0 Transitional//EN"> OuterNotes Archive
Every Tuesday and Friday, we'll share our incisive reviews of the best sites and tools for freelance writers and the editors who employ them. If you'd like to suggest a site -- or send any other kind of feedback, please e-mail me.
Gian Trotta, Editor

Our Archive: (Click on date to read full issue)

01/30/01: Domains, Conferences and "Deskercising"

  1. ICANN Rules for Authors in Domain-Name Dispute
  2. E&P Conference: High-Powered -- and High-Priced
  3. Poynter.Org's Conference Keys on Web Writing
  4. ASJA Conference Changes With the Times
  5. Pike's Peak Conference Piques Our Interest
  6. ACES' Copy Editor Conclave Set for April
  7. D.C. Conference Eyes on E-Publishing
  8. More Conference Calls: E-Journalism and Romance
  9. Health eOffice: Savvy Help for "Mouse Potatoes"
  10. OuterPoll: One's Still Dot-Com; One Is Dot-Gone
01/26/01: Sites for Specific Genders and Genres
  1. JAWS Is Circling Women Journalists
  2. AMWA: The Definitive Site for Medical Writers
  3. SABEW: A Site That's Strictly Business
  4. SEJ: Because It's Not Easy Writing Green
  5. Policewriter.com: Book(mark) 'Em!
  6. Don't Essay a Screenplay Without Wordplay
  7. SFWA.Org: Down-To-Earth Advice for Sci-Fi Writers
  8. ACW: A Haven For Christian Writers
  9. SBWI: High-Powered Networking for Children's Writers
  10. OuterPoll: Back to Dead-Trees for Dot-Commers
01/22/01: Retreating To Print and "Meet" Markets
  1. Online-to-Print Retreat Yields a 'New Breed'
  2. LostRemote: A Great Way To Track Convergence
  3. Aquent.com Takes an Active Approach To Job Placements...
  4. As a Savvy Writer Grills the Online 'Meet Markets'
  5. Writers' Guideline Database Collect Markets...
  6. ...While WriteandMarket Lets You Add Listings
  7. AMEX Helps You Master Business-Plan Writing
  8. ParagraphPunch.com Helps You Knock Out Prose...
  9. ...Digital Integrity Ferrets Out Plagiarism...
  10. ...And Annoyances.com Cleans Windows Specs
01/19/01: Clear Stategies and Clearer Prose
  1. NAA: Taming the Five C's to Ensure Survival...
  2. Macromedia: Richer Ads Could Make Web Profitable
  3. Society for News Design: Advice and Job Listings
  4. CNET's Tech Glossary: Clear but a Tad Dated
  5. The Jargon File Defines Tech Terms That Matter...
  6. ...While The Jargonator Cuts Out Those That Don't
  7. Professor Helps You Master 'Notorious Confusables'
  8. IBM's New TransNote Merges PDA and Notebook
  9. Gator Helps You Input Forms Sooner Than Later
  10. OuterPoll: Fearless Freelancer Vows To Thrive on the Web
01/16/01: Belly-Up, Then to the Bar
  1. The Industry Standard's Layoff Tracker: Tune In, Drop Down...
  2. Motley Fool: "The Winter of Dis-Content" Strikes Again!
  3. ...And Internet Content Shares Success Stories
  4. Ex-Editor Builds the GigaLaw Review
  5. UI Specialist Provides a Great Legal Interface
  6. NAA Looks at Publishers' Electronic Rights....
  7. ...While ASJA Keeps a Watch for Writers
  8. The Copyright Website: Plain English Explanations
  9. Fontsite.com Provides a Quick Latin Primer
  10. OuterPoll: New, Old or No Media?
01/12/01:Sports Sites That Score for Online Writers
  1. It's 'Fourth-and-Long' for Sports Sites
  2. How To Break Into the Sportwriting Game
  3. Sportseditor.com Tackles the Tough Issues...
  4. ...And AP's Sports Editor Site Has More Resources
  5. Top Writers Flock To Sportspages.com...
  6. ...And E-Sports.com Servers Up a Syndication Model
  7. AWSM Backs Women in Sports Media
  8. SABR: A Serious Site for Baseball Research
  9. The Ricochet Modem Hits a Sweet Spot
  10. OuterPoll: Time To Punt on Content?
01/09/01: Coming In From the Dot-Com Cold?
  1. Thestreet.com's Cramer: Dot-com Execs Are (French?) Fried
  2. OJR Offers Guidelines for the 'Walking Wounded'
  3. ASNE: U.S. Editors Share Low-Cost Training Ideas
  4. New Syndication Site: Top Writers Flock to Featurwell
  5. Editor & Publisher's Classifieds Getting a Facelift
  6. Chicago Conference: Custom Coaching From Top Editor
  7. Keyless Keyboard: A Radical Cure for Carpal-Tunnel Sufferers...
  8. ...And The Half Keyboard Is No Half-Baked Concept
  9. SmartDraw: A No-Brainer Graphics Program
  10. OuterPoll: Time To Abandon the Dot-Com Desk?
01/06/01: Web Usability and Word Credibility
  1. Useit.com: It's Time To Charge for Web Content
  2. The Usable Web: 1062 Links For Web Mastery
  3. Editorial Eye: Mr. Ivey Untangles Web Content
  4. Yourwriters.com: Veteran Scribes' Custom Content
  5. Ex-Chemical Warfare Expert Turns to Word Origins...
  6. ...As The Wordsmyth Forges a Definitive Online Dictionary
  7. MSNBC Writer Tests His PDA in Paris...
  8. ...As a Writer's Conference Beckons in Italy
  9. PaintShop Pro Upgrade Misses the Mark...
  10. ....But Ulead's PhotoImpact Scores a Direct Hit
12/29/00: The Top Sites of 2000
  1. Best Job Listings: Mediabistro.com
  2. Best Job-Matching Service: Staffwriters.com
  3. Best Article on Writing: 'Online Sites Buck Dollar-a-Word Trend'
  4. Best Editorial Resource: The Political Reporter's Roadmap
  5. Best Specialized Writing Site: Children's Writer
  6. Best Traditional Reference Site: LibrarySpot.com
  7. Best Style Guide: Sun's Web Style Guide
  8. Best Explanation of a Frightening Subject: The Editorium
  9. Best Gadget: (tie)
    a. The Timex Data Link Watch
    b. Electrotek's Washable, Wearable Keyboards
  10. Best Virtual Tool: FilePool.com
  11. Best Software: Winshade Takes the Pane Out of Windows
  12. Best Poll Response: Xmas Gets a Thorough Thumbs-Down
12/22/00:Year-End and Year-Ahead Strategies
  1. IRS's Multiple-Choice Test for the Home-Office Deduction
  2. National Writers Union Reports On Freelancer Rates
  3. Staffwriters.com Places Writers and Editors...
  4. ...And ProfNet Makes Finding Online Expertise a Breeze
  5. The New Writer's List Offers Convivial Coaching
  6. Aphorismsgalore.com Serves Up Pithy Wisdom
  7. Refdesk.com: A Fine Portal To All Things Factual
  8. 0pen-Source Word Processor Draws Rave Reviews
  9. ZDNet: Microsoft's PC Tablet's a Bitter Pill
  10. OuterPoll: Xmas vs. Christmas and a Hanukkah Primer
12/29/00: Surviving a Winter of 'Dis-Content'
  1. Content Exchange Covers All the Bases
  2. Internet Content: Sea Changes in Aqua Blue?
  3. Contentbiz.com: Because Your Site's Got To Eat
  4. Correspondent.com: From Paris, More Jobs Spring
  5. Writer's Digest Offers a Market of the Day
  6. Write-On: Free Articles Are Worth the Read
  7. The C-Pen 600 Combines Pen and Scanner...
  8. ...As the Qbe Tablet Crosses Desktop with a PDA
  9. Epson's PhotoPC 3000Z Camera Shines
  10. OuterPoll: Xmas or Christmas?
12/15/00: Mastering the Art of E-Mail
  1. Monster.com: Master The Art of Virtual Presence
  2. Designer Makes E-Mail More Artistic and Efficient
  3. How To Avoid Tripping the 'Editorial Annoyance Meter'
  4. A Quick Primer on E-mail Viruses
  5. Microsoft's Eight-Minute Solution for Outlook Users
  6. A Wizard Shows How To Check POP Mail Via Hotmail...
  7. ...Or Have a Magician Read It Out Loud
  8. Two Programs Let You Check Multiple Accounts...
  9. ...Or Forward Key Excerpts To Your Mobile Device
  10. OuterPoll: PDA Users Share Tips -- and Slips
12/12/00: Content Veterans' Tips From the Trenches
  1. Edit-Work.com: Two Texans' Straight Talk on Style
  2. Why Web Writing and Content Stinks...
  3. ...And Why It Takes More Than Talent
  4. Contentious: A Quantity of Qualities for Online Editors
  5. LibrarySpot.com: Broad, Deep and Slightly Offbeat
  6. Wordsmith.org Serves and Scrambles Tasty Terms
  7. File Pool: Share Content in Many Contexts...
  8. ..."Xdrive" Your Files Onto the Web...
  9. ...Or Feed Them To Iomega's Stylish New Predator
  10. OuterPoll: A Thumbs-Up for the Palm VX
12/08/00: Desktop Optimization Guide
  1. Site of the Week: Assignmenteditor.com Earns an "A"
  2. More ACES: Copy Editors Share Their Expertise
  3. Encyclopaedia Britannica Offers Free 14-Day Trial
  4. Allfreelance.com Tries an All-in-One Approach...
  5. ...Herhomeoffice.com Holds Some Boxed Surprises...
  6. ...And Childrenswriter.com Has More Gifts
  7. Winshade Takes the Pane Out of Windows...
  8. ...Topdesk Lets You Open Buried Icons...
  9. ...And WisdomSpray Dispenses Inspiration and Decisions
  10. OuterPoll: Are PDAs Really Necessary?
12/05/00: Million-Dollar Markets and Mobile-Phone Savvy
  1. Who Wants To Become a Freelance Millionaire? ...
  2. ...Or Tap a Billion-Dollar Market?...
  3. ...While Avoiding Those Hefty Lawsuits?
  4. Writersweekly.com Shows Strong, Savvy Content...
  5. ...But The New Media Joblist Is Still Hit-or-Miss
  6. Howstuffworks.com: Mr. Brain's No-Brainer Reference
  7. How To Surf the Net From Your Mobile Phone...
  8. ...While Keeping It From Frying Your Brain
  9. OuterNotable Gadget: A Washable, Wearable, Foldable Keyboard
  10. New OuterPoll: Are PDAs Really Necessary?
12/01/00: New Skills for the Upcoming Market Chill
  1. OuterNews: CNNfn.com Finds Freelancers Are Happy, But...
  2. Site of the Week: Robertniles.com Shines
  3. Veteran Scribe: The Worst Writing Is On the Web
  4. About.com's Four Plays for Freelance Success
  5. Freelancerwriting.com: Busy but Useful
  6. Bartleby.com: Sound Out Your Favorite Writer
  7. OuterNotable Gadget: PDA Keyboards Go Portable
  8. Dutch Master Builds a Better Notepad...
  9. ...And a Swiss Firm's NoteTab Tames Text and HTML
  10. OuterNotes Poll: A Different Outlook on MS Word
11/28/00: More Markets, Tax Advice and Super Phones
  1. Site of the Week: Absolute Write
  2. Copyeditor.com's Worth a Quick Visit
  3. Tax Time Doesn't Have To Be Xanax Time
  4. How To Tap the Corporate-Writing Market
  5. Freelancebbs.com Shows Some Early Promise
  6. Youcanworkfromanywhere.com: Well, Wethinkitsprettygood!
  7. OuterNotable Gadgets: eBook's Gemstar
  8. Motorola's Timeport Melds Phone, PDA and Modem
  9. New Cordless Phone Boasts and Eight-Mile Range
  10. OuterNotes Poll: "Clip" Service to MS Word
11/21/00: Talking Turkey: Salaries and Spec Writing
  1. 1. Site of the Week: Salary.com's Worth its Salt!
  2. The Dangerous Details of Writing on Spec...
  3. ...And the Writers Guild Offers Help for Needy Scribes
  4. Bullhorn.com Rides the Reverse-Auction Trend...
  5. ...Tjobs.com Keys on Telecommuting Listings...
  6. ...CreativeMoonlighting.com Offers Discrete Ads...
  7. ...And Creative Freelancers Further Refines the Art
  8. OuterNotable Gadgets: Dictate Your Letters to Your PC...
  9. ...Or Surf the Net Via the HandsFree Browser
  10. OuterPoll: MS Word's an Affliction -- and Addiction!
11/17/00: MS Word Wizards and Reverse-Auction Writing
  1. Site of the Week: The Editorium Demystifies MS Word
  2. The Slot.com: A Curmudgeon's Guide to Style
  3. Journalism Professor Offers Virtual Training
  4. eLance: An eBay for Freelancers?
  5. Ants.com: Another New Writer's Colony
  6. Workaholics4Hire.com's: If They Build It, You Won't Come-ute
  7. OuterNotable Gadgets: Rist Rocker Rolls Keyboards...
  8. ...UniRiser Gets iMacs to the Right Eye Level...
  9. ... And Timex's Data Link Watch Synchs and Swims
  10. OuterPoll: Are You (Ab)using MSWord?
11/14/00: Votes, Quotes and DSL Notes
  1. How To Break Into Op-Ed Writing
  2. The Quotations Page Feeds Notable Quotes
  3. The Write Jobs: Right Moves for Jobs and News
  4. Momwriters.com: Help Balancing Home and Career
  5. Sharp Writer Grows Into a Cutting-Edge Site
  6. Dslreports.com: Local Ratings -- and Vocal Critics
  7. IBM's Healthy Computing Series Eyes Monitors...
  8. ...As Bausch & Lomb Magnifies PC Screens
  9. Soul-lutions Offers a Double-Duty Copy Holder
  10. E-mail vs. Email: The Votes Are In!
11/10/00: Writing Sites that Earned our Votes
  1. NYNMA.org Shines in the Big Apple...
  2. ...While Craigslist's Does the Same in San Fran
  3. Inkspot's Freelance Writer FAQ Hits the Spot
  4. Writedirection.com Offers a Freelance-Fee Formula
  5. Grammar Now: Instant Answers to Your Writing Woes
  6. The Acronym Database's Got Size, But No Definitions
  7. LA Conference: Trite Title, Right Approach
  8. OuterNotes Gadgets: ZDNet Gives the Palm VII a Thumbs Up...
  9. ... And Finds a Stylish, Stylus-less Alternative
  10. OuterNotes Poll: Another deadlock!
11/07/00: Electronic Election Day Special
  1. The Political Reporter's Roadmap Shines
  2. What a PDA Can and Can't Do for You
  3. JournalismJobs.com Offers Jobs and More
  4. Freelance Job of the Week: Historychannel.com
  5. Grammar Slammer Picks Up the Check
  6. Yourdictionary.com: The Last Word Online
  7. Top Travel Editors Head for Hudson Valley
  8. OuterNotes Gadget: Logitech Cuts the Keyboard Cord...
  9. ... As the Maxim Hinges the Natural Format
  10. OuterPoll Update: Heave-ho the Hyphen in E-mail?
11/03/00: The Hunt For High-Paying Markets
  1. Online Sites Buck the Dollar-a-Word Trend
  2. Mediabistro.com Serves Up Superior Job Listings
  3. Copyright Questions? You Go, Lawgirl!
  4. Sun Microsystem's Web Writing Guide Shines
  5. Copy Editors List Their Biggest Gripes...
  6. ...as The Chicago Manual of Style Goes Interactive
  7. Santa Barbara Hosts Virtual e-writers' Conference
  8. Macworld: How To Pick the Right Office Chair...
  9. ...before you "Leap" Into This Model
  10. OuterPoll: Heave-ho the Hyphen in E-mail?

OuterNotes is produced using the OuterForce Platform, which allows publishers to easily recruit and manage remote and freelance content creation and export it into their publishing platform of choice. For more information, see http://www.outerforce.com.

Copyright 2000 by OuterNotes and Trotta Media, Inc. All rights reserved. OuterNotes is a trademark of OuterForce Systems, Inc. 		Latest OuterPoll:

In 2001, do you plan to:

  • Leave a Dot-Com
  • Join a Dot-Com
  • Freelance Only
  • Give Up Content
    You can cast your vote and comment here.

    Best Reader Comment:

    One veteran print/Web editor -- who passed on a chance to go to his publication's online department early last year -- saw no benefit (or benefits) to taking the chance, despite the promised stock options. And since the dot-com meltdown, he now feels vindicated by events: "What they have done is set up the online division as a separate entity, I'm sure originally with the idea of eventually having an IPO, but I didn't get hired in there and made a point of not pursuing it despite my experience because of the way they set it up," he observed. "One of the things they did was set up the online part without traditional pension," he added, noting that that previous employers had also offered lesser benefits to their online editors. “Which,” he concluded, "is rather a long-winded and meandering way of explaining why I think a lot of these industry people are not very bright, and why, at least in my case, they are keeping themselves from hiring experienced people."