Freelancing for Pleasure and Profit

Issue #18

by Kimberly Ripley

Greetings, Gather writers, and welcome to this issue of Freelancing for Pleasure and Profit. I guess since this is Issue #18 it may be time to define what the actual intent of this column is. The title really says it all. We can be freelance writers because we enjoy it. We can write purely for the pleasure of purging our souls, our minds and our creative selves. We can also write for income. An ideal situation is to incorporate both facets successfully.

Is this a possibility for you? Ask yourself the following questions:

1. Do I have a flair for writing?

2. Do I have the business sense to operate my freelance writing professionally?

Professional writing entails marketing, promoting, querying, following up on queries, writing, editing, invoicing, filing published materials, and keeping track of income and expenses for tax purposes. Add this to the ability to write, and you've got yourself the necessities for a bona fide business venture.

Getting Started

We covered the clips vs. no clips scenario in a previous newsletter. It's hard to get published without published clips, but how does a writer obtain that initial clip? Volunteering is usually a sure bet when trying to get your first published clip. Newsletters almost always look for free content. Schools, churches, civic organizations and clubs nearly all have newsletters that are published on a regular basis. Write for a few of them and you'll soon be rolling in published clips.

Query Letters

Also covered in previous posts, this is one area that can't be neglected. If you haven't perfected your querying style, then now is definitely the time. There are dozens of books available on the topic. There are online classes you can take. Your query is your ticket into an editor's door, whether it's via e-mail or regular old U.S. Postal Service. In the minds of all editors, if you can't write a query, how can you possibly write anything else?

May the Circle Be Unbroken...

A good philosophy to develop as a freelance writer is that of the constant circle--in motion. Don't become a dot on the page. The moving circle involves having work in the consideration stage by editors, queries submitted, articles being written and ideas for new articles churning...all at the very same time. Don't lose heart if you're not at this stage. It takes time to get your circle moving in full motion. But getting to this point takes determination. Despite the rejections you must keep querying. Despite the rewrites and edits you must keep writing. And despite the number of ideas you've had turned down, you must continually reslant old ideas and come up with new ones.

Now We Reach the "Pleasure" Part!

In order to truly accomplish the above three categories successfully, you have to enjoy writing. If you don't, many of the business aspects and steps to getting published can become drudgery. When that happens to a writer, the chances for success fly right out the window. That's where this column will hopefully serve you on both accounts---pleasure and profit. I hope to inspire you to keep writing, improve your writing, and above all to have fun with your writing. Making money at the same time is definitely an added bonus.

So whether you're freelancing for pleasure, for profit, or (hopefully!) for both, try your hand at the following writing markets. Remember that practice makes perfect, writing is fun, and you'll never know what you're capable of until you try!

Happy writing!

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Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine

475 Park Ave. S

11th Floor

New York, NY 10016

E-Mail Queries: Yes

elleryqueen@dellmagazines.com

Guidelines Online: No. The editors suggest you read at least one issue of the magazine to get an idea of what they publish.

This magazine is published monthly and is 100% written by freelance writers. Featuring mystery short stories, they feature nearly every kind imaginable...psychological thrillers, puzzles, private eye tales, crime and detection stories, and "whodunit" pieces. Length runs 2500-8000 words. They also have a column for new writers publishing their first mystery story. Called First Stories, this is a great place for new freelancers to start. Submit entire manuscript on spec via e-mail or standard mail.

Buys: First Rights

Pays: On publication--up to 8 cents per word.

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Hispanic Outlook in Higher Education

210 Route 4 E.

Suite 310

Paramus, NJ 07652

E-Mail Queries: Yes

sloutlook@aol.com

Guidelines Online: No

This magazine publishes stories about Hispanics succeeding in fields of higher education. Articles include historical, interviews, profiles, opinions, and personal experience pieces. Length is 1800-2200 words. Query via standard mail or e-mail and include published clips.

Buys: First Rights

Pays: $500 and up

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Apex Digest

PO Box 2223

Lexington, KY 40588

E-Mail Queries: Yes

jason@apexdigest.com

Guidelines Online: Yes

Apex Digest is published quarterly and features horror and science fiction pieces. Length is negotibale, but not to exceed 10,000 words. Query via e-mail only.

Buys: First Rights

Pays: On publication--up to $100.

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AND SPEAKING OF WRITING.....I've entered a Gather contest, which required writing a VERY short piece. If you read it you'll see that my intent is to make a dear friend's dream come true. Your voting could help me with my efforts. If you would kindly read the following, I would be so very grateful! And thanks so much to those of you who have already helped!

The Big BM

http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.jsp?articleId=281474977129160

Kimberly Ripley is a freelance writer and published author from New Hampshire. Freelancing for Pleasure and Profit appears twice monthly at Gather.com.