Freelance Writing

by Michael Sedge
 

We, as writers, are only human. As such, we fall into the same pits as others, e.g., overexcitement, a desire to get fast results, and laziness. One of the first rules of global marketing is to study the publications you wish to work for. And yet, I found myself recently overlooking this advice. 

I'd heard that the best paying markets in the United Kingdom were the magazines targeting women readers (-- and there are a lot --). In a rush, I sent out a series of query letters covering such topics as spa vacations, gardening, home computer businesses, and celebrities. These were all popular topics in U.S. women's publications, and besides, these types of magazines are all the same, right? Wrong! 

After numerous rejections, I found myself in London and collected current issues of several publications for women. Among them was a copy of Company, published by National Magazine Company. Without even opening the magazine, I realized why I had missed the boat with this one. The glossy, four-color cover carried titles like "Make Him Beg for You!" "The Night I Slept with My Bridesmaid," "The Only Sex Trick You'll Ever Need," and "Rugby Strip." 

No gardening in this monthly! I had been trying to sell them on ideas which I thought were for women when, all the time, I should have been pushing what the readers wanted -- for example, sex. 

Upon my return to Italy, I sat in the Leonardo da Vinci Airport, waiting for my bags. I watched as an Italian man talked to two British girls and I was amazed that by the time their luggage had arrived, he had succeeded in getting their names and the name of the hotel where they were staying. I suddenly had my first idea for Company: Italy's Latin lovers. 

A few days later, a fine-tuned query went out to the magazine. The phone rang on a Wednesday, nearly ten days later. It was Rachel Loos, deputy editor of Company. She wanted to use the article, which, ultimately,would carry the title: "Sex Italian Style: Ten Ways to Turn Your Man into a Latin Lover." 

While the moral of this tale is that you should definitely study a publication prior to submitting ideas, it also illustrates that top-paying European magazines are eager to work with writers who have the right ideas. 

Another area that pays well, when compared to their counterparts in North America, are foreign newspapers. Naturally, this does not hold true for all newspapers, but definitely the major ones. The recommended rates of England's National Union of Journalists for a national newspaper, in fact, is £200-£300 (US$340-$510) per article. At the same time, leading newspapers in the United States continue to pay $75-$200 for articles. 

Anything that is a hot topic in the news or related to a subject covered by, say, CNN, will go over well with foreign newspapers. The key is to have a unique angle or an aspect of a story that is not being explored by other media. If you are not into news, try celebrity pieces. These are always hot sellers. 

Granted, not everyone has access to Tom Cruise or Demi Moore. There are many of us -- including myself -- who wish we did. While film stars are by far the most noted personalities among foreign populations, they are certainly not the only celebrities who interest editors and readers. Early in my writing career I noted how many periodicals were using personality profiles. But I was far from the glitter of Hollywood and the bright lights of Broadway. It did not take long to realize, however, that world-known personalities were all around me. 

I first explored the local area and found that Admiral William Crowe was the commander in chief of the Allied Forces Southern Europe (NATO) Command. Soon after I interviewed him, he became the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff at the Pentagon, exposing him to more world media and increasing the salability of my article. I next sought out radio personalities such as Father Harry, whose program, "The God Squad," was broadcast to U.S.military around the world. I succeeded in selling his interview to Off Duty Europe, Stars and Stripes, and the Times Journal. 

While attending the Frankfurt Book Fair, I ran into Stephen King (all right, I made a specific effort to see him). There was no time for an on-the-spot interview, but I did get him to answer twenty questions in a follow-up letter. I then obtained photos from his publisher and sold the article in Germany, South Africa, the Philippines, and the United Kingdom. This success stimulated me to do further interviews with such authors as Alex Haley, Tom Clancy, and Lawrence Block. 

Combining popular categories like business and celebrities, I was able to open more doors. A story on Italian designer Fendi and the jeweler Buccelatti sold well throughout the Middle East, Europe, and Asia, as did a feature on entrepreneur John Hendricks, founder of the Discovery Channel. 

There are two points to be made here: (1) to be an international success, there are times when you must alter your area of writing to fit the market and (2) don't be fooled by the "celebrity" title when seeking out individuals for your interview stories. Look first in your own backyard. A women's magazine in South Africa might be interested in a local black female involved in business, while an art magazine in England may be thrilled to receive a feature on a local wax artist  (-- I've already done this one, so you may want to pass). 

One of the more enjoyable writing categories -- at least as far as research is concerned -- is travel. It is also an area that overseas editors seem to thrive upon. In-flight magazines, hotel and airport publications, newspapers, regional journals, and general-interest periodicals all buy good travel stories. Here too, however, you must come up with something unique. At the onset of 1997, I reviewed my foreign sales for the past year. I was happy to see that I had placed an increasing number of interviews, but concerned that my travel feature sales had dramatically declined. 

Not long thereafter, I was corresponding with Arthur Hullett, then editor of Singapore Airlines's Silver Kris. Try covering travel with a new slant, he suggested. About this same time, off the coast of Alexandria, Egypt, divers had discovered what they considered to be the lost palace of Cleopatra. I quickly sent a query to several editors, including Hullett. Not only did he buy it for Silver Kris, but so did Jim Randall, editor of Mobil Oil's The Compass, and several other editors around the world. Why? Because it was(1) unique, (2) exotic travel, and (3) newsworthy. 

Because I am well-linked to such groups as Earthwatch, the United Nation's Food and Agriculture Organization, and the World Wildlife Fund, I've been very successful in placing travel articles that have environmental slants. Topics such as volcano exploration in Italy, iceberg research in Switzerland, insect eradication in Libya, and ocean farming in Asia are all subjects that have sold in popular travel magazines around the world. 

When approaching any market -- in particular those abroad -- be creative, be innovative. Don't get trapped in the traditional mold of "travelwriter" or "news reporter." Let the markets be your guide and your overseas success will blossom into an attractive end-of-the-year bottom line. 

   -- MS
   ©1999 Mike Sedge