Writing Outdoor Columns

entrance to the Little Eden Camp Nature Trail (photo by jhy)

 Although most of my entries lately have been about working on the Anastasia Raven mysteries, I am primarily (I think), an outdoor writer.

This week, I turned in my 69th monthly "Get Off the Couch" column for the Ludington Daily News, and my ninth weekly column for the Mason County Press.

The column in the newspaper has been fun to write, and a source of some local notoriety. People actually stop me in stores, or in a parking lot, to tell me they like my column. I hope a few of them are also telling the newspaper. Occasionally, when I introduce myself to someone they say, "Oh, I know you... you write that outdoor column." Now, there's a way to make a writer happy!

I've had no luck syndicating the Get Off the Couch Column, but I admit to being easily discouraged. Two rejections put me off that project. Writers have to be more determined than that. I'll work on it... maybe later.

This month, as I do every March, in the newspaper column, I reviewed hiking/adventure books, three this time. And this week's Mason County Press column will introduce readers to a short nature trail I stumbled upon a couple of weeks ago.

The Ludington Daily News columns are not available on-line, unless you subscribe to the paper. One collection of columns is currently available as an e-book, called Get Off the Couch with Joan, at Smashwords. The price is $1.89.

I'm formatting a second volume of humorous essays entitled Fall Off the Couch Laughing. It will be available soon.

Newspaper Column- February

This month was an easy topic. There was a group of hammock campers at the state park. I interviewed them and wrote about their experiences.

I've got the topics for the next two months, too. So I'm in good shape.

The newspaper column is more human interest, but you can read about the event at Hammock Campers Rendevouz at Ludington State Park.

New Regular Writing Opportunity

Today, I met with Rob Alway, who has (very) recently launched a local on-line news magazine called Mason County Press.

He's looking for quite a few regular columnists who can fill any number of niches, and I'll be writing about quiet outdoor recreation in West Michigan. No surprise there, right?

We're still working on the exact name of the column, but it will probably run on Thursdays.

Rob hopes to attract readers who are looking for human interest stories in and around Mason County, Michigan. He's not trying to compete with the Ludington Daily News as a purveyor of hard news. There used to be a print newspaper called the Mason County Press. It covered more of the small towns in the county than the News could, or still can. Rob hopes to bring back some of that small-town flavor.

He also plans to make good use of the kinds of advantages there can be by designing for the web right from the beginning. Rob says "We are a county of communities, each separately unique and each linked by together by an incredible spirit of kindness and pride." Check it out!