During
Thursday’s class last week, we talked about freelance writing opportunities.
The biggest suggestion I have is to enroll in one of the La Voz classes. You may either take the
1-unit freelance class or the 3-unit newspaper staff class. Either way, you
will gain great writing experience, as well as have clippings with your byline!
Other
ways to gain writing experience is to:
- Write
editorials/letters to the editor
- Submit
stories to community paper
- Volunteer
to write for a community organization (nonprofit, church, etc.)
- Keep
blogging (research ways to make money blogging)
Writer's
Market
A
great resource for information on freelance writing is the annual Writer’s Market.
Markets
include: magazines, newspapers, theaters (for stage plays), production
companies, contests of all types, greeting card companies, literary agents, and
more. Each listing has detailed instructions on how to submit work,
relevant contact information, as well as what work each listing seeks. At the
very least, you should check out the “look inside” feature on Amazon.
Portfolios
All
writers need to build a portfolio (whether online or a physically bound book)
of their writing samples. Writing samples can come from a variety of sources:
- School
assignments (stories written for 21a and 21b)
- Letters
to the editor
- Contests
(look for writing contests to enter)
- Special
requests in paper (newspapers usually request stories or short essays
before major holidays). Look for requests in the travel section,
lifestyle, etc.
- Volunteer
writing for community organization (press releases, ad copy, social media,
etc.)
- You should consider creating a personal website and/or online portfolio. Check out this link: https://blog.quiet.ly/community/how-to-create-a-writing-portfolio-for-freelancers/
Writer's Digest Magazine
Check
out Writer’s Digest magazine (subscribe or just check
out blogs, contests and resources). They have a whole writer’s library of books
(see “shop” tab).
Freelance
Writing Blog
Pitching
Stories
When
writing freelance stories, you need to first submit a query or pitch letter.
Entire books exist on this topic. Writer’s Market also has a chapter on this
with samples.
Here
are the basics:
• Decide on publication
• Examine readers’ demographics
• Familiarize yourself with the types of features the publication
runs
• Address your pitch letter to a specific person
• Include enough facts to support full story
• Provide a hook or angle of interest to readers
• Include possible alternative angles
• Explain credibility or your authority to write article
• Keep it short and snappy
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