How to Earn Money and Add to Your Writing Resume

by Lori Hatcher
Are you a new writer seeking to add credits to your writer’s resume? Would you like to earn extra cash to support all the paper, ink, and sticky notes you’ve been buying since you got serious about writing? Maybe you’d like to expand your reach and impact new audiences with your knowledge, insight, and passion?
Ten years ago, I was on a summer sabbatical from the Christian magazine I edited and wanted to use my time to find new places of publication for my devotions and Christian living articles.
I pulled out the most recent copy of the Christian Writers Market Guide. The CWMG is a print and online publication that lists, among many other things, hundreds of publications and publishers seeking submissions. It lists the publications by genre and includes details such as how and where to send your submission, word count, editor’s name, and payment amount.
I looked for publications seeking non-fiction submissions. Ten years ago, the CWMG didn’t have a spiffy online version, so I flipped through page after page, highlighting and dog-earing publications that were looking for unsolicited submissions in my genres.
Whenever I found one that looked promising, I visited its website and read the submission guidelines. Editors’ names and other important details change often, and we always want to use the most up-to-date information available. 
Once I had my short list, I went to work. 
Two Ways to Approach Writing Submissions
I approached submitting in two ways. If I had an unpublished article or devotion that fit the guidelines of a particular publication, I made sure the word count, Bible translation version, format, and tone fit the publication by reading samples online, if possible. Some places requested a query letter to tell them a little about myself and describe the content of my article or devotion. Others allowed me to submit the piece itself with no query. I followed the guidelines and submitted. 
One time, I almost messed up. I was about to submit an article about how our electronics distract us from more important tasks and pursuits. Just before I hit Send, I reread the CWMG entry and realized I was about to submit a devotion about cell phone use to an Amish devotional. Whew! Learn from my almost-mistake—never rush to submission. Check and double check before you hit Send.
I used a different approach for other publications. If I didn’t have a piece already written that fit their guidelines or could be easily modified, depending on what they required, I either sent a query letter describing my idea or wrote a piece that fit the needs of the magazine or website. For example, I pitched two articles on parenting to a mom’s e-zine. After studying a magazine for seniors, I wrote an article about ten ways grandparents can share faith lessons with their grandkids.
I set a goal to submit three pieces each week during the summer. By the end of the season, I’d received quite a few “Thanks, but no thanks” replies. But I’d also received some acceptances. One query even netted an invitation to contribute paid bi-monthly feature articles. I wrote for that magazine for eight years (and even negotiated a raise after I’d established myself).
By intentionally seeking new avenues of publication, I grew in my ability to write to specs, earned money, made connections with new editors, and expanded my influence. I added new writing credits to my writer resume and shared my love for God with different audiences.
Summertime is a great time to pull out or pull up the Christians Writers Market Guide. Look through the entries and see who’s publishing what you enjoy writing. Reach out, submit your work, and see which doors God opens.
You may be delightfully surprised.
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Lori Hatcher is a freelance editor, writing instructor, and author of six devotionals with Our Daily Bread Publishing. Her latest book, THINK ON THESE THINGS: 60 THOUGHTFUL DEVOTIONS FOR RENEWED PEACE, released this month. Lori writes for Revive Our Hearts, Guideposts, Focus on the Family, The Upper Room, and Crosswalk.com. A frequent instructor at writers conferences around the country, Lori loves nothing better than helping other writers polish and perfect their craft. Connect with her at WWW.LORIHATCHER.COM.