Five Reasons to Write Work-Made-For-Hire

 

By Terry Whalin @terrywhalin

 

Last week I mentioned writing the study guide for the bestselling book, Halftime. What I did not say in that article is I wrote this study guide as a work made for hire project. Over the years I've written several articles about Work Made for Hire contracts (follow this link to see some of them). Many writers run away from such work and refuse it. These people believe they are protecting their rights and want to publish royalty projects instead of selling all their rights to someone else.

 

My literary attorney has told me that I've signed more Work Made for Hire agreements than anyone she knows. I've also been a working writer in the publishing community for decades. The truth is sometimes it is better to earn the money upfront from a publisher rather than hope for royalties (which may or may not happen).

 

In this article, I want to give five reasons to write Work Made For Hire projects. I call them projects because they are not always books. Sometimes they are articles or white papers or any number of other types of writing. 

 

1. You Get Immediate Work. Often in the publishing world, you have to write your article or book with the hope that you will find someone to publish it. With Work Made For Hire, you have found paying writing work which you can do right away—and get payment.

 

2. You Get Paid for Your Work. Depending on what you negotiate in a Work Made For Hire agreement, often you get half of the money upfront. This fact helps your cash flow as a writer—especially those of us who write full-time.

 

3. You Can Build Your Reputation and Get a Writing Credit. Some Work Made For Hire is ghostwriting (no credit). On other occasions, my writing is credited. Sometimes this work appears in the tiny print on the copyright page. Other times my name appears on the title page of the book and not the cover. On other books where I've co-authored the book for someone else, my name appears on the cover as “with W. Terry Whalin.” To the publishing world, this “with” credit indicates I wrote the book. If you are new in the publishing world, this credit can be an important part of building your reputation in the publishing world.

 

Several of the children's books that I have published were Work Made For Hire. The finished children's books had high quality illustrations and were a beautiful finished product. In some cases my name only appears on the copyright line (small print) but in other cases, my name appears on the cover. How it turns out for you is all about watching the details of the agreement. Several of my devotional books which I wrote as a Work Made For Hire have sold over 60,000 copies (which is a great credit for any writer—and something I use from time to time). 

 

4. Provides A Way to Work for a Publisher. For many new writers, it's a challenge to publish with traditional publishers for your own work. Sometimes publishers need a writer to complete a manuscript in a short amount of time. Years ago I wrote a book for a publisher in a short amount of time and exceeded their deadline. My name is in the small print on the cover of this book and it continues to sell. When I checked a few years ago, this book had sold over 100,000 copies. As the other examples in this article, I wrote this book as a work made for hire and haven't been paid anything additional but it is a great credit for a writer.

 

5. In a hard enviroment, provides a way to seize an opportunity. I know some publishers are making cautious decisions about what to publish (for a number of reasons including the pandemic). This caution has made it hard for writers. Work Made For Hire is writing that will always be needed and is a way for you to seize the opportunity, get published and get paid. If you find it, my encouragement is for you to seize the opportunity.

 

Do you write Work Made For Hire or have you avoided it? Let me know in the comments below.

 

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What Is Your Second Act?

By Terry Whalin @terrywhalin

Recently I listened to the audiobook version of Patricia Heaton's Your Second Act. The book is well-done with interesting stories. The theme of the book is reinvention or discovering what you are going to be doing during the second part of your life (or the second act). 

I know for in my life, I have reinvented myself a number of times and filled different roles in the marketplace. For example, I've been a writer, a magazine editor, an acquisitions editor (now at my third publisher), a literary agent, a ghostwriter, a collaborator and probably a few other roles. Different roles come at different periods in my life. I stopped writing books for others for about ten years then almost two years ago I began again to write for others (something which is a firm part of my current writing life).

 

Before listening to the Your Second Act audiobook, I knew very little about the life of Patricia Heaton. Yes I had watched her on Everyone Loves Raymond but knew little else. It was fascinating that her father was a journalist and both of her brothers. It makes sense she studied journalism at Ohio State before switching her major to theater. I loved how the center of Heaton’s life is not the theater or acting but her faith—and she makes this clear in the first chapter. Heaton is a spokesperson for World Vision and has made overseas trips with the organization.

 

The audiobook cover says read by the author and the “full cast.” Until listening to the book, I didn’t understand “full cast.”  Other than the first couple of chapters where Heaton tells her personal stories, each chapter is focused on a single person. That person reads part of their own story in the book. After telling their story they include a Q & A section with Heaton asking questions and the person answering. Then each chapter includes Patty’s Points which gives readers action points from that particular chapter. Finally there are “Reflection Questions” for the reader. 

 

 Your Second Act includes important details for every person in their own second career. For example, professional golfer Betsy King tells about forming a nonprofit GolfForeAfrica.org and how she found a partner, made her 501(c)3 and many other important details. It doesn't have to be creating a separate organization. Your Second Act includes information about volunteerism which can take many forms such as BigSunday.org. The stories are excellent but have universal application to readers trying to figure out their own second act. Each one is well-done and interesting. Each chapter includes “Reflection Question” for the reader to apply the material to their own life.  The result is a well-done thoughtful book with application for every reader about reinvention. I highly recommend Your Second Act.

 

Listening to this book, reminded me of another book about reinvention, Halftime by Bob Buford. Several decades ago I wrote the study guide for Halftime. Originally it was published as a separate booklet but then at some point, Zondervan added it into final pages of the bestselling book. I'm certain many people have forgotten I worked on Halftime. This book continues to be a significant book on this topic of reinvention or transitioning into your second act or career.

What are you doing for your second act? Or maybe it is your third or fourth career? Let me know in the comments below.

 

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Use A Book Review Template

 

By Terry Whalin @terrywhalin

 

I do not like to reinvent the wheel. If someone else has already created a pattern that I can follow, then that is easier than making an original. I have written over 1,000 book reviews on Amazon and over 600 reviews on Goodreads.  I've written about these reviews in the past—but never this particular aspect of my reviews. In this process, I use almost the same pattern for my reviews every time. 

 

I've written about how I add my bio and a link to my latest book in a previous article (follow this link if you haven't seen it).  As I read or listen to a book, I will open a Word file on my computer and even before completing it, I will add some thoughts about the book. Often these “thoughts” become the outline of what will eventually become my review. I use the previous review as my template. Every review needs a headline, then an opening paragraph and possibly a middle paragraph with a quotation from the book (optional) and a concluding paragraph.

 

I've also written about how I often listen to bestselling books. Part of my stance in publishing is to always be learning and listening to what the current public is reading. It comes from reading the trades and following the publishing market. Recently I heard the bestselling books from Chris Wallace about the making of the first atomic bomb called Countdown 1945. While this book released in early June, I got on the Overdrive list for the book and just recently was able to listen to it. Ironically I was listening to the final portion of this book on August 6^th  or exactly 75 years since the first atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima, Japan. Listening to the details of these stories exactly 75 years since they occurred gave me chills about the timing. I post the same review on Goodreads as I post on Amazon (follow the links if you want to see how the review appears on these sites).

 

Last year I wrote about the missing link for writing book reviews. I pointed to an inexpensive template my friend Sandra Beckwith has created. Here's the link to her product (and it is not an affiliate link from me). Many people who are not writers, have no idea what to write for a review. Sandra has a fiction and a nonfiction template for writing a book review. In this article I'm recommending that you create your own little template.  For example, each of my recent reviews on Amazon include an active link to one of my books. Currently I am promoting my latest book, 10 Publishing Myths, using this feature. You can learn how I do it in this article.

 

One of the keys from my experience is having a plan, creating a simple system that works for you, and then executing that system every time. For example, almost every book that I read or hear, I write and post a review. Over the years, that amount of reviewing has added up to be substantial. It is not anything fancy but happens through taking consistent action. Whether you create your own book review template, as I have done, or use one from Sandra Beckwith, I recommend you use a template to speed up the writing process and get it done.

 

Do you use a template when you write a book review? Let me know your tips in the commends below. 

 

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The Challenge for Every Learner

By Terry Whalin @terrywhalin

 

Several weeks ago, a reader contacted me about my book, Jumpstart Your Publishing Dreams. He had read the book and marked different pages in the book for additional study and action. Sometimes a picture is worth 1,000 words and this reader sent an image.

 

I smiled at his use of post-its in books because when I read books, I often use the same system. I mark different passages with a highlighter and post-its. Then I return to these places and apply the material to my writing life and work. It is a system that I've been using successfully in my own life for years to keep growing as a writer.

 

While I've been in publishing many years, have a college degree in journalism from a top university, and have been attending writers conferences and classes for years, here's the key: I still have much more to learn as a writer.

 

Are you continuing to grow as a writer or have you arrived? I've interviewed more than 150 bestselling authors. In this process, I've met a few authors who have acted like they have “arrived” at the pinnacle of their profession. It is not an attractive attitude to witness and in fact a turn off for me. As I have watched what happened to people with this arrival attitude, I've noticed they have faded from the bestseller lists and are now in relative obscurity. Yes still around the community but not currently producing bestselling books. If you have that “arrival” attitude, I would challenge you to change it. Make sure you have others in your life who will give you honest feedback. With this honest feedback, you can continue to grow and learn as a writer.

 

As writers we need to keep learning and growing. In this process of growing, there is a tricky balance between continuing to learn and taking action. To move forward as a learner, you have to be doing more than learning, , you need to apply that learning to your work. Recently I was speaking with a writer colleague about this issue: many people take courses—but don't take action (implemention—where the rubber meets the road).

 

There is an old saying, “Knowledge is Power.” This statement is true—but only if you act on the information in your head. For example, I know about Goodreads and how every author can select quotes from their book and add them into Goodreads quotes. You give other people automatic permission to use your quotes—and promote your book. It's good to know that fact—but worthless if you don't take action, choose the quotes and them put them on Goodreads. Several weeks ago I wrote about the details of this process (follow this link to see this article.) This is just one example of dozens of things authors need to do to take action.

Recently I learned about the free online courses from the Muck Rack Academy. One course is on social media and the other is on pitching to journalists. I've completed the course on social media and learned a number of valuable insights which I implemented into my social media. The second course on pitching to journalists, I'm about to finish but have yet to implement it into my own writing life. I am a learner but have the same challenges of every writer—finding balance between learning and implementation (taking action).

 

How do you find the balance between learning and taking action in your writing life? Let me know in the comments below.

 

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The Power of Words

By Terry Whalin @terrywhalin

I live near Denver, Colorado and watch some local news on Channel 9.  Countless times I've watched Marty Coniglio give his weather forecast. He has been with the station for 16 years. Like many in journalism, Coniglio is active on Twitter. Last week, he sent out a tweet comparing federal troops to Nazis. Here's the details in the Denver Post article. He is no longer employed at the station. As I read the story, it reminded me that our words have power.

The Danger of A Habit

As a reader, I have been reading and listening to books for years. Each time I write a short review (normally less than 150 words) and post my review on Amazon and Goodreads. I've written over 1,000 Amazon reviews and over 600 reviews on Goodreads (where I have 5,000 friends and my reviews get a lot of attention and reading). I read and listen to many different types of books. Recently I listened to part of a bestselling book—which was filled with hatred (in my view every sentence). As an editor, I often evaluate a book based on a short portion. In this case, I decided not to listen to the rest of the book and wrote that information into my short review. I followed my habit and posted the review on Amazon and Goodreads. There are hundreds of reviews for this book and my review joined those reviews.

The final portion of my habit is to post my review with the cover on social media. I have over 200,000 Twitter followers, over 18,900 connections on LinkedIn and over 4900 Facebook friends. I didn't think about my posting because it is a habit. The reaction surprised me but I should have known when I did it. I spent about 48 hours on Facebook monitoring, deleting and even blocking some people (when you have 4,900 “friends” it is no big personal loss to block some people). My short post was consuming way too much energy and time. I deleted the post on all of my social media platforms. In a few minutes, it was gone. Did lots of people see it? Yes and I learned even with a habit to think about each post.

I temporarily forgot some critical things about the Internet and social media. While you may be writing the material for yourself, other people read it. part of the social media process is other people are going to respond and react to whatever you said. Also these words are often out online forever. In this volatile, on-edge world, common sense reminds of the small talk advice: “avoid religion and politics.” It also applies to our social media. From this experience, I was reminded our words matter. In fact, our words have power and people read them. It's good to use caution and wisdom with what you put online.

As you write today, be aware your words have power to heal or to harm. Let me know your thoughts about this subject in the comments below.

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