Nathaniel Fried
So you want to become published? You’ve come to the right place. We reached out to editors and industry experts to get you the tips and tricks that will get your articles published almost anywhere.
In the spirit of this post, Fupping accepts guest posts, so if you are interested in contributing, head on over to our guest post guidelines and submit a pitch.
#1 Stay Professional
Ensure that any profile is professional, this includes bio headshots. An unprofessional photo or by-line can reflect badly on the piece and discredit it, irrelevant of how good the content is.
Contributor: Natasha Orme from insightsforprofessionals.com
#2 Show Initiative
The best guest posts we receive often feature links to our own content. These are sometimes added in at the editorial stage but the sign of a good guest post is someone who has shown initiative and done this already. They use the content we have already and craft their guest post around that to provide more authenticity.
Contributor: Natasha Orme from insightsforprofessionals.com
#3 Use Good Sources
URLs that look outdated and untrustworthy can often discredit the piece. The number of articles we see that talk about 'the latest research' but refer to an article written in 2006 - when it comes to including research, think about the wording when referencing it in the article and also about the date the URL was published. With the fast-paced digital world, research from 2006 is likely to not be relevant.
Contributor: Natasha Orme from insightsforprofessionals.com
#4 Establish a connection first
You can't get your article published in a media outlet just by asking out of the blue. You need to establish a connexion with the journalist, blogger or influencer that you're reaching out to, and show that you can help them.
Send an email or call them to introduce yourself. Maybe send some interesting information, or the results of a poll or a survey that you organized on your website, and that they can use in their own articles. This will establish you as an authority figure in your domain. If the information you provided them with is unique and interesting, they'll be willing to establish a partnership with you.
As you offered them something of value, you can ask if you can publish an article on their website, and there are good chances that they'll return the favour.
Contributor: Gregory Golinski from yourparkingspace.co.uk
#5 Choose the right media outlet
Market your work to people who would appreciate it. In finding the right media outlet you'll need to identify their values and interests. If you can make a connection between your work and their brand you're halfway there.
Contributor: Caleb Backe from mapleholistics.com
#6 Know the publication's guidelines
Some publications have specific guidelines when it comes to both writers and pieces. By familiarizing yourself with the guidelines you won't waste your own time, or theirs, and get caught on a technicality.
Contributor: Caleb Backe from mapleholistics.com
#7 Approach the right person
Make sure you are sending your work to the right point of contact. Sending your pieces to the human resources manager will not get you very far. Alternately, sending directly to the editor will probably result in a direct 'spam' flag. Finding the right point of contact is imperative.
Contributor: Caleb Backe from mapleholistics.com
#8 Come with back up
Build your folio and share it. When sending in a specific piece always attach a cachet of previous work, even if the work is non commissioned. When an editor can see a cross-section of your work they are able to place you better as a writer and get a better feel for your potential.
Contributor: Caleb Backe from mapleholistics.com
#9 Follow up without being pushy
After sending your work always follow up. This could put your work in front of the right pair of eyes quicker and establish a relationship with the media outlet.
Contributor: Caleb Backe from mapleholistics.com
#10 Be great at your craft
Nothing draws in readers like a well-written piece. If you're not a great writer already, take a few writing classes and learn where you can improve. Familiarize yourself with AP Style and The Elements of Style (Strunk and White). Write clearly and concisely, and don't try to stuff your writing with fluffy words that don't mean anything.
To get better at writing, write daily. If you can, share your drafts with others in your field for feedback. The less work an editor has to do in order to get your piece into publishable form, the more likely they are to accept it.
Contributor: Whitney Meers from concreteblondeconsulting.com
#11 Great pitches come from knowing the publication inside and out
Don't pitch blindly because you think a post might be a fit. Seek out the types of publications that publish articles on topics of interest to you and spend a few hours perusing the content to learn about story types, voice, tone and so on.
Also, pay careful attention to the site's publication guidelines. Then, when you submit your pitch or fully drafted article (depending on guidelines), make sure you specifically mention why you think it's a great match for that publication.
Contributor: Whitney Meers from concreteblondeconsulting.com
#12 Become friends with editors
This is hands-down the best way to get your content published. Editors are very excited to have reliable contributors and finding good, consistent writers is actually surprisingly hard. Reach out to people within your network who work at the publications for which you want to write and ask them for introductions. You can also attend writer meetups and events to meet editors in person.
Contributor: Whitney Meers from concreteblondeconsulting.com
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