(About 630 words)
From Editor to Freelance Writer
Forward by Tony Indilicato, Editor
Capital District Computer Enthusiasts of New York, Inc.
I have asked myself quite a few times how does a person graduate from editor of this newsletter to a freelance writer? I do know part of that answer and it lies in starting with a genuine interest in writing or just an open position being available and willing to fill the need. For me, that position was Recording Secretary for CDCENY, afterwards graduating to Editor of this newsletter. Then I learned about Joe Pasquini writing freelance for a magazine called Processor, so I decided to ask him how he got there? This is his response.
Joe Pasquini
CDCENY – 12/2004
I’ve always been interested in writing. In the past, my writing has focused around articles for the club newsletter or other similar publications. The idea of doing freelance writing was always in the back of my mind, but I never found myself doing anything about it. That all changed one day back a few months ago when I stumbled upon a display of the 2005 edition of the Writer’s Market published by Writer’s Digest Books. I picked up the book and took a few minutes to peruse it. It included information on the pros and cons of freelance writing as well as a listing of hundreds and hundreds of magazines and newspapers that are always looking for new writing talent. I eventually purchased the book and read through it for several days trying to find potential publishers. I identified several, including one called Processor.
As it just so happened, CDCENY had arranged for a presentation from the user group representatives from Smart Computing magazine. After their presentation, I spoke with one of the presenters who proceeded to give me a couple of pointers as well as her business card. Her card said Processor on it, and as I would later learn, Processor is affiliated with Smart Computing. Well, one thing led to another, and after some correspondence and negotiation with their senior editor, I found myself doing freelance work for Processor. After completing a couple of assignments and building my confidence, I contacted a couple of other magazines and have already begun a regular monthly column for Scanning USA, a radio communications publication.
The freelance writing process varies from magazine to magazine. Many publications require writers to submit an outline of an idea in advance. Others, such as Processor, actually solicit writing assignments to their writing teams. There are pros and cons to both methods. The frequency of assignments can vary greatly, but currently I am doing approximately three 400-word articles and one or two major articles per month for the two magazines. I have also been contacted by another trade magazine, but we’ll see where that one goes.
My advice to anyone thinking about writing is to just start doing it. Volunteer to write an article for the club newsletter! Or, submit an article to one of the local weekly newspapers. Once you start writing, you will quickly find if you wish to continue or not. See where it leads. Just keep in mind that compensation will vary widely from one assignment and from one publication to another, so be prepared for that fact right up front. You will also need to get a Taxpayer ID number as well, as you are basically self-employed when you freelance. There are also tax implications (as with any form of employment). One other thought to keep in mind is that anything you write and submit usually becomes the property of the publication. There are variations on this, of course, so check with your potential editor first before signing any paperwork. One, and buy the 2005 Writer’s Market… You’ll be glad that you did!
There is no restriction against any non-profit group using this article as long as it is kept in context with proper credit given the author. The Editorial Committee of the Association of Personal Computer User Groups (APCUG), an international organization of which this group is a member, brings this article to you.