The Renegade Writer Blog

Since the top dogs on this site are on vacation (lucky ducks), I figured I might as well write an update and maybe sneak in a renegade tip that’s worked for me.

Makeover topic #1: Books. I’m doing okay on this front, though going back to some of those ‘dream markets’ has resulted in curt one-line rejections. But I take it all in stride. I turned in my first review to a new-to-me market last week. The editor loved it and assigned me another. I’m also juggling my schedule since the advance on my book, which is a travel guide, has come in and I should probably, um, write the thing. I do a lot of writing about New Jersey, and this book slots into that field, so I’m happy to be working on this project that, while not about books, is important to me (and my income).
Makeover topic #2: House & Home. Per the financial guru’s advice, and your wonderful tips, I took a look at my finances and saw where I could trim or add. Now I think twice and sometimes three times before I buy something (I really wanted you, funny t-shirt, but I don’t need you). I cut back on trips to fun stores that make me spend more than I need to (Target, Trader Joe’s, even CVS — their beauty isles swallow me), and I unsubscribed from shopping-related email newsletters (I heart you Gap, but I don’t need reminders that you exist). One thing I’ve done that has really cut back on my grocery bill is to buy a gallon instead of a half gallon of milk. It sounds silly, but I realized that the reason I usually go food shopping is because I’m out of milk. And if I’m already at Wegman’s for milk, I might as well pick up…well, you get the picture. Now that I’m not always running out for milk, I’m using the stuff in my fridge and cabinets, which as lead to some interesting and fun meals. I also remembered that, every fall, my wonderful mother makes batches and batches of apple sauce. She doesn’t add a thing to the pot except for apples, and she’ll freeze everything to last the whole year. Hello, free fruit! I took a few containers this weekend — with her permission, of course.

The financial guru also hinted that I might want to pick up a part time job — it was one of the few pieces of advice that I didn’t take. I already work enough, and a lot of book reading I do for reviewing is done after ‘normal work hours.’ What did, though, is go back to a well that has served me well. I’ve written marketing materials for a local company since I graduated college. Their needs aren’t pressing, but they always tell me “if you have time, we’ll put you to good use.” I’m now carving out three hours a week for them. Every penny made from that work goes directly into my house fund, adding a few hundred dollars beyond what the financial guru advised me to add each month. Yahtzee.

And as for my renegade tip: We all know that magazines work far in advance, and that pitching a May story now might not be in your best interest. But I’ve found that sometimes these pitches find homes either because something fell through, or the magazine assigns that section late (which is true for books because review copies come out early, but not that early). Twice, I figured “what the heck, I’ll give it a shot,” and twice it worked. You can see one resulting story here. The other — well, I can’t say what that is yet per my contract, but I’ll let you know when it comes out this spring.

I hope everyone’s staying warm and that Valentine’s Day treats you right. I’ll be on my couch watching the first season of Extras on DVD with my dog, Emily, and a Mad Elf.

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