Magazine Writing 101 (Part 2)

Getting Paid to Write for Magazines

The reality behind magazine writing isn't all high paid, glamorous work. There is a lot of non-writing involved in finding markets, submitting and keeping track of queries and managing finances. In order to be a profitable as possible you need to be smart when choosing which magazines to query.

Rates can vary hugely from publication to publication, as can terms of payment, and if you are relying on this income, then you need to pay close attention to the small print when decided where to send your queries. While one magazine may offer you $600 for your idea, can you afford to wait indefinitely for the cash or would you be better off accepting $200 that you know will be with you within six weeks? It is a problem that many freelance writers have to wrestle with, especially if you have just started out on this path and don't have a years worth of submitted work that is providing a steady stream of revenue.

You should decide on an acceptable rate of pay for your work before you query a magazine. This figure should be for your own reference only and should help you to decide which publications to pitch to, and how much time you can afford to spend on the piece. Most magazines are somewhat flexible in the amount that they pay freelance writers and they may say that their payments may range 'from xx to xxx'. Unless you are a well established writer with a huge volume of high quality clips it is best not to make any demands for a specific rate. If the lower end of their payment terms laid out in their writers guidelines seem too low for you, find another magazine offering a higher rate rather than trying to haggle with an editor.

When you form an idea for an article spend some time researching several markets. There are hundreds of publications offering all kinds of rates and terms of pay, and researching these will be a large part of your job as a writer. Researching markets is rarely a waste of time; even if a market doesn't fit the pitch you are working on at the moment, it may be perfect for a piece of your work in the future. Do not pitch to any markets that pay below your basic rate. If you need to get paid $250 to cover the time you anticipate spending on the piece then there is no point in compromising. (The exception to this rule is if you are a very new writer and need the clip.)

As with all writing jobs, bigger doesn't necessarily mean better. While getting paid $300 for one article might sound great, it may take you a full week to complete the piece, while other, smaller paying jobs might add up to a higher weekly payout. Keep these things in mind while planning your query list and try to strike a balance that will allow the money to flow in steadily and build over time.