Home
>
Article Writing
>
Four Reasons Why Freelance Article Commissions Dry Up

Four Reasons Why Freelance Article Commissions Dry Up

Every time I run a course on Freelance Writing, students who have had some success, ask the same question -- Why have the jobs dried up?

This is what happens: A writer has been doing very well and the majority of queries sent to particular magazines have generated commissions. Even articles sent to publications on speculation have normally had a good success rate. And then success turns to rejection.

Here are four suggested causes:

First, you may have become complacent. When you originally targeted the magazine or newspaper you probably researched it carefully. But when your queries were accepted regularly, you may not have taken the time to check the publications again to make sure you were still writing articles that fitted the magazines' house styles.
Magazines must keep up with trends in both advertising and content and editors make subtle changes in almost every issue.
Writers need to make sure they pick these up and make the necessary changes to their material.

Second, editors are fairly transient people and move from one magazine to another more frequently than writers would like to think.
You may have built up a very good relationship with one particular editor and when that person moves on, you must once again build rapport with the new editor. This is compounded when the new editor has a different style that he/she has been asked to introduce into the publication.
Now you have two problems -- A new editor and a different style.

Third, you have let your "writing" slip. You are really only as good as the last article you have had published. Yes, you have had a good reputation in the past, but editors want to know that you can continually come up with great ideas, write terrific copy and file your article before deadline.

Fourth, you simply have not been sending enough queries or writing articles on speculation. Selling is an important part of being a freelance writer. You are a free agent and your style and content must always be saleable. And, you must know who is editing which publication.

barb clews is an award winning journalist with nearly 1,000 published articles to her credit. She has been a writer and editor for 15 years and is the author of "Article Writing for Freelancers" and "20 Tips to Increase Writing Skills" Visit barb clews to subscribe to "Words that Work", Barb's monthly ezine packed with tips for writers.

scheduled cleaning services Winnetka ..

In The News:

New iPhone replacement scam uses pressure tactics and fake carrier calls to steal devices from buyers. Criminals claim shipping errors and demand urgent returns.

Amazon Ring's new facial recognition feature sparks privacy controversy as Electronic Frontier Foundation critics argue the AI upgrade expands surveillance risks.

New Android banking trojan Sturnus steals credentials, reads encrypted messages and controls devices.

Denmark's 3D-printed student village proves automation builds 36 apartments faster than traditional methods. Skovsporet project shows housing future.

Discover Android's new Sound Notifications feature that alerts you to smoke alarms, doorbells, and baby cries even when wearing headphones.

New SantaStealer malware reportedly threatens holiday shoppers with password theft. This Christmas-themed info-stealer targets browsers and crypto wallets.

The Christmas season brings a surge in Netflix phishing scams targeting shoppers with fake emails. Stacey P received convincing scam but verified account first.

San Francisco Giants invite Jamie Grohsong to throw ceremonial first pitch at Oracle Park after he learned to play baseball with a bionic hand following an injury.

FBI warns cybercriminals are stealing family photos from social media to create fake proof of life images in virtual kidnapping scams targeting victims.

Instagram's new 'Your Algorithm' tool lets you control your Reels feed in real time. The app now gives you power to customize what videos you see.

Major Marquis fintech breach exposes 400,000-plus Americans' data through unpatched SonicWall vulnerability, with Texas hardest hit at 354,000 affected.

Free up iPhone storage fast by clearing large photos and videos from Messages app. Simple steps for iOS users to delete attachments without losing chats.

Scammers are flooding inboxes with fake tracking alerts that mimic real carriers, exploiting the holiday rush to steal logins and personal data.

The Fox News AI Newsletter brings you the latest news on AI technology advancements and the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.

Texas family reunites with missing 11-year-old cat Grayson after 103 days using Petco Love Lost's AI photo matching technology and community help.

Tired of AI customer service loops? These insider tricks help you escape "frustration AI" and get real human help when you need it most for urgent issues.

Unlock richer audio from your streaming apps with simple tweaks to volume normalization, equalizer settings, and quality preferences for cleaner sound.

Scammers are sending fake Facebook settlement payout emails that mimic legitimate notices from the privacy settlement administrator to deceive users.

Holiday shopping scams surge as fake refund emails target distracted consumers during Black Friday and holiday seasons, costing Americans billions annually.

The AI-powered IRMO M1 exoskeleton features four modes, including turbo, eco, training and rest for hiking, running, cycling and sports with eight-hour battery life.

OpenAI announced upgrades for its ChatGPT Images platform on Tuesday, saying the program can now make more precise edits and produce images more quickly.

Chrome for Android now turns web articles into AI-powered podcast conversations. Get hands-free browsing with Google Gemini's natural audio summaries.

LastPass faces $1.6 million fine from U.K. regulators after 2022 data breach exposed 1.6 million users. Password manager failed proper security controls.

Petco disclosed a data breach exposing customer Social Security numbers, financial account details, and driver's license information due to a software error.

Baseball teams can now analyze complete swing mechanics in normal training environments using Theia's markerless AI system that processes standard high-speed footage.