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So, you want to freelance? Alright then. I'll help you get started. I'm a young freelancer myself. First thing's first.
Go to your local library and pick up a copy of The Writers' Market. Most libraries will have the '99 version on the shelves, and the 2000 edition in the reference section. You may also wish to pick up The Poet's Market and The Young Writer's Market.
All of the above are great resources for publishers and magazines. Now, what I want you to do, is go through those three books, and write down all the addresses and editor names of any of the publishers or magazines that you could possibly write for.
The Writer's Market is broken down into sections, to make it easier for you to find them. The first part of the book will probably answer any questions you have about freelancing, query letters, requests and manuscripts (i.e. ms). Let's start with the beginning of the book, after all the tips and resources. The first section is book publishers.
This is a tough industry for teens. It will take a lot of work to get your story published as a book. Let's go to page 150 of the '99 edition of The Writer's Market.
Antheneum Books For Young Readers. Bingo! If you read through what they accept, you would probably have a good chance of getting something published through them. But don't look forward to finding many that will accept new and young authors in this book.
That's what The Young Writer's Market is for. Alright, so you've found a couple of publishers that you may have a chance with. What do I do now? The next step you would take to be get the writer's guidelines. Those are a necessity. Especially if you've never done this before. How do I get guidelines? Most places will provide their address, and request a self addressed stamped envelope for the guidelines.
Once you receive the guidelines, read them over, and make sure your work fits them. Never submit something that doesn't fit the guidelines! If it fits, send in a manuscript. Again, The Writer's Market has a whole section on manuscripts. If you don't find what you really need to know in the book, try an internet search for 'manuscript help' or 'manuscript tips'. On page 47 of The Writer's Market there is a list of search engines if you do not know of one. O.K. , so you sent the manuscript in. Now what? This is fun part! Wait. Wait some more. The ad will normally say how long it takes to reply to a manuscript "I.e. Reports within 3 months". It could take a while. But it just may be worth it.
O.K. , but I don't have a story long enough for a book! Now what? There's a thousand pages of magazines that print smaller stories, articles and essays. Skim through the categories, find a couple of sections for the genre of work you're really good at writing, and write down some of the addresses. Do the same as above. Write for guidelines. If your work fits the guidelines, send a copy in for review. Again, it could take a while for a response. Some magazines are so overwhelmed that it takes up to a year to respond. Don't give up.
If you're interested in writing online, go to page 1051 of The Writer's Market. It lists different resources, publishers, and other tips. If you visit one of the sites, you're likely to find a page of links on that page, which will lead you to many other sites which are not listed in the book. It's a good source for related information for writers.
What don't I want to write? Here's a question I ask myself all the time. I've found a simple enough answer for this. I don't write anything I don't know about. If I don't know about the boat that crashed in 1800 in Siberia, I don't write about it. Try hard to write about things you have experience with, or have dealt with. Also try to write things that come easily to you. Babysit your little sister during the summer? Write about things you do, creative activities, or different places you take her to help others out. How-to articles and essays are well published on both the internet and in magazines.
Write plays instead of stories? That's O.K. too. The Writer's Market has a place for you too. There's a decent sized section starting on page 931 regarding scriptwriting and playwriting. With scriptwriting, the process is just the same as magazine and book submissions.
Interested in contests and awards? Find them in the back of the book. Many of them may be outdated in the '99 edition, but check the 2000 edition in your local library's reference section. With awards and contests, the process may vary slightly. There may not be any guidelines to get. The title of the award/contest may be all you get, and you have to go from there. On the reading fees, I've got a good idea on them. If you don't think your work is good enough to win, don't submit it. Especially if the reading fee is higher than $15. If the reading fee is only $5, and you think your work is decent, go ahead. This of course, is all up to you. If you really want to pay $25 for a reading fee, and you don't like the work you're submitting, go ahead!
I hope this has helped all you young freelancers out there. I'm not committed to finding you work: this is up to you. Check the websites, get the books. Besides, it'll feel a lot better if you find it yourself. Keep up the good work!
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