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Re: [GWL]: syndicated columns




>From: Doreen Howard <doreenh@ticon.net>
>Reply-To: Gardenwriters@topica.com
>To: Gardenwriters@topica.com
>Subject: Re: [GWL]: syndicated columns
>Date: Tue, 11 Dec 2001 21:26:16 -0600
>
>I've been following the conversation about syndication with interest.  For
>those of you who did not attend the workshop at the GWAA symposium last
>month on syndication, let me capsulize.  Marty Ross writes for Universal
>Syndicate, and they distribute her column nationwide to about 250
>newspapers.  She is the one who stated she gets about $1 per word for her
>weekly column.  She provides art at no additional charge.  Jan Riggenbach,
>the other panelist, self syndicates her Midwest Gardening column to about 
>40
>newspapers.  I may be wrong on the number (I didn't take notes), but it is
>under 75 outlets.  She gets between $10 and $100 per column, depending on
>the circulation numbers of the newspaper buying.  The bigger the
>circulation, the higher the fee.  In total, Jan probably makes more per
>column than does Marty.  These two ladies presented an accurate account of
>both sides of syndication.
>
>In the 1990's, when I lived in Texas, I started writing a newspaper column
>for the local paper, which was part of a chain of 23 papers in Texas and 
>the
>Deep South. Within 6 months, the entire chain was running my garden column
>weekly, and I was billing them individually-- $15 to $40 each, depending on
>size.  I wrote the first 12 columns for free to show the local editor that
>there was a demand for gardening news and that I could deliver on time.
>Even though I was a former editor at the Houston Chronicle (a much, much
>bigger newspaper than the local one), that editor didn't know who I was.
>Which brings me to my point.  Local gardening columns and regionally
>syndicated ones give you exposure that national publications don't.  When I
>started writing the local column, I had just been named Contributing Garden
>Editor at Woman's Day magazine (circulation 23 million at that time).  My
>neighbors didn't have clue about what I did for a living, other than I
>stayed home all day, puttered in my huge garden and spent hours in front of
>a computer.  Frankly, they thought I was strange.  Within a few weeks of 
>the
>local garden column's inception, I was locally famous.  People stopped me 
>at
>the grocery store.  My husband's co-workers sent home gardening questions
>for me to answer.  And, the local cable TV station asked to film my garden.
>With the regional columns, I had even more regional notice.  The PBS 
>station
>in Houston came out to film my garden.  I started to appear on network TV
>affiliates as a garden expert, etc.
>
>So ask yourself.  Do I want to make money or do I want fame?  You don't 
>make
>big money in syndication, but you can with magazine writing.  On the other
>hand, magazines don't bring you recognition.  It's up to you.
>Doreen Howard
>
>============================================================
Doreen, Carla and All,
Thanks so much for sharing your personal experiences with garden columns. 
It's given me some perspective on what I'm trying to accomplish. Seems like 
the local columns might be a stepping stone to the better paying projects. 
I'm willing to pay my dues, if necessary. At this stage in my career, fame 
isn't the big motivation. I've was a newspaper reporter and editor for 
several years before moving on to corportate communications for better hours 
and pay. After 18 years of creating corporate publications--magazines, 
brochures, news releases, etc.--for clients, I decided to write about what I 
like--gardening. Now I'm looking for ways to make money doing it. I had a 
meeting with another newspaper editor today regarding a local column. He was 
much more receptive than the first editor and seemed impressed by the 
research I did on supporting such a column with advertising. He thought the 
idea had potential. I'm supposed to hear from him next week.
>
Linda Nitchman
Freelance Garden Writer



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