A Great Source of Hidden Writing Gigs Revealed

This week's guest post is provided by Carol Tice.  Carol is an experienced journalist, blogger and copywriter. She mentors other writers who seek to increase their earnings. Her blogs are Make a Living Writing and the Daily Dose for Entrepreneur magazine.




When writers think about pitching magazines, many tend to just think about well-known newsstand magazines. But there are a lot of hidden writing opportunities at magazines and other periodicals.

I first got exposed to this hidden world when I got an opportunity to write $1-a-word advertorials that went in a trade publication I was working for as a staff writer. It was news to me that I could write those, too! That became a nice little side income for several years.

Over the years, I’ve discovered many national magazines are merely the best-known flagship of a larger enterprise. Many publications sell annual guidebooks, subscriber-only bonus issues, or they put out books of lists that may need freelance articles.

Some magazines don’t just have the flagship pub — they have additional magazines that aren’t as well known. Entrepreneur, for example, also publishes a newsstand-only quarterly,Entrepreneur StartUps!. And the company also publishes business books. They buy online-exclusive articles and have a blog, too. I’ve written for all of those except the books arm, adding many thousands of dollars in revenue beyond what I would have earned if I’d just stuck to the main magazine.

Some publications have college editions that include special content for students. For instance, some years back, I wrote an article for a college edition of the Wall Street Journal. AARP has its magazine, but also a newsprint bulletin.

Regional magazines may be owned by a corporate parent that publishes similar magazines in other markets, to which your article might possibly be re-spun and resold for an additional fee. For instance, Tiger Oak, for whom I’ve written at Seattle Business (which led to writing for sister-pub Seattle Magazine), also publishes five bride magazines in different markets, and eight regionals in the meeting-and-events niche. Get in the door with one of those, and that could allow you to rework and re-source stories to quickly resell them to sister books that come out in other cities.

In this age of consolidation, many publications are part of a publishing family. Conde Nast, for instance, has about 30 magazine and online properties, and several trade publications as well. Once you’ve written for one book in a family, it’s often easier to get a warm referral to an editor at another.

After I wrote as a staffer for one trade pub that covered a niche in retailing, and later freelanced regularly for a sister pub in another retail niche. The editor there knew my name and the awards I’d won during my tenure, and was thrilled to have me write for them, too.

When you’ve scored an assignment from a publication, don’t sit back and think “I’ve arrived!” Instead, think of it as a starting point in your relationship with that organization.

Once you’re in, start looking around and see if you can discover other pieces to their little publishing kingdom. Ask your current editor about the organization’s other writing needs. You may discover lucrative new writing opportunities. You’ll have a leg-up on getting assignments, and usually, these more hidden parts of the beast get fewer pitches, upping your odds of success.

Know any other hidden writing markets? Feel free to leave a comment and let me know.

Should Writers Blog For Free?

By: Carol Tice
Originally published on Carol's blog at http://www.caroltice.com/blog/34



I was recently asked why, given all the stumping I do about writers standing up for themselves and demanding better pay rates, I'm here blogging for free on Make a Living Writing. And recently I signed on to also blog once a week for the WM Freelance Community.

So I've told writers not to write for $15 a blog, but I write these free blogs. What's up with that? Great question!

I believe blogging for free can be incredibly helpful to the progress of your writing career – or a total waste of your valuable time. It depends on your situation. Here's why I do it:

1. It's a marketing tool. I started blogging because I knew I was going to write several ebooks about the writing business, and I wanted to start building an audience for my products. I can say it's been a big success for that – I've built a substantial list of potential ebook buyers by spreading my blogs through social media and attracting more viewers to my Web site. That led to invites to guest-blog on sites such as About Freelance Writing, which brought more leads.

2. I learn. Having the blog has brought me questions and comments that have really shown me what needs to be in my e-book – I learned what writers want to know about how to break in and earn more. So it's improved my product.

3. It's increased my productivity. I'm writing more now, and not just writing about surety bonds or venture capital or one of the fascinating business topics at which I make the bulk of my living…I'm getting to write about my own thoughts and feelings about the career of writing. And I'm just plain writing more, which means more time spent honing my craft of playing with words. That's going to pay off in a million ways I can't even quantify.

4. It's awakened my passion. I discovered something about myself doing this blog and the WM blog: I LOVE helping other writers write better and earn more! I've been at this for a while, and now realize I really have some expertise to share. And it feels good to know I'm helping other writers navigate this tough marketplace.

5. It helped me write my ebook. Often, as I'm answering a question on my blog, I realize: this needs to be in my ebook! And I go over and add more points to my ebook draft. So the blog has been a way to break down the sort of intimidating task of writing a 50+ page ebook into more manageable chunks.

I think ultimately it depends on the kind of writer you are whether a free blog is worth the time. The key question to ask yourself if you're starting a blog is: Why?

Why are you going to blog for free? What do you hope to accomplish? Maybe you need to hone your writing style, develop your voice, or explore topics to see what niche you want to write in. A free blog's good for all that. Or maybe you have a great expertise niche (I gather tattoos rock) and want to put ads with your blog and make money, and become one of those $100K-blog success stories. Or maybe like me it's primarily a marketing tool.

I think the dynamic of writing your own free blog is completely different from being radically underpaid to write someone else's. The first is your passion project; the second can feel like exploitation.

But have a goal with that free blog, and keep a close eye on the clock. For me, it's a marketing cost, so I try to make sure it doesn't eat my whole day, as my primary business is to find lucrative clients and do their assignments.

One other thing I was asked about is blogging for free for others, and whether that represented "selling out." I think to "sell out," you have to be given money! While it's not selling out, it certainly isn't a smart career move.

Blogging for others should always be for pay, in my view. Sure, plenty of startups and site operators are out there trying to get someone to blog for free for 'experience' on their site. All you have to do is say no. If you have no clips, maybe do it for a week, or a month. But then it's time to get paid.

Query Don'ts

Today's tip comes from Carol Tice, a frequent contributor to Feathered Quill's blog.  For more great writing advice, be sure to visit Carol's blog at: MakeALivingWriting.com


Now that I’m looking over many of my mentees’ query letters, I’m finding some of the same mistakes repeated over and over again. So I’ve put together a list of query “don’ts” to help writers avoid basic errors that can be big turnoffs for editors.


• Don’t let your query exceed one page. Even if you’re emailing, don’t run on and on. Remember, most articles commissioned these days are fairly short, so show your editor you know how to be concise.


• Don’t begin with “I want to write an article about…” Of course you do. When you begin by stating the obvious, you tell the editor you are not a very imaginative writer. Begin with the proposed opening paragraph of your article, or with some interesting facts about your topic that draw the editor in and gets them interested in your idea.


• Don’t tell the editor how long your article should be. Often, writers include a sentence such as, “I’d propose writing a 1,200 word feature on this topic.” This is a very bad strategic move. Do you want to not get an assignment because the editor only has freelance budget for 800-word stories? Or be excluded from consideration for a 3,000-word feature? Let the editor decide how much space your idea should have in their publication.


• Don’t say, “I’m sure your readers would be interested in this.” Remember, you are writing to the person who knows the most in the world about what their readers like. Don’t ever presume to know more. Instead, say something that connects the publication’s audience to the idea and shows off your research: “With all the recent coverage of health insurance, I believe this update would be of interest to your small-business audience.”


• Don’t make your bio too long. A couple of sentences at the end is great. You’ll mostly prove you’re right for the assignment with the strength of your query, not your resume. This isn’t a college paper, so don’t put a long bibliography citing past articles. Instead, provide a few links to current clips online. If you don’t have anything online, make PDFs of a few articles so you can put them on your Web site and link to them there.


• Don’t throw in sources without explanation. If you mention sources you’ll use, be sure to connect them to the story – explain their expertise or how they’ll be used. Are they an example business, for instance, or perhaps an industry expert? Say, “I would interview the director of the Boys & Girls Club in Monterey about their years of experience helping the disabled,” not “Interviews would include the director of the Boys & Girls Club in Monterey.”


• Don’t fail to proofread. A single typo spells a quick trip to the trash can for query letters.


• Don’t forget to polish. This little query letter is your writing showcase! If you write a really standout query that shows you know the publication and its audience well, you may get an assignment even if the editor doesn’t like this particular story idea. So buff it to a high shine. It should be so well-done you almost want to frame it instead of mailing or emailing it off.


Are there other query “don’ts” you see a lot out there, editors? Leave a comment and let us know.

Do I Need to be an Expert in my Topic to Write an Article?

Our guest post today comes from Carol Tice, a past contributor to our blog.  Carol has tons of great advice for all our authors/writers.  This week, we're running an article on whether you need to be an expert to write articles.  "I'm an author," you might respond.  "I write books, not articles."  My reply?  If you're an author, then you need to get your name out on the web and elsewhere and one of the best ways to do that is to write articles.  Read on...

Do I Need to be an Expert in my Topic to Write an Article?

Today's question comes from Tonja Alvis, an aspiring freelancer from my own neighborhood near Seattle. Tonja was thinking about submitting articles to family and religious Web sites, but felt underqualified.

"I can't get over the fact that I should be more of an expert in this field -- a family counselor or with a degree in theology -- instead of simply being a writer who is great at writing about these topics."

Great question Tonja. And I can answer it in three words: Get over it.

It's a popular myth that professional writers need to possess some kind of official credentials in the subject matter about which they write -- that business reporters have an MBA, for instance, or that real-estate writers are all former realtors or mortgage brokers.

One of my first regular freelance gigs was writing cover features for the Los Angeles Times real estate section. I made the contact by winning an essay contest the paper held, soliciting first-person stories about remodeling your house.

When the editor asked me to do regular reporting for him after publishing my first-person essay, I was freaked. "Don't I need to be a realtor or something for that?" I asked him.

"Oh please no!" he said. "We've tried to have professionals like that write for us, and it was always a disaster. Their writing is awful! Your writing is funny and sharp. Please don't change! Write just the way you do, and learn a little bit about the industry."

Why did my editor respond this way? Because industry professionals tend to write in dry, almost incomprehensible industry jargon-babble...while most publications are trying to reach a general audience. As a writer with only a layperson's understanding of your topic, you're perfect for the job!

When it comes to writing first-person essays on topics you've experienced in your own life, you're all the expert you need to be. Just work on making your writing exceptional, and you're there.

I've written articles about operating a hardware store in Fairbanks, Alaska...using software tools to calculate the money insurers need to keep in reserve against losses...how financial-service startups can land venture capital money...and striking dockworkers in San Pedro, just to name a few. Do you think I am an expert in any of these things? Have I actually been a dockworker or owned a hardware store? Nope.

I always say I may not be an expert in your topic...but give me 24 hours, and I will be. With the Internet, information isn't hard to find -- you can always learn about any subject, and locate experts in that subject you can interview and quote. If you can bring great writing skills, you can find the experts you need for almost any assignment.

Good luck to all the first-time writers out there! If you're interested in more tips, email me your questions at the address above, and I'll put you on the list to receive word when I publish my upcoming e-book, Start Freelance Writing.

 
 
Carol Tice is an experienced journalist, blogger and copywriter. She mentors other writers who seek to increase their earnings. Her blogs are Make a Living Writing and the Daily Dose for Entrepreneur magazine.

8 Tips for Contacting Journalists on Twitter

Reprinted with permission of Carol Tice.  Please see her bio at the bottom of this article.



I'm departing from my usual vein of giving tips to freelance writers today to offer some tips to all the rest of you, who'd like to connect with freelance writers through social media.


It's an interesting experience being a journalist on Twitter. As happy as I am to have many of you as my tweeps, it's clear that not all of you know how to work with the media. So here are my tips for how to connect with journalists on Twitter – and more importanly, how to avoid massively turning journalists off.


1. For G-d's sake, have a Web site. I will not use you as a story source if your Twitter page does not list a Web site. Period. The one-paragraph description on Twitter does not give me enough information about you. A link to your LinkedIn or Facebook page is lame – you don't have your own Web site? – but better than nothing, and might do in a pinch. I am constantly amazed at the number of Twitter users who have no link on their profile.


2. State your location. I know people think they're all Web 2.0 and global by putting their Twitter location as "USA!" or "Everywhere" or listing their GPS coordinates...but I'm trying to verify that you're a real person, and learn where you are, so I know what time of day I should call you.


3. Only respond to sourcing tweets that you fit. When I tweet looking for a tax expert and get a social-media expert, I am not amused. Actually, I am unfollowing you or blocking you if you do it more than once.


4. Please don't send me direct messages basically begging me to write about your book, Web site, or whatever, the minute you start following me. Let me take a look at your site and your tweets, maybe follow you back, and see what you've got to say.


5. Think before you tweet. Imagine a reporter is looking down your home page at your last 10 tweets. Are they going to convince me you are an articulate expert in your field? A string of "Wow, tired, going to bed now!"-type posts – or posts that are just lists of your tweeps' Twitter handles – don't make me want to interview you. Be tweeting about your expertise, as well as sharing and commenting on other people's news in your sector, and cut the fluff.


6. Don't post 20 tweets at once. Maybe this is a personal thing, but I find the blockade strategy obnoxious. When my screen fills up with one person's tweets, I usually skip right over them, and if it happens often, I unfollow the person just to make it stop.


7. DM me an introduction. When I follow experts, I find the best ones usually send me a DM thank-you and say something like "Looking forward to staying in touch and hearing what you have to say!" Friendly, not selling me anything, just starting a conversation. Or they DM and quickly state their expertise in a non-pushy, non-salesy way. Expertise-focused DMs are a great way to begin building relationships with me because the message stays in my DM file and can be retrieved months from now.


8. Get recommended. What I like best as far as source-finding on Twitter is when people I trust can direct me to an expert source. If you can, have someone I follow introduce you.


About Carol: Currently a freelancer for Entrepreneur magazine, Seattle Magazine, Seattle Business Monthly, Yahoo! Hotjobs, and the Seattle Times, among others. She was a staff writer at the Puget Sound Business Journal for more than six years.

5 Things I Hate About Your Website

Here's a great article with advice on website design.  We all want sites that invite customers to browse and BUY.  Written by Carol Tice, a freelance writer who is a regular contributor to Entrepreneur Magazine as well as many others.  Look for more from Carol in the near future.  Now, check out the article and see if your site needs work.  5 Things