A
minor political scandal broke in the small Mississippi town where
I was living, and the local paper scrambled to cover all the angles.
Unfortunately, most of their writers lived in larger cities at
least 50 miles away -- which, if you know Mississippians, might
as well be in another country.
The
initial stories were peppered with inaccuracies about the town
and the political scene. Like the rest of the locals, I was irritated
by all the errors, and almost stopped reading the paper altogether.
But then, one day, I noticed little sprites, dancing all over
the paper. Could those possibly be ... dollar sign$? I
sat down and dashed off a bold letter to the editor, proposing
a follow-up story with quotes from residents and an interview
with the political whistleblower -- who just happened to live
2 houses away from me, and often gave me gardening advice. I had
no clips at the time, unless you count the poetry contest I won
in 11th grade. But
within 24 hours, I had an assignment. Weeklies,
small dailies and regional tabloids lack the cachet of the big,
metro papers or the national glossies; they are often overlooked
by freelancers. A working writer can find some golden opportunities
with a simple letter of introduction and a few follow- up phone
calls. 1.
Identify the editors of small newspapers, shoppers' guides and
local publications in your area who need to produce regular
features, news items with a local spin, and homegrown human interest
stories. If you live in a very small town, take a look at the
next county as well. 2.
Don't forget about businesses that send out regular newsletters,
like the tourist bureaus, the Rotary Club and the local junior
college. Someone has to write that copy -- why not you?
3.
Pare down your list based on your own writing skills and interests.
If you understand education issues, pitch a school resource guide
to the Chamber of Commerce; they get requests from new residents
and visitors all the time. If finance is your beat, write a piece
called "How to Make Your Vacation Pay for Itself" for
the regional travel mag. Like to write about food? Propose a new
cooking or restaurant column to the weekly paper. 4.
Introduce yourself! Write a short but powerful letter of introduction
to each potential market, personalizing each letter with the editor's
correct name and title. This one has worked for me: Smiley
Face News
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Kay Bolden publishes FamilyFest Newsletter, a free online
magazine for families of all shapes and sizes, and is the author
of Think Outside the Minivan: A Guide to Travel with Kids, available
at http://www.kaybolden.com.
She earns vacation money by writing for weekly newspapers and
travel agencies.
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