Q: Peggy, you’ve just completed a big move. What was the last thing you did, right before you left your former home?
Peggy: My flower garden had a rock border. Before I drove away for good, I grabbed a piece of quartz.
Q: You still have this quartz, right?
Peggy: Sure.
Q: From what I understand, you’ve also got plenty more. When you look around your living room, what do you see?
In February 2019, I released my first chapbook, a collection of poems that focus on the importance of speaking someone’s name and the value of naming. Because so many of the poems contain references to historical people, most of them largely forgotten, the book also contains short pieces of prose that illuminate an aspect of that person’s life. If interested in a copy, please contact me at kbsagert@aol.com. The cost is $8 plus tax and shipping. Thank you!
On August 6, 2018, History Press released Hidden History of Lorain County. Here is an overview that appeared in the Chronicle Telegram. Scroll to the bottom of this post for ordering information!
Now I’ll share a snippet from the very beginning of the book.
Like most things in life, there is a fine line between not networking enough as a writer – and focusing on networking at the expense of your actual writing time. If you find yourself spending too much energy on networking, it’s probably time for you to be honest with yourself. Do you really want to write – or do you simply enjoy socializing with writers and other Christians? Neither answer is “wrong.” A candid self-assessment, though, will most likely save you a lot of frustration — and this process will help you to determine what value there will be for you in attending Christian writers conferences.
“If the best journalists in the world lack credibility then they are nothing. All we have is our credibility. We aren’t granted ‘journalist’ status by earning a certain college degree or being issued a government license. We earn it by reporting responsibly.” (Society of Professional Journalists President David Cuillier discussing ethics in writing, April 2014 issue of Quill)
Maybe you consider yourself a journalist – or a blogger or a magazine writer. No matter how you self label, when you write nonfiction, it’s crucial to report responsibly and to navigate ethical tightropes as carefully as possible.
I’ve taught online writing classes for the company that publishes Writer’s Digest for 18 years now and at writer’s conferences for more than 20 years. If I were to choose the challenge that seems to derail the biggest number of talented writers with potential to be published in magazines, I’d say this: they tend to focus their early efforts on super-sized magazines such as Good Housekeeping, Entrepreneur and Parenting. But, is that really the best publishing strategy?
A curated blog post contains information of interest to a particular audience from multiple sources. For example, the post might contain information about 2018 kitchen decorating trends from five different websites. When done poorly, the curated post doesn’t add any new layers of value to the information and/or what’s chosen to be included is of lesser quality. Here’s more about how to curate content for your blog.
When you hear a tidbit of intriguing information, do you find yourself wanting to talk to the people involved, to get the story behind the story? Does your definition of happiness include researching? When you stand in line at the grocery store, do you long to see your name as a byline on one of those glossy magazines near the cash register?
As a freelance content developer, I create content for a wide variety of businesses, both B2B and B2C, on a fulltime basis. These have ranged from small mom and pop shops to a Fortune 500 company. I am HubSpot Certified for Inbound Marketing and a member of the prestigious, member-vetted American Society of Journalists and Authors. I am a lifelong learner with a passion for research and writing, and I love it when a piece of content works well for a client. Here are answers to FAQs.
When I was in elementary school, I desperately wanted to wear purple. But, my favorite color was my mother’s least favorite, so it was an uphill battle. Here is a proclamation that one of my mother’s dearest friends wrote in my support! When you look at the picture, imagine a royal purple border, one that has now faded to a muddy lavender at best. Then read the words, recreated below.
