Aliya S. King

I started freelancing in ’98.

When tax time came around, I did what I had done since my first job at the East Orange Public Library. I gathered up my paperwork and gave it to my mom. She and my dad had an accountant who came each year around the same time. And for years, he did my return for a small fee that my parents paid for me.

Then I moved out of my parents home. And soon, taxes were one of those Things That Grownups Did. You know. Like, laundry and food shopping.

In 2000, I didn’t file at all. The 1099 forms that came in the mail from the magazines I wrote for scared me. There were no taxes taken out! What did that mean? How much did I owe the government? How much would I have to pay to get the return done?

I did what I usually do in these situations:

(more…)

From my InBox:

Hi Aliya!  I searched the web for XYZ’s email address and it came back to me unanswered.  I then searched for the managing editor’s address and sent her my pitch.  However, I didn’t hear back from her and I’m not quite sure if it was the correct address or if I should have sent it to her in the first place.

I was wondering if it was possible you could point me in the right direction to getting editors’ email addresses?

Thanks,

NAME REDACTED

It’s a common refrain. You’ve got the perfect pitch. You’ve done your research. You know it’s appropriate for the magazine. And you know the right editor to pitch it to.

Now how the heck do you get into the editor’s inbox?

(more…)