Spicing Up FWJ with Variety!
August 8, 2008 by Jodee
Filed under Freelance Writing
By Terreece Clarke
With all that Freelance Writing Jobs has to offer it was difficult to assess where one could improve on all that Deb and Jodee have built. The thing I kept coming back to is the wide variety of writers that visit FWJ. Nowhere is this better reflected than in the types of leads Jodee puts out everyday – everything from web content writers to tech editors and more. What better way to improve FWJ than to add more variety?
I want to expand FWJ’s writing clinic to include magazine writing, news writing and corporate writing, complete with tips and insider info from writers, editors and the keepers to the gateway and slush pile sorters – editorial assistants. Also, I’d love to add bi-weekly updates on the latest writing news, trends and events helping the FWJ community stay abreast of the writing world. In turn this will make FWJ the place for not only for information you want to know, but turning it into a hub of information you need to know. Another way to tweak a well running machine is to add an additional series, a spin-off of the wildly popular “We Get Letters” with “We Get Questions” a special monthly live question and answer session with experts and your fav FWJ writers.
In previous posts I’ve discussed my significant experience and passion for this wonderful career, you’ve gotten a chance to witness some of my humor and with your help and participation you can help us bring you an expanded, yet acutely focused Freelance Writing Jobs.
Excellent post on your contribution to FWJ.
I like the “We Get Questions” idea.
Good luck #3!
I like the approach you’re taking #3. I think expanding the writing clinic would be a wonderful idea, as well as the “We’ve got questions” piece.
Thanks Jenny B & Amy!
QUOTE: “The thing I kept coming back to is the wide variety of writers that visit FWJ.”
“…writers THAT visit…” “THAT”???
Let us all remember, when writing about people it is always, always WHO!
rsh
Bob H: You are absolutely write – oops right. :0) I missed that one during editing.
Bob H: You are absolutely write – oops right. :0) I missed that one during editing. Blast being human, lol.
Bob, I don’t want to rain on your parade, but the American Heritage Dictionary says “that” is perfectly acceptable (I often use it myself, as it usually sounds quite natural). As I love Grammar Girl, I will cite my source here.
This actually brings up a good point — the evolution of language.
At first I thought Bob was being a bit harsh, but realize he is indeed technically correct in the realm of Old School writing.
However, the English language is evolving, to where ‘that’ is becoming acceptable when referring to people. The rules of grammar have relaxed quite a bit and I think we are in the midst of a big change.
Rules that were previously red-pen no-no’s are now becoming increasingly acceptable — things like ending sentences in prepositions, beginning sentences with ‘And, But & Or”, and incomplete sentences/fragments. Why is this? Because people are comfortable with reading at a conversational level – they want their written material to read well when read aloud or to themselves.
Turning “Where did you come from?” into “From where did you come?” sounds stilted, antiquated and awkward, and it’s about time the written word is catching up to a more colloquial form of communicating.
Where is this all headed? Well, that’s anyone’s guess.
Or should I say: “That’s N-E-1’s Guess?”
#6
You know #6 you’ve got a point. I went through school with a couple of “old school” professors who would have had my head for saying that instead of who. The language is changing, I see it in my students. I wonder where it’ll end because I’m not entirely sure about whole books written in IM. OMG!
Which reminds me – I was talking to a teacher not too long ago and she talked about how handwriting classes don’t exist anymore and spelling is not required, it’s optional whether a teacher wants to pick up. Any thoughts?
@ #3 — Yes, more job security and better wages for the next generation of writers, who should enjoy a dramatic decrease in competition.
#3 — That’s very sad, that schools would no longer teach handwriting or spelling. Do they still teach math? (We all have calculators, right?)
Grammar Girls… my book just got STOLEN from my suitcase on my last trip… alas, who or that? I may never know!
#3, more power to the teachers! I’ve always thought that teaching good handwriting is a complete waste of time (paradoxically, I have impeccable handwriting). Half the people I know have illegible handwriting, and it hasn’t done them any disservices. Pretty much anyone is capable of really printing clearly on a form if it’s required–beyond that, I just don’t see the necessity.
As for spelling, I think that’s a little more important, especially in certain fields, but I still don’t think it’s that important. Most kids loathe spelling, and why not? It’s all rote memorization. Why not spend more language-arts time teaching the kids reading, etc? For most people, if they read a lot, they’ll pick up the spelling anyway.
Cherrye, whoa, someone stole your Grammar Girl book?! That’s a little intense. I can only imagine they must have needed it more than you did.