The Writers Guild of America could go on strike as soon as the first of November, according to a recent article in the New York Times. The union, which represents television writers, recently voted to authorize union leaders to strike if their proposals are not taken seriously by studios and networks.
The writers are demanding new terms regarding Internet media writing, as well as a doubling of the current DVD residual payments. So far, the big networks have refused to even entertain the idea of increased compensation to TV writers, but they could be forced into considering these demands if the writers union decides to strike.
Television writers point out that network writing increasingly becomes a global industry, and is used in traditional broadcast formats, as well as in emerging Internet media formats. In other words, professional writers are observing that their work is used in a wider variety of contexts; however their residual rates have largely stayed the same.
In a statement last Friday, Writers Guild spokesperson Patrick Verrone indicated that the union did not wish to strike, but that they were resolved to defend union members interests, and if that included a full walkout, so be it. But if the writers do walk out in November, how would it affect primetime television and what would it mean to most viewers?
A shorter strike would probably be mostly unnoticeable to viewers, with most television shows getting by just fine for a week or two. But if the strike drags on for several months, it is likely that some of the best written shows on television would grind to an immediate halt. Writer-driven shows such as “Lost,” for example, would likely suffer the most.
So-called “reality” shows would fare the best during a strike, as their writers are nonunion. In fact, it seems likely that viewers will see an increase in reality television following any strike by the Writers Guild. For a market already saturated with “reality” shows, this could mean dark days ahead for television viewers. Any extended walkout by the writers would likely produce an increase in both reality television and animated programs, such as The Simpsons or Family Guy.
Game shows are also likely to benefit from any writers strike, and unfortunately, we can also count on seeing a great deal more reruns than we’re currently used to, as writers cease turning out new episodes of hit primetime shows such as “My Name is Earl,” or “Pushing Daisies.”
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Internet has made the task of self-publishing books easier than ever. Today, anyone who has access to computer and Internet can write a book and get it printed professionally by publishers. There are free software programs, like, Book Smart, available in the market, which can be downloaded from Internet and can be accessed by the writers for designing the layout of pages, editing photos, deciding upon the fonts, and background colors. Such software is suitable for writers who do not have any knowledge of designing templates.
Why go for self-publishing books?
There are many advantages of self-publishing books:
- Foremost, you have the sole ownership, and possess all the rights of your book, so you can set your own price of your book, and take all the profits alone.
- You have a complete control over the design of your book, wherein you can settle with your own formats.
- Going to a traditional publisher may take years to get your book launched, and being a self-publisher, you can get it launched in a few months.
- If you are a first time author, then self-publishing of books is the best for you to choose, as traditional publisher might not agree to come into a contract with you.
Steps to begin with self publishing of books
To begin with, you should first think about what you want to write. Moreover, after deciding about that, research about the topic, and begin the writing. After you are done with the writing part, then comes an editing procedure, wherein you need to have excellent skills to edit, and make the book perfect without any errors. For this, you can also hire someone to edit your manuscript.
The second step for self-publishing books involves finding a print on demand (POD) publisher. These POD publishers may take a fee for publishing your book, which may be approximately $700-$5000. The POD publishers are responsible for selling and distributing your book. So, choose a publisher that is under your budget and fulfills all your requirements.
Once you get into contract with POD publisher, you have to format, create a book cover, and upload your manuscript. Again, for creating a book cover, you can hire someone and let him or her come up with a professional look. Once your price of book is set, you need to order a copy of book and review it or offer the book-to-book club for review, and make sure that the book is error free, before it is released for sale in the market.
Now, the book is ready for distribution and it will take some time for your book to be approved by your distributor. With Amazon.com or Barnes & Nobles.com, it will take two-six weeks to pick up your book. At last, marketing of your book: you should get the word out about your new book on the market. Your whole profits are dependent on your marketing strategies. The more you advertise, the more you will earn.
Self-publishing a book is challenging especially for a first time writer, but is definitely a rewarding experience. So why not try it for your next writing project?
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Article writing may be a tedious job anyone could do. It requires concentration and a lot of practice in order to create one good article. But it’s also rewarding if you can come up with a good article and build a reputation in making one. The internet has opened a lot of opportunities for writers who don’t have the Stephen King status. Almost every website needs a writer to share ideas and write in their blogs. If you’re considering this type of career, whether part time or full time, here are some things that you could do.
Practice Makes Perfect
Ask any writer on how do they hone their skills in writing and their answer would be in the line like this, “if you want to be a writer, you have to write…a lot.” It’s almost impossible for anyone to know how to write without writing hundreds of thousands or even millions of words. Before you present yourself as an online article writer, you might want to try writing some things online. Create a blog and write the things that you like to talk about. That will be your practice site for your articles. Your friends could comment on the things that you wrote. If the blog looks good enough, you could use the blog as a reference for editors.
Read Like Crazy
To be able to write about something, it’s always important to stack your brains with information. If you’re considering online writing, you should be updated with the latest, not only in internet technologies but current news as well. You should require yourself reading books – whether trade or novel to give you the feeling on how do they present things. With updated information on things, you could write almost anything.
Publish Online
Now that you’ve read and wrote a lot, it’s time to tell the world what you know and what you can do with your pen (or keyboard). There are lots of article submission websites you can join. In these websites, submit at least one or two articles a week. If you’re serious about getting some nod in the internet, write everyday. The topics could be about anything but zoom in to a specific topic since you’re now writing about something and not just about any blog that you can rant. If any client would ask a sample of your work, you can refer them to these websites.
Join Forums
Look for forums dedicated for online article writers. Join as many groups as you can. In these forums, you can look for a job; ask some questions or even post answers and tips to other writers. Even though there are forums that don’t have a considerable amount of members, it still worth joining.
Never Forget to Share
Once clients start flowing in, do not forget to share. In various forums, you might find other article writers who can show great potential in writing. You can refer them to those that need more writers or assign them work and get a little commission for finding the client yourself.
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