Have you always wanted to write professionally, but didn't know where to start? If so, freelancing is an excellent first step. Writing for magazines can be a fun and profitable hobby or a flexible and rewarding way to make a living. You can work in your pajamas (like I do!) and set your own schedule.
Of all the different types of work you could do from home (daycare, sales calls, or home party sales such as, Avon, Mary Kay, Silpada, or Pampered Chef), nothing beats the low start up costs and convenience of being a freelance writer. All you need is a computer and your creative mind.
So how can the average college student, stay-at-home mom, or retiree enter the lucrative world of freelance writing? It's not as hard as you may think. Many of the largest (and most popular) magazines are always on the lookout for creative new writers.
Case in point: Back in 2005, I decided to try my hand at freelancing. Within weeks (and with no journalism degree or prior writing experience), I sold two stories to Parenting magazine and one to Woman's Day. Since then, my work has been published in publications like Publishers Weekly, ADDitude, Child, Child.com, Redbook, Georgia Family, Motherhood, MetroKids, Calgary's Child, Austin Family, Tampa Bay Baby, Paducah Parenting & Family Magazine, Kansas City Parent, Montana Parent, Staten Island Parent, The FAMILY magazine of Michiana, and more. If I can do it - SO CAN YOU! I can show you how to wow editors with the stories they want and - more importantly - get paid for it. Click here for detailed e-course information.
Still unconvinced? It might surprise you to discover that the type of person who not only survives, but thrives as a freelance writer may not be the most talented writer, the one with the prestigious journalism degree, or the one with the most contacts in the publishing industry; it's often the person who has the most persistence. It's the one who remains undaunted as the rejections pour in, and trust me, the rejections do pile up. Talent is helpful, but in this era where magazine articles are revised three times and then edited by a committee of staff editors, it's the idea, not necessarily the writing, that takes center stage. Truth be told, brilliant writers (literary, academic, or creative) are usually not the best at writing for magazines.
Learning how to generate a fascinating magazine story idea doesn't require formal training or an advanced degree. A simple change in the way you view the world will help you identify promising article ideas. Events and experiences that capture your attention, stir your emotions, or arouse your curiosity will generate the best story ideas and writers with the best story ideas will consistently get work.
E-Courses
Read lectures, complete assignments, and submit your writing for feedback via email at a time that works for you.
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