In an e-mail conversation about an upcoming writing assignment, one of my editors wrote that she's continually surprised by the number of people who get offended for not being included in an article. This is a different perspective than my own. I am continually surprised at the people who ignore my attempts at putting them in an article. Business people, especially, are crazy for not returning a writer's call. It's the equivalent of saying, "No, thanks. I have plenty of the right kind of business. I am not interested in any further recognition. Please call my competition and ask them to be quoted for all of my customers to see."

Put in that way, it doesn't make much sense. Yet, depending on the subject matter and the publication I'm writing for, I only get an average of 80-percent response. Two in 10 people don't see the value in seeing their name in lights.

I know people are busy. I often talk with veterinarians, horse trainers, organization executives, and researchers—not to mention working mothers and fathers—and life doesn't get any busier than what these folks handle. I also know that there is a certain fear that goes along with being interviewed and appearing in print. These are things I want to write more about later.

The next time you're called upon to contribute to an article, figure in your mind the amount that it would cost you to run an equivalent advertisement (then figure in that the public has a higher level of trust for what they read in editorial than for what they read in advertising). With that dollar figure, ask yourself if you can afford to plunk down the money on promotions rather than just pick up the telephone.