2017 Public Lending Right Program registration deadline May 1

March 31, 2017 Editor Advice advicefreelance compensationplrpublic lending right program

If you're a Canadian author, illustrator or photographer with a published book, it's time to register for the Public Lending Right Program. PLR is a Canada Council for the Arts program that distributes payments to Canadian creators to compensate them for the lending out of their books through Canadian public libraries.

This year's registration period runs from February 15 to May 1. In order to register, you'll need to fill out and mail in a signed registration form along with photocopies of the title page, copyright page and table of contents of the book or books you've contributed to. But it's worth the effort -- last year the average payment sent out to registrants was $568.

For details on eligibility criteria or the application process, see the Public Lending Right Program's website.

The Born Freelancer on the Sanctity of Deadlines, Part 2

March 22, 2017 Editor Advice born freelancerdeadlinesfreelancer lifethe born freelancer

This series of posts by the Born Freelancer shares personal experiences and thoughts on issues relevant to freelancers. Have something to add to the conversation? We'd love to hear from you in the comments. In my previous post I talked about why deadlines should be considered sacrosanct. Today I want to talk about how to ensure you always make…

Freelance Finance: By the hour, or by the word?

March 10, 2017 Editor Advice advicefreelance compensationgetting paid

by Steven ThrendyleRecently, a Vancouver-based company called Grizzly Coast Media created a bit of a stir online when it started posting jobs for freelancers that paid $50 for anywhere from 1,000 to 1,500 words per story. If you take five hours to write 1500 words, you’re making $10 an hour. In Vancouver, where the typical one bedroom apartment…

The Born Freelancer on the Sanctity of Deadlines

February 08, 2017 Editor Advice adviceborn freelancerdeadlinesfreelance lifethe born freelancer

Also: R.I.P. Sam Levene & Keith Maskell This series of posts by the Born Freelancer shares personal experiences and thoughts on issues relevant to freelancers. Have something to add to the conversation? We'd love to hear from you in the comments. Douglas Adams, the late great British author of the SF humour classic The Hitchhiker's Guide to…

Is there a link between running and writing? Some experts think so

January 18, 2017 Editor Advice advicerunningwriting advice

by Christine BlanchetteAbout two weeks ago, I sat in front of my computer screen, feeling frazzled, my heart pounding. I was stressed – trying to meet a tight deadline for a fitness piece due that day. There was no time to waste, not even to make a cup of coffee. But I just couldn’t focus. I had to do something: RUN.I didn’t have the time but…

Pain and possibilities abound for journalists in the digital age

January 13, 2017 Editor Advice advicecupjournalism schoolnashsocial media

NASH 79 features several female journalists sharing stories of abuse on social media By Steve Cornwell[caption id="attachment_12955" align="alignright" width="305"] Tim Currie, director of the School of Journalism at the University of King's College[/caption]As the print-heavy side of newspaper industry continues to shed jobs and shut down…

Off the Page, with Richard Kelly Kemick

December 30, 2016 Editor Advice advicefreelancer q&anational magazine awardsoff the pagerichard kelly kemick

Off the Page is a regular interview series featuring National Magazine Award winners. Recently we caught up with Richard Kelly Kemick, who was nominated for 2 National Magazine Awards in 2016–winning the Gold Medal in One of a Kind for his story “Playing God” (The Walrus), a reflection on his singular obsession with building Christmas…

The Born Freelancer Reaches 100

December 16, 2016 Editor Advice born freelancerthe born freelancer

This series of posts by the Born Freelancer shares personal experiences and thoughts on issues relevant to freelancers. Have something to add to the conversation? We'd love to hear from you in the comments. Today marks my 100th post. This may not seem like anything special to you but I can clearly remember finishing my very first post only a few…

The Freelancer’s Guide to Content Marketing

December 15, 2016 Editor Advice advicecontent marketinggetting paidmarketing yourselfsponsored content

By Steven ThrendyleChances are, you didn’t become a freelancer because you wanted to learn how to write something called “native advertising.” Maybe you’re a graduate from a journalism school, or you’ve honed your freelance career by pitching, researching, and writing stories for magazines such as The Walrus, Canadian Business, or Toronto…

The Five Key Steps to Finishing a Freelance Project

November 25, 2016 Editor Advice freelance projectstime management

by Rebecca HassWorking as freelancers, we often feel that once we have a job the hard part is done. But in the roller coaster emotional ride of our work we often feel insecure about what we have created, overwhelmed by what we have to get done on a deadline and, eventually, burnt out. How to spell relief? Five ways to show up to get the project…