December 03, 2008

Writing for Writers Works By Steff Green

Many writers in the freelance industry struggle to find their writing niche, yet they overlook the most obvious niche - writing about writing. Any writer who has clocked their hours in front of a keyboard knows a few tricks, techniques, dos and do not's they could share with other writers. Why not write for other writers and earn money while you're at it?

Writing magazines in print and online increase in popularity every year as more and more people seek escape from their day jobs. Print magazines like Writer's Digest, The Writer, Writers' News, Writers' Magazine and Poets and Writers pay professional rates for writing features and columns. And while online publications don't pay as much, they're quick to accept, pay for and publish your articles. Think of all those writing newsletters you get in your inbox each week - many pay writers for their features. WritersWeekly, the e-zine you're reading right now, accepts and pays for articles about writing!

Before you pitch an idea for a writing article, have a look at the latest copies of the magazine and make sure your idea is something new. Editors constantly receive pitches about perfecting query letters, handling rejection and finding more time to write. Practical advice on writing for specific genres and niche markets, solving writing problems, and humorous stories about the writing life are always in demand.

Read lots of writing magazines and newsletters. Look at the articles they publish - your unique spin on a similar topic could be just what an editor needs. Each time you solve a problem in your writing or you sell to a new market send off a quick query about your experience. Dissect your process - how do you write, edit, stay focused, manage your time, manage your money and organize your queries? What works for you? What doesn't work? What did you wish you knew when you started writing? An article on any of these topics would be useful to other writers.

For example, while an article about creating the perfect query letter is a tough sell, I sold a piece on writing fantasy novel query letters to WritingWorld.com. Articles on niche markets - writing for kids, craft writing, greeting cards and travel guidebooks - interest editors. A unique angle and practical, applicable advice for other writers sells your articles every time.

PAYING MARKETS

PRINT MAGAZINES

The Writer
Feature articles run 600-3500 words. Also lists a number of departments accepting freelance submissions. Pays $40-$500 for articles, columns and features.

Poets and Writers
Offers 500-3000-word articles, columns and features aimed at literary writers of fiction and poetry. Pays professional rates.

Writer's Digest
The premier magazine for writers wanting to stay inspired and improve their craft. Pays $0.30-$0.50 per word. NOTE: They are currently closed to submissions.

ONLINE MAGAZINES

FundsForWriters
C. hope Clark's fabulous newsletters cater for all writers seeking money for their work. Seeks snappy, 500-600 word articles on all aspects of writing for money. Pays $35 per article and $10 for reprints.

Writers Weekly
Focuses on 'selling' the written word - writing for money and exposing scams in the industry. Pays $40 for success stories of around 300 words and $60 for features of around 600 words.

Writing World
Seeks 800-2000-word how-to articles on all aspects of writing. Pay $0.05 per word up to $100; $25 for reprints; $15 for humor.

When she's not dragging her husband's drum kit between gigs, Steff Green transcribes braille and large print and writes articles for print and online media. Her work appears in Abilities Magazine, Writers' News, Breath and Shadow, Strange Horizons, Writing World, Nocturne Magazine and Mindflights, among others. Her first ebook '33 Mistakes Writers Make about Blind Characters' is available shortly from her website at http://www.steffgreen.com.

PUBLISHER'S NOTE:
You can read more about writing publications and their rates HERE.