Subject: Re: Experienced Blogger, Writer, Author
From: penstinct@gmail.com
Date: 1/6/09, 15:10
To: "Barrett Brown" <barriticus@gmail.com>

Thank you for replying to the ad.

Normally, I would supply further instructions and ask you to take a small writing test.

The quality of the tests that Ive received back so far has been horrible, so I'm going to ask you a couple of questions beforehand so that we aren't wasting each others time.

Are you someone who can sit down and write a 500-1000 word article in 20 minutes?

No research, I'll give you a topic like dog grooming or ski shoes, and ask you to write 500 words on it. 

That's it. It doesn't have to be great, but it has to be something on topic and easily read.

This is a skill that comes easily to me. 

Because of this, I wrongly assumed that anyone can write this way.

This is not to say that I am a great writer because I'm not.

I need the people who are writing for me to be people whose work doesn't need checking or editing. 

If this is something you think you can do, reply to this email.

I will then ask you to perform a writing task that a minimally acceptable candidate for this job will be able to complete in 20 minutes..

Do a good job, and I will offer you plenty of writing assignments.

I'm sorry if the nature of this letter is condescending, I sincerely don't want to waste your time.


On Tue, Jan 6, 2009 at 1:17 PM, Barrett Brown <barriticus@gmail.com> wrote:
Hi-

I understand that you're seeking bloggers to write about New York, and I'd like to be considered. I'm a Brooklyn-based freelance writer and author, and my work has appeared in dozens of publications including Skeptic, The Onion A.V. Club, McSweeney's, The Fortean Times, and National Lampoon. My first book, Flock of Dodos: Behind Modern Creationism, Intelligent Design, and the Easter Bunny, was released in 2007 to praise from Alan Dershowitz of Harvard Law School, Matt Taibbi of Rolling Stone, and Cenk Uyger of Air America Radio, among other sources. I also serve as director of communications for Enlighten the Vote (previous known as GAMPAC), a political action committee that advocates for the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment and for which I've done some media appearances, most recently on Fox News last week. I've also worked as a journalist for online political news outlets like evote.com, which folded in 2005, and Politicalbase.com, a CNET spinoff which launched last year and for which I composed news summaries, humorous political commentary, and other items under the pen name "Augustus." During college and immediately afterwards, I wrote for several city mags and regional guides and served as a copywriter for America Online's CityGuide features division, writing up descriptions of various venues, events and attractions in Dallas, Austin, and other locales.

I've attached a recent sample; please take a look and let me know if you'd like to discuss this further.

Thanks,

Barrett Brown
Brooklyn, NY
512-560-2302