Feature photo courtesy of Hope Clark. Photo above by Seth W.

Hope Clark had a job as an administrative director for a federal agency, handling grants and loans.By night, she wrote book reviews for a website, starting in 1997, when the internet was still relatively young.

She didn’t know it then, but Clark was beginning a career path that would see her become a freelancing guru for thousands of writers around the country.

Her online book reviews gained a following of readers, who began complaining to Hope about the costs of computer-related items like internet connections, printers, and ink that they encountered as they pursued freelance opportunities. Based on her experience at her day job, Clark offered the kind of money-making advice that came most natural to her – she gave them tips on how to find more opportunities as writers for hire.

Photo courtesy of Hope Clark.

The readers started emailing her at home, and word started getting around within circles of friends. Clark wanted to write a book, not type out dozens of emails, so she put together a weekly newsletter.

The idea continued to catch fire–the newsletter grew to 1000 readers within a few months–and Clark found herself with a unique problem on her hands.

“Actually, I kept trying not to do the newsletter because of my desire to write a novel,” says Clark now, looking back on the origins of a newsletter that now reaches 21,000 readers a week. “But I kept getting drawn to the newsletter and the continuing emails for assistance.”

The newsletter became known as Funds For Writers, and was officially born in March of 2000, nine years ago, becoming the first real resource on the web for writers looking to make a living on their talent.

The original newsletter is free, and the service has grown to include a newsletter for lower-paying gigs, a beefed-up version that costs only $12 a year, and even a newsletter for kids that includes outlets where they can submit their work, which is heavily used by teachers in schools across the country.

Clark retired from her federal job in 2003, and has devoted herself full-time as a writer and the force behind a service that has started countless readers down their individual journeys as writers. Her list of success stories is as long as one of her newsletters.

“One young lady attended a year long fellowship in Germany. One won a grant with the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators. Some have found publishers. One established a series of children’s books. But the ones I enjoy are those who published the first time or won their first award,” Clark says.

Clark says that she is motivated the most by thanks from her readers, and even though the service has grown larger than she had ever anticipated, she works hard to maintain the intimate feel that was present when she was answering emails one at a time.

Photo by wetwebwork.

“Anytime I think that I’d like to move on to other things, I receive a flurry of thanks from several readers who elaborate on how I’ve made a difference in their lives,” she says.

“A lot of people and entities have a web site and slap up information on it, with little care for the reader. Since I appreciate the personal touch by any business I deal with, I feel it necessary to be helpful to my readers. Too many businesses are way too cold.”

Though some talking heads have called our current economy a “gig-based” one, Clark isn’t necessarily buying the new designation.

“Writing is gig based. All I see in this new economy is more people testing their hand at being a freelance writer,” she says.

The waves of recent layoffs and general unemployment could be leading to the swelled ranks of freelance writers, but Clark knows how tough it can be out there, and it’s only getting tougher.

“Those stepping into the arena now, since they’ve lost some other line of work, are entering a highly competitive marketplace,” says Clark. “Many magazines are going under and hiring fewer gigs. As a result, compensation to writers is decreasing. Once upon a time a writer could stumble along for a while, learning the trade as they became established. That’s harder than ever before now.”

Clark offered some tips for writers trying to keep their heads above water while doing what they love:

• Spend as much time studying the business and the markets as you do writing.
• Make writing as habitual as brushing your teeth. Sporadic writing yields sporadic results.
• Look for criticism. Join a critique group and participate with vigor.
• Prepare a professional-looking web site and/or blog and keep it updated.
• Join professional writing organizations. They provide contacts and current information on your field.
• Don’t write safe. Dare to struggle and test yourself with deeper characters, different genres, harder markets. You don’t grow until you’re challenged.
• Keep “13” in play. Hope keeps 13 queries/submissions outstanding at all times. When a rejection or acceptance comes in, she stops what she’s doing and submits more to maintain the 13. Any number will do, just stick to it.

Community Connection

For more on Hope Clark, please visit her website, Funds for Writers.

Feature photo by Photocapy. Photo above by goosmurf.

As readers familiar to Matador know, no matter how savvy a globetrotter you are or how in-tune with the local culture you try to be, international travel is not without its risks. The fact is, there are people out there who make a living preying on folks who have the means to move about the globe.

Frequent travelers have heard all the warnings before: “Don’t leave your bags unattended! Always stick to well-traveled streets! Don’t carry too much cash!”

But what about some deeper insight? How can travelers get inside the mind of the international petty thief or pickpocket, understand what makes them tick, and think creatively to keep themselves from being victimized?

Dr. Barbara Oakley is an associate professor at Oakland University in Michigan, and is the author of Evil Genes, a nonfiction thriller that explores themes of morality, genetics, and brain research. The book was partially inspired by Oakley’s travel adventures, which include rubbing elbows with KGB agents as a translator on Soviet ships.

Recently I was able to connect with Dr. Oakley via email to gain some insight into the workings of the international criminal.

Photo by Matt Biddulph.

Nature vs. Nurture

Petty criminals are often regarded as folks who have suffered from a rough upbringing and, therefore, have almost been forced to turn to a life of crime in order to get by. However, Oakley contends that this passive attitude can be dangerous.

“Our schools and universities indoctrinate students with the idea that a poor environment is the sole cause of criminal behavior,” says Oakley. “This conditioning is used by criminals to their advantage.”

If a criminal has been caught in the act, says Dr. Oakley, they will try to appeal to your sense of altruism and empathy for you to let them go. They could accomplish this through crying, saying they’ve never stolen before, or telling a sad story about their life or family.

If you’re a reasonably nice person, you can completely let your guard down.

“Some thieves have been trained since they were children to think about robbing ‘rich Westerners’ as something that’s a fully justified activity,” says Oakley. “Knowing this kind of information can help you to be more alert to the kind of physical cues that can alert you in situations of possible immediate harm.”

Watch out for eagles and chameleons

So you think that scruffy looking teenager with a staring problem in the seat opposite yours is eyeing up your iPod? Maybe you should pay closer attention to the little old lady whose bags you helped load into the overhead compartment. According to Dr. Oakley, these two fit into two thief sub-categories: eagles and chameleons.

“Eagles are thieves in great shape, who swoop in to grab their loot,” says Oakley. “Poor countries generally don’t have expensive forensic luxuries like fingerprinting, so if caught, a teenager can give a false name, be released, and go right back to a train or bus station to steal again. (An example of an eagle in action in Chile can be found on YouTube – here)

The chameleon’s approach is more subtle. These are the con artists or masters of disguise, and they may victimize you without you even realizing it.

“The chameleon may be a very good-looking man in a nice suit that gently slips his hand in your pocket as he moves past you in the aisle, or a nice-looking young woman who trips and falls against you,” says Oakley.

Their methods are no less insidious. When caught, the chameleon will often try to employ psychological techniques to get themselves off the hook. They’ll appeal to your sympathy through any means available to them.

“They’ll even cry, which can get your mirror neurons going–you feel sorry for the thief because you actually feel the feeling that the thief is simulating,” says Oakley.

Photo by Kieran Huggins.

What Can You Do?

Here are some expert tips straight from Dr. Oakley to keep in mind in your travels.

• Security guards keep a wary eye on known thieves, who generally can’t be thrown off public property. Thus, it can be a good idea to follow the eyes of security guards in a train station or other public place, to see who the guards are watching.
• It can be a good idea to wear sunglasses if you are dozing on a bus or train. That way a thief cannot tell whether you might be observing him.
• Always look suspicious individuals in the eyes. There are neurological reasons for this–following the eyes means you are hyper-aware of someone. Looking at a potential thief in the eyes can scare him off, because he suspects you know what he’s up to.
• Thieves are often just looking for the opportunity to get close to you–perhaps simply by asking for the time. You mustn’t let them get close. Often thieves act in pairs–the first buddy will see where you look to ensure things are safe when approached by the other buddy, and as you are distracted by the other buddy, the first buddy will move in to grab your wallet.

Community Connection

For more on preventing dodgy travel situations, please reference How to Survive Dangerous Border Crossings, and for an emotional look at one traveler’s experience with tragedy on the road, read Jon Brandt’s The Great Bus Heist.