Writing Articles for Magazines in 2010

Are you interested in writing articles for magazines?

If you take the time to flip through printed magazines on the shelves of your local store, and browse some on the Internet, you will notice two things. Firstly some magazines specialize in a particular topic, which could be anything from health to motoring, and others don’t. But even those that are more general will typically have sections within the magazine that cater to specific interests.

If you want to build a career as a magazine writer, aim to be a specialist in at least one subject. That way you can sell not only your writing skills, but also your knowledge about your subject. For any magazine editor who is looking to hire a freelance writer, first prize will always be a person who knows what they are talking about, and writes about it well.

So step number one is to decide what you want to write about. Choose a subject that genuinely interests and excites you because that will make your task easier, and it will also enable you to be more convincing. Then find out as much as you can about the subject. You can never learn too much.

For example if you want to write about health and beauty, make a point of reading current content in both printed magazines and on the Internet. If you want to write about animals it’s advisable to do your homework before you look for work. And if you have experience in a certain field, gardening or cooking for instance, that might be a direction to go in.

Then you need to find a magazine that is firstly looking for freelance writers, and also willing to hire you.

Of course if you aren’t an established writer, you’re going to have to persuade the people hiring that you are good at your job. This might seem like an insurmountable hurdle, but it needn’t be. Even if you have never written for a magazine before, there’s nothing stopping you creating a portfolio to help sell your writing wares. In fact it’s good for you to get some practice. When you organize a portfolio, just be sure to cater for the audience that particular magazine is appealing to.

Alternatively you could approach a magazine and ask if you can write a sample article, to prove that you have the ability. Once you get a foot in the door, you’ll be in a position to continue writing, provided of course they like what you do.

Like everything in life, succeeding as a freelance writer depends on skill and expertise. Certainly if you have the talent you can succeed. But it is also largely dependent on the relationships you form with your employers. If you work well with people, they will want to continue working with you – passing more and more work your way. If you let them down in any way, either by producing shoddy work, missing deadlines or just by not showing a genuine interest in the publication, your days will surely be numbered.

If you can build up a good relationship with one or more magazine editors, you will likely to be well on your way to ensuring an ongoing income. This doesn’t mean you necessarily become social buddies or treat the person as a confidant. Instead you should concentrate on maintaining a professional relationship with that person.

Over the years I have built up relationships with many magazine editors who have valued my freelance articles. One thing I have learned though is nothing lasts forever. People change jobs, magazines close down, and new freelancers appear on the scene. So if you are able to get your foot in the door of your targeted magazine, and you like what you are doing, keep going and enjoy the ride writing magazine articles.

Angela says

Here’s a tip: as magazines move more of their operations online, you’ll find that many magazines now have online sections, which publish current up-to-date news and other material. Magazines have at least a three-month lead time — and more for special issues — so they use their online issue to get new subscribers, and service their advertisers. Approaching a magazine’s online editor (especially if you’re already a Web writer) is a great way to get your foot in the door with any magazine for which you’d like to write.

“If You Want to See Your Name in Newsstand Magazines, You Can!”

Many writers start high-profile careers by writing for magazines.

Magazine writing is both easy and highly profitable. Once you’ve learned the techniques in Angela Booth’s new writing guide “Freelance Writing: Make Great Money Writing Articles For Magazines (In Your Spare Time)”, you’ll soon be writing for magazines which pay from $1 to $4 PER WORD.