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Write now Article Tools

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available as they would be ordinarily. Christmas, summer and April (when newspapers receive their new budget) are all examples.

Learn the Lingo

Copy - The written work itself

Intro - The introduction of the article

Pars - Paragraphs

Caption - Words that feature under an image

By-line - The writers name (usually appearing before the introduction and after the headline)

Stand first - The short introductory written before the article itself. Most commonly seen underneath the title.

Get aquainted with the style guide

Familiarise yourself with the "house style". Get accustomed to the style of the particular magazines or newspaper. Their use of punctuation, including speech marks and commas all tend to differ. Most style guides can now be found online for easy convenience.

One sentence equals one paragraph

Do they use single digit numbers or words?

Style points such as ages, dates, etc, can also differ via different publications. For example, do they use; (34) or 34?

Contact the correct person

Always attain the correct name and direct contact details ( someone authorised to accept the copy)

Do not ask the editor when the commissioning editor is responsible. Middle management includes the features editor, commissioning editor and news editor.

Don't be afraid to discuss money

Prepare what you are going to say. News editors and feature editors are busy people so cutting to the chase is advisable.

Ask for the price rating on the particular article that you have written

Similarly, the more prevalent the story and the nearer the front of the paper/magazine it features, the more money.

Facts on pay

Word length. The longer the written copy, the more money you receive. Similarly, the bigger the story, the more money.

Dependant on where the article is placed and how much of it is used front page generally pays more money than say, page 24, for example.

Exclusives.This happens when you enter into a verbal contract with a publication, meaning it will not be sold to a competitor. This will guarantee an increased amount of money as it has not been sold to any other publication

The amount of money you receive will depend on how many publications decide to purchase it

Repuation. A notable name in the industry may be able to command fees

Including images in an article will increase pay as it physically occupies space on the page. The copy will also have more impact with a visul image.

A career as a freelance writer will take an enourmous amount of enthusiasm and perseverance, but there is an ever increasing demand for this particular vocaction through the medium of technology. Broad exploration of the Internet and various publications may lead to many different opportunities throughout the field of freelance. The Internet is the most practical powerful medium of demonstration and marketing at this current time so remaining with the times will ensure relevance and essential connection throughout your freelance career.

Learn more about this author, Nancy Boland.
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