The editorial writer used to be limited to newspapers, magazines, and books, but now the world of the Web has opened up to all things written. As one of the first nature photographers with an online column, I’ve seen the technology and arena for online writing expand and bloat. The bloat comes from the fact that ANYONE can now be “published”, and it seems that EVERYONE wants to be published, whether or not their information is worthy.
So much writing and photography is published online, it feels impossible to compete with all the “noise”. There is still a lot of room on the Internet for wonderful writing, and for selling your writing and photography. Set aside an hour or so of each week this month to search the Internet for sales opportunities for environmental and nature writing and images. There are “tons” of zines and online sites eager for your written wisdom, it just takes some looking.
To help you get started, check out the following:
- Writer’s Digest and Writer’s Market
- Writer’s Write
- American Society of Journalists and Authors
- Jobs for Writers and Reporters
- The Writer’s Net
- Editor & Publisher
- Poets & Writers Magazine
- Publisher’s Weekly
- Sell Writing Online
Publishing Only One Magazine?
Here is a trade secret. Most magazine publishers don’t just publish one magazine. Prowling around on the website of the Magazine Publishers of America (MPA ), I found that the United States hosts about 240 publishing firms with some 1,400 titles. Do the math. On average, most publishing firms have 5-6 publications.
What does this mean for you? When you sell to one editor, find out if the company produces other publications. If your article idea doesn’t work for one, it might work for one of the others.
But the secret doesn’t end there. Your editor might be freelance and NOT on the staff of that publication. Ah ha! The plot thickens. Therefore, he or she might also represent other magazines.
Find out about who you are working with and become “very nice” to them. You might find yourself with more doors opening than closing. In this industry, it really is who you know, not just what.