Re: Fw: garden columns

**l*@juno.com**

On Mon, 12 May 2008 13:41:49 EDT KTCopsey@aol.com writes:
>> So I guess the question is how to keep a garden column going when it 
> is  
> clearly seen as disposable?  

We are all disposable.

Establishing fees is a personal matter and can change with time and
circumstances, tho it's helpful to know what others are getting.

One must know one's own mind and what your goal is for the column. Is it
a marketing vehicle for something else, such as giving talks? Then you
are getting paid to write your own advertising and don't have to pay for
advertising space. Six years ago, I wrote a column for our local paper as
head of a non-profit organization. It would have been a conflict of
interest for me to have accepted a fee for the column. It was a very
popular column and I could have switched to writing it for pay when I
left the organization. But the subject matter no longer interested me.

Are you trying to earn a living by writing newspaper columns? Then you
need to syndicate. There have been at least two GWA seminars on this
subject in the last four years.

You need to set a floor price, a number you will not sell below; and a
wish-list number, the most you think you can get. If you can afford it,
never write for a price that leaves you bitter and unhappy. 

I have a lot of other things going on in my life, which has forced me to
make some difficult choices about what is and is not realistic at this
time. I'm very happy with my decision and have no regrets, although
reading what all of you are doing sometimes leaves detours me into
wishful thinking. Try asking yourself, "How much meaning does this
(column, job) hold for me and see whether it shifts your priorities.

Regards,
Lois
 Visit http://loisdevries.blogspot.com
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