How to Write for Websites, Ezines, and Newsletters
“No one says you have to give up your dream of publishing your novel. But if you want to profit from your writing, consider Internet writing.” Looby’s inclusive writing resource comprises querying, researching, writing, marketing, networking, and important business facets for a career in writing.
Well-covered topics begin with musts for the freelance writer, starting with the need for three to twelve months of savings, then links to ezines, writer’s groups, and newsletter’s lists of marketing sites. The author states when one sends articles they should expect “more rejections at first than assignments.”
Success in the face of failure will rely on a personality that believes in one’s self and persists in marketing. She suggest querying many ezines with one idea and later writing the article, slanted to each Website. Tips for researching these topics include how to correctly use search tools.
The chapter “Writing Your Article” explains hooking the reader, sentence style, and formatting for acceptance. The author reminds that even if the article is sold “all rights” one can “recycle, reslant and rewrite” the story so it becomes new for submission to additional markets. Looby also covers how to grab the attention of the editor after the article is complete.
The chapter on marketing mentions the importance of one’s own Website and has links to development resources. This is not the only method covered, by joining writing communities through discussion groups, writers’ Websites, mailing lists, and associations, the writer can network and learn of opportunities. Bonus extras include templates for a query letter, a contract, and a payment invoice. The list of over 400 paying markets has a vast sampling of sites that buy writing.
For writers that want to quit that nine to five job for a career in writing, Looby’s book is a time saver and good investment. Even the part-time writer or hobbyist would find this a valuable reference.
Looby has a master’s of arts degree in English from the University of Illinois and taught college before turning to a full-time writing career. She has been published in Writer Online, The Electronic Writer, Writer’s Block, and many other Web publications. As the publisher of The Write Moves, a newsletter for freelance Web writers, she contributes to the writing community regularly.
Reviewed by
Nancy Leake
Disclosure: This article is not an endorsement, but a review. The publisher of this book provided free copies of the book to have their book reviewed by a professional reviewer. No fee was paid by the publisher for this review. Foreword Reviews only recommends books that we love. Foreword Magazine, Inc. is disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
