So I write weekly film reviews for my local weekly newspaper, The Milpitas Post (the reviews also run in the Post’s sister papers, the Fremont Bulletin and the Berryessa Sun).
I really, really want to make it as a movie reviewer, but breaking in to the big time is going to take a while. In the meantime I’m looking to self-syndicate so my reviews can take a heavier share of the bill-paying and I can cut back on some of the jobs I’ve taken to pay the bills while I look for an opening in the big leagues.
So here’s the deal: I want to find a bunch of local weekly papers scattered around the country (hell, other countries, even – as long as they’re an English-speaking newspaper…) and see if I can get them to buy my reviews. I figure if I can get a dozen papers I can cut back pretty significantly on my substitute teaching, for example. The tricky part is that ideally I need to get my hands on an issue or three of said papers so I can pitch myself accordingly (“I saw your paper and really enjoyed reading it, especially the articles on X and Y. But I noticed you don’t have a movie reviewer…” is a much better start to a sales pitch than, say, “I know you’re a weekly but I’ve never read your stuff… wanna buy my work?”).
I’d really, really grovel in appreciation if those of y’all outside the San Francisco Bay Area could grab a copy of your local weekly, shove it in an envelope, and send it my way. Or give them my mailing addy and get them to send a sample issue my way. :) Please! I can offer grovelling appreciation and a public thank you (with links!) on my website. :D
My mailing address is:
Ealasaid A. Haas
PO Box 362154
Milpitas, CA 95036
Thank you so much in advance if you can spare a buck to help a struggling writer out!
