Writing for Publications

Jan 2, 2011 by Paula

Many budding writers dream of seeing their names in the bylines of their articles that get published in newspapers and magazines. However, writing for publications is not all that it is cracked up to be.

For one, majority of publications do not accept unsolicited materials. Unless they are well-written and informative, these articles usually end up being rejected. It is also a known fact that publications are notorious for paying late. Even with regular contributors, you don’t get paid upon submission. You have to wait for the article to get published AND for the advertisers to pay them for ad space before they could pay you. Some unscrupulous editors either solicit so many articles and, later, don’t publish them or they don’t pay you at all even if they do get printed. It is because of these questionable standards that writers should take the necessary steps to protect their interests.

First of all, never go into a commitment with a publication without a contract. Discuss rates, including transportation and food expenses. Some magazines who send out their contributors to cover events or interview certain people do not reimburse expenses for taxi and food. Negotiate for a reasonable time of payment. If you are in need of money, you may need to specify that payments to you be made “on submission”. Include a “Kill Fee” in your contract. This fee covers an amount in the event that the article solicited by the editor ends up not getting published. The “Kill Fee” is 50% of the rate of the published article. For example, if you are paid P1,500 for a 1-page article, the “kill fee” would be P750.

Newbie writers need not be taken advantage of by the questionable practices of publications. By taking the above necessary steps, you can ensure that your interests are protected and that your hard work will not go to waste.