Four important steps to landing a by-line in any publication:
** 1) Read the publication’s full guidelines (That’s where you’ll find details about what rights the publication buys, how much they pay, if they accept photos, and so on.)
** 2) Make sure your article idea fits the publication’s needs exactly. (If they only accept articles about the U.S., don’t propose a European round-up. If they only run pieces of 300 words, don’t suggest a 700-word story.)
** 3) Read through at least three back issues of this publication to familiarize yourself with its style, content, and quirks.
** 4) Now that you know as much as you can about this publication, follow to the letter the writer’s guidelines when it comes to submitting your piece. (Do they ask for a query letter first? If so, send one. Do they prefer a complete article on spec? If so, send that.)
Still not sure how to proceed? For more information, go back and check out the great resources, at the end of this week’s featured publication.
