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Perhaps because of her association with newspaper companies and journalists, Helen - a market researcher - decided to take up freelance writing when she gave up her full-time job for her young children. She became that rare being - an instant success. Even better: When she tentatively wrote her first column, a magazine immediately asked for more!
Her secret? Work out what a publication expects in content and style. Study what its readers want.Use the publication's unstated but identifiable style-and-content formula, and write pieces that trump it.
RED
We had a Russian
dwarf to stay for the holidays. He was a wonderful guest
- quiet and unassuming, not fussy with his food, and he kept the kids
entertained for hours. The only problem was that he stank.
I
suppose most Hamsters do. So I was very happy to hand little Red back to
the neighbours when they returned from the Easter break. But it got me
thinking that this was the ideal way to enjoy all those fluffy, furry,
squawky, hoppy, slimy, smelly pets our children keep asking for. You
borrow them. If you don¹t have neighbours who need you to look after their
livestock you go to a Pet Library.
It¹s just as simple as getting out books - you hand your card in, choose a
sweet creature and then (this is the best bit) return it as soon as the
kids have stopped hugging the bunny, watching the worm and playing with
the parrot. And you might even be saved the task of phoning your partner
in a panic to buy a replacement caramel coloured hamster on the way home
before your 3 year old (who¹s still desperately in love with it) finds her
little Lily has done a Houdini. You may also never have to go through the
frightening task of explaining to your horrified darlings why the mommy
hamster has just eaten her sweet newborn baby.
This loan service should be offered for jaded parents who no longer
believe their kids when they once again look them straight in the eye and
PROMISE that they¹ll feed and clean and care for the creatures. They
really mean it at the time, but the cute little animals grow up, lose
their fur and their attraction (a bit like their little owners) and end up
in Mom¹s lap. As you can see, the pitter patter of tiny claws has begun
to get my goat lately as I am the one left watching a bored animal on a
toy ferris wheel as the guilt goes round and round in my head.
Now with Rent- a- Pet you could just hand the pest, I mean pet, back over
the counter, with a smile and a wave and some other enthusiastic
child
could brush its coat and take it for walkies for a while.
Long ago I used to give in to my children when another pet request came,
thinking I could try and keep the kids to their word to replace the water,
fill the food dish and clean the cage. But my gentle reminder would soon
turn into a persistent nag and then move on to ugly threats. Then there
would be tears but I would insist they did the work for the next week, let
it slip for the next few months and end up doing it all for the next
couple of years (because it¹s easier).
If you¹re feeling a little disgusted, have reached for the pen to write a
letter to the SPCA and have lost your sense of humour, please relax,
because I¹m joking, I promise. I¹m just a tired mom of three and surrogate
mother of dozens, who is only now learning to say NO to every heartfelt
request. The truth is, I just don¹t care for a bit of fluff on the side anymore.
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