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Keeping Your Writing
Samples
by
Donna Marie Wallace
Yesterday, a local newspaper editor asked me for several writing samples. My
heart lifted, as it always does when I get another "chance" to be published.
It's happened a lot before, but the happy feeling never changes.
Thankfully, my husband was kind enough to set me up with a scanner some time
ago. With a few clicks of the mouse, the scanner starts buzzing, and my screen
magically displays a .JPEG file of my work. I love this scanner! All it takes is
a few more clicks and my samples are scooting across cyberspace. Now I'll just
cross my fingers and hope the editor likes my style.
Yes, the story is simply fascinating, I know (NOT!), but I do have a point:
ALWAYS keep your writing samples. Keep original copies of the published article
if your can, and make copies to use as samples. Scanning is another convenient
alternative. It gives the luxury of emailing your clips, or even posting them on
your website.
Take care to categorize your samples, as well. If you're approaching a magazine,
you'll want to find pieces that suit their style. If you're looking for a
newspaper gig, try a third-person fact driven piece. While the styles don't have
to match exactly, it will certainly give your stuff the extra edge.
About the Author
Donna Marie Wallace has been a professional freelance writer for almost 20
years. Her resume includes several books, articles, and websites, as well
as corporate documentation such as press releases, brochures, annual reports,
etc. You can visit her blog at
mdonnadesigns.blogspot.com.
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