Comments on: Interview with Dan Baum on Writing for the Big Names — and on the Future of Journalism http://www.therenegadewriter.com/2009/05/18/interview-with-dan-baum-on-writing-for-the-big-names-and-on-the-future-of-journalism/ If you loved the book, read the blog Fri, 30 Jul 2010 16:51:20 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0 By: Dan Baum and the half-empty glass | A few words over http://www.therenegadewriter.com/2009/05/18/interview-with-dan-baum-on-writing-for-the-big-names-and-on-the-future-of-journalism/comment-page-1/#comment-150810 Dan Baum and the half-empty glass | A few words over Thu, 16 Jul 2009 19:37:46 +0000 http://therenegadewriter.com/?p=1173#comment-150810 [...] Dan Baum, a writer who’s worked for Esquire and The New Yorker, talked with the Renegade Writer blog about freelancing and the future of the magazine business. [...] [...] Dan Baum, a writer who’s worked for Esquire and The New Yorker, talked with the Renegade Writer blog about freelancing and the future of the magazine business. [...]

]]> By: Tumblemoose http://www.therenegadewriter.com/2009/05/18/interview-with-dan-baum-on-writing-for-the-big-names-and-on-the-future-of-journalism/comment-page-1/#comment-146183 Tumblemoose Tue, 02 Jun 2009 00:55:31 +0000 http://therenegadewriter.com/?p=1173#comment-146183 I have to echo the other comments here about what a great interview you conducted. It was a fun read and I liked the great comments as well. Cheers! George I have to echo the other comments here about what a great interview you conducted.

It was a fun read and I liked the great comments as well.

Cheers!

George

]]> By: Katarzyna Radzka http://www.therenegadewriter.com/2009/05/18/interview-with-dan-baum-on-writing-for-the-big-names-and-on-the-future-of-journalism/comment-page-1/#comment-146139 Katarzyna Radzka Mon, 01 Jun 2009 19:17:31 +0000 http://therenegadewriter.com/?p=1173#comment-146139 What an awesome interview. Thanks for posting it. Very inspirational. It's so nice to see that even the experienced writers still have to go through the marketing and tough times to land assignments. I suppose it doesn't matter how long you are in the game, you have to keep on doing the marketing, continuously pushing yourself, offering unique ideas and writing fantastic query letters that sell. Thanks again. What an awesome interview. Thanks for posting it. Very inspirational. It’s so nice to see that even the experienced writers still have to go through the marketing and tough times to land assignments. I suppose it doesn’t matter how long you are in the game, you have to keep on doing the marketing, continuously pushing yourself, offering unique ideas and writing fantastic query letters that sell.
Thanks again.

]]> By: Andrew McMillen http://www.therenegadewriter.com/2009/05/18/interview-with-dan-baum-on-writing-for-the-big-names-and-on-the-future-of-journalism/comment-page-1/#comment-145391 Andrew McMillen Mon, 25 May 2009 12:26:51 +0000 http://therenegadewriter.com/?p=1173#comment-145391 This was a massively inspirational interview, Linda. Thanks so much for sharing! Very much appreciated, from Brisbane, Australia. :) This was a massively inspirational interview, Linda. Thanks so much for sharing!

Very much appreciated, from Brisbane, Australia. :)

]]> By: Anne http://www.therenegadewriter.com/2009/05/18/interview-with-dan-baum-on-writing-for-the-big-names-and-on-the-future-of-journalism/comment-page-1/#comment-145282 Anne Sun, 24 May 2009 02:43:10 +0000 http://therenegadewriter.com/?p=1173#comment-145282 "If you write regularly for that pub and know that you’re going to get future assignments with them, it’s probably OK." No, it's not. One of my editors told me it makes him absolutely livid when people tell him they've been approached about articles people are supposedly writing for him. And as I said above, some publications such as the Guardian newspaper have very strict rules about this. If I was commissioning, as I sometimes have, and someone used my name or the publication's name without my say-so, I wouldn't use them again because I would feel I couldn't trust them. I think if you really need to use a publication's name to get sources to talk to you then ask the editor first. At any rate I genuinely don't understand why you would phone people up for quotes if you didn't have an assignment already. I know you guys seem to do it as part of pitching but bloody hell, what a complete waste of time. “If you write regularly for that pub and know that you’re going to get future assignments with them, it’s probably OK.”

No, it’s not. One of my editors told me it makes him absolutely livid when people tell him they’ve been approached about articles people are supposedly writing for him. And as I said above, some publications such as the Guardian newspaper have very strict rules about this.

If I was commissioning, as I sometimes have, and someone used my name or the publication’s name without my say-so, I wouldn’t use them again because I would feel I couldn’t trust them. I think if you really need to use a publication’s name to get sources to talk to you then ask the editor first.

At any rate I genuinely don’t understand why you would phone people up for quotes if you didn’t have an assignment already. I know you guys seem to do it as part of pitching but bloody hell, what a complete waste of time.

]]> By: Anne http://www.therenegadewriter.com/2009/05/18/interview-with-dan-baum-on-writing-for-the-big-names-and-on-the-future-of-journalism/comment-page-1/#comment-145160 Anne Fri, 22 May 2009 11:55:01 +0000 http://therenegadewriter.com/?p=1173#comment-145160 Sorry, I should clarify. I don't mean you're claiming to write for that publication when you don't. But I do know that finding out people have made enquiries implying they've been commissioned when they haven't goes down like a lead balloon with my editors. Sorry, I should clarify. I don’t mean you’re claiming to write for that publication when you don’t. But I do know that finding out people have made enquiries implying they’ve been commissioned when they haven’t goes down like a lead balloon with my editors.

]]> By: Elaine Grant http://www.therenegadewriter.com/2009/05/18/interview-with-dan-baum-on-writing-for-the-big-names-and-on-the-future-of-journalism/comment-page-1/#comment-145158 Elaine Grant Fri, 22 May 2009 11:22:09 +0000 http://therenegadewriter.com/?p=1173#comment-145158 Re: Anne's comment about representing yourself as being from a magazine when you're not, really - there may well be a US/UK divide, but I also think it depends greatly upon your relationship with the magazine in question. If you write regularly for that pub and know that you're going to get future assignments with them, it's probably OK. If you don't -- I absolutely agree with Anne, it's not kosher at all. Re: Anne’s comment about representing yourself as being from a magazine when you’re not, really – there may well be a US/UK divide, but I also think it depends greatly upon your relationship with the magazine in question. If you write regularly for that pub and know that you’re going to get future assignments with them, it’s probably OK. If you don’t — I absolutely agree with Anne, it’s not kosher at all.

]]> By: Anne http://www.therenegadewriter.com/2009/05/18/interview-with-dan-baum-on-writing-for-the-big-names-and-on-the-future-of-journalism/comment-page-1/#comment-145116 Anne Fri, 22 May 2009 00:53:03 +0000 http://therenegadewriter.com/?p=1173#comment-145116 Great interview... except this part: "When you are calling people and you don’t have an assignment yet, how do you convince them to talk to you? I say, “I’m working on a story for The New York Times Magazine.” Or “I’m working on a story for Wired magazine.” So you don’t let them know you don’t have the assignment in hand? No, I say I’m working on a story for Wired magazine and I am. My relationship with Wired magazine at that point is none of their business." I don't think that's OK. Maybe because the publications I write for, such as the Guardian, have strict editorial guidelines about not using their name dishonestly and because a number of editors have told me how much it angers them when they hear people have called up claiming to be from X paper or Y magazine when they're not. Maybe there's a UK/US divide here. Great interview… except this part:

“When you are calling people and you don’t have an assignment yet, how do you convince them to talk to you?
I say, “I’m working on a story for The New York Times Magazine.” Or “I’m working on a story for Wired magazine.”
So you don’t let them know you don’t have the assignment in hand?
No, I say I’m working on a story for Wired magazine and I am. My relationship with Wired magazine at that point is none of their business.”

I don’t think that’s OK. Maybe because the publications I write for, such as the Guardian, have strict editorial guidelines about not using their name dishonestly and because a number of editors have told me how much it angers them when they hear people have called up claiming to be from X paper or Y magazine when they’re not. Maybe there’s a UK/US divide here.

]]> By: Star http://www.therenegadewriter.com/2009/05/18/interview-with-dan-baum-on-writing-for-the-big-names-and-on-the-future-of-journalism/comment-page-1/#comment-144997 Star Wed, 20 May 2009 17:20:17 +0000 http://therenegadewriter.com/?p=1173#comment-144997 http://www.observer.com/2009/media/where-knox%E2%80%99s-vox-twittering-ex-new-yorker-writer-dan-baums-wife-former-martha-gellhorn-hi More on his wife's role. http://www.observer.com/2009/media/where-knox%E2%80%99s-vox-twittering-ex-new-yorker-writer-dan-baums-wife-former-martha-gellhorn-hi

More on his wife’s role.

]]> By: Caren Chesler http://www.therenegadewriter.com/2009/05/18/interview-with-dan-baum-on-writing-for-the-big-names-and-on-the-future-of-journalism/comment-page-1/#comment-144971 Caren Chesler Wed, 20 May 2009 12:27:26 +0000 http://therenegadewriter.com/?p=1173#comment-144971 Yes, great interview. Thanks, to you and Dan. Helpful stuff. Yes, great interview. Thanks, to you and Dan. Helpful stuff.

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