How to Get Paid for Writing for Magazines: A Short Tutorial

Earn money by writing about subjects that interest you

Have you always wanted to write? Writing magazine articles is an excellent way to begin, and it’s certainly easier than creating a novel! Many people enjoy writing articles as a hobby, but it can be a wonderful and an interesting way to earn a living.

The process of writing is now easier than ever. Technology provides writers with the freedom to work at home, a big advantage. Many writers use the Internet to do most of their research, and emails and faxes provide the convenience of being able to send articles straight from home, although some magazine editors still require them to be posted.

Another big advantage of today’s technology is that freelance writers are not restricted to the magazines of their own country. Use the Internet to discover magazines from other countries, and email your articles. This saves the cost of international postage.

You are sure to find a magazine that inspires you. There is a magazine to cover everyone’s area of interest, whether it is travel, history, parenthood or women’s issues. There are also trade and industry magazines which are even more specialized, but often pay well. Make a list of your favorite subjects, and look for the relevant trade magazines.

Several e-zines and websites also pay writers. However, writing for magazines is still more lucrative. Look for e-zines and websites about subjects that interest you. Check whether your favorite e-zines and websites pay, and find out how much they pay. Countless websites are designed to benefit writers. They often include helpful articles, links for writers and useful lists of markets.

If you want to make freelance writing your career, it is best to ease your way into it. Making a reasonable living as a writer can be difficult unless you have a lot of experience and good connections. It is usually best to write as a hobby, and see where this leads, unless you have independent means. However, if you write enjoyable and fascinating articles that are designed for the right market, and you have determination and perseverance anything is possible! As Peter de Vries succinctly remarked: “I write when I’m inspired, and I see to it that I’m inspired at nine o’clock every morning”.

This course will answer your questions on doing research, finding and analyzing potential markets, writing query letters, outlining articles, and the process of writing an article.

My lessons will concentrate on the following areas:

• How to find ideas
• Finding markets
• Matching ideas to markets
• How to research your article
• Writing and submitting query letters
• Writing outlines
• Writing and submitting articles

Rejection letters often shock and depress freelancers, especially if they are beginners. Sometimes editors don’t answer query letters, or they are unduly critical. This can be quite difficult to handle, and I will give you some tips on some ways to cope with this kind of rejection.

During the course I will use the process of researching and writing an actual article as an example. I will also provide links to writer’s markets, newsletters, and helpful websites for writers.

To find out more about how to earn money by writing for magazines, check out How to Get Paid for Writing for Magazines: A Short Tutorial.

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