Tips, advice and common sense from thirty years of writing - and marketing - articles

Want lots of valuable how-to information on getting published and want it now? Each Wooden Horse Special Report is written by Meg and is 5-20 pages packed with tips and advice from her years of writing, teaching and running the Wooden Horse - as well as her thirty years as a high-tech marketing executive.

The reports are instantly available by downloading (you will need the free Adobe Acrobat Reader to open them).

Each is $5.95.

Special Report #1: Calendar Queries: How to Line Up a Steady Stream of Assignments for Next Year

You will learn:

• Why the months of June, July and August are especially important to freelance writers
• How to use a magazine's own planning process to get assignments
• Why you sometimes should break the rules in special queries
• Why long-range planning can be so effective

Special Report #2: Getting Paid: You Wrote the Article; Now Make Sure You Get The Money

You will learn:

• How to avoid making the major mistakes most writers do
• How to make it easy for the publisher to pay you
• How to stay friends with the editor
• Know the right time to step up the pressure
• Spot which magazines you should avoid
• Know where to complain
• How to know if you must sue and what to do

Special Report #3: Writing Query Letters: Use the Same Proven, Customizable Letter This Veteran Writer Has Successfully Used for Years
This is excerpted from Meg's book, Writing for Magazines: Twelve New Things Writers Must Do Today to Make Money

You will learn:

• How to write a query letter in 15 minutes or less
• How to get all the information onto a single page
• How to instantly overcome the editor's fundamental objection
• What never to include
• How to slant the letter to be right for each magazine
• What magic words give you special consideration by the editor
• How to ask for the assignment

Special Report #4: How to Send 50 Queries Per Week

Special Report #5: Cut Down on Rejections: Know The Articles Editors Want - and When

You will learn:

• Why today's competitive environment requires new tools
• How editorial calendars can catapult your writing career
• Where to find the calendars you need
• What information not to use
• How to spot hidden writing opportunities
• Why writers without calendars are the last ones to get jobs

Special Report #6: Magazine Marketing Data: The Hidden Advantage for Savvy Writers - The Editorial Concept

You will learn:

• Why articles, who ignore the magazine's marketing image, will always be rejected.
• Where to find the information and know whether it's up-to-date.
• What the editors want you to do when they say: "We'd like to see more of your writing."
• How to keep your articles on track.
• Why editors today must have articles that fit their magazine's concept.

Special Report #7: The Secret to Becoming a Full-Time Article Writer: The ROLL Concept

You will learn:

• How to become a highly efficient "writing machine."
• The one major secret to full-time writing.
• How to get 25 queries from one interview - or one research trip.
• Real-life examples of how full-timers work.
• How to use "beats" to be paid more.
• Know why to turn down article jobs.

Special Report #8: Forget the Editors – How to Sell the People Who Really Count

You will learn:

• The biggest mistake writers and publicists do when pitching magazines.
• How to find a fail-safe way to interest editors.
• Where to find the information you need.
• How not to be taken in by skewed data.
• How to make your query or press release really kick the editor between the eyes and get noticed.