How to deal with noisy children... before the neighbours complain!

The doorbell rang just as my two-year-old emitted a piercing shriek of delight on finding a toy long thought lost.

"Your children make too much noise," complained the new neighbour. "They're too loud; they disturb us during our conference calls. Please can you tone it down a bit?" She was gone before I had time to draw breath.

With a mixture of embarrassment and fury, I shut the door and stormed back into the apartment screeching at my kids to shut up and mouthing impossible threats and punishments if they disobeyed. After a minute to collect myself, I reflected and questioned my reaction: did...

Read the full article in the Spring 2016 issue of Country Child

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Request to read the original article via email for just 99p! (T&C apply)

975 words
Nonfiction
UK publication

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Words from the Wise

"Great article! Thanks for sharing :)"

Michelle Ang

Editor

New Age Parents

"I really like the tone and the points made."
Sarah Third
Editor
Country Child Magazine

"I enjoyed your humorous pitch, and it sounds like an interesting topic"
Dominique Lamberton
Associate Editor
Chatelaine

"This story is really well-written and is an important topic... Love the article."
Sarah Anne Mau
Managing Editor
Hawaii Parent

"This looks good and could be something of interest."
Anna Dixon
Deputy Editor
My Child Magazine

"I enjoyed your article."
Jane Muller
Editor
City Parent

3 More ways to know your market

Imagine trying to sell apples to a stranger off the street. You don’t know who he is, whether he likes apples, or if he even wants apples. You don’t know how many he’ll take, what kind he prefers, how much money he has in his pocket to spend on your apples, and if he needs a little left over to buy his dinner too. You don’t know whether he wants the apples now or later, if he has any allergy to apples, what he plans to do with them in turn (sell, eat or throw away), if he has a friend who is equally hungry for apples, or whether apples are in season in his part of the world. Heck, you don’t even know if he knows what...

Read the full article in the March 2016 post of Walrus Publishing

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1040 words
Nonfiction
US publication

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Words from the Wise

"It has some good tips"

Moira Allen
Publisher
Writing World


"I really liked your article"
Brian Scott
Editor
Freelance Writing


"This looks great. I'd love to run it in our (upcoming) issue."
Bill Kenower
Editor
Author Magazine

"I like this."
Lisa Miller
Editor
Walrus Publishing

10 Mistakes you should avoid while negotiating

Money saved is money earned. Everyone wants more money. Try a little bit of skilful negotiation.

Whether for a job salary, a house sale or a freelance assignment, the principles of negotiation remain much the same. Like any good strategist, you need to prepare in advance by arming yourself with the right tools. However, many of us trip up when it comes to these key points:

1. Not knowing what you’re worth

Imagine walking into an electronics store to buy an iPhone and being told it has no set price. Wouldn’t that feel weird? Every product or service has a value, and you should know yours. Evaluating...

Read the full article in the March 2016 issue of Freelance Market News

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Request to read the original article via email for just 99p! (T&C apply)

1500 words
Nonfiction
UK publication

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Words from the Wise

"I love it!  It's fabulous! Excellent"

Moira Allen

Publisher

Writing World

How to deal with noisy kids... before your neighbours complain!

The doorbell rang just as my two-year-old emitted a piercing shriek of delight on finding a toy long thought lost.

"Your children make too much noise," complained the new neighbour. "They're too loud; they disturb us during our conference calls. Please can you tone it down a bit?" She was gone before I had time to draw breath.

With a mixture of embarrassment and fury, I shut the door and stormed back into the apartment screeching at my kids to shut up and mouthing impossible threats and punishments if they disobeyed. After a minute to collect myself, I reflected and questioned my reaction: did...

Read the full article in the March 2016 post of New Age Parents

or

Request to read the original article via email for just 99p! (T&C apply)

975 words
Nonfiction
Singapore publication

***********************

Words from the Wise

"Great article! Thanks for sharing :)"

Michelle Ang

Editor

New Age Parents

"I really like the tone and the points made."
Sarah Third
Editor
Country Child Magazine

"I enjoyed your humorous pitch, and it sounds like an interesting topic"
Dominique Lamberton
Associate Editor
Chatelaine

"This story is really well-written and is an important topic... Love the article."
Sarah Anne Mau
Managing Editor
Hawaii Parent

"This looks good and could be something of interest."
Anna Dixon
Deputy Editor
My Child Magazine

"I enjoyed your article."
Jane Muller
Editor
City Parent

Debora's Pen

Enjoy the full cartoon in the Spring 2016 issue of Thema

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NEW!
Enjoy this and other Debora's Pen cartoons via email FREE every fortnight! Just sign up for our newsletter. (T&C apply)

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6 panels, 1 cartoon
Humour/Writing
US publication

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Words from the Wise

"I've started trying to put some logos/photos in the feature piece, and your little girl seemed perfect... I think Debora is very cute. Clean and to the point. You ought to start a newsletter about Debora - brief with a lesson of sort. I think writers would love it. Excited about reading them!"

C. Hope Clark

Editor

Funds For Writers

"I enjoyed your cartoon series"

Brian Scott

Editor

Freelance Writing

"These are cute, I like them."

Lee H. Wilson

Art Editor

Feathertale Review

"Charming! I obviously like the cartoon, tailored-made to fit the theme, even including the date of the emails to coincide with the publication of the journal."

Virginia Howard

Editor

Thema

"This is cool"

Linda Formichelli

Editor

The Renegade Writer

"That was a good comic you sent me. I liked the line drawings, and I thought it was clever."

Bill Kenower

Editor-in-Chief

Author Magazine

"These are definitely cute"

Moira Allen

Publisher

Writing World

"These are very well constructed and interesting"

Leon Ogroske

Editor

Writers' Journal

"These are adorable!"

Nicole Cliffe

Editor

The Toast

A splice of life

I am around eight years old and totally flummoxed. My mother has just posed the following conundrum to me:“Two pairs of mothers and daughters went to the market and bought three lemons. They each got a whole lemon. How is that possible?”

Resisting the urge to just stare at her and blurt out that she is joking, I carefully go over the riddle word by word. After five minutes of straining the grey cells, I am nowhere near the answer. Five more frustrating minutes with numerous fractions worked out infront of me, and I utterly give up. Mum smiles and explains, “The two pairs were: a Grandmother, a Mother...

Read the full story in the Spring 2016 issue of Thema

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2025 words
Humour
US publication

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Words from the Wise

"I liked this essay... I thought your subject and tone were interesting... The description of the family writing its history is very funny... I do like the topic and think there's gentle comedy and potentially something profound about the piece... I'd love to have this essay... You did a marvelous job of bringing the essay to a conclusion, and I had the good kind of chill going down my back as I read your final paragraph. You cogently and eloquently explained the reason for this endearing tradition, and I suspect that many Americans may end up being more than a little jealous of not having such a tradition after reading your account and its meaning... Again, this was really a wonderful result... Congratulations."
Elizabeth Rosen
ex-Essays and Memoirs Editor
Ducts

"I thought this was a very interesting story and compelling to read"
Diana Lyles
CEO
Scribblers and Ink Spillers

"I have read through your article a couple of times now. It is absolutely charming and very well written"

Linne Matthews

Editor

Discover Your History

"Your article on building a family tree was very interesting and well written."

Anonymous

Reader Services

Ladies' Home Journal

"It's quite an engaging piece."

Tim Kroenert

Assistant Editor

Eureka Street

Preparing for a hospital stay with an ill child

"Your son has pneumonia," said the doctor.
And I heaved a sigh of relief.

When my two year old was recently ill, it was all arms to battle stations as we fought temperatures peaking 41.5Celsius (106.7F), dehydration and sleeplessness. At the hospital I was informed it could be either pneumonia or meningitis. So when it was confirmed that we'd escaped the latter, I was so relieved I nearly didn't register what the doctor said next. "He'll have to stay in the hospital for the next five nights, so we can begin the antibiotics treatment and monitor him closely."
Oh.

A hospital stay with your loved...

Read the full article in the March/April 2016 issue of Calgary's Child

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Request to read the original article via email for just 99p! (T&C apply)

940 words
Nonfiction
Canada publication

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Words from the Wise

"Wonderful article"

Melissa Michta

Copy Editor

Calgary's Child

"It's a solid pitch...  well-composed and on-target for our readership."

Kim Shiffman

Managing Editor

Today's Parent

"I love your intro!"

Ashley Trexler

Editor

Lies About Parenting

"Great post"

Samantha Angoletta

Editor

Scary Mommy

"Interesting article"

Charlotte Piercy

Editor

Primary Times North Wales & Shropshire Magazine

"I'm sure many people would be interested to read it."

Joy Tibbs

Editor

Today's Child