Outdoors Unlimited® Online | The award-winning publication of the Outdoor Writers Association of America

By Pat Wray

Want to improve your craft? Start by improving your communication, specifically your e-mail communication.

As in, answer your e-mails. Now. Not next week or next month.

Oh, I know. You get 20, 50, 80 or more each and every day. Many e-mails are junk. You are so busy. Dealing with e-mails is not a good use of your time. Yada … yada … yada. Oh, woe is you.

News flash! You are not alone. Everyone has the same problem. But many people deal with their e-mails far more effectively than you do, and as a result, they miss far fewer important messages and alienate far fewer people. Because they are responsive, theirs are the first names considered when new opportunities arise.

How do they do it? Why are they not overwhelmed like you? Here’s why:

1. They unsubscribe. They eliminate junk. Upon receiving an unwanted e-mail the first time, they take the time to respond and opt out of future communications. They do this with businesses and with friends from college who have devolved into serial forwarders of bad jokes and political attacks. They deal with unwanted e-mails one time rather than four times a week for the rest of their lives.
2. They use their e-mail program’s filtering system. It is far better to review and delete your junk mail on a weekly basis than to fiddle with it daily.
3. They organize the remainder. We have all lost important communications in the labyrinth of an overgrown inbox. This is why God gave us folders. Use them.

But you still have a pile of e-mails needing responses and there’s still not enough time. So, deal with the ones requiring immediate action and put the others in a to-do-soon folder. Get them out of your inbox, but never put an e-mail in that folder until you have responded, in some fashion, to the sender. Let them know their e-mail did not disappear into the lost galaxy of the Internet.

Your response may be as simple as “Got it—get back to you soon,” or something a little more substantial. This will take almost no time, you can even copy and paste it if you want, but it will accomplish two things. First, it lets the senders know you value their time and effort. Second, it eliminates their tendency to send their message a second or third time.

And don’t forget to deal with the contents of the to-do-soon folder soon.

One final note: E-mail is wonderfully quick but speed is not, or should not be, the same as abrupt. Remember your e-mail conveys a message beyond the words. Take care to ensure the hidden message of your e-mail conveys the respect you intend. A simple salutation goes a long way.

Make sure the time you save with e-mail is not purchased with injured feelings, a poor trade indeed. ◊

Pat Wray, of Corvallis, Ore., is a freelance writer, photographer, book author and regular contributor to Game & Fish Magazines. Contact him at patwray@comcast.net.

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By Kris Millgate

I started Tight Line Media because I wanted the freedom to produce content for any media outlet. I wanted to own my work rather than have it belong to a TV station. I finished my last TV contract in 2004, sat out for a year because of a non-compete clause, then made the bold move to freelance in 2006. Now I’m a multimedia journalist producing content for TV, Web, newspapers and magazines.

Switching to self-sufficiency comes with a few hurdles I not so gracefully stumbled over in order to stay in business. That’s where my staff by proxy comes in. The following components are listed by importance according to how they influence the operation of Tight Line Media.

Advisory Board

I noticed the loss of the newsroom right away when I started freelancing. I spent a decade working as the lead, live reporter in crazy newsrooms full of loud scanners and loud mouths. Ideas and opinions swirled around the room daily as the flow of communication carried on in healthy, and sometimes unhealthy, ways. Now I’m alone in my studio when I return from a shoot. I’ve adjusted to the void and even enjoy the lack of distractions, but I continually seek out feedback from viewers, readers, family and friends. It’s important to keep yourself plugged in to what’s going on around you. The best journalists don’t live in a bubble floating above everyone else.

Business Plan

I wrote my first business plan when I started Tight Line Media in 2006. It is nothing fancy, but it works for me. I refer to it on a regular basis and I update it annually. I’ve never used it as a supporting document in a loan request because I’ve never taken out a business loan, but I know it holds validation in that capacity if I need it. It contains marketing and operation information, finances, an equipment list and goals for a few years out. There’s nothing more satisfying than setting a revenue goal, meeting it two years early and not even knowing it until reviewing your business plan at the end of the year. Now that’s working with your nose to the ground rather than in your books.

Tech Team

The Web world overwhelms me. I rely heavily on brains built differently than mine when it comes to the Internet. An intern earned his degree building my original Web site. It worked for four years before it really started limiting growth and looking outdated. My new Web site, www.tightlinemedia.com, launched in January. I hired a firm to build it and I pestered them like the control freak that I am until it was just right. It cost me an arm, a leg and top search engine rankings to move to the new site, but a new client came on board a week after the site launched and that one piece of new business covers the cost of the Web site upgrade.  The search engine ranks and visitors will come in time as Web users re-find me.

Tax Man

I hold myself to high journalistic standards. My ethics and codes of conduct do not bend. I don’t want my accountant’s to bend either so I found an accountant who runs his business like I do. We play above the board with no sneaking around. I do write off haircuts because on-air hair requires more than usual upkeep, but I don’t write off dog food.
I only see my accountant face-to-face once a year, but I can call him any time I have a tax question or business decision that requires his input so I understand what benefits me most in the way of taxes.
And after fours year of paying him, he just may pay me this year. He uses a bald eagle as his business symbol. He called me looking for bald eagle photos and of course I have some ready for him when I drop off my tax papers.

Legal Counsel

I’ve seen my business attorney twice since I started Tight Line Media. Once to set up all of my legal contracts and another time to put my business affairs in order for my will. Frankly, that’s all I can afford. I have to work three hours to pay him for one.

I shouldn’t need to see him again any time soon, but he’s there if I ever need legal advice or if a client has a contract they want me to sign and the wording is over my head.
I keep three legal documents from my attorney on hand:

1. An Independent Contractor Agreement: Firing power if anyone defaults on deals including payment.
2. Talent Release: Good for talent used in non news production work.
3. Location Release: Good for space used in non news production work.

Insurance Agent

I’ve seen this guy once since I started freelancing and it was just a few months ago. When you’re standing waist deep in a rushing river with a brand new HD video camera on your shoulder, you start to worry more about the camera than the shot. The day after a winter fishing video shoot I called my insurance agent for business equipment insurance. It was crazy to go without it for as long as I did.
I don’t exactly shoot family portraits out of my house so the agent had a tough time finding a policy for anyone of my kind. Guess that’s the ultimate niche validation. It took a few weeks for him to find a carrier and for me to make $1,000 to pay for the policy. Now I can stand against the current, camera in hand and throw caution to the water. Well, I could, but I won’t.

Kris’s bio…

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By Kris Millgate

Freelancers carry 100 percent of the risk and 100 percent of the reward. The reality of success or failure falls squarely on a freelancer’s shoulders. For me that means shoulders already weighed down by several sets of gear.

I’m a freelance multimedia outdoor journalist. It’s a mouthful and an armload. I take the content from one assignment and turn it into multiple options for TV, Web, newspapers and magazines. It’s a brain buzzer in all aspects and a wallet whopper in the gear department. On an average shooting day, I’m carrying a minimum of $10,000 in equipment—all at my own expense.

I need the right equipment to accomplish so much at the same time. And that’s where financial matters really impact my freelance career. I admit I’ll make something last as long as I can. I take great care of my equipment so it lasts longer than expected. But at some point, holding out on needed upgrades actually ends up costing rather than saving. Recognize when it’s time to invest in new hardware or software before it costs you an opportunity.

Opportunity Lost

I bought a standard definition (SD) video camera when I started my production company, Tight Line Media, in 2006. I knew high definition (HD) was sneaking in, but the price choked me and at that time, most of my clients couldn’t handle HD. I shot an award-winning grizzly bear series on that SD camera. In the summer of 2008, a producer for National Geographic approached me about buying that series. He wanted my footage, but he had to have it in HD and there I stood all starry-eyed with SD.

I have no idea how much I lost in that deal, but I know it was a lot. I couldn’t even carry my SD camera after that. It quickly became my back-up gear and it’s great for home videos. Now I shoot with an HD camera that captures footage with an image quality National Geographic would accept. Most of my clients still don’t care, but if that big ship comes into my port again, I have HD and man, it shoots pretty pictures. I picked up new work and paid off the camera in two months.

Spend to Save

I’m sentimental about film. At least I was until I stopped developing it. The cost and time associated with having all of my photographs developed was killing my productivity on the print side of my business. I have a nice film camera in perfect working order and I even have some film canisters still rolling around. But the money I save by not buying and developing film easily covers the cost of my new digital still camera. Besides, the dealer was so excited to have someone buying a camera and lens during depressed times that he threw in a great backpack for free. This camera was paid for in full when I left the store.

Render Me Weary

A computer techie offered me great advice when I asked him, “How do I know when to upgrade?” He said, “How much time do you spend staring at the spinning beach ball?” That’s the “please hold” symbol on a Mac.

My laptop was my only computer for four years, but as I grew up, it grew old. It dragged along painfully when rendering video, but I still held out.  I bought new video gear in 2009 and buying a new computer in the same poor economic year seemed too risky.

Risk went to the wayside when long render times left me staring at that spinning beach ball while pushing deadline in the middle of the night. I bought a new computer in December and paid it off one month later. Now my laptop is my travel computer, and I have a desktop with so much screen space that I have to take a step back from the screen when editing. After watching it fly like the wind when rendering video, I don’t know how I put up with the old creeper for as long as I did.

In conclusion, there is a balance between saving money and using antiquated equipment and software. Recognize when it’s time to invest before it costs you an opportunity. ◊

Kris Millgate is a freelance multimedia journalist based in southeast Idaho. Contact her at kris@tightlinemedia.com.

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By Tom Huggler

If, indeed, time is money, no wonder many outdoor writers are hovering near the poverty line. We waste time – lots of time – because either we don’t see our profession as a serious livelihood or don’t approach it for the business it is.

All too often, we fail to focus on the task at hand. We procrastinate. We get caught up in a myriad of distractions. We don’t discipline ourselves. For one reason or another, we have allowed these and other behavioral traits to dictate our shabby work methods.

We can do better, and we can start by managing our time more efficiently. Here’s how:

Prepare a Positive Working Environment

Do you jump from bed each day eager to get writing again? If not, why not? If you’re not excited about your work, why should anyone else care?

A clean, well-lighted place with proper ventilation can set the tone for producing good work. Although no one but you may ever see your work space, it’s still important to keep it organized. If you don’t think neatness matters, try cleaning and shaping up your office one time, top to bottom, and see if you don’t feel better about it and the work you do there. Here are some common sense tips for organization:

• Catalog all books and reference materials according to subject.
• File all paper into categories that make sense to you: correspondence, contracts, queries, story leads, accounts payable/receivable, expenses, etc.
• Do the same with your computer files: e-mails, digital images, stories sold, stories pending, travel notes, etc.

Take it from there. Then, at the end of each work period, put everything away in its proper place. Everything includes notes, pens, paper clips and photos. This habit will assure a fresh start each time you go to work.

Organizing thoughts and writing coherently is a challenge for all writers. You will make the task easier and save time by lining up reference materials for your story and providing a clean, neat place to work.

Choose a Place and Time for Work

Where you choose to work is far less important than having a free, uncluttered place to work. A spare bedroom, an attic, basement workshop, walk-in closet, remodeled chicken coop or granary or a spot above the garage rafters are just as good as the local library or office rental space.

Where are you most comfortable?

Some writers want to look outside a window for inspiration. Others look to interior landscapes and prefer a blank wall in front of them.

Regardless, the important thing to remember is to have a door to close. A door not only provides privacy, it lets you end your work period. Walking away or driving away from your “office” when work is over provides closure.

Use your designated work space for…work! Don’t play games on the computer, listen to the ball game, or make social chatter on the phone or Internet.

Discover the most creative hours of your waking day. Set aside that time for work, and be rigidly disciplined about it. Your body’s natural rhythms will dictate the best time, although occasionally we can reprogram the circadian clock.

Example: For many years, an outdoor writer and his wife ran a campground for their day job. They programmed their schedule this way: from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m., the writer slept while his wife oversaw the campground. From 3  p.m. to 10  p.m. the writer handled campground management while his wife tended to other duties or had personal time. This was also time for them to be together as much as daily circumstances allowed. Quiet time at the campground began at 10 p.m. That’s when the writer began writing and his wife went to bed. On productive nights he worked until 7 a.m. the next day.

Whatever work time you choose, schedule breaks every hour or two. Do some stretches, get a cup of coffee, or return that important phone call. If writing more than one piece daily, provide transition time between projects. Take a walk or a nap. Take yourself to lunch. Get in some training time with your bird dog.

In summary, time management for any profession is little more than developing good work habits and sticking to them. Most of us use time for gain or loss and never give the minutes and hours any consideration beyond fleeting thought. Clearly, though, the following are missed opportunities:

Time Wasters

• Don’t answer the telephone during working hours unless you need to do an interview or fact check something. Caller ID lets you screen calls. Do not stay online while writing unless you must simultaneously research the Internet. Mute and either minimize or eliminate the “You have mail” icon. Being creative types, most writers can’t multitask while working. Most of us are too easily distracted by NPR or CNN or the cell phone going off. Reduce or eliminate all incoming distractions.
• By all means, follow the little rituals that get your juices flowing, such as doodling (if you write long-hand), stretching exercises, or drinking a cup of coffee. Then get to work. If nothing comes to mind after 10 minutes, stop staring at the blinking cursor. Read your mail or scan the daily headlines. Try some mental gymnastics like working a crossword puzzle for a few minutes. If you still can’t break through the momentary writer’s block, leave the office and come back later.

The following suggestions will help you regain some of the time you may be losing, even if you’re unaware of the loss:

Time Savers

• Know what you’re going to write before you turn on the word processor. Practice your lead and try to perfect the first sentence while walking the dog or showering or doing your daily exercises. If you literally need a digital warm up, write a letter to someone or answer your e-mail.
• To help develop your story idea, lay out images first. This practice will also save time later when writing cutlines.
• Apply the RFT formula to all paper that crosses your desk: respond, file or toss. Ditto for e-mail. Except in the rarest of circumstances, never handle paper or wrestle with e-mail twice.
• If you mail tear sheets as a courtesy, prepare stamped envelopes at the time of research when the person’s address is right in front of you. File the envelopes with your story notes. When the piece appears in print, all you need do is photocopy it, seal it in the envelope and mail it.

In conclusion, be highly protective of the time you have allotted to your work. Fellow professionals (including editors), friends and family members will soon learn when you are available and when you are not. Deviate only in event of fire or other life-threatening emergency. If you respect your time, others will, too.

It’s about time. It’s about you and your freelance business. ◊

A fulltime freelancer since 1982, Tom Huggler is a past president of OWAA. He lives in Sunfield, Mich. with his wife, Laura, and their two young children.

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By Mary J. Nickum

Publishing a book has become an increasingly challenging endeavor because there are now more choices. The Internet, Amazon.com and other online book sellers make marketing the book easier for anyone. If you’re considering writing and publishing a book for the first time, the following information is meant as a guide to help you make a decision when choosing a publication method.

Traditional Publishers

These are the publishers that have been around for years and most of us recognize at least some of the names, such as Wiley, Knopf, McGraw-Hill, Simon & Schuster and many University Presses. These publishers have very specific subject interests and will only consider titles that fit within very structured guidelines.

If you decide to submit your book to one of these traditional publishers, you should first contact them via their Web site to obtain their authors’ guidelines. Next, almost invariably (unless you are a celebrity), you must submit a proposal. The book proposal is a detailed description of your idea, table of contents, two or three sample chapters, timeline for completion, your background and qualifications for writing on the particular subject and a marketing plan for selling you book. If your idea is to be considered, the publisher will respond to you, usually within six months. If they are not interested, they may not respond at all. This can be extremely frustrating.

At this point, many authors decide to find an agent to pitch their work to a publisher. An agent will require the same type of proposal and may be at least as hard to snare as a publisher. Agents do have more knowledge about the publishing world and individual publishers than most authors, especially new authors. They help negotiate contracts and work in the author’s favor in exchange for a percentage of the profits from the book.

If the agent wants to see more of your chapters, great! However, this is far from a publisher promising to buy your work or a publishing contract. Much more hard work is ahead, but, at least you have someone’s ear. At this point or even earlier, many authors look elsewhere to publish their work. The electronic age has provided many new alternatives.

Self-Publishing

Self-publishing as a business model is as all-American as it gets, but it carries a stigma in some people’s eyes. If you’re worried about how people will perceive your books, don’t use your family name as the publisher name or consider writing under a pen name. That’s literally the only difference between self-publishing and any other kind of publishing, at least as far as the public can tell. As is true for other self-employment ventures, you have to be honest with yourself about how hard you’re willing to work to start a publishing business and you have to be realistic about the probable outcome.

Small or Independent Publishers

What is the difference between a “small press” and an “independent press?” Many independent presses may also qualify as, but are not always, small presses. As a general rule, independent publishers are non-conglomerate, non-publicly listed publishers. As you can see from this, the demarcation line is blurred. The definition, in itself, is not that important. These publishers are often even more focused as to what subjects they will publish than traditional publishers. Being small, they publish fewer titles and therefore are more selective. These, of course, are generalities. To select a publisher, look at titles of books in the field in which you are writing in bookstores and libraries to see which publishers are active in your field. Most publishers have Web sites where you can find information about what they are looking for and how they require submissions to be presented.

Small or independent publishers may give you more immediate and personal attention than the large, traditional publishers. For some, royalties may even be higher. One reason for higher royalties is most use print-on-demand, publish-on-demand or share printers, all options that keep costs down. Storage and distribution costs are great for traditional publishers but nonexistent for print-on-demand publishers.

eBooks

When publishing your book electronically your costs are incredibly low (relative to hardcopy publishing). You will need to get the software to create the eBook, but, depending on the software package you choose, you can even get that free of charge. Whether you sell or distribute 1,000 copies of your eBook or just one copy, your cost of producing the eBook remains the same fixed cost it took to produce the first copy. Actually, once you’ve purchased your software, you can produce any number of eBooks without incurring any additional cost.

No hassles with publishers accepting your work. You can say what you want, how you want. You can be your own publisher and distributor. It’s another form of self-publishing, but requires less investment and, perhaps, is more “socially” acceptable.

Here’s how:

1. Get the software to create the electronic book.
2. Write your book.
3. Use the software to convert your document to the electronic book format.
4. Make your eBook available from your Web site. Note that even if you wish to sell your eBook, you may want to have a few sample chapters from your eBook available freely to whet the appetites of your prospective customers.
5. Publicize your eBook on social media including blogs.

In summary, book publishers of today are not your dad’s publisher. The Internet and all of the recent electronic capabilities have expanded the possibilities for publishing your book. You should examine all of the available avenues before deciding on the method best suited for getting your work into print. ◊

Mary Nickum, of Fountain Hills, Ariz., has been an OWAA member since 2000. Her recent children’s chapter book, “Mom’s Story, A Child Learns About MS,” is available from amazon.com and barnesandnoble.com as well as her Web site: www.marynickum.com. Contact her at mjnickum@hotmail.com.

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By Jim Foster

Fact – The folks at the Double R Ranch and Outdoor Pleasure Farm don’t have the slightest idea who you are. You made one trip to their ranch working on a story that was published with several photographs, but now they can’t remember who you are. So what’s the problem?

Did you send them a follow-up “thanks a ton, enjoyed the trip” note or e-mail? And more importantly, did you send them a copy of the published article? I’ll bet not.

In building business relationships, a little consideration goes a long way. Often, trips we plan are out of our price range, so some form of quid pro quo must be observed. I know this sends chills up the spines of newspaper people, but it’s true.

I sell articles and photographs to several publications that send me only one tear sheet. I often find myself in a quandary when I need to send out several copies to interested parties. Who will get the one tear sheet I need for my files?

In this electronic era, it is acceptable to send a “thank you” e-mail with a digital tear sheet attached.

So, what is an electronic tear sheet?

This can be accomplished in several ways, but for me it’s a small JPEG of the magazine or newspaper article highlighting the location or product mentioned in the article. It’s quick and easy with the basic working tools necessary for an outdoor communicator’s office: flat bed scanner, computer, and photo software like Adobe Photoshop.

Here’s how it’s done:

1. Scan your article in color and at your scanner’s highest resolution. I scan at about 8- by 12-inches at 300 dpi (standard for printing quality). For magazines, I scan each page individually. For large full-page newspaper articles, I scan them in halves. Make sure the publication name and date are showing along with your byline or photo credit. Save these images to your desktop as TIFFs.
2. In Photoshop (or your photo editing program), open a new file, also at 300 dpi and at least 16- by 24-inches.
3. Now, in your photo editing program, open the first two TIFFs of the scanned files and drag then into the new open, blank file, matching them up so they fit together. Now, using your program’s cropping tool, combine the two halves. For newspaper clips, use a vertical file. Save as a new TIFF.
4. Use your photo software tools to make needed adjustments to the file, such as color correction, sharpening and sizing.
5. You now have a 300 dpi TIFF of your complete article. This file may be sometimes 25-45 megabytes – too large for e-mailing.
6. To reduce file size, open the TIFF you just created and use the “image size” option to reduce it to about 5- by 7-inches at 100 dpi, then save as a JPEG, selecting medium quality. This file will be around 90 to 170 kilobytes and will e-mail quickly.
7. If you must snail mail a tear sheet you can now print out all you want from the 300 dpi TIFF file you just created.

So there you have it: an easy way to send tear sheets while keeping an original for your files. By keeping track of your published writing and sending tear sheets, you will better your reputation in the outdoor writing industry.

It works. ◊

Jim Foster is a full-time writer, photographer and lecturer specializing in writing about and photographing nature, the outdoors, travel and adventure travel. Foster makes his home in Salmon, Idaho. Contact him at jim@jimfosteroutdoors.com.

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By W. H. “Chip” Gross

One of the unsavory secrets of magazine freelancing—or any freelancing for that matter—is that, at times, you’re not paid for your work on schedule. Chasing down those pesky payments can be a hassle, but it’s a skill you must master. Or go hungry. Here is a four-step formula for making that task easier.

Step one: Make a list

When an assigned story or photo of yours goes out the door to an editor, write down the name of the magazine, the title of the story/photo, and when it was sent. That way, you have a ready reference of who owes you money. If the check does not arrive close to when expected, move on to step two. But before you do, make sure you’ve read the magazine’s writers’ guidelines, noting their payment system. Is it upon acceptance? Upon publication? If you have payment questions, ironing out those details with an editor when a story is assigned is easier than after the story has been published.

Step two: Check on the check

If payment is overdue by several weeks, don’t be afraid to ask about it. But be polite and professional, making your inquiry through the editor who assigned you the story. Such an e-mail could sound something like this:

“Hi, Mike: I haven’t received payment yet for my assigned story (Shooting Elephants with Water Pistols), published in the September 2009 issue of Pachyderm Monthly. Would you please check on that and let me know where things stand? Just want to make sure the payment is in the pipeline. Thanks…”

Keep in mind when making your inquiry that most editors don’t pay the bills at their publication. They simply forward a payment order to their accounting office and assume payment will be made. If it’s not, they usually don’t know about it, so don’t take your frustration out on them. A gazillion bad things can happen between the payment order leaving the editor’s desk and the check ultimately being written and mailed.

Again, always be polite and professional, giving the editor every benefit of the doubt. How you handle such a situation could very well determine whether you sell another story to that editor or publication. In fact, handling a late-payment situation well can actually help you build credibility with an editor.

Step three: Keep the pressure on

So what happens if a publication still does not come through with your check? Consistent, weekly e-mails or phone reminders to the editor should be your next step. And no matter how frustrated you may become, do not resort to threats or name calling. Remember, your integrity—as well as theirs—is at stake. Be persistent but not obnoxious.

Step four: Involve OWAA (if necessary)

Finally—and this should be your last resort—if after several months your check has still not arrived, and communication between you and the editor/publication has broken down, it may be time to turn to OWAA for help. There is strength in numbers, and one of the benefits of joining a professional writers’ group such as OWAA is having the organization intervene for you in a sticky situation.

“OWAA headquarters regularly helps members with business disputes, including slow-pay and no-pay markets,” OWAA Executive Director Kevin Rhoades said. “I’ll need records of all correspondence regarding the issue with the publisher, including signed documents, e-mails, all written correspondence, and proof that materials were shipped showing date(s) sent and received, if applicable, i.e. transparencies, manuscripts.”

Rhoades went on to say that, assuming the affected member has not burned his or her bridge with the other party, OWAA will likely be able to help. In fact, OWAA is successful about two-thirds of the time in re-opening doors for payment, or for the member to have his or her property returned.

“Legal action should always be the last resort,” Rhoades said. “Before going down that road, consult with OWAA headquarters. If we believe it’s unlikely we can help resolve the dispute, we’ll put the member in touch with OWAA’s legal counsel so the member can learn more about rights and venues for recourse.”

W. H. “Chip” Gross (www.chipgross.com) is a veteran magazine and book freelancer from Ohio, and also a past OWAA board member.

Want to read more on this subject? Check out Kevin Rhoades’ article, “How to get paid.”

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By Kevin Rhoades

Every so often I receive a phone call from a member asking for help to solve a business dispute. Most common complaints involve publishers who are slow to pay or won’t pay for submitted articles and/or photos. Disputes that typically land on my desk are informal agreements between individuals and publishers, perhaps a phone communication or e-mail exchange, something like this:

“I’ll buy the article and two bear photos, and we’ll publish in the May issue.”

After reviewing all the written communications between the author and the editor, I often discover insufficient reference to payment, rights purchased, a kill fee or how or when the contributor’s property will be returned.

This, of course, is a problem.

For some authors, months go by and the article or photos may or may not be published – or no payment is received. This is when the impasse lands on my desk.

To avoid problems, review and/or familiarize yourself with several key points:

• Your outdoor communications career is a business; treat it as such
• Avoid oral communications and firm-up agreements in writing
• Ask for and keep copies of submission guidelines
• Ask for the publication’s payment policy and include provisions for imbursement
• Specify how you want your property returned
• Keep copies of published work
• Stipulate rights offered and rights desired in the initial communication
• Understand up front whether you’re working on assignment or speculation
• If sending unsolicited work, understand the risks (your transparencies might not be returned!)
• If working on assignment, address in advance the rate of payment, deadline, kill fees and expenses
• Prioritize your best material for publications that pay on acceptance (rather than on publication)
• Keep excellent records

More helpful hints:

(1) If payment is late, demand prompt payment while remaining businesslike and professional.

(2) If your e-mails aren’t being answered, try the telephone. If you are unable to connect with your initial contact, talk to someone else and ask whether the editor remains in the same job, has been promoted to another position or changed employers. Too often I learn that the author has tried to correspond with an editor who left months ago.

(3) Use some sort of mail service that provides evidence that your articles, artwork, disks or transparencies have been received. One example: Try certified mail with return-receipt requested. If you mailed transparencies two years ago with no record of delivery or receipt, there’s little anyone can do to prove the publisher received your property.

(4) Don’t burn your bridges, and remain professional. If your communications have been hostile, it’s more difficult to help yourself and for OWAA to help you.

(5) Meanwhile, and according to existing policies, OWAA will be happy to use its fine name as leverage to help retrieve your property or get you paid. Two-thirds of the time we’re successful in helping members with the rightful return of their property or we’re able to initiate payment.

(6) Legal action is the last resort. Before going down that road, consult with OWAA headquarters. If we believe it’s unlikely headquarters can help resolve your business dispute, we’ll put you in touch with OWAA’s attorney so you can learn more about your rights and venues for recourse.

I’m optimistic that you will routinely avoid steps 5 and 6 if you follow the aforementioned suggestions and study Parts 1 and 3 of OWAA’s new Freelancers Guide to Business Practices.

Now onward with your very successful business in outdoor communications!

Want to read more on this subject? Check out “Getting paid: Chasing down those overdue accounts” by Chip Gross.

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By Rich Landers

Sometimes a story is worth putting aside to age.

Late last October, I interviewed two men promoting a program that encourages businesses to pledge one percent of their gross revenue to environmental causes.

For those of you who don’t remember, November 2008 was the month the world realized the economy was careening toward a cliff. The only businessmen clearly headed for profit by the end of the year were bankruptcy attorneys.

I held the story to monitor whether the economic climate would force the businesses to pull back from their environmental tithing, or worse yet, go broke.

Almost a year into the recession, the story is bigger than I’d  thought, and certainly one for outdoor communicators to watch.

A successful Montana fly-fishing shop owner seems to be proving that building environmental stewardship for fish and rivers into his business model is more than just the right thing to do.

For 12 years, Craig Mathews of Blue Ribbon Flies in West Yellowstone, Mont., has donated 1 to 2.4 percent of his company’s gross income to the Madison River Foundation, Yellowstone Park Foundation and other environmental efforts that have a hook in his passions and livelihood.

Did this pledge create a snag in the bottom line for Blue Ribbon Flies?

“We doubled our business in five years, and part of the credit goes to consumer response to our conservation commitment,” Mathews said.

Did the commitment become a burden this year as consumer spending dried up in the recession?

“Some of our competitors are reporting business falling off 40 to 50 percent in this economy, but we’re still hanging in there at about the same level, and it’s no small part out of our association with 1% For the Planet.”

Mathews, 61, is referring to a program he co-founded in 2001 with Yvon Chouinard, founder of Patagonia, a California-based outdoor clothing and gear company. They hope other companies will join to formalize commitments to the natural resources that spawn life into outdoors-related business.

Patagonia spokesman Bill Klyn said environmental advocacy has been a way of distinguishing their brands in a competitive market.

“Every day people tell my employees they could buy this fly, rod or reel anywhere, but they’re buying it here because they know 1 percent will go to conservation,” Mathews said.

Other companies appear to be slowly catching on.

As of July, 1% For the Planet (1% FTP) had grown to a 39-country membership of 1,242 companies that donate 1 percent of their gross sales to their choice of 1,798 program-approved environmental organizations. Revenues since inception top $42 million.

The membership ranges from industry leaders such as Patagonia and New Belgium Brewers to mom-and-pop shops and individual professionals, such as fishing guides, photographers and architects.

“The diversity of our membership is something that makes us very proud,” said Terry Kellogg, the CEO for 1% FTP based in Vermont. “1% works no matter how big or small or where you are geographically.”

It’s notable that in August, the membership showed its first small decline.

“Since the beginning, we could expect to see roughly 10 percent of our members drop out for one reason or another each year. We know it’s going to be higher this year. But our new sign-ups have always exceeded that and the program keeps growing,” Kellogg said.

“Our biggest members without exception had their best years on record last year. I believe companies that stand for something and put real commitment behind their values mean something to their customers beyond just being a place to make transactions.”

Mathews’s philosophy is straightforward: “If you’re making money off the outdoors, you should be giving back.”

“Some companies have no problem just giving the money to the program and letting 1% dole it out,” Mathews said. But most members satisfy the 1% pledge by contributing directly to their favorite projects from the growing list of groups that meet 1% FTP criteria,” he said.

Membership does not preclude a company from contributing additional funds to unapproved groups.

“1% never sees a dime of the money we contribute,” Mathews said. “Like many other businesses, we look first at our local communities and region. Our store employees check things out and make the recommendations.”

Working locally provides the flexibility to get things done in creative ways, Mathews said.

“For instance, our fishing customers might wonder why we supported the Greater Yellowstone boreal toad recovery project. Simple. The research showed the toads would benefit by working with ranchers to fence livestock off certain riparian areas. That would lead to better water quality in our streams, and that’s a benefit to fish.”

1% FTP is still trying to recruit its first publically traded company, Mathews said.

“We recognize it can be a hard sell, trying to tell shareholders that you’d like to give away 1 percent of their dividends,” he said.

However, some large companies have allowed subsidiaries to participate.

“It may be too big of a commitment for a large company like Sony, but they might allow some of the brands they own to join,” said Kate Mitchell, 1% FTP staffer in Vermont.

Mountain Equipment Co-Op of Canada is a 1% FTP member. However, its U.S. counterpart is not.

“We definitely recognize the value in the program and applaud all efforts toward the environment and conservation,” said Bethany Nielson, spokeswoman at Recreational Equipment Inc. corporate headquarters in Seattle. “We choose to focus our corporate giving in a different way.”

“Our board of directors in recent years has approved about 3 percent of operating profit to corporate giving primarily to non-profit partners that promote outdoor recreation and conservation efforts.”

In 2008, REI granted $3.7 million to more than 390 community partners, Nielson said.

Mathews said 1% FTP is gaining strength as a brand name, giving member businesses a distinction that helps them boost their bottom lines.

“It’s a huge advertising tool that we didn’t see in the beginning, nor did we intend our commitment for that reason,” he said.

“Like many businesses, we work on 40-45 percent markup. Typically a business spends 2 or 3 percent for advertising. When you put 1% in that context, it’s a small price to pay in terms of marketing.”

On the Net: www.onepercentfortheplanet.org. ◊

Rich Landers is the Outdoors editor for The Spokesman-Review in Spokane, WA., a position he’s held along with OWAA membership since 1977. Contact him at richl@spokesman.com.

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What does it take to write a book?

DON’T talk about your project too much. Write it.

DO follow your book proposal’s chapter outline. It will keep you on task.

DON’T put off the project. To craft 60,000 words on contracted deadline – often a year’s time – you have to write more than 1,000 words a week, every week.

DO keep a three-ring binder of printed chapters as you complete them, and refer to this as reference material.

DON’T put off shooting photos to support your text. Think ahead.

DO assign target dates for monthly word counts and chapter completion.

DON’T think a book project will let you rest. It won’t.

DO relax once the copyedited manuscript is completed, and the project is in production. Then again, that’s the time to work on your next book’s proposal. ◊

Steve Hickoff, of Kittery, Maine, is a book author/contributor and has been an OWAA active member since 1993. He’s also had his writings and photographs featured in Outdoor Life, Turkey Call, Turkey & Turkey Hunting, Realtree.com, New Hampshire Wildlife Journal, Foster’s Sunday Citizen, others.









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