How to Make Money Writing Fiction
Be willing to write what others want to read., Get the freelance bible., Subscribe to your favorite magazines that publish fiction., Read the submission guidelines before you write or submit a piece of work., Connect with other writers., Develop...
Step-by-Step Guide
-
Step 1: Be willing to write what others want to read.
Draw upon your creativity and writing skills to write fiction pieces that are in demand.
You can still work on your Gothic novel, but you have to be willing to write pieces that other people are willing to pay for.
Look at your writing as a business, and start drumming up business for yourself. -
Step 2: Get the freelance bible.
Otherwise known as the Writer’s Market, this book is published annually and contains thousands of listings for writers who are looking to sell their work.
These listings include magazines, newspapers, greeting card companies to name just a few.
Every listing includes all the details you need about what the publication is looking for, submission instructions and pay rates.
Look at the magazine listings that interest you and start submitting small fiction pieces.
Once you get your feet wet writing what you know, you can expand your horizons and write fiction pieces for magazines and other venues that don’t particularly interest you, but that pay well for freelance articles.
Don’t dismiss literary magazines.
These specialty magazines usually don’t pay very much, but you can add publication of your pieces to your resume and still earn a little money.
Hone your sense of humor.
Many periodicals are looking for humorous pieces, and these short pieces usually pay well.
Look at every venue as an opportunity.
Maybe you wouldn’t consider writing an article for Cat Fancy magazine because you don’t have a cat, but do you have a funny story to tell about your neighbor’s cat? , Scrutinize them every month and get a feel for what types of articles the editors favor.
Deduct the cost of the subscription from your freelance writing business. , Adhering to the submission guidelines will save you time and aggravation:
Look at residency, gender and age requirements first.
Strange as this may sound, there are publications that will only accept submissions from residents of a particular state or country, or articles written by women, minorities, or people in a certain age group.
Restrictions like these are also common in writing contest guidelines.
The periodical may not accept submissions, or they may accept submissions only during certain times of the year.
They may accept submissions after you have sent an inquiry.
The guidelines will specify what type of story the periodical is seeking.
Don’t make the mistake of submitting an article about romance if they aren’t looking for pieces in that genre.
Strictly follow their word count specifications.
Don’t submit a 2,000 word article when they have a limit of 300 words.
Be clear about their pay scale, if they have one.
Some periodicals pay a flat rate, some pay by the word and some don’t pay at all; your reward is seeing your name in print. , Search for writing forums on the Internet and join in.
It’s a form of networking that could lead you to new writing markets to explore.
You will most likely pick up some great writing tips as well. , Start small and keep it simple in the beginning.
There are books and websites available to walk you through the process.
You can serialize your own novel or blog.
You can also learn how to make your website earn money for you through advertisers.
Last, but not least, your work may come to the attention of editors or agents who might otherwise never see it. , If you have a storehouse of unpublished articles, sift through them to see if you can find an angle in any particular story that can be adapted to fit within a magazine’s guidelines. , Don’t let a sloppy typo cause your submission to be tossed aside. , Some periodicals will accept submissions through agents only.
Search online for websites that list literary agents.
Narrow your search for agents that specialize in fiction and short stories. , This isn’t counterproductive; some contests reward winners with new computers; it’s not cash, but it’s also not money out of your pocket when you have to replace your aging laptop. , Aim to submit at least 3 articles every week.
Set aside at least 1 hour every day to research new markets. but reserve some time every day to work on your pet writing project. -
Step 3: Subscribe to your favorite magazines that publish fiction.
-
Step 4: Read the submission guidelines before you write or submit a piece of work.
-
Step 5: Connect with other writers.
-
Step 6: Develop your own website.
-
Step 7: Learn to adapt.
-
Step 8: Strive for perfection.
-
Step 9: Look for a literary agent.
-
Step 10: Enter writing contests that don’t pay cash.
-
Step 11: Set clear goals for yourself.
Detailed Guide
Draw upon your creativity and writing skills to write fiction pieces that are in demand.
You can still work on your Gothic novel, but you have to be willing to write pieces that other people are willing to pay for.
Look at your writing as a business, and start drumming up business for yourself.
Otherwise known as the Writer’s Market, this book is published annually and contains thousands of listings for writers who are looking to sell their work.
These listings include magazines, newspapers, greeting card companies to name just a few.
Every listing includes all the details you need about what the publication is looking for, submission instructions and pay rates.
Look at the magazine listings that interest you and start submitting small fiction pieces.
Once you get your feet wet writing what you know, you can expand your horizons and write fiction pieces for magazines and other venues that don’t particularly interest you, but that pay well for freelance articles.
Don’t dismiss literary magazines.
These specialty magazines usually don’t pay very much, but you can add publication of your pieces to your resume and still earn a little money.
Hone your sense of humor.
Many periodicals are looking for humorous pieces, and these short pieces usually pay well.
Look at every venue as an opportunity.
Maybe you wouldn’t consider writing an article for Cat Fancy magazine because you don’t have a cat, but do you have a funny story to tell about your neighbor’s cat? , Scrutinize them every month and get a feel for what types of articles the editors favor.
Deduct the cost of the subscription from your freelance writing business. , Adhering to the submission guidelines will save you time and aggravation:
Look at residency, gender and age requirements first.
Strange as this may sound, there are publications that will only accept submissions from residents of a particular state or country, or articles written by women, minorities, or people in a certain age group.
Restrictions like these are also common in writing contest guidelines.
The periodical may not accept submissions, or they may accept submissions only during certain times of the year.
They may accept submissions after you have sent an inquiry.
The guidelines will specify what type of story the periodical is seeking.
Don’t make the mistake of submitting an article about romance if they aren’t looking for pieces in that genre.
Strictly follow their word count specifications.
Don’t submit a 2,000 word article when they have a limit of 300 words.
Be clear about their pay scale, if they have one.
Some periodicals pay a flat rate, some pay by the word and some don’t pay at all; your reward is seeing your name in print. , Search for writing forums on the Internet and join in.
It’s a form of networking that could lead you to new writing markets to explore.
You will most likely pick up some great writing tips as well. , Start small and keep it simple in the beginning.
There are books and websites available to walk you through the process.
You can serialize your own novel or blog.
You can also learn how to make your website earn money for you through advertisers.
Last, but not least, your work may come to the attention of editors or agents who might otherwise never see it. , If you have a storehouse of unpublished articles, sift through them to see if you can find an angle in any particular story that can be adapted to fit within a magazine’s guidelines. , Don’t let a sloppy typo cause your submission to be tossed aside. , Some periodicals will accept submissions through agents only.
Search online for websites that list literary agents.
Narrow your search for agents that specialize in fiction and short stories. , This isn’t counterproductive; some contests reward winners with new computers; it’s not cash, but it’s also not money out of your pocket when you have to replace your aging laptop. , Aim to submit at least 3 articles every week.
Set aside at least 1 hour every day to research new markets. but reserve some time every day to work on your pet writing project.
About the Author
Judith Morales
Enthusiastic about teaching DIY projects techniques through clear, step-by-step guides.
Rate This Guide
How helpful was this guide? Click to rate: