| Jana Mcburney-Lin on Freelance Writing
Interviewed by Carol Wood
Jana McBurney-Lin is President of the California Writers Club, San Francisco
Peninsula branch and a Freelance writer who has just completed her long
awaited novel "The New Wife"--a story of a contemporary Chinese
woman who is forced into an arranged marriage....and the explosion that
follows.
She is shopping for
a publisher.
 Q. What is the Definition of Freelancing?
A.
Freelancing, to
me, means I'm free. I'm free to write what I want when I want to.
Q. Where do you get your ideas? What Sources do you suggest using?
Are their any Web sources you use for finding a story or finding a publication
that will pay?
A. I get my ideas from just being.
I've written on subjects from travelling on an 18-hour plane ride with
a 4-month old to trying
to buy the "right color" lunchbox for my teenager to hiking
through the primary jungles of Malaysia. It's just whatever hits me as
interesting, newsworthy. I use the Writer's
Market for sources--as well
as my writing friends. I haven't been as successful in finding paying
sources through the web.
Q. What is the definition of a Pitch? How do you approach
a publication? Any Tips for approaching an editor aside from the obvious
- be polite?
A. Be sure your story idea is exciting. Open it as you would the opening
of your story--grabbing attention and getting to the point. Keep it
short. Add your credentials. Include an SASE. Make sure you don't
have any typos
or grammatical errors.
Q What Ideas sell?
A. Every idea sells--if you direct it to the right
source.
Q. Does knowing the right person to contact make the difference?
What gives you an edge over some other freelancer? What's your secret?
A. I'm afraid there is no great secret. Or, if there is, I haven't
figured it out yet. The downside of freelancing is that it involves
a lot
of
knocking
on doors, a lot of rejections, a lot of trying and trying and trying
until you find an editor interested in your work.
Q. Do you have a list of Contacts you can share?
A. Not really. There is no secret list that will open the door.
Like I said,
you need
to just
keep knocking on doors of publications relevant to your subject
matter. And, that is an important point. Don't just send your
work to the
highest-paying publications or the first ten out of Writer's Market.
Find the ones
that deal with the subjects you're writing about.
Q. What is a Typical payment? Do
you usually get work that is just a Paragraph or what is the typical
length of text most paying customers want? How are payment structured?
A.
There is no typical length
or typical payment. I've been payed as little as $15 (Saigon
Times)
and as much
as $1500 (Islands Magazine). I've done stuff that is as short
as 1200 words and articles as long as 3000 words.
Q. Is payment the only benefit?
A. Payment is NOT the
benefit. Writing about what I want to write about; when I have
the time to write
is the highlight
for me.
Q. Is there a Network for freelancers?
A. I'm not a
member of one, but I've heard that the American Society of Journalists
and
Authors
is good. http://www.asja.org/
Jana McBurney-Lin can be reached at pres@peninsulawriter.com
www.peninsulawriter.com
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