Legitimate Freelance Writing Websites?

[llqool]

Have been doing some freelance writing for a couple of local publications to make a little (a very little!) extra cash. I have been looking online to see if i can find more writing opportunities, but many of the websites i have seen do not seem legit. In my opinion, if you are paying *them* money to have a chance to write, then there's something kinda fishy going on. There are several sites where you pay them to have a blog and then I guess you are getting $$ from ads featured on the page. I don't want to have to pay anything, I just want to write!

Does anyone know of a good place to look for opportunities?

Thanks!

 

[jlovesee]

Well.... if you wouldn't mind volunteer work for awhile (we are a for profit, functioning as a not for profit right now!). My husband and I publish a magazine (Theme Parks Magazine) and are always interested in good writers.

You can PM me if you are interested.

Jennifer

 

[wdwpluto]

What types of publications are you interested in writing for? Research them online and pitch them ideas. That's how the magazine I work for finds writers/stories. You shouldn't have to pay a dime.

 

[peachgirl]

Sent you a pm...

 

[Tree]

http://www.freelancewriting.com/jobbank/

 

[reesecup]

Thank you Tree. I am also trying to work on some freelance writing. My background is in journalism as a reporter but the schedule was too crazy with two children in activities. That seems to be a great website you posted.

llqool... you may want to pick up "The Writer's Market" book. There are tons of listings in it and what is expected when submitting a query.

 

[reesecup]

Forgot to add. I worked as a reporter for my local paper, but I wrote many columns (and still do with them on occasion) . Most inspirational and humor types. And our family trips (I don't think I've ever done one on Disney yet). If anyone knows of another website that leans more to this style, will you let me know? Thank you again for posting this question llqool!

 

[crisi]

My husband used to be a copywriter....if you don't mind doing advertising work (which is probably less interesting than freelance story writing for magazines - but from what I understand, easier to sell) they were always hiring freelance writers. Build a portfolio and schlep it around to a few ad agencies or marketing firms. Make up a mailer piece and send it out.

He hasn't done that sort of work for about eight years, but I don't think the market has changed too much.

 

[llqool]

I want to thank everyone who replied to this thread! I appreciate any and all leads at this point. I have been writing for a local (Augusta, GA) parenting magazine as well as a home and garden publication. I have been fortunate enough to get assigned stories by the editor instead of having to go the whole query route. But it's very sporadic and I could use more work and more $$!

Not only is it difficult to find work, but it's difficult for me to actually *do* the work b/c I'm a domestic goddess with a three year old and a 17 month old. I can do the writing at obscenely early hours of the morning (sometimes I get up before 5 am), but doing interviews gets more tricky!

reesecup...have you tried local/regional publications that publish that kind of thing? there are several in this area. they don't pay very much, but they do publish essays (for example, in the south, there is a women's magazine called Skirt, and i know there are others out there...)

 

[tar heel]

I've freelanced for 22 years and have a few ideas. My absolute best advice is to get to know other freelance writers so they can give your name when they don't have time to do something. Also, really get to know publications in your area. You can just go to the library and look through things, trying to figure out which ones have staff and which ones are hiring stories out.

Try local bureaus of major newspapers -- they almost always need freelancers. If there are colleges or universities near you, work really hard on getting in there. It's amazing the number of grants that have a little of bit of $ for marketing but not enough to hire a person. Also, many alumni magazines have virtually no writing staff -- it's all freelanced.

Also, try nonprofits that do not have a communications person. I worked for 16 years for a local YMCA, for four years for a hospice and for four years for an arts council.

Also, to make $ expand beyond just feature writing. I learned early on that there was more $ in doing ongoing PR and newsletters. Within a couple of years, I had dropped feature writing totally except for airline magazines, an alumni magazine and sporadic pieces for national publications. I also made some hard and fast rules for myself - nothing under a certain price and no speculation pieces. If you're a journalism school grad, make sure your alumni employment office knows you're looking for work, too.

 

[tar heel]

Another thing. When I was freelancing full time with a young child, I hired a college student who came a couple afternoons a week. If you're any where near a college, consider that -- it can preserve your sanity and also enable you to work more. Later on, I had a high school student who helped me a couple afternoons a week.

 

[llqool]

wow, tar heel, thanks for all that good info...some of those ideas had not occurred to me. If I did want to break into marketing/PR type stuff, what would you suggest as a first step? Approach it like you would a query to a "regular" editor? I do have some clips under my belt now, but I *don't* have a degree in journalism (i have what you might call a varied academic background, with both a degree in computer programming *and* an MA in Chinese History!).

 

[tar heel]

I kind of lucked into my on-going PR jobs. Got the first one from a newspaper ad and the other two through people calling me.

You might start with children's nonprofits since you're doing some writing related to children. I would try to get an appointment with either the director or the development person.

I also would see if there's anything you can do with your degrees and writing. I have no idea how to break into technical writing, but there's real $ there and you have a technical degree. I would try to make contact with the history department of any local colleges. I had a part-time job as the one employee of an academic journal for a few years -- great situation and work environment. Is there an academic book publisher in your area? You would seem to be a natural for copyediting any book related to Chinese history.