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Putting a Toe in the Water of Freelance Writing

on June 24, 2012

Indiana Jones (franchise)

Indiana Jones (franchise) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

I have one more week left before I lose the safety net of my full-time day job. I’ve loved my job enough to have put in 13 years, but now it’s time the lose the apron strings. I feel a bit like Indiana Jones making the leap across the void and hoping he doesn’t fall into it, consumed and spat out.

I’m great at what I do. I’m an excellent writer with a highly developed sense of language. I can feel the rhythm of prose: what works, what doesn’t. My background as a musician gives me a feel for the musicality of words, sentence structure–even grammar, as odd as that sounds. I’m a seasoned editor with an eye for what does and doesn’t work; I play well with my writers, who appreciate my direction and advice.

Where I fall down, I think, is in the business end of writing. I’m a timid marketer, great once my foot’s in the door, but getting that foot in the door seems, at times, insurmountable. But, here goes nuthin’ (as they say).

On the whole, I’m optimistic. Things have started out fairly well. I’ve contributed chapters to a forthcoming book (which could be a best seller, but who knows?), and have just finished doctoring a manuscript for another book slated to come out next year. My wonderful agent is circulating a new book proposal, and I’m waiting for feedback on an article under contract by a major magazine I recently submitted.

So here we go! It’s going to be a bumpy ride, I’m sure!

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Happy Birthday Chasing Zebras

on September 7, 2011

In three days, my book, Chasing Zebras: The Unofficial Guide to House, M.D. turns one-year old. This year has flown by so fast!

I want to thank everyone who has supported the book, enjoyed it, reviewed it and taken the time to send me feedback and notes of congratulation. Thanks also to those who have posted my TV interviews on YouTube, have retweeted news of Chasing Zebras, entered contests and blogged. You are all appreciated.

When Chasing Zebras came out it was available in paperback and only in English–and only in the U.S. and Canada. A year later, Chasing Zebras is all over the world–from China to the UK; from Israel to New Zealand. It’s out in Spanish and soon to be out in Russian and French (and who knows what else?). It’s in Kindle and iBook, ePub and PDF! Thousands of you have purchased it, borrowed it from libraries or pilfered it from friends. I am gratified and humbled. It’s no New York Times bestseller, but its done well for a first book–and such a niche book. I recently did a Goodreads book giveaway. In the week the book was up for the sweepstakes, more than 450 people entered for 10 copies. It was a huge success, and thank you AME (Author Marketing Experts) for making it possible!!!!!

I’ve learned a lot from writing a book. One of the most important lessons is that writing the book is actually only the first step of an ongoing effort to get the word out and get people to buy the thing! I’ve tried a virtual book tour; hired a conventional publicist, designed a website (and then had someone who knew what they were doing redesign it!). I’ve done TV, radio and print interviews; done signings and personal appearances in a whole variety of different venues. With a full time day job–and a practically full time job as executive editor of Blogcritics Magazine, finding time to do publicity is a little like threading a needle.

I do hope you will continue spreading the word about Chasing Zebras, and if you haven’t written up an Amazon.com or Goodreads review (or Barnes and Noble, for that matter), I would greatly appreciate your taking the time to do so. The more people that buy the book, the better chance that there will be a sequel to it. That’s how publishing works :)

Thank you again,

Barbara

 

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The Iconic Moments of House, M.D.: Season 1, Part I

on June 23, 2011

Nearly every episode of House, M.D. has an “iconic” moment–that great moment you can’t get out of your mind, even six or seven years later. Sometimes they involve Cuddy, Wilson or one of the fellows; often they are caught when House is alone, and sometimes those momentous moments are in the company of  a patient. Continue Reading →

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Live Interview tomorrow with “A Book and a Chat”

on April 14, 2011

A Book and a Chat appearing tomorrow evening 6:30 p.m. on “Book and a Chat” from “Across the Pond”  on Blogtalk radio. Should be fun. I’m on for half an hour (and I think they take phone calls, but I’m not certain). I hope you all stop by :)

From “A Book and a Chat”:

To many people from England you mention the name “Hugh Laurie” and they think of the comedian, part of the double act with “Stephen Fry” as must for all the fabulous Black Adder TVseries. In the US however like many other comedians Hugh Laurie has made his name as an actor, being the face of “House MD“.

My guest on today’s show Barbara Barnett knows all about that character. Her book “Chasing Zebras” is a comprehensive and (hopefully) thought-provoking look at the hit TVshow House, M.D.

The title of her book comes from an old medial axiom taught to medical students. When you hear hoof beats, think horses, not zebras—think common, not complex and rare. The television show’s central character is a zebra-chasing physician—he only treats extremely rare diseases.

 

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New Interview at Cafe of Dreams

on April 11, 2011

Interview: Barbara Barnett, Author of Chasing Zebras

An excerpt…

If you could meet, in person, any of your characters, who would it be and why?
They aren’t my characters, since I’m not a writer on the show, but I would probably enjoy meeting Dr. House himself. I’d be completely intimidated by him, and would probably choose to talk music and books with him rather than medicine, where I’d be on sturdier ground.

If you could fictionalize yourself and put yourself in any situation, how would it play out? Could you give us a scene/scenario of such an occurrence?

When I write fiction, my protagonists (who in one way or another always reflect me) seem to always be fighting the system: hypocrisy, corruption and just plain apathy. Fictionalized, I see myself as smart and resourceful with a keen sense of justice but little respect for bureaucracy or hypocrisy. My fictional attempts seem to always be set in some sort of Kafka-esque dystopia sometime in a dire near future.
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House, M.D.: Finding House’s Humanity in "Out of the Chute"

on March 15, 2011

House hits rock bottom in House, M.D.'s "Out of the Chute."
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Interview: House, M.D.’s Co-Executive Producer/Writer Liz Friedman on "Bombshells" and Television’s Most Complex Doctor

on March 12, 2011

Writer Liz Friedman sits down with with Blogcritics co-executive editor and House, M.D. columnist to discuss her episode "Bombshells" (7x15).
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Interview: One on One with New House, M.D. Writer Katherine Lingenfelter

on February 24, 2011

Katherine Lingenfelter is the newest writer on the hit series House, M.D.. In this exclusive interview, she talks about the series and its relationships.
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