What does this service potentially mean to lawyers or aspiring lawyer writers?  It sounds like great PR opportunities!  Think build your name opportunities.  Ways to get noticed.  Ways to establish yourself as an expert.  Ways to generate clients and money.

Apparently, if you’re a reporter or writing a story, and you’re looking for lawyer(s) to quote, you submit a query, explaining what you’re after.  Your request is then matched with lawyers and you get replies.  If you simply want to get noticed in print or online media, you sign up for the chance to get matched to queries.

Sound cool?  Drop a comment below if you have experience with LawyerWire, and of course, if you subscribe and get quoted, please drop a line or send a tweet to @publishedlawyer.

In today’s Web 2.0–social media obsessed–world, how do you go about finding sources or experts for your interviews, assuming an editor hasn’t already suggested a lead or thrown an idea at you?  Try these popular sources:

1.  HARO (”Help a Reporter Out”).  What’s to love?  When you sign up to receive this list, you’ll receive up to three emails (typically morning, afternoon & evening) jammed with query requests sent to you each day.  If you’re a journalist or writer trying to find people to interview, you can fill in a form to submit your query.  HARO is free.

2.  ExpertTweet.  Gotta love clever Twitter applications, right?  Well, ExpertTweet helps people, including authors, writers, reporters, bloggers, and business owners find experts via Twitter.  You can also reply or suggest experts when you see queries that match the expertise of someone you know–even if that someone is you, Ms. or Mr. Expertise!    

3.  Bloggers, reporters, colleagues, social networking communities.  Stuck for an idea, ask around and dig into your network.  Just like telling everyone you know that you’re looking for a job comes in handy when you’re trying to find one, so does asking around when you need a specific expert.  The world is small.  Plus, you never know, until you ask, who you might get the opportunity to meet thanks to your contacts.

4.  Post a query.  Find relevant listservs or discussion boards where you can post a targeted query to an audience that you suspect will produce a source.

5.  Editors.  Really stuck for a source?  Talk with your editor.  If the editor really likes your idea, chances are the editor isn’t going to hang you out to dry…at least not completely.         

Copyright 2009 The Published Lawyer.  All rights reserved.

Here are a few mentions from those lists:  iUniverse, Xlibris, Dog Ear Publishing, and Self-Publishing.  Of course, for photo books and limited text books, there’s also Shutterfly, Blurb, or MyPublisher.

If you’re looking for books on self-publishing, I’ve heard good things about this book, though I haven’t read it:  The Complete Guide to Self Publishing (Tom Ross & Marilyn Ross).

Any other recommendations out there for fellow lawyers who want to try self-publishing?

Copyright 2009 The Published Lawyer.  All rights reserved.

A query letter is generally a concise (typically one page max., though it may be longer if you have an extensive or elaborate proposal), well-written letter aimed to capture an editor’s interest in your idea.  In a query letter, you’re pitching your idea.  Think selling your idea to an editor.  You want to hook the editor a.s.a.p.   The query letter is your chance at a rockstar moment.  You either woo the editor with your magic, or your idea ends up in the monster-sized slush pile or electronic recycle bin.  Sometimes, if you’re lucky, your idea may fall somewhere in between instead of getting tossed out.  An editor may like the general concept, but think it needs re-thinking on your part.  They may shoot it back to you, and give you another chance to re-pitch your idea. 

Depending on the nature of your work, the query letter will highlight key information pertaining to your work.  For example, a nonfiction query might include a few lines about you or your experience to convince the editor that you are the perfect pick for authoring the piece–you’re qualified and credible.  On the other hand, your credentials may be less important or even irrelevant to an editor interested in fiction.  In a fiction query, you’ll usually want to include talk about plot and main characters.

I’ve always believed there’s a lot of mystery to the query letter.  You may write a brilliant letter, but every editor rejects it.  You may write, what you later conclude after re-reading and re-reading your letter in disbelief, a half-assed letter and score a feature spot in a glossy magazine, even a book deal.  The key is practice.  The more you write query letters and get responses from editors (good or bad), the sooner you’ll get a sense of what you’re doing right, and hopefully, what you’re doing wrong.

If you do a Google search or pick up a freelance writing book, you can find plenty of query letter examples (including witty sites featuring reject letters from editors).  If you’ve always wanted to write, it’s my view that if you can put that idea down into letter form and start sending it out to editors, you’ll be well on your way to becoming a published lawyer writer.  It may take time to find an editor who accepts your idea, and maybe you’ll get an overwhelming number of rejections, but if you’re persistent and keep tweaking that letter and idea (or scratch the idea completely and start anew), you will get where you want to go–and you’ll eventually see your name in print.

Copyright 2009 The Published Lawyer. All rights reserved.

But you’re about to change that, right?  If the fiction scene is your cup of tea, here are a few resources to bookmark or click on over to Amazon (or head to your local library) to buy.

Books

• Novel & Short Story Writer’s Market.  The granddaddy of novel & short story resources.  Updated annually, this book is considered a must have by many novel & short story writers.  Features advice written by experienced writers about breaking into writing, sample query letters (what you send off to publishers), tips for finding agents, packed chapters listing specific publications where you can publish your work, including book publishers and literary magazines, contests & awards, and conferences. 

Blogs

There are some great “fiction” author blogs online that can teach you a lot of specifics about the process of novel & short story writing, including dos and don’ts and tried and true tips for promoting your work.

Here’s a peek at a few popular sites:

• Ask Allison.  Allison Winn Scotch is the author of Time of My Life and The Department of Lost and Found.  Her blog is filled with advice that is authentic, witty, and incredibly helpful.
• A Newbie’s Guide to Publishing.  Thriller series writer, Joe Konrath serves up a mix of writing advice, tips, personal insight, and self-promotion, so there’s plenty of learning material here for the new writer.
• Writing Fiction.  An insightful blog for writers that features answers to questions, perspectives, and writing advice.
•  InkyGirl.  If you’re looking for writing advice jazzed up with humor, you’ll want to check out Debbie Ridpath Ohi’s blog.

Social Networks

• She Writes.  You don’t need to be a published writer to join this community, but most members at least aspire to become one!
• Ning.  Go crazy here.  Search for writing groups and communities by key word.  Among some of the cool Ning groups, you’ll find Discover Writing and The Writing Studio. 

Save the Date – Mark the Calendar

• National Novel Writing Month (November 1st-30th).  Can you really write a novel in a month?  Absolutely!  Especially when you’re part of a novel writing challenge–there’s nothing like a bit of ol’ fashioned pressure to get you finally pursue that writing dream!

Contests

• Novel & Short Story Writer’s Market.  This annually updated book features a section dedicated to contests and awards, with detailed descriptions and entry requirements.
• Writer’s Digest Competitions.  Lists competitions for the calendar year.

What’s missing here?  Do you know of a resource that is a must for the aspiring novel & short story writer?

Copyright 2009 The Published Lawyer.  All rights reserved.