Home
>
Writing
>
Gaining Writing Experience

Gaining Writing Experience

GAINING WRITING EXPERIENCE

Some Catch-22, huh? In the writing business, you can't get published until you have some experience. If you can't get published until you have experience, how do you get experience? How do you get publishing clips to show all those publishers who want to see "previously published clips"? It's almost as if Lily Tomlin's telephone operator character came up with this: "Is this the party to whom I'm speaking? Are you the unpublished writer who has published clips I can look at? (Snort, snort!)"

What's an unpublished writer to do? Get published, of course! I'm not being flippant; I'm serious. Think about your life. There are a number of things you can write about right now (essays and travel articles about that great place you stumbled upon last summer). There is a lot more you can write about if you do a little research (an article regarding something that has been on your mind-your mother's illness? The stringent standards of learning being enforced upon elementary school students?). How about doing an article about the writer's conference you attended?

Now you have your ideas, but where do you get them published? You might start with your local newspaper. If they're like most newspapers, they're in need of fillers from time to time. They might even be in need of freelance reporters during the summer and the holiday seasons. Talk with your newspaper's editor. Be frank. Tell him/her that you need some publishing experience in order build your portfolio. In addition to putting some published clips in your "clip file," you'll also gain valuable experience and hone your craft. Then when you write that novel starring the investigative reporter, you'll know the lingo?and the editor can say, "I knew that author when?."

Op-ed pieces are another way to go; and if you query the right market, you could make some good money while acquiring these published clips. We all have opinions. If you can write about a hot subject and express your opinion on it succinctly and objectively, you're in the position to write an op-ed piece. Let's go back to the standards of learning issue. While you realize little Johnny needs to get a good education, you also realize the importance of playtime and "down time." You don't want Johnny to be a prime candidate for a stress-induced heart attack at age 32. Many other parents feel this way. Some don't. Some would say, "Standards of learning?" Talk with other parents to get conflicting views and write the article.

Though some shudder at the very words "non-paying market," if you're an unpublished writer seeking clips, it's a good alternative. After you get those clips, it's not so great to work for free; but at this point, you need the exposure and experience, and they need the articles. I think it's a fair trade as long as you work for a web site, e-zine, print magazine, newsletter, or even charitable organization that you would be proud to have worked for. It won't do you any good to have clips with grammatical errors (either yours or theirs) or content that isn't credible.

Entering contests is another way to get clips, though this is more of a writing sample. Still, if you win or even place in the contest, this will lend some weight to your writing. This is especially true if you're a genre writer. Romance Writers of America even has a contest called the Golden Heart Contest wherein the winner has the "best unpublished manuscript." Malice Domestic is a contest for mystery writers. While these "biggie" contests are great, small contests are a boon to the unpublished writer as well. One caveat: There are a lot of bogus contests out there. Before you pay any sort of fee, check out the contest.

So where do I find all these places to get published or get noticed or gain some recognition as a writer? Well, you can find some by clicking on the links below:

NEWSPAPERS:

This link gives you information about newspapers in all fifty states and provides links to many of the newspapers' web sites.

http://www.50states.com/news/

OP-ED PIECES:

Adbusters (paying market)

Guidelines:http://www.50states.com/news/

Home & Family (paying market)

Guidelines: http://www.50states.com/news/

Woman Abroad (offers both paying and non-paying opportunities)

Guidelines: http://www.50states.com/news/

The Sacramento Bee

Guidelines: http://www.50states.com/news/

Additional Op-Ed Markets include:

Chicago Reader, Daily News of Los Angeles, Los Angeles Times, New York Times, Philadelphia Inquirer, San Francisco Chronicle Forum, The Star Ledger, Star Tribune, The Chronicle of Higher Education and Washington Free Press.

http://www.50states.com/news/

NON-PAYING MARKETS:

There are 285 listings for non-paying markets at http://www.50states.com/news/.

CONTESTS:

Freelance Writing.com

http://www.50states.com/news/

Writing-World.com

http://www.50states.com/news/

Gayle Trent is the author of the e-book SELF-PROMOTION FOR THE EMERGING WRITER, available for $5 US at http://www.50states.com/news/ Gayle's most recent novel is a comedic mystery titled BETWEEN A CLUTCH AND A HARD PLACE, available from Grace Abraham Publishing.

recurring maid service Buffalo Grove ..

In The News:

The iconic Mary Kay pink Cadillac goes electric with the Cadillac Optiq, available only to the company's top 1% of sales force performers.

Cybercriminals abuse trusted Intel driver to gain kernel access and shut down Windows Defender, enabling undetected malware deployment since July 2025.

Using email aliases for online shopping and subscriptions can protect your privacy by preventing companies from linking your activity across websites.

New research shows AI overlap does not equal job replacement, with knowledge-based roles seeing most integration while physical jobs remain least affected.

Scammers target seniors who avoid social media by exploiting public records like obituaries and real estate filings to steal personal information and money

Recovery team in Italy use AI-enabled drones to detect missing hiker's red helmet, leading to successful recovery after months of ground searches

Google Salesforce system breach exposes business data while scammers use incident to target users with fake security calls and phishing attempts.

Google announces Pixel 10 lineup with Tensor G5 chip and Gemini Nano AI, introducing Magic Cue, Pro Res Zoom up to 100x and satellite emergency support features.

C San Diego study reveals 86% of school safety companies monitor students 24/7 on personal devices, raising privacy concerns.

Users can now add their favorite outlets' coverage to the Top Stories section of Google search results by utilizing the 'preferred sources' feature. With just a few clicks, you can add Fox News.

Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.

Interstellar object 3I/ATLAS shows an unexpected frontal glow that Harvard's Avi Loeb says cannot be explained by sunlight reflection or standard cometary outgassing.

Receiving order confirmations for purchases you never made could mean your email address is being exploited in fraud operations targeting multiple retailers.

First wireless brain implant works with Apple's official protocol, enabling hands-free control of iPhones, iPads and Vision Pro through thought alone.

Data brokers sell personal details that scammers use to target retirement funds through fake financial advisor calls and convincing phishing attempts

Ten innovative tech solutions from gait sensors to smart pill dispensers help adults 65+ track fall risks and prevent injuries before they happen.

Meta AI internal documents revealed chatbots were allowed to flirt with children and engage in romantic conversations until the company was exposed by Reuters.

ChatGPT will avoid giving direct mental health advice under new OpenAI rules following instances where the AI model provided harmful or misleading responses.

Your phone tracks you in more ways than that little GPS icon suggests. Here’s how to find and clear hidden location logs on iPhone and Android.

Authorities in France and the Netherlands have been notified. Meanwhile, impacted customers are being told to stay alert.

Apple just rolled out a redesigned Blood Oxygen feature to specific models, following a recent victory in a legal dispute.

Kidney dialysis provider DaVita experienced a ransomware breach by the Interlock gang affecting 916,000 people in the second-largest U.S. healthcare attack of 2025.

A Chinese-made Unitree R1 robot walked Manhattan streets and shopped for shoes as part of KraneShares' $28 million AI robotics fund promotion campaign.

The ShinyHunters cybercriminal group breached Google's Salesforce system through vishing attacks, stealing business contact details and customer data.

Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.