by Sarah Hamaker, reluctant marketer
Last month, we talked about how to figure out topics for articles. Today, we’ll tackle how to find outlets for your articles. Note that these will mostly be unpaid but since you’re using these articles for promotion, it’s okay to carefully choose some outlets for your work that don’t pay writers (or pay very little).
Image courtesy of atibodyphoto/ FreeDigitalPhotos.net
Blogs. Now, this might seem like what my brother used to call a “Barney Rubble” thought (i.e., very easy to think of), but let’s dive a bit deeper. You should go beyond writer blogs and think about topic or subject blogs. There are blogs devoted to specific historical eras, medical conditions, areas of the country and crafts. Think about what blogs you like to read outside of writing-related ones, and perhaps there’s an opportunity for you to post something on one of those.
Online publications. From Christian to secular, there are a host of online magazines and websites hungry for good, quality writing. Again, find ones that dovetail with your passion and your writing—you do want to be able to tie in your books or website to your piece. There are way too many for me to list here, but most accept queries or submissions.
Newspapers. Your local newspaper probably has a need for articles, both for its online and print editions. Get to know the editors. Find out what kind of stories they want from outside contributors. I bet some of our CAN members have even started a regular column in their local paper simply by seeing a need and offering to fill it. USNPL provides a list of newspapers by state.
Radio/TV websites. You can offer to provide articles to local radio and television websites too, as they need constant content to stay connected with listeners and viewers. If you see a story related to your topic, offer to write a companion piece for posting. For a list of Christian radio stations, visit http://www.christianradio.com/stations/.
Organizations. There are so many associations, groups and organizations out there that have websites, newsletters and other forums to reach members and the public. Check out ones that are connected somehow to your subject or topic and see if they are interested in publishing an article from you.
What other places can you find to submit pieces? Next month, I’ll talk about how to pitch articles to editors in a query.
