If, like me, you've submitted many short stories to the women's mags that carry fiction or pitched lots of articles and have had many rejections, you might wonder why you do it! But every now and then you get an acceptance and that one acceptance sets you back on the right road again - no-one is going down the road that leads to Quitsville here!
So how come some of your subs make it through yet the vast majority don't? It's not an easy question to answer as there are so many possible reasons why and editors don't always share them with us. It's no wonder we become so disheartened sometimes. But, when you get your next rejection instead of being negative and threaten to jack it all in, hold on to those few acceptances you have - they will bring you to senses! You've been published before and you can do it again.
What works for me?
Sitting on my bum and reading the mags I want to be published in.
Writing lots.
Making my writing a priority and making time to write.
Writing lots.
Not giving in to negativity.
Writing lots.
Learning from rejections.
Writing lots.
Listening to and talking with lots of fellow writers.
Writing lots.
Having the audacity to write and sub in the first place.
Writing lots.
Getting out and about and experiencing life so that I have lots to write about.
Oh, and did I mention write lots?
So there you are. That's what I do - sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't but that's what the road to becoming published is paved with, pot holes of rejection and side roads leading to nowhere.It's not a straight road. There are many twists and turns with steep drops either side. Watch your step - you don't want to loose your footing. Travel this writing road with care and you might well just reach your destination. But come to a screeching halt at the sign of the first road block or a fallen tree and you won't know, should you have made detour, where you may have travelled on to.
Go on, take a chance with your writing and see where it takes you.
Happy writing
Julie xx
Julie's Quest
Monday, 27 February 2012
Friday, 24 February 2012
Fill up your tanks
No, I don't mean your petrol tanks. That's far too expensive! I'm referring to filling up your writing related tanks. There is the Motivation Tank, the Inspiration tank, the Subbing Tank, the First Draft tank, the Editing Tank, the Socialising Tank and the Determination Tank. That's quite a lot of tanks to keep your eye on. But let any of them get too low and you run the risk of your writing engine seizing up.
I was lucky enough recently to be able to fill most of my tanks up in one fair swoop. It was my local writing group meeting last week and we one of our members did a workshop which enabled me to fill up to my heart's content. Her writing exercises and information, along with meeting with many friends and chatting within the group was a perfect opportunity to fill up and should keep me running until the next meeting.
My Determination Tank is seldom low as I have enough reserves of that to keep me writing forever! But sometimes my Motivation and Socialising Tanks run on fumes which is why my once a month excursions to my writing group are as essential to my writing as my computer is. And as for inspiration, the workshop's writing exercises, including free writing, opened up a mine of possibilities to me. Ideas flowed at the workshop that I am looking forward to working on over the next few months.
My First Draft, Editing and Subbing Tanks have almost over flowed these past few weeks as I've taken the February writing challenge on board - with six short stories subbed, two articles and another two articles on the go plus an assignment about to subbed for the journalism course I'm doing.
So, theoretically, I have enough material to work with - when I consider the novels I haven't yet polished as well - to keep me going for the rest of this year and beyond. It's like Simon Whaley, author of ten books including The Positively Productive Writer suggests - having a mixture of short, medium and long term writing goals to work towards means you should never be short of a project to work on. I've taken that excellent advice on board and it's working.
It's amazing what you can write when you put your mind to it, but it will only happen if you make it happen as no-one's going to write it for you, unless you employ the services of a ghost writer, of course.
So keep the momentum going and be happy in your writing,
Julie xx
I was lucky enough recently to be able to fill most of my tanks up in one fair swoop. It was my local writing group meeting last week and we one of our members did a workshop which enabled me to fill up to my heart's content. Her writing exercises and information, along with meeting with many friends and chatting within the group was a perfect opportunity to fill up and should keep me running until the next meeting.
My Determination Tank is seldom low as I have enough reserves of that to keep me writing forever! But sometimes my Motivation and Socialising Tanks run on fumes which is why my once a month excursions to my writing group are as essential to my writing as my computer is. And as for inspiration, the workshop's writing exercises, including free writing, opened up a mine of possibilities to me. Ideas flowed at the workshop that I am looking forward to working on over the next few months.
My First Draft, Editing and Subbing Tanks have almost over flowed these past few weeks as I've taken the February writing challenge on board - with six short stories subbed, two articles and another two articles on the go plus an assignment about to subbed for the journalism course I'm doing.
So, theoretically, I have enough material to work with - when I consider the novels I haven't yet polished as well - to keep me going for the rest of this year and beyond. It's like Simon Whaley, author of ten books including The Positively Productive Writer suggests - having a mixture of short, medium and long term writing goals to work towards means you should never be short of a project to work on. I've taken that excellent advice on board and it's working.
It's amazing what you can write when you put your mind to it, but it will only happen if you make it happen as no-one's going to write it for you, unless you employ the services of a ghost writer, of course.
So keep the momentum going and be happy in your writing,
Julie xx
Tuesday, 21 February 2012
How do you like yours?
Do you remember that Cadbury's Creme Egg advert where they asked how you preferred to eat your egg? My particular favourite was when they said 'two at a time, baby!' That always made me smile. But anyway, enough about chocolate eggs. What I've been thinking about recently is how ideas for short stories come to us as writers.
I've been thinking about this as I know that not all writers are the same and we all get our ideas for stories in different ways. For some it's a line of dialogue that pops into their head, or they'll overhear a conversation that will be the spark. For others it's something they see on the TV that will prove to be the stimulus. Sometimes an event from their past that resurfaces from a certain smell or certain place or person that will be the trigger.
For me, I often get a character speaking in my head. I know it sounds quite strange and I hadn't really ought to confess to having voices in my head, but that's how it is for me! And from that initial voice comes the short story. If I sit, notebook in hand, pen poised and actually try and think of a short story idea, more often than not none appear. But I can be sitting watching the TV, or walking around at work and a line or two of dialogue will appear from nowhere.
I'm quite a visual writer in that I often play the scenes of my short story in my head, rather like a film. I can see the characters and I can hear their voices and see how they interact in a cinematic way.This has its advantages in that I can play the story out and see if it's going to work. Quite often, if I'm stuck with a piece of writing, I'll do this and it can help me to flow again. If you don't already do this then give it a try.
So how do your ideas come to you? And how do you 'play' your story through?
Happy writing
Julie xx
I've been thinking about this as I know that not all writers are the same and we all get our ideas for stories in different ways. For some it's a line of dialogue that pops into their head, or they'll overhear a conversation that will be the spark. For others it's something they see on the TV that will prove to be the stimulus. Sometimes an event from their past that resurfaces from a certain smell or certain place or person that will be the trigger.
For me, I often get a character speaking in my head. I know it sounds quite strange and I hadn't really ought to confess to having voices in my head, but that's how it is for me! And from that initial voice comes the short story. If I sit, notebook in hand, pen poised and actually try and think of a short story idea, more often than not none appear. But I can be sitting watching the TV, or walking around at work and a line or two of dialogue will appear from nowhere.
I'm quite a visual writer in that I often play the scenes of my short story in my head, rather like a film. I can see the characters and I can hear their voices and see how they interact in a cinematic way.This has its advantages in that I can play the story out and see if it's going to work. Quite often, if I'm stuck with a piece of writing, I'll do this and it can help me to flow again. If you don't already do this then give it a try.
So how do your ideas come to you? And how do you 'play' your story through?
Happy writing
Julie xx
Saturday, 18 February 2012
It Must be Love .....
So, here we are, midway through the February challenge of falling back in love with our writing by writing something everyday.Where has the time gone? We don't know and we don't care because we're far too busy thinking about our current and future writing projects.
I have to say that I'm enjoying the challenge and I know a couple of other bloggers are too. The thing with it is that there are no restrictions, no rules, no word targets and no pressure. It's not a competition. It's merely an invitation to write something every day in February. It might only be two words or it might be 100. Whatever we can manage. We're busy people and sometimes our life circumstances and commitments cause us obstacles. But there will always be a diversion showing us the way back to our writing.
I've found that I am more focused and determined than ever since starting this challenge and my productivity had soared too. It's not been plain sailing since I started writing in 2007 but it's been worth the choppy seas. I still have lots I want to achieve with my writing and that's what keeps me going, along with the support from my writing group and fellow bloggers. I hope that you keep on trying too and that you find your own success. We are all rooting for you. Remember that when you get your next rejection and keep positive and working towards that acceptance.
Happy writing
Julie xx
I have to say that I'm enjoying the challenge and I know a couple of other bloggers are too. The thing with it is that there are no restrictions, no rules, no word targets and no pressure. It's not a competition. It's merely an invitation to write something every day in February. It might only be two words or it might be 100. Whatever we can manage. We're busy people and sometimes our life circumstances and commitments cause us obstacles. But there will always be a diversion showing us the way back to our writing.
I've found that I am more focused and determined than ever since starting this challenge and my productivity had soared too. It's not been plain sailing since I started writing in 2007 but it's been worth the choppy seas. I still have lots I want to achieve with my writing and that's what keeps me going, along with the support from my writing group and fellow bloggers. I hope that you keep on trying too and that you find your own success. We are all rooting for you. Remember that when you get your next rejection and keep positive and working towards that acceptance.
Happy writing
Julie xx
Friday, 17 February 2012
Interesting figures
There are some interesting sales figures for some of the women's weekly magazines like Women's Weekly, Bella, Best, The People's Friend, Woman's Own, etc over on Womag's blog. The figures show a general downturn but Take A Break reigns supreme as does Woman's Weekly. And people's Friend haven't done too bad out of it either.
What's worrying me is that none of these magazines, in their comments, mentioned their fiction sections as helping to sell their magazines! Women's Weekly spokesperson put it down to cookery, celeb and home. It makes you wonder how much of a priority they put on fiction and whether they value it. It's a shame that magazine sales are, in general, falling with more people going on line or their Kindle to read magazine content. Keep that in mind when you are writing your short stories and haven't yet been published. Magazines are under pressure and both fiction and non-fiction writers may feel the squeeze as editors try and save money.
It's hard to get fiction published in the magazines that carry them because they receive so many submissions - supply outstrips demand. There are too many writers vying for too few publishing slots and that raises standards, which is a good thing, but it also means that even if you have a good story, it may well still be rejected purely because they've filled their fiction slots. It could also be, however, that our stories just aren't hitting the mark and there are far better quality stories being submitted.
So our job as short story writers is to write the very best stories we can. We need to up our game and view our subbing as a competition. Yes, we are in competition with all the other womag writers out there - some of them whom have been doing it for years. The best thing you can do is read the stories by those womag writers whose names you see frequently in all the major mags that take fiction. You can learn so much from them and aim your sights on achieving that standard in your own work. This is not as easy as it sounds! One writer lamented that they tried to get their stories into People's Friend for eight years before they gave up! I tried for two years and got fed up and stopped subbing to them for a while until this week. I've sent three into them, two of which were rejected by e-mail within two days of posting (and that was second class!)
With all of this gloomy information do I think that we should just give up and that we would be fair better by putting our talents to other more profitable or less stressful pursuits? No I don't, and if you truly love writing and value your work then you won't either. If you're feeling fed up with all the rejections, and we all do sometimes, then best antidote I know is to keep reading the stories that do get published and keep writing and subbing, but I also switch to writing articles for a while. I've had far greater success with my non-fiction than my short stories and it gives my confidence a boost which gives me the motivation and lift I need to give the fiction another try.
So, in the style of a well known ballroom dancing competition, keeeeeeep wriiiiiiiiiting!
Julie xx
What's worrying me is that none of these magazines, in their comments, mentioned their fiction sections as helping to sell their magazines! Women's Weekly spokesperson put it down to cookery, celeb and home. It makes you wonder how much of a priority they put on fiction and whether they value it. It's a shame that magazine sales are, in general, falling with more people going on line or their Kindle to read magazine content. Keep that in mind when you are writing your short stories and haven't yet been published. Magazines are under pressure and both fiction and non-fiction writers may feel the squeeze as editors try and save money.
It's hard to get fiction published in the magazines that carry them because they receive so many submissions - supply outstrips demand. There are too many writers vying for too few publishing slots and that raises standards, which is a good thing, but it also means that even if you have a good story, it may well still be rejected purely because they've filled their fiction slots. It could also be, however, that our stories just aren't hitting the mark and there are far better quality stories being submitted.
So our job as short story writers is to write the very best stories we can. We need to up our game and view our subbing as a competition. Yes, we are in competition with all the other womag writers out there - some of them whom have been doing it for years. The best thing you can do is read the stories by those womag writers whose names you see frequently in all the major mags that take fiction. You can learn so much from them and aim your sights on achieving that standard in your own work. This is not as easy as it sounds! One writer lamented that they tried to get their stories into People's Friend for eight years before they gave up! I tried for two years and got fed up and stopped subbing to them for a while until this week. I've sent three into them, two of which were rejected by e-mail within two days of posting (and that was second class!)
With all of this gloomy information do I think that we should just give up and that we would be fair better by putting our talents to other more profitable or less stressful pursuits? No I don't, and if you truly love writing and value your work then you won't either. If you're feeling fed up with all the rejections, and we all do sometimes, then best antidote I know is to keep reading the stories that do get published and keep writing and subbing, but I also switch to writing articles for a while. I've had far greater success with my non-fiction than my short stories and it gives my confidence a boost which gives me the motivation and lift I need to give the fiction another try.
So, in the style of a well known ballroom dancing competition, keeeeeeep wriiiiiiiiiting!
Julie xx
Wednesday, 15 February 2012
Are You Worth it?
Yes, those adverts proclaiming us to be 'worth it' just because we choose a certain brand of hairspray or shampoo or whatever annoy me too, but they do make me think. Is it worth all the hard work of writing my novel or short story, editing them umpteen times, investing my time and life into such big projects (let's face it, time is marching on and none of us are getting any younger - particularly those of us over 40), when, due to the recession and the thousands of other writers trying to get published as well, my chances of getting published are so low?
What drives me and countless other writers to slog away at it even though we know the chances of us actually becoming published is actually quite slim? Yes, there are people who make it through but they're just a drop in the ocean. There are many, many more who do not. Yet they and we still beaver away. Is it an affliction? Something we cannot help? Or do we delude ourselves that we will be the ones to break through?
If you dwell on these rather negative issues then you will find that your doubts will become a self fulfilling prophecy . You think it so shall it be. Imagine if J K Rowling had given up, or if Charles Dickens had thrown down his quill! They probably would have had just as equally negative thoughts about their ability to become published, especially George Elliot who was writing in a man's world. Did they give up? No they ruddy well did not! They kept going and so should we. They all had to start somewhere - exactly where we start from - as an unknown writer wondering why the hell they are doing it!
I know it's challenging sometimes and that no matter how hard we try, how hard we work, there are no guarantees that we will achieve our goal of becoming published. I don't know what the odds are for getting published but I should imagine they aren't very encouraging. But no matter how slim that chance, how lost and unbelieving we are, some writers make it through and if you keep going so might you and I. One thing is for sure - if we don't keep trying them we won't get published. I know what I'm going to do.
So yes, we are all worth it! I want to see that swishing hair now - especially you Mr Whaley and Mr White ;0)
Happy writing and hair swishing!
Julie xx
What drives me and countless other writers to slog away at it even though we know the chances of us actually becoming published is actually quite slim? Yes, there are people who make it through but they're just a drop in the ocean. There are many, many more who do not. Yet they and we still beaver away. Is it an affliction? Something we cannot help? Or do we delude ourselves that we will be the ones to break through?
If you dwell on these rather negative issues then you will find that your doubts will become a self fulfilling prophecy . You think it so shall it be. Imagine if J K Rowling had given up, or if Charles Dickens had thrown down his quill! They probably would have had just as equally negative thoughts about their ability to become published, especially George Elliot who was writing in a man's world. Did they give up? No they ruddy well did not! They kept going and so should we. They all had to start somewhere - exactly where we start from - as an unknown writer wondering why the hell they are doing it!
I know it's challenging sometimes and that no matter how hard we try, how hard we work, there are no guarantees that we will achieve our goal of becoming published. I don't know what the odds are for getting published but I should imagine they aren't very encouraging. But no matter how slim that chance, how lost and unbelieving we are, some writers make it through and if you keep going so might you and I. One thing is for sure - if we don't keep trying them we won't get published. I know what I'm going to do.
So yes, we are all worth it! I want to see that swishing hair now - especially you Mr Whaley and Mr White ;0)
Happy writing and hair swishing!
Julie xx
Sunday, 12 February 2012
Head + Brick wall = ?
I suppose that pitching to new markets can rather seem like banging your head continually against a brick wall. Occasionally you might cause a bit of mortar to be displaced or a dislodge a brick, but mostly all that you end up with for your trouble is a sore head.
But is we want to be published, banging our head against the wall is what we must do. But, if you don't want to hurt your head or feel as though you are getting absolutely nowhere you have to bang your head in the right way and in the right place. In otherwords you have to find the weak spot and target your aim and strength there.
Ask yourself the following questions:
Have you read your target market, cover to cover, over several issues to get a feel for what you might be able to write for them and get a flavour for the house style?
Are you coming from a unique angle? It might be a well worn theme but if you can find a different angle not so well used by other writers, it might be a way in.
Are you barking up the wrong tree? Are you constantly trying to get short stories published but failing miserably and having more luck on the article front? Maybe you should go with what you know you're successful with and put the short stories on the back burner for a while. Or maybe you're talents are better suited to longer fiction?
What do you really want to get out of your writing? Maybe it's not what you originally planned.
So, if you think about your writing and what's working for you, you can apply this knowledge to that brick wall and make a hole just big enough for you to post your article, short story or novel through for it to be successful. You just need to know how to make that hole without damaging your head! Answering the above questions will go a long way to figuring that out.
Happy writing
Julie xx
But is we want to be published, banging our head against the wall is what we must do. But, if you don't want to hurt your head or feel as though you are getting absolutely nowhere you have to bang your head in the right way and in the right place. In otherwords you have to find the weak spot and target your aim and strength there.
Ask yourself the following questions:
Have you read your target market, cover to cover, over several issues to get a feel for what you might be able to write for them and get a flavour for the house style?
Are you coming from a unique angle? It might be a well worn theme but if you can find a different angle not so well used by other writers, it might be a way in.
Are you barking up the wrong tree? Are you constantly trying to get short stories published but failing miserably and having more luck on the article front? Maybe you should go with what you know you're successful with and put the short stories on the back burner for a while. Or maybe you're talents are better suited to longer fiction?
What do you really want to get out of your writing? Maybe it's not what you originally planned.
So, if you think about your writing and what's working for you, you can apply this knowledge to that brick wall and make a hole just big enough for you to post your article, short story or novel through for it to be successful. You just need to know how to make that hole without damaging your head! Answering the above questions will go a long way to figuring that out.
Happy writing
Julie xx
Thursday, 9 February 2012
Get Out!
It's alright. You haven't offended me and I wasn't shouting at you to get out. What I'm suggesting is that you get up off your chair, put your pen and paper down, shut down your computer and get out into the big wide world - well, your neighbourhood at least.
Now that the weather is slightly warmer (hah!) and the days are getting longer (yay!) it's time to peel off that winter coat and that winter mentality and step outside your front door. Sitting huddled at your desk, hunched over your computer may do wonders for your productivity. After all, you don't want to go out in the freezing weather or rain and it's all too tempting to hide away in your house, so having the excuse to use the time writing is good, right? Wrong. It does nothing for your waistline and overall fitness - something I've been thinking about. The longer you sit the bigger your bum becomes - it's not rocket science. And, actually, if you spend most of your time stuck indoors it doesn't do much for your state of mind either.
That's why I'm suggesting you might like to get out there and go for a walk. All that Spring (almost) sunshine and fresh air will put a spring in your step and blow your cobwebs away and your writing will thank you for it. Get out in the fresh air and get a fresh perspective. Spring is a time for new beginnings and new life, so it's time to open your doors and get walking. Be inspired, get motivated and get fit in the process. You don't have to go far - just a gentle stroll (or in my case, because my garden is so small, a few steps) around your garden will do the trick. You never know what it might lead to.
How is your Love Writing Month going?
Happy writing
Julie xx
Now that the weather is slightly warmer (hah!) and the days are getting longer (yay!) it's time to peel off that winter coat and that winter mentality and step outside your front door. Sitting huddled at your desk, hunched over your computer may do wonders for your productivity. After all, you don't want to go out in the freezing weather or rain and it's all too tempting to hide away in your house, so having the excuse to use the time writing is good, right? Wrong. It does nothing for your waistline and overall fitness - something I've been thinking about. The longer you sit the bigger your bum becomes - it's not rocket science. And, actually, if you spend most of your time stuck indoors it doesn't do much for your state of mind either.
That's why I'm suggesting you might like to get out there and go for a walk. All that Spring (almost) sunshine and fresh air will put a spring in your step and blow your cobwebs away and your writing will thank you for it. Get out in the fresh air and get a fresh perspective. Spring is a time for new beginnings and new life, so it's time to open your doors and get walking. Be inspired, get motivated and get fit in the process. You don't have to go far - just a gentle stroll (or in my case, because my garden is so small, a few steps) around your garden will do the trick. You never know what it might lead to.
How is your Love Writing Month going?
Happy writing
Julie xx
Tuesday, 7 February 2012
Progress report
I'm so pleased that some fellow bloggers have made the decision to join me and make February their month to fall in love with their writing again. Simon Whaley did a workshop at our local writing group a couple of years back about falling back in love with your writing. I never knew a Moleskine notebook could be so sensuous! When you're next on his blog, ask him what he did with the moleskine notebook at that workshop - I haven't been the same since!
Anyway, this is a round up of what I've been up to since I started the February writing love-in a week ago. I've managed to edit two short stories and sub them, as well as edit an article and edit and sub a further article. I've also come up with a few more ideas for articles and short stories that I will continue working on those over the coming weeks.
What's interesting about this February challenge is that it's really focused my mind on what I actually want to do with my writing. Instead of behaving like a butterfly, I've managed to ground myself and it's paying off. Giving myself permission to write and the time to do it in has helped. All too often writing time has been diminished due to life's other demands. But it is possible to write, no matter how busy you are, if you really want to.
So keep going those who are doing the challenge - it will be interesting to see where our February writing takes us!
Happy writing
Julie xx
Anyway, this is a round up of what I've been up to since I started the February writing love-in a week ago. I've managed to edit two short stories and sub them, as well as edit an article and edit and sub a further article. I've also come up with a few more ideas for articles and short stories that I will continue working on those over the coming weeks.
What's interesting about this February challenge is that it's really focused my mind on what I actually want to do with my writing. Instead of behaving like a butterfly, I've managed to ground myself and it's paying off. Giving myself permission to write and the time to do it in has helped. All too often writing time has been diminished due to life's other demands. But it is possible to write, no matter how busy you are, if you really want to.
So keep going those who are doing the challenge - it will be interesting to see where our February writing takes us!
Happy writing
Julie xx
Saturday, 4 February 2012
A Special Offer!
Have a look over on children's author Carole Anne Carr's blog for an offer involving freelance editor Neil Fein. I first met Carole at my local writing group and then I interviewed her for an article. She is a prolific writer of children's books and was fortunate to meet Neil and they have forged a partnership together through Neil editing some of Carole's books.
Happy writing
Julie xx
Happy writing
Julie xx
Positive Thinking works
You may remember me talking about Simon Whaley's new book The Positively Productive Writer that was published a couple of weeks ago.
Having now read it twice, cover to cover, and taken on board the advice it contains, I have to say that thinking positively about your writing really works. Take this as an example of why; I'm just getting over a particularly annoying bout of bronchitis and was feeling understandably low. I'm not the best at being ill as I don't like sitting around being unable to get what I need to get done!
I'd come to a standstill in my quest to branch out into new markets with my articles, but Simon's words kept running through my head and so I decided to just go for it and pitch away.
Imagine my surprise, when less than a day later, one of my pitches was accepted by a magazine I've not written for, or pitched to before! So what have I learnt from this? That thinking that I can do it means I did do it and I had a positive outcome which means I'm more productive as a result! I've also sent out several other pitches to magazines I've not approached before, so we'll wait and see what happens there too.
Of course, not all editors are able to respond that quickly and writing pitches and waiting for replies does usually take time. Writing, in many ways, is as much a game of patience as it is talent, determination and hard work. So if you don't get through the first time, I'd definitely advise to keep going - it works for me! Don't be afraid to approach new markets. I was fully prepared for my pitch to be rejected as this is what usually happens - but, on this occasion, it didn't. It's well worth trying and persevering.
I think what helped me was that I not only gave them the pitch but I also gave them a mini biography of my writing experiences to date as well as some of my related qualifications and experiences to show I had the experience and knowledge to write about the subject I pitched. Even if you don't have relevant qualifications you will have some experience, or know someone who has the experience and information you require for your article and it's important to let the editor know our credentials. It might mean the difference between an acceptance or rejection. You have to show the editor that you mean business and can deliver what they want. This particular editor doesn't know me from the hundreds of other free lance writers out there who send in pitches to them every week so it was up to me to show them what I could do. I'm looking forward to writing the article!
I hope your challenge is going well and you are falling in love with your writing again throughout the month of February. I know I am -which is a good thing, seeing as I have a few commissioned articles on the go at the moment!
Good luck and happy writing
Julie xx
Having now read it twice, cover to cover, and taken on board the advice it contains, I have to say that thinking positively about your writing really works. Take this as an example of why; I'm just getting over a particularly annoying bout of bronchitis and was feeling understandably low. I'm not the best at being ill as I don't like sitting around being unable to get what I need to get done!
I'd come to a standstill in my quest to branch out into new markets with my articles, but Simon's words kept running through my head and so I decided to just go for it and pitch away.
Imagine my surprise, when less than a day later, one of my pitches was accepted by a magazine I've not written for, or pitched to before! So what have I learnt from this? That thinking that I can do it means I did do it and I had a positive outcome which means I'm more productive as a result! I've also sent out several other pitches to magazines I've not approached before, so we'll wait and see what happens there too.
Of course, not all editors are able to respond that quickly and writing pitches and waiting for replies does usually take time. Writing, in many ways, is as much a game of patience as it is talent, determination and hard work. So if you don't get through the first time, I'd definitely advise to keep going - it works for me! Don't be afraid to approach new markets. I was fully prepared for my pitch to be rejected as this is what usually happens - but, on this occasion, it didn't. It's well worth trying and persevering.
I think what helped me was that I not only gave them the pitch but I also gave them a mini biography of my writing experiences to date as well as some of my related qualifications and experiences to show I had the experience and knowledge to write about the subject I pitched. Even if you don't have relevant qualifications you will have some experience, or know someone who has the experience and information you require for your article and it's important to let the editor know our credentials. It might mean the difference between an acceptance or rejection. You have to show the editor that you mean business and can deliver what they want. This particular editor doesn't know me from the hundreds of other free lance writers out there who send in pitches to them every week so it was up to me to show them what I could do. I'm looking forward to writing the article!
I hope your challenge is going well and you are falling in love with your writing again throughout the month of February. I know I am -which is a good thing, seeing as I have a few commissioned articles on the go at the moment!
Good luck and happy writing
Julie xx
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)