By Eliza Woolf Many freelance writers dream of becoming a weekly, bi-monthly, or monthly columnist for a major online publication. As a columnist, the work is steady, you have a built-in audience, and, depending on the focus of the column, you’re essentially expected—and paid—to write first-person opinion pieces. The column becomes, over time, an individualized public meditation, a series of related articles showcasing your personal viewpoint on a particular subject. Done well, a regular column will accrue a dedicated readership (and keep you steadily employed).
What more could a non-fiction author ask for?
Still, writing a column is quite different from researching and writing a wide variety of brief news pieces, or how-to or self-help articles, or feature stories entailing lengthy investigative reports. A successful column demands consistency in overall focus and tone as well as insight, imagination, and reader sympathy and/or encouragement—all on a frequent basis. In other words, you can’t wait for inspiration to strike; you have to plan carefully, while also remaining open to suggestion and unexpected opportunities, particularly in the form of reader comments, questions, and criticisms. Column writing also requires specialized knowledge, be it of politics, the fashion industry, Wall Street, celebrity culture, dating and relationships, health and fitness, higher education, etc. You must, in other words, know the niche market you’re trying to tap into.
How, then, does one go about getting assigned a regular column? I don’t believe there is a universal failsafe method but, based on my own experience, I would like to offer the following 6 tips for those interested in becoming an online columnist.
1. Research, research, research. Know the publication, and the demographics and interests of its readership, inside and out before approaching an editor. Ensure that there is a market for what you have to sell, and pay particular attention to recent trends. If serendipity is on your side, you’ll propose a column at the exact moment an editor is searching for a fresh voice. (For ex., I noticed that the majority of recent Ph.D.’s felt ambivalent about academe and were beginning to explore non-academic career options, yet most higher ed columns still focused solely on academic employment or professional issues. I tapped into this widespread feeling of curiosity and came up with “On the Fence”: a column for indecisive, angsty academics interested in non-academic career options.)
2. Develop your focus. Think about the kind of column you would like to write and why YOU are best suited to write it. Do you have special expertise, for example, or a unique life story or quirky perspective? Make sure that you can explain the focus of your column and your qualifications in a brief sound bite.
3. Write your pitch. This is really important. You have to convince a total, highly experienced and critical stranger to A) take your idea seriously; B) take you seriously; and C) give you a chance to prove yourself. Your pitch also has to impress him or her with its originality, timeliness, or whatever. Make sure you spend some time naming your column and crafting the pitch; avoid the temptation to hit “send” prematurely!
4. Write the first sample piece . The editor may love your idea and ask to see a sample column piece straight away, in which case it would be really unfortunate if you had to stall for time. Be prepared for “yes,” even if “no” is what you’re expecting.
5. Gather together additional, related clips . Submitting a successful column pitch works best if you have published other pieces along a similar vein as the proposed column topic. Sample clips give the editor a sense of your writing ability, your style and tone, and your knowledge of the particular subject matter in question. You can’t go wrong submitting a succinct yet compelling pitch along with a few sample clips.
6. Be realistic . Sure, we’d all like to write regularly for the New York Times or the Washington Post, but building a reputation as a columnist from scratch is no easy endeavor. Consider your options and pitch to an editor who will appreciate your talents, even if the pay, and the prestige, is perhaps less than ideal.
With a bit of footwork and some persistence, you’ll be well on your way to writing your own regular column.
Eliza Woolf is a regular career advice columnist at www.insidehighered.com and also writes about the world of higher education at On the Fence.
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