Seeking career advice, insights

[LiberalEsto]

I hope some of you can offer some ideas and guidance. I am at my wits end trying to figure out what to do with myself.

I've been out of work since last fall. All I ever wanted to be was a newspaper reporter, and I did that fairly successfully from 1972 to 1990. That year I resigned from the best newspaper job I'd ever had, because my husband got a job in Washington DC. I had two small kids at home, and I knew there was no point applying to the Washington Post, because they would have had to pay me at the top of the Newspaper Guild's salary scale due to my years on the job. They could have hired a couple of less-experienced reporters for that amount. And I've never been a journalistic superstar, just a reliable, decent writer with a BA in English from a state university. I've worked since I was old enough to babysit, so being unemployed is making me very nervous.

Since 1990, I've spent several years for a local daily paper that went under, done various small jobs, and worked 7 years as a part-time marketing writer for a small PR firm. Last year I managed to do a small amount of freelance writing, but this year that market has dried up. There are so many unemployed news reporters looking for work, thanks to all the shut-down papers and the huge layoffs and buyouts at other papers. They are getting all the freelance work now. I wrote a children's fiction novel for ages 8-12, but keep getting rejection after rejection. Please don't think I'm whining. I genuinely want other people's insights because I'm stuck.

There is no money to go back to school, because we have one daughter still in college, and we are stuck with huge monthly student loan payments for the other, who is working as a nanny and barely getting by. My husband just started a new job at a 12% pay cut, and we are struggling.

If I could stand on my feet all day, I'd be checking groceries at the supermarket or even waitressing, but I'm 57 with bad feet, fibromyalgia, arthritis in my right ankle, and chronic fatigue that comes and goes. This is driving me crazy with frustration.

I was thinking about getting into real estate appraisal, but it requires money for classes, and I'm not sure my math skills are adequate. I managed to get away with not taking any college math classes when I went to an experimental college back in the freewheeling early 1970s.

My skills and abilities are as follows: I can write clearly. I have an instinct for what's newsworthy. I can interview people of all kinds. I'm pretty decent at looking up stuff on the Internet. I know MS Word. My spelling and grammar are good. I have a creative mind and excel at coming up with ideas and new approaches. I can draw a little bit, though I'm long out of practice. I can put together information for brochures, though I don't have computer design training, unfortunately. I know some things about indoor air quality and "green building," though not a lot. I know a bit about wildflowers, herbs, gardening and paganism. I can put together a Unitarian church service including a sermon, and deliver it. I'm a fairly good listener and speak clearly. I can (for what it's worth) speak fairly fluent Estonian, but not to translate technical or business information. I am painfully honest.

On the minus side: I'm not good with math. I can't do any kind of physical work. I don't have the money for career retraining, and being middle class we don't qualify for tuition aid. I am being treated for chronic depression. I'm not as detail-oriented as I'd like to be. I'm not super-competitive. I suck at sales work of any kind. And I'm not a high-energy person any more.

Every job ad I've seen here in the Washington DC suburbs requires far more skills than I have or could obtain in a short time. For example, they don't just want a receptionist: they want someone who knows Quickbooks AND Excel AND html AND medical billing, etc.

For what it's worth, I'm a Pisces.

Thank you so much for any vibes, insights, ideas!

[Kind of Blue]

1. Check out your PEM.

It's in Maryland although I didn't know about them till I moved cross country and worked for them. I grew up not far from you so I know how far their office is. If this line interests you, I'll send my other contacts.

[teenagebambam]

2. Also, if you're in DC

Check out non-profit Associations, of which there are many. With your background you could probably get a management position. I'll look around and see if I can find a central resource with job listings.

[Lindsey]

4. I'd turn this one over to Source Energy. Some of the things I've

tried that are successful are 1)really focused visualizations, 2)subliminal and self hypnotic C.D's and, 3)consistent meditation....sending light your way....

[Bluestar]

3. You may have checked out all of these possibilities, so forgive if

I am covering old ground, but here are a few suggestions. The first thought that came into my head was "writing news releases" and it looks like you did this for a PR firm. I think there are lots of PR firms in DC, so I wouldn't wait for openings or ads, I would contact all of them. A cleverly worded and delivered letter (letter, not an email) might just convince them that you are someone they could use. I would scour all of the Dem candidates in the House and Senate to see who they use for PR and publicity and approach them--it seems they would all have some outside firm working on their campaign year-round. Also, it used to be that all big companies have a PR department located in D.C.--sort of an in-house lobbying firm. You could contact some big companies to find out who is located in PR in D.C. and offer them your services.

Also, regarding the children's book, my understanding is that publishers are not offering first time writers book deals at all. There is so much self-publishing going on that they expect a new author to self-publish and sell their book themselves. You can self-publish really, really cheaply now with short production runs (print on demand) and promote it yourself. You could do readings of your stories at Mommy and Me groups, church groups for kids, libraries and community centers. Use costumes and props, the kids will love it. The readings are free of charge but you would do these free if they allow you to sell your book at the back of the room. Set up a simple website through Yahoo or Google (about $12 a month) and get a PayPal account and sell your products online. At the readings, make sure everyone gets a business card with your web address on it before you leave. Offer a drawing for a free book and gather everyone's email address for your mailing list. Do a newsletter featuring your book characters each month to keep your product in front of them. As you publish new books, notify your mailing list of everything going on with your book business. Sign up for Facebook and Twitter and notify your "friends" of all of your book readings and other activities. The good news about promoting your own book is that by self-publishing you keep all the profits (usually costs about $2 per book to produce, you could sell it for $10-$12). With a publisher, you would make less than 5 per cent per book. You might not have to go back to a boring job at all--you could be an author making money very quickly.

Good luck and I hope that I didn't cover old ground with these ideas. Sending you good energy.

Bluestar

[OneGrassRoot]

5. One of the things I've been led to is creating a new way within publishing....

as the traditional way has no integrity (pretty much any old way in business has no integrity). Not to mention everything else you've said here. Even with traditional publishers, unknown authors are left to do their own marketing.

So much wisdom is just waiting to be shared by average people. I firmly believe everyone has A Voice. How to have that voice heard is where my idea comes in.

I also firmly believe that this group is the foundation of this new way of publishing. If anyone has written a book, wants to start a blog with the intention of perhaps writing a book, please PM me.

I'm PMing you LiberalEsto.....

HUGE hugs to you :hug: :grouphug:

[Why Syzygy]

6. This is an interesting site

for self publishing. I have one of his books.

http://www.johntreed.com/HTWP.html

[OneGrassRoot]

7. Hey, you!

:)

There are so very, very, very many books and websites and this, that and the other catering to the self-publishing author. Maybe it's ADD kicking in as I get older, but it all becomes overwhelming.

Too many options overwhelm me, to be honest. LOL.

I'm a huge fan of self-publishing, and many of the traditional publishers are dipping their toes into starting imprints that are essentially a hybrid of self-publishing and traditional.

It's not hard to get one's book printed nowadays; selling it is obviously still the challenge. I want to spend a weekend going back through my library of marketing books, especially grassroots marketing, as I know there are nuggets of wisdom there to be seized upon.

I always saw this new publishing company coming about AFTER Wishadoo launched (still in website tech hell to combine both current sites). However, the Universe seems to be pushing this now, though still to include the Wishadoo Vision of the community grassroots idea to market and promote ALL of our creations, products, services. What I have always called Consumer Philanthropy is morphing into Community Philanthropy. This is what I've lived, eaten and breathed for 20 years, with a lot of support from the late Anita Roddick, founder of The Body Shop. She is one of the few who "got it" when I explained my idea for a new Brand years ago...a brand associated with integrity and community.

Here is a screenshot of what I've been creating (still a draft). I'm starting by creating a blog network for One Voice Rising Publishing, comprised of people who want to blog with the intention of their blog content eventually becoming a book. Of course, they have to resonate with the underlying intention of OVR Publishing: to benefit The Common Good. Doing well by doing good. :)




If this approach is of interest to anyone, just PM me. :)

[LiberalEsto]

11. Thanks!

I will check this out. Much appreciated, Why Syzygy

[LiberalEsto]

10. Thank you, OGR!

I sent you an email.
:hi:

[LiberalEsto]

9. Wow, that's incredible advice

The self-publishing thing sounds like something I could do. Thank you so much!

My husband self-published a small book of spiritual philosophy earlier this year, but I didn't want to, because I thought my book ought to be published in the traditional way. Since traditional publishers aren't biting, I may need to go this route.

About PR -- your ideas are excellent. If anybody's hiring, your approach could work. The obstacle I don't have the physical energy to commute and work at a high-powered full time job in DC. Believe me, I would pursue this if I could.

I am very grateful for your insights. This is exactly what I was hoping for. ASAH has so many wonderful, intelligent, creative minds and souls.

[Dora]

8. Universities and colleges are another job market.

All universities have offices of public affairs, and most colleges have someone on staff to handle news releases, college/department newsletters, etc. Alumni associations and fundraising/development offices also have a need for writers/marketers.

Additionally, some universities have their own temporary employee service that's administered by the HR department.

If it's possible for you to take a course in InDesign and Photoshop (there are lots of online options), that would strengthen your resume. As well, it might give you an energetic boost to learn some new skills.

Can you copyedit and proofread? That's another freelance route.

Have you ever looked at mediabistro.com? They have a job board.

:hug:

[LiberalEsto]

12. Good ideas

You've right about InDesign and PhotoShop courses. I talked last month with someone who teaches graphic design at our community college. Her advice: Start with PhotoShop, then Adobe Illustrator, then InDesign. She said there was some material I could download for free to get started, but I can't read my handwritten notes. Would you know about the downloads?

I might also be able to take some of these classes online through the community college at a far lower cost.

I may have looked at mediabistro in the past. Will do so again.
I can copyedit, but most jobs want someone who also knows Quark or Pagemaker.

I'll take a look at the college public affairs job market. If I had the energy I'd love to work part time for U of Maryland or one of the universities in DC.

Thank you very much!

[Why Syzygy]

13. There are many free online classes.

I can't find the main one I have in mind just now. But, for example:

http://graphicssoft.about.com/od/photoshop/l/bllps5out.htm

Well, oops. I found it, but it's for computer programming. OGR! Take a look:
http://www.w3schools.com/

Just google free online course, class, tutorial .. etc. And/or the name of the app you want to learn.

http://ocw.mit.edu/OcwWeb/Writing-and-Humanistic-Studies/index.htm

[OneGrassRoot]

15. The w3schools is great!!! I recommend that one. :)

Still...for the project at hand for Wishadoo, it requires a REAL programmer, and I don't have enough free time to learn how to be a real programmer. LOL. We actually found help, now it's implementing everything and putting all the pieces together.

But, thanks, Why Syzygy!

:)

[Dora]

16. Forget about PageMaker.

Adobe's Pagemaker doesn't exist any more - it's been replaced by Adobe InDesign. I have the impression that InDesign is pretty much the standard software for desktop design these days. It's supposed to be "just like" Pagemaker - which was a very easy program to learn and use. I think the Adobe website has online tutorials, and a "for Dummies" kind of book would be a good way to introduce yourself to the program. I was once proficient in Pagemaker, and today I can noodle around comfortably in InDesign without feeling out of my depth. You also should be proficient in MS Word.

My university offers computer software training to the public through their "Informal Classes" program for $225ish. And you're right about community colleges: that's how I took my first (only) Pagemaker class in the 90s, at a community college.

Foundations, think tanks, museums, and book publishers are all good places to ask about freelance copyediting work. Some may want you to take a copyediting test - our managing editor asks all her freelancers to take the test before she'll give them work.

Just thought of this - With your years of writing experience, you might be very good at encouraging/tutoring struggling writers or writers for whom English is a second language. Ads at your local universities/colleges/Craigslist might bring you a few hours of tutoring per week.

Good luck!

[Sanity Claws]

14. I'm so glad you posted this, LiberalEsto

I'm piggybacking on the information and leads you're getting.
Wonderful bunch here at ASAH.

[rumpel]

17. Here is a link to job postings, albeit I do not know, whether you

would like any of the jobs offered - I see there is one at CNN - but I do not know where you are..
sometimes, you may find some offers for writers, especially screenplay rewrites.

http://www.greenlightjobs.com/cgi-bin/htmlos.cgi/glj/jobs-browse-adv.htm

and here is another writers support or ideas:

http://www.storylink.com/

if I can think of additional sites I will post them

[rumpel]

18. PS

http://www.varietymediacareers.com/c/search_results.cfm?&site_id=7307&reset=1


on edit:
The rest of the trades require a monthly fee to even look at job postings :puke:
but let me know if you want to try them out..

Here is another one related to PBS
http://www.itvs.org/about/jobs.html
Managing Editor, ITVS Interactive

It does not say where

But in general, I think website related writing may be a good place - some may even let you work from home.

positive vibes

[Flying Dream Blues]

19. Great advice in all of these posts...just wanted to add that with your

background, you might consider writing a children's book (or books, for different ages) that introduce spiritual concepts. There may be some now, but when had young children there seemed to be a real lack of books from a spiritual vs. traditional religious perspective. I know with your talent you will do really well! I'm sending you good vibes for inspiration and finding exactly what you need to make this next transition.
:hug:

[LiberalEsto]

20. Thank you, Flying!

Actually, the children's book I wrote does get into spiritual concepts, from a pagan perspective. I suppose if it were a fundie Christian perspective, it would have been published by now.

I deeply appreciate your good vibes!

[Why Syzygy]

21. This is something

I was trying to think of when you first posted. Examiner.com .. they seem to have something of a cottage industry for writers. They say that you can make money, though I don't know the details.

http://www.examiner.com/about_examiner/

[LiberalEsto]

22. Thank you, Why Syzygy

It's an excellent lead and I'd be on it in a nanosecond. However, the Examiner papers are really right-wing and I couldn't bring myself to work for them.

[Why Syzygy]

23. I don't know that this is the Examiner papers..It's digital.

Did you see that on the website? I found it because one of their writers posts on DU. She isn't right wing at all. They have all kinds of topics covered. I'm sure some of the writers are right wing. I would just be shocked if the whole set up is partisan that way.

They say this:

Examiner.com is a division of the Clarity Media Group, and is wholly owned by The Anschutz Company, one of the largest media investment companies in the world. Examiner.com is also fortunate to have insiders from sister company AEG, the world's largest owner of sports teams and events, examining content from within their respective festival, venue, sports arena, team or special event.

***
Are those right wing corporations? Could be ...

[Raksha]

25. No, the whole Examiner set-up isn't right-wing.

I have a friend (Tad Richards) who is the NY Writing Careers Examiner, and he isn't right-wing AT ALL! Quite the opposite. He's a very good writer too.

http://www.examiner.com/x-2862-NY-Writing-Careers-Examiner

[Matariki]

24. I've worked at many companies that need copy writers

I also worked through a contract agency for creatives that placed writers as well as designers, video editors, etc. You might want to look for an agency like that.

[Callie McAllie]

26. Maybe you could be a grant writer

for small non-profit agencies, or for government. Lots of agencies looking for money anywhere they can get it.