Adventures In Freelancing

As freelance writers, we often find ourselves stuck for ideas. It seems that every topic has already been covered. Finding a new slant is necessary if we want to get our articles published. Fortunately, there are always new developments and changes occurring in every industry. The problem is finding out about those developments.

We're busy people. We don't have scads of time to spend researching and hunting down the latest information in our area of interest. That's why you'll want to sign up for inclusion in the Cision database. Signing up is easy. Just fill out the form with your information and the topics you're interested in. You'll soon be receiving information and pitches relevant to all the subjects you cover. Not every email or press release will be useful to you, but I've found that much of the information I receive can be used in some way, either as blog content or to spark an idea for a freelance article.

Thanks, Jennifer James, of Mom Bloggers Club, for sharing this resource!

This week I sent in two completed articles to The Savvy Gal, an online women's magazine.  It was great to send them off, knowing they were finished and that I felt good about my work.  It felt even better to send off the invoice!  I'm on my way to being paid for my words, and that's an amazing feeling.

I think I was most excited, though, when I received notice from the editor at The Savvy Gal that my ideas had been accepted.  We all know that having our queries accepted is key in becoming paid freelancers, so let's take some time to talk about what goes into writing great queries that get the attention of editors.

The Idea - The first thing you need is a salable idea, one that will resonate with the publication's readers.  Take a look through back issues or peruse the website to get a feel for the kinds of articles your targeted pub features.  Is the subject matter aimed at a particular age group, gender, or other demographic?  Keep that in mind.  Are first person accounts most prominent or is it apparent that articles are written from a more formal point of reference?  Consider these things as well.  Take a look at the various departments.  I pitched my queries specificially for "The Savvy Gal Spotlight" section because I enjoy writing profiles of interesting people.

Offer Something Unique - What sets you apart from other freelancers?  Do you have particular insight into a subject matter that most people don't?  Does your professional background make you an expert in a certain field?  Think about what sets you apart from the crowd and use it to your advantage.  I have an advanced degree in College Student Personnel and worked as an academic advisor at a community college.  I also received an award from my students as "Outstanding Academic Advisor of the Year" for two years in a row.  I intend to pitch publications aimed at prospective college students and adolescents, and you can bet I'll be letting the editors know about my experience and accomplishments.

Be Willing to do Some Legwork - Show potential editors that you're willing to go the extra mile.  In my queries to The Savvy Gal, I was able to include quotes from interviews I had already done with my subjects.  This demonstrated my ability to get the information needed to write a thorough profile.  Doing a little legwork is never a wasted endeavor.  Even if I hadn't been able to sell these ideas, I intended to put the profiles on my own blog.  Plus, interviews are a great way to network and to learn something new.

Be thorough, not vague - When writing a query, don't be afraid of giving too much information.  A vague query is not likely to be accepted.  Editors need to know where you're headed with an idea and that you can follow through with a comprehensive, finished piece.  So give them what they want.  Spell out the different points you intend to make in your story; you may even want to include a bulleted list or break down your query in a way that shows you've thought things through.

These are a few ideas to get you started.  The most important thing is to get those queries out there. Let editors know about your great ideas and why you're the person to write the story.  Follow these steps to increase the likelihood of your query being accepted.  What's worked for you?  Please share your ideas!