Freelance writing FAQ
Freelance writing FAQ
1. Where can I read your pop culture articles?
The Pop Culture Writing page on my website has links to all of my published articles.
2. Do you still write pop culture articles?
On and off, although I have pulled back significantly from my pre-publishing frequency. You can probably find my most recent articles on TheWrap or Paste.
3. I want to get into freelance writing. Do you have any tips?
Step one: write! If you’ve never published any writing before, now is the time to start. When you’re first starting out, you just need to show you’re capable of writing the type of articles you want outlets to pay you for. Start a blog or ask a friend if you can write some articles for their site. It’s okay to start small; you just need some pieces out in the world that you can link to.
After you’ve got some published pieces under your belt, you can start pitching editors at publications you want to write for. Come up with ideas for articles you’d want to write, and why you’re the right person to write them, and start sending out emails (always stick to email — not social media DMs — and always use an editor’s professional email, not their personal one). Stay organized (spreadsheets help!), be prepared to be told “no” a lot, and above all, stay professional.
Once you’ve been hired to write an article, make sure to communicate clearly, follow whatever guidelines your editor gives you, and stick to your deadlines. If your editors enjoy working with you, that’s the best way I’ve found to keep placing articles.
4. Can you put me in contact with your editor at [outlet]?
I’m sorry, but I can’t do that. Not only would my editors not appreciate me giving out their email addresses willy nilly, but I can’t be sure they’re still accepting freelance pitches or haven’t moved jobs since the last time I wrote for them. The good news is that many editors list their contact information in their social media, so that’s a great place to start coming up with your own list!