Yes, You Can Make Money Writing Fiction

by Patricia Fry
Many people doubt that anyone can make money as a writer. This belief is especia
lly wide-spread among the fiction-writing community. The truth is that there is
money to be made as a writer no matter the genre you choose. If you dream of mak
ing money writing fiction, follow the steps below to your very own pot of gold:
1: Change your mindset. The most common mistake that writers of any persuasion o
r genre make is becoming so attached to what one wants to write that one can't o
r won't bend. It is rare that you can make even a little spending money writing
strictly what you want to write. If you hope to earn a living through your writi
ng, you must begin to look at writing as a business rather than a creative outle
t. It is time to step outside that comfy inspired writing zone and begin to writ
e what others actually want to publish.
As an example, perhaps you love writing science fiction, but you notice that the
higher paying markets are specialty magazines seeking more contemporary stories
. Be willing to write a slice of life story for U.S. Catholic and earn a cool $1
50 or $300. Consider submitting a fiction piece featuring retirement for St. Ant
hony Messenger and collect $450.
Of course, you can still write science fiction. Earn a few bucks on the side and
build your list of credits by submitting some of your stories to magazines such
as Analog Science Fiction and Fact, Fantasy and Science Fiction Magazine, or As
imov's Science Fiction Magazine.
2: Make sure you actually have a knack for writing fiction. Maybe writer is your
name and fiction is your game, but do you have any talent? Do your stories poss
ess all of the elements of good fiction? Have you actually tested your writing s
kill by entering your work in contests or seeking publication at sites or in mag
azines that are at least a little bit selective about what they publish? Maybe y
ou can ask a professional editor of fiction or an acclaimed writer of fiction to
review your work--just to see if it is worthy of publication. If not, then mayb
e some classes and a few writers' conferences are in order.
In the meantime, test your science fiction/horror writing through Web sites and
online e-zines such as those listed at http://www.everywritersresource.com/horro
rmagazines.html. Locate general fiction writing sites and e-zines by doing a Goo
gle search.
Explore literary print magazines. While they generally don't pay much, most of t
hem do publish fiction. There are over 100 literary magazines listed in Writer's
Market.
3: Locate viable markets. In other words, start thinking like a businessman or w
oman. Do you subscribe to magazines that publish fiction? Scrutinize magazines t
hat you find in the doctor's office as well as those on newsstands and online. L
ocate appropriate magazines using Writer's Market or the http://www.WritersMarke
t.com or http://www.WoodenHorsePub.com databases. Here are two directories that
list magazines that use fiction:
http://www.writewords.org.uk
http://www.ability.org.uk/genre_fiction_mag.html
When you locate a prospective magazine, visit their web site in search of their
Submission Guidelines or Guidelines for Writers. Find submission guidelines...
By clicking on Submission Guidelines,
or
By clicking on Contact Us
or
By clicking on About Us
or
By writing to the editor and requesting a copy.
Submission Guidelines will tell you:
Whether or not the editors accept submissions. Some magazines use staff writ
ers only. Others accept submissions only during certain months.
What type of material they're seeking. Do they want short romance or adventu
re stories of 1,000 to 3,000 words or 10,000 word novellas?
The pay scale. Do they pay a flat fee or by the word--.01 cents/word or $1,0
00 per story?
What to include in your submission. Do they want to see a synopsis first or
the complete manuscript? Do they want your credentials as a writer included in a
cover letter?
Contact information. Always address your package to the appropriate editor.
This information may be outdated at their Web site, so always double check by re
viewing their magazine masthead. It's also okay to call and ask to whom your pac
kage or email attachment should be directed.
4: Go where the money is. Don't bypass magazines because you don't think they us
e fiction or they don't publish the type of fiction you want to write. You might
be surprised at the number and variety of magazines that seek good fiction.
For example, Over the Back Fence (an Ohio regional magazine) pays $80 minimum fo
r an 800-word humorous fiction piece. Many other primarily nonfiction magazines
use occasional fiction pieces. Literary magazines also accept fiction. While the
y don't typically pay much, you could conceivably make enough take a Hawaiian va
cation at the end of the year if you sold enough stories to enough magazines. Ge
t writing gigs with higher paying literary magazines such as The Paris Review, T
in House and Zoetrope: All Story and you can fly to Paris for the weekend.
Consider writing things other than fiction while you're establishing yourself. W
rite nonfiction articles for magazines on some of your favorite topics: gardenin
g, raising puggles, child-rearing, family finances or fitness, for example. This
is also a good way to become acquainted with the magazine editors you'd like to
work with. Add to your salary by writing ad copy and, if you're qualified, edit
fiction works for clients, teach writing or develop a workshop to present local
ly.
5: Understand and respect the business of writing. When you find that magazine t
hat pays the big bucks, get a copy of their guidelines for writers and follow th
em. If they want a 1,000-word inspirational fiction, do not send them a 3,000-wo
rd dark mystery. Laugh if you must, but this is one of the major mistakes that w
ould-be writers make--not adhering to Submission Guidelines.
Always submit the absolute best manuscript possible. Don't expect the editor to
fix your mistakes. The competition is not impossible to overcome, but it is fier
ce. You must present the most polished submission possible in the most professio
nal way.
Some of the highest paying magazine markets, such as Good Housekeeping and Ladie
s Home Journal are now requesting that writers submit fiction through an agent.
While most literary agents will not represent writers of magazine articles and s
tories, a few will. Here's a site that lists 39 agents for fiction and short sto
ries: http://www.writers.net/agents/topic/31/0
How much can you make?
If you can discipline yourself to write and if you're a fairly prolific writer,
you have the potential to make some real money. But you'll most likely have to c
hange your ways. Instead of writing something and then tossing it aside to go on
to the next story, or endlessly changing the same story, you must actually comp
lete it and submit it.
If you can write three short stories per week, for example, and place three new
stories and three reprints with paying publications per month, there's the poten
tial for you to make $1,500 to $2,000 (or more) per month. That's $18,000 to $24
,000/year. Submit several of the older stories in your portfolio each month and
perhaps you'll double this annual income. Here are some additional markets to he
lp you get started:
Orion will pay as much as $800 for a good fiction piece with an environmental sl
ant. Boundary Waters Journal pays $200 to $500 for articles relating to regional
canoeing. Capper's pays up to $300 for fiction. Pockets will pay as much as $14
0 for a fiction with a moral lesson for children. Harper's Magazine pays from 50
cents to $1 per word.
Now, I don't want to hear any more excuses. No more complaining that you can't m
ake any money with fiction. Use some of the 50 resources, ideas and markets list
ed here and you, too, can get paid for doing what you truly enjoy.
Copyright 2009 Patricia Fry
This article may not be reprinted without the author's written permission.
Patricia L. Fry has been writing for publication for over 30 years, having contr
ibuted hundreds of articles to about 250 different magazines and e-zines. She is
the author of 25 books including A Writer's Guide to Magazine Articles for Book
Promotion and Profit and The Right Way to Write, Publish and Sell Your Book (Ma
tilija Press). For more inspiration, information and resources from Patricia Fry
, follow her blog at http://www.matilijapress.com/publishingblog/.