If you want to become a professional writer, you must learn how to sell your work. The ability to sell is an essential skill for any successful writer, but it can also be very difficult.
It helps if you have some experience in sales or public relations before attempting to sell your magazine articles, but even then it may take time and practice before perfecting your technique. Here are some tips to help you get started selling articles:
| Takeaway |
|---|
| Craft a solid business plan for your writing journey. |
| Follow a structured approach in writing articles. |
| Strategize to generate revenue from your articles. |
| Stand out from competitors by excelling in your writing. |
| Implement the 15 secrets to success in magazine writing. |
Tip #1: You Don’t Need To Be An Expert In Your Topic
The first tip for selling magazine articles is that you don’t need to be an expert on your topic. As a writer, you don’t need to have all the answers. You just need to be able to ask the right questions and then write about them in a way that people will enjoy reading.
You can do plenty of research after you’ve been hired as well, so don’t think that knowing everything about the subject before even contacting editors is going to give you any advantage over other writers who are just looking for gigs on Upwork or Freelancer.com
If you want to turn your writing dreams into reality, it all starts with a solid plan. Learn how to craft a winning business plan with our comprehensive guide on how writing a business plan can turn your ideas into success.
Tip #2: Write About Subjects That Sell
If you want to get paid as a writer, you have to write about subjects that sell. That’s because the more readers your article has, the higher the chance that it will be republished and shared around the world. So how can you tell if a topic is popular? Here are some signs:
- If it comes up in conversation among friends or co-workers often; and/or
- If it’s something people talk about on social media every day; and/or
- If there are already many articles about this subject on other websites.
If any of these things apply to your topic idea, then guess what? You may have found yourself a winner!
Tip #3: Always Keep A Story Idea Notebook
To be a successful writer, you need to have ideas. Lots of ideas. And if you’re like most writers, your brain is probably already running out of room for all of the ideas that are bouncing around in there.
This is where keeping a story idea notebook comes in handy: it’s an easy way to keep track of all those great story ideas without having them get lost or forgotten in the shuffle. So get yourself a notebook and start writing down everything that comes into your mind about stories and magazines (and magazine articles).
Tip #4: Don’t Worry About The Time It Takes You To Write A Story
Writing a good story is an art form. If you can write, then you will make money writing magazine stories. But if you don’t know how to write, then it doesn’t matter how hard you try: your chances of getting published are slim to none.
So before we get into the other tips in this article, let me ask: Do you have what it takes? Can you write?
I know what I’m talking about here because I’ve been selling magazine articles for over 25 years now and I know that most people don’t have what it takes! But if they did if they could…then they’d be making plenty of money from their writing efforts!
If someone asks me how long it took me to write a particular story for them, my answer would always be “as long as necessary”. There’s no such thing as “too long” when describing how long something took, but there sure can be ways for things not being done right!
Crafting a well-structured magazine article is like building a business plan – it requires a clear roadmap. Follow our step-by-step guide on how to write a business plan in 9 simple steps to create compelling articles that captivate your readers.
Tip #5: Be Honest With Yourself. Can You Write?
A lot of writers like to pretend that they’re great at everything. They want to write, design, and edit their magazine articles. But the truth is: most people aren’t good at those things. They just think they are because they don’t know any better.
It’s fine if you can’t write well. Just be honest with yourself about it and find someone who can help you out if you need it! If your writing isn’t up to par, hire another professional writer or editor (or both) so that your article will be ready for publication by the deadline date set forth by your editor or publisher in tip #4 above.
Tip #6: Avoid Mediocrity And Write For Desire, Not For Money
The most important thing to remember when writing for money is that writing should never be about money. It needs to be about passion and desire. You have to write because you want to share your thoughts with the world and you want to make people think, not just because someone gave you an assignment and said “write this kind of article”.
A lot of writers get paid well for their magazine articles, but if they had been hired based on their passion instead of their skill level or credentials alone, they would make even more money than they do now!
I believe that if anyone can make a living from writing then there’s no reason why any writer shouldn’t be able to do so today since there are so many different avenues available through which we can market ourselves as writers (such as social media platforms).
Want your magazine articles to put money in your bank account? Just like a successful business plan, your writing needs a strategy. Discover the secrets to success in our article on how to build a business plan that puts money in your bank account.
Tip #7: Go For The Magazine’s Best-Selling Stories Every Time
In general, the best-selling stories in any magazine are the ones that have been selling well over a long period. And you don’t want to be the one who writes them? You must be mad!
Tip #8: Forget Writing For Newspapers And Magazines
It’s time to stop writing for the newspapers and magazines that pay you peanuts. I’m not saying don’t write for them at all, but if you want to make decent money from freelance writing then it’s best to focus your efforts on higher-paying publications.
As a professional writer, my income has always been directly correlated with the quality of publications that I write for. This is why I only write articles for well-known websites and magazines that are willing to pay me what my work is worth.
So even though there may be plenty of opportunities out there right now – don’t get tempted! You’ll waste your time by writing terrible articles just so they can place them on their website or magazine without having any payment whatsoever (or maybe just some free products).
Tip #9: Get Close To The Editor!
Meet the editor in person. If you get a chance, introduce yourself to your potential editor and make a good impression.
Ask for a phone call or coffee. You can also ask if they’d like to meet you in person, but sometimes this is easier said than done since editors are usually very busy people. Also, if you don’t know the editor personally, he/she might be reluctant about working with someone he/she doesn’t know well.
The best way around this problem is by asking him/her out for coffee or lunch (or both). Make sure it’s somewhere not too expensive so that they won’t feel obligated to pay for your meal they may even invite their boss along!
Get invited on an official tour of the office! Even though this isn’t always possible because some offices don’t let non-employees inside their building (or only allow them during certain hours), it’s still worth asking because there are lots of benefits associated with getting access to places where journalists work:
First, of all, these people will probably take notice when they see something interesting happening within range; secondly and perhaps more importantly this allows us to network with other writers who might be able to help us out later down the road through referrals or introductions.
Finally, lastly, it provides us opportunities for promoting ourselves socially through word-of-mouth promotion techniques such as those outlined previously here
Writing captivating magazine articles is a competition of its own. Crush the challenges and stand out from the crowd by implementing the tips from our guide on how to crush the business plan competition and become a sought-after writer.
Tip #10: Cut Out All The Crap In Your Story Ideas And Query Letters
Don’t use jargon. Jargon is an unnecessarily complicated language that’s often used by people in a particular profession to try to make them sound more intelligent. Avoid jargon like the plague!
Don’t say “I” I know this sounds obvious, but you’d be surprised how many people include their name in the opening sentence of their query letters, followed by an “I” and then some kind of insight into why they’re right for this story idea.
Resist the urge! Instead of saying “I wrote about my experiences as a former stockbroker for Time magazine” or even worse: “As a former stockbroker for Time magazine (for three years).
I know from personal experience what makes someone successful in this line of work” simply start with something like: “This article would make an excellent fit with your publication because” or whatever else it might entail (see tip #9 above).
Also don’t write things like “my passion/passionate interest/interests are” because no one cares about your passions they want to know if you can write well enough for them to publish under their brand name and paychecks won’t bounce when deposited into your account every month!
Tip #11-Make Your Query Letter Unique And Personal
When you send your query letter to an editor, the first thing they will notice is the name of the editor you are writing to. Your query letter needs to be personalized and make it clear that you have done your research on them.
Make sure that when writing your query letter, you address the editor by their name and use a personal salutation such as “Dear Mary” or “My name is John Doe”. You should also include their title as well as their job description to personalize your email even more.
In addition, remember how they like to be addressed by others (Mr., Mrs., Dr.) so that if they prefer something different than what comes naturally to you then this can be avoided easily enough by simply asking them directly during a phone call or via social media contact first before sending any emails off into cyberspace where anything could potentially happen!
Tip 12-Send Your Article Idea/Query Letter To Several Editors
It’s important to send your article idea/query letter to several editors. By doing so, you increase your chances of getting a response and having a writing assignment accepted.
If you only send it to one editor at a time, they may not respond because they will think that other writers have also submitted their work.
Creating outstanding magazine articles requires mastering the art of writing. Unlock the 15 secrets to success with our guide on how to write a great business plan and see your writing soar to new heights.
Conclusion
It’s a good idea to start small, with a few articles that you think will sell. If they do, then great! But if they don’t, you can use the experience to help make your next one even better.
Takeaways from this post:
magazines are hungry for content, especially articles with useful information or tips on how to do things. You’ll be competing against other writers who want to sell their stories too but by following these 29 tips, you’ll be able to stand out from the crowd and get your articles published in no time.
Further Reading
Realities of Selling Your Article: Explore the practicalities and challenges of selling your articles to publications and get insights on how to navigate the freelance writing market.
How to Write and Sell Articles for Magazines by Nichola Meyer: Learn valuable tips and techniques from an experienced writer on how to craft compelling articles and successfully pitch them to magazines.
How to Write and Sell Your Articles to a Newspaper or Magazine: Get expert advice on writing and selling your articles to both newspapers and magazines, and discover strategies to increase your chances of acceptance.
FAQs
How can I improve my chances of selling articles to magazines?
To increase your chances of selling articles to magazines, focus on writing high-quality, well-researched, and engaging content that aligns with the publication’s target audience and style.
What should I include in a pitch to a magazine editor?
A pitch to a magazine editor should include a concise and compelling article idea, a summary of your credentials as a writer, and a clear explanation of why your article would be valuable to their readers.
How do I determine the right magazines to submit my articles to?
Research various magazines that cover topics similar to your article, read their submission guidelines, and analyze their previous publications to find the best fit for your writing.
What are some common reasons for article rejections?
Article rejections can happen for various reasons, including lack of originality, poor writing quality, not following the magazine’s guidelines, and submitting content that doesn’t align with the publication’s theme or target audience.
How can I negotiate payment for my articles?
Negotiating payment for your articles involves understanding the industry rates, showcasing the value of your content, and being open to reasonable compromises with the publication to reach a mutually beneficial agreement.
Costantine Edward is a digital marketing expert, freelance writer, and entrepreneur who helps people attain financial freedom. I’ve been working in marketing since I was 18 years old and have managed to build a successful career doing what I love.
