How many Villagers are published

**Pepper** · 01-01-2006, 05:23 PM

I was just curious as to how many of the Villagers are published?

**dina** · 01-01-2006, 05:32 PM

Me. My first book came out a couple of years ago. Have had a few articles published also.

**forestdale** · 01-01-2006, 05:37 PM

I've had articles in magazines and 1000s of articles for newspapers published. I published a hard cover book for another writer about 12 years ago. I'm currently working on a book.

How about you, Pepper?

**Pepper** · 01-01-2006, 05:46 PM

Rhonda, no I am not published. But that is one of my writing goals this year! Here's looking at being able to call myself "published" by 2007!!

Did you work regularly with the newspapers you had articles published with or did you just freelance?

**forestdale** · 01-01-2006, 06:00 PM

I was the editor of a local newspaper for 12 years. While I did that I also freelanced for a regional newspaper and the state capital paper. Often they would ring me up and ask me to write on a particular event that was happening in my region.

Pepper, I was going to answer in your other post but I got called away and will do it here now. I suggest if you want to freelance, start writing without being asked. Pick a subject that you think is important and relevant to your local paper's target audience and go out and interview people, take photos and just write it.

Have you written for papers before? Do you know the techniques?

Editors love having spare copy to fill unexpected space. I took whatever was offered to me. If it was good, I'd put it away until it was used. If it was very good, I'd use as soon as I could or as a feature story.

**forestdale** · 01-01-2006, 06:06 PM

Oh, I forgot to add. Double space your story, align it to the left and have wide margins. Print out a hard copy, gather your printed photos, plus copy the article and your photos to disk. Take all of that in to your local paper and ask to speak to the sub editor. Explain what you're doing and if they reject it, ask her/him what the requirements are. Then go away and try again.

Above all, don't give up. Newspaper are always after material. They have to fill those pages every day, it never ends. If your writing is good enough, they'll probably use it.

Good luck.

**SHOPGIRL** · 01-02-2006, 12:31 AM

Well, several years ago I had a part-time job at McDonald's when I was a teenager. I entered an essay contest sponsored by McDonald's. I entered it not because I wanted to write, I was interested in the cash, $200 was the prize. My story was a winner and I ended up doing a radio commercial that was broadcast throughout Michigan. It started something like, "Hi, my name is....and I work at McDonald's right here in Michigan. Then, I proceded to tell the reason why I liked working there....blah, blah, blah. It was so odd hearing myself on the radio. Now, I wonder where I put the cassette tape with the recording. I should search for it.

**sunshine** · 01-02-2006, 11:07 AM

No book (never had a desire to write a book) published, but several magazine articles of mine have been published.

The latest was in Woman's Day Christmas issue.

**redmaples** · 03-27-2006, 10:04 AM

Sunshine,
How can I find your womans day article? I would love to read it. You have been graciously helping me over in the food preserving forum with dehydrating.
Not sure how to work pm here--but am interested in finding your article if you would share it.

**McD** · 03-27-2006, 10:11 AM

I had a poem published in a magazine when I was 12.

**sunshine** · 03-27-2006, 12:01 PM

Originally posted by redmaples
Sunshine,
How can I find your womans day article? I would love to read it. You have been graciously helping me over in the food preserving forum with dehydrating.
Not sure how to work pm here--but am interested in finding your article if you would share it.

The latest one was published in the Holiday edition - dec. 2005 (not the regular one that subscribers get).

The other one was published in spring of 2005-- not sure which one. Maybe March or April.

**wendy** · 03-27-2006, 01:44 PM

I wrote an article that appeared several years ago in a magazine in the UK.

Also every morning I host a news show at an NPR affiliate station. I'm not technically a journalist, but my stories have gotten on the air.

Does it count that I wrote two one act plays for my children's drama class?

**Dixie** · 03-27-2006, 07:43 PM

Do letters to the editor count?

guest7 · 03-27-2006, 08:05 PM

I published a manual for the Massachusetts School Nurses to use to assist them with meeting state requirements. It was my Master's project- and ended up going over all too well.