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Writing Outside the Box:
Alternative Sources for Making Money with Your Writing
By Kate Clabough
When I first started writing, I envisioned myself breaking
immediately into the top women's magazines featured at the
check stand at the local discount store followed directly
by my Great American Novel's meteoric rise to the top of
the New York Times bestseller list. The reality was a little
less dramatic. Okay, a lot less. Instead of instant fame and
fortune, I published my way slowly and steadily through local
and regional pubs creating a decent portfolio of clips to
show to potential markets. Eventually, those markets started
contacting me for upcoming issues, which in turn led to some
totally unexpected income sources.
After writing a series of articles about a local real estate
developer and restoration expert for a local newspaper, the
developer called and asked me if I would consider writing the
copy for three 4'x8' panels to go on permanent display in two
historic buildings he'd recently renovated. I did some research
and worked with the developer's marketing guy in designing and
creating the panels. The finished products received favorable
attention from the community and visitors to the historic
buildings turned restaurants.
The project turned into the biggest paying writing job I have
done to date and it has netted me several spin off jobs from
various sources. First, the marketing guy contacted me for to
write the copy for a dozen tourist information kiosks on the
observation deck of Knoxville's historic Sunsphere. I wrote 65
captions in a few hours and once again got a really nice paycheck
for a small bit of frenzied work.
Those two projects spawned other writing projects from the local
tourist office, Chamber of Commerce and civic groups. I have also
been asked to give presentations on the topics represented on the
panels and kiosks. None of these things have gotten me any closer
to my Great American Novel aspirations, but they have certainly
helped pad my bank account.
I have also found that writing jobs show up in the most
unexpected places if you continually market yourself and
your skills. I was chatting with other parents at a child's
birthday party my daughter attended a couple of years ago. One
of the dads, a government employee of an area economic development
agency, was thrilled to learn I was a writer. He offered me the
opportunity to write their annual report, a much hated job that
had fallen into his lap by virtue of his "low man on the totem
pole" status. Although writing about waste water treatment
facilities and land swap deals is not exactly glamorous, it has
turned into an easy yet well paying job that conveniently comes
on the heels of Christmas each year.
As companies cut positions they consider superfluous due to the
recent economic downturn, writers can capitalize on the trend in
outsourcing by thinking outside the box of submitting just to
magazines, newspapers or websites. Instead, contact local
companies and businesses such as tourism offices, Chambers of
Commerce, manufacturing plants, economic development agencies,
small marketing firms and other businesses and offer to write
brochures, annual reports and other types of business related
documents. Don’t overlook your banker, attorney or even your
hair stylist. If you have clips or writing samples, show them
off to anyone who will look at them. Even though they may be
off topic, they still show your skills as a writer. And although
an annual report gig may not get you any closer to a feature in
Smithsonian, it could help you pay your utilities in the meantime.
BIO:
Kate Clabough is a professional freelance writer who makes
her home in the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains.
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