Freelancing for Pleasure and Profit

Issue #12

by Kimberly Ripley

Welcome to Freelancing for Pleasure and Profit. In this issue I'd like to talk about writing for anthologies. Some writers simply won't do it. Their reasons are clear. The per-word publication rate isn't always that lucrative. More importantly, some anthologies require that writers sign over all rights to their work, which of course means that they own it for life. It can't be later sold as a reprint.

I've written for dozens of anthologies throughout my years as a writer.  I enjoy sharing little bits of my life that have filled me with joy, sorrow, a taste of the bittersweet, or inspiration. I have honored many people in my stories and memorialized even more. My aim in sharing these stories goes beyond the monetary compensation. It fills me with a sense of satisfaction to write something that a reader might find comforting or inspiring. Nothing thrills me more than an e-mail or handwritten note from a reader saying, "Your story reminded me of my childhood," or "You brought back memories of my own dear grandmother." These notes are priceless and among the more fulfilling parts of being a writer. I prefer to acknowledge the upside to writing for anthologies. In addition to the emotional fulfillment there are some concrete positives as well.

1. Writing for anthologies does produce a paycheck. In fact I probably receive an average of $2000 per year from them.

2. Many editors and/or publishers of anthologies will negotiate the rights they purchase. Just because it says they buy "all rights" doesn't mean that is the only option they'll consider. It's imperative to discuss this option before signing any contract. I have found that many anthologies will alter their "all rights" rule and do one of the following. They'll either agree to buy one time rights and stipulate a no-reprint policy for one year, or they'll waive the issue completely. I've found that asking is always the best policy. It's amazing how many editors and publishers will gladly work with writers regarding the selling of rights to their work.

3. Having published work in anthologies gets both your work and your name in circulation. Most anthologies publish an authors bio--a few words that tell what they do, where they live, etc. Some even allow contact information like an e-mail address or web site to be included. This is free publicity for you!

The following are listings for anthologies that frequently issue call-outs for writing submissions:

Chicken Soup for the Soul

http://www.chickensoup.com

Story call-outs are posted here, as well as lists of upcoming books. In addition, there's a page that clearly defines what a Chicken Soup story is and isn't. This page is well worth reading and its suggestions well worth taking! The publishers of Chicken Soup anthologies are frequently open to several options for purchasing publishing rights.

A Cup of Comfort

http://www.cupofcomfort.com

There are numerous titles in print and in the works in this series published by Adams Media. I've written for them since their very first edition. They pay only half as much as the Chicken Soup publishers, but they frequently offer paid promotional opportunities for their writers. They sent me to New York City once to tape a television show on the Oxygen network.

God Allows U-Turns

http://www.godallowsuturns.com

This book series has evolved into a collection of bestsellers. Allison Bottke started this company with a dream, and her dream came true. Although paying only about $30 per story, this company is fairly lenient with the rights.

Do you have a story somewhere in your pile that hasn't quite fit into the magazine or newspaper market? Perhaps it's one that isn't filled with statistics, quotes from experts or detailed data on technical matters. Instead it's full of love, emotion, memory, and real life. It may just be a perfect fit for a current or future edition of one of these anthologies.