You Are a Writer (8 page)
Let the editor know other publications may also be considering the piece (only do this if it’s true). This will put a little pressure on them to make a decision and let them know your work is in demand.
You can also ask what their typical response time is. For most magazines, the standard is four to six weeks. Websites are often faster.
If you don’t hear back in a month or so, they probably aren’t going to publish your piece. This is a general rule based on my experience. Always defer to the publisher’s submission process and guidelines. Every place is different.
This is why it’s always good to have a few submissions going (for the same article). So that the publishers feel like they’re bidding on your work. (They are.)
This is better than the alternative — waiting for them to pick you. It puts you at the helm, which is where you belong.
You are a creator of content, a wizard of words. They need you. Act like it.
If you decide to publish your piece with another publication (because you’ve waited several weeks and haven’t heard back), it’s courteous to email the publisher. Let them know you’ve decided to take the piece elsewhere.
The Unbreakable Rule
When pitching, there is one cardinal rule to never break.
I’m a little hesitant to share it, because I don’t want you to get the wrong idea. I don’t want this to be an excuse to back down or sabotage yourself. But this point is too important to not share.
The thing you must absolutely
not
do is this: Don’t keep following up after they’ve told you no.
This is not playing hard-to-get. If they’ve told you they’re not going to use the piece, don’t try to convince them otherwise.
You are only wasting your time and living in denial. Time to move on before you burn a valuable relationship.
Which raises another point: Sometimes, “no” is really “not now.” Don’t confuse the difference. If an editor says she wants to work with you again, she means it.
Step 5: Build Long-term Relationships
Wherever possible, build relationships with publishers. A publisher is not a person, but an editor is. Get to know these people; make their jobs easy. They are your greatest allies.
Once you have your foot in the door with a publisher, it’s much easier to get a second or third piece published.
Capitalize off relationships and write multiple pieces for places that have previously published you. Why keep fighting an uphill battle? The hard work is done; now, it’s time to benefit.
Build a relationship, and maintain it.
Typically, I write a few times for each publisher I work with. Why not? Once you get to know them and what they expect, it’s pretty easy to keep writing for them. And you usually don’t have to worry as much about pitching.
The hardest part is figuring out what publishers want and getting them to notice you. Once you’re in, you’re in. Milk it for all it’s worth.
One quick note (and this is important): Make this a relational transaction, not just a business one. Under-promise and over-deliver, and you’ll never have to go looking for work again.
If you do this right, don’t be surprised if an editor comes to you on occasion, asking
you
to write a piece. Once your foot’s in the door, it’s there to stay (unless you really mess something up).
The Business of Relationships
Never burn an editor. Read that sentence again. It’s important.
I recently wrote a piece for a website, and they wanted to change some of my content (which is typical). However, there was one phrase I was adamant about leaving, and they wanted to cut it. I was resistant.
Pitching a fit, I emailed a writer friend, saying, “Can you believe this! The nerve. What should I do?”
She gave me some tough love: “Do what the editor says. You have a gift: someone who is willing to work with you. Trust her. There’s nothing like a good relationship with an editor.”
You never know what will happen to these people — where they will go and what they will do. Make friends, not enemies, with editors.
Yes, there will be conflict. Yes, they will frustrate you and want to change your words. But these people are a gift. Their job is to make you better.
When you find an editor you like working with, be nice to them. Build a relationship.
This is a relational business. Always be looking for networking possibilities, so you can have more opportunities to write and get published in the future.
It’s acceptable to ask editors for endorsements and referrals for other writing gigs. Realize this is a “withdrawal” from your trust bank. Make sure you’ve made enough “deposits” before making a request like this.
Review
Let’s recap.
The most important of these five tips is the first one:
If you can learn to pitch well, you’ll get an article published.
The rest is details.
Publishing is about more than having the right ideas; it’s about having the right connections. It’s an art, so be willing to dance a little. (Pardon the mixed metaphor.)
Keep persistently pitching and try to not get discouraged.
Learn to embrace the relational aspects of the business, and you’ll find the right outlets for your message.
Remember: This is about forming relationships as much as it is about creating content.
When the Pitching Ends
Of course, all of this might seem silly. After all, every writer’s dream is to not pitch a single piece, to never have to sell yourself. Right?
But the reality is — one way or the other — you’re going to have to do a little selling. At least, temporarily.
You’ll have to knock on doors, email bloggers, and ask for guest post opportunities.
You’ll have to introduce yourself to agents and publishers before you get a book deal.
You’ll have to befriend editors and pitch like crazy to get a piece published.
You’ll have to send a few query letters and contact people you’d prefer would just ask
you
.
But all of this is preparation.
The truth is you won’t always have to do this. Not if you’re good. One day, you’ll be the gatekeeper. The publishers will come to you.
The paradox, though, is if you
are
good — and wise — you will do this, anyway. Even when you don’t have to.
The Myth of Arriving
Every diligent writer eventually reaches a point he never thought he’d reach. This will happen to you, I’m confident of it. You may become well known in your niche or finally publish a book or end up on The Today Show or
New York Times
Best Sellers List.
Every writer has a moment of “arriving.” You end up on top of the world (even if it’s a small world). You do something you never imagined. This will happen if you do your work.
But what then? Well, you have a choice:
- You can settle with what you’ve achieved.
- You can keep reaching out, keep challenging yourself, keep growing.
(Hint: Opt for the latter.)
Every milestone affords a new vantage point. You realize how much there is left to explore.
The trick here is to learn to be content with the journey, because you never
fully
arrive. However, the true masters of the craft are those who never grow complacent. They’re never fully satisfied; they’re always pushing themselves a little further.
Hear me loud and clear. I’m not advocating for being a workaholic and ditching your family and friends for a writing career. What I am saying is this: You can always get better. Do yourself (and your readers) a favor and remember it.
Don’t get cocky when you see success. You’re not as big of a deal as you feel. And the feeling fades. What remains is the eternal joy of getting to do work you love.
Death of a Salesman
The fun part, of course, comes when you don’t
have
to pitch your work anymore. When you can finally stop selling yourself.
If you choose yourself, build a platform, and always ship your best work, this is within your reach.
It may take time, but it will happen. It all begins with having the courage to ask. To make a few phone calls, send a couple of emails, even asking someone to coffee.
If you do this, I promise you a day will come (maybe sooner than you realize) when the editors will come to you, asking you for work.
They’ll want to pull an article off your blog or have you do a feature piece for an upcoming issue. They’ll want to partner with you to reach an audience. You will publish books and share your ideas with the world. And the dream will become a reality.
Until then, keep working. Keep writing. Keep showing up.
Always do the best work you can for less than you deserve (yes, you heard me). Because freelance writing is not just fee-for-service work. It’s marketing.
Piecework is platform-building. One piece at a time, you are building a legacy. A brand. A reputation. It’s worth a little sacrifice, a little sweat. Isn’t it?
By all means, don’t go hungry. But don’t make this all about dollars and cents. It’s a marathon, not a sprint. And those who win treat it as such. Drip by drip. Persevering till the end.
See you at the finish line.
Fin.
(We’re done here. Now, go do something that matters.)
What Next?
Well, that’s up to you.
I’m sure this book raised as many questions as it provided answers. That was the point. (Sneaky, huh?)
But I don’t want to leave you in the dark. This was, in many ways, an introduction to a conversation that I hope continues. Plus, I’d love to hear what you thought:
- What questions do you still have?
- What do you need help with?
- What did I miss?
I’d love to continue helping you in your journey of picking yourself and finding your own path to spreading your ideas and seeing your words in print.
We writers have never seen a time like the day in which we now live. I hope you take advantage of it.
If you’d like to continue this journey, check out an online writing course I started at
TribeWriters.com
.
If you have questions, you can find how to connect with me on the next page.
By the way,
thanks
. You didn’t have to read this book, but you did. I appreciate your sticking with me till the end. That says something about you already.
Remember: You
are
a writer. You just need to write.
About the Author
Jeff Goins is a writer, speaker, and communicator. He believes words can change the world and that brownies are the world’s best breakfast food.
He has contributed to various publications and blogs, including
RELEVANT Magazine
,
Copyblogger
,
Problogger
, and
Zen Habits
(voted by
TIME Magazine
as one of the top 50 websites of 2008.)
Jeff lives in Nashville with his wife and dog. He works out of his home and some days never gets out of his pajamas.
To connect with Jeff, visit him at any of the following:
- Email:
[email protected] - Blog:
goinswriter.com - Facebook:
facebook.com/goinswriter - Twitter:
twitter.com/jeffgoins
Share This Book
OK. You’re done. You’ve just finished
You Are a Writer
. Or, you skipped ahead to the end (likely the latter, if you’re like me — so go back and read it, then come back to this page).
So…
Did you hate it? Love it? Did it inspire anything or confuse you? I’d love to hear from you.
You can tell me what you thought of this book and/or share it with your friends by visiting this website:
youareawriter.com
.
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#youareawriter
Time to choose yourself.
Start creating.
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