I have written for some trade journals and would like to do more, so I read the recent roundup blog about trade journals with interest. None of the writers addressed what seems to be a sad point: many trade journals pay nothing, for they secure copy from companies or individuals who want the publicity. Others pay pennies per word and pay on publication(!). So...any recommendations on trades that pay well and pay on acceptance? I don't mean individual magazines(unless they want to be that specific), just the main corporate publishing companies.
As I've previously 'fessed up, I don't write for trades, and I didn't want to bug those generous writers who had previously offered up wise words on breaking into trades. Thus...I'm opening this one up to readers, many of whom have a lot of trade experience, I'm sure.
So, guys, if you know of good trade market, please do post about it! Remember: this advice thing is also about karma - put something out there, and something good is likely to come back you. And it's also wise to keep in mind that there is always plenty of work to go around. Offering up some market advice really won't cramp the pace of your own assignments. Trust me, I do it here almost every day, and I've never once regretted it.
So...spill!
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4 comments:
A number of legal trade publications pay well (California Lawyer, Student lawyer, etc.).
And, although I'm not sure this would count as a trade publication, I've also found that higher education/alumni mags (at least the two I've written for) pay well too.
Hope that helps.
Jenny, have you attended the university of your alumni mag? Sadly, my alumni magazine doesn't accept freelancers, but it is a great venue, so I'd like to look into others. Good idea!
I did attend the two schools I've written for, but I'm pretty sure the editors would consider hiring non-alum, and I imagine other schools would too.
Just the other day I saw an ad for a university looking for a freelance writer, but I can't remember the name of the school(sorry!). I think I saw the posting on Columbia's School of Journalism's career offices webpage.
Good luck!
Some trade mags pay pennies, but the ones I write for pay $.50 to $1 per word and up. You can find the pay rates of different trades in directories like Writer's Market.
I know that $.50 per word doesn't sound like a lot, but trade articles tend to be much easier to write than articles for national magazines, so your hourly rate may be as high or higher for trade magazines. Trade magazine editors often give you list of sources to contact, and sometimes even give you a list of questions to ask. Also, I can count on one hand the number of times I've had to do a revision on a trade magazine article. Less time working = more pay per hour.
Cheers,
Linda
http://www.therenegadewriter.com
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