Are you desperate to get published, to get your first byline and clip to show friends, family, and especially editors you’d like to write for? Don’t be. And don’t let publishers make you feel like you should be.

No doubt, it can be hard to get your first magazine article published. Many editors like to work with previously published writers. The pressure to get that first byline is legitimate, even for published writers who are trying to break in to a new market.

Breaking in is hard to do

It’s the age-old question, but it’s not unique to writers: How am I supposed to get experience if no one will hire me? We all have to get that first job/clip/whatever for our resumes, regardless of the field.

That’s why unpublished writers should exhibit confidence when they interact with editors; in no way should they assume or behave as if freelance writing is different from other professions. We all need to get our foot in the door at least once.

Don’t Let Editors See You Sweat

To a certain degree, I’m echoing sentiments expressed a short while ago by Linda Formichelli of The Renegade Writer Blog. Linda notes that writers should never let editors see them desperate for work. No matter how empty your bank account, Formichelli cautions, always present yourself in a positive, “how can I help you?” light.

That advice holds true whether you’ve published 200 articles or none. Editors shouldn’t see you as someone who so badly wants that first clip that you’ll accept just about any terms they toss your way.

As I mentioned in my previous post, in a recent call for submissions, a magazine editor announced that she needs several articles for her next issue. Unfortunately, it’s a nonpaying market. As compensation for published articles, writers will receive two subscriptions to the magazine, a $55 value.

I’ll write more about weighing the decision to write for free in another post. For now, let’s just say that writing for free does sometimes, under the right circumstances, have benefits.

But this editor also wants writers to work on spec, to submit articles that she may then hold for as long as six months before making a go/no-go decision. That means a writer could spend tens of hours researching and writing an article that never had a chance of being published in that magazine. And while the editor takes up to six months to decide whether she wants to publish it, the article is worthless to the writer, who can’t shop it around to other markets.

Their Needs = Your Opportunity? Maybe

So is it beneficial to write for no pay and on spec? I’d say no. When publishers won’t pay for articles, the very least they can do is review queries (proposals, not full articles) and decide if they want each writer to go ahead and write the piece for publication. Unfortunately, many unpublished writers may just submit on spec anyway because they believe they need a “big break” in order to get that first clip.

And wherever do they get an idea like that? Let’s look at the aforementioned call for submissions:

Right now, we are quarterly, and the spring issue is looming. The previous editor left us with lots of holes to fill, and we are under a tight deadline. If you are looking for your “big break”, and your writing fits our categories, this could be a big opportunity for you!!

Note how deftly the editor has positioned her problem — she needs a lot of articles for the next issue, and quick! — into yours/mine/ours. The editor has no product to deliver or to sell ad space in, but somehow that’s a writer’s big opportunity. To work on spec. For free. Double exclamation point.

Chances are, you don’t need a big break. But let’s say you do. Let’s say you’ve queried until your fingers have bled, and all you’ve received are rejections. Okay, then, you need a break. But nobody needs one so badly that they should work for free, on spec, with a six-month hold on their hard work.

Remember, you’re not desperate. Really, you’re not. Publishers need good writers. Obviously, then, if you’re a good writer, publishers need you. If you present yourself with confidence and as though you expect to be treated professionally, then you will be. If the publisher, for some wacky reason, doesn’t respond in kind, then why not head off to greener pastures?

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Related posts:
Should You Write for Free? 3 Tips for Freelancers
How to Handle Publishers Who Don’t Want to Pay Writers

Tags: writing, freelance writing, unpublished writers, writing on spec, writing for free, getting published, magazine writing