In my new Zoom course for SUNY Adirondack — “Ideas: Mining for Freelance Writing Gold” – I will share strategies I have used profitably as a professional writer in both the magazine and book fields. One of those strategies led to my latest book Gone With the Wind: 1939 Day by Day. Here’s the scoop:
Significant dates in the iconic film’s 1939 production year resonate with fans:
- January 13: Vivien Leigh was announced as Scarlett O’Hara
- January 26: Principal production began
- June 27: Principal production concluded
- December 15: The film debuted in Atlanta, Georgia
I acknowledged those dates and events in blog posts I wrote during the film’s 75th anniversary in 2014. That got me thinking: What was happening on and off Gone With the Wind’s set on each day of 1939? How was the media covering news of the film’s production? I conducted initial research and was convinced that I had my next book. My agent thought so, too. He pitched the book’s concept to my editor at Rowman & Littlefield Publishing, and I received an offer and a contract. I wrote the manuscript, and Gone With the Wind: 1939 Day by Day will be published in July 2022.
What You Want to Know is a strategy that relies on the mental sparks of question marks to lead you to ideas for content that would be ideal for articles, short stories and books.
Interested in learning more about this idea-generating strategy? Want to discover other strategies to train your brain for creativity? Join me on Saturday, March 26, 2022 from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. for my Zoom course “Ideas: Mining for Freelance Writing Gold.” Click here to register through SUNY Adirondack’s online catalog or cut and paste this link: https://www.sunyacc.edu/continuing-education-catalog#Language%20and%20Communication
Blogger Bio: Pauline Bartel, M.A., is a nationally known author and writing consultant who helps aspiring writers become published authors. Gone With the Wind: 1939 Day by Day is her ninth book. Her byline has appeared in more than 100 national publications. She is a member of the prestigious American Society of Journalists and Authors (ASJA). Contact her at pauline@paulinebartel.com