Schecter - 102 Ways to Earn Money Writing 1,500 Words or Less: the Ultimate Freelancers Guide

102 WAYS TO

EARN MONEY

WRITING

1,500

WORDS OR LESS

Cincinnati, Ohio
www.writersdigest.com

102 Ways to Earn Money Writing 1,500 Words Or Less. Copyright 2009 by I.J. Schecter. Manufactured in the United States of America. All rights reserved. No other part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means including information storage and retrieval systems without permission in writing from the publisher, except by a reviewer, who may quote brief passages in a review. Published by Writers Digest Books, an imprint of F+W Media, Inc., 4700 East Galbraith Road, Cincinnati, Ohio 45236. (800) 289-0963. First edition.

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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Schecter, I.J., 1971
102 ways to make money writing 1,500 words or less / by I.J. Schecter.
p. cm.
ISBN 978-1-58297-795-9 (pbk. : alk. paper)
1. Authorship--Vocation guidance. 2. Authorship--Marketing. I. Title. II. Title: One hundred and two ways to make money writing 1,500 words or less.
PN151.S42 2009
808.02023--dc22

2009028946

Edited by Melissa Hill
Designed by Terri Woesner
Production coordinated by Mark Griffin

DEDICATION

To my mom and dad, who never once greeted my desire to become a writer with skepticism or alarm. Instead they asked to see my writing, which is the greatest gift a parent can give someone who knows he wants to live in words.

To my sister, for constantly singing my praises to anyone who would listen and acting as my PR manager out of nothing but love and selflessness. She convinced me I was a better writer than I was, which is exactly what I needed to become a better writer.

To my kids, who with one smile supply me the motivation for twenty all-nighters.

To writers everywhere, because:

If we had to say what writing is we would have to define it essentially as an act of courage. Cynthia Ozick

The profession of book-writing makes horse racing seem like a solid, stable business. John Steinbeck

Its easy, after all, not to be a writer. Most people arent writers, and very little harm has come to them. Julian Barnes

And, as always, to Stephanie. A hundred critics could praise my work and Id still be nagged by self-doubt; when you praise my work, I feel I can take on the world.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

The best part about being asked to write a book about being a writer is getting to talk to so many other writers, established and aspiring, about their thoughts and feelings regarding the writing game.

Yes, I realize there were three abouts in that last sentence. I believe there were initially four, which tells you why my first thank-you needs to go to the editor of this book, Melissa Hill. Melissa sank her teeth heartily into the manuscript from day one, offering comments like You arent saying anything about how to write it or how to sell it. Such comments were unnervingly pertinent when you consider that the book is supposed to be about how to write things and then sell them.

Thanks also to Kelly Nickell, who first came up with the idea for this book and was then generous enough to ask me to write it. I cant think of a greater privilege than being offered the chance to help those trying to make a go of the writing life. I tried to write the book really quickly before Kelly thought of asking someone with better credentials.

Thank you to all of my clients, colleagues, and associates who provided testimonials asserting the value of good writing. Glad you agree.

Finally, my sincere appreciation goes out to the great many writers, in all their wonderful incarnations, who offered comments, anecdotes and insights that helped the book become, I hope, not just a guide but also an affirmation that the freelance life, if approached right, can be a viable one. It was an enormous pleasure to learn the tales of so many freelancers who have taken their shot, stuck with it, and been rewarded. I wish I could have included every single one of their stories.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

I.J. Schecter is an award-winning writer of fiction, articles, interviews and essays and a highly sought communications consultant serving clients across North America. His recent books include Slices: Observations from the WrongSide of the Fairway and The Intangibles of Leadership. I.J. lives in Toronto with his wife Stephanie, his three children, Julian, Oliver and Charlotte, and Olivers betta fish, Lemon.

TABLE of Contents

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Among the many print markets for freelancers, magazines offer the broadest range of opportunity. There arent dozens of magazines needing freelance contributorsthere are hundreds. Breaking this market down into consumer, trade, regional, and specialty, Ill explain how to research potential topics, craft an effective pitch, maintain productive relationships with editors, and achieve preferred status.

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The mainstays of the publishing world, newspapers have the largest and most unremitting need for wordsnew words every day, on new topics, seen from new angles. From national dailies to your local community bulletin, Ill explain how newspapers work, what paths to take to get in as a freelancer, and how to gain statusand column inchesover time.

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Writers often ask, Is there still a place to publish serious literature? The answer is yes. Literary journals and periodicals maintain a strong, vital presence in the writing world because the people who run them are devoted to the ongoing search for great manuscripts. Ill reveal just how many of these publications there are, how to get to them, and how to use your credentials to ever-increasing effect.

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All companies, small and large, have writing needs. Instruction manuals, marketing brochures, newsletters, annual reports, internal memos, white papers, conference scripts, keynote speeches, business-to-business publications, company websitesthe list goes on and on. Ill talk about how to get your foot in the door, how to stay there once youre in, what companies are expecting from you, how to surpass their expectations, and why you need to be open to corporate writing not only as a source of potentially serious freelance income but also as a source of fun, interesting work.

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One of the best parts about being a freelance writer is discovering just how often people have writing needs theyd happily delegate to someone else. Typically these projects dont belong in any formal publishing category, but taking them on can enhance your career in multiple ways. From medical school application essays to script outlines for nervous wedding emcees, Ive written just about everything for people over the years. And Ive gotten paid for it. Ill talk about the myriad ways people need writers, the many ways you can let them know youre around, and the importance of keeping business separate from everything else.