Avoid One-Shots

Blogathon, day 25. 

Early on in my freelance career, I wrote a lot of what I call one-shots. I'd write a story about a particular topic one time, for one particular market, and never revisit the topic again--and often fail to even write for the same market more than once! That may be a great way to amass a wide variety of clips (it certainly was for me) but it's not an efficient way to work. You spend almost all of your time researching markets (at one time I had pitches out to more than 20 different magazines) and writing queries because you're writing each one from scratch.  

I do a lot of things differently today. First of all, I don't write one-shots anymore. If I'm going to write about a topic once, I'm going to find a way to write about it again, with a different angle, for a different market. For example, when I found some interesting research about caffeine's effect on physical and mental performance, I pitched and wrote a piece about how to use caffeine for a fitness magazine. I also pitched and wrote a piece on how many caffeine is too much for a regional newspaper, and a piece for a custom magazine on the trend of putting caffeine into beauty products. Each article was a new article, but I could reuse the research over and over, which saves me time. 

In short, avoid one-shots. Strive to write about every topic more than once. 

Your assignment: Come up with more than one angle, and more than one market, for every story you write. 

Rejection Isn't Personal

Blogathon, day 13. 

Today's topic is about something no writer likes to experience--rejection. I often tell new freelancers not to fear rejection, and in fact to expect it. Knowing you will be rejected (and we all are) helps take the sting away. 

A rejection of a query or pitch is not a rejection of you, even if it feels that way. It just means that it wasn't the right idea for the right editor at the right market at the right time. Your editor may not have thought the idea worked for her market, or she may already have something similar in the works, or she simply didn't think you had the experience or writing ability to pull off the story. (This is why a well-written query is so important--it's almost always the first writing sample the editor sees. More about that in a future post.) 

So don't take rejection personally. Find another market for your idea; tweak the pitch to fit that market; and resubmit, or "resub" your idea as soon as possible. (This is part of the 24-hour rule). Your pitch may not have been right for the first market you contacted, but it may be perfect for the second, or third, or fourth. 

Your assignment: when you receive a rejection, resubmit the idea to another market within a day or two. 


**Want more advice about everything from interviews to pitching new markets to making money as a freelancer? Check out Dollars and Deadlines: Make Money Writing Articles for Print and Online Markets is aimed at brand-new freelancers in search of their first clips. Six-Figure Freelancing: The Writer's Guide to Making More Money, Second Edition is a freelancing classic that helps both new and experienced writers boost their bottom line. And my latest book,Goodbye Byline, Hello Big Bucks: Make Money Ghostwriting Books, Articles, Blogs and More, Second Edition, shows how to break into the ghostwriting/content marketing field. 

Demonstrate Familiarity: Another Way to Set your Pitch Apart

Hi, readers, and welcome back to the Blogathon, day 4!

Yesterday I explained why it's smarter to find a market you can write for more than once, and then come up with ideas specifically for that market instead of coming up with and idea and then market-shopping for it. It's a technique I'm actually using right now as I'm looking to add a few new "regular" markets to my client list. 

But there's another technique I use when querying that helps set my queries apart from about 90  percent of the ones my editors receive. I demonstrate familiarity with the publication I'm pitching. In other words, I let her know I've read her magazine, whether it's print or online. 

How? By mentioning the section of the magazine I think my piece belongs. I might say something like, "Interested in this piece for your 'Healthy You'" department?" Or, "I think this story might work well in your "Time-Savers" section--let me know if you agree?" I want the editor to know that I'm not pitching blindly--I've studied her pub and really want to write for her. 

Another way you can do this is to mention a recent article, like, "I enjoyed your piece on clutter-busting tips in the April issue and envision a similar approach with this piece on money-saving strategies." (And note that a little flattery never hurts!)

So, your assignment--before you send a pitch out, make sure you demonstrate your familiarity with the market you're querying.  

**New to freelancing? Want to make money writing articles but not sure how to start? In 

Dollars and Deadlines: Make Money Writing Articles for Print and Online Markets, I share how I approached ten different freelance articles for different markets as a new freelancer. You'll find actual query samples, contract advice, and learn how to do everything from interview a source to write more compelling articles. It's the best book I've seen for brand-new article-writing freelancers! 

Flip the Script--Choose a Market Over an Idea

Welcome back to the Blogathon! 

When I started freelancing, I used to find a story idea and then locate a potential market for it. When I found a market where the idea looked liked it would fit, I wrote a query and pitched it.

That strategy worked for me for years--and led to me writing for more than 30 national magazines during my first few years of freelancing. When I started writing about freelancing, I recommended that freelancers take a similar approach. 

Well, I was wrong. Or at least that approach is.

Today, I've flipped that script. Instead of starting with an idea, I start with the market. I find a market that I think I can write for more than once. With the market in mind, I start coming up with ideas--and I pitch the market until I get an assignment (or give up--more on that in a future post).

So don't start with an idea. Start with your target market instead. It's much easier to write for a market over and over than continually market to brand-new ones--and choosing markets over ideas makes you more efficient as a freelancer. 

Your assignment? Locate a market that you want to write for--and start brainstorming ideas for it. 

**Want more smart, proven freelance advice? Check out one of my books on freelancing: 

• Dollars and Deadlines: Make Money Writing Articles for Print and Online Markets is written for brand-new freelancers in search of their first clips.
• Six-Figure Freelancing: The Writer's Guide to Making More Money, Second Edition is a freelancing classic that helps both new and experienced writers boost their bottom line.
• My newest book,Goodbye Byline, Hello Big Bucks: Make Money Ghostwriting Books, Articles, Blogs and More, Second Edition, shows how to break into the ghostwriting/content marketing field. 

Chicago-Area Freelancers, Freelancing Panel on Wednesday, May 28th (and I'll be on the Panel)

Are you a freelancer in the Chicago area who wants to make more money--or are you considering becoming a freelance writer? Then you'll want to attend this panel sponsored by the Association for Women Journalists and ASJA. (I'll be there and will have copies of Six-Figure Freelancing: The Writer's Guide to Making More Money, Second Edition on hand--come and get your own signed copy!) 

"How to be a Freelancer and Still Pay the Rent: Tips from the Trenches on Expanding into New Markets" will include a panel discussion featuring freelancers (including me!) who will share their successes and setbacks, plus offer advice on how to break into a wide variety of writing markets beyond mainstream and trade journalism. I'm looking forward to participating and to hearing the other panelists' tips--I plan to come home with a slew of ideas and ideas I can immediately put to you, and think you'll be able to do so, too! 

Here are the details: 

Date: 
Wednesday May 28th, 6:30-8:30 pm

Location: 

Columbia College Chicago

33 E. Congress (Wabash/Congress)

2nd Floor 

Room 219 Auditorium 

Closest EL: Red Line, Harrison stop 

Parking Garages on Wabash, south of Congress

Registration:

$10 for AWJ members, Columbia College students & faculty

$15 for ASJA members

$25 for non-AWJ members.

Let me know if you plan to be there, and please spread the word to your freelancing buddies! Thanks and I hope to see you soon. 

Writing for The New York Times: Guest Post from Caitlin Kelly

          The New York Times. Few markets have the cachet or the draw of this world-reknowned newspaper, and many freelancers dream of cracking this market. It's not just the money but the notoriety and yes, the exposure, that is so valuable for freelancers  (I know of at least one writer whose feature in the Times led to a book deal--the editor saw the piece, liked it, and contacted him directly.)   
          So I thank veteran writer Caitlin Kelly for today's guest post. Kelly has also written for Cosmopolitan, Marie Claire, Smithsonian and More and is the winner of a Canadian National Magazine Award. She blogs at www.broadsideblog.wordpress.com, with more than 10,200 readers worldwide. She's the author of Malled: My Unintentional Career in Retail and Blown Away: American Women and Guns. 

****

           For many ambitious writers, a New York Times byline may seem a distant dream. But for those of us who frequently write for the Times  -- my byline appears usually once or twice a month, writing for them since 1990 – it’s a market worth breaking into. A Times byline offers serious journalistic street cred, prestige, and guaranteed visibility among assigning editors of books, magazine,s newspapers and digital media, most of whom read that newspaper every day.

            If you’re not reading it regularly, get to know the various sections and how much they differ in tone and content; a fun, light-hearted story for the Styles section isn’t a Sunday front-page, (called the dress page), feature for the Business section, (internally known as Bizday.)

The paper also shifts gears fairly often, with freelance opportunities arriving and departing as editors internally shift responsibilities. If you read the paper carefully and often, you’ll be able to spot these and jump quickly.

            Since starting to write for the Times doing short book reviews, I’ve written for sports, real estate, home, Metropolitan, business, (for four different editors and sections within that department), special sections, science and automotive. (There’s also Styles, OpEd, Sunday Review, Education Life and Arts & Leisure to consider.)

Times editors all share a few key expectations:

          1) Your copy is 100 percent accurate and you have fact-checked it thoroughly before filing (submitting) it

          2) You have no conflicts of interest, and have signed the Times’ long and detailed freelancers’ code of ethics and agree to abide by its rules

          3) You’re selling a work made for hire and your copy may appear in the Times International Edition or elsewhere for no additional payment

          4) Photo editors for each section need you to suggest sources willing/able to be photographed and to share their contact information

          5) You’ll be sent a “playback”, the edited version of your story, and must read it as soon as you get it, fixing anything they have asked you to address

          6) Once your story is scheduled for publication – typically for a weekly section or column – you and your sources are readily available to address and answer every question right away

         7) You’re ready to answer questions from multiple editors as your piece moves through the editing process, from assigning editor to copy editors

          8) You won’t be paid until your story runs, even if it is held for weeks or months.

           The good news?

They pay by direct deposit, and usually within a few days or week of publication.

They need copy! Whether a meaty feature for Sunday Business – 2,500 words or more – or a feature for Dining or Homes or Styles, Times editors rely heavily on a team of talented, trust-worthy freelancers. Pay varies widely, but can reach $1/word, usually more for their magazines, T and The New York Times Magazine.

This is a smart, worldly crowd. They know their stuff and expect you to know yours as well.

They need writers who won’t let them down. If you’ve done terrific work for one section and editor, that internal reference will be useful when introducing yourself to another one there.

            Having worked for three big daily papers as a reporter, The Globe and Mail, The Montreal Gazette and the New York Daily News, I love writing for newspaper editors. They’re clear and straightforward and, once they know you’re solid, are usually happy to work with you again.

            Good luck!

---END---

****Want more of Caitlin Kelly's insights about smart reporting and writing? She is offering six 90-minute webinars May 10 and 17^th by Skype: blogging, thinking like a reporter, personal essay, freelancing, developing ideas and interviewing. She's helped satisfied students from all over the world. Please visit caitlinkelly.com for details.

10 Reasons Why Your Pitch Got Rejected

I've been blogging about freelancing (specifically, about making more money in less time) for more than four years now. Occasionally, I bring up topics I've covered before because they're evergreen, or always relevant. 

Today's topic addresses something concerns both new and seasoned freelancers. It's the question of why--as in why did my query get rejected? Or why did you fail to get a response--any response--at all? 

First off, every writer gets rejected, so don't take it personally. Here are ten reasons your pitch failed to result in an assignment: 

1. You misread the market. Your idea may have been excellent, but it wasn't right for that particular publication. Remember, your query should have a "why-write-it" section that demonstrates why readers of this market will be interested in the subject. If you can't do that, pitch your idea somewhere else.  

2. Your editor actually loved the idea...so much that she's already assigned something similar to another writer, or has a piece like it in inventory waiting to be run. Sorry--you can't do anything about this reason, but at least you know it's not you. In fact, if you get a response telling you this, I'd start my new pitch with language like, "Good to know you already have a story like this in the works--you know what they say about 'great minds!'"  

3. She never got it. It wound up in her spam folder, or she overlooked it among the hundreds of email an editor receives on any given day. That's why following up is so critical. How can an editor respond to something she never received? 

4. You pitched an idea that would be assigned to a staff writer. Make sure you read the publication's most current guidelines so you know what types of work is assigned to freelancers. Whether you're pitching an online or print market, querying a section of the publication that's produced in-house shows that you didn't do your homework beforehand.

5. You didn't provide enough detail about how you'd approach the story. How long will the piece be? What kinds of sources will you interview? How will your structure the article? Will you include a sidebar or two? The more detail you provide, the easier it is for your editor to envision your piece--and say yes to you.

6. Your query is sloppy, whether it has mispellings, grammatical mistakes, or other glaring errors (like spelling your editor's name wrong). To an editor, sloppy query=careless freelancer. And honestly, your query is your first impression. Make a bad one and you may not get a second chance. 

7. You pitched too late, such as by querying a holiday idea to a national magazine now, in August. Or you offered to cover an event that's already happened, a mistake I made early in my freelance career. Consider the publication's lead time when pitching. 

8. The editor is overwhelmed--and hasn't had a chance to read it yet. That's another reason to follow up on every query you send. You're not being a pest; you're being a pro.

9. Your idea is nothing special. To set your query apart, don't pitch an idea like "five simple ways to lose weight." A unique or counterintuitive spin, like "eat more, weigh less" or "laugh yourself thin" is more likely to stand out--and sell.

10. Your timing is off. Maybe she's already assigned for the next two issues, and isn't ready to assign anything else. Maybe she has to cut her freelance budget and can't assign anything for a month or so. Either way, you can't do anything about it. What you can do is follow up and stay on her radar so when she is ready to assign, you're top of mind.

**Readers, I'm taking a brief hiatus from the blog for the next couple of weeks to work on Improvise Press' next two titles. (I may even sneak a few days' vacation in there, too.) 
Stay tuned for more info about them, and in the meantime, to learn more about how to set yourself apart from other writers, nab more assignments, and create long-lasting relationships with editors and clients and make money as a freelancer, check out my latest two books, Dollars and Deadlines: Make Money Writing Articles for Print and Online Markets or Six-Figure Freelancing: The Writer's Guide to Making More Money, Second Edition. For a limited time, you'll get half off both titles when you order directly through ImprovisePress.com and use the discount code CHICKENS.

For an even better bargain, check out my series of short-but-packed-with-info ebooks, which are priced at $0.99 for a limited time. 

Want an even better bargain? My series of short-but-loaded-with-info ebooks is priced at $0.99 for a limited time: 

• Dollars and Deadlines' Guide to Selling your First Article;
• Dollars and Deadlines' 10 Essential Freelance Templates; 
• Dollars and Deadlines' 10 Truths Every Writer Who Wants to Get Published Should Know; and 
• Dollars and Deadlines' 10 Most Popular, Proven Ways to Make Money as a Freelance Writer. 

My Most Popular Blog Post Ever--For Good Reason

Years ago I met another freelancer at ASJA and we got to talking about the markets we were writing for. She was surprised to learn that I wrote for markets that paid relatively low rates, and told me that she only wrote for markets that paid at least $1/word. "Otherwise, it's not worth my while," she said.

I couldn't disagree more. The question is not what you make per-word; it's what you make per-hour that's critical to your success. So as I reviewed my blog's stats recently, I was happy to see that this blog's most popular post of all time was one I wrote more than three years ago about why I don't care what I make per-word. 

Here it is, updated somewhat: 

So, what are you making per word for your articles for print and online markets? $1/word? $1.50/word? Only $0.40/word?

Who cares? I only care about what I make per-hour.

While blogs typically pay a set rate per-post, Websites, magazines, and e-zines pay per-word. This per-word figure, multiplied by word count, tells you how much you’ll make for writing a particular story. But it may not tell you whether it’s worth it to take it on. The real question is how much time the story will take—the assignment amount divided by the number of hours you put into it gives you your hourly rate for the piece.

Knowing how much time an article (or any other project, for that matter) will take gives you a concrete idea of the return on your time. And those $1/word and up assignments can be mighty misleading. Sure, it’s a bigger check than writing for a market that pays a lower per-word rate. But are you really making more money?

For example, let’s say I do a 1,000-word story for a national magazine that pays $1.50/word. Fair enough—I’m getting paid $1,500 for my work. But what happens if between researching and writing the query, writing an outline (per my editor), researching the article, finding sources, doing interviews, transcribing interviews, writing the piece, turning in the piece, revising the piece (per my editor’s request), finding new sources (per my editor), interviewing those sources, turning in the final revision, submitting my backup material, answering additional questions from the editor (say, nine months later…it happens), I’ve put 25 hours into my story? That means I’ve made $60/hour on that story.

Not bad, but here’s the thing—compare that to a 1,000-word piece on the same topic for a smaller magazine that pays only $0.35/word. Yet I know the editor and my query is just a short paragraph. The story requires some background research and several interviews, and takes me a total of five hours to write. (No revisions requested! Yay!) That a total of $350, for five hours’ worth of work—or $70/hour. Plus it's a lot less of a hassle for me. 

At first glance, the $1,500 piece looks like a better assignment—and it is a bigger check. But my experience has been that national markets (and I’ve written for more than 60 of them) expect a lot more work from you to earn that higher rate. In many cases, I’ve found that regional magazines, trade publications, and online markets actually pay better per-hour than their national counterparts. And that makes them worthwhile markets for me.

**Knowing what you make per-hour is only one aspect of successful freelancing. To learn more about how to set yourself apart from other writers, nab more assignments, create long-lasting relationships with editors and clients,Dollars and Deadlines: Make Money Writing Articles for Print and Online Markets or Six-Figure Freelancing: The Writer's Guide to Making More Money, Second Edition. For a limited time, you'll get half off both titles when you order directly through ImprovisePress.com and use the discount code CHICKENS.

Never Been Published? Nailing your First Assignment (Part 2 of 2)

             Last post we talked about coming up with ideas for your first pitches. Now let's talk about pitching those ideas. 
             There are two basic ways to go about pitching an idea. One is to come up with an idea first, and then try to find a potential market for it. That’s what I used to recommend for new writers. The second method is to find a market that you want to write for, and then come up with potential ideas for it.
            Today, I suggest that writers use the second method. Here’s why. Marketing, especially when you’re a new freelancer, takes a huge amount of time. If you can find a market that you can write for multiple times, you cut your marketing time. It’s much easier to sell an idea to an editor you’ve worked with before than to someone completely new.

I learned this lesson the hard way. I was so focused on coming up with saleable ideas as a new freelancer that I wound up doing a lot of “one-shots,” where I would write about one subject for one market and then move on. So, I wrote one story on a charity car show for The Lion magazine, and then moved on. I wrote a profile for a magazine called Accent on Living, and moved on. I wrote a story for Editor & Publisher, and moved on. I sold a piece to a (now defunct) health website…and moved on.

You’re getting the idea, right? Each of those stories took a lot of time to pitch, plus I had to research and write them afterwards. By never writing for those markets again, I wasted my time.

My career took off when I started to focus on markets that reflected more of my interests. For example, when I started freelancing fulltime, I was planning my wedding. Then, and as a newlywed, I had lots of bridal-related ideas. Well, I didn’t write just one story for Bridal Guide. Because I came up with more ideas, I got more assignments. And then my editor started approaching me to assign ideas she’d come up with for me.

When I sold a piece to For the Bride, another national market, the same thing happened. Yes, I was still pitching, but now I was a known entity to my editor, and she responded more quickly than she would have to a complete stranger—and also reached out to assign ideas she had come up with to me.

 So forget about selling one idea to one market. Start with markets you can write for more than once, and work with the goal of writing for that publication multiple times. That tip alone will make you more efficient (and smarter!) from the start. 

 **This post was taken from Dollars and Deadlines: Make Money Writing Articles for Print and Online Markets. It's for new freelancers who want to transition from unpublished to published and paid. If you already have a few clips, check out Six-Figure Freelancing: The Writer's Guide to Making More Money, Second Edition, available through Kindle (print editions coming by March 30). 

 Readers, what about you? Do you come up with an idea, and then look for a market? Or do you find a market you want to to write for, and then pitch it? And why? Please comment here! 

The Best Market for New Freelancers to Pitch (It's Not What you Think)

I'm often asked what the "best" market for a new freelancer to pitch is, or whether I'd recommend certain markets for a writer who's just getting started. Well, there is such a market, but it is dependent on who you are and what your experience and background are. 

In short, the best market (or markets) for a new freelancer is you can write for more than once. 

Here's what I mean--there are two basic ways to go about pitching an idea. One is to come up with an idea first, and then try to find a potential market for it. That’s what I used to recommend for new writers. The second method is to find a market that you want to write for, and then come up with potential ideas for it.

Today, I suggest that writers use the second method. Here’s why. Marketing, especially when you’re a new freelancer, takes a huge amount of time. If you can find a market that you can write for multiple times, you cut your marketing time. It’s much easier to sell an idea to an editor you’ve worked with before than to someone completely new.

I learned this lesson the hard way. I was so focused on coming up with saleable ideas as a new freelancer that I wound up doing a lot of “one-shots,” where I would write about one subject for one market and then move on. So, I wrote one story on a charity car show for The Lion magazine, and then moved on. I wrote a profile for a magazine called Accent on Living, and moved on. I wrote a story for Editor & Publisher, and moved on. I sold a piece to a (now defunct) health website…and moved on.

You’re getting the idea, right? Each of those stories took a lot of time to pitch, plus I had to research and write them afterwards. By never writing for those markets again, I wasted my time.

My career took off when I started to focus on markets that reflected more of my interests. For example, when I started freelancing fulltime, I was planning my wedding. Then, and as a newlywed, I had lots of bridal-related ideas. Well, I didn’t write just one story for Bridal Guide. Because I came up with more ideas, I got more assignments. And then my editor started approaching me to assign ideas she’d come up with for me.

When I sold a piece to For the Bride, another national market, the same thing happened. Yes, I was still pitching, but now I was a known entity to my editor, and she responded more quickly than she would have to a complete stranger—and also reached out to assign ideas she had come up with to me.

  So forget about selling one idea to one market. So start with markets you can write for more than once, and work with the goal of writing for that publication multiple times. That tip alone will make you more efficient (and smarter!) from the start. 

 **What about you, readers? Did you look for markets you could write for more than once as a new freelancer? Or, like me, did you look for an idea first, and then locate an appropriate market for it? 

  For more advice about freelancing, check out my latest book, Writer for Hire: 101 Secrets to Freelance Success. And if you're a new freelancer, stay tuned--I'm going to announce THE book that will take you from unpublished to published and paid!