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January 2009

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WordCount weekly news wrap up for Jan. 31

By Michelle V. Rafter on January 31, 2009 | 5 Responses

Is it just me, or does it seem like there’s a uptick in the stories and blog posts on the evolution of the news business and the role independents – writers and others – are playing in it? The sputtering economy is speeding up the pace of change.
Here are some developments of interest from around [...]

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Small papers best positioned to survive recession, changing news business

Small papers best positioned to survive recession, changing news business

By Michelle V. Rafter on January 30, 2009 | 10 Responses

My first newspaper job was selling classified ads over the phone for The Valley Times in Beaverton, Oregon, the summer after my freshman year in college. I’d started writing for my college paper and was thrilled to have a job – any job – in the newspaper business, even if it meant inputting ads for [...]

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Stalking the reluctant source – 10 secrets to getting anybody to talk

By Michelle V. Rafter on January 29, 2009 | 9 Responses

You had the idea, wrote the query, got the assignment, negotiated the contract, worked out a deadline and did the research. Now all that’s left is interviewing the source.
What’s that, the source won’t answer your email or phone calls? Don’t they realize what you’ve had to do to get this far?
Unfortunately, just because you need [...]

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If you're upgrading your writing career, j-school isn't the answer

If you're upgrading your writing career, j-school isn't the answer

By Michelle V. Rafter on January 27, 2009 | 10 Responses

Twice in the last week I’ve encountered writers or bloggers who’ve run into a bad patch in their careers and are wondering if it makes sense to go back to school and get a master’s degree in journalism.
Bottom line: you don’t need a degree to get work as a writer.
Even if you have no professional [...]

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An ode to Twitter

By Michelle V. Rafter on January 26, 2009 | 7 Responses

A cautionary tale:
Of Twitter, beware.
Your free time it won’t spare.
All too soon, you won’t care
Of your life what you share -
And real work can’t compare.
Log on if you dare.

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I love editors who…

I love editors who…

By Michelle V. Rafter on January 21, 2009 | 7 Responses

* Leave a job and contact you from the next one – with assignments and higher per-word rate.
* Tell you they’re reining in freelance budgets due to the economy but are keeping you on their freelance short list.
* Reward one fast-turnaround assignment with two more – in as many weeks.
* Freelance for multiple publications and [...]

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The plugged in president

The plugged in president

By Michelle V. Rafter on January 20, 2009 | Leave a response

It’s not surprising that the man who ran an unprecedented Internet campaign, a man who lives on his Blackberry would kick things up a notch when it came to the White House’s online presence.
As soon as Barack Obama was inaugurated as the country’s 44th president earlier today, his IT staff flipped the switch on a [...]

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God bless America

God bless America

By Michelle V. Rafter on January 20, 2009 | Leave a response

Tuning out today to tune into the inauguration of Barack H. Obama as 44th president of the United States of America.
Follow the action on Twitter. I’ll be there at @michellerafter

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Room to write

Room to write

By Michelle V. Rafter on January 19, 2009 | 15 Responses

The first time I worked as a freelance writer I shared an apartment with a roommate and had my office in my bedroom. Between working and sleeping I probably spent 18 hours a day in that 12 x 12 room. A few years and several full-time jobs later I once again found myself temporarily working [...]

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Twitter true confession: I was wrong

Twitter true confession: I was wrong

By Michelle V. Rafter on January 16, 2009 | 7 Responses

Pass the crow. Five months ago I couldn’t be bothered with Twitter. Now I’m here to say: I get it.
Last fall I started hearing more writers talk about using Twitter for work, so in December I signed up. It’s easy: you pick a user name and password, write a brief description of yourself, upload a [...]

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Michelle V. Rafter

Reporting and blogging about business, tech and media.

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