The Writer's and Photographer's Guide to Global Markets

The title of Michael Sedge's book says "Guide to Global Markets," and about 60% of the book is dedicated to rather extensive listings of magazine, newspaper and book publishing houses from such diverse markets as Fair Lady in Capetown, South Africa and Modern Boating in Australia. Yet the key to this 275-page guide is a concept that has made, or broken, many freelance writers' careers - reselling.Sedge makes suggestions that I still have trouble with, mostly things that reflect his many years at the work, and his level of success. He says to send originals or color copies of clips rather than B & W copies - an expensive proposal for a struggling freelancer. He says it is always best to query rather than send complete articles, while many other equally successful writers have said just the opposite is true.And then there is what he calls "The Return Envelope Illusion."His attitude is this: if they're interested, they call you. Sedge says, "Because I consider myself a business dealing with another business, I stopped sending SASEs fifteen years ago." He sends out queries, either email or regular mail, and waits. If 90 days go by without a reply, he sends the idea to someone else. And judging by his success rate, it may very well work. But I have yet to try it.But regardless of your own success rate, "Global Markets" is an education in the business of freelancing, and well worth the effort to find it.

"You should alter your business style to fit your personality." With this innovative admonition, in fewer than 300 pages, Michael Sedge launches his writer- and photographer- friendly guide to international publishing. It's a small book, easily tucked into carry-on luggage for a quick and valuable read when travelling, and teeming with more essential information than its size suggests.To those of us who juggle queries, IRC's, and rejection slips, ad infinitum, Sedge's book presents a path that leads without effort to the production and marketing of one's work, successfully, and over and over again.We discover the benefits of circling the global marketplace on the World Wide Web and of expediting the query process electronically, thereby diminishing the need for IRC's. Sedge uses the concept of lists extensively, not only to ease the proposal process, but also to provide detailed and direct routes to publishers around the world, their various imprints and contact persons, as well as the e-dresses for most of them. The book tackles the maze of multiple submissions to the advantage of writer and photographer. It provides a clear understanding of the pros and cons of allowing agencies to handle international marketing.By far, the most important and unique feature of the book is Sedge's fail-safe method for assuring that writer and photographer keep a tight hold of the rights they want to keep. This feature, alone, mandates the book's place on any creator's bookshelf.

If you are interested in increasing your writing income - and who's not - then this book must be in your marketing reference library. It tells you how and where you can share in the money you're missing by not selling to the overseas markets. The information is new and current and not just a rehash of the old information you've long been accustomed to - buy it and increase your sales.Joel Jacobs Writer, Editor, Photojournalist