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Craft of Writing

Betsy Gallup

The Power of Ten

Have you ever considered the difference between a writer and a published writer? The difference is that a published writer develops a plan for marketing his or her work. McDonald's does not introduce a new burger into the marketplace without having a plan, and neither should you introduce your work without a plan of your own.

After reading such books as Stephen King’s On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft, Peter Bowerman’s The Well-Fed Writer, and many others, I have developed The Power of Ten Plan. In 10 distinct steps, you can research, create, market, and promote a wealth of articles meant not only to provide you with a paycheck, but to provide you the name recognition and substantial portfolio that will enhance your appeal to editors. By following this plan, you give yourself the best chance at succeeding, not only as a published writer, but as a paid writer.

Step 1 – Review 10 Sources
Editors are looking for thoroughly researched material, not merely your personal experience. To satisfy this need, prepare yourself for success. Find 10 sources relevant to your topic. You don’t need to quote from all 10 sources, but by delving into 10 viewpoints, you have a good handle on your subject. You cannot only write about the topic and offer different observations; you can discuss your topic in detail. Your extra effort will show editors you are serious about being a writer.

Step 2 – Find 10 Angles
No one said you couldn’t write about the same topic twice. After spending time reviewing so many sources, you should be equipped to approach the same topic from 10 angles. For example, you do the research on the statistical aspects of weight gain. One article can look at it strictly from a statistical basis (20 years ago women weighed, on average, 15 pounds less than they do now) and cite expert speculation about the cause. Your targeted market is a women’s magazine. The next article takes on the same problem; only this time, you are looking at children under the age of 12. This time, your market is parenting magazines. The next article can discuss the possible correlation between weight gain and the convenience of fast food extra-value meals. Each article can lead to another, and all the articles were started with the knowledge you gained from those first 10 sources.

Step 3 – Let It Sit 10 Days
Rome wasn’t built in a day, and neither is a well-written article. If your article is time-sensitive, let it sit 10 hours. No matter what, give yourself time between the first set of revisions and the second. You need time away to re-evaluate your work with a clear perspective. It is too easy to read between the lines, especially when the work is your own. You know the actor playing George Foreman is a native of Cuba and could not speak English six months ago. If you fail to tell the reader, will he fully appreciate why you are raving about the actor’s ability to so aptly pick up Foreman’s dialect? Let your article rest. Let your mind rest. Give it 10 days and look at it again.

Step 4 – Research 10 Paying Markets
How many times have you read comments from an editor complaining about the number of queries or submissions received that are not suitable for his or her magazine? It is inconvenient for the editor — the first person you want to impress — and it is a waste of stamps, supplies, and your time.

Step 5 – Have 10 Articles Ready
When one story sells, have another ready to go in its place. This is no time to sit back and wait. Always be working on something new. This will keep your work (and, hopefully, your pay) flowing on a consistent basis. A magazine publisher once told me that a direct mailing to a million people would result in only 1% to 2% response for new subscriptions. If writing results in the same return, that would mean you would have to send out between 50 and 100 submissions to have one article published. No one said it was easy.

Step 6 – Submit 10 Queries/Articles
In many cases, editors would rather be queried before seeing the complete article, but in the case of new writers, some would prefer to see the completed article. Read the publication's guidelines and act accordingly. There was a time when most markets would not accept simultaneous submissions. Those days are fading away. Unless you have a specific market in mind, or the submission guidelines forbid simultaneous submissions, take advantage of the opportunity. This is especially true for new writers who have not built up name recognition. As a novice, the odds of being published become even greater and you will need to find your luck where you can.

Step 7 – Expect 10 Rejections
You may not get 10 rejections. You may even sell your article on the first try, but if you are prepared for 10 rejections, every time you receive a rejection, you will see it as one step closer to publication. Rejection slips will no longer symbolize failure; rather they will be seen as badges of honor issued to writers brave enough to take a chance on success.

Step 8 – Consider 10 Nonpaying Markets
If you received 10 rejections, it is time to re-evaluate your work. Can it be reworked into something else? Is it time to cut your losses and move on to a fresher, more interesting topic? If you believe you have done your best to sell your article, and it still doesn’t sell, look into nonpaying markets. True, there is a faction of writers who believe giving your work away weakens the market as a whole and devalues everyone’s work but, if done properly, you are not giving your work away. You are exchanging it for something equally as important: name recognition. Many nonpaying markets offer writers bylines, links back to the writer’s Web site, a chance to receive comments from the readers (an all-too-often underrated perk). Comments from a variety of people can give you a fresh look at your work and possibly guide you into a more lucrative approach. McDonalds, IBM, Ford, HP – in fact, any company you can identify as successful – are successful because their names have become universal symbols of excellence. In other words, name recognition has played a key role into their success. Nonpaying markets can also act as proving grounds that allow novice writers to build a portfolio large enough to get the attention of paying markets.

Step 9 – Consider 10 Reprint Markets
Congratulations! You’ve been published. Now you can put that story to the side and move on, right? Wrong. If you put it away now, you are losing out on untapped resources. Many markets will accept reprints. Let it sit 10 months and then find a new market for it. The key to reprints is knowing what rights you have retained. When your story is published, keep a copy of it with a copy of your contract, e-mail, Web site guidelines, whatever you have that details what rights you sold when you accepted money for publication. When you get ready to market the reprint, you will have the information at your fingertips. You sold first electronic rights to Simon Says to XYZ Publisher, with an agreement the story would not be reprinted for three months. Now you know your market can be anyone who sells reprints.

If you are unfamiliar with the process of selling the rights to your work, read A Novice Writer's Guide to Rights by Claire E. White. Narrow your list of potential reprint markets down to the 10 best for your article.

Step 10 – Review Your 10 Best
You’ve been published. You have a solid portfolio. You have built name recognition to the point editors trust your work. Some editors even come to you with writing assignments. Now go through your portfolio, find 10 of your best. What do they have in common? Have you become a quasi-expert in any one area? Did you find the market eager to publish a specific topic? Take your best idea and work up a book query. You have the best sales pitch in front of you. You have the proof that you know your topic well enough to develop it into a full-blown book. You know your market and can explain how major magazines published your articles on the subject, and how the editors asked for follow-up stories. And best yet, you can once again use the research you did in Step 1.

In 10 steps, you have gone from writer to published writer. You have made money, built a reputation for you, seen your work read by thousands, if not millions. You have overcome your fear of rejection slips. You have carried out your dream, and all this because you focused on a plan.


About The Author

Betsy Gallup is a full-time mother to an 11-year-old son, and infant twins. She has had several articles, essays, and short stories published. She is now writing a non-fiction book under contract for publication, and she has recently procured an agent to represent her first novel, Destiny, a suspense/romance delving into the world of a renown psychic. With what time she has left, she operates Whim’s Place, a showcase for the work of talented writers.