NEW! Contribute to the Sunoasis 2003 blog. Details are at the bottom.

T A B L E  O F  C O N T E N T S

1. [Editor Notes]
2. [Resources]
3. [The Digital Writer]
4. [Career Advice]
5. [At C/Oasis]
6. [My Virtual Space]
7. [Markets]
8. [Community]
9. [Acknowledgments]

E D I T O R  N O T E S

Talent is the backbone to publishing. So when I start preparing Sunoasis, I always ask the question, "what does talent need to know?"

As I mention in the Career Advice section, writers need the Net to gain competitive advantage. It's not a luxury or an odd novelty any more.

Connect. Research. Write. Confer.

We should start paying attention to the new, intelligent aggregators now making their way into the Net. Links to technical resources are listed below. These could be the keys to a new distribution system for written work.

If you write a column look into news feeds very closely. On Sunoasis Jobs we use Moreover to bring news feeds in from the world's media, highlighting stories about journalism. But there are news feeds for every interest. And, if there isn't, you can make your own. What they do is collect and highlight links from a pool of resources, updated, and ready to click. There is no limit to the diversity of subjects or how they are cross-fertilized. In an ideal world, the machines would aggregate and the humans would edit along a variety of fascinating lines.

A person filled with curiosity could get buggy-headed trying to devour all the news now available. Of course the writing world is filled with such people.

The next step is to include links to diverse commentary on the news item. This is done in print but the Net, potentially, is much more resourceful. The Iraqi situation can't be approached without reading a variety of scholars, journalists, political leaders, and experts. The gut reaction, pro or con, should initiate the desire to find out the nature of the problem. This is one of the great possibilities held out by the Net. Whether it's used this way is up to the individual.

Get music, literature, philosophy, scientific thought, political opinion running through the mind of the democratic people before it's too late.

It's clear what the people want. In Yahoo's Buzz Index the Shuttle had the two top spots followed by the IRS. After that, every single item was from pop culture, including Eminem, Jennifer Lopez, and Joe Millionaire. It's not exactly encouraging. But it underscores the relation between a degraded educational system and a degraded sense of being a free person in a liberal, democratic culture.

The Big Media will eat the people for lunch by featuring the bedazzling pop star to get the eyeballs and then spoon-feed some "news" that makes no sense, has no perspective, and competes for dramatic effect with the pop culture. So when a guy from the government tells them to save themselves by buying duct tape, there's a run on it all across the nation. And that makes the freest people on Earth look like fools.

I know that I can learn about any number of things, from any number of points of view, know what's going on, and not consult the mainstream media one-time. I like the fact they bring good camera shots into the living room.

It raises the question about how much news the citizen really needs. I'm reminded of an old journalism professor I had. He had been the bureau chief for Newsweek in Moscow and used to bring Pravda into class and read to us. He said one thing that I never forgot. "In the Soviet Union the government assumes that there is no need for the farmer in the Ukraine to know anything, except how to farm."

Blogging and news feeds are providing a hint of the future. Blogging for content creation, news feeds for distribution. In my research this month I came across news feeds for nurses, environmentalists in Ireland, wireless aficionados in Europe, as well as news from Africa, Japan, and Iran.

This is the single best introduction to the art and skill of blogging I've come across.

This is a survey of writers and journalists who have taken to blogs. The Net gives writers of all types the opportunity to look at themselves and say, "what do I really want to write?" Answer that honestly and you have the beginnings of an online writing life.

Chris Mooney examines how Weblogs have altered the balance of power in media and created ripples through society

Item: Establishments are good at holding onto things or destroying what they don't like or are afraid of. They aren't too good at producing the new. Most writers I know have at least a modicum of desire to do something unusual, to beguile the common assumptions, to leap forward into the future before others. So, we're there. And to quote the beautiful Muse, "whoopee."

____________________________________
T e c h n i c a l  R e s o u r c e s 
____________________________________

This is a very technical article on the nuts and bolts of news feeds. If you can develop a document in the news feed format, that document can be syndicated any number of places.

Another techie article that is a good summation of the field and explains the concept of Rich Site Summary (RSS) and other arcana. It would be possible to aggregate the summaries to all the stories being published in the small, literary press and make them accessible to all the people who might be interested in them. I mention this to those who have complained about the lousy distribution in the literary press industry.

A good list of links to the technical side of this.

An example of an "advanced news aggregator."

Here's a useful page from World Press Review. Feeds for thought.

Business Week has an article that details some of this.

The fact that a blogger broke the story of Google's buyout of Prya, the blogging company, is interesting. According to this writer, it has to do with aggregating common interest.

A useful article, written a few years ago, on the new content aggregators.

What you need to know to get on the Digital Publishing System and get distributed:

1. E-mail
2. Web sites
3. Mailing Lists
4. Blogs
5. The knowledge of cultural resource
6. Truth and Beauty
7. Laughter
8. Great songs and stories
9. Great thoughts released from captivity
10. Experience

In other words, there is a writer and his or her resources, talents, and intentions. There are devices that create production value. There are ways and means to distribute. It is a crude system yet but so was the highway system at the beginning of the 20th century. I am the sum of my experiences, resources, creativity at any given moment. And, I am the addition of all I have contact with. I am made better by the extraordinary range of contact I can develop through the Net. The fascinating thing is that the new, digital publishing system, by its very existence, is making me a better writer.

What distinguishes the writer from the person who simply wants to write? The writer understands and applies constructive principles. The writer is defined as a maker, a creator, rather than a simple scribbler that many people confuse with writing. The fact that the Net has made scribbling popular doesn't alter the fact that, in the end, writing that is constructed well and passes through a sensibility, lives.

The literary writer, full of devotion, scorned by the marketplace, is the perfect type to make inroads on the beast. The professional writer is going to have to wait until there is large-scale migration of capital from print. And the story of Salon is not too encouraging. The fact that literary zines filled with devotion, like Pif, The Cortland Review, Web del Sol, and others will survive Salon is instructive.

R E S O U R C E S

The Literary Marketplace. A fascinating resource that you can find in most decent reference libraries. Check it out on-line.

News about the travel publishing business

Searching for public records.

2002 Census of Governments [.pdf]

Some Basic Writing Resource Sites

Avoiding plagarism

The Internet Dictionary Project

Directory of Writer Colonies

Paisley Currah's writing guide for students.

The Literature Network

T H E  D I G I T A L  W R I T E R

The Digital Writer still loved the technology of print. But, the old print publishing system had become so successful it started to look like an arrogant, royal potentate.

Click for full column!

C A R E E R  A D V I C E

The best career advice I've seen of late is that in a competitive environment like writing, you need to go the extra mile, as they used to say. Unlike several years ago, the power has shifted back to the employer.

When freelancing, for instance, you need to come up with excellent ideas and show the editor how you will do the story and why you're the one to do it. Don't take anything for granted.

Some Gleanings:

The growth in journalism jobs will match those of other professions, for the next several years. There will be turn-over as baby-boomers start to retire or change professions. Advertising and PR will grow faster than journalism. The computer and Web will be part of the competitive advantage editors and writers will need in their career path.

That's why it's so important to know what's going on in blogging, news feeds, and new technologies.

A writer can increase his or her chances of success by simply listening to the people and what they want.

Some good advice about setting up a career path. Make your decision about these three things:

1. What industry or size of organization do you want to work for.
2. What is the job or function you want?
3. What geographical location do you want to work in?

When you understand these things, then design a resume. It will be better focused.

Questions always come into Sunoasis about writing for magazines. It's a very dynamic industry and very difficult to break into the high profile ones. Some of the anecdotal evidence tells us that the magazine industry is a snobby one and you move according to the reputation of your last gig. One piece of advice: Start in the trade magazines. They are much more likely to hire a person coming out of college or making a transition from another profession. And, try to define the two or three areas you want to become expert at. Make these areas your own by turning them over and over again through time.

We mentioned internships last month and a subscriber wrote in to tell us about her experiences in New York City. "In my case, I just asked! They seemed happy to hire someone who would work for practically nothing." It should be noted that the American Society of Magazine Editors has a very respected internship program.

And the American Society of Newspaper Editors has excellent internship resources.

Ask a question about your career!

A T    C/ O A S I S

2003 has seen some excellent submissions to C/Oasis. We are happy for that fact.

Two previous contributors grace our humble publication this month. Martha Nemes Fried is a fine story writer who tells a tale we are all too familiar with. Voyagers is the name of the story. "Nervous? Nobody's nervous in a nut house."

The resourceful, energetic Poetry Editor has published the 2nd half of the Robert Bly/Coleman Barks interview. It's apparent from reading it that all the parties involved had rollicking fun.

Jim McCurry publishes here again with two efforts that show a fine sensibility and one very familiar and masterly with the poetic art.

There's always an assortment of surprises so look around and enjoy yourself.

M Y   V I R T U A L   S P A C E 

"What am I," he leisurely pondered, "if I am nothing to the others?" He felt himself stripped down to nothing in the middle of contentious arguments about the nature of things, much of which seemed wrong-headed. "Every citizen," he thought, "is the preparation for powerful office." Read on

M A R K E T S  A N D  L E A D S

Staff Writer

Immediate opening in Sudbury, MA, office of a social sciences research and consulting firm. Bachelor’s degree or equivalent with 3-5 years’ experience, as well as proposal or grant writing skills required. Experience writing about mental health, substance abuse and/or homelessness a plus. Publications production experience preferred. Salary commensurate with experience. Send resumes and 2 writing samples, by March 15th, to the
Director of Communications
Advocates for Human Potential, Inc.
490-B Boston Post Rd.
Sudbury, MA 01776
or e-mail to: swells@ahpnet.com

Applications will not be considered without writing samples. Equal opportunity employe

Posted 2/19/03 runs through 3/15/03

EXPERT WRITER - MIAMI
Miami based law firm with offices in FL, CA, NY and NJ needs an expert writer/editor to write, edit, art direct and coordinate:

• Production of newsletters, brochures, promotion material, and,
• Direct mail programs, and,
• Creating questions and answers for a TV show produced by the Firm on various legal topics

• generation of story ideas
• proven ability to consistently work well with others
• experience maintaining high journalistic
• standards under deadline pressure

To apply, send cover letter and resume via fax to (305) 567-2600 or email ljs44@hotmail.com

Posted 2/19/03 runs through 3/15/03

Job Links for new leads!

New Magazine Launches:

IMAGES OF US MAGAZINE

AVIATOR'S GUIDE

GARAGE

JUST LABRADORS

Dig_iT magazine

HULLABALOO

ITALIAN COOKING & LIVING MAGAZINE

PROFESSIONAL WOMAN'S MAGAZINE

SURF LIFE FOR WOMEN

WORLD KID

If you have any suggestions about markets you want guidelines for, just drop a line

C O M M U N I T Y

Connecting with the Wired Generation:
How Young People use Technology, the Internet and Media

The conference will be on Friday & Saturday, March 28 & 29, on the UC Berkeley campus. The conference Web page, including a schedule of panels and speakers, a simple online registration form, and other details, is at HERE.

Shaw Guide for Writing Conferences in March.

A C K N O W L E D G M E N T S

Over the past several months subscribers have asked if they can donate anything to keep the publication going. I've resisted going this route, but now that Amazon has set up its "Honor System," those interested can donate to the maintenance of Sunoasis 2002.

F Y I

Put an ad in Sunoasis 2003 and reach its 4,400 subscribers. Just $25 a month! Contact mailto:eide491@earthlink.net

Take advantage of 20 years of professional Information 
Technology experience. Research/writing/proofreading 
assignments wanted: 
> articles, columns, white papers, presentations, and 
marketing literature for 
- Host connectivity  
- Legacy-web Integration  
- Enterprise Application Integration 
- eBusiness  
- eCommerce  
- Synergy of business & IT strategy 
- articles and columns about space exploration and 
utilization 
>Qualifications and samples at 
http://www.jeffkrukin.com
Contact: Jeff Krukin at 
jkrukin@bellsouth.net

Master speech writer and trainer: Make your speeches inspire and motivate your audience. With years of training and experience in speech writing and delivery, I can help you develop the perfect speech for any occasion. Coaching for delivery is also available. call 306-546-5717 or email jhillyer@devry.com

Sunoasis--You're amazing! A mere five hours after I sent in the text for my classified ad I got a call for a writing project, and within two days, the project was mine. Thanks so much for your invaluable services! Debbie Lerman, freelance writer
http://www.sunoasis.com/classif.html

E T C/ E T C/ E T C

Editor/Publisher: David Eide
C/Oasis
Sunoasis Jobs
E-mail
My Virtual Space

Sunoasis 2003 is fully protected by copyright. Sunoasis 2003 can be distributed in any way deemed intelligent by the reader as long as it is distributed in full for non-commercial uses. Reprint rights belong to the authors. Contact them if you wish to use their material. Unauthorized use of any material is strictly forbidden.

Subscribe: oasis-l-subscribe@topica.com

Unsubscribe: oasis-l-unsubscribe@topica.com

You can always reach me at eide491@earthlink.net Please do if you have any advice; anything you'd want to see put into Sunoasis 2003. If there is any problem with the delivery in your mailbox, let me know. I try to format it correctly but problems can arise.

Let's all meet again in March 2003!

David

Contribute to the Sunoasis Joblog! If you find a resourceful story on writing, employment, careers, etc. just fill out the box below and send away. The most resourceful will get posted.

Go to JoBlog!

Go to January Sunoasis Blog!

Go to December Sunoasis Blog!

David

Back to top of page