It’s time that writers did their bit for the environment. Reduce, reuse, recycle need not only apply to the earth’s resources, but to our own. Applying this motto to writing work will make us more effective writers – and we’ll earn more, too. Here’s how it works.
Reduce
Say you’ve written a 2,000 word treatise on your favourite subject. Try cutting it down to size to make a short story or a blog post. Cut out all the fluff and dross until you’re left with the essentials. This article will look very different from the original and you’ll be able to sell it to a new market without contravening any deal you had with the publisher of the original article.
Reuse
Why reinvent the wheel? If you have written something good, then use the research to create a few spinoffs. This isn’t cheating; it’s a time honored writing technique.
I was taught to look for other ways of writing the material and new angles that you could take, then you could make one set of research spawn two or three articles, all of which you could get paid for.
That’s how the most successful freelancers operate. They research a piece and then sell different angle to different publications, which brings me to the third point.
Recycle
‘Listen very carefully; I shall say this only once.’ Those words are spoken by Michelle of the French Resistance in the popular British sitcom Allo Allo.
However, for writers, there’s no rule that says that you have to use a piece of writing only once. Once you have sold the first serial rights, then you can still get people to pay for reprints, especially if you have a quality article. Why not publish something in print and then sell it online, or vice versa? It’s another way to get paid more than once.
The three Rs of environmental husbandry have a lot to teach us about squeezing every bit of mileage (and profit) out of our writing work and research.
Finally, we can be kind to the environment at the same time. All we need to do is avoid printing articles and emails unless we really have to.
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Excellent post, Sharon! The first time I stumbled onto the ability to rewrite something, I was astounded. I keep everything I write just in case I need a chunk of it later. When I write a large project with similar keywords I often grab a chunk from one piece to rewrite and start another. It never ends up looking the same and gives me a bit of a head start.
Cheers,
Dana
Me too, Dana. You just never know when you will need it and it’s a real time saver when it comes to research.
About recycling–I just entered into a contract with a magazine that allows me to sell work I do for them elsewhere “as long as the lede and some other content is changed.” (Vague, huh?) In this type of situation, if I’m only reworking the lede (and, say, 10-15% of the body of the piece) am I selling a reprint or am I selling a reWRITE?
I know not to pitch the same exact article to two competing magazines but beyond that I’m stumped. Advice?
Hi Sharon – Thanks for an interesting point of view: Could have been titled “The Three Rs Revisited.”
Great Post!
I’ve never thought of using the 3 Rs for writing.
Thanks for sharing, I’ll give it a try next time.
Great post, interesting point of view. I’m now sitting here contemplating the amount of paper I’ve wasted over the years. Talk about leaving my mark on the world.
Wonderful eco-spun tips, Sharon!
One thing to remember when reprinting is to double check which rights have already been sold.
In a way writing is fantastic because some of what we’ve written has the potential to continue earning years after it’s initial print if it’s put to work by a resourceful writer. Now, of course, my mind is running over my archives to see if there is anything there worth submitting for reprints or reworking on a new angle.
Well, it’s definitely not a reprint, since that would be the identical article. I think you’re selling a rewrite, but I suspect that most editors would be upset that 85% of the article had appeared elsewhere, so I’d be inclined to rewrite the whole thing. Of course, if they know what they’re getting and it’s ok, then that’s a different matter. Hope this helps, Rachel.
You’re right, Bobbie. That’s a good title.
Thanks, Suhada. It works, doesn’t it?
Thanks, Claire. You’re not alone there – when I first worked in magazines, we wasted a criminal amount of paper. I’ve now gone to the other extreme and only print when I really need to.
Good point, Rebecca – thanks for mentioning that. I use that technique often. Sometimes it’s just a matter of taking an old article, starting at a different point and seeing where that leads you.
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