Archive for the ‘Werk’ Category
Saturday, March 11th, 2006
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It went like this:
The recruiter called at about 4. The phone interview was at 5. I asked about deadlines and location and the hiring manager said he’d get back to me. The offer came a few minutes later with the answer that yes, I could work from home part of the time. The usual negotiations took place. Then the recruiter said things like, “Congratutions! You start on Monday!” I told them that it was premature, because after all, the offer came at 5 and now, it was 6:30 and some thinking needed to be done. I needed to sleep on it.
But this morning i said yes, let’s do it.
Computing division, computing section
I’m going to work at Sony’s digital media division in Salzbug starting next week. It’s short project and the hiring manager/project lead sounds like a decent guy. Deadline looming, digital media, new technology, hey ho, let’s go.
It means a delay in our return to the US, which is totally unplanned. Tickets must be changed, vacation days rescheduled. But I am always up for an adventure and when one hurls itself out of nowhere at you, it seems best not to duck. Splat. Oops.
With the Aigen Ukulele Players Club in swing, school, and now, a job, I seem suspiciously residential. I feel like a trick is being played on me. But I am not fooled, oh ho no. Austria, you are trying but I’m still going back to Seattle in the spring. Just late spring rather than early. Me and the von Trapps, escaping over the mountains from the evils of… what, exactly? Contract jobs that allow telecommting? Ukulele playing neighbors and their generous, liberal parents? Wacky classmates from Kosovo and Acapulco? What? Huh?
Stupid Austria. Quit smirking, you know who you are.
Posted in Werk | 4 Comments »
Monday, February 13th, 2006
It’s my blog and I’ll whine if I want to.
It’s no secret that travel writing is my dream job. I’ve gone from joining a “travel writer’s network” - a club, really where my fees went into the pocket of the guy that arranged the press trips - to publishing a tiny handful of pieces to some lesser known publications. This is progress and as I move ahead, I’ve been eyeing some bigger fish. All good.
Related to my aspirations, I’ve been following the posts at BlogHer by the travel editors with special interest. Twice now, they’ve posted “travel network” sites. The first was Boots n All, the latest is TangoDiva. Both have forums, the Diva forum looks newish, the one at Boots n All is mighty lively. Both networks give you the “opportunity” to write for them. Boots n All is quite clear that they don’t pay and gives their reasons up front; TangoDiva doesn’t mention compensation at all. They have strict guidelines about submissions, but their payback is that they’ll give you credentials - after they’ve accepted five of your stories. (Credentials, I am learning, are not as critical as tenacity and bravado.)
I recently sent a story to WorldHum. (World Hum is more a magazine than a network and doesn’t have a forum.) I’d bookmarked the contributors guidelines and wasn’t paying attention when I hit ‘Send’. Rereading them, I discovered that oops, they also don’t pay. World Hum looks to be a decent launching pad for some good new writing, as does Boots n All. I can’t tell with TangoDiva. The women behind it seem really cool, but I’m not (yet) convinced that it’s not a vanity site. (Before you pounce on me, I’m TOTALLY a vanity site, but I’m not pretending to be something else. And the jury is still out, okay? Let the 12 Angry Nerds decide, first.)
I am not totally against giving work away. I give stuff to Travelblogs now and then because it’s run by my ex-neighbor - I’m happy to help out a friend. I do like the idea of being published on World Hum, which has been reviewed as “the new Lonely Planet ” - being in World Hum would totally flatter the old backpack traveler in me. A friend of mine recently submitted a piece to a Lonely Planet anthology - also unpaid - and I think it would be a-okay to be in an “old” Lonely Planet publication, too. (He should get in, it’s a great piece of writing.)
But.
If I truly believe that you get what you pay for, then what am I saying about my own work by giving it away? These things aren’t charity causes, it’s not like a piece of writing is going to an auction where all the money goes to fight hunger or AIDS or any other planetary scourge. Also, ponder this business model for other occupations. “You get exposure to any number of potential patients when you perform surgery in our hospital.” Okay, that is totally ridiculous, right? How about, “You’ll have the opportunity to park your plumbing truck in a soon to be gentrified community.” Um, no. It doesn’t even work with my bread and butter writing work. “Your documentation will be read by thousands of frustrated users as they try to perform simple software tasks!” (Heh. That’s funny to me.)
Blogging has busted writing right open. It’s not that anyone can write, it’s that anyone can be published. Words about “me and my adventures” have flooded the market in such quantity that they’re totally devalued. No wonder sites that need content are cashing in on this. The streets are paved with content!
I recently read somewhere - damn, I wish I could remember where - about a writer who’s suspended his blog because he’s now making his living, get this, WRITING.
Posted in Werk | 2 Comments »
Friday, January 20th, 2006
All those years of squeezing everything on to the back of a postcard are finally starting to pay off. I sold my second tiny piece to a travel newsletter out of Ireland. I’ll start the next one in a few weeks. I’m very pleased - not just for the sale, but because this one was about sledding in Switzerland, one of my favorite travel adventures, ever.
I’m enjoying writing for this publication because the required word count is really low: 400 words. I can’t ramble on and on. Every single word has to have value. I’ve been offered a little more breathing room for my next piece, but in spite of the fact that it pays more, I’m going to try to stay the 400 word window. Writing these little vignettes is a brain bending exercise. I can’t say “really” in front of my adjectives. I can’t divert from the essentials. I can’t toss in some “meanwhile, back at the ranch” anecdote. Focus, focus, focus. Oh, and I can’t repeat myself. It’s really improving my writing. Really. Meanwhile…
Conde Nast and Travel and Leisure have lots of sidebars and blurbs… after writing a handful of compact stories, I’ll have excellent clips for going after the small pickings from the big game.
Posted in Werk | 3 Comments »
Monday, December 19th, 2005
The teaser for my feature spread about snowshoeing in Austria is up here. To get the whole thing, you gotta get a print edition of the magazine. And if you come across one, pick up two and send one my way! I haven’t seen the finished copy yet.
Also, there’s another Mrs. Gizmo article here. FYI, the headset really did work exactly as I say it did. I was amazed at how easy it was to set up and use. Do us all a favor. If you’re gonna talk on the phone and drive, get one of these, okay?
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Monday, November 28th, 2005
The next Mrs. Gizmo article is here.
Posted in Werk | 2 Comments »
Tuesday, November 22nd, 2005
My review of wool based performance clothing is live at Snowshoe Magazine. Also the magazine site has had an extensive redesign - if you like what you see or have suggestions on how to make it better, let them know.
The site is covered with ’subscribe to our print edition’ buttons. I wrote the feature spread for the first issue and Julius took the cover photo, so get yourself a subscription, eh?
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