Get Noticed as a Freelance Writer: Glossary and Business Savvy Will Help

Some writers write for the thrill of expressing their thoughts on paper and being creative. Some want to make money off their writing, and in order to that, you have to get published. There are plenty of career opportunities in the world of publishing, but in my opinion, freelance writing is one of the best options because of the flexibility. If you think freelance writing is for you, then you may want to figure out how editors and the world of publishing operate. This way you can "talk the talk."

What does that mean?

Editors use certain lingo that if you are going to succeed in the freelance business, you need to get to know:

By-line - Credit given to the author that wrote the article.

Filler - A short, entertaining item, that helps fill up a newspaper or magazine. It could include a joke, anecdote, a short quiz, puzzles or other short pieces.

Kill fee - Compensation for an article that was written, but canceled due to lack of space or other unexpected reasons. Varies from publication to publication.

Multiple submissions - sending more than one article idea to a publication at a time.

On spec - submitting a finished article to an editor who has expressed an interest in the piece, but hasn't committed to purchasing it yet.

Payment on acceptance - writer receives payment for a piece as soon as the editor decides to publish it.

Payment on publication - writer receives payment for a piece as soon as it is published.