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Don’t Knock the Local Market, Tap Into It!
By Kelli Robinson
How many of you have sat in a doctor’s office perusing the
magazines and concluded you could write the articles you
were reading? So you set out to do so with visions of Parenting
or Prevention publishing your stories. Throughout your research
about freelance writing, you kept coming across the same word:
clips. Editors want them so you need them to prove you really
can deliver the fabulous article you’re querying.
Thanks to the internet, many avenues exist for breaking into
freelance writing. And if you haven’t hopped on the blog train
yet, what are you waiting for? Perhaps a different market.
Never underestimate the power of a publication that reaches -
less than 10,000 people.
My freelance writing career began with a guest column entry
to a weekly community newspaper. Fast forward three years and
my column is now a regular feature with a title (My Big Top
World), a following, and a future. Additionally, my solid work
gave my editor piece of mind to assign me other articles. More
experience on the job meant more clips in my files. Soon I
confidently submitted queries and essays to other print and
online publications.
Too often I read articles advising writers to steer clear of
neighborhood publications. Can I offer a counterpoint? How
about five? Five reasons you should tap into your local
newspapers and websites for freelance opportunities.
1. An editor
Bloggers are their own editors. Content sites usually don’t
provide critiques. Never underestimate the opportunity to work
with editors. They know the business better than you. My editor
has over 12 years of newspaper experience so I value her feedback.
Local publications have more story ideas than their small-sized
staff can cover: You can fill that void. Small publication
editors may also be more open to your story ideas.
2. Networking
As with any job, networking is essential. I’ve interviewed
many people in my community and keep their contact information
on file. Who knows when I might call upon them again for another
assignment? I wrote one article for the local paper that led to
three different articles in other publications, based on one
contact alone.
3. Free advertising
A local newspaper article is free advertising, and not just
for the person or business being profiled. Other businesses
read the piece and see your byline. Do a good job and they
might consider your name for freelance opportunities.
4. A paycheck
“Local publications don’t pay.” While my paycheck may not be
on par with The New York Times, it’s consistent. Over the past
three years the fun assignments have netted an additional
$7,000 in my pocket.
5. Credibility
The appeal of content sites that promised editorial freedom
and constant revenue lured me for a brief period. While I
appreciate their purpose, the warnings about such sites from
reputable writers, as well as the lack of earnings I experienced
woke me up in a hurry. I wrote one article for a content site
and earned two dollars in one year. I tweaked the article,
added a local slant, published in a local paper and made $50
for less than one hour of work.
So the next time you’re skimming the doctor’s office magazines,
lamenting the content and vowing you could do better, look for
the local newspaper buried beneath. Jot down the editor’s name
and email address, and start your freelance writing career today.
BIO
Kelli Robinson is a freelance writer in North Carolina. Her
column, My Big Top World, takes a humorous look at the circus
life of parenting. Kelli’s parenting articles have also been
featured in regional parenting magazines like Charlotte Parent,
Carolina Parent, and Pittsburgh Parent. She’s written about
other topics for online and print publications. Visit her
website at www.kelli-robinson.com.
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