8 Tips for Selling Articles to Magazines and Websites

This column is an excerpt from Build your authoring platform, from Writer’s Digest Books.

Article writing can be great for your writing career: nothing bad can happen to authors trying to sell content to magazines, newspapers, and websites. Think about it. Selling items increases your references and your credibility; it gives you something great to talk about in the bio section of your inquiry letters; it generates nice paychecks; it puts you in touch with media representatives who can help you later; it builds your authoring platform and visibility and more.

If you want to make more money writing and broaden your writing horizons, consider writing short nonfiction books for outlets looking for a good job. It’s an easy way to do something good for your writing career.

Here are 8 tips for selling articles to magazines and websites

1. Find out about the publication’s authoring guidelines

All Publications have guidelineswhich, put simply, is an explanation of how authors should contact the publication to write for them. The guidelines for authors typically cover three important things:

1. What kind of pieces are searched for in the publication (including length, tone and subject)
2. How to submit your work for review (details on formatting and whether email or post submissions are accepted)
3. When and how they will respond to your request

2. You don’t have to write full articles before selling them

Selling a nonfiction article is just like selling a nonfiction book – you sell the article based on the concept and a “business plan” for it. Here’s how it works: You write a one-page inquiry letter (usually sent by email) detailing what the article / column is about and your references as the article author. From this point onwards, if you are interested, the publication will commission you to write the article – and only then will you write it.

Writing an article when no one has agreed to buy it is called writing about speculation. You can do this when you feel you need to, but you risk wasting time on a project that may never be worthwhile.

3. Think about what the gig has to offer

Remember, in your case, the goal is the platform. The goal is to get your name, work, and bio in front of people who will buy your book and become a follower. If an editor asks you to do a long piece for little money, that’s not good.

But are there any advantages? Will you get more tasks in the future – and thus more platform? Are you doing the editor a favor that he’ll remember? Will writing the article put you in touch with important people that you would like to get to know?

4. Keep an eye out for new publications

New publications actively seek content to fill pages and are ready to collaborate with newer and untested authors. I would suggest signing up with Writer Gazette and Writers’ market Newsletter (both free) to receive notifications of new releases or paid websites that come up.

5. Write for local publications

Aside from making friends with local media professionals who can help you later, you should know that local publications have a natural affinity with local writers. People always say “write what you know” – and you know your hometown and your community better than anyone. (Click here to tweet this idea).

6. Feel free to aim high, but expect to start small

You will find it easier to get things public if you present shorter pieces and target small to medium sized points of sale. The goal is to get in and then use your success and accomplishments to get bigger, better jobs. That’s not to say you can’t at least go for Real Simple or The Huffington Post – just don’t be surprised if they say no because you lack the experience. (But hey, it never hurts to ask.)

7. You can recycle ideas and get multiple paid jobs

One of the best things about being a freelancer is your ability to recycle and reuse ideas. For example, I featured a series on Ohio Magazine that featured historic theaters across the state that are still operating today. After the magazine said no, I made some changes to my request and sent it to Pennsylvania Magazine. This time I got a yes, and I got fourteen articles and paychecks out of it.

8. Read the publications that you offer

Familiarize yourself with multiple target markets and read content either online, with a subscription, or by spending at your local library. Note the tone of the articles, the sections of the magazines, and the general feel of the magazine and its advertisers. From there, you will be better off showcasing the best article ideas – and you’ll also find out if the idea you want to share has been recently used.

You never know where a writing opportunity or assignment will take you, so challenge yourself and stick your toe in different waters. In my case, I was excited to write this series for Pennsylvania Magazine Literary agent to sign me. From there we were able to sell six books together. If I hadn’t immersed myself in article writing and asking around until I had some success, who knows if my journey of writing would be similar to what it is doing today.

Other TWL guest posts by Chuck Sambuchino: