Don't Make Friends

My latest article, Don't Make Friends in a Combat Unit, in Vietnam Magazine, is now in print. It was supposed to be in the December issue. Perhaps it was moved up.

My latest article, "What Do you Do with a Shoebox Full of Letters?" is now on the newstands in "Your Genealogy Today," formerly known as "Family Chronicle." It's the Jan/Feb 2016 issue. In it I explain how to effectively use correspondence. Too often, people don't know how to mine old letters for gold.

The East County Historical Society is having an exhibition of World War II "Home Front" materials. They have borrowed some 50-60 of my WWII historical items for the display. Hours are limited - third Saturday of each month, from 12:00 to 4:00 pm. Admission is free, although contributions are gratefully accepted.

Sometimes editors say yes, sometimes they say no, and sometimes…

Dear Freelance Writers:

There are four kinds of responses that writers receive from magazine editors in response to a query:

1) Yes, please, send the article. This doesn’t happen every time we send a query, but often enough to keep us writing. I hope this happens to you a lot.

2)Nice turn-downs. I received a great turn-down letter from an editor at a history magazine a few days ago. He suggested some areas where I could improve my writing, commented that it could probably be sold as is, but primarily pointed out why my article wasn’t appropriate for his magazine. I hope that I am as thoughtful when I'm editor of a magazine. Somehow, his turn-down made my day. It was completely professional in every way.

3) We get ignored. This is perhaps the most common response to a query. It happens to me from time to time.

4) Mean turn-downs. This has never happened to me, but I’ve heard that some editors can be particularly cruel.

And that’s it. All replies from editors fall into one of these four categories.

Well, not exactly. I’ve learned that there is a fourth category: The bizarre.

Last week I sent a query to a magazine that I’d stumbled over. I reread my query, and it seems to be a clear, professional query letter, quite appropriate in the circumstance. I referenced several magazines that I’d written for in the same genre, and I proposed two specific articles that I would like to write for this magazine.

The editor apparently felt challenged that I would list magazines that I’d written for. He decided that he needed to show me up. I’ll hide all details about his identity and the magazine where he works, but this was his response:

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Hi Bill,

Thanks for the contact and you do have nice credentials. If I may - I was feature editor for xxxx magazine in the 19xx's when I was racing; was a sportscaster on the weekly TV show xxxxx; had a monthly column in xxxxxx News; had a monthly column in xxxx magazine; editor for xxxxx magazine, did a one year series for xxxxx magazine then another for xxxxx magazine when I was living aboard my boat in the islands; did feature articles for xxxx; am currently a features editor for xxxxxx; have xx books in print and selling well; am a monthly feature on xxxx radio and............I forget the rest.

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And he needed to share his credentials with me because why? Of course he didn't. He's the editor.

He finished by telling me that he’d consider my articles, but that he only takes articles that are given to him for free. His magazine never, ever, pays for anything.

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A special thanks to all the fine editors who take a few moments to politely help us improve our writing craft.

Best Regards,

Bill

World War II Home Front Exhibit

The East County Historical Organization, a non-profit created to commemorate local history, has identified more than 30 items from my collection of World War II "Home Front" materials for inclusion in an exhibition beginning June 20 and running about six months. Items will include materials about WWII rationing, anti-Hitler and anti-Mussolini materials, Portland shipbuilding operations, civilian aircraft spotter training, the internment of Japanese-Americans, war bonds, Armed Servicemen book editions, and other materials. The exhibit will continue for about six months at the Heslin House, located on Main St. in Fairview. Much of this material either has been the source for a WWII history article that I have written, or will be the source of such an article in the future.

Willamette Writers Association: Spotlight on Bill Leslie

I was recently spotlighted in the Willamette Writers Association newsletter. I've been a member since 2007. With more than 1,600 members, Willamette Writers is the largest U.S. writer's association west of the Mississippi. It has branches in Portland, Eugene, Medford, Newport, Salem, Corvallis, and Central Point.

A Word to Freelance Writers: It Pays (Literally) to be Persistent.

More than two and a half years ago I emailed the editor of a newspaper that I wanted to write for. I received no response. About six months later, I emailed him again. No response. I asked a friend who knew the editor to drop my name, which she did. No response. Months later, I emailed the editor's assistant and she confirmed that he had received my query letters and that my name had been mentioned. Still no response. A couple of weeks ago, I reached out to the editor again, and this time I received an assignment for five articles.

It would have been easy to give up. More than two and a half years had passed since my first inquiry, but I just kept going back again, trying every angle that I could think of to get my name in front of him.

You can do the same. Be polite, and persistent, and use all the avenues you can think of to connect.

It won't always pay off, but it did for me.