Once a week, we gather stories about the media business, journalism, writing, publishing, and freelancing—with a Canadian focus—and share them in Off the Wire. Who needs a water cooler?

From Canada:

• Best practices guide for magazine industry to be discussed at MagNet [Masthead] (via @jaclynlaw)
• Kobo online self-publishing tool gives aspiring authors more choices [Toronto Star]
• Spacing magazine and Outdoor Canada win big at CSME Editors' Choice awards [Canadian Magazines]
• The winners of the 35th anniversary National Magazine Awards [NMAF blog]
• Publisher's group loses funding [J-Source]

From the U.S. and beyond:

• Who says print is dead? [Guardian UK] (via @stephditta)
• Newspapers cut days from publishing week [New York Times] (via @romenesko)
• GOOD magazine addresses editorial staff layoffs [Poynter]
• Why reporting is ripe for innovation [Mashable] (via @lavrusik)
• For The New York Times, India Ink is a step toward figuring out how to please a global audience [Nieman Journalism Lab] (via @Naomi_Powell)
• How ‘Fifty Shades of Grey’ is shaking up the business of the romance genre [The Daily Beast]
• 'Times' freelancers make a bet on long-form local journalism with new site, 'Narratively' [Capital New York] (via @mayjeong)
• Ray Bradbury wasn’t a digital dinosaur; e-backlist coming [paidContent] (via @mediagazer)
• Ebooks, digital publishing in focus at New York book expo [Reuters]

From Story Board last week:

• The Born Freelancer on what to charge: Part 1: One of the most fundamental questions a freelancer will ever hear is also one of the most difficult to answer right away: How much do you charge? The correct answer will vary from individual to individual and will be determined according to qualifications, abilities, time lines, and perceived value. It will also depend on how much you want the job and how much your potential client wants you. The latter will depend upon your sales pitch, the former on your career path and current financial disposition. Some points to consider...
• Seeking part-time editor for Story Board: The Canadian Media Guild is seeking a part-time editor for Story Board, a blog that creates an online space for media freelancers in Canada.

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Spot a story you think we should include in next week's Off the Wire? Email the link to editor@thestoryboard.ca.

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