If you didn’t win and would like to sign up, there’s still time, and Marla is offering entrants a 10% discount. And please e-mail Marla at marla@coachmarla.com to request your free gift — entrance into her e-course From Overwhelmed to Empowered: 3 Simple Steps to Creating a Writing Business You Love, her 3-part coaching series (value: $37). This is an info-packed series of tips and exercises to help you start transforming the way you write and do business.

You can also use this e-mail address to request the code to get your 10% discount on Two Days to Write.

Thanks to all who entered the contest!

To sweeten the pot even more, Marla is offering a special gift to everyone who enters the contest — entrance into her e-course From Overwhelmed to Empowered: 3 Simple Steps to Creating a Writing Business You Love, her 3-part coaching series (value: $37). This is an info-packed series of tips and exercises to help you start transforming the way you write and do business.

If you don’t win, don’t despair: Marla is offering all entrants a 10% discount on her Two Days to Write intensive.

To enter the contest, add a comment on the contest post telling Marla what you would work on in her class.

To everyone who enters: To get your free gift, e-mail Marla at marla [at] coachmarla.com with the subject line “I entered the contest!” She’ll send you the super-secret link to her e-course plus a code that will give you 10% off her Two Days to Write intensive should you want to sign up..

Good luck! [lf]

Marla Beck is giving away a Core seat (valued at $169) in her virtual intensive, Two Days to Write. The group-coaching program takes place December 9-11, with a get-started training call on Wednesday, December 7.

Marla’s two-day writing intensive is an excellent way for you to:

• challenge yourself to crank out magazine pitches, complete a new essay, revise a book chapter, or draft a new e-book, novel outline or book proposal
• inject your writing career with energy and new possibilities
• stride into 2012 feeling relaxed and confident, knowing that this year you’ve put you and your writing career first

To enter, click here to read about the program (full disclosure: That’s an affiliate link) and leave us a blog comment with your name and one or two writing projects you’d like to knock out during Marla’s two-day intensive. Deadline to enter is Friday, December 2nd.

(And if you’re ready to reserve your seat in “Two Days to Write” now, feel free to register using the link, above. If you’re chosen as our winner, Marla will refund your prize winnings next week.)

Deadline to Enter: Friday, December 2nd at 12 pm ET.

On Friday, we’ll use an online randomizer to pick the lucky winner.

Good luck! [lf]

But this is the one that edged out all the others, written by Kelly:

“Are You Too Careful? How Being Scam-Scavvy May Be Costing You”

I would open with the story of Gail Davis, who hung up on a call informing her that she had won a $10,0000 iTunes card. The call was real. By dodging phone calls and not answering our doors, we’re creating an atmosphere of fear for ourselves and our families that takes a psychological toll, not to mention the missed opportunities. It’s important to be smart, but when does it become paranoia?

This could turn into a really interesting wellness article on cultivating a sense of trust in a distrustful world. I looked up the anecdote and it is indeed real, which give the idea a news angle as well.

Kelly, please e-mail me at lindaformichelli@gmail.com and I’ll send you your free copy of Get Unstuck! for Freelancers.

Based on some of the entries, I realize I may not have been clear: An opposite idea opposes conventional or current wisdom. It doesn’t just flip around one of the words in the title. It needs to be a surprising turnabout that makes an editor go, “Say what?” Most of you are definitely on the right track, but I wanted to make sure I was clear in my description of the opposite idea.

Thanks to everyone who entered the contest. I look forward to the next one! [lf]

An evergreen is an idea that magazines run frequently in some fashion: How to save money, how to lose weight, the top 10 healthiest foods. The trick to freshening up an idea for a jaded editor is to give it an angle or a presentation that the editor hasn’t seen before. For example, I recently posted about unique packaging ideas and how to turn a ho-hum service idea into something special by offering surprising tips.

Another of my favorite ways to turn been-there-done-that into a salable idea it to change it into what I call an “opposite idea,” where you take a basic idea and turn it on its head.

For example, years ago when peanuts were making news because schools and airlines were banning them to protect people with allergies, I sold an article to Oxygen called “In Defense of the Peanut,” about the health benefits of this humble legume. And during a period when every writer was pitching “The Top 10 Healthiest Foods,” I sold “Hidden Health Stars,” about foods that seemed like nutritional nothings but were really good for you: Mushrooms, iceberg lettuce, and so on.

Another one: When everyone was writing about ways to save money, I sold “When It Pays to Pay More” to Family Circle, about the long-term cost-saving benefits of springing a few more dollars for quality clothes, furniture, appliances, and more.

Here’s an assignment for you to do right now: Take any of these evergreen ideas and use the “opposite idea” approach to turn them into fresh, salable ideas. Or, feel free to take any idea you’ve seen a lot of lately and turn it into an opposite idea. Keep in mind that you don’t have to be literal about it; for example, the opposite of “Potty Training Made Easy” is not necessarily “Potty Training Made Difficult.”

Post your ideas in the Comments section below by Thursday, October 20 at 7 am ET. I’ll select my favorite idea, and the winner will get a free copy of my e-book Get Unstuck! For Freelancers: A 6-Week Course to Boost Your Motivation, Organization, and Productivity—So You Can Do More Work in Less Time, Make More Money, and Enjoy the Freelance Lifestyle.

“Top 5 Ways to Save Money”

“How to Squash Sibling Rivalry”

“Natural Beauty: How to Look Great — the Green Way”

“Potty Training Made Easy”

“Family-Friendly Vacations”

“Protect Yourself from These Common Scams”

“The Bride’s Top 5 In-Law Problems — Solved”

“Decorating on a Dime”

“Build Your Business Through Referrals”

Let’s see what you’ve got — and have fun! [lf]