Write it! tell the world Accomplished authors, whether known the world over or only in smaller professional circles, can achieve every dream faster… and then some. Want to grow your business – write. To be offered the next promotion – write. Get a job or a new job – write. People look up to the successful among us. They join the realization. They hire, promote, or buy the expert who has proven they are a mover and shaker in their field. It’s you?
what to write
You are an expert. there is something, maybe many things you do exceptionally well or know a lot about. Putting your wisdom on the page lends credibility to your work, helps your peers in an area they want to learn or improve in, and gives you a strong sense of self-satisfaction when your work is published.
Focus less on becoming the next billionaire Harry Potter author and more on being yourself. If you’re not a storyteller, fiction may not be your area. Also, unless you want to change careers to become a full-time author, it won’t help you much in your current career. Write nonfiction; that is, how to do it, why it works, insights, and educational pieces that will help others know what you know. Don’t worry about saying goodbye to a job, thinking that if you write it down they won’t need you anymore. Rather, it will become THE source for your clients and co-workers alike.
How to get published
“You should write a book” is a common phrase in the American lexicon that we often hear or say. Maybe a book is in your future. But, if you’re not a writer now and have never published before, it’s probably not the best place to start. Consider a magazine, journal, newspaper, newsletter, or electronic authorship.
There are two common ways to proceed.
The first, and most common, is to find a need and fill it. Talk to the editor of the publication you want to write for to find out what content they need. A little known fact is that most magazines and newspapers cover the theme of each issue and often make available their editorial calendars, which outline the themes of upcoming issues. If your experience matches an upcoming issue, contact the publisher to see if they’ll let you try your hand at a piece for consideration.
The second, less common approach is only write. Find a topic to which you bring passion, knowledge and experience and write an outstanding article. Work it and work it again. You are on your own time, you have no deadline. Revisit it in the days or weeks that follow to put “fresh eyes” on it. When you have it almost where you want it, share it with a trusted advisor for their input and feedback. Rework it some more. Only after it’s perfect, check it out. Send it to newspaper, magazine, newspaper, and newsletter editors to see if they will accept it. Don’t just send it to any editor of any publication. Research them first and make an honest judgment as to whether your article would be a good fit for your publication.
I personally have had much more success with the latter method; however, other authors tell me that it is the road less traveled and much more difficult to find success. However, with over a dozen articles published in national publications and dozens more in state and local print outlets, I have not found this to be the case.
how long
Different publications. Generally speaking, there are three different item lengths – think of them as small, medium, and large. The common measurement tool is the number of words, as opposed to characters, found in some social networks (such as Twitter); or, column inches, found primarily in the newspaper world.
A small article, then, has 600 to 800 words. Anything smaller isn’t really an item at all; but rather, an interesting fact, a very short story, or report about a fact. After being placed on the page, adding graphics, ads or sidebars, a 600-800 word article takes up less than a full printed page.
Medium-sized articles are the bread and butter of most publications, ranging from 800 to 1,200 words with an average length of 1,000 words. They fill the printed page or extend to a second page when designed and enhanced in production. It is possible for them to extend to a third page, although this is rare. I recommend that you focus your first few tries on aiming for this size. This is the perfect size article to get an editor’s attention.
As articles approach and exceed 1,200 words, they become featured articles. Most magazines and newspapers have three or fewer featured articles in each issue. Newspapers have one per section. And, the newsletters have one per issue. Every author wants a cover story. You have to earn it. History is full of ‘naturals’. Maybe you’re one of them and you can knock it out of the park on your first time at bat. Most of us thrive on on-the-job training. We make our mistakes along the way. Learn. And get better.
All authors hate editing
You should have enough to say. In fact, you should have a lot to say. It is much easier to ramble at length than to be succinct. If you find yourself on the other side of the equation, looking for what to write about, you have chosen the wrong topic. As an example, after writing, rewriting, revising and adjusting this article, it was 1557 words (I cut 367 words).
Editing it for size is always the hardest part of writing a piece, big or small. Separate the adults from the children.
Never send any piece out into the world unless you are convinced it is your latest masterpiece that far dwarfs all previous work. If an item doesn’t reach that level, save it until you do.
professional vs amateur
The professionals charge. The fans don’t. Again, unless you’re interested in changing careers to become a writer, use it as a supplement to his current career. Focus your efforts on writing the best piece possible and getting it printed instead of the few hundred dollars a paid author may receive. Success breeds success. The more you post, the easier it becomes to post. If you’re good, the editors will like you. Whether writing is your passion or writing about your passion, my advice is the same: Get a few dozen publishing successes under your belt before you consider doing it for a fee. Continue to be a hobby writer for as long as you can. When you go pro, go fast and make a splash.
Dream big. Choose the most glorious publication in your field and work your way up to becoming a regular author in it. Your peers, contemporaries, clients, and bosses will appreciate your achievements and reward you with greater success in your chosen career.
Become an author. Grow your career. Improve your life.
