A Beginner's Plan of Action for Getting Published & Making Money

Are you ready to make some real money and use your creative talents to get your articles, non-fiction books and novels published?

When I first graduated from college, I began working very hard to get a job in my field – public relations and journalism. Thanks to some hard work, a good portfolio and determination, I was able to land some wonderful work.

One of my jobs was as a reporter for a small newspaper. I wrote, researched and interviewed on all kinds of issues. I did features, news, investigative reporting, business profiles and an entertainment column. I also wrote features on new homes and developments. This gave me the opportunity to visit and feature the “mansions” I was assigned.

What was amazing to me is the fact that I really had no previous experience. I just had an over abundance of confidence and the ability to sell myself to the editors. They believed in me. In return, I helped get their paper off the ground. It was a new, weekly paper and some weeks I wrote up to six articles or more. They always assigned me the most articles because of my “Speedy Gonzalez” tendencies.

I later worked for a magazine. I sold advertising and wrote business features. That year I bought a Writer’s Market and began studying the markets. My goal was to write a variety of articles and send out two a month. I succeeded. One month I made $1,500. I was so excited! I wasn’t the best writer, but I was one of the most motivated people I knew.

Here are 10 ideas I used to get me consistently published:

1. Create a list of 25 article headlines or ideas.

2. Begin at the top of the list and start jotting down thoughts on the topic.

3. Decide what sort of slant you plan to take on the subject.

4. Begin doing your research.

5. Will you need to interview anyone specific to gain credibility?

6. Write your article.

7. Clean up and edit your article.