Monday, 27 December 2010
Autism & Xmas
Xmas was ruined by our 26-year old autistic daughter's outbursts. We did all we could to minimise changes to her routine but they kicked off on Xmas Eve & reached a peak late Saturday afternoon with one lasting nearly an hour. Total 8 in 24 hours. We still don't know what drives them & triggers are unclear & inconsistent despite exhaustive psychological approaches being used. She's spent a year in hospital now & I feel as though we're no closer to stabilising her. If only she could tell us what she's feeling/thinking :(
Thursday, 23 December 2010
How to sell your story to the press
How do I sell my story to the press?
Ever read a real-life story in a women's magazine or newspaper and thought other people should be reading about you? Well, it’s one thing thinking “Can I sell my story?” It’s quite another actually getting it done!
Sharing your experiences publicly can feel daunting but great stories can elicit high fees and you gain the satisfaction of seeing your story in print, or plugging a charity/deserving cause that you support. You can sell your story yourself by going direct to the press but you could lose out by not getting the going rate and your story may not be told the way that you want it to be. To avoid pitfalls, you are better off going through a freelance journalist or press agency that know how the industry works and can look after you at every step.
Getting your story published
First, the journalist or press agent will take details about you and your story and prepare a synopsis to submit to commissioning editors on your behalf. They will discuss with you where you would like to see your story published and advise you on which publications would be suitable. They should only work on selling your story once you are happy to go ahead. At this stage, you will need to provide a snapshot of yourself and, depending on your story, other relevant photos – don’t worry, they are not for publication. Commissioning editors expect to see photos that illustrate your story with the synopsis. Everything you say at this stage is off the record and your words and pictures will not appear in print. You may then be asked to sign a contract, which confirms that you will, from this point, only work with that particular journalist or press agency.
After receiving your synopsis any interested commissioning editors will offer a fee for your story. If you are happy to proceed with a publication, you will be asked to take part in a more detailed interview, either in person or on the phone. You may also be asked to sign a contract with the publication that your story is appearing in. This confirms your fee and is a guarantee that they will be getting your story as an exclusive.
How will I get paid?
You will receive payment anytime up to about four to six weeks after your story is published. The journalist’s or press agent’s service is free. The magazine or newspaper pays them separately for writing or sourcing your story.
After your story has been published, it can go in another non-competing magazine or newspaper if you want it to – either overseas or in the UK. You may also be asked to go on TV or radio programmes, all of which will mean more money for you. If you decide you don’t want any more publicity, the journalist representing you can ensure that you are left in peace and do not get unwanted press attention.
I don’t have a real-life story but know someone else with an amazing story to tell. Would I get paid for passing their details on to you?
Yes, on top of the money they get for their story, you get paid if their story is published. It means you can earn money for your friends and relatives as well as yourself.
Photos
You may be asked to take part in a photo-shoot, usually at your home or in your local area. Some magazines do photo-shoots, some not, and it may also depend on what photos you have yourself. Most people are a bit nervous before a photo-shoot but everyone enjoys the experience and you often get to keep some of the photos!
For more information about selling your story to the press, contact Jane Gregory on 01730 829379, email jgregory@btinternet.com or visit http://www.sharingstories.co.uk
Ever read a real-life story in a women's magazine or newspaper and thought other people should be reading about you? Well, it’s one thing thinking “Can I sell my story?” It’s quite another actually getting it done!
Sharing your experiences publicly can feel daunting but great stories can elicit high fees and you gain the satisfaction of seeing your story in print, or plugging a charity/deserving cause that you support. You can sell your story yourself by going direct to the press but you could lose out by not getting the going rate and your story may not be told the way that you want it to be. To avoid pitfalls, you are better off going through a freelance journalist or press agency that know how the industry works and can look after you at every step.
Getting your story published
First, the journalist or press agent will take details about you and your story and prepare a synopsis to submit to commissioning editors on your behalf. They will discuss with you where you would like to see your story published and advise you on which publications would be suitable. They should only work on selling your story once you are happy to go ahead. At this stage, you will need to provide a snapshot of yourself and, depending on your story, other relevant photos – don’t worry, they are not for publication. Commissioning editors expect to see photos that illustrate your story with the synopsis. Everything you say at this stage is off the record and your words and pictures will not appear in print. You may then be asked to sign a contract, which confirms that you will, from this point, only work with that particular journalist or press agency.
After receiving your synopsis any interested commissioning editors will offer a fee for your story. If you are happy to proceed with a publication, you will be asked to take part in a more detailed interview, either in person or on the phone. You may also be asked to sign a contract with the publication that your story is appearing in. This confirms your fee and is a guarantee that they will be getting your story as an exclusive.
How will I get paid?
You will receive payment anytime up to about four to six weeks after your story is published. The journalist’s or press agent’s service is free. The magazine or newspaper pays them separately for writing or sourcing your story.
After your story has been published, it can go in another non-competing magazine or newspaper if you want it to – either overseas or in the UK. You may also be asked to go on TV or radio programmes, all of which will mean more money for you. If you decide you don’t want any more publicity, the journalist representing you can ensure that you are left in peace and do not get unwanted press attention.
I don’t have a real-life story but know someone else with an amazing story to tell. Would I get paid for passing their details on to you?
Yes, on top of the money they get for their story, you get paid if their story is published. It means you can earn money for your friends and relatives as well as yourself.
Photos
You may be asked to take part in a photo-shoot, usually at your home or in your local area. Some magazines do photo-shoots, some not, and it may also depend on what photos you have yourself. Most people are a bit nervous before a photo-shoot but everyone enjoys the experience and you often get to keep some of the photos!
For more information about selling your story to the press, contact Jane Gregory on 01730 829379, email jgregory@btinternet.com or visit http://www.sharingstories.co.uk
Monday, 20 December 2010
Legal services for people with disabilities
On 8 October I blogged about the DLA takeway. The charity, Contact-a-Family were calling for rules stopping the mobility component of disability living allowance after 84 days in hospital to be scrapped. We found ourselves in this situation & appealed against the decision to stop our disabled daughter's DLA because she still needs help with getting around outside the hospital. She is there for psychiatric assesment & treatment, & attends medical appointments outside the hospital, & comes home most weekends - explained in my previous blog: http://jgregorysharingsstories.blogspot.com/2010/10/dla-takeaway-for-disabled-children.html
We sought the Disability Law Service's advice over this & their solicitor advised us how to proceed witih an appeal, & said that he would take it up from there. Today, I received a reply from the DLA asking us to attend a Tribunal to discuss their decision. As advised, I returned to the Disability Law Service for their continued support but they say now that they can't help any further because the Legal Services Commission will not allow them to take on any more cases. They advised me to find a 'local solicitor.' I understand why legal aid should not be granted willy-nilly, but surely people with disabilities, particularly those with autism and complex needs, need specialist representation that is hard to find outside the Disability Law Service. Will we have to pay for our adult daughter's legal representation ourselves or will I have to be my daughter's legal representative? Scary :(
We sought the Disability Law Service's advice over this & their solicitor advised us how to proceed witih an appeal, & said that he would take it up from there. Today, I received a reply from the DLA asking us to attend a Tribunal to discuss their decision. As advised, I returned to the Disability Law Service for their continued support but they say now that they can't help any further because the Legal Services Commission will not allow them to take on any more cases. They advised me to find a 'local solicitor.' I understand why legal aid should not be granted willy-nilly, but surely people with disabilities, particularly those with autism and complex needs, need specialist representation that is hard to find outside the Disability Law Service. Will we have to pay for our adult daughter's legal representation ourselves or will I have to be my daughter's legal representative? Scary :(
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