Home
>
Writing
>
Gaining Writing Experience

Gaining Writing Experience

GAINING WRITING EXPERIENCE

Some Catch-22, huh? In the writing business, you can't get published until you have some experience. If you can't get published until you have experience, how do you get experience? How do you get publishing clips to show all those publishers who want to see "previously published clips"? It's almost as if Lily Tomlin's telephone operator character came up with this: "Is this the party to whom I'm speaking? Are you the unpublished writer who has published clips I can look at? (Snort, snort!)"

What's an unpublished writer to do? Get published, of course! I'm not being flippant; I'm serious. Think about your life. There are a number of things you can write about right now (essays and travel articles about that great place you stumbled upon last summer). There is a lot more you can write about if you do a little research (an article regarding something that has been on your mind-your mother's illness? The stringent standards of learning being enforced upon elementary school students?). How about doing an article about the writer's conference you attended?

Now you have your ideas, but where do you get them published? You might start with your local newspaper. If they're like most newspapers, they're in need of fillers from time to time. They might even be in need of freelance reporters during the summer and the holiday seasons. Talk with your newspaper's editor. Be frank. Tell him/her that you need some publishing experience in order build your portfolio. In addition to putting some published clips in your "clip file," you'll also gain valuable experience and hone your craft. Then when you write that novel starring the investigative reporter, you'll know the lingo?and the editor can say, "I knew that author when?."

Op-ed pieces are another way to go; and if you query the right market, you could make some good money while acquiring these published clips. We all have opinions. If you can write about a hot subject and express your opinion on it succinctly and objectively, you're in the position to write an op-ed piece. Let's go back to the standards of learning issue. While you realize little Johnny needs to get a good education, you also realize the importance of playtime and "down time." You don't want Johnny to be a prime candidate for a stress-induced heart attack at age 32. Many other parents feel this way. Some don't. Some would say, "Standards of learning?" Talk with other parents to get conflicting views and write the article.

Though some shudder at the very words "non-paying market," if you're an unpublished writer seeking clips, it's a good alternative. After you get those clips, it's not so great to work for free; but at this point, you need the exposure and experience, and they need the articles. I think it's a fair trade as long as you work for a web site, e-zine, print magazine, newsletter, or even charitable organization that you would be proud to have worked for. It won't do you any good to have clips with grammatical errors (either yours or theirs) or content that isn't credible.

Entering contests is another way to get clips, though this is more of a writing sample. Still, if you win or even place in the contest, this will lend some weight to your writing. This is especially true if you're a genre writer. Romance Writers of America even has a contest called the Golden Heart Contest wherein the winner has the "best unpublished manuscript." Malice Domestic is a contest for mystery writers. While these "biggie" contests are great, small contests are a boon to the unpublished writer as well. One caveat: There are a lot of bogus contests out there. Before you pay any sort of fee, check out the contest.

So where do I find all these places to get published or get noticed or gain some recognition as a writer? Well, you can find some by clicking on the links below:

NEWSPAPERS:

This link gives you information about newspapers in all fifty states and provides links to many of the newspapers' web sites.

http://www.50states.com/news/

OP-ED PIECES:

Adbusters (paying market)

Guidelines:http://www.50states.com/news/

Home & Family (paying market)

Guidelines: http://www.50states.com/news/

Woman Abroad (offers both paying and non-paying opportunities)

Guidelines: http://www.50states.com/news/

The Sacramento Bee

Guidelines: http://www.50states.com/news/

Additional Op-Ed Markets include:

Chicago Reader, Daily News of Los Angeles, Los Angeles Times, New York Times, Philadelphia Inquirer, San Francisco Chronicle Forum, The Star Ledger, Star Tribune, The Chronicle of Higher Education and Washington Free Press.

http://www.50states.com/news/

NON-PAYING MARKETS:

There are 285 listings for non-paying markets at http://www.50states.com/news/.

CONTESTS:

Freelance Writing.com

http://www.50states.com/news/

Writing-World.com

http://www.50states.com/news/

Gayle Trent is the author of the e-book SELF-PROMOTION FOR THE EMERGING WRITER, available for $5 US at http://www.50states.com/news/ Gayle's most recent novel is a comedic mystery titled BETWEEN A CLUTCH AND A HARD PLACE, available from Grace Abraham Publishing.

car service from Midway Burlington .. Lockport Chicago limo O’Hare

In The News:

Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson says a malware app called SpyLend is posing as a financial tool, hitting 100,000-plus downloads.

Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson says Clone Robotics’ Protoclone mimics humans with 1,000 muscles – too human for comfort.

Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson urges you to use Apple’s App Privacy Report to see what your apps are really up to.

Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson talks about how to smoothly transfer your data from an old laptop to a new one using cloud storage or external drives.

Kurt the CyberGuy offers tips to safeguard your personal information as scammers become more sophisticated with scam texts and other methods.

WeRide's unmanned electric delivery van, the Robovan W5, has 194 cubic feet of cargo space and can carry payloads up to about 2,205 pounds

Kurt the CyberGuy recommends deleting 16 browser extensions immediately in response to a report saying more than 3.2 million web users were affected by a security breach.

Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.

A robotics firm in China claims a robot has performed the world's first humanoid robot front flip, which is significantly more difficult than a backflip.

A digital ID may be even more secure than a physical ID. Storing your driver's license in your Apple Wallet is an ideal solution for commuters.

A cybersecurity firm has shed some light on just how common tax scams have become. Kurt the CyberGuy offers his advice for how to protect your refund.

Lifesize Plans offers immersive walk-throughs that allow customers the opportunity to tour a home's design before construction actually begins.

Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.

A man invested $4 million in bitcoin and lost it all with a single click when he was targeted by a vishing scam, which uses phone calls to trick people.

Expandable's Touchdown is a designer trailer that promises a luxury off-grid living experience and unfolds into a home in about 15 minutes.

Major employee screening company data breach affects 3.3 million people. Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson explains what happened and gives five ways to protect your data.

Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson reveals mind-blowing tech that gives you sunlight on demand.

New malware "FrigidStealer" targets Mac computers. Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson offers four ways to stay safe from infostealer malware.

Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson talks about how lab-grown muscles power a biohybrid hand for scalable prosthetics and research.

Reports of task scams have significantly risen in the past four years, according to the Federal Trade Commission. Kurt the CyberGuy offers some red flags.

iPhones have a hidden folder that eats up storage without you knowing it. Kurt the CyberGuy offers some tricks to free up storage on your device.

A recent ransomeware attack targeted Zacks, an American investment firm, and a cybercriminal claimed to have stolen records for millions of customers.

Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.

Researchers unveiled a new soft prosthetic hand that combines the natural coordination patterns of our fingers with the decoding of motoneuron activity in the spinal column.

Accidentally deleting a text message on your iPhone or iPad is not a problem if you still need the message. Apple has a built-in way to recover it.