The Writer Within You: 5 Tips To Getting Your Prose Published
Whether it’s an email to colleagues or a comment on your sister’s cute first grader, writing is something we do in some form every day. Advances in technology including Artificial Intelligence (AI) have not replaced the human mind’s ability to amuse and teach people with written words. There are generally two camps here: those who like to write and those who find it as enjoyable as cleaning the bathroom toilet. If you enjoy writing and wonder how to get your words published, here are tips from a professional writer who’s been paid to write for almost every genre out there.
Spoiler alert: This article is not for readers who want to be the next J.K. Rowling but rather focuses on informational copy for online and/or print genres — let’s get started!
Step 1: Learn Your B2Bs and B2Cs
A good starting point is establishing which type of content you think is the best fit for your ideas and writing style. Business to business (B2B) can help advance your career and establish you as an authoritative voice among colleagues. B2B copy lives in the trade world, and many trade magazines have online and print versions. An example of an article would be “Managing Inventory with an Uncertain Supply Chain.” Most (but not all) B2B trade platforms do not pay contributing writers but rely on your enthusiasm of having a byline and establishing yourself as an authority on a certain subject.
Business to consumer (B2C) speaks from an established magazine or website to the consumer. B2C can also be B2B; health-related topics are a good example of articles that can speak to both audiences. An example would be “Why AR Coatings Are Important for Young Children.” B2C will often pay writers for copy but not an amount that will send you on a lavish shopping spree. Non-profit organizations are great starting point for new writers willing to volunteer their time and submit relevant copy pro-bono.
Step 2: Just Start Writing!
Once you’ve figured out where your writing belongs, it’s time to pick a topic you are enthusiastic about and start writing. Perhaps you’ve been thinking about a topic but haven’t sat down to write it yet. This is where most new writers stall. Just start typing what’s going through your mind and don’t worry about how it reads. Once you finish, let it sit for a few days and then come back to it again. Words and phrases that seemed golden a few days ago, might make you think, “what alien wrote that?” Now is the time to proofread and edit. Reading your copy outload is a great method for spotting typos and awkward sentences.
Step 3: Go Back to Grammar School
Okay, grammar may not be everyone’s favorite thing…who cares in the digital age? For editors, it matters because they will be the ones rolling their eyes and correcting your poor grammar. No matter how well you write, sloppy grammar will send a submission into the “thanks but no thanks pile.” If this makes you a bit anxious, there is a tiny book called Strunk and White, The Elements of Style that is every good writer’s bible. There are also endless online sites using generative AI that do a decent job of finding spelling and grammatical errors — Grammarly is one of the most frequently used. Free grammar checkers are helpful but only do a surface review of your copy (spelling, punctuation, subject/verb agreement). For a deeper analysis of things like sentence structure and vocabulary enhancement, you’ll want to level up to a paid version.
Step 4: Look for the Byline and Masthead
There is a little secret within editors whether they are print or online; they need content because you cannot sell ads without it. When you’re online, look for the byline. Many authors will have a byline, a brief bio and an email address. If you have copy that you want to contribute, reach out to them for input. They may direct you to the right person to whom to pitch your idea. Trade and consumer magazines also have what’s known as a masthead buried somewhere in the internal pages. The masthead includes the editorial team, contributors, and often a contact to submit articles or topic suggestions. Reach out because you have nothing to lose.
Step 5: Be Concise and Expect Changes
Like a painting, writing is an art, but a painter would never show a canvass with the expectation that someone would whip out a paint brush and change it. That is not the case with words. Expect that an editor will do what they do best—change, rearrange and sometimes re-write your prose because they know their readers better than you do. Sometimes you’ll get a proof where you can add your input but not always. Don’t go in with an expectation that every word is sacred.
Also, don’t fall victim to being in love with your words. Too much of a good thing applies to writing. Don’t use unnecessary words and phrases that only strain the reader’s already limited attention span. “Exact same” means “same,” “close proximity” means “close,” “brief summary” means “summary.”
Do We Need Writers in the Age of Generative AI?
There’s no doubt that generative Artificial Intelligence is advancing exponentially. Platforms like Chat GPT scrape billions of words and turn them an articles, but if you’ve ever read AI-generated content (and you probably have), the copy often lacks human emotion, chronological sense and often clarity of voice. AI sites, however, are an excellent way to check for grammar and to get ideas on how to craft your copy. Generative AI will continue to evolve, but for now it is a useful tool that can make your existing copy sound more polished.
Getting published is easier than you think, and most editors are open to accepting good copy that appeals to their audience. There’s an old saying that “you cannot edit a blank page,” so take that first big step and paint your canvass for the world to read.
Written by M.A. Giorgio