Steps to follow for the successful freelance writer

In order to be successful in freelance writing, new writers should be aware of the many miscues and pitfalls that abound in becoming established and marketable.

If you’ve read my other articles on freelance writing, you’ll undoubtedly notice a repetitive theme: write what you know, find your niche, be consistent, and mind the basics of spell checking and proofreading.

Following these guidelines will greatly increase your success rate and help you to focus on transitioning writing as a hobby to writing as a job.

Write what you know

This point cannot be emphasized enough…there are a few things any writer can bring to publishers, the marketplace and readers alike…and one of those things is credibility.

A publisher is not likely to respond to an article or book query on an esoteric subject like non-linear equations or string theory pitched by a performance artist. Look to your professional and personal life and experiences. Hobbies are also a great place from which to draw knowledge and experience to incorporate into your writing.

For instance, if you’re a mechanical engineer by trade, there are surplus of car enthusiast magazines, websites, and e-zines. Those are media you should be looking to. If you’re a stay-at-home mom or you race sail boats as a hobby, then look to publications that feature things so related.

Find your niche

The last two examples aren’t enough to concentrate on, because like any other subject being a parent or sail boating is too broad – which means you’ll have to carve out a niche. This doesn’t mean you can’t or won’t be able to write over the broader subject, that will be intrinsic when writing over any subject, but to stand out and you’ll have to be a source of information or insight in a forte within that subject.

For instance, when I wrote Cyclopedia Music Theory I began game planning the book, I looked at other theory books, not for their content, but what their content was missing. I found a couple of things: one was that musicology wasn’t addressed and another was illustrations weren’t always formatted from left to right and also, there wasn’t any explanation of different instruments or percussion theory. Consequently, I wrote the book with those things included.

Be consistent and persistent

Stay with what you know but don’t be afraid to spread your wings. By this I mean once you’ve found your niche and have consistently written within it, beginning to branch out is not only natural and can indeed benefit your writing. There is a small caution here is not to overreach – should you branch out too far, you’ll begin to lose focus not only in your niche, but you’ll not be able to find a balance.

It is therefore critical that you be consistent not only in your niche writing, but writing altogether. Contributing a piece here and there randomly doesn’t set well with publishers and it won’t set well with whatever readership you garner.

If are writing and contributing regularly, moreover querying regularly, you’ll get a lot of rejections and in between, hear crickets. Publishers are flush with queries and that’s why they’re so selective. Even if your piece is turned down, don't be afraid to rework it and resubmit it. It could be you didn’t hit the nail on the head or another writer was earlier to make the same point.

Prioritize

I’ll use a personal example here: after I wake, get ready and have breakfast; after which, I check my email, take a glance at the days projects, then I do one or two household chores. I do this for good reason: one, chores need be done and two, after reading email and looking forward to the day, not sitting in front of the keyboard and engaging in something entirely different which allows me to brainstorm.

When I get to writing, I typically publish my Balance for Dads blog (which I wrote a day or so before), and then onto the writing gigs I’ve landed.

Next I try to spend my time productively, working on the task(s) at hand and move on. If I encounter a snag (e.g. website goes down or writer’s block), I’ll take a short break to do another chore or two and then refocus.

The next-to-last order of my “workday” is spent search for gigs and networking. And I close shop by writing a piece for my own blog to post the following day.

Build your value and reputation

As a writer, your reputation is invaluable. And to raise your value, you should make your writing not only informative and interesting, but comprehensible. Don't be pedantic…no matter the subject; keep your writing accessible to all readers.

It’s not advisable to waste your time working on projects that won't be beneficial either to your value and reputation or financially.

Writing what you know and carving a niche aren’t to mean that you’re stuck on certain subjects forever. You can increase your value by expanding, but writers shouldn’t be chasing money by writing pieces they have no experience or interest in as it will show in their work.

Be mindful of the basics

Spell check

Proofread carefully or have someone else proofread

Honor guidelines and deadlines

Keep a notepad with you as much as possible to jot down notes/thoughts

How to get writing gigs during a recession

Getting writing jobs are difficult enough under normal circumstances, but getting published during a recession requires a fresh yet well planned approach.

Take a multi-tiered approach:

Because the internet is part of our professional, social and personal lives, we can use it in a number of different facets. And when looking for a writing job, it’s typically one of the firsts places (if not the only place) we look. But during an economic downturn, the internet is simply not going to be enough.

You’ll have to go the passé route of combing through the newspaper (not just the want ads as there are often local news pieces that provide information about a community business expanding or being opened, et cetera).

Likewise, in an age of digital communication, phone and face-to-face communications are seen as not only professional but portray those who are willing to actually take the time to take the time to get noticed.

This doesn’t mean that email and internet aren’t necessary, they are necessary for information but they won’t help a jobseeker nearly as much as personal communication.

Network:

As during normal economic circumstances, you’ll want to use your social circles and previous coworkers to network. Also, you can network among your alumni groups, at your church, your children's school, your fellow hobbyists. I continually network for my business, Retail Consulting Solutions in these circles. (But you must do so in a polite and respectful manner, you don’t have to stress how much you need a job when unemployment is nearly 10%.)

Don’t forget to keep notes on who’ve you spoke to and about what. You can use those notes to schedule a time for following up. Not only that, but it will help you to focus your job seeking efforts instead of chasing your tail.

Present yourself professionally:

Make your resume, query letter and thank you notes professional. Don’t just dig out your old publication lists and add the latest in your last gig. While previous publication show you are marketable and responsible and just listing publications don’t show enthusiasm. Where you’ve wowed the publisher or gotten great reader feedback are entries any publication is looking for, particularly during challenging economic times.

No matter how good your resume, you can blow it by not living up to it. You don’t want to go beyond what you’ve said in writing you can or have been. In order to be convincing (and appear professional) everything should “line-up”. That is, your resume and query letter, your thank you note and interview – consistency is key.

Be prepared:

Your communication skills will have to be a cut-above as so many applicants are seeking the same position. It won’t be enough to be dressed professionally and speak well; you’ll have to sell yourself.

Treat “no” as one step closer to finding the next gig:

It may be counterintuitive, but getting a “no” or “we’ve found someone who’s a better fit” can be a positive thing. Take it as a chance you had to sharpen your interview skills. And remember, it isn’t impolite to inquire as to why you didn’t get the job.

How to Protect What You Write, Understanding Publication Rights...a quick guide to publication rights and what they mean

“Rights” simply mean how a publisher is allowed to use your work. And rights aren’t the same thing as compensation or purchase. Furthermore, rights are not regarding copyright…the copyright to your copy (writing) are permanently yours.

First Rights

First Rights are used once your writing has been publish in any medium (whether it been print or electronic: a magazine, blog, newspaper, journal); so first rights are just that, the very first time your piece is published.

First rights are causing some perplexity among publishers and writers alike because of the Internet. Because the traditional relationship between publisher/writer has been altered as more writers self-publish on their own blog or website, first rights are more difficult to determine as to whether blogging qualifies as the first publication. In other words, if a writer posts an original piece on their blog, technically, it has been published for the first time – making that particular piece unacceptable to publishers. Evidence of this can be found on a number of user-contributed websites such as eHow, Helium, HubPages, and Associated Content.

Another thing you should know about first rights is that whether or not you’re paid for your work, first rights have been given once a publisher runs a piece. Thereafter, your work is no longer original (or exclusive) and both writers and publishers value first rights highly.

Exclusive Rights

Exclusive rights have practically the same meaning as journalists use regarding interviews (a Eye Witness News Exclusive) means they are the only organization with the story or interview, the only media outlet where you’ll find said story or interview. When you sell your piece under exclusive rights, you are excluding any other publisher and yourself from publishing that particular work.

Some publishers will try to buy an author’s work under exclusive rights and claim it is the same publishing rights as first-time rights. First rights are sold just one time and are literally the first time a piece is published, whereas exclusive rights are sold over and over (by the publisher, and after their exclusivity expires, by you).

Exclusive rights is giving a publisher the right to publish your work exclusively for a set period of time; during that period, you cannot sell that particular writing to anyone else, nor can you self-publish it on your own website or blog. Once the time period has expired you are free to resell that work to someone else. In regard to the same time period, it is critical that you cross-reference the submission guidelines against the publication rights as they should be uniform. Remember, when a publisher has exclusive rights they may sell that work over and over while the author has given that right away temporarily – so the more money it will earn the publisher, the more money they ought to be offering you for those exclusive rights.

As an examples, for my company, Retail Consulting Solutions, I write all of the press releases and contributing articles to the practices website, therefore I maintain all the rights. For my textbook, Cyclopedia Music Theory, I self-publish and print-on-demand – basically, I maintain exclusive rights on both because those works are not published by any other party.

Non-Exclusive Rights

These rights are, as you probably can guess, are the opposite of exclusive rights; if a publisher agrees to non-exclusive rights, the author is free to sell that piece elsewhere and there are no time limits.

One-Time Rights and Perpetual Rights

One time rights are the right to publish your work once and only once (these rights are usually found in journals, magazines and newspapers); whereas perpetual rights are the right to publish your work over and over, for an indefinite period.

Here again, as with first time rights, the Internet posses a conundrum as many websites offer one-time rights, yet websites are not print, they are electronic and have as much space to “print” as their server will allow. Magazines and other print mediums have a finite amount of space, meaning two things: they can only print so much each issue and two, there is no where to catalogue/archive past publications in future publications. Yet another way to put it is a website has no bottom, a webpage can run on-and-on-and-on.

Basically, this translates into a question of one-time versus perpetual rights. If a website publishes a piece based on one-time rights, they must then remove it from the site (including their archives) otherwise, they are using perpetual rights. This means that if you sell your work to a website with one-time rights, make sure it includes a time limit before your piece(s) is removed – a week, fortnight, or month at most.

One-time rights can be sold by the author repeatedly, and simultaneously, consequently, these are the rights syndicated columnists use so they may sell a single piece to different publishers at the same time. Perpetual rights (as their name implies) last indefinitely, so work you’ve sold under perpetual rights effectively becomes the legal property of the publisher.

Electronic and Print Rights

Electronic rights are a publisher’s right to place your work in any electronic format, while print rights are a publisher’s right to place your work in ink. The great thing about these rights in the current publishing climate – nearly every print publication has an online publication. This means publishers with both ink and web publications that buy your work must purchase both electronic and print rights from the author.

First and Second Serial Rights

First serial rights are rights sold a periodical (a newspaper or magazine), to publish your work one time, a with first-time rights you are affirming that the work has never been published before. Second serial rights refer to a reprint of your writing after someone else has already published it.

A writer should carefully review first serial contracts to make certain there is not a provision/clause that also grants second serial rights – second serial rights are those rights bought by a publisher to print your work after initial publication and like one-time rights, second serial rights may be sold over and over again and concurrently.

Subsidiary RightsSubsidiary rights apply to anything other than book publication, this is where people like Steven King live. If you were to write a novel like The Hunt for Red October, and wanted to pitch it as a theatrical movie, then you would be selling subsidiary rights to the production company.

Any form of electronic audio or visual media is based on subsidiary rights. Because of their complexity, you would definitely need an agent to negotiate the terms so not to burn yourself. Moreover, they will get a far better return on your work

How to be successful once your writing has been published

If you’ve been successful at getting published, here’s where the real work begins...

Stay a step ahead:

In my professional life as a business consultant, I write business plans and coach professionals. Through my practice at Retail Consulting Solutions, I have found the clients who stay a step ahead are far more successful then those who scatter-shoot from day-to-day.

You can apply this to writing by staying a step-ahead of deadlines (whether for your own blog or for another publication) by writing your piece(s) a day or two before being submitted or published to your blog. Moreover, you’ll have more time to do research and be able to proofread your work before sending it on its way.

Look for trends that fit your writing style and subject matter:

Google Trends and Yahoo Buzz are a great place to find what people are searching for, but they, along with headlines found on news sites can also identify trends that fit your writing style and subject matter. If you’re writing about spousal relationships, the economy certainly plays a role in that area. Your writing ought to reflect current events and help readers to find information.

It will also keep you relevant, even though you’re writing about the same material. Publishers like to see such consistency with an up-to-date edge.

Continue to network and promote yourself:

Take a look around next time your in the checkout line at the grocery store. Magazines galore encircle the line: fashion, gossip, health, entertainment, and news and politics – they all have a website and they all need content!

Once you’ve been published by an established, heavily trafficked website or widely circulated magazine, use your credentials to land the next publishing. Don’t be afraid to use each outlet at your disposal to promote yourself and your writing.

Determine your writing’s marketability and expand your audience:

Though I had been published prior, while writing Cyclopedia Music Theory, I networked not only among my music peers but lay people as well – how better else to determine the book’s marketability? If a lay person can read and understand it, then it would be far more attractive to a publisher.

What’s more, it showed me that lay people who were turned off by the complexity of music theory would be willing to take the plunge if they were given an alternative explanation. For this reason, I wrote-in the musicology of five contemporary genres to attract even more readers.

Use past writings for future publication:

Depending on the rights you gave for your first publication, you can use past writings to sell to future potential publishers if you’re willing to update the piece and give a bit of a makeover. While you don’t want to change the overall meaning, you want the piece to appear fresh and relevant to the audience.

Writing for money, what to do and what not to do

All writers have to start somewhere, and where you start isn’t necessarily where you’ll stay. But all new writers should know and follow the basics. Avoiding mistakes already made by others will only behoove you, while observing the fundamentals will help you to establish yourself.

Write what you know and stay there:

Professionally I am a business consultant, personally I am husband and father, and my hobby is playing and teaching music. I have also done informal work strategy writing for a locally based consultancy group and I am political analyst/columnist for three different bi-monthly publications.

What this means is I have the credibility to write over related subjects: the first lends me the credibility to write about business, employee/employer relationships and roles, the economy. The second gives me the credibility to write about husband and dad issues. The third is a bit different than the average bear because I wrote a textbook, Cyclopedia Music Theory. Lastly, my unofficial work in politics lends me the credibility to write political and economic analysis.

I write over these subjects because they are not only what I know, but know well and have experience in. I won’t win a Nobel Prize for science like Messrs. Elinor Ostrom or Oliver E. Williamson, but they’re not likely to write a music theory book like I did either.

Find your niche, cultivate your own style and develop continuity:

Opinions are like bad jokes, everyone has one to tell, but no one really wants to hear them. As in the above examples, look to your professional and personal life experiences and write on those subjects. You’ll find you’ll have more passion and fluidity then trying to break into the hot topic of the day or latest trend.

Diversify but be consistent:

Publish your own pieces on your own blogs. If you’re an investment adviser, write about that and have a blog title that encapsulates your professional life.

I subscribe to a particular writer’s posts on one of the sites for which I regularly publish. This author will publish a piece about relationship commitments, SEO writing and national economic policy all in the same day on the same website. While this author may have some credentials to write about these subjects, they are missing the diversity of cross publication.

Take your subject matter and divide them among the websites and/or publications for which you write. Your personal blog should focus on your personal life. Writing for a site like eHow or HubPages should be reserved for “how-to” articles, which lend themselves more to professional and hobby readership.

You’ll also have to be consistent in your writing, not letting weeks or months pass by without publishing on your blog or user-based website. The minimum should be two or three articles a week, spread over the same amount of publications.

Promote yourself:

Even if you’re a part-timer, you’ll have to be consistent, with approximately 231.5 million as of April 2009, you’ll have to stand out – somehow – and here’s a couple of ways how…

Keep up with the trends and hot search terms in your writings by using Google Trends or Yahoo Buzz. Work some of the day’s biggest searches into your pieces without hammering a square peg into a round hole.

Network with other writers and websites/publications looking for content are both a good source not only of potential readership but editorial advice.

Don’t write a piece just to get paid:

If you find it tempting, resist. This is a mistake that may well catch-up with you in the future. Writing pieces only for money that you truly have no or little interest in will show through the published piece. It will also spread you a bit more thin in trying to be authentic and trying to complete more suitable tasks at-hand.

Don’t forget the basics:

Be sure to include who, what, when, where, why

Support your writing with facts, statistics, polling, hard numbers; anyone can spout their opinion, make yours count

Make sure to proofread and spell check

-- Owen E. Richason IV

How to make money with your blog and what it costs

Blogging for money and reputation

In their short existence, blogs have come a long way. Blogs (a contraction for “web logs”) began simply as an individual’s online journal and have grown into a more mainstream form of web culture and then into journalism; consequently, professional syndicated writers, journalists, entertainers maintain blogs.

Blogs were responsible for capturing and making public former Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott’s (R-TN) comments at a party held in honor of Senator Strom Thurmond. Bloggers were likewise responsible for identifying forged documents used in a 60 Minutes piece.

Blogs have also risen to notoriety because of their ability to attract visitors, readers and the web traffic that come with it.

Because of their popularity, blogs have also become revenue streams for vendors, search engines advertisers, and in turn, blogger themselves. In a matter of minutes, an individual can set-up a blog, customize its layout, monetize it and begin blogging.

Establishment media journalists, pundits and talking heads have cautioned the public (particularly their audiences) that bloggers aren’t subject to the same standards and as such, should not be given credibility. They assert bloggers don’t have a professional team in place and are therefore bush-league.

And that brings us to segue – if you’re looking to blog for money, you’re going to have to be cut-above. As a blogger you must decide on the marketplace(s) you intend to be a part of (e.g. parenting, lifestyles, sports, finance, tech, gaming, entertainment, fashion, politics, DIY, law, real estate, religion).

This juncture brings us to how to make money blogging…

The best advice is to write what you know, subject material you can draw on personally or professionally. Visit other blogs and look over print and electronic publications that cover the same thing(s) to better focus and to help you polish your writing.

Next, begin posting your blog, but don’t go off half-cocked: the above point about not having a professional team to publish your work is true, which means it’s not only your style, but your integrity that’s subject to scrutiny.

A blogger doesn’t have copy writers, copy editors, fact checkers, photographers, researchers and the like at their disposal. So the blogger is responsible not only to write the content, but must credit their sources, quotes, and research. It’s also up to the blogger to pick the subject material, proofread and edit their copy, format it, and perhaps code HTML. A blogger’s additional work is to take, crop, and upload photos; plus, it is up to the blogger to promote and drive traffic to their blog.

All of these tasks matter, that is, if you want to make money with your blog. Your blog should be seen as a means to an end, even a loss-leader in that you may not make any money with it but still contribute time and effort/sweat equity.

The goal is to build traffic and credibility in order to generate a steady stream of revenue. Granted the revenue won’t be that much, but all these things are building blocks for bigger and better things.

–Owen E. Richason IV

Contact:

owenedward4@aol.com

The world of a freelance writer

What it really takes to be a freelance writer...

When I’m asked what I do for a living, I often reply, “I’m a business consultant and writer”. No matter the person who inquired, the former is all but ignored and the later followed-up.

Typically, I’m then asked what I write, who I write for, how long I’ve been doing it, and of course, am treated to some anecdote personal or otherwise about being an aspiring writer. After the yarn has been spun comes the sooner-or-later question about getting into writing for a living.

Before I go any further, allow me to pour a cold, bubble-bursting dose of reality – the money isn’t very good; what’s more, it isn’t easy.

What it really takes to be a freelance writer are two things – cockeyed optimism (otherwise known as hard work) and readable writing (otherwise known as skilled writing). In order to write for a living (if you’d like to call it a living) you’ll need to be disciplined and be able to write interesting, cogent pieces…along with this, willingness to network.

The best way about being a freelance writer is to be consistent; consistent in looking for work, consistent in networking, consistent in honing your skills, consistent in research, oh and consistent in writing daily. (Notice the last and first items on the list; it begins with looking for work and ends with writing – get the hint?)

Having this list in mind, where does one find work?

Start with your local and regional print and online publications. They are often trying to grow, keep relevant, or in need of content. You may not get paid, but getting published and building a name on which to trade is important.

There are a plethora of websites in which to find writing gigs, but you’ll have to qualify them yourself. Some are go-betweens, linking publishers with writers, some are directories. For instance, Helium allows writers to create a profile and bid for publication by writing a piece following the publisher’s guidelines. Guru works much the same way, but actually matches writers with gigs (though you have to be established).

The Writer’s Market is a well respected directory, and you need a paid subscription to access the markets, but it’s worth it.

Then there’s Craigslist, you can find writing gigs there, but you have to be discerning because there are a number of scams; while site like Freelance Writing Gigs offer both searchable writing gigs and support/advice for all types of writer and genres.

If you’re looking to make a little extra pocket change, Blogger.com and HubPages.com are a great place to self-publish. They’ll not only provide you with free space, they also provide you a monetization tool with Google AdSense and other affiliate programs. But you’ll have to drive traffic, something you can do by letting friends and family know about your blog and building a following.

Sites like Windows Live Spaces don’t offer the same incentive but they are part of the Microsoft search universe, so the only real benefit is making yourself as ubiquitous as possible.

All in all, you can make money writing but it takes a lot of time, blood, sweat and tears to really begin to see a return on your investment.

-- Owen E. Richason IV

Contact:

owenedward4@aol.com

Getting into writing

So you want to be a writer eh?

If you’ve entertained the idea of being a writer, you probably have a preconception as to what that means: yucking it up on the set of the next hit TV sitcom or sitting in a park banging out pages of romance and mystery or perhaps, writing the next smash Broadway musical. Maybe you’d like to write a biography or the most complete how-to on your favorite hobby.

Whatever the genre, whether fiction or non-fiction, whether the topic be sports, fashion, music, DIY, politics, relationships, comedy, restaurant reviews, travel there is going to one similarity – rejection.

But with rejection comes experience and if you persist, you’ll be light years ahead of those that drop in and out of the game. It also hones your skills, leads you to your voice and allows you the time to get to know the ropes.

Writing for a living isn’t going to be much of a living, especially early on. There are a lot of dues to be paid and lessons to be learned; some are costly (in respect to time and effort) others are necessary so not to repeat.

Having qualified the difficulties; now comes the how:

1) Write what you know

2) Write what you know (yes, it’s a repeat because it’s that important)

3) Learn to write a query letter tailored to your subject material

4) Start with your market and small publications that publish similar material

5) Have something original ready to go with each query

6) If relevant, have photographs to submit

7) Document your queries so not to saturate publishers

8) Once given the chance, FOLLOW THE GUIDELINES and DO NOT MISS DEADLINES

These bullet points are necessary for the fledging writer and some will become less relevant with time. Once you’ve have some notches in your belt, you can reconnect as a known quantity. There’s even a possibility you will become a regular contributor to one or more outlets.

What about the money you may ask? What money? A sarcastic answer, but quite often true. If you’ve read or been told that you might have to forego money in order to get published, you have not been misinformed. It is certainly not always the case, but even paying markets are deluged with queries and the alternative is to seek non-paying markets.

The important thing to keep in mind is there are countless blogs, websites and print publications out there…your material is wanted and is needed, it is up to you to identify them and build a relationship.

–Owen E. Richason IV

Contact:

owenedward4@aol.com

Blogs and profiles:

http://owenerichasonswritingblog.blogspot.com

http://facebook.com/owenerichasonIV

http://balancefordads.blogspot.com

Can you work at home?

Work at home is a phrase as sweet as the siren's song.

We all want to work at home; we all would like to fire our boss and set our own schedule. But how do you generate an income from home?

To make money at home, one must, well, work at home. And with all those work at home scams bouncing around the internet and in your spam box, chances are you don’t believe them because you well know if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

Putting aside the work at home scams and the traditional brick and mortar small business owner avenue, what are you left with, what can you offer others, and can I make a living? Great questions to seriously entertain and answer before you actually march into your boss’s office and quit your day job.

Foremost, determine your skills. Maybe you’re an aspiring writer seeking publication of your first novel or a real green thumb. The point is to decide what you can offer others and then act to establish your credibility.

For instance, I have a friend that had an interest in Rolex watches. When eBay was new, he would see fakes being sold as genuine articles, so he would warn the buyer. After a few very grateful thank-yous, it occurred he could write an ebook and sell it to would-be Rolex buyers. Sure enough, his twenty-eight page guide sold well enough that he had to expand it. Eventually, it became a book known as the world famous Rolex Report.

Once you’ve identified your talents, the next thing to do is begin to market yourself and start making in-roads in that field. But you don’t want to be too small a fish in too big a pond, so you’ll need to carve out a niche with an appropriate twist.

If you’re going the writing route, start with your own blog. Blogging won’t necessarily pay for your next vacation, but it will put some extra dollars in your pocket.

Publish your own blog and work on marketing it to your target audience. Once you have followers, monetize your blog with Google Adsense. But in order to make an income, you’ll have to be disciplined, set your own schedule may sound great, but it’s a must to keep you not only earning money, but relevant.

If you’re not the writer type, then set your sights on what your talents and skill sets are and go from there. An acquaintance of mine from years ago used to cook dozens of empanadas at home and bring them to her place of work. Coworkers tired of the same-old would buy them for a nominal price. After a few months, she began catering and eventually, quit her nine-to-five to cater full time.

The examples might be a bit different, but the outcomes were similar. The other similarity they share was patience and work ethic. Combine confidence with persistence a twist of originality and you too can work at home.

-- Owen E. Richason IV

owenedward4@aol.com

Excerpt from ms of 28,156 words, 214 pages

I arrived at the SPCA to complete my first week. Everything was as usual for the past four days, kennel staff congregated outside the supervisor’s office, waiting for their first assignment of the day.

I was partnered with Josh, charged with cleaning B Kennel. To the “boot room” we adjourned, collecting the necessary supplies and accoutrements to begin our task.

Tramping back to B Kennel, fumbling towels, buckets and what-not in poorly chosen rubber boots too large for my feet, I dumped my equipment and clunked back to the boot room to exchange the industrial waders for a smaller pair.

Coming out of the boot room with a more appropriate size, I looked over to D Kennel to greet some of the rescues.

In the first stall was a short haired brown-and-white Chihuahua everyone called Momma, who had been rescued with a starving litter of four. With her since their arrival was one of her litter, a tiny black-and-white twelve week-old puppy, Baby -- the only survivor among his three siblings.

She was especially sweet, greeting anyone who walked by with a wagging tail and a proud introduction of her puppy, always mimicking her stance, situated right against her chest with his nose twitching away.

Through the day, every single employee and volunteer would take time to visit them, praising Momma and fawning over Baby.

They would play happily together, making whoever watched them smile ear to ear. During nap time, Baby curled up under Momma, who popped her head up on guard at any unfamiliar noise, then nuzzle his tiny head before settling back to sleep.

During meals, they shared from the same dish; Momma always making sure that Baby got his fill and would groom him proudly...whatever Momma did, Baby was right there with her.

But today, Baby wasn’t in the kennel with Momma.

I sought out a treatment staffer, asking where Baby was.

“He’s being fostered.” She answered.

Fostered?

It meant Baby wasn’t going to be placed for adoption, as he needed special care; what’s more is that Momma would be placed for adoption, once she was healthy enough.

I looked over at Momma as she nervously paced, whining for her only baby. I approached her and put my fingers through the fencing, trying to lend some comfort, “How you doing Momma?"

Although she accepted my attention, her whimpers continued – she wanted her baby – her sad brown eyes imploring for his return.

With my heart in my throat from pity, I pet her…“I know Momma, you miss your baby – I certainly know how that feels.”