I always wanted to be a writer and make my living by getting paid for my words. However, I didn’t set out to be an author. I set out to be a magazine journalist. I began my writing career with dreams of working in Manhattan for a glossy consumer magazine like Self or Glamour. I wanted to write, but my…
Read More
If you plan to write an article for any type of publication, you must send in a query letter. This represents the first step to landing a paid writing assignment. A query letter introduces you and your idea to a magazine, or publication editor. In college, my magazine journalism professors all taught me the same thing: Don’t ever write a…
Read More
When I began my nonfiction writing career, all I wanted to do was write. I imagined myself writing articles for glossy magazines produced in New York City. Later, I developed dreams of writing traditionally published books and then also self-published books. Nowhere in my visions did I see myself as a professional speaker, only as a professional nonfiction writer. I…
Read More
I’ve written query letters and sent them to many magazines and other types of publications—some accepted, some not. In my past editorial positions for several regional magazines I had to read queries written by other writers and decide whether to accept them. In both roles, I’ve had a chance to see what works and what doesn’t. If you want to…
Read More
“Evergreen” articles and posts are the staple of most magazines and blogs. If you can pitch them to a publication or blogger–especially with new angle–you’ll land yourself a writing gig almost every time. The key, however, lies in the unique angle. It’s easy enough to determine the evergreen topics. These are the ones the publications or blogs cover on a…
Read More