Freelance Firsts
Dear Deb,
I want to start freelance writing, but where do I begin? What should be my first priorities?
Deb writes~ Here are your top three: know yourself, write well, and remember it’s a business. Of course, any one of these provides enough fodder for its own column, but I’m going to give you the short version.
Know yourself. Good writing is hard, so work when you function best and when circumstances are favorable. Next, analyze yourself: what are your bad habits, your good qualities, your idiosyncrasies? Don’t ignore them. You must work around and with them. Last, write on topics you are passionate about. It will come through in your writing.
Write well. This is how you get your first clips. An MFA guarantees nothing. As an editor, I see the same common mistakes. Get yourself a good grammar book, a fun one. I’ve even used one designed for sixth graders. It focuses on the basics, and is simple to understand.
Writing is a business. New businesses often give free samples. Starting out, you may want to also. Once. Remember, you’re a businessperson, not a philanthropist. Still, editors want evidence you can write. So, craft a sample article of, say, 400 words. Make it perfect. Send it to a suitable local, regional, or trade magazine with a great query letter. At this point, a clip is as valuable as money. Keep at it, and you’ll succeed.