7
Steps to Writing for Magazines, for Money!
by Tracey Smith
Close your eyes and picture the scene. There you
are, sitting in a lovely old French farmhouse, with a view stretching
out over the local vineyards and orchards, scribbling away with a
nice glass of red wine – ah….the life!
For me, most of the above is true, minus the bit
about the wine that is, or I would never get any work done.
I moved to a lovely old farmhouse in March 2002 from
the UK and although I have been a writer all my life, I set up officially
in recent years. I am a full time writer, columnist, author, general
word-bird and photographer.
I think writers are born with a pen in their hands
and they know it too. They are more than aware of their passion and
ability to move people, from responses from simple letters written
to friends.
If you have an itch, that only words can scratch,
perhaps it is time to consider looking seriously at making money from
the craft you so clearly love.
There are lots of ways to advance this business idea
but I think some fundamental rules apply to those looking to earn
a living, or supplement their income, from traditionally published
or Internet magazine writing.
I have compiled a list of pointers to get you going.
Move one step closer to seeing the money and start working on them
today.
Decide on your genre
If you are particularly driven by all matters foodie, consider
being a recipe writer and food journalist. Or perhaps a reporter on
traditional dishes from the four corners of the earth. Maybe even
a critique for restaurants and hotels in your area. There are too
many avenues to begin to list them all, but bear in mind there are
very few magazines and journals that don’t have a recipe in there
somewhere and everybody has to eat… Choose a subject that rings your
bell. One that you have good background knowledge of already will
be second nature to start writing about. Once you have made a start
writing for money, you will find it is easy to expand to other topics.
Find your angle
Where are you coming from? Are you going to report on the subject
or be innovative and tell others about your ideas? Would you prefer
something along a fictional line? Maybe Q and A and FAQ’s is your
bag. Don’t rule anything out, but get acquainted with a comfortable
angle by trying lots of different types of writing on your chosen
subject. The more relaxed you are, the better your quality of work
will be, because it will flow more naturally.
Research your subject
Once you have a focus, look into that field in great depth. See what
is available and topical at the moment, on paper and on the Internet.
It will help to know what people are reading and interested in, before
you put pen to paper. Do you feel your line of thought has not been
covered yet? Perhaps that could be a door of opportunity opening for
you. Websites are not difficult to get up and running these days –
consider setting one up for your chosen subject, with the possibility
of an accompanying newsletter. It might pay dividends if you could
refer editors to your site to view your style and see examples of
your work.
Research the paying markets
Now we come to the fun bit. There are more websites for creative writing
and paying and non-paying markets than you can shake a fountain pen
at. I will give you one to get you started. Have a look at http://www.writersweekly.com
I have been a fan of this site for a long time. You will find invaluable,
practical advice here and perhaps catch your first glimpse of paying
markets. There are many other sites in the same vein, not perhaps
to this standard however and you have to do your homework according
to the area you want to work in. Research is, without a doubt, one
of the biggest bugbears, but if you are committed to a career in writing,
you might as well make it your best friend, because you are going
to be doing an awful lot of it!
Writer’s guidelines
I can imagine the daily frustrations of an editor. Especially when
he has taken the time to lay out, in no uncertain terms, the how/why/where
and what for’s he seeks, in an article for his magazine…and yet so
many conform to none of the above. For all of the magazines and publications
you approach with a view to submitting a piece, there will be writer’s
guidelines. Read them, digest them and carry them out to the letter.
Your piece might be amazing, with bells on, but if you don’t comply
with the subject line or the addressee, it will more than likely end
up in the recycle bin! It is a laborious task going through them and
doing as you are told, especially when your piece is clearly the hottest
thing on the market. Remember, if it were that easy, everybody would
be doing it and besides, there has to be some fun in the chase.
Keep track of your work
Once you start hopping around on the Internet, you will see there
are numerous opportunities and places to submit a potential piece
of work to. Keep a log of your submissions, query letters and published
pieces. Create an address book of all the editors, fellow writers
and useful contacts you make. Sometimes it is who you know, combined
of course with what you know, but a useful contact can give you a
good leg-up. Don’t be put off by the response times either. I have
absolutely no patience whatsoever – was never born with any – but
I don’t bat an eyelid with a “response within 4 months” note in the
writer’s guidelines. Make up files that allow you to review what you
have sent to whom and keep on top of it.
…And finally
Don’t forget to have a strong signature line and a good mini-bio to
submit with your piece. There is no point in somebody reading and
enjoying your work, but not being able to find more of the same.
Also, keep at it! It might take months of hard work
before you start to see positive results. Remember, a writer must
write something every single day, without fail! It keeps your hand
in and makes you look at new angles and ways of self-expression. You
have to be topical, expressive, interesting and informative. Test
the water by submitting your work to article bank websites and I am
going to be terribly generous and give you another link – you are
so lucky – http://www.family-content.com.
By tracking how many interested parties there are in your articles,
you will see where you strengths and weaknesses lie. Build on all
the information you receive and focus on becoming sharper and better
at the craft.
It is a big old reading world out there, don’t be
daunted, be focused, be clever and most of all, have fun!
© Tracey Smith 2004
Tracey Smith lives with her family in the Lot et Garonne, having
downshifted from a busy UK life in 2002. She is a prize winning, published
writer and photographer.
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