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Citing Works Used in Blogs, Press Releases, Newsletters

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Copyeditors, given their passion for exactness, like to go by the book and feel uneasy if they have to improvise. In copyediting scholarly works, citations, and references are relatively straightforward matters, and all style guides explain in excruciating detail the recommended form for citing sources. If you look up the successive editions of any style guide, you will see that the number of examples it uses to illustrate the format of presenting the full details of a given source — a journal article, a chapter in a book, a web page, an audio recording, and so on — has been steadily rising to keep pace with newer digital forms in which the content is packaged: emails, Facebook posts, WhatsApp posts, Instagram posts and messages, YouTube videos. . . .

The fact that NAIWE’s executive director, April Michelle Davis, suggested that I contribute an article on how to cite blogs, press releases, and newsletters is proof enough that editors need a template for every form of packaging. And that, to my mind, is a demand unlikely to be met no matter how comprehensive a style guide. I will of course dispense some advice on dealing with blogs, press releases, and newsletters as dictated by a couple of style guides, mainly APA (the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, 7th ed.) and Chicago (the Chicago Manual of Style, 17th ed.), but I also intend to share with my fellow editors how, once you know the four basic elements of a reference, namely the author, the date, the title, and the source, it is easy to deal with every new kind of source that information technology can throw at us.

As the following examples show, these basic elements continue to make up any reference and continue to retain the sequence in which they are given in a reference. For example, here is how to format the reference, APA style, when the source in question is a blog post:

  • Charlesworth Author Services. (2022, April 16). Understanding author affiliation and accurately mentioning it in different scenarios. https://www.cwauthors.com/article/understanding-and-accurately-mentioning-author-affiliation

 

Chicago differs in that it adds the word “blog,” in parenthesis, after the title of the blog post, moves the date farther from the author’s name, and places the title of the blog post within quotation marks:

  • Yateendra Joshi, “Using “et al.” for in-text citations in research paper,” Editage Insights (blog), January 16, 2014, https://www.editage.com/insights/using-et-al-for-in-text-citations-in-research-papers?refer-type=article.

 

For press releases, however, APA makes it a point to identify the genre by inserting the phrase “Press release,” within square brackets, at the end of the title or heading of the press release, as shown in the following made-up example:

  • Institute of Typographic Research. (2021, July 18). Unambiguous characters for captcha texts [Press release]. https://www.ITR.org/Newsroom/announce/glyphs34.htm

 

Chicago differs in that it uses “news release” and does not enclose it within square brackets:

  • Institute of Typographic Research, “Unambiguous characters for captcha texts,” news release no. ITR07182021, July 18, 2021, https://www.ITR.org/Newsroom/announce/glyphs34.htm

 

Formatting the reference to an item in a newsletter is straightforward because newsletters are serial publications, usually with volume numbers, issues numbers, and a date (typically the month and the year). Therefore, the reference follows the standard format for an article in a journal. However, items in newsletters are rarely attributed to named authors, and the entity that publishes the newsletter is taken as the author.

However, what is really important — far more than following the stipulated format by using square brackets instead of round brackets (or vice versa, as the case may be) — is that as copyeditors we ensure that readers are given all the necessary information so that

  • the exact source is pinpointed
  • enough information is given (especially the author, the title, and the year) to help readers decide whether they should consult the original article
  • relevant details are supplied to help readers obtain the article in question.

In turn, the necessary information comprises the four basic elements mentioned above, basic because they answer the following questions:

  • Who is the entity responsible for the content (the author)?
  • How recent or dated is the information (the date)?
  • What is the content all about (the title)?
  • How to locate it (the source)?

So long as you keep these basic elements in mind, you will be less worried about not having the exact template for each kind of source — be it a blog, a press release, or a story in a newsletter.

 

 

Yateendra Joshi, has been copyediting scientific and technical documents for more than 30 years and helps researchers and academics get published in high-impact-factor journals. Certified as a master editor by the Board of Editors in the Life Sciences — only 30 editors worldwide have been thus recognized so far — and a former researcher himself, Yateen has taught full-semester courses on technical writing, has conducted more than 30 shorter training programs, and as many webinars from March 2020 to December 2021 on successful submissions to high-impact-factor journals. Yateen is a member of the editorial board of Information Design Journal, was elected for the second term (2021–2023) as a member of the council of the European Association of Science Editors, and is a professional member of the Chartered Institute of Editing and Proofreading. His book, Communicating in Style, was favorably reviewed by a dozen international journals and newsletters, and the late John le Carré called it “A gem. Courteous, unfrightening and essential. A perfect companion to Fowler’s A Dictionary of Modern English Usage for today’s communicators.”

Networking Is Back!

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The past few weeks have been so exciting for this super-extrovert because it looks like in-person networking is back, and I’m loving every opportunity to connect, or re-connect, with colleagues in real life. I’ve been on a plane, at a sizable conference, at a couple of local events . . . life is starting to feel almost normal again.

Networking never really went away during the past two years or so of coping with the COVID-19 pandemic, but it’s been conducted remotely, and I’ve really missed getting together in person, both formally and informally. I’m very appreciative of the ways we’ve been able to stay connected through social media and online events, and I don’t see those virtual or remote interactions ending any time soon. It’s just so much more energizing — at least to me — to meet in person again.

Networking over Zoom, email, or social media has its own conventions. We need to know about making our Zoom presence its most effective and professional, which means remembering to wear something appropriate for the event, placing lighting in front of our computers and faces, reducing noise and interruptions as much as possible, using the mute function out of courtesy to other participants (as well as to reduce that noise), and trying to read participants’ faces and voices to understand both intent and spoken words.  It also means showing up as promised — many online events have been free that a lot of people got into the habit of RSVPing and bagging the commitment at the last minute — and doing our best to contribute something positive and constructive to conversations rather than wasting time on irrelevancies.

Now that we’re going back to networking in person, I’ve noticed a few aspects that we might want to keep in mind for that next event, whether it’s an organization chapter session or large-scale conference.

 

  • Remember the process.

Networking is a two-way process. Colleagues are usually more than willing to provide advice, resources, and shoulders to lean on, but expect to see some response as well. For every time you use your network to get something, try to give something back.

 

  • Look your best!

We can get away with minimal “dress for success” efforts for Zoom and other virtual platforms, but for in-person events, it’s time to make the effort to look professional. That doesn’t have to mean a three-piece suit or stockings and high heels, but it also doesn’t mean T-shirts and jeans, at least for most of the events we’re likely to attend. I tend to prefer dressing up a bit to dressing down, so you won’t see me in anything super-informal or sloppy, but I’ve had to stop myself before heading out the door to put on earrings and a dash of lipstick.

It also doesn’t hurt to keep a few breath mints at your door, in your car, and in your pockets and briefcase or other bags. Now that we’re breathing on people again, we want those breaths to be fresh and enjoyable!

 

  • Take along a mask.

Most of the in-person events I’ve attended recently have not required that the attendees wear masks, but I take them along anyhow. Some venues still require them, and we don’t always know the people we’ll meet well enough to assume that they’ve taken basic precautions.

 

  • Carry those cards.

Business cards remain important. Even when a lot of attendees seem to use their phones to record the contact information of newly met colleagues, I still prefer to get and give business cards, and many people seem to agree — every meeting I’ve attended so far this year has included being asked for, and asking others for, business cards. I’d rather go home with all of my cards still in hand than be the person who says, “Oh, it’s been so long since I’ve been to an in-person meeting that I forgot all about business cards.” I keep a stash of cards in every jacket pocket, briefcase, and handbag, and in my car, so I don’t become that person.

I also use business cards with nametags, especially ones hanging from lanyards. You know how those hanging tags can flip over when you aren’t paying attention to them? I tuck a business card on the other side of the nametag so if it does flip over, people still see my name and affiliation rather than a blank surface. If I’m wearing something without pockets, I put a few cards in the nametag holder so I don’t have to fumble around when someone asks for one.

Your card is part of your marketing strategy. Don’t leave home without it!

 

  • Show up.

In-person events cost money, either for the venue or the refreshments, if not both. If you sign up for an event, show up unless there’s a really, really good reason not to. The host, whether an individual or an organization, is counting on you and probably wasting money on you if you’re a last-minute cancellation.

 

  • Speak up.

Getting together in person might mean refreshing your “elevator speech” skills. Take some time at home to practice introducing yourself.

 

  • Keep hands off.

Figure out a smooth escape from shaking hands or unsolicited hugs if you or the people around you are not yet comfortable with physical contact, and don’t be the one who tries to hug everyone else. Yes, it’s great to be back together in person, but even mild physical contact still can feel risky.

 

  • Use business planning as networking activity.

For me, an important part of networking is to take a few moments early in a new year to think about what did and didn’t work for my writing and editing business in the past one, and what I might do more or better in the new one. Doing so plays into my networking strategy (yes, I have a strategy!) because sharing those thoughts could help colleagues enhance their professional efforts for the year.

These are some of my resolutions for my editorial business in 2022; I hope they are useful to my NAIWE colleagues:

  • Remain or become more visible in at least one professional membership organization to enhance credibility and expand networking.
  • Update membership profiles, and look for new organizations to join and network in.
  • Review style guides and check for any updates, revisions, additions, and other changes that might affect work for various clients — and share them with colleagues as part of networking activity.
  • Learn a new skill or service to offer to existing clients; something new about the topic area of a client; or an entirely new topic to write about, edit, or proofread (or index, photograph, illustrate, or otherwise work on) to expand my business.
  • Create or refresh my website to reflect recent projects, client testimonials, new skills or training, and whatever else will make me look good to past, current, and prospective clients.
  • Draft a few potential posts to use for my own blog or as a guest on colleagues’ blogs; being a guest blogger is a great way to network.
  • Seek new clients on a regular basis, through cold queries, responding to membership association opportunities, social media resources, etc.
  • Make networking an active, constant part of every business day, or at least every week, by giving something back to colleagues or communities.
  • Save toward retirement! And think about colleagues to hand off work to when I’m ready for that life moment.
  • Update or change all passwords.
  • Establish or refresh a connection with a family member, friend, or colleague to back up passwords and access to phone, email, social media, banking, and other important accounts — just in case.

 

Here’s wishing my NAIWE colleagues a successful approach to networking together as — we hope — the world starts to tilt back toward being able to interact in person.

 

Ruth Thaler-Carter has been a full-time freelance writer, editor, proofreader, and desktop publisher for more than 30 years. She has been published locally, regionally, nationally, and internationally in, and does writing, editing and proofreading for, publications, associations, nonprofits, websites, service firms, and businesses. She sold her first freelance articles when she was still in high school. Often called the Queen of Networking, Ruth is active in about a dozen professional associations, serving as a newsletter editor, webmaster, publication author, speaker/presenter, blogger, program host or planner, and chapter leader. In 2006, Ruth launched the Communication Central “Be a Better Freelancer”® annual conference to help aspiring and established freelancers find greater success and connections with colleagues. Ruth is also owner and editor-in-chief of the An American Editor blog and owner of the A Flair for Writing publishing business. She received the Philip M. Stern Award of Washington (DC) Independent Writers for service to freelancers; the Writers and Books Big Pencil Award for teaching adults and contributions to the literary community; EFfie awards for writing, editing, and newsletters; and the APEX award for feature writing. She was also an IABC/DC Communicator of the Year.

Science Writers Not Certain Enough, Study Claims

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Writing about scientific findings and data? You may not be coming through so strongly, according to a new report. But before you worry about your writing, consider the source of the insights: It’s from a computer model.

A University of Michigan report says journalists often understate the claims of scientific papers.

The authors evaluated studies and news articles using a computer model.

They say that journalists tend to downplay the certainty of study findings. For instance, instead of using a specific number in the study, they’ll use words like “roughly” with the figure—as in, instead of writing “82.73 percent,” reporters may write “nearly 83 percent.” They may write that a study’s findings “indicate” something instead of saying it’s “definitely” so.

 

Real Reporting on Science

So, what’s the deal—are we going too light when reporting on studies?

Maybe some of us do. Publications and writers differ. Some have higher scientific writing standards, and some have different audiences.

As a health writer who covers medical studies often, I contend our writing on the whole is fine just the way it is. In my experience, a journalist has to be careful when covering science. After all, that great study—as robust as the design and findings may be—is still just one study. So you can’t exactly claim that something is “definitely” so based on one study.

Also, as reporters, it’s our job to report the facts. When writing for some publications, the writer may have more leeway to explain how the study may or may not fit into the big picture of things. But for the most part, depending on the type of article you’re writing, it’s just “report on the facts clearly” instead of doling out a bunch of interpretive insights. (I definitely prefer to let the reader make up their mind on something, anyway.) Some publications don’t want you to get into too much detail or make claims. Some articles are not a deep dive solely on the latest study.

One reason they may think our language isn’t as definitive is because publications are generally careful about science reporting. The publication can get a bad rep if that new egg study says eggs are “totally bad” when they can just report the findings of one study that claims eggs are bad.

I have editors who don’t want an entire article detailing a study and instead just want to springboard it into a larger piece, so the study may only get a paragraph of coverage. Also, style guides may dissuade the reporter from using highly technical numbers. And when you’re writing for a consumer audience, you’re often told to stick to a certain reading grade level to ensure all people can understand the content.

 

Materials Matter

The authors also looked at “journal impact factor,” which is their way to measure the quality of the science. They say reporters didn’t seem to be influenced by the journal where a study originated.

They may have a point there, because health writers know that the study design and authors are just one part of what makes it strong—where it’s published is another, because certain journals have more rigorous review processes.

There are a lot of differing factors that can play into how much certainty a writer exudes in an article that features a study. One thing is for certain: Their model may give us insights on what science writing is, but ultimately, the prose best written is interpreted by humans. And as writers, we can always improve upon our craft.

 

 

Kristen Fischer is a copywriter and journalist living at the Jersey Shore. She worked as a reporter and copyeditor for Gannett before launching her full-time freelance business in 2005. Her work has been published in Parents, New Jersey Monthly, Prevention, Woman’s Day, SheKnows, and Healthline.

Trivia question: How should we refer to someone from Ecuador?

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A farmer on a horse looks at the Tungurahua volcano eruption on December 10, 2010, in Banos, Cordillera, central Ecuador. (Photo by Kseniya Ragozina)[/caption]

As a freelance copy editor, I follow the guidelines of The Associated Press Stylebook in perhaps a third of my professional work. I also edit using The Chicago Manual of Style, the Publications Manual of the American Psychological Association, other style manuals, or no preferred style manual at all in some cases. The AP’s book is always close at hand, though, because it is one of the most useful reference books available for carefully considered questions of language, culture and current events.

There is a little-known field on the website of The Associated Press Stylebook that lets users outside AP offer suggestions for updates for the style guide. I’ve dug my way through various layers to find it, and I’ve offered my thoughts on various minor questions of language and usage. The most recent was one of the more inconsequential, I thought, but it was also a relative no-brainer. AP Stylebook took my suggestion, even thanked me in a tweet. So, now, those who follow AP Style should say Ecuadorian rather than Ecuadorean, as was previously advised.

This seems trivial, and it certainly is. But setting style and sticking with it provides readers with clarity and signals to them we care about getting things right. Despite AP’s preference over the decades, Ecuadorean never was used as much as Ecuadorian, and Ecuador’s English-language tourism website uses Ecuadorian.

This illustrates a strength of the AP Stylebook over other reference sources — it responds quickly when it needs to. It was updated almost immediately after I brought Ecuadorian to the Stylebook editors’ attention. Every spring, the book publishes anew with scores of changes and additions. Between editions, the online version updates as needed. Some recent additions include advice on reggaeton, the musical style, and on the United States–Mexico–Canada Agreement, the successor to the North American Free Trade Agreement (the initialism USMCA is acceptable on first reference with a definition, but spelling it out is preferred).

I’ve had many writers and copy editors tell me they avoid the AP Stylebook because they don’t edit for news. But I wonder why they would ignore a reference book created with thoughtful advice on how we use language. If we don’t edit in AP Style, we don’t need to follow the advice, but on pesky issues of language, I prefer all the advice I can get.

 

Mark Allen is an editor, writer, and teacher focused on helping people communicate with clarity and honesty. He has trained hundreds of editors and writers on a variety of topics, including the latest and most important elements in the Associated Press Stylebook and the Chicago Manual of Style. Mark has led conversations about copyediting and writing at conferences and workshops in Detroit, St. Louis, Las Vegas, New Orleans, Philadelphia, Portland, Columbus, Chicago, Pittsburgh, New York City, and York, England. He was the first freelancer elected to the executive board of ACES: The Society for Editing, and Mark currently teaches advanced copyediting for UC San Diego Extension’s copyediting certificate program.

 

Passive Voice, Static Voice—What’s All The Fuss About?

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As writers, we naturally write the way we write naturally. But readers can’t hear the cadence of the words playing out in our heads as our fingers fly across the keys. Readers’ minds merely decipher the little black marks on the page or the pixels on the screen. So “Mom was calling every week; Dad was emailing every day” cannot possibly convey the sense of urgency the author wants to impart because the reader can’t feel it—it’s over, it’s way in the past, it’s a “was.” It’s passive.

Ah, but suppose the line read: “Mom called every week; Dad emailed every day,” with no extra “it’s all over” verb standing between the doer and the deed? Now the reader feels the author’s irritation and can sympathize, snicker, or simply roll their eyes. It’s active.

And “static writing is . . . ?” I hear you ask. Extra words, albeit not necessarily “to be” verbs, that stretch out the sentence or obfuscate its meaning. “I extracted a sample of both of their DNA from the inside of their mouths.”

The line is static: it has no life, it has no energy, it just relays flat, lifeless information. Maybe that’s okay for a textbook or dissertation, but for commercial writing? Ugh.

But suppose the line read: “I extracted DNA samples from inside both their mouths.” Doesn’t that sing a little sweeter? It provides the same information without holding the reader hostage for an extra six words and so pumps the material forward. It’s active.

And that, in 200 little words, is what the passive/static voice fuss is all about!

 

Claudia Suzanne is a consummate ghostwriter/teacher, understanding what authors need in order to successfully complete their book dream, and she has a finely honed talent for communicating what she knows to her students and clients. Popularly dubbed “The Einstein of Ghostwriting,” Claudia has entertained and informed tens of thousands of writers, editors, journalists, and aspiring authors at countless writer and professional meetings, conferences, radio and BlogTalk radio broadcasts, webinars, and podcasts. Claudia was an invited expert on Penguin’s Author Solutions Expert Video series and a featured entrepreneur in Orange County Business Journal and Norwegian Business Daily. Her signature title, This Business of Books: A Complete Overview of the Industry from Concept through Sales, earned her a 2018 Author of Influence Award from Connected Women of Influence.

Why Do I Teach Ghostwriting Certification Training?

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That’s what one of my students asked me a couple week ago.

“It can’t make you much money,” she said. “Not for the amount of time and work you put in over the three months.”

She’s right; it doesn’t. I spend three hours a week teaching each class—in the fall, that’s going to go up to four hours/week. My students tell me they put in between 6 and 10 hours on their homework every week—homework that I then have to go over, comment on, discuss, and correct. If I add up everyone’s tuition and divide by the number of hours I put in, I’m making . . .

Damn little.

So why do I teach Ghostwriter Certification Training? Not sure. Let me muse as I write.

If we go back to the beginning, I started teaching the basics of the book business and a little bit about ghostwriting back in 1993, I think. Maybe 1996. Don’t remember. My motive then was to pass on some information and sell my book, This Business of Books: A Complete Overview of the Industry from Concept through Sales, then in its 3rd edition.

Maybe I was looking for referrals. Maybe I just wanted to share. I honestly cannot remember. But I found I enjoyed teaching. It was fun. It was stimulating. It was educational for me. And people paid me a little bit of money. A win/win.

Over the years, the class ebbed and flowed. I taught sometimes, didn’t the rest. Tried to put together Professional Book Writing School, but life got in my way. Remember, I spent over two decades struggling with serious health problems, which I have now, Baruch Ha’Shem, completely overcome. But during most of the past two decades, I was inconsistent and intermittent with my work habits, my clients, and my teaching.

Looking back, it’s amazing to me how much I managed to get done by just bulldozing through. When faced with allegedly insurmountable odds, some people take it easy, some people rely on the medical community, and some people give up. I just put my head down and worked. Not fast, not always well, but through the best and the worst of it, I worked.

And then I was facing the end.

It was 2000 and I had one of those “life-changing” episodes during a downward health spiral that told me I was coming to the end of my days. But I had a client! How could I transition to the next world and leave my client up in the air? So I handed the client over to one of my interns and started pricing funerals.

I won’t keep you in suspense—I didn’t die. In fact, with the help of my beautiful sister-by-love, Bera Dordoni, N.D. (Bastis Foundation), I began the long journey back to perfect and total health. But it was an eye-opening experience and I realized I had to write a book. And so I did.

And I rewrote it.

And rewrote it.

And so and so forth and scooby dooby do.

The final edition of said book, Secrets of a Ghostwriter: World’s First Step-by-Step Guide to the Theory, Skills, and Politics of Ghostwriting, is at long last complete and exhaustively emended by five wonderful, nit-picky editors. And Ghostwriter Certification Training has evolved from a 5-week to a 7-week to a 14-week and soon to be 16-week program that details exactly what the job is, how to do the job, how to find aspiring authors to do the job for, and how to convert those authors into contracted clients.

Which may be the actual reason why I continue to teach Ghostwriter Certification Training. After putting in all this time and effort to develop what Cora Foerstner called “the seminal text” on the subject and honing the program to the point that I’m confident it’s turning out skilled, competent ghostwriters, how can I stop?

But I warn you now, the price is going up. Because yeah—I don’t make enough money at this right now!

 

Claudia Suzanne is a consummate ghostwriter/teacher, understanding what authors need in order to successfully complete their book dream, and she has a finely honed talent for communicating what she knows to her students and clients. Popularly dubbed “The Einstein of Ghostwriting,” Claudia has entertained and informed tens of thousands of writers, editors, journalists, and aspiring authors at countless writer and professional meetings, conferences, radio and BlogTalk radio broadcasts, webinars, and podcasts. Claudia was an invited expert on Penguin’s Author Solutions Expert Video series and a featured entrepreneur in Orange County Business Journal and Norwegian Business Daily. Her signature title, This Business of Books: A Complete Overview of the Industry from Concept through Sales, earned her a 2018 Author of Influence Award from Connected Women of Influence.

Copyright Registration and the Author

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Did you know that your work is automatically covered by U.S. copyright law as soon as you set it in a fixed format?

According to Title 17 of the U.S. Code, all works are protected under copyright law from the moment they are placed in a fixed, tangible medium and can be perceived either directly (on paper, canvas, or other “solid” medium) or with the aid of a machine or device (computer, e-reader, or electronic music player). What does this mean? Essentially, you do not have to register your work with the Copyright Office to have some measure of protection. U.S. copyright law exists to help protect content creators and to help “promote innovation” in the sciences, technology, and creative arenas nationwide.

That said, you might want to formally register your work, as there are a number of benefits to this:

  • It establishes a public record of the copyright claim.
  • If registered within five years of creation, it provides “prima facie” evidence of the validity of the copyright and the facts stated in the certificate.
  • If registered within three months of creation or prior to infringement of the work, it will allow for statutory damages to be awarded to the copyright owner in an infringement suit.

And, perhaps most importantly:

  • Registration allows an infringement suit to be brought forward in court. In the coming year, individual creators will be able to take advantage of the newly minted Copyright Small Claims Board for suits with damages up to $30,000 instead of going to federal court.

You might be thinking, “Well, can’t I just mail my manuscript to myself via the U.S. Postal Service and therefore, as a government agency, I’m covered under copyright law?” Unfortunately, all that this will do is prove the date you mailed it to yourself. There are no legal benefits to sending a manuscript to yourself in the mail, as the U.S. Postal Service is not an agency of the U.S. Copyright Office.

Note that you also do not have to pre-register your new book with the U.S. Copyright Office before you publish it as you have some protections from the moment you put pen to paper or cursor to document program. You may certainly choose to do so if you feel that your work may be infringed before you publish, but it is not necessary. Pre-registration also does NOT replace the registration once you have published your work, so it will not save you any time later on.

Not only is the process of registering copyright easy, but it’s relatively inexpensive. For example, for a simple registration (let’s say a book, with one author or artist), the fee is just $45 for registering online on the U.S. Copyright Office’s online registration portal. The Copyright Office has also made it easier to register a group of unpublished works at one time, which is especially helpful if you have a batch of poems or titles that you haven’t yet published and want to protect.

Perhaps the best part of the online registration portal is that you can register works on your own without a lawyer. The Copyright Office has some very useful tutorials to show you just what to do, and if there are any questions regarding your application, a copyright examiner will reach out to you with clarifying questions and help you complete your registration.

 

Mary Jo (“MJ”) Courchesne is the owner and principal consultant of Gryphon Publishing Consulting. A publishing veteran with more than 20 years of experience in trade, academic, and direct-response publishing, she has spent nearly two decades specializing in licensing, subsidiary rights, and permissions. MJ is a frequent and polished presenter on licensing and copyright. When it comes to intellectual property, she firmly believes that everyone from authors to publishers to corporations should know their rights. To that end, MJ has instructed on copyright and permissions in the George Washington University’s Masters in Publishing program for the last 15 years. She currently serves on the Board of Experts for the National Association of Independent Writers and Editors and is a member of the Independent Book Publishers Association and the Society of Children’s Books Writers and Illustrators. MJ has also held memberships with other publishing organizations such as the American Society of Picture Professionals and Washington Publishers.

Why Are Taxes so Confusing?

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How COVID-19 blew up the tax code

 

The U.S. tax code is like a one-stop for domestic social and economic policy. What does that mean? Great question! Well, that means that incentives like the Economic Impact Payment (EIP) 1, 2 and 3; (Advanced) Child Tax Credit; Earned Income Credit; Mortgage Interest Deduction; and Payroll Protection Program are all implemented through the Internal Revenue Code. It seems like, the more chaos, the more tax code “anti-chaos” provisions. And COVID-19 was definitely a chaos event.

When you consider the amount of tax legislation that has been enacted in just the past five years, it can make your head spin. Last year I concentrated on how the tax legislation focused on small business(es). This year I would like to expand that discussion to how recent tax legislation has affected individuals. From this perspective, my hope is that we can see some constructive reasons why the tax code is so confusing. Basically, if the U.S. tax code is being used to solve our domestic social and economic problems, the more problems, the more tax provisions to “fix” them. Several dozen countries utilize a return-free system for most taxpayers in straightforward situations. In Sweden, you can view on your cellphone your pre-filled tax forms and even approve them on your cellphone.

And don’t forget about the lobbyists we love so much in this country. It’s like once a lobby gets their claws into the tax code, they hold onto whatever provisions they got working in their favor – come what may. They will keep their respective incentives alive and well in the tax code, no matter how confusion it gets for the individual taxpayer to understand how to make the same provisions work for them, as well as how to report the activity on their return.

 

Recent Tax Legislation

In the past five years, there have been as many pretty huge legislative initiatives to deal with different tumultuous situations in the country. Each legislative enactment focusing on at least one overarching need of the individual taxpayer. The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 increased the Child Tax Credit from $1,000 to $2,000 and created the Other Dependent Credit (which is still $500). The Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement (SECURE) Act of 2019 increased the Required Minimum Distribution (RMD) from 70 ½ years old to 72 years old. Then the world turned upside down.

The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act of 2020 was the Trump administration’s attempt to stabilize the pandemic-stricken U.S. economy … from every foreseeable perspective. With respect to the individual taxpayer, the CARES Act provisioned the Economic Impact Payment (EIP 1), more commonly known as the “stimulus payment”. Another huge provision of the CARES Act was to remove the penalty normally levied for early distributions from a retirement account. If the distribution was coronavirus related and the distribution was $100,000.00 or less, the 10% penalty could be withdrawn.

The Consolidated Appropriations Act (CAA) of 2021 was President Trump’s last big legislative push.  CAA followed in the footsteps of the CARES Act and provisioned the second stimulus payment (EIP2). Yet another stimulus payment to the taxpayer to stimulate the economy and help people who were in various perilous situations as a result of the pandemic. The American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) of 2021 was President Biden’s first initiative aimed at ramping up assistance for the individual taxpayer. ARPA initiated a third stimulus payment, an unemployment exclusion, advanced child tax credit payments, earned income credit improvements, and a child and dependent care credit that increased from 3k to 8k for one child, and from 6k to 16k for two children.

 

Why So Complicated?! Because We Are Needy

Again, the U.S. tax code is like a one-stop for domestic social and economic policy. So, the tax code ends up just getting more and more complicated the more problems we face. COVID-19, however, was a more catastrophic event. As such, there were many policies that went into each of the aforementioned legislative actions since the CARES Act.

For example, let’s just drill down into ARPA a tad bit. If you look beyond the billions of dollars the IRS was responsible for issuing in checks, credits, and deductions, you get to the back end of the transaction – reporting said activity. Here in lies the problem. And this is what separates us from many other countries around the world that actually make reporting your taxes much more streamlined. The American taxpayer, basically, has to figure out how to accurately report all of this mess themselves, lest they receive a friendly reminder from the IRS that there is a discrepancy. Which really feels to most people like the feds are coming for you, the dog, the goldfish, and house (of course).

Let me put that into some perspective for you. This preseason (i.e., everything from the end of one tax season to the beginning of the next tax season is considered the preseason), just about 90% of the IRS letters that came into the office were in regards to the first and second stimulus payments. Basically, what the IRS thought you should have reported was not what you reported and a CP11 was automatically generated to point out the miscalculation the IRS believes exists. The point here is that this entire debacle largely stems from reporting discrepancies. And often enough, the discrepancy is the fault of the IRS. At the end of the day, the socio-economic policies that the tax code is tasked to handle create a reporting nightmare that is super stressful for many taxpayers, and even at times for the IRS itself. Confusion!

 

What Recourse Does the Average Taxpayer Have?

Well, you can spend hundreds of hours a year studying and keeping up-to-date on the tax code and all of its crazy combinations and permutations. Or if you have your own complex portfolio of financials, you can find a good Tax Advisor, and/or Accountant. Either way, the point of this article was more so to provide some perspective on why the U.S. tax code is so confusing, and to possibly get some readers thinking of why this confusion (in a very round-about way) is actually helpful to them. Food for thought.

 

Resources

Brookings Institution. “Why Are Taxes so Complicated and What Can We Do About It?” (December 1, 1999).

New York University Law. “Schenk Tells NPR that the U.S. Tax Code Is so Complex that Most Filers Make Mistakes.”

The Tax Policy Center. Briefing Book. “Why Are Taxes so Complicated?” (May 2020).

The Washington Post. “Why the U.S. Tax System Is so Complicated — but Americans Are Proud to Pay Taxes Anyway” (April 12, 2018).

 

 

Kajli Prince (“Prince”) has over 20 years of experience in small business tax preparation; he is a senior tax analyst and small business certified tax professional in the Centreville, Virginia, Block Advisors office. As a self-published author, Prince holds a special appreciation for NAIWE and its members. One of his passions is sharing relevant information with people and showing them how best to use it for their benefit. Prince is a small business owner of 25 years, and his specialties include emerging currencies (e.g., virtual/crypto currencies), information technology, intellectual property, and investment real estate.

Podcast Marketing for Authors

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How do you reach your potential market? Especially now with limited opportunities for in-person events at bookstores and many writers’ conferences cancelled. As a marketing/public relations professional and agency founder, I know authors are like other businesses and authors should create a presence and consistent message by implementing various marketing strategies.

Let’s face it. It ain’t easy writing a book.

First, you write the book with, hopefully, a plausible idea.

Then, there are the rewrites, edits, more rewrites, more edits, and, much of the time, some level of concern about deadlines, publishers, distribution to bookstores, and—fingers crossed—sales.

Then what?

Wait? I don’t think so. Not the best idea. Having owned a marketing/public relations firm for many years, I know that good marketing campaigns work.

As an author I agree that, oftentimes, writing the book is the easiest part; it’s what comes next that involves anticipation, hope, and serious effort to get the word out about our words.

There is a truth to our ambition: most authors have a story to tell, created from life experiences or imagination. Our love of words and how they’re put together allows us to create the magic of a book. Our own book.

So . . . how do you reach your potential audience? There are many good ways, some not so good, and some that are just scams. Beware of the scams! Ask seasoned writers what they recommend and what to stay away from. You’ll save time and money.

I have found that book-signing events, some online promotions, publishing articles, blogging, and guest spots on blogs are good options. All of these give you visibility and establish your potential reader’s awareness of you and your books. As an agency founder myself, I know authors need a strong voice promoting their work, for both visibility and relevance.

One fairly new and valuable book marketing approach: podcasts.

Millions of people are listening to podcasts. Online surveys have revealed over 70 million Americans listen to podcasts each month on tablets, smartphones, home computers, and other listening devices. Online statistics assert that “beyond any doubt, podcasts are a potential goldmine for promoting your book(s).”

The following are my tips on booking an appearance as a podcast guest:

  • Be prepared.
  • Know what podcast is best for you.
  • Connect with podcast hosts.
  • Pitch the host or booker. Tell why you believe their audience will find your books, and you as a guest, entertaining.
  • Ask the host what is expected of guests.

The following are my tips on being a successful podcast guest:

  • Be prepared.
  • Provide the host with information about you and your book prior to the podcast. (You want the host to create audience interest when introducing you.)
  • Be able to discuss why you wrote the book, along with
    • what motivated, inspired, and interested you in the story or subject
    • what type of research you did
    • your writing process
    • your top three favorite authors and why.
  • Sound enthusiastic and excited about being on the podcast.
  • Never say anything negative about other authors or publishers.
  • Tell listeners where they can purchase your book.
  • And be sure to thank the person interviewing you! You may want another visit for your next book.

 

Marcia Rosen (aka M. Glenda Rosen) is the author of 10 books including The Senior Sleuths, the Dying To Be Beautiful Mystery Series, and her latest offering (which she wrote with her son Jory Rosen and was a 2021 New Mexico–Arizona Book Awards winner), The Gourmet Gangster: Mysteries and Menus. She is also the author of The Woman’s Business Therapist and award winning My Memoir Workbook. For 25 years, Marcia was owner of a successful national marketing and public relations agency and also facilitated numerous writing programs. She continues to work with aspiring author clients, providing manuscript reviews and advising them on book development and marketing, as well as writing articles, appearing on author blogs, and presenting writing programs on Zoom and in person. Marcia was co-presenter of “About Being an Author” for The National Steinbeck Center. She is a member of Sisters in Crime Albuquerque (2022 vice president), Southwest Writers, Women Writing the West, Central Coast Writers, New Mexico Book Association, Public Safety Writer’s Association, and National Association of Independent Writers and Editors—for which Marcia is also a current board member.

 

More Edits Needed? How to Get All You Need the Second Time Around

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Reporters typically connect with a source once, get what they need, and go on their way to write a story. Sometimes you have to revise a story based on your editor’s suggestions. What happens when you don’t just need to edit, but have to ask a source for additional information? Maybe you realize you didn’t have everything you needed once you start writing the story, or your editor comes back with questions during the revision process. Either way, returning to a source for more information can be tricky.

Mostly because you want to make sure you get exactly what you need out of your second interaction.

I’ve been there — not too frequently, but it has happened to me. Sometimes the editor raises additional questions when reading your story, or they weren’t clear about what they wanted when they assigned it. Writers can equally be to blame, because sometimes we realize what we need — and don’t have — only when we start putting an article together. And sometimes, you simply forgot to ask a question or didn’t prod the source for enough details.

Whatever the case, here are some insights to help if you have to conduct a second interview with a source.

  1. Define what you need. Whether your editor is requesting more information, or you are the one inquiring, it’s essential to know exactly the information you’re looking for. This may involve doing more research or more work — or combing through other interviews — to ensure you know specifically what you need. Writing out bullet points helps you pinpoint the concepts that need to be addressed.
  2. Devise exact questions. As you know, the information you obtain largely depends on the types of questions you ask. If you need a yes-or-no response, ask a yes-or-no question. But if you need more, be specific in your question. Ask for a real-life example of a situation. Explain that you understand the subject but need more information about what that means or does. It can help to “bullet-point out” some concepts and have your questions prepared. While you can go back to a source for information, you want to interrupt them as little as possible. Even if they say they’re there to help, it’s your job to get what you need.
  3. Consider the interview. Will you be emailing additional questions, or do you need to set up a call or meet in person? Sometimes the conversation during a live interview could lead you off track, so you’ll want to be mindful of time to ensure that your priority questions get answers.
  4. Examine the answers. Be prepared to do some digesting on the spot as the source’s responses to those questions may prompt you to ask additional questions.
  5. Ask for information. Not understanding something? That’s okay. It’s your job as the reporter to ensure that you do, and most people want everything to be accurate (especially what they say) and will take a moment to explain things. If you are unclear about something, the best thing to do is just ask. Keep in mind that if the source spouts off something like an acronym, you can probably figure it out within the context of the subject you’re talking about by doing a quick internet search. But if you’re really lost, ask.
  6. Double check. When you have answers for all your questions on the list, check to verify everything was asked. Remember, you don’t want to have to go back and forth with a source to get more and your editor will appreciate fewer rounds of revisions.

 

Writing can be a long process, especially when the editing process requires conducting more interviews. With a little planning and finesse, you can turn around a draft from the initial interview that has everything it should.

 

Kristen Fischer is a copywriter and journalist living at the Jersey Shore. She worked as a reporter and copyeditor for Gannett before launching her full-time freelance business in 2005. Her work has been published in Parents, New Jersey Monthly, Prevention, Woman’s Day, SheKnows, and Healthline.

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