Tag Archives: free

WRITERS: 8 Amazing University Classes You Can Take For Free

by Diane Holmes, (a) Chief Alchemist of Pitch University, (b) lover of learning, and (c) writer of fiction, non-fiction, and the occasional manifesto.

As our very own Joe Wallace begins his Recording Arts For Film program at Tribeca Flashpoint Media Academy in Chicago,

  • I celebrate his multi-tasking insanity and
  • I seize the opportunity to take Free, WORLD-CLASS, (online) University classes, through the innovative site Coursera.

Take a look at these 8 classes to power-up your BUSINESS and WRITING.

Set Your Words On Fire

#1 Modern & Contemporary American Poetry

Al Filreis, University of Pennsylvania

This course is a fast-paced introduction to modern and contemporary U.S. poetry, from Dickinson and Whitman to the present. Participants (who need no prior experience with poetry) will learn how to read poems that are supposedly “difficult.”

Next session: 10 September 2012 (10 weeks long)
Workload: 5-8 hours/ week

About the Instructor:

Al Filreis is Kelly Professor; founder, and faculty director of the Kelly Writers House; director of the Center for Programs in Contemporary Writing; co-director (with Charles Bernstein) of PennSound; and publisher of Jacket2 — all at the University of Pennsylvania, where he has been teaching since 1985.

Among his books: Counter-Revolution of the Word: The Conservative Attack on Modern Poetry, 1945-60; Wallace Stevens and the Actual World; and Modernism from Right to Left.

He has also (with Beverly Coyle) edited the letters of José Rodríguez-Feo and Wallace Stevens (Secretaries of the Moon), and has edited and introduced a new edition of Ira Wolfert’s Tucker’s People. He hosts an ongoing podcast series,PoemTalk, a collaboration of the Kelly Writers House, PennSound, and the Poetry Foundation. He is currently working on a book about poetry and poetics in 1960.

He has won every major teaching award given to faculty at Penn, and in 1999-2000 he was chosen as the Pennsylvania Professor of the Year by the Carnegie Foundation.

Write With the Power of Myth

#2 Greek and Roman Mythology

Peter Struck, University of Pennsylvania Continue reading WRITERS: 8 Amazing University Classes You Can Take For Free

What Don’t You Understand About Free Advertising?

By Jake Poinier

Right before the holidays, I received a story assignment for a lifestyle magazine—which meant trying to reach sources right in the heart of the holidays, and which is always a bit tricky with vacations and understaffed offices.

One of the guys called me back when I was on the 9th hole of a golf course with my family. Another called me at 7 a.m. on a morning after we’d been out late, so I was a bit bleary-eyed. Nonetheless, both were helpful once we finally connected.

The third contact, not so much—and they’re important, because they’re in the magazine’s local area. I left a voicemail. I filled out a form on their website. I called again and reached the guy, who said “send an email with interview questions to my assistant,” which I dutifully did.

I heard nothing.

My editor gave me an extension to get the locals in. When I gave another call to the company, the guy reiterated EXACTLY what he’d said the first time about sending an email to his assistant, adding that he’s too busy to schedule an interview at a moment’s notice. When I mentioned that it wasn’t really at a moment’s notice since I’d indeed done so more than a week prior, he was unapologetic. But he did ask that I contact his assistant again to get on his schedule.

So I slinked back to my editor for another extension, and her response was classic: “What is it about free advertising that they’re so adverse to?”

I’ve never quite understood when a company has a chance for free editorial placement, and they make life difficult. Maybe they’re suspicious that it’s a disguised sales pitch. Perhaps they’re so successful they don’t need more business. I dunno.

What I do know is that, 24 hours and a voicemail and an email reminder later, I still haven’t heard back.

Have you taken the 2012 Freelance Forecast survey yet? Please do—and don’t forget to share it on your favorite social media and with your clients.

Win A Free Trip To Japan!

by Catherine L. Tully

No…this isn’t some kind of a cruel joke. You actually can use your writing skills to win a free trip to Japan, courtesy of the Japanese National Tourism Organization. 

JNTO is running a contest beginning September 1st, and all you have to do to enter is describe “where your dreams take you” in 2010 letters or less. If your entry is chosen, you’ll be packing your bags. Sign up for the newsletter for more information as it is available or visit the constest site. Isn’t it time you did a little travel writing? The contest runs until November 30, 2009, so put your thinking cap on…

Please note that this campaign is for US residents.

(As a brief aside…I lived in Japan for three years. It is truly an amazing place to go. If you win, contact me and I’ll give you some pointers!)

Freelancer Freebies: Nicorette Gum

stop smoking nicorette

by Joe Wallace

Let’s face it–writing and smoking seem to go together like peanut butter and chocolate. Ask Joe Eszterhas, infamous Hollywood screenwriter and author of The Devil’s Guide To Hollywood, his how-to guide for aspiring screenwriters. “By (the year) 2000, I was smoking four packs of Salem Lights every day,” he said in an interview with USA Today.

Most of the writers I know smoke or are former smokers. Are you still puffing away? Want to quit? I’ve got the freelancer freebie for you, courtesy of Walmart.com. How about a free 20-pack of Nicorette gum to get you on the road to non-smoking health?

I know part of the quit-smoking ordeal is replacing your habits and overcoming the smoking ritual itself, but when it comes to killing off the physical cravings, this could be the fix you need to get off the cigarettes once and for all. I won’t claim to have tried Nicorette, never having been a habitual smoker (though I was known to fire one up on rare occasions when there was enough Japanese beer in my system once upon a time). But if you’ve  been meaning to quit, you could do a hell of a lot worse than a free 20-pack of Nicorette.

Freelancer Freebie For iPhone Users: Track Your Snacks

lose itby Catherine L. Tully

Do you find yourself snacking too much throughout the day? Many freelance writers find that it can be hard to stay active when they log so much time on the computer. Eating extra calories is something to try and shy away from, but it can be hard to keep track of how many you are taking in… Continue reading Freelancer Freebie For iPhone Users: Track Your Snacks