I'm Going To Become A Freelance Writer ... What Should I Do First?

Question

I've read Robert Bly's "Secrets of a Freelance Writer," Peter Bowerman's "The Well-Fed Writer," and most recently, Jenna Glatzer's "Make a Real Living as a Freelance Writer" ... as you may imagine, my head is spinning from the wealth of information and advice in those books.

What should I do first? Should I contact companies, as Bly and Bowerman suggest, or magazines and websites, as Glatzer recommends? Do I need to have my company established before contacting anyone? And what about freelance writing websites--can I really make money from jobs posted there?

Answer 1

I'm not sure what you mean by establishing your company. You simply make a list of ideas you'd like to write about: various topics, interviews, current events. Then you approach editors of publications suited for those ideas and query them. If you have any writing clips, include those in your query to the editor. My advice is start with smaller presses, community papers, which are more likely to give a first-time-writer a chance and then you'll accumulate clips to give you credentials.

Good luck!

Answer 2

Grab a copy of the Writers' & Artists' Yearbook in order to research the requirements of magazines you would like to write for. If they accept unsolicited articles, research their style and content in order to pitch the most relevant article ideas to their audience. Be sure not to double-up on something they're already written about, and pick something that is either current (i.e. trend based) or timeless (i.e. non-seasonal) depending on what the magazine's requirements are. When you've got your article idea worked out, send a short email to the features editor selling the idea. Why would it suit the magazine's readership? Attach a copy of your resume and a previous example of your work. You could also approach community or free street press for unpaid reviewing work if you need to build up your folio. Most importantly - don't quit you day job until you've established a name for yourself and are receiving regular article commissions. Good luck!