I found a good article with excellent advice for submitting to magazines.

Check out www.writeradvice.com. The first article in the newsletter. Let me know what you think.

Speaking from a little experience here... I have to say that the reason writers get so many rejections is because we don't always send stories that are a perfect match for the the audience. She touches on this in the article.

I read that article, Dotsie. Thanks for sharing it with us. Great advice. The very first things I had published was in a magazine that was a perfect 'fit' for me. I read through the articles, then sought the themes, adhered to the guidelines, and was thrilled to have my first published article - although I can't say I've been as successful as Kelly. It sounds like she writes a LOT and submits a LOT - which a lot of part-timers do not do. The other good thing about doing non-fiction is that you can re-work articles to target different magazines. Sounds like Kelly does that often.

Thanks again. - Donna

Good Morning - a question regarding writing magazine articles.

If I write a magazine article and promote XYZ Farm and, as a direct result, they make money from my article...is it fair for me to ask for payment for the mention? Payment meaning goods and services and not actually dollars.

I'm not trying to be greedy but I am trying to be fair to everyone...self included.

I've never before included other "companies" in my articles so don't know what is acceptable and what isn't.

Thanks,

When you talk about promoting other companies in your article(s), I will assume you are providing nothing but positive info on the company, right? If this isn't the case, then you would need to be very careful how you talk bout other companies.

If the info you are providing is public domain, in other words the information you are providing on this company can be obtained anywhere in the world, for free and is common knowledge (i.e., Coke sells colas), then you have no grounds for asking for compensation.

However, did the company ask you to promote them? If so, then by all means PRIOR to submitting the article, have compensation request ready and get it in writing.

If they did not, then you are on your own. This doesn't mean you can't take it on your own to ask for compensatin, but I doubt very seriously you would be rewarded.

Clear as mud?

I'm curious as to how you would know or prove the company made money off of OR because of your article?

Thanks JawJaw---no one has asked me to promote them. I'm seeking out farms to promote.

Yes, it would be positive information.

No, the information isn't public domain...yet. It would be *after* my article in which I introduce the farms.

Here at Thistle Cove Farm one of the ways I have increased farm income is by providing tours to school groups, home school groups, seniors, etc. (basically anyone who has the money to pay for a tour). I've established a market and am continuously seeking out interested groups and approaching them (usually via letter) to tell about our tours and what we offer.

I've e-mailed a few fiber farms whom I think might be interested, and might do well financially, at opening up their farm for tours. The ones I've queried have either (a) never thought of the idea or (b) never charged for tours. Right now, I'm guiding them along and helping them develop the group tour idea which should provide them with multiple thousands of dollars (no joke, I increased our farm income by a couple of thousand dollars and we're in the boonies) extra farm income. The way I could know they made money off my article is (a) if they started having farm tours and had never offered them before and (b) charged for the farm tours.

The magazine editor suggested I include in the article farms giving fiber tours.

OH! wait a minute...are you suggesting they might never tell me they made money as a direct result from the article? Hmmmmm....see what you mean.

Is this "clear as mud"? <g>

My questions arise from the fact that I've helped so many people make money or save money and the majority of them haven't even said, "thank you". I'm just sick and tired of getting nothing for helping out folks. Mom always says there are two kinds of people in the world...givers and takers. I'm tired of being a giver but I don't want to be a taker. I just want the exchange to even out a bit <g>.

So, iyho, does that make me a bad person?

Seems to me that you should write up your ideas in a book and sell it to those people who are now getting it for free.

You might also contact some of the local recipients of Dept. of Agriculture's Rural Development grants and see if they would pay for either your book or you speaking or both. Or you could apply for a grant of your own. Also, local colleges with rural money and/or rural electric coops (if you have them there) and chambers of commerce might sponsor you. You'd have to get it all worked out in writing first of course.

Just some ideas.

smile

That is a supurb idea; thank you! One of my grants was funded a couple of years ago but hadn't thought of putting my ideas in a book. I have been pulling together a book on fiber farms and including their knitting patterns. Sort of a Two Virginia's Fiber, using farms from VA and WV.

Hmmmm...off to stimulate the little grey cells.