• Remember today’s strict privacy laws. Forward client/colleague emails only with permission.
• If you make a mistake, own up to it, apologize and fix it as best you can. Avoid the blame game – take responsibility for your actions.
• Keep on good terms with clients so they will recommend you to others.
• Be patient. People in business are stressed. Taking offense at something someone says is a decision on your part. Sometimes it’s best to bite your tongue. Make the customer think he/she is always right.
• Avoid putting clients on your I-think-this-is-funny/touching/important or I-want-to-share-this-virus-warning-with-you bulk e-mail list. As an editor, it ticks me off when people assume I want to get these messages. I already get more emails a day than I can handle.
• Make the most of every opportunity. I have been teaching creative writing for years, during many of which I was editing numerous publications. Only a couple people ever queried me with ideas for the magazines and newspaper sections I edited.
• Do what you say you’re going to do. This will get you more business than any advertising or social networking.
• To be fair to others in the publishing chain (editor, layout person, printer, etc.), come in on deadline and within the word count allotted.
• Make it easy to do business with you. For example, on your invoice, include “Make cheque payable to…” and let clients know ahead of time when you will be away or unavailable for work.
• Treat layout people well – they make what you write look great. BUT – if you are proofreading, check titles and cutlines carefully; layout artists sometimes key those in and make typos.
• Charge enough to make a decent amount of money per hour. If a client won’t pay it, assume that person/company is not in your target market and move on.
• Avoid procrastinating invoicing. It’s a pain for most of us right-brainers, but regular invoicing by freelancers is necessary for cash flow.
• Be honest in business. If you make a mistake, own up to it, apologize and do what you can to remedy the situation. Then move on.
• If you’re going to give away writing, offer it to a charitable or non-profit organization rather than a for-profit publication or business.

Benefits Of Editing For Efficiency:

• it is helpful in meeting word number maximums and space requirements
• it is a critical factor in humor writing
• it eliminates redundant words and sentences
• it eliminates unnecessary words
• the piece reads more fluidly
• it inspires the writer to be even more creative
• you learn to become more objective about the work being edited
• it can make the difference between effective and ineffective ad copywriting
• you increase your vocabulary by experimenting with different wording
• it helps a writer to place his/her ego into perspective
• it tailors a piece to the targeted market or readership

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Anyone for bungee-shopping?

What’s the plural of “Johnny-on-the-spot”?

I’m amazed at people who buy accordian files; imagine knowing that many people who play the accordian, that you’d need an entire file for them!

Comedy – it’s all around us every day – IF you just look and listen.

As sophisticated as entertainment, education and advertising have become, one basic fact remains true: HUMOR SELLS! In this day of economic stress, political unrest, increasing crime and Kathy Lee and Regis, people NEED and WANT more humor in their lives.

If you are or aspire to become a humor writer, you’re plunging into a world that’s madcap, zany and can actually make you a few bucks.

TIP 1: WRITE DOWN everything you find funny every day. Really. Do it. Get those little pads of colorful self-adhesive notes and keep one with you at all times. Yes, even in the bathroom (bathroom humor is big with kids). Just jot down anything funny that might come to mind in the course of your boring, useless existence; it may come in handy someday when you’re wrestling with a line in a sitcom or trying to come up with a funny premise for a skit. If you think of something when you’re driving, pull over and WRITE IT DOWN – it’s that important.

TIP 2: KEEP A HUMOR FILE. This is so you have somewhere to put those dozens of little pieces of pink and yellow paper. Don’t worry about sorting them out or trying to make sense of them right away. If they make too much sense, they’re not funny. Just keep shoving them in, and when you need inspiration or hit a writing snag, pull out the file and start laughing!

TIP 3: REMEMBER THAT PEOPLE LAUGH WHEN THEY’RE SURPRISED. Whether humor is spoken, written or physically acted out, people laugh when they know they’ve been tricked into thinking one thing will happen, when another does instead. Lead them down the garden path, then open the trap door and let them fall in.

TIP 4: DON’T TRY TOO HARD. When humor in a piece is too contrived or unnatural, it simply isn’t funny.

TIP 5: PLAY WITH WORDS. Ad writers get paid thousands of dollars for coming up with headlines and concepts that are based on unusual or unorthodox uses of everyday words and phrases. This is especially useful when writing humorous titles; for a comedic look at hockey, The buck stops here becomes The puck stops here! Experiment on paper – free associate and have fun with cliches.

TIP 6: EDIT, EDIT, EDIT. Last year, I was discouraged by the number of rejections I’d received for two particularly funny articles I’d written. I tried an experiment; using the editing tips I outline on my editing page, I cut each article’s length in half. I sent them off and sold them both within a few weeks. If something is too long, it isn’t funny; shorter pieces pack more punch. (This rule applies to most writing, not just humor, but it’s particularly critical where comedy is concerned).

TIP 7: IF YOU THINK IT’S FUNNY, CHANCES ARE OTHERS WILL, TOO!
And remember – light yogurt is great – throw in a little chocolate syrup, you’d never know it was calorie-reduced!