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"THE END" IS NOT THE END OF THE STORY
by Cynthia MacGregor
I'm a full-time freelance writer/editor. Some years ago I
had an idea for a magazine, Solo Parenting. Unable to fund
the magazine, I approached the publisher for whom I performed
most of my editing and suggested he launch Solo Parenting,
with me as founding editor. Though he liked the idea, he shied
away from the capital investment after several weeks of studying
figures. I approached several other publishers with whom I had
working relationships, came close once, but ultimately struck
out. I feared taking the idea to a publisher I did not know,
lest they run with the idea but use a different editor, so I
backburnered the idea. But I "kept the pot simmering."
The concept of approaching an audience of single parents-
divorced, widowed, or never-married, moms or dads, custodial
or visitational-still resonated with me, though. My next effort
at the subject was a book called Solo Parenting. It was declined
by multiple houses.
So I turned Solo Parenting into a syndicated column. I attracted
the interest of a syndicate, whose editor went so far as to
request five sample columns to show to various newspaper and
web editors. Unfortunately, the editor changed his mind and
backed away from the project. Sometimes editors decline material
or go cold on a project that's already underway for external
reasons that don't bear on the writer or the quality of her
writing or her ideas.
My next thought was a website. Since the name SoloParenting.com
was already taken, I obtained the URL
http://www.TheSoloParent.com .
The site has been operational for a year now, bringing in modest
revenue from Google ads.
Never one to stop dreaming, I envisioned Solo Parenting as a TV
or radio show, and drew up a proposal for a 30-minute weekly
program. I shopped it around to many local TV and radio stations,
a few TV networks, as well as a couple of independent producers.
Initially they either turned me down or offered to sell me airtime,
with the idea that I could go out and sell commercials to not only
recoup my investment but hopefully make a profit for both of us.
I am not a salesman.
Finally one local TV station showed interest. They funded a
pilot, which became the premiere of the series. We are now in
weekly production with Solo Parenting, which airs Saturday
mornings on WHDT in South Florida. As producer (I am also host),
I derive fifty percent of all advertising revenues...and I don't
have to sell the ads myself.
Scorecard: TV show - ongoing and revenue-producing. Website -
ongoing and revenue-producing. Syndicated column - not yet,
but I've not given up. Book - currently under serious
consideration by a publisher. Magazine - not likely, but not
totally out of the question. The original publisher I contacted
years ago recently floated the suggestion that we might yet do
it as a Zinio e-magazine.
When you write something, don't stop there. Capitalize on it.
Diversify your platform. "The End" is just the beginning!
BIO:
Cynthia MacGregor is the author of 54 books and over 30
e-books, not to mention ghostwritten books, articles, and
many other forms of writing. She also freelance edits. In
addition, she hosts a weekly TV show for single parents in
the South Florida area. Busy and happy, she says, "There is
no one in the world I'd want to trade lives with."
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A Carolina Slade Mystery
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