ASJA PACIFIC NORTHWEST NEWSLETTER
For ASJA members in
Alaska, British Columbia, Idaho, Oregon and Washington
September 2024
https://asjapnw.org
In This Issue
From the Prez, Books and Business Models, M. Carolyn Miller, ASJA PNW President
An Oregon Writers’ Icon Is Passing into History, Sharon Elaine Thompson
Strategies for Finding New Clients and Publications, Joanna Nesbit
Google Services, Bruce Miller
Member News and Announcements
Join us for our September meeting, 11 AM
M. Carolyn Miller is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.
Topic: ASJA PNW
Time: September 18, 2024 11:00 AM Pacific Time (US and Canada)
Every month on the Third Wednesday
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87898612924
Meeting ID: 878 9861 2924
This newsletter publishes the first day of each month and welcomes article submissions and photos. Please email the ASJA PNW Newsletter Editor, Maxine Cass, at maxinecass@gmail.com
From the President
by M. Carolyn Miller
ASJA PNW Chapter President
Books and Business Models
Years ago, I was contracted to write a textbook on entrepreneurship. One of the biggest takeaways from that writing project was learning about the meta business models of B2C vs. B2B businesses. The former (business-to-consumer) requires a lot of resources, which I and most writers don’t have. The latter (business-to-business) requires more strategy than resources, and although the sales cycle is longer, the rewards are greater. Alas, I learned this after I attempted to launch a line of games as a B2C.
Now that I’m getting ready, once again, to launch some creative work, beginning with the current book project, I again face this conundrum. I’m told to publish everywhere to find my followers, shout my message from social media platforms, and use what resources I have — in time, money, and energy — to sell the book.
But books are a bad business model. That’s why I put off writing the current book for so long. They are not money-makers. They are time and energy-zappers. But they are also a means to an end and I know this too, a marketing tool that explains what you’re really selling in the book: the original ideas that will open doors to other, more lucrative ends.
As I map out the marketing portion of the proposal, I begin to get real about what would work from a business perspective. Not what will make the proposal sell to the highest bidder but how I will sell the ideas in it to those who need those ideas most. (The book is a hybrid memoir that introduces a psycho-spiritual process for exploring your life story.)
That is when I get excited about finding my followers, as I did yesterday when I discovered a literary journal that was a perfect fit. That is when I realize what all this work is for: not to appease the publishing gods but to connect with my tribe as I did so long ago when running workshops.
And yes, coincidentally, to make a bit of money to support my writing habit but in a way that works for me and my lifestyle.
M. Carolyn Miller, MA, spent her career designing narrative- and game-based learning. Today, she consults and writes about narrative in our lives and world, the inextricable link between the two, and the critical role of self-awareness in transforming both. www.cultureshape.com
by Sharon Elaine Thompson
An Oregon Writers’ Icon Is Passing into History
The Sylvia Beach Hotel, in Nye Beach near Newport on the Oregon Coast, has been sold to new owners.
Last week I took friends, unfamiliar with the landmark hotel, to tour the rooms, each of which is named — and decorated — for a different author, and I was shocked to learn that the new owners no longer allowed visitors to peek into unoccupied rooms. Not only that, but the hotel cat had found a new home with a frequent guest, and though the new owners would keep the “literary” theme, the name of the hotel would be changed.
It was like getting news of the death of a friend.
Goody Cable and Sally Ford took over the derelict building on the edge of the cliff in the late 1980s and breathed life into it. Short on money, but long on dreams, they mobilized friends who each took on the responsibility to decorate one room with their favorite author in mind. As a result of this labor of love, each room took on a distinct personality accented by garage sale and second-hand store finds. Since then, the hotel, which eschews televisions and phones, has been a haven for writers and readers.
Numerous times, I have sat in the third-floor library touch-typing book ideas into my laptop while staring at the ocean. A frequent writing companion enjoys the secluded view from a nook in the library loft.
I once spent a stormy Christmas Eve there, and while wind and rain shook the old building, readers calmly enjoyed the mulled wine and read. In the morning, we all found Santa had left a small gift bag outside each room.
A writer friend once organized a writer’s retreat at the Sylvia Beach. SOLVE’s yearly beach clean-up startled a couple of our group’s out-of-towners who had spotted someone dragging a car tire across the sand. When another writer deadpanned that, in Oregon we use car tires to “chum for Volkswagens,” the resulting hilarity led a guest at another table to ask our server if he could join us.
I’m grateful to Goody and Sally for 30 years of wonderful memories. And I’m grateful to have been in Oregon while there was such a thing as the Sylvia Beach Hotel.
Sharon Elaine Thompson writes primarily for jewelry trade, association, and hobby publications. She has also created industry-specific training material for several of the educational organizations in the jewelry trade, and ancillary material for career-oriented and social science high school textbooks for Glencoe McGraw Hill. Sharon writes women’s fiction under the name Liz Hartley and has published three novels. Sharon Elaine Thompson, Liz Hartley – Stories from Eden Beach (lizhartleyauthor.com)
by Joanna Nesbit
Strategies for Finding New Clients and Publications
My 2024 rang in loud and clear bad news from my regular clients and publications. Two of my regular higher education editors told me their freelance budgets didn’t exist anymore. An agency told me they were waiting to hear from the client I’d been writing for. I never heard from the agency again. Another client faded away, not responding to emails. My school district communications work dropped significantly. Spring was rough!
But I’m happy to report things are finally picking up. I just received my fourth assignment from the US News Education vertical, recently completed an assignment for a major bank with more assignments on the way, wrote some pieces for AARP, and am onboarding with a couple new clients now.
Over the last few months, I have built up some daily habits that help me stay tuned to gigs/clients. It’s mostly long-game stuff. If you’re looking for work, too, here’s what I’ve been doing – in no particular order. Maybe it will help.
Follow writer folks on LinkedIn. Besides connecting with/following ASJA people, I also follow people who work with writers. Sometimes they post pubs/agencies looking for writers, sometimes their tips are helpful.
Peruse LinkedIn daily. I don’t post much myself, other than to share my articles and thank sources, but I do comment strategically to build connections, and I follow people (you can “follow” anyone who has Premium). I also send connection requests, but if following is an option, it’s just so easy.
Sign up for writer newsletters. These newsletters corral calls for pitches, contract work, and fulltime jobs. Some are free and some cost a nominal fee. Most stuff isn’t a fit for me, but every once in a while a little gold shows up.
My favorites:
- Write Jobs PLUS+ – a compilation of writing opportunities sent out every day. Hosted on Patreon. $3/month.
- The Writer’s Job Newsletter – this newsletter has a couple different subscription tiers, including a free version.
- Chris Bibey’s Freelance Framework – a daily list of writing opportunities (I follow this guy on LinkedIn too). Free.
- Kaitlyn Arford’s newsletter — a list of opportunities she sends out on Fridays. You can also find it posted on Freelance Success if you’re a member there. Free/donation.
- Sonia Weiser’s Opportunities of the Week newsletter. Sonia teamed up with Study Hall recently so I’m not sure what it costs as I was grandfathered in for a low fee.
- Freelancing with Tim – Tim Herrera is a New York Times writer with a lot to offer on pitching and the writing craft if you’re looking to refresh your skills. I signed up for a short time and then let it go. $6/month on Substack (his newsletter is also a great example of what you can produce on Substack).
Send Letters of Introduction. People say LOIs are a numbers game and admittedly I haven’t sent hundreds. But I got a couple alumni articles out of an Oregon college, and my LOI to US News netted me a regular gig. I had written for US News several years ago, but the editor moved on and I didn’t bother to track down the new editor because the pay was disappointingly low. But I decided to check in when I lost my other higher ed writing. I found the education editor on LinkedIn and hunted down his email. My timing was serendipitous; he was looking for freelancers. Bonus: the article rate is much better!
Follow up with interesting LinkedIn “views.” I watch who’s viewed my profile because I have LinkedIn Premium (for free) and that offers more clarity on who’s viewed my profile. I have Premium because I participate in the LinkedIn for Journalists program every year. If you do any kind of journalism, you might qualify. Check it out.
Anyway, I noticed a “view,” so I sent the guy a LinkedIn direct message asking if he was looking for writers. In fact, he was, and we began a back-and-forth conversation. I passed a paid writing test and will be writing regular articles.
Got an assignment from Skyword! I’ve had a profile set up on Skyword360 for YEARS and even did a Client Connections with a Skyword rep a few years ago at an ASJA conference. Nada. Zilch. Then last month, a Skyword person contacted me out of the blue to ask if I’d be interested in writing an article on the FAFSA (Federal Student Aid) for a major bank site. Yes, yes, I would. That went off without a hitch, and she says she has more work coming soon.
Pitch. I avoid pitching these days, but I should do more of it. I write for AARP periodically and I take assignments and pitch, but I don’t like cold pitching anymore, though I still do it now and then. I make sure I have an editor’s email and I keep the pitch short.
Belong to Facebook groups. I belong to the ASJA group, of course, and Jennifer Gregory’s The Freelance Content Marketing Writer. Also, Freelancing Females, Editors Seeking Their Freelance Writers, and a bunch of Binders groups (limited to female-identifying folks). Mileage varies.
If you have particular methods you’ve been using to drum up more work, I’d love to hear. And maybe my methods will help you in turn. Happy hunting.
Joanna Nesbit is a content marketer and service journalist who covers higher education, personal finance, family, and aging. She lives in Bellingham with her husband and two cats. Her two young adults have flown the coop. Find her work at http://www.joannanesbit.com/ or https://joannanesbit.contently.com/ .
Grapes nearing harvest. Southern Oregon Research and Extension Center, Central Point, Oregon. Photo © Maxine Cass
by Bruce Miller
Google Services
Lots of useful online services are available from Google. Nearly each service has its own subdomain. Listed below are many of the subdomains and their purposes. Perhaps you will see a useful service you did not know about.
ads.google.com: Google Ads management platform.
analytics.google.com: Google Analytics for website traffic analysis. It’s a huge, complex operation, but follow the prompts and remember, there won’t be any data there to inspect unless already set up on the website.
artsandculture.google.com: Google Arts & Culture for exploring cultural exhibits.
blog.google.com: The official Google blog.
books.google.com: Google Books for reading and purchasing digital books.
business.google.com: Google Business Profile management for local businesses.
calendar.google.com: Google Calendar for scheduling and time management.
chat.google.com: Google Chat for team messaging and collaboration.
classroom.google.com: Google Classroom for online education and assignments.
cloud.google.com: Google Cloud Platform for cloud computing and infrastructure.
deepmind.google: Google DeepMind for generative AI visual products takes you into the world of generative AI to create video and images.
developers.google.com: Resources and documentation for Google developers.
docs.google.com: Google Docs for online document editing.
drive.google.com: Google Drive for file storage and sharing.
earth.google.com: Google Earth for 3D virtual globes and satellite imagery.
fiber.google.com: Google Fiber for high-speed internet services.
google.com/finance/: Google Finance for stock market information and financial news.
fonts.google.com: Google Fonts for free web fonts and typography tools.
forms.google.com: Google Forms for surveys and data collection.
groups.google.com: Google Groups for online discussion forums.
images.google.com: Google Image Search.
keep.google.com: Google Keep for notetaking and task management.
mail.google.com: The Gmail web interface.
maps.google.com: Provides Google Maps services.
meet.google.com: Google Meet for video conferencing.
myaccount.google.com: Central dashboard for managing Google account settings.
news.google.com: Aggregates news articles from multiple sources.
payments.google.com: Google Payments for managing payment methods and transactions.
photos.google.com: Google Photos for managing images and videos.
play.google.com: Google Play Store for apps, games, and media.
scholar.google.com: Google Scholar for academic research articles and case law.
sheets.google.com: Google Sheets for online spreadsheet management.
shopping.google.com: Google Shopping for comparing products and prices.
sites.google.com: Google Sites for creating websites and intranets.
support.google.com: Google’s customer support and help center.
translate.google.com: Language translation services for snippets, longer text, and web pages.
trends.google.com: Google Trends for tracking popular search terms, comparing the search intensity of various words and phrases, and data analytics.
voice.google.com: Google Voice for VoIP and phone number services gives you a free phone number with free long distance calling in the US and to Canada
www.google.com: The primary Google Search page.
Seattle resident Bruce Miller pays Google for extra storage space for mail and photos and actively uses about 14 of the subdomains listed above.
Member News and Announcements
Joanna Nesbit recently wrote about paying for law school and admissions rounds to MBA programs for U.S. News Education. She has two more pieces coming out soon, one on what students should know about registering to vote and another on students going back to college after dropping out – both topics close to her heart. Earlier in the summer she wrote an alumni article for George Fox University.
Randy Stapilus’ Osher Talk:
About a year ago, a friend at our local coffee group brought to the table a brochure for something called the Osher Institute, and he suggested I check them out to participate in what they do.
I did that, and I’m glad I did (and that he made the suggestion).
The result of that was a two-hour lecture I delivered online on August 27 to an audience of somewhat over 300 people, plus others who will be able watch the recording as a stream.
If you’re developing or have an expertise in some area that might have a broad (or even narrow) interest for an audience, this could be a good way to expand your platform and your audience.
The program started with the Bernard Osher Foundation, which seeded “lifelong learning” programs in 124 universities and colleges around the country. I connected with the program at Boise State University, but the University of Washington and the University of Oregon have programs as well. The program describes them as offering “a distinctive array of non-credit courses and activities specifically developed for seasoned adults aged 50 or older who are interested in learning for the joy of learning. The Foundation also provides support to the National Resource Center for the Osher Lifelong Learning Institutes at Northwestern University.”
Speakers become involved by filling out an online form noting their background, what they want to talk about, and their credentials. As you might expect, many of the speakers are academics, but by no means all are (I would be a good example of the non-academic category).
The lectures are provided both in-person and online; since I live far from the BSU campus, I chose to deliver mine online, viz a Zoom webinar. The process for connecting was a little counter-intuitive to me, but the staff was helpful and got things set up in only a few minutes.
I write weekly columns on politics in Oregon and Idaho, so I proposed a talk on how the states of Oregon and Idaho, so different politically, got the way they are. The program consisted of two parts, with a break in between, and time for questions from the people who were participating live.
It went smoothly – more so than I was expecting.
Osher did provide a small speaking fee, but the main attraction was the chance to bring my subject to a substantial audience.
I’d be up for doing it again. And I can recommend checking it out to see if this kind of speaking arrangement is something that might be beneficial for you. The best way to start – since the program is somewhat decentralized at the universities – would be to contact the university, Googling the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) at its site, and following the contact links.
Members Meet in Person
Randy Stapilus, on a Meetup at Central Point, Oregon:
A few weeks ago, I motored around southwestern Oregon – the territory around Medford and Grants Pass – with the idea of researching for an online column about the region’s politics.
Along the way, I accomplished that and something even better: An in-person visit with Fred Gebhart and Maxine Cass.
If you’re a regular at the monthly online meetings of the ASJA Pacific Northwest Chapter, you know both of them – and Maxine as well is the editor of the chapter newsletter.
But talking with people via Zoom is never quite the same as meeting up in person.
Fred and Maxine live up in the mountains and well outside of Medford-Central Point, but close enough that they have a regular and favorite spot for coffee and pastries, the Coquette Bakery at Central Point. The place had plenty of good eating and drinking options and clearly is popular locally, but we had some good outdoor seating for a summer morning.
Among other things, Fred and Maxine filled me in about the area, which they’ve gotten to know well in the years since moving from the San Francisco area far to the south. It’s been a big transition, and a great story, but one best told by them. It was informative. And plenty entertaining, too.
We’re a sprawling group in the Pacific Northwest chapter, from the mountains outside Medford in the south up into British Columbia, and we often don’t have an easy ability to connect in person. But when we can, we should.
Sharon Elaine Thompson on Writers Meet Incognito in Carlton, Oregon:
Four ASJA PDX members — Carolyn Miller, Catherine Kolonko, Randy Stapilus, and Sharon Thompson — got together on a sweltering August afternoon at the Horse Radish in the tiny Oregon jewel town of Carlton to chat and catch up. We were joined by Randy’s wife, Linda Watkins, coincidentally Carlton’s third-term mayor.
We had a nice couple of hours of talking and very good food. We learned about Carolyn’s part time job as a paralegal for a local attorney, drawing on her previous experience in an earlier work incarnation. Randy told us about his visit to southern Oregon, where he met IRL — in real life — with Fred and Maxine and learned that they were larger than just their head shots on Zoom. Randy also mentioned the online talk he’ll be giving for the Osher Institute. (See his article for more on that.)
Linda told us about small town community and politics. She and her council also deal with the state politics of having a highway run through the center of town along the main street (which involves a complicated left-hand, no-stop turn—an accident just waiting to happen). It was fun to watch Linda work the room and be greeted as “Madam Mayor” as she gave us a tour of the town after lunch.
Carlton, we learned, is the heart of Oregon wine country, and boy, howdy, is that clear from the number of wine-tasting rooms on the street. You can’t throw a stone without breaking a bottle of someone’s vintage. Even the ice cream parlor is connected to a tasting room. But despite the upscaling going on, there is a great deal of civic pride in the fact that the city and the businesses are working hard to keep the small town, local feel.
It was a pleasant afternoon. We’re already making plans for another gathering.
Joanna Nesbit (joannanesbit@comcast.net) is seeking ideas and contacts for future ASJA PNW meeting speakers.
NEWSLETTER PRODUCED BY
EDITOR: Maxine Cass
PROOFREADER: Catherine Kolonko
TECHNICAL EXPERTISE: Bruce Miller
*All stories are copyright by their respective writers.
*All photographs and illustrations are copyright by their creative makers.
*All rights are reserved to each of them for their own material.