like a Keurig or similar single cup coffee maker that lets you rotate through a variety of flavors (tea and hot cocoa, as well) every day. Or you might prefer a good espresso machine or a simple regular coffee maker.

Rory’s Story Cubes

These are “dice” that you roll which act as story generators. They are available in the original set, plus two newer sets that add actions and voyages to the mix. You can use them alone when you’re stumped for ideas, or play with others using the game rules that come with them. The cubes are also available as an app so you can roll on the go.

Not every product is ideal for every writer. Some prefer old-school solutions, some prefer high tech, and others like a mix. Think about how you work best and choose products the help, not hinder, you.

(Photo courtesy of John O’Nolan)

Please, Don’t Ask a Writer to…

don't ask writers to...
Plenty of people ask writers for all kinds of favors and connections. While it’s sometimes flattering to be asked, the constant deluge of requests creates problems for writers. Even lesser-known writers receive many requests to do things they just don’t have the time or inclination to do. There are a lot of people out there who think writers are fair game for all kinds of crazy requests.

Partly this over-familiarity is because writers seem so accessible. Their pictures and names are on their books, often with a little blurb about their life. They have a website where they may talk about some personal things or invite fans to comment. There’s also an element of “He made it, he should help me get a leg up in this business.” While many writers do want to be accessible and pay their success forward, they do so through carefully chosen opportunities, not by responding to demands and requests from random strangers who may or may not be insane. So, please, don’t ask a writer the following:

Read your book or screenplay

There are several reasons we don’t want to do this. First, it just takes a lot of time. If we read everything we’re asked to read, we’d never get our own work (which pays the bills) done. Second, if we criticize your work you’re going to hate us and then feel free to tell everyone on the internet what a complete asshat we were for criticizing you. If we tell you it’s great, you’re going to demand numbers 2, 4, and 8, below, taking even more of our time. Third, there may be legal reasons why we can’t read your work. We don’t want you suing us when something we write is ever so vaguely similar to your magnum opus. There are plenty of writer’s groups and workshops where you can find people to read your work.

Give you the name and number of our agent or publisher

If we do this without reading your work or knowing anything about you, then we risk angering our agents and publishers by having people submit crummy work under our referral. This is not a way to further our own career and is, in fact, a quick path to getting dumped by an agent or editor. To put you in contact with our agent/publisher would involve reading your work to make sure it’s not crap and you can see in number one, above, why you shouldn’t ask that, either.

Teach you how to write

There are plenty of classes and books to teach you how to write and most will do a far better job of it. What works for one writer may not work for you so you might as well learn on a “neutral field,” so to speak, rather than getting the specifics of what works for one person.

Ask for reviews or book blurbs

Some writing advice books trot this one out as a way to get “name brand” reviews for your work. You should just send your work to random writers and see if they’ll review it! Please don’t. Most of us don’t have the time, inclination, or legal freedom to read your work. There are only two exceptions to this rule: First, you can ask if you have some personal relationship to the writer. (For example, he was in your writing group, you took a class together, met at a conference, or your agent(s) introduced you.) Second, if the writer invites submissions on their website. Some writers are also reviewers and will invite other writers to submit items for potential review. Most won’t promise that yours will be chosen, though.

Ask us to work for free

It probably seems like writing isn’t much of a job so you probably feel no shame in asking us to write the copy for your brother’s website, or that article for the alumni magazine, and not offering us any compensation. It’s even worse if another professional or a corporation asks for a freebie. “Hey, if you could just write a few lines for our catalog we’ll give you credit in the back of the book!” The thing is, writing is work. It is a skill that should be compensated, just like any other skill. There are times when writers may work for free, but those are carefully chosen volunteer opportunities or chances to advance our careers. No matter how little time you think the job will require, trust us, it will take a lot longer and that’s more of our time down the drain. If you ask a writer to do something for you, at least offer to pay. If the writer says, “No problem, I’ll do it for free or just for the credit,” then great. But at least offer.

Ask us to help with a school assignment

Teachers often send kids out to find and interview a writer. These requests usually come under the guise of “Find someone who has the job you want,” or “Find an expert on something and interview them.” Since most writers are on the internet, we’re crazy easy to pester. While we hate to say no to little kids, if we spent time answering every kid’s questions we’d never finish anything. There are plenty of books and websites devoted to the craft of writing, specific writing types, employment opportunities for writers, and so on. There’s no need to find a specific writer to answer these questions. Any website can provide the same generalities that you’d get in response to an assignment. Now, if you’re friends with the writer you might be able to get away with this, but just blindly emailing every writer with a web presence is annoying.

Ask us to help you get a job

If we’ve worked with you before we might be willing to act as a personal reference should you survive the initial screening process for an advertised job. Most of us are not willing to call our publisher and ask if you can have an internship, or to ask our editor at the newspaper to give you your own column. We don’t know what kind of employee you are and we’re not willing to risk getting fired because you turn out to be a bonehead.

Ask us how to get published

There are plenty of books and websites dedicated to just this subject. You’re better off reading these and following industry standards than asking a writer how they did it. They may have “known someone” or done something unconventional that worked for them but which would fail miserably for you.

Ask us to edit or “polish” your work

Along with the pitfalls that come along with reading your work (see number 1, above), editing is it’s own special form of hell. Most of us don’t even like to edit our own work, let alone that of others. If you need an editor, by all means hire one, but don’t ask a writer to edit your work. You might as well be asking us to endure a root canal.

When a writer says, “No,” to these requests, people say they’re mean or cruel or just want to keep newbies out of the field. Nothing is further from the truth. The truth is simple: Writers need to write (and occasionally promote their own work) to make a living. They cannot do that if they are reading unsolicited manuscripts, looking for jobs for their cousin’s kids, or writing the neighborhood newsletter. Most writers have adopted a policy of saying, “No,” out of necessity. We don’t enjoy being the bad guy, but it’s fairer to say no to everyone than to pick and choose and then be accused of favoritism.

Writers are professionals and deserve to be treated as such. Just as you wouldn’t ask your doctor for a freebie or ask your own boss for a job for your shiftless brother-in-law, you shouldn’t ask writers (especially writers that you don’t even know) for freebies and favors.

(Photo courtesy of Nic McPhee)

40 Ways to Make Money as a Writer

make money writing

When people think of someone as being a writer they often think in terms of books. Fiction, non-fiction, memoir, and scholarly books all come to mind as “writerly” pursuits. And certainly books are a noble goal and worth writing if that’s what you want to do. However, there are many more ways to make money as a writer. In fact, there are so many ways to make money writing that it’s possible to make a very good income as a writer without ever penning a single book. Here are forty ideas to get you started.

Blogging

It seems like everyone has a blog these days, but there is still room for well-crafted blogs that serve their readers with useful, unique, and timely information. If you don’t want to start your own blog, you may be able to write for someone else or sell yourself as a guest poster to several different blogs. It’s also important to remember that a lot of blogging these days is promoting yourself.

Greeting Cards

You can get paid to craft those pithy sayings inside the cards.

Magazine Articles

Print magazines aren’t dead and there are thousands of them out there for just about every interest, hobby, and demographic.

Scholarly Publishing

If you have academic credentials or want to boost your credibility within the academic community, you might look into writing for scholarly journals in your field, or publishing books with an academic press. If you don’t want to enter the market under your own name, plenty of academics need help with their articles, books, dissertations, and course materials.

E-Books/Self-Publishing

It’s easier than ever for an author to self-publish their books, either electronically or in print. The positives are that you retain control of all of the content and any income you generate is yours to keep (after taxes, of course). The negatives are that you are responsible for all of the marketing of your book, as well as any expenses incurred to publish it.

Traditional Publishing

Some consider having a book accepted by a traditional print publisher to be the “holy grail” of writing. However, you will likely have to compromise on some of your content and you will still have to do a lot of your own marketing and publicity. Your publisher may also not give you a large advance and your royalties may not match your dreams.

Textbooks

You can either write whole books (see scholarly publishing, above), or write individual sections. Many publishers hire writers on staff or on a freelance basis to write sections of textbooks.

Technical Writing

Online help, user manuals, training manuals, scientific documents, research notes, and other forms of documentation fall under the heading of “technical writing.” It can be dry, but lucrative. Experience in the field about which you are writing is often helpful, but may not be required.

Marketing Copy

Businesses have to move their products and advertise themselves. They need writers to write brochures, advertisements, catalog copy, slogans, marketing emails, and direct mail pieces.

Poetry

While not (generally) a huge money-maker, poets can publish their own collections, or publish individual poems in anthologies or magazines. Also, poets may find work in the greeting card and lyricist markets.

Contests

There are contests for almost every form of writing and many offer cash prizes. You might not be able to make a living from contests alone, but the recognition you get from winning can open up additional opportunities for you.

Teaching

Many people need to learn how to be better writers. You can teach at workshops, through community education classes and private tutoring, at corporations and corporate retreats, in job training programs, and even in prisons. It’s not true that those who can’t do teach. Many writers supplement their incomes through training and teaching programs.

Content Mills

These are companies that rely on a small army of freelancers to churn out online content that will result in huge numbers of hits for the company, thus bringing in revenue through advertising. Pay is usually dismal, creativity and lovely prose are sacrificed in favor of search engine optimization, and the clips you get from working there may or may not net you additional opportunities, as more “serious” markets sometimes look down on content mills. Only you can decide whether or not a content mill is for you.

Ghostwriting

Some people have stories to tell, but not a writerly bone in their body. You get paid to tell the story, but you will receive no byline or credit for the work. It can be lucrative, but contractual limitations may prevent you from cashing in on the work should the book become a bestseller.

Short Stories

You may be able to have several published in book form, but the larger markets for stories tend to be magazines or niche websites.

Newspaper Reporter/Columnist/Editorials

Print journalism isn’t dead, yet. There are still openings for reporters and columnists. You might have the best luck breaking in at your local paper, rather than going straight for the state or national papers.

Script Writing

Sure, everyone wants to pen a movie, but scripts are also required in television, advertising, and in the corporate world.

Write the News for TV

You can write the news bits that the newscasters will read off the TelePrompTer.

Articles for Trade Publications

Sure, the big glossy magazines are a dream market, but steady, well paying work can be found writing for trade publications. These are the magazines that cover such exciting topics like plumbing, landscaping, and fish pond management, among many others. They need content, too.

Grant Writing

Helping other people secure money can be very lucrative. There is an art to grant writing, however, and you need to learn how successful grant proposals are crafted before you can expect to succeed in this market.

Travel/Tourism/Chamber of Commerce Publications

All of those brochures in the visitor’s center, the articles in the coupon books you find in the hotel lobby, and local magazines need writers. You can also write for the glossy travel magazines, but you’ll have a better chance getting in if you’ve perfected your craft at the local level.

Newsletters

Churches, businesses, neighborhood groups, and many other organizations publish newsletters. Some keep writers on staff, but many hire freelancers or talented members of the organization.

Press Releases

When a business or government organization has something to say to the public, they don’t just blurt it out. They craft a carefully worded press release that casts them and the issue or product in the best light. If you can make anything sound wonderful, you’ll likely succeed here.

Corporate Writing

Annual reports, business plans, legal documents (if you have that background), internal newsletters, catalogs, training manuals and scripts, and presentation scripts are some examples of the writing types that businesses need. Some businesses have dedicated writers and others hire on a freelance basis.

Government Work

Legislative agendas, new laws, requests for proposals, reports, meeting notes, and distilling scientific or other research into language that can be understood by the public and elected officials are all government writing jobs. Some are hired for a specific department, others work state or countywide. Small towns and counties may hire freelancers to do their writing for them.

Book Doctor

Alas, someone has written a book and it’s terrible. But they won’t give up the dream of seeing it in print. You could be hired to resuscitate the book (which may mean anything from a little editing to a full blown do-over or ghostwriter gig). You may also help the author find an agent or publisher, or help with their self-publishing plan. You’ll have the satisfaction of seeing the project live on, but you won’t get the joy of a byline.

Children’s Markets

Kids have more of a place in the world today than they used to. There are many magazines for children and teens, as well as a booming Young Adult market for books. Many corporations also hire people to write marketing and advertising copy that appeals to teens and kids. Writers are needed for kid’s TV programs, educational books, and games, as well.

Video Game Writer

Sure, the programmers make the characters appear on the screen, but it’s often writers who put together the story lines and dialogue for those games. They also write the manuals.

Resume Writer

You can help job candidates stand out by crafting a well-written resume that presents their skills in a readable, professional format.

Speaking

If your writing has qualified you as an expert on anything, you can turn that into extra income by giving talks or seminars about your areas of expertise.

Eulogies and Obituaries

It sounds morbid, but people will pay to make sure their loved one, corporate chief, or political ally gets a proper send off.

Humor

Joke books, humorous memoirs, funny advice books, captions for cartoons, funny bumper stickers, scripts for comedians, and poster captions are writing types where a good sense of humor is required. All of those things you see around town that make you chuckle were written by someone.

Editing and Proofreading

While not “writing” per se, this can be a great way to earn a little extra on the side.

Lyricist

If you have a musical bent, you can write for musicians and corporations. Sometimes they have no trouble getting the notes right, but they can’t write a decent lyric or jingle.

Web Copy

Sometimes this is synonymous with marketing copy or blogging, but there are people and companies who need writers to write the various sections of their websites. Those “About Us,” “Corporate History,” “Employee Profile,” and product pages get written by someone.

Reviewer

Books, movies, and products all get reviewed on websites, in magazines, and on TV shows. If you have a knack for criticism, you can make a living as a reviewer.

Domain Name Writer

People will pay you to come up with a great domain name. It’s not as easy as it sounds since, at this point, all of the common names have been snatched up.

Translator

If you’re fluent in another language, you can make a living translating books and articles. It may not be writing your own stuff, but often some editing and rewriting is required to make the translation read correctly.

Speech Writer

Many business people, politicians, and activists don’t write their own speeches. A gifted orator is not necessarily a gifted writer and vice-versa.

Online Articles

If you don’t want to work for a content mill, a blog, or the Internet site of a print magazine, there are still plenty of places online that need content. There are some web-only “magazines” that cover a variety of issues, and there are plenty of niche sites. Some businesses also post articles related to what they do or sell.

Social Media Writer

There are businesses that are (or need to be) on social media, but have no clue how to go about it or what to say. They need someone who can write Tweets that make sense, or Facebook postings that attract potential clients. This might be the province of someone in marketing, but some businesses have created dedicated social medial jobs, or you might be able to offer yourself up as a freelancer.

Writing skills are valuable. Everything you see around you that has words on it was written by someone. That means that whatever you’re looking at could be a potential market for you. The good news is that while some markets require a large number of clips or a solid portfolio of work, many are open to beginners. Especially local, community publications and organizations. They may not pay much, but you can get in, build up your reputation, and network your way to higher paying opportunities. If you can write well, doors will open.

Even better, you can do several types of writing at once. You can be both a technical writer and a marketing writer, if you want. That way, if one market temporarily slows down, you have others to fall back on. The more types of writing you can offer clients, the higher your income is likely to go.

And here’s a final piece of advice: Don’t get hung up on the idea that you’re not a writer if you haven’t published a book. I used to hem and haw whenever someone asked me, “What do you do?” because I didn’t want to say, “I’m a writer.” It seemed as though I couldn’t claim that title if I hadn’t written a book. Fortunately, I got over it. I write many different types of articles and manuals. I put my rear end in the chair every day and write something for someone. And I get paid for it. If that doesn’t make me a writer, I don’t know what does. So now, when someone asks, “What do you do?” I proudly say, “I’m a writer.”

(Photo courtesy of Tony Hall)

22 Great Reasons to Write

great reasons to write

We all have our reasons for writing, but a surprisingly large number of us have probably never articulated them to ourselves. Being a writer isn’t quite like growing up wanting to be an astronaut or a doctor, for example. “I want to go to space,” or “I want to help sick people,” (or “I like mucking around in blood and guts,”) are clear reasons for choosing those occupations. Even, “I want to make a boatload of money,” is a clear reason for choosing something like medicine or law.

But being a writer is different. We may have always felt an affinity for words and reading, but a fair number of us sort of stumbled into writing as an occupation. That’s how I ended up as a writer. One job led to another and then another and before I knew it, I was a writer. I never clearly set out on that path and I never really considered my reasons for gravitating toward this occupation. Obviously if I’d hated it I could have quit, so on some level I was enjoying it. And that may be the only reason I need. But there are so many other reasons to write (or not).

You certainly don’t have to know why you write, but knowing why you want to do this can make it easier to find work, to choose a specialty for your work, to find inspiration, and to know when it may be time to walk away, either from the occupation as a whole or from certain jobs/projects (i.e., if you’ve achieved the goal you set out to achieve and you’re no longer enjoying the work, knowing that can make it easier to say, “Enough.”)

Enjoyment

This is obvious. Some people write simply because they enjoy it. They like putting words on paper, creating stories, or informing people. Enjoyment can keep you motivated even if your writing doesn’t generate an income.

To influence people or change the world

Many writers hope to change government policies, raise awareness about issues, or to influence people to consider their point of view on a subject. The ability to change people’s minds about issues and to bring lesser-known issues to people’s attention is a powerful motivator.

Because you love a topic

If you have a passion for a certain topic, writing about it can be a great way to pursue and share that passion. Writing gives you a chance to learn about the topic, to interview people who are experts, and to bring awareness to the topic you love.

Money

Stop laughing. It’s true that forms such as poetry and fiction (unless your name is Patterson or Grisham) don’t generally make a lot of money. But commercial forms of writing (marketing, technical writing, speech writing, etc.) can be very lucrative. Self-publishing can also lead to a respectable income.

To heal

Some people write to heal themselves or others. Maybe you’re dealing with grief and you want to sort out your own feelings or help others to deal with their own. Perhaps you want to bring hope to people with chronic illnesses or conditions, or you have an inspirational story to share that will help others heal their hurts and illnesses.

To help others

Helping others can take many forms. Some writers feel compelled to help by bringing awareness to an issue, by educating others about a topic, or by helping other people deal with emotions or situations.

To leave a legacy

Many writers want to create something that will live on after they are dead. Very few things are as enduring as a book on a shelf or a scrapbook full of magazine articles.

You’re good at it

Many people do things that they are good at, even if they don’t love it. Writing is a skill and if you’re competent there’s nothing wrong with monetizing that skill, even if it’s not your passion.

To use your creativity

It’s fun to sit at the blank screen or page and fill it. When the day is through, you’ve gotten the satisfaction of having made something. You’ve created something from nothing. You’ve used your creativity to fill that page.

To give something to your kids

Some writers write for their children. They write stories for them. They write textbooks that fill a perceived void in the child’s educational curriculum. They write non-fiction about causes and issues that affect their children. However they do it, they’re giving something to their kids.

To use your brain

Writing is a great way to exercise your brain. It’s creative. Research gives you a chance to analyze data and information. Even the act of writing uses your motor skills. Writing can help stave off cognitive impairment as you age or keep your brain active if your “real job” is mind numbing.

Recognition/respect

Being a writer conveys a certain amount of respect, particularly if you’re published. Having a publisher agree to put out your book is a form of validation and forevermore you can tell people that you are a published author.

To boost your visibility/credibility in your chosen field

There’s a reason why academics and researchers must publish, even if their primary job is something else. Doing so boosts their visibility and credibility in their field. This applies to almost every field. Writing about your field in magazines, books, and on the web makes you an expert (or at least people think you are).

You can set your own schedule and wear what you want to work

If you work for yourself, writing is an occupation that generally lets you set your own schedule and work in your PJ’s if you want to. Sure, you may have to agree to some meetings, do some research at the library, or show up for interviews, but your time is largely your own which is perfect for introverts and those who dream of no longer working for a boss.

Fame

While few writers achieve the name recognition of James Patterson, J.K. Rowling, or Nora Roberts, many dream of it. Many writers dream of the day when their books are made into movies and the subsequent red carpet premieres, interviews in major magazines, and having Oprah pick their book for her book club.

You crave solitude

This is one of the things that attracted me to writing. I’m a huge introvert and I hate anything to do with “teamwork.” Writing is often a solitary occupation which suits us introverts fine.

To answer a calling

Some people feel, “called” to write. Whether it’s to write about a global issue, to preach their religion, or to churn out a novel that changes peoples lives, a calling can be a powerful motivator.

Revenge

If you write fiction, there’s nothing more fun than naming a character after a boss or bully and then killing them off or torturing them so badly that they beg for death. It’s a legal form of revenge. And in the case of non-fiction, there’s some truth to the saying that a life well lived is the best revenge. If your writing is meaningful to you and others or if you become famous, it’s a subtle way of sticking it to those who tried to hold you down.

Because someone else said you should

Maybe writing isn’t really your thing but your parents or teachers always wanted to see you as a writer. It’s not my first choice reason for becoming a writer, but many people choose occupations to please others.

It can lead to interesting opportunities

Writers, more than any other occupation I know, have some of the most interesting opportunities drop into their laps. Travel writers get asked to visit new and exciting destinations. Technical writers are sometimes asked to play un-released games or test software. Reviewers get great books to read. Writers who are experts in their field get asked to appear at conferences and conventions and maybe give a speech. Some get to meet cool fans, are asked to ghostwrite something interesting, or are asked to contribute to larger works like anthologies.

To educate

Many writers hope to educate others. Non-fiction is a great way to teach others how to do things, but fiction can also teach, albeit in a more subtle way.

You can’t do anything else

Many writers just can’t do anything else. Writing is the only thing they want to do, or which they are good at. Even if they never make any money, it’s still the only thing they want to do. While this leads to starving artists, it’s also a powerful reason for writing.

If you’re unclear about why you write, take some time and figure it out. Knowing why you write will make many aspects of your writing life much easier and rewarding.

(Photo courtesy of Pedro Ribeiro Simoes)

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