So this week I ran another Twitter game. (You may remember that last week I did #killaqueryin5words.) This one was #sourcefromhellin5words, and the idea was that we writers would give five-word phrases that would make us want to never interview a source. Like:
- How much will you pay?
- Who else are you interviewing?
- Can I see the article?
- Is the article out yet?
- Sorry, I forgot the interview.
- I’m the foremost expert!
- We’re creating a new paradigm!
- You should mention my book.
- I could talk all day!
What was really cool was that ProfNet and HelpAReporter, the two biggest source-finding services for journalists, got in on the action, so we had a ton of submissions…and also, expert sources who use those services got a lesson in what NOT to do when working with a writer. Not only that, but ProfNet did a post about the contest where they featured their favorite contributions!
As with last week’s game, some tweets were just so AWESOME that I decided to offer prizes to my favorites. And they are:
@anngol: “Oh you’re not from Redbook?” #sourcefromhellin5words [This was hands-down my favorite! The snobby source…ugh.]
@write4income: (In response to everything you ask): “That question is too personal.” #sourcefromhellin5words @LFormichelli [Persnickety sources don’t get called back!]
@lilbusgirl: How’s 10pm your time sound? #sourcefromhellin5words [Yeah, because we writers don’t have a life!]
@CaroleeNoury: Answers are in my book. #sourcefromhellin5words @LFormichelli [Hint: We journalists need to get quotes straight from the source; we can’t just pull quotes from books.]
@RobinDarling: “I read it on Wikipedia” #sourcefromhellin5words @LFormichelli [And you call yourself an expert?]
@danielcasciato: “Get a quote from PR” @LFormichelli #sourcefromhellin5words [Yes, we writers LOVE sanitized PR-speak!]
@RAHolloway: “I will need final approval. @LFormichelli #sourcefromhellin5words [Now THAT’S good journalism!]
?@rebekah_olsen: It all started in 1965…(when you only need one quick quote about their work) @LFormichelli #sourcefromhellin5words [I hope you took a bathroom break before this interview!]
Winning tweeters, I’d love to offer you a free book, course, or checklist from the Renegade Writer Store. Please choose your favorite and email me at [email protected] with your selection! (FYI, I’m out of town because my grandma passed away. 
So please be patient and I’ll send you your book next week for sure. Thanks!)
Thanks so much to everyone who played #sourcefromhellin5words. It was a blast!
On Monday morning I’ll be launching a new Twitter game called #editororgasmin5words. I think you can tell what we’re looking for here! Some examples I’ll have on my Twitter feed include:
- Yes, I’ll write for free! (Yes, we can get snarky in this game!
- I created an extra sidebar.
- I fact-checked all stats.
- Pynchon agreed to an interview.
- Can I file this early?
The game will start Monday at around 8 am ET (New York time) and run all day. (Please wait until then to start posting, and I’ll retweet your contributions!) Just add the hashtag #editororgasmin5words to your post, and feel free to tag me at @lformichelli!
If you want to get announcements when I hold a new Twitter games like these, please join the Renegade Writer email list! You’ll also get a free e-book and checklist for writers, plus my Monday Motivations for Writers emails!
I get a lot of questions from writers on how to use Help a Reporter Out, a.k.a. HARO — the free service that helps journalists find sources for their assignments. So I interviewed HARO founder Peter Shankman to answer all your need-to-knows. Enjoy!
How many people subscribe to HARO e-mails?
Somewhere between 200,000 and 250,000 sources, including pass-alongs — and hundreds of thousands of journalists have used the service at one point or another.
Have you ever done a breakdown of what kind of experts or other people are subscribed to HARO?
No, but we’ve found that it’s almost 75 percent small businesses now.
A lot of writers are e-mailing me because they’re confused about the requirement that your website needs to have an Alexa ranking of under one million for you to be able to send a request for sources. They think that their personal writer site needs to have this ranking. Can you explain that a little bit?
The way it works is, if you’re writing for a traditional or understood media outlet, like cosmopolitan.com or Washington Post online, our goal is not to exclude anyone. Unfortunately, what happens occasionally is that people join HARO and say, “I have to do a story for my blog that has two readers.” Journalists writing for Forbes, or any outlet that has a good quality base and quality readership, we have no problem. Use HARO and we love you. We just don’t want to waste sources’ time if it’s for Joan’s House of Blog, you know?
Another question I often get is whether a writer can use HARO if she’s working on a pitch but doesn’t have an assignment in hand and, if so, how to do that.
It’s a tough question. If you’ve used HARO before and we see that and we recognize your e-mail address as having written for traditional or recognizable outlets in the past, you are more than welcome to use HARO for a pitch.
There are no other requirements for posting a request on there except that your media outlet has to be lower than one million in Alexa, right?
Correct.
Can you offer us some tips on how to write a HARO query that gets results?
The best thing you can do is be as specific as humanly possible. If you want sources in West Philadelphia, make damn sure you put “West Philadelphia.” If you only want sources who know about bridge building and have one arm, make that clear.
Any other tips?
The biggest thing I can recommend is make sure you put your deadline at least a week before your actual deadline. We base HARO on when your deadline is. So if your deadline is Thursday and you put Thursday down as your deadline, HARO is going to most likely run your inquiry Wednesday night.
What else can writers do to make sure they get the best sources?
Keep it short. Keep it simple. That usually works well.
Do you change the titles of the requests or do they go up just as the writer writes them?
No, it’s actually as you write them. We don’t change them at all.
Any tips on writing a title that gets attention?
“Need experts in blank.”
A blessing and a curse of HARO is that writers will put out a request and get 100 responses. What can writers do about that besides make sure they’re specific in their requests?
Start reading the answers. If you get everything you need in the first five replies, just click a filter that sends all the rest of them to a folder so you don’t h
it's a sea of FOOD!
the dessert portion of the meal. Yes, that is BUTTER.
we had two trunk shows after dinner... Le Petit Elefant & my aunt's jewelry :)
my to go plate
a few snaps of the HARO! custom order before I send it on i
Think your peach defuzzer is the greatest product in the known universe, or rep a doctor who’s on the road to curing a formerly incurable disease? Then you’re probably signed up as an expert source on services like Help a Reporter (HARO) and ProfNet.
I use these services as just one of many tools in my arsenal to find expert and “real life” sources, but often I end up frustrated — and without usable sources. To be fair, sometimes my requests are kind of crazy — like I’m looking for a Hispanic woman in her 40s who lives in the Midwest and drives a Suburban. But many times, it’s the people who respond to queries that make a writer want to drive flaming daggers into her eyes.
Don’t get me wrong — I love and appreciate these services. They’re free to journalists, and I often find good sources through them, like the beautiful bridal entrepreneur-slash-cage fighter I ended up profiling for Fortune Small Business and later for Inc. But the successes are tempered by avalanches of off-point e-mails from PR reps and expert sources.
If you use these services as a PR rep or a source, here are some tips for boosting your chances of a reply when you respond to a writer’s query. (Yes, writers, these requests confusingly are called queries.) I’ll use some examples from recent queries I sent in.
1. Read the Freakin’ Query!
Lat week I sent out the following query:
Are We Detoxing Too Much?
I’m looking for experts such as MDs who can discuss whether the detoxing trend is going too far, in terms of detoxing our homes, our bodies, and our food. Magazines and books are telling us to purge everything from house dust to bleach to non-organic foods, and more and more people are going on fasts and detox diets. How do you know if you’re going too far? And how much do we REALLY need to detox? I do not need to hear from vendors about detoxing products.
You get it, right? I’m looking for information on the negative side of detoxing — how much is too much and how to know if you’ve gone too far. And yet, almost 100% of the responses I received were from medical professionals who offered to talk about why we need to go on detox diets and how to do it. It’s like they scanned the query, saw the word “detox,” and blasted off an e-mail about the wonders of detoxing. If you can’t (or won’t) read, how can we trust you as an expert?
So please…READ the query!
2. Sell Yourself
Every once in a while I get a response that says something like, “I can help you with your article. Call me.” Yeah, I’ll get right on that. Please, tell me who you are and what makes you an expert in the topic I queried.
3. Remember That Our Job Is Not to Sell Your Product
Of course, people who respond to writer queries have something to sell, whether it’s a product, a viewpoint, or something else. But you need to use some smarts to determine when it’s right to make a blatant product pitch. For example, here’s a query I sent out yesterday:
For a national health magazine, I’m looking for beauty news that’s NOT product-specific and that is backed by studies. For example, I don’t care that Jane’s Sun Kissed Skin Lotion was proven to prevent wrinkles, but I do care that a recent study published in the Journal of Dermatology concluded that the antioxidants in pistachios were proven to whiten teeth. Please, no product pitches.
I’m guessing you noticed that I did not want product-specific pitches. I mean, I made it pretty clear, right? So why do I get replies from people telling me, for example, that the FatBlaster Brand Laser Machine has been proven to reduce the look of cellulite? I guess the reps think, “Well, it can’t hurt to sen
As a three-sport athlete in high school, author Keri Mikulski understands the struggles that athletes endure to balance sports, school, family, and a social life. “I wrote Screwball because I love to read, and as a teen, I never could get my hands on really good books with a female athletic main character. I hope readers can identify with Ashley, the main character in this novel and use her as a tester to see how she deals with a lot of the same issues teens face today,” Keri stated.
Things have been sweet for fourteen-year old freshman fastpitch fanatic Ashley Clarke. She’s the starting pitcher for her stress-free fourteen and under ASA team. During her time away from the diamond, she’s sprinting down the soccer field, bouncing a basketball, or hanging at the beach with her BFF, Lizzy.
But one sizzling summer day, hottie junior jock Andrew spots her at a pizza shop and Ashley’s life changes forever. Meanwhile, her friend, Kate, talks her into joining the Crush, an elite sixteen and under team loaded with tough competition. Shortly after playing in her first game, Ashley finds out new Crush teammate Christy not only hates her guts, but is also determined to ruin Ashley’s future for good.
Join Ashley as she struggles juggling sports, school, and a social life. Will Christy and her cronies force Ashley to quit the Crush? Or will she give it all up to spend more time with Andrew? And who’s the new guy in Ashley’s life complicating things?
Author Keri Mikulski answers these questions and more in Screwball: An Ashley Clarke Novel (216 pp., $9.95). Keri earned a bachelor’s degree in nursing from Thomas Jefferson University, a master’s degree in teaching from The College of New Jersey, and is a graduate of The Institute of Children’s Literature. She holds an ACE Personal Trainer certification and a Registered Nurse license. Keri grew up in Maple Shade, New Jersey where she was a three-sport athlete in high school and a two-sport athlete in college until an injury sidelined her sport’s career. She’s the Chick Lit Pick columnist for South Jersey Mom magazine, contributes to Fastpitch Forever magazine, blogs softball for www.prettytough.com, coaches high school softball, and teaches college writing courses.
ISBN 978-0979690808
To place orders for the book, contact:
Blitz Publishing, Inc
3905 Snag Ln
Spring, TX 77388
713-992-3254
e-mail: [email protected]
Website: www.kerimikulski.com
To arrange a book signing or interview, contact Keri Mikulski at [email protected]
Keri Mikulski,
Screwball,
sports novels,
YA sports novels
Please welcome author Keri Mikulski!
Summary of SCREWBALL:
Things have been sweet for fourteen-year old freshman fastpitch fanatic Ashley Clarke. She’s happy and content as the starting pitcher for her stress-free fourteen and under ASA team. During her time away from the diamond, she’s either sprinting down the soccer field, bouncing a basketball, or hanging at the beach with her BFF, Lizzy.
But one sizzling summer day, hottie junior jock Andrew spots her at a pizza shop and Ashley’s life changes forever. Meanwhile, her friend, Kate, talks her into joining the Crush, an elite sixteen and under team loaded with tough competition. Shortly after playing in her first game, Ashley finds out new Crush teammate Christy not only hates her guts, but is determined to ruin Ashley’s future for good.
Join Ashley as she struggles juggling sports, school, and a social life. Will Christy and her cronies force Ashley to quit the Crush? Or will she give it all up to spend more time with Andrew? And who’s the new guy in Ashley’s life complicating things?
Q&A:
Why did you write Screwball?
I wrote Screwball because I love to read and as a teen, I never could get my hands on really good books with a female athletic main character. By really good, I mean, books that are juicy and light, but yet have that female girly girl sports spin. Kind of like a cross between, “Bend it Like Beckham” and “The OC”, but a book.
How long did it take to write from idea to finished product?
I’ve always had the idea of my fastpitch fanatic main character, Ashley, but I never actually sat down and wrote it until January of last year. I guess it took about a year of writing and revisions to get to the finished product.
How did you come up with that fantastic title?
Thank you.
One day while training for a 5K with a friend, the idea of the title kind of landed in my brain. It’s kind of freaky. That’s why if you’re a writer, you should always carry a little notebook for moments when an idea suddenly pops in your noggin.
The word, screwball, has many meanings throughout the book. It describes two characters and it’s also Ashley’s best pitch (and mine a bizillion years ago).
How long have you been writing?
Okay, if there was a category for Most Likely to Never Write a Book in high school, I might have won. I was focused on sports, but I always secretly liked to write in a journal and write out my thoughts when I had a problem. Actually, I remember writing out what I was going to say when I had a fight with my boyfriend, which was like everyday, and referring to it when we were shouting at each other over the phone, so I didn’t forget any important points. Professionally, I’ve only been writing for about a year and a half.
Which character do you most admire in your book and why?
I would have to say, Jake. I admire Jake because he does his own thing, doesn’t worry what other people think, works hard, and overcomes great adversity to accomplish his goals. I really admire people like that who don’t wallow in their own grief or misfortunes and are able to stay so focused and so positive.
What’s your advice for aspiring authors?
Don’t worry about what others say about your writing. Just do it! Learn as much as you can about the craft. But, most importantly, grab a journal and start writing about everything that comes to mind. Remember, your voice is special and unique, so work with it, not against it. Be confident and be yourself.
Which authors inspire you?
Many authors inspire me. But, my all-time favorite author is fellow Jersey shore girl, Megan McCafferty. Her series’ main character, Jessica Darling’s, voice is just so real and true. I interviewed her for my column a couple of months ago and she posted the interview on her blog this January. It was an amazing experience interviewing my writing idol.
What do you hope readers gain from reading the book?
I hope readers escape the craziness in their lives by reading Screwball. I also hope readers can identify with Ashley and use her as a tester and see how she deals with a lot of the same issues teens face today. Does she make the right decisions? What could she have done differently?
Bio:
Keri Mikulski was born and raised in Maple Shade, New Jersey. She graduated from Thomas Jefferson University and earned a Masters degree from The College of New Jersey. She's the Chick Lit Pick columnist for South
Jersey Mom magazine, blogs softball for www.prettytough.com, and contributes regularly to Fastpitch Forever magazine. An athlete her entire life, she enjoys coaching her high school softball team, watching grannies pass her while running 5K's, chasing golf balls, Coach bags, and Derek Jeter. Keri lives at the Jersey Shore with her husband and daughter. This is her first novel. Visit Keri: http://www.kerimikulski.com or http://www.myspace.com/kerimikulski.
Amazon link: http://www.amazon.com/Screwball-Ashley-Clarke-Keri-Mikulski/dp/0979690803
Keri's giving away one copy of SCREWBALL and a soft ball charm to one person who leaves a comment before 9pm this Sunday. Leave a comment here, on LiveJournal or both. Good luck!
That purse post was really fun! I noticed something missing after I looked at the photo. I've got paper, but no pen. Smart. Now I've got two.
Tomorrow, author of SCREWBALL Keri Mikulski stops by with a Q&A and a giveaway to a lucky blog commenter. Stop back tomorrow and try to win a prize!
I'm off to give the final pages of my manuscript one more read. What're you writing plans today?
And thanks to everyone for the birthday wishes! It was great and I love 21! :)
So this week I ran another Twitter game. (You may remember that last week I did #killaqueryin5words.) This one was #sourcefromhellin5words, and the idea was that we writers would give five-word phrases that would make us want to never interview a source. Like:
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