Friday, March 21, 2008

Networking=Editor in Chief

So, networking is more important than I realized! I always knew that to succeed in the writing world I had to play the game of "who you know". Never in a million years would I have guessed that it would lead me to a position that some people only dare dream of.

I am the type of person that goes to community events to hunt for magazines and newspapers covering events. Usually I'll find some contacts, get some business cards and then try to write for a new mag.

While interning for Style Magazine in Tampa I networked A LOT! I would volunteer to cover events just to get a contact. A co-worker of mine from Style was about to leave the magazine, but being the contact maker chick that I am I got all of her information before she left.

Needless to say she started working for another magazine, Focus. I jumped at the chance to get more information to possibly get more articles. I got the name of the editor in chief and wrote to her directly saying I knew the new account manager and that I was eager to write.

I was given a probation article and then after that I became a “stringer”. I started writing for the E Pasco and New Tampa editions and was always trying to learn more and get inside the head of the editor.

A few weeks ago I got a call from the publisher saying that the editor gave her two weeks notice. Based on my drive, eagerness to learn and all that jazz the editor recommended me to be her successor.

If you had told me last month at this time that I would be editor in chief of a magazine I probably would not have believed it. However, thanks to networking and building a contact base, here I am in the position of a lifetime.

Networking is so important! Don’t ever leave an event without a contact. Who knows, maybe you’ll end up an editor too!

Monday, March 17, 2008

Anyone want to write for Focus magazine?

My friend Ashley Grant (who is actually a contributor on this very blog site) is looking for some writers to cover various local events and stories in Plant City, Lakeland, and Brandon. If any of you are looking to gain some clips, this could be a great opportunity to get some published work in an up-and-coming local magazine. Ashley really needs writers right now; if any of you are at all interested in earning some published journalism experience, don't hesitate to contact me at RobertYaniz1983@gmail.com or contact Ashley directly at ashleygrant2468@gmail.com.

Thanks in advance...

Rob

Saturday, March 15, 2008

Just a little venting.

I was really excited when I finished my first draft of the novel I'm working on. Now, a few months and hours upon hours of editing later, I'm struggling to keep up with the edits. There are sooooo many things to fix that I'm feeling overwhelmed. I've been trying to just plug away and get as much done as I can each day (which sometimes means only a couple of paragraphs since my three year old doesn't enjoy being ignored). It seems like it will be years before this book is even ready to be read by my friends, much less by a publisher or an agent.

Thre is so much I want to do with this book. I'm a big nerd, so when I create a world, I want it to be as complete as I can make it; with maps and kingdoms and lines of trade and languages and customs and...well, you get the picture. So far as the actual draft goes, though, I haven't been able to include many of those elements--the details that enrich the story--because I'm still trying to hammer and smooth out the basic scenes for the plot. Right now, it still looks so much like a skeleton of a story to me.

Have any of you guys been here before? Any advice?

My gut tells me to just keep working at it, as painfully slow as the process seems to go. Eventually (about 80 years from now) I will finish it. I guess I'm just feeling a little...bogged down with everything I still have left to do.

Sunday, March 9, 2008

One Guy's Choices on the Best Scripts of the Last Decade

Hola fellow creatives!

I've been sitting on a few post ideas for the last couple weeks, for a couple reasons. First, I wanted to give any visitors to the site the chance to read my 7 of 2007 post (thanks to those of you who commented, by the way), and secondly, I've been really busy on all fronts for the last couple of weeks. Since I am currently on spring break and have a moment to catch my breath, I wanted to officially re-enter the Table.

I found this link: http://dementeddoorknob.blogspot.com/2008/02/10-years-10-great-screenplays.html a couple weeks ago. This blogger basically does a rundown on what he feels are the 10 greatest screenplays of the last decade, one for each year. I actually agree with several of his choices (Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang is highly underrated, in my opinion). Although I haven't seen the 2006 selection, I agree with many of the comments that Stranger than Fiction should have been on there (LOVE that film!). Check out the link above for the rest of the selections...

P.S. Most of you will be thrilled with the 2007 selection. Trust me...

Rob out...