The Beginner's Guide to Freelance Writing

The Big IdeaOkay. So youve figured out that youbackground. See below for info about clips.)I can
would like to write for magazines, newspapers,provide documentation and interview notes for
and e-zines. Unfortunately, so have about eighteasy fact-checking, and could submit the
gazillion other people on this planet. Therefore, youcompleted article within two weeks.(Optional.
have to stand out from the crowd. You have toSome people like to suggest a time frame, others
sparkle. How do you do this? Simple. It all startslet the editor do it. In general, the editor will tell
with The Big Idea. The first secret you must learnyou when the article is due, regardless of your
in this funny business is that you dont actuallypreferences. Its a nice touch to mention how you
have to write the whole article to get a job. Inwill research your article. Mine was primarily
fact, only bright green novices attempt to writedependent on interviews, but you may wish to
the whole thing before selling it. What you doinclude the names of journals/experts you plan to
need, however, is the IDEA for the great story.quote or use for information.)I look forward to
You will use this great idea to convince editors toyour response.(Obligatory polite ending. Use any
pay you exorbitant amounts of money via avariation you wish. No pleading. If you dare type, I
proposal letter (called a query letter. But youllpromise to write a reallllly, realllly good article!
learn about that in a minute).So, where will youPlease hire me!, you will incur my wrath. I will hunt
find this Big Idea? Well, youve heard that wiseyou down and yell at you. A lot. Just a simple,
adage write what you know. Thats a wonderfuldignified ending requesting a
mantra for finding your jumping-off point. Youresponse.)Regards,Jenna Glatzer(Oh. Substitute
dont need to stick to what you know for theyour name and preferred signature ending. Unless
specific focus of your story, but tap into youryou feel like sending your paycheck to me, in
already huge vat of knowledge to find the storyswhich case, you can feel free to use my name.
basis. This is how you will become an expert.Grin.)Finally, clips! If youve had anything publishedor
Experts are in demand. People with stories arent.even if you havent, but you have a few good
What you have to do is sneak your stories intowriting samples appropriate for this type of
your areas of expertise. Example: lets say yourmarketinclude them. These samples are called
hobbies and interests include fishing, watching talkclips, and they are used to show the editor that
shows, and traveling. Good! You are a potentialyou are an intelligent, insightful, funny, clever, and
expert in those areas. Jot these things down. Nowor excellent writer. Photocopy your articles
comes the fun part: brainstorming.The biggeststraight from the publication. Just 2-3 clips.When
mistake you can make in pitching your story isyou're sending queries by e-mail, you can paste
being too general. Never, ever send a letter tothe text of your clips into the body of the e-mail
the editor suggesting an article about fishing. Not(never as an attachment!), or you can direct the
even an article about fishing in Florida. Thiseditor to one or two website URLs where she
vagueness is not appropriate for short writing. Incan view your articles.Interviews and ProfilesI
general, you will be expected to write somewhereknow, you feel weird about this one, right? Youre
between 800 and 2000 words on your topic. Youuncomfortable calling someone or visiting a
couldnt possibly tell us all about fishing in 2000business to ask a professional to take precious
words. What you could do, however, is give us atime out of their day to help you research your
comparison of twelve different lures used toarticle.Well, buck up, little camper, because most
catch sailfish. Or the pros and cons of joining aprofessionals absolutely love to be interviewed.
fishing club. Or even how the moon can tell you ifThey jump at the chance, for a few reasons.
itll be a good fishing day.So heres your firstThese are the reasons to keep in mind when you
assignment. Get out your trusty notebook. (Iffeel small and silly for asking:It shows you respect
you dont have one, stop reading and get one.their opinion and/or job.It gives them opportunities
Right now.) On the first page, write down a list offor publicity of their business.It gives them the
any and all topics that interest you. Its okay to bechance to brag to friends that they are quoted in
general here. Need some ideas to get youa magazine.It gives them something to frame and
started?Think through your whole day. Dontshow clients.Finally, someone is recognizing their
neglect anything. What do you do from thegenius and taking an interest in their work.Theyre
moment you wake up until the moment you fallusually wannabe writers, anyway, and they will be
asleep? You turn off your alarm clock. (An articlejust as happy to pick your brain to find out how
about alarm clocks disrupting valuable sleep stages!you got the job.Before you approach
Or waking up to music versus waking up to thatexperts:Make sure you already have your
annoying beeping sound. Or the optimal number ofquestions mapped out, at least briefly. What
times to press the snooze button.) You brushexactly do you need to know from this person?
your teeth. (Article: What all those toutedWhat could this person tell you that no one else
ingredientsfluoride, peroxide, baking sodareally docan? Avoid yes or no questions. Ask open-ended
for your teeth.) You take a shower. Maybe withquestions that could lead to lengthy responses
your significant other. Lucky you. (Romanticchock full of great quotes. Also, have a synopsis
showers for two.)Moving on. You go to work. Thisof your planned article ready, so you can tell your
is the most obvious area of expertise. Lets sayexpert what youre writing and how they can
youre a secretary. How ergonomic officesupplement your knowledge.How to approach
equipment can save you from Carpal Tunnelexperts:Get on the phone. Have your idea
Syndrome, an achy back, and a stiff neck. Howcondensed into 2-3 sentences, so you can quickly
to avoid screaming at your boss when hes a totalexplain yourself to whomever answers the
idiot. Five couples (or ex-couples) share theirphone.Hello. My name is Jenna, and Im writing an
wisdom about dating in the office. Think aboutarticle about the rise in vegetarianism among
what cover story would entice you to pay threeyoung women in Nevada for Youth In Nevada
dollars for a magazine. You dont have to have theMagazine. I know Dr. Spuds is a well-respected
knowledge to actually write the article yet. Younutritionist, and Im hoping she would be willing to
just have to know you can get this informationanswer a few questions on this subject.At this
later.Next, you come home. What happens? Dopoint, the secretary will say, Hold, and make you
you have kids? Great! A wealth of article ideas.listen to elevator musak while she summons the
You could write about childcare agencies, pottyboss. Or shell take down your number and have
training, decoding teenage slang, teaching tableDr. Spuds call you back. Or it will be Dr. Spuds
manners youre getting the idea now, right? Runherself, and shell say, What do you want to
with it!Write at least one page of general topicsknow?Your options at this point are (1) Ask
that interest you, then weed out the mostquestions over the phone, right then and there.
interesting ones. Narrow it down to three or four.Make sure you check to make sure your expert
Then write those three or four topics on top ofis not pressed for time before you begin. (2) Set
brand new pages. Now fill up those pages withup a phone date to conduct the interview. (3) Ask
specific article angles. Just write. Dont editif you can meet in person. This is goodalmost
yourself. Dont judge. Just write whatever popsnecessaryif the person will be the focus of your
into your head. If you need motivation, play it likearticle. If the person is being used just to add a
a game of Scattergories. Set a timer for tenfew quotes, you dont have to meet in person,
minutes. See how many ideas you can jot downbecause its unlikely youll ever need to write, Dr.
before the timer sounds.Keep in mind that thereSpuds wrinkled her brow and stared into her pea
are markets for almost any conceivable topic.soup as she explained that young women are
Dont limit yourself to the headlines youd read inbecoming more health-conscious. (4) Trade e-mail
Vogue and Good Housekeeping. Betweenaddresses and send over a list of questions. This
newspapers, consumer magazines, tradeapproach isnt usually the best, because it doesnt
magazines, e-zines, tabloids, literary journals, andallow you to react to, and build from, information
more, youre bound to find an appropriateyou gain in answers to previous questions.
publication for your Big Idea.You want to knowHowever, if the publication will not reimburse you
more about these markets? Read on!Researchingfor long distance phone calls, and you have to
the MarketsFirst, youll need a fewconduct a lengthy interview, e-mail exchanges are
definitions:Consumer Magazines: These typicallyacceptable. Just make ! sure you specify a due
pay the best. These are the types of magazinesdate for the responses. Be reasonabletry to give
you might find in a grocery store check-out line,the expert a week to answer all your
convenience store, in your airplane seat pocket,questions.The SalesOkay, you sent out your killer
or your doctors office. Types of consumer mags:query, and you got a phone call from an editor
mens, womens, special interest, inflight, teens,with the big news: you got the assignment!
school/career, travel, health, ethnic/minority,Congratulations, you! Go on and do a little dance
political, entertainment, romance, religious, etc. Thisof joy, then crash back to reality with your new
is the area most writers try to break into.Literarymantra: GET IT IN WRITING. Make sure the
Magazines: These dont pay much, if at all.editor tells you that a written contract is
However, what they lack in moolah, they makeforthcoming in the near future.If youve
up for in prestige. If youre looking to jump-startresearched your market, you probably already
your career as a fiction writer or poet, your besthave an idea of the pay rate, but be sure to
chance at recognition may come in the form ofcover this ground in that initial phone call if the
one of these small publications. Often published byeditor fails to mention it. Important things to
colleges and universities, their circulation is usuallyremember:On Publication vs. On AcceptanceYou
regional and low. They generally seek scholarlynot only need to know how much youll be paid,
essays, intellectually challenging prose, poetry, andbut also, when youll be paid. Many markets want
book reviews. Publishers will be impressed if youto pay you on publication. This can be a problem,
succeed in placing your work in one of the morebecause many magazines and journals have long
prominent journals (Cimarron Review,lead times. (Translation: a long time between when
Ploughshares, and Story, for example).Tradethey assign you the article and when it actually
Journals: Pay varies greatly. Any publication thatends up in print.) If you write an article in January,
focuses on a particular occupation/industry fallsand it doesnt get published until November, you
into this category. This is where your expertiseprobably wont see a check until December. Do
can shine. There are trade journals for almostyou want to wait a year to get paid? Can you
every line of work, from art dealers to truckwait that long? This is a point you absolutely can
drivers. In general, your written eloquence is notnegotiate. Ask for payment on acceptance. If this
as important as your research and timelyis refused, it gives you a little leverage to work
knowledge for these publications.E-Zines: Paywith on the other issues, which areKill FeesIf you
varies greatly. Simply put, e-zines are simplyget the assignment, and, for whatever reason, an
magazines on the Internet. The only majoreditor decides not to print your article, you can
difference is that articles for e-zines can usuallynegotiate for a kill fee. This is a percentage of the
run longer than print magazines. (No printing costs,sale price. If you are offered $200 to write an
so space isnt as important an issue for e-zinearticle, you may get a $50 kill fee. Its a well
editors.) Most e-zines dont pay (except by meansknown fact that big publications kill articles all the
of a byline) but this trend is changing. The mosttime. Some editors admit to assigning 10-20%
popular sites and Wired, for example) pay quitemore than they could ever fit in the magazine.
well. Topics stretch as wide as yourThey do this so they can pick and choose from
imagination.Now that you know, learn how tothe final products, or so they can see how things
contact them!There are tons of ways to findfit once the layout is complete. Some articles will
markets that are open to freelancers. If yoube pushed back to other issues, and some will
were paying attention, you might notice that thisjust be trashed.BiosWe like them. Those are the
very website is looking for writers! Finding placeslittle blurbs that often follow an article, giving short
to submit your work is easy if you know wherebiographical information about the writer, and
to look.First, the most important tool in asometimes an e-mail address or phone number.
freelancers toolbox is The Writers Market.Ask for one if you can.Sidebars and PhotosThose
Available at any major bookstore, this is an annualare the little factoids or columns that rest next to
compilation of more than 2,000 magazines, 1,000the main article. For example, in an article about
book publishers, and even specialized markets likeexercise, youll often see a little chart on the side
greeting cards, script writing, and syndicates.Thethat tells how many calories are burned by doing
next best tools are online. Lucky you! Theyrespecific exercises (riding a bike, climbing a hill, etc.).
free. Absolute Markets is a weekly e-zine filledIf you can suggest sidebars, you can often get
with market guidelines, contest listings, andextra pay. Same goes for photos. If youve got a
marketing tips. Freelancing4Money puts out adecent camera and a good eye, offer photos for
jam-packed e-zine filled with freelancea few extra bucks.To Spec or Not To
opportunities. Writer's Digest has a great,SpecEspecially as a novice writer, youll sometimes
searchable database of markets. Writing Forget asked to write an article on speculation. This
Dollars has a biweekly newsletter with marketmeans that youll have to write the whole article
guidelines, and a searchable database on theand submit it without a contract, or any promise
website. And Writers Weekly lists calls for writersof payment. Its a bone of contention among
and market guidelines each week.You can evenprofessional writers, because almost no other field
run a search for freelance writers on any majorworks this way. Its never do the job, and then Ill
search engine, and youre likely to come up withdecide if I feel like paying you. Only in this crazy
tons of listings. Try specifying if possible; addbusiness. Harrumph.That said, I advise you to take
words that fit your needs. (Example: payingspec assignments in the beginning. Once youre
markets, romance, teen magazines.)So, your nextestablished, you shouldnt need to do this, but in
assignment is this: go back to your trustyorder to build up your resume and your clips, you
notebook and pick out your very favorite idea.need to get published. So go ahead and submit on
That will now be known as your Big Idea. Pick thespec, and go ahead and do a few free/nearly
markets that best fit your idea. Choose several.free pieces for the experience.Before submitting
Find out if you can get a free or discountedanything, though, make sure you know in advance
sample copy. (Writers often can, if you specifywhat the terms will be if the editor does use your
that you would like to query them in the future.)piece. How much will you be paid? What rights will
Request writers guidelines if available. Itsthey buy?Even many of the big markets have
considered poor form to query publications thatadopted the practice of requesting pieces on spec.
youve never read, or know nothing about. DoThey do this because they can get away with it.
your best to read at least one copy of whateverBecause there are thousands of wannabe writers
magazine or journal you plan to query. Checkout there who will beg, borrow, and steal for the
your library for copies if you prefer not to gochance to be published. So, if you want to
broke researching.Got it now? You have yourcompete, sometimes youll have to suck it up and
idea, and youve found places to submit it? Great!accept this. Once the publication accepts one of
Then you'll need to learn proper protocol foryour spec pieces, youll be a much more likely
writing and submitting the Killer Query.The Killercandidate for an outright assignment next
QueryThe job of the query letter is to entice antime.Rights to WriteThere are several kinds of
editor to say, Hey! Id be interested in learningrights a publication may buy:First North American
more about that. Therefore, you dont want toSerial RightsThe newspaper or magazine has the
spill all your secrets and research yet. You wantright to publish this piece for the first time in any
to tease and tantalize. Now that youve got yourperiodical. All other rights belong to the
fabulous Big Idea, your job is to condense (orwriter.One-Time RightsThe publication buys the
expand) that idea into two to three paragraphs.Tononexclusive right to publish the piece once. The
illustrate the components of a killer query, here iswriter can sell the same article to other
an example of one of mine (using fictitiouspublications simultaneously.Second Serial Rights (or
contact infosorry!) that landed me theReprint Rights)Also nonexclusive. Gives the
assignment:Jenna Glatzer(Always use properpublication the right to reprint an article that has
formal letter format)appeared elsewhere.Electronic RightsCovers
123 My AddressCD-ROMs, e-zines, website content, games, etc.
My City, State, Zip CodeGet in writing which electronic rights are
(555) 555-5555Mr. Joe Shmoespecified-- First Electronic Rights, archiving rights,
(Make SURE to get a name of the appropriateetc. Most publications ask for the right to archive
department College Life 101"indefinitely." You can try to negotiate for a fixed
editor. Never address a letter to editor orterm (i.e., archiving rights for six months).All
submissions.)RightsPretty self-explanatory. You can never sell
123 Their Addressthis piece to anyone else again. Try to avoid this
Their City, State, Zip CodeTodays Date,one. Most publications ask for First Serial
2003Dear Mr. Shmoe:Rights.Work-For-Hire Rights-- The publication has
(Colons are used in formal letters. Commas arecome up with the idea and assigned it to you, and
used in friendly letters.)Think company cars,they will own it, lock, stock, and barrel. They own
expense accounts, and a spacious office with baythe copyright and don't even have to give you
windows. Who do you picture running a businesscredit. It may be sliced, diced, repackaged, re-sold,
this successful?(Start the letter with a zinger thatetc., and you won't have any claim to it beyond
captures the essence of your proposed articlewhat you were originally paid.TV/Motion Picture
story. Raise a question that will cause the readerRightsAlso self-explanatory. Almost always
to think, or give a visual image anything that willexclusive.Recycling Your Big IdeasThis is the bread
make him/her want to read on and find out whatand butter of freelance writing. Its also called
youre talking about.)Think again. This companyre-slanting. Once youve got the Big Idea, dont
was the brainchild of three Boston Universitywaste it by only using it once. Use the information
sophomores whose ambitions led them to thrivingyouve gathered and come up with off-shoot
careers before they had diplomas to hang on theideas. Slant it to appeal to different markets.Youre
wall.(The rest of the first paragraph should give aafraid because of the issue of rights that we just
concise description of the focus of your proposeddiscussed, right? (No pun intended.) Well, you have
article. Remember to tell why its appropriate tonothing to fear, provided the new article is
the publication youre querying. In this case, I wassufficiently different in content and intended
targeting a college magazine, so I made sure toaudience. If youve managed to sell your article to
emphasize the relevance to their subject mattera major national magazine, it is considered poor
early in the letter.)Charles Strader, Richardform to try to sell a re-slanted version to another
Skelton, and Pablo Mondal run Net One, annational magazine.However, if youre dealing with
Internet Service Provider. The three met in theregional, specialized, or small publications, there
freshmen dorms, then moved into an apartmentshould be very little overlap of intended audience.
together. Opportunity knocked when Strader,Therefore, an editor from Alabama Aristocrats
who worked for the universitys computer center,would probably never know if you sold a
took a phone call from the owner of a hair salon.re-slanted version of your piece to Guitarists
She sought help designing a website; StraderToday. Even if they did know, they almost
volunteered, and Net One was born.(Again,certainly would not care.It is standard and
concisely, get a little deeper into the content ofaccepted practice, for the simple reason that it is
the article. What is special about your story? Indarn difficult to make a living as a writer. If you
this case, I wanted to emphasize that these guyshave the choice between making $100 for selling
were college buddies who started a boomingyour piece to one small publication, or making
business by branching out from their humble$1000 by selling altered versions to eight different
beginning.)Working closely with friends to buildsmall publications, which would you
something we believe in is Mondals favorite perk.choose?Re-slanting an article is easy, since youve
Skelton agrees. We have great trust in eachalready done the bulk of the research. Scrounge
other, and feel that were all in thisup a few new quotes, and use the information
together.(Quotations arent necessary in a query,you left out of the first article. Focus it on the
but its nice to give something specific to shownew desired market.For example, I could sell an
that you have done some research into yourarticle about the health benefits of meditation to a
topic, and that you have access to resources thatfitness magazine. A few alterations, and that
will enable you to write the article well. I wantedsame article becomes Religions Encouraging
to show that I had already spoken to theseMeditation for my local newspapers Society
guysthey happen to be friends of mineand thatpages. Then it becomes Meditation Makes You
they would be upbeat and inspirational people toSmarter for the college market. Then, Meditate
interview. You can accomplish the same effect byYour Stress Away for a working womans
including a few quirky facts or survey resultsmagazine. And I didnt even mention all those new
youve found out about your topic.)Consideringage/holistic publications. What a field day!With just
that their only capital was a computer and a smalla few more questions posed to your trusted
loan from Straders father, the guys feel veryexperts, youve got a whole new article. And, look!
successful. Were not millionaires, but we haveYoure becoming an expert yourself. This is how
goals, and were following them, says Skelton. Iyou begin to find your nichea few specific
think thats true success. By any definition, Netsubjects that you feel comfortable writing about.
Ones roster of more than 50 clients ranging fromAh, soon those journalists will be coming to YOU
colleges to Fortune 500 companies attests towith their questions."The Extras"Once youve
their hard work and talent.(Look, editor. Thesegotten a few assignments, and feel that youve
guys are big up-and-comers! Notice I mentionedreally embarked on this as a potential career (or
Fortune 500 companies. This lets the editor knowjust a part-time income-booster), youll want to
quickly that these college guys arent smallthink about the little extras.A nice touch: get
potatoes. It neatly ties up the opening sentence,yourself some nice letterhead. Splurge a little with
which promised an article about guys who have ayour second or third paycheck and invest in
spacious office, expense accounts, and companyprofessionally printed letterhead. Presentation does
car. Now the editor has a reason to believe thatcount when submitting your correspondence to an
these guys actually are that successful.)I proposeeditor. Avoid cutesy clip art of quill pens and
a 1,000 word profile for your Students At Workinkwells.Also, an invoice. You should always include
section.(Shows Ive researched their magazine. Ian invoice with your completed article. Often, the
know which section this should fit, and Ive readperson you submit the story to is not the same
their guidelines to determine an appropriate wordperson in charge of sending you a paycheck. By
count.)I am a full-time freelance writer, and myincluding an invoice, you can be reasonably
works have been recently featured in suchassured that the billing department will have a
publications as 201 Magazine, College Bound(Noticerecord of what terms were agreed upon, and
I mention the most relevant magazines first.when they are supposed to pay you.Receipts:
Anything youve had published that might relate toHold onto your postage receipts and your
the content, tone, or audience of the proposedwriting-related supplies. If writing is your
publication belongs here.)Bliss!, Working Women,profession, then these can be tax write-offs. Also,
and Video Librarian. Clips are enclosed.(If youveif you are able to negotiate it, editors will often
never had anything published, dont distress. Justreimburse you for any expenses you incur while
shut up about it. Do NOT tell anyone, Though Iveon assignment once you are an established writer.
never been published yet, Im a real go-getter.Submit your phone bill (with the reimbursable call/s
Less is more. If you keep quiet, they may notcircled), your book receipts, your travel expense
even think about the fact that you didnt mentionreceipts, etc. along with your invoice. Make sure
your credits. Also, do not get into a diatribethese terms are specified in your contract.Youre
describing how you edited your high schoolready? Good! Get out there and get 'em, slugger.
newspaper. Just a quick list of relevant writingGood luck!