Media Bistro

Off the Record: Why did it take so long for me to discover Media Bistro?

This site is an invaluable resource for writers. They offer how-to articles, info about mastheads, a place where writers can post their credits or CV, and a plethora (I Love that word) of other information. They also offer classes in cities throughout the U.S.

Last night, I went to a class offered by MB in Boston. It was inspiring, informative and a great opportunity to meet other writers. I suppose some folks would feel competitive, but that's just not me. There's room for all the kids in the coffee shop, and we'll do much better if we share the cream and sugar instead of hoarding it. Bravo to the folks at the bistro who invited us in for a "cuppa joe"!

To Your Health!

Off the Record: What do we really know about nutrition?
I'm researching Nutrient Dense Crop production today for an article in an agricultural trade magazine. While searching the USDA website, I stumbled upon this fascinating article.


Here's an excerpt:

"Contrary to what previous research had suggested, the rate at which calcium was removed from bones of the volunteers--for other uses by their bodies--was the same for omnivore women as for the vegan women."


To your health!

Shout out to HARO

Off the record: A friend introduced me to Peter Shankman's website a few months ago, and I will be eternally grateful! HARO (aka. Help A Reporter Out) is the go-to site for journalists in need of sources. On those rare occasions when I have received an assignment with no leads, or when an editor has accepted a pitch but changed it significantly enough that the contacts I was going to use no longer work, I have turned to HARO.

If you're a reporter in need of sources, a PR agent scouting media placement opportunities for your clients, or an expert in any field, then it would behoove you to check out HARO and it's sister site www.shankman.com

Thanks, Peter, Mike, Laura, Meagan, and Thom!

Live Passionately!

"In order to be ALIVE you need to live passionately. You need to feel things deeply or you become like the simple donut, with a big hole in the middle."

Off the record: these words of wisdom are courtesy of my Aunt Lil, a former art teacher, who still paints and remains active, despite living with a painful and debilitating disease

The Book(s)

Wow, has it really been almost a month since my last post???

Off the record: Vacation Time is GRRRRRREAT! What did I do, aside from spend time with my beautiful child?

I reflected, I read novels and magazines, and I considered my future. And, oh yeah, I wrote FOR MYSELF. As enjoyable as journalism is, there is nothing like the feeling of just letting words flow without worrying about who's going to read them, what they may think, and whether or not the writing is actually good. Playing with words is one of the joys of my life.

I also resumed thinking about the book project I started earlier this year, when I traveled to Nicaragua to interview people with disabilities. Just as I was feeling discouraged about the possibility of actually getting the thing published (or being PAID to write it), I stumbled upon a super-helpful post about getting published at Editorial Ass. It's amazing how just reading the info therein got my creative juices flowing, reminded me of how much I have to offer and made me see that I actually do have a chance at getting a book published!

As Moon Rat (the Editorial Ass blogger) says, "Published authors are just the writers who had the most perseverance."

p.s. Two novels I read and LOVED this summer:
"The Sound of Waves," by Yukio Mishima
"The Westing Game," by Ellen Raskin (recommended by my daughter)