A Quick Guide To Freelance Article Writing For Magazines
Freelance writing can be an excellent way to make a living, supplement your existing income, or get by in between jobs. You can find freelance work in practically any discipline—from grant writing to academic research and writing to fiction writing to article writing. Many freelancers focus on the later, article writing, because of the flexibility it allows, and because in general you don’t have to have many credentials to be able to find work in it. If you’re interested in doing freelance article writing, follow this quick guide to ensure your success.
Focus on your strengths
This may be common sense, but one of the easiest way to ensure you’re successful in article writing, is to focus on your strengths. If you have a background in science or are passionate about music, try to find articles related to them. Your experience and passion with a topic will shine through in the article, making it more interesting, and they will likely make the writing process easier for you. That being said, with enough research you can write an article about pretty much anything. So, don’t be afraid to try articles that focus on something you’re not totally familiar with. You may find that you really enjoy, or are really good at, writing about something you didn’t know you would. Branching out can also be a good way to cultivate experience or passion on a topic.
Develop your own voice
Magazine writing can be different from other kinds of journalism, like news writing, because it is more editorial, which means that there is more room for your unique voice in the article. By developing your own voice as a writer, you’ll find your own balance of fact and opinion, and make your articles more interesting for readers.
Build up your rate
If you are new to freelance writing, you may need to start out with a lower rate than you would normally charge in order to build up experience and a portfolio. Over time, you can build your rate up to meet your financial needs.
Meet your deadlines
Meeting deadlines, especially in the publishing world, is critical for your success as a freelance writer. It doesn’t matter how good a job you do on the article, if you don’t meet the deadline, the client likely won’t want to work with you again.
Build a good relationship with clients
Building good relationships with clients is the best way to get repeat business to and make your freelance writing career more stable.