Top 10 Lessons for Aspiring Writers

Earlier this week I spoke in the Publishing & Being Published class at Bethel University, a class I actually took four years ago when I was in college (way back then it was just a college). As part of my presentation I included a list of top ten things I’ve learned about being a freelance writer. I’ve done this kind of thing before, but I added a bit to it for this week’s presentation.


As I look over the list, I realize this is a very limited list. It’s what I’d want to tell college students, but there’s always so much more to tell. I hardly touch on the business and marketing aspects, which I’ve learned a lot about in the past year. But I’m not writing a book just yet, only sharing. So here we go…

Top 10 Lessons for Aspiring Writers

1. Do your research.
Know the publication you’re submitting to, know its audience, know the ins and outs of writing for them. Reading one issue of a magazine will not suffice. You need to devour the magazine, which will require looking at lots of issues. If you don’t know the magazine, it will be painfully obvious. And why would they hire you if you don’t bother to know anything about them? (As the editor of an online magazine, I actually had people submit articles in the mail who obviously had never visited a web site, let alone our web site. But don’t worry — I recycled.)

2. Be Professional.
Be the best in everything. Do it right, do it well, and do it on time. If it’s not right, fix it. If you’re reliable and do a good job, that will foster more assignments. If you do shoddy research, and turn in articles full of mistakes, you won’t get a second assignment. This is so blatantly obvious it shouldn’t be on the list, but you’d be surprised at how far ahead you can get simply by doing what’s considered professional.

3. Communicate.
When you are in contact with an editor, communicate with them as much as possible. Ask questions until you know exactly what they’re looking for. Don’t assume anything. Often editors don’t have a specific idea what they want, but they know exactly what they don’t want. Make sure you’re not turning in what they don’t want.

4. Network.
Network with as many people as possible. Often volunteer projects with classmates will turn into paying assignments. Connections matter — this is why you do your best all the time. An informational interview is an excellent, low pressure way to meet people in the industry. Take ’em out for coffee and let them talk about themselves — they love it.

5. You Have No Ego.
Succeeding in publishing requires a tough skin. Get used to rejection, don’t expect things to be handed to you. And don’t take it personally.

6. Get Experience:

  • Get published. It can be the school newspaper or your own web site — just get published. As you get into the writing world you need to have examples of your work, and the piece you wrote for class or the story hidden in your drawer don’t count. You might not get paid, but that’s how it works. Editors want to see published clips not because they question your skill (that’s easy to judge) but because they question your experience.
  • Get an internship. Working at Target is great to pay the bills, but if you want to have a job in this field, you need to get experience. Paid or unpaid, get a job in the field. You can come be my intern (primary responsibilities include cleaning the breakroom, aka my kitchen).

7. Money Isn’t Everything.
Working for free can open doors (and connections) that will lead to paying jobs.

8. Learn A Lot. Now.
Just because you’re a writer doesn’t mean other subjects aren’t important. I’m kicking myself for my appalling lack of business knowledge, something one or two general business classes would have helped immensely. You’re paying (or someone is) a whole lot of cash to get a good education — make sure you’re getting it. You may hate grammar, but it’s a lot easier to ask the prof to explain effect and affect than to have to figure it out on the job. If you stink at interviewing, take the time to learn now. It’s better to blow the interview with the campus chef for the school paper than to blow the interview with Mel Gibson.

9. Take Care of Thyself.
Read and write every day. Start a journal, a diary, a blog, and put something down every day. It can be fiction that never goes anywhere, or intimate thoughts, but the practice will do wonders. And read: books, magazines, whatever. Improve your writing by exposing yourself to good writing. Pay attention to what you read — what makes it good or bad? Writers are idea people — you need a hungry mind.

10. Know Thyself.
It sounds cheesy, but it really helps to know your strengths and weaknesses — both professionally and personally. Despite my messy desk, I crave organization, which explains why I’m good at setting up a publication schedule. I’m also an introvert, which means an all day convention is going to wear me out and I’ll want to be alone in the evening (knowledge that has helped my marriage tremendously).

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