Want to become a freelance writer for magazines?

Picture this: your name in print in the most popular fashion, sports or celebrity rags in the world.

Well, it sounds easier that it is. Being published in a local, regional or national magazine takes hard work, talent and a systematic plan.

If you have no fear of rejection slips, research is your middle name and you can crank out a query letter that makes an editor drool…you might be ready to “become a successful freelance writer for magazines”. 

Freelance Writing Tip#1 – Analyze your freelance writing style and voice.

Are you an op-ed writer or fit for how to articles? Love exposes of dastardly deeds or skilled at interviewing celebrities? Determine your writing strengths and weaknesses before you consider pitching a busy magazine editor.

Successful magazine writers not only specialize in the type of pieces they write (fashion, career, money, etc) but have several methods of crafting pieces that an editor buys based on their writing experience, unique voice and their approach.

Freelance Writing Tip#2 – Brush up on your grammar, spelling, and punctuation.

Writing for magazines is a specialized skill. No matter how wonderful your ideas, an editor cannot fully engage in the beauty of your prose with misspelled words, poor sentence structure and lack of story flow.

Grab copies of “The Elements of Style” or “Eat, Shoots and Leaves” and devour the writer’s advice. Practice writing articles for your blog or a local non-profit newsletter to strengthen your writing style.

Freelance Writing Tip#3 – Gather ideas targeted to the magazine you want to pitch.

A heart-wrenching tale of dogs abandoned in shelters will not fly at “Popular Mechanics.” Scour the masthead to become familiar with the magazine editors and their departments. Analyze closely the writing voice of the magazine and the type of stories they publish. Research each idea thoroughly.

Offer ideas the magazines staff writer cannot write. Look for clues to understand each magazine’s readership and the theme of each issue, before you write one word.

Freelance Writing Tip#4 – Construct an amazing query letter.

If you cannot grab the editor’s attention, it is impossible to mesmerize the reader. Gather your best ideas and write a query letter with a killer idea in the first sentence, followed by ability to write the piece.

Include suggested interview subjects (without revealing their names) and a short synopsis of your magazine article idea.

Freelance Writing Tip#5 -Understand magazine editor protocol and submission guidelines.

Follow the pitching instructions of the magazine to the letter. Send email pitches (no attachments) if this is the editor’s preference. Pitch the right editor for your piece, instead of blasting a blanket email to all 20 magazine editors.

If the editor uses snail mail, send a Self Addressed Stamped Enveloped (SASE) with your clips and query. Resumes must include relevant experience to the article you are pitching.

Tips and Warnings for Aspiring Freelance Magazine Writers

• Buy three to six back issues of each magazine that you want to pitch.
• Become an expert in your field. Expert freelance magazine writers work for several magazines instead of relying on one editor to buy their work.
• Add your experience in the industry you are covering or reference any clips relevant to this query.
• Do not take a rejection personally. No, means no.
• Retool the pitch and query for submission to another magazine.
• Above all, do not call, bother, harasses, pester or email the editor repeatedly.

This entry was posted on Wednesday, December 2nd, 2009 at 10:56 am and is filed under become a freelance writer. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.