Lots of freelancers have a copy of Writer's Market on their bookshelves. Me? I chucked my copy the last time I moved. These days, any print directory of writing markets is out-of-date almost the minute it arrives in book stores. The markets that are still around probably get inundated with queries from wouldbe freelancers, and a lot of great markets are conspicuously missing. That's why I prefer to do my own sleuthing. Once you start thinking about scouting for new markets, they'll crop up almost everywhere you look! Here are some spots to check out.
1. The doctor's office. All those cumulative hours you clock in a hospital waiting room or in the examining room could pay off if you keep your eyes open. You'll probably find a stack of year old consumer magazines in the waiting room, but sometimes you can also discover a gem you've never heard of. It could be a random magazine left by another patient or it could be a custom magazine published by the hospital or a medical association. For instance, Vim and Vigor or Spirit of Women.
2. The airport. Inflight magazines are a great market for freelancers, and they often include general lifestyle and business articles in addition to articles on travel. But that's not the only place you can find freelance opportunities at the airport. Poke your head into the newstand, particularly at an airport far from home, and you'll often find unfamiliar titles that could be open to pitches. Also keep your eyes peeled for magazines left by other passengers in the waiting area or on the plane. And these days, airlines aren't the only ones with specially branded publications. Amtrak also puts out a magazine called Arrive.
3. The TV. Turn that time you spend vegging out in front of the TV into research! Most of us have read TV Guide, but there are tons of other TV-related markets. For instance, AOL has an entire blog, TV Squad, devoted to discussing and dissecting TV shows. Many TV networks have companion websites or magazines that feature original articles. CBS's Watch magazine and websites like HGTV.com or SoapNet.com are just a few examples.
4. The grocery store. Obviously, you could check out the magazine racks in the checkout line. But food writers shouldn't forget that many stores put out custom magazines to promote their products or provide customers with easy recipes using their products. For instance, Hannaford puts out (or perhaps hires a custom publisher to put out) a magazine called Fresh Wegmans has a magazine called Menu. There's also Costco Connection.
5. The internet. You're smart enough to know that you can find writing markets on the web. No arguments there. But in addition to newsletters like Writing for DOLLARS!, FreelanceDaily, and Funds for Writers, there are lots of under-the-radar ways to find writing markets. You could check out other writer's websites and see what publications they've written for. You could also use social bookmarking (see tip #5) to uncover new-to-you markets.
What about you? Where have you spotted potential writing markets lately?Flickr photo courtesy of Sarah Sosiak