A few years back, I was planning baby steps to transition towards full-time freelance writing. At the time, I was working a monotonous day job in real estate content marketing and freelance writing on the side on weeknights and weekends.

My quest for anchor clients

My main strategy was securing a handful of anchor clients—or “businesses or individuals with whom you have an ongoing relationship and a steady flow of projects and income,” according to Funds for Writers—to help cover basic living expenses: food, rent, utilities, etc.

Freelance writers also use the terms “anchor gigs” and “bread and butter gigs” to refer to anchor clients.

This strategy is how I ended up writing for a content mill—and totally failed at it.

I won’t say which site it was, but it’s sort of like the Huffington Post (because they don’t pay their writers) and aimed mostly at college students.

Although this was a publication and not Upwork, I still refer to it as a content mill because of its embarrassingly low wages, which are all-too-common when you’re writing for content mills.

My nightmare of a story writing for content mills

I came across a listing in a writer’s Facebook Group for a copyediting opportunity.

After sending off my resume and some writing samples, I quickly received an eager reply to talk about my professional experience over the phone. I was thrilled, not only because of the possibility of securing an anchor client, but finally getting some copyediting experience under my belt.

Plus, this was happening in an exclusive writer’s circle, so it seemed like a great opportunity to hop on board with.

When I asked about payment during my initial phone interview, the interviewer said copyeditors earn $1 for every article they submit. To make a “fair” wage of $10 an hour, we were expected to complete at least 10 articles per hour. Shifts were typically between two and four hours, and we’d have multiple a week.

I had a terrible feeling in my gut: $1 per article? That’s nuts, right?

However, I was in an awkward position. I wanted to desperately leave my desk job at the time, and I needed anchor gigs I could rely on for a base income—even if it meant writing for content mills. After all, I was looking for experience to carry with me when I applied for higher-paying gigs.

Plus, I was already having a great conversation with this person, especially since they were enthusiastic about my work, and I didn’t know the average rates for copy editing as a novice.

Instead of listening to my gut, I continued with the hiring process.

I attended an hour-long tutorial, but I wasn’t compensated for my time. On top of a low wage, the system was difficult to grasp: lots of documents to fill out, web pages to go through and articles to read. Despite the anxiety I started to feel, I went with the flow and tested it out.

Soon enough, my first shift came along. My anxieties were validated when I struggled to finish copy editing three articles within an hour. I grew incredibly frustrated at myself.

Why did I let myself get this far to mess up? In hindsight, my anger was misdirected at myself and should’ve been at the company for thinking I could actually copy edit 10 articles (accurately) in an hour.

Forget Upwork or Fiverr, I thought, I’m already a screw-up.

Another writer’s experience writing for content mills

Not everyone has the same experience with content mills as I do.

In fact, some writers successfully kicked-off their careers with them and believe they can be a decent starting point for those who want to become a freelance writer.

For example, full-time freelance writer Ana Gotter describes her experience with Upwork as “[having] consistently had more bad experiences than good ones,” but highly recommends a similar site called ClearVoice. She has also heard about positive experiences with Ebyline from other freelance writers.

“I did get my first ghostwriting book contract out of it and even made it into Upwork’s Top Talent and Pro programs, but I left the site after they hiked up the rates that freelancers have to pay. It’s also common for writers to do work for extremely low pay for great reviews early on, but this can end up hurting them.”

If you’re kickstarting your career as a freelance writer, pursuing work through a content mill might not be a terrible idea, but there are some major caveats.

First, you need to be wise about which sites you’re invested your time into.

Gotter explains Clearvoice and Ebyline have better success rates compared to Upwork.

Don’t spend hours creating an extensive profile with recommendations and pursuing projects if the rates are far too low for your income goals. Especially if you’re trying to establish anchor client relationships, don’t dismiss content mills until you try one out for yourself, but know when to walk away once the rates are low.

Secondly, you need to make sure you’re not putting all of your eggs into the content mill basket. Mills should simply be a means to an end.

You should still be working on building up your own base of anchor clients outside of the mills—clients who pay more don’t expect you to churn out dozens of articles every day, and will help you earn what you truly deserve.

Writing for content mills can be a decent way to kick off your freelance career, especially if you’re looking for freelance writing jobs for beginners.

However, it’s easy to overwork yourself in an environment that typically underpays its employees. Too many times, writers get stuck in the rut of writing for pennies in the mills, and they never take the time to build up their own base of clients that pay quality rates.

Needless to say, the consensus of freelancers offer two approaches: run away or proceed with caution if considering content mill jobs.

If you’re wondering what opportunities exist for freelance writers in 2024 (hint: there are plenty!) then make sure to register for the free webinar called How to Successfully Break Into Journalism in 2024! You’ll learn about the different types of journalism and what you may best be suited for, and the top skills successful journalists need and what it can lead to.  

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For some writers, it could mean finally workshopping a manuscript in an academic setting, networking with faculty and staff or just kickstarting the manuscript in the first place.

Others say it’s not worth the money and you could recreate the MFA experience in other ways.

Is an MFA worth your time and money?

To gain some insight, I asked a few published writers to weigh in, including those outside of the traditional creative writing realms.

Here’s what they recommended thinking through if you’re considering getting an MFA.

1. Identify your end goal

To pursue her goal of publishing a novel, immerse herself into literary culture, and satisfy a crossroads moment of her life, Jordan Rosenfield decided to apply for MFA programs. Now, as a MFA graduate, she’s a freelance writer and an author of a handful of books.

She said writers should really think about what they want — and how an MFA might help them get there — before enrolling in a creative writing program.

“While it hasn’t made my career path to publishing novels any easier, it certainly improved my craft, and my critical eye and opened doors in other aspects of my career,” Rosenfield said. “If you plan to teach, I think in a related field, an MFA is essential, but if you just want to improve your craft, you can do that through online courses and weekend workshops for a lot less money.”

Heather Meyer, a comedy writer and playwright, decided a low-residency MFA would broaden her network and increase her skill set while still working in theatre.

“The low-res allowed me to that without having to move or quit gigs I really love,” Meyer said. “That’s what this program trained me to do: to live and work as a writer.”

2. Think about the way you already write

Senior communications professional Robin Kurzer originally pursued a dual MFA/MA degree to prepare herself for teaching fiction in a college setting.

However, she realized later she had romanticized the idea of an MFA. In reality, she didn’t enjoy her program’s strict adherence to a specific way of creating art.

“You needed to sit in a certain fashion, approach each and every writing assignment in the same way,” Kurzer explained.

Another professional writer, Joselin Linder, was rejected from every top program she’d heard of, so she moved to New York and focused on growing her network. Because she grew relationships in the writing field on her own, she advises against an MFA — unless, somehow, tuition is free.

“Set your own deadlines or use your writing group to set them and use any money you would’ve spent on an MFA to travel and explore,” she said. “Go to events where agents and editors meet-and-greet with writers. Take classes you find online or in your town to help you write and learn how to sell it. Go to free book readings and launches. Bartend or work on a boat for two years to pay for your life, and consider it ‘research.’”

3. Understand a program’s risk

Rachel Charlene Lewis, now the founder of the Fem and editor-in-chief of Vagabond City Lit, felt constantly frustrated because her classmates attempted to transform her writing into “black, gay ‘voice of a generation’ as if it was a complement and not a basic form of tokenization.”

While she’s unsure whether to advise other writers on pursuing an MFA, she stressed that no matter how much extensive research you do, you’ll never predict how well you’ll work within your cohort and with your professors.

4. Consider an alternative academic path

Deviating from the traditional creative writing graduate programs, freelance writer and Romper news writer Annamarya Scaccia opted for a Master’s in Journalism instead.

Ultimately, the decision was financial because she couldn’t afford expensive workshops, writing residencies, or writing retreats to gain new skills. Now she focuses on news writing, investigative research and reporting.

“As a trained journalist, I know exactly what goes into crafting an article, from research to reporting to writing to editing,” Scaccia said. “I know the exact steps I have to take to investigate an incident or track down people hard to find. I know how to spot the lede, structure a story, etc.”

Following a slightly different path, book publicist and writer Alaina Leary received a Master’s of Arts in publishing and writing. Her college career, which involved upper-level nonfiction and fiction courses, exposed her to journalism and professional writing. For graduate school, she wanted a more business-oriented curriculum.

“I learned the basics of magazine, electronic publishing, and book publishing as well as honed skills in editing, publicity, marketing, freelancing, graphic design, social media, video and audio editing, business management, innovation and entrepreneurship,” Leary said. “I can now confidently talk about the process of promoting a nonfiction book as much as I can about social media management for an online magazine.”

After hearing from these seven different voices, there’s still no obvious yes-or-no answer to the MFA debate.

Ultimately, it comes down to what you want in a program and how much of a risk you’re willing to take.

It’s important to consider the path you’ll take if you don’t pursue one, too: could you better use that grad school money in other ways to reach your goal of becoming a writer?

Photo via Solis Images / Shutterstock 

This is an updated version of a story that was previously published. We update our posts as often as possible to ensure they’re useful for our readers.

One is that I’m feeling incredibly inspired, where it’s difficult to just write down every single idea I have, and even more difficult to actively pursue them all. The second mood is one all writers know too well: Writer’s block.

I’ve been writing for over a decade, so I’m not new to the uninspiring feeling of staring at a blank Word document for hours without having anything to say.

But, I do have a unique solution: Whenever I felt a particular lack of creative energy, I turn to video games: specifically, The Sims.

Video games can provide inspiration when you feel like all hope is lost. Here’s how they can help you conquer writer’s block.

1. They teach you about plot

Science fiction and fantasy writer Benjanun Sriduangkaew has most recently been inspired by Masquerada, NieR: Automata, and Transistor as well as older games Silent Hill 2 and 3.

“I was absolutely obsessed with [Automata] for at least a month after completing the game, and a lot of the story beats, themes and imagery have stayed with me,” she explained. “I like to say that writers can learn a lot from its opening, where protagonist 2B contemplates the ‘spiral of life and death’ and her speculation on whether she will have a chance to kill the god that created her one day. It sets the theme and, fitting with 2B’s musing that everything that lives is designed to end, we see her entire squad quickly slaughtered with 2B as the lone survivor.”

Different plots will expose you to different storylines, whether they’re complex or simple, entertaining or boring, and good or bad. Either way, there’s something to be learned from all of them.

2. They tell you how not to write

Comic illustrator and writer Victoria Chu turned to Japanese role playing games, such as the Final Fantasy Tale of- series, to learn how to “flesh out” narratives and tell a detailed storyline.

However, oftentimes, she noticed the plots were often extremely complicated and convoluted, which encouraged her to shy away from that type of narrative arc.

“With Final Fantasy, the original art style helped me shape what kind of aesthetic I want in my stories/ worlds,” she explains. “The narrative I find is recycling the typical one true hero archetype so I tend to not use those games for examples in writing.”

3. They help you sort through emotions

“The last time a game helped me was when I played Persona 5 and SMT4 Apocalypse,” Chu added. “Having to deal with dark feelings was refreshing because it was making me uncomfortable in a good way.”

While the content wasn’t emotionally triggering, the plots allowed her to understand the weight of a story conflict in a much deeper way. She learned that dark narrative themes don’t always have to equivocate distressing content.

Additionally, when I played the Sims, it was the first time I emotionally processed what it was like to have siblings. I grew up as an only child and never had to share any of my belongings or spaces in my household, so when my characters had big families, it helped me gain a little insight — but admittedly not that much — in how I’d write about siblings. For instance, when there was only one computer in the household and a child was playing on it, I saw the other child’s fun level go down.

4. They make you pay attention to details

While video games haven’t completely helped Sriduangkaew out of writer’s block, she mentions that playing video games help her pay attention to small details, such as lighting.

“I was stuck in a military science fiction story,” she explains. “Something in XCOM 2 nudged me with a little detail that let me finish writing an atmospheric description. I think it was something as random as the lighting in a mission.”

Oftentimes, a video game’s minor details and touches can help us spark the small touches to add to our own stories, whether it’s lightning bolts in the background–or the Simlish language, the fake language Sim characters speak.

5. They have stellar soundtracks

If you’re like me, you can easily find yourself consumed and distracted by music when you’re supposed to be working. (Since I work from home, I don’t have any colleagues to disrupt when I burst out into song.)

Fortunately, many video game soundtracks are instrumental.

“Many games have music that’s intrinsically linked to individual scenes or moments,” Sriduangkaew explains. “They’re much better than most at putting me in specific moods.

Plus, you don’t even have to play video games to listen to their soundtracks.

To help you get in the zone, pop up your preferred music streaming app of your choice, search for a popular video game soundtrack, and get your pen and paper ready.

The next time you’re feeling stuck, pick up a video game and allow yourself to get lost. You may soon find yourself inspired by the game’s storyline.

Do you have a go-to game you play to foster creative energy?

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While I was focused on working a full-time job in media, I still contributed personal essays and listicles to a series of publications. This was a smart move because I accepted a job offer working at a real estate content marketing company, rather than a more traditional news outlet, after graduating college.

Part-time freelancing kept me creative as I worked a desk job by day. However, it was mostly about the writing in the beginning.

I enjoyed the art of writing, and I treated freelancing like a hobby, but I soon recognized how easily I could make writing my full-time gig.

Going full-time freelance for the first time

A year ago, I realized I made more income freelancing than my actual desk job.

That’s when I decided to go full-time freelance for the first time ever and begin treating my writing as if it were a business.

It was an excellent transition. I earned twice as much per month than I did at my marketing job. I also could make my own schedule, so I didn’t have to commute to work at 7 a.m. anymore.

However, the decision to freelance full-time wasn’t just about the money. I was living in Omaha, Nebraska, but I was considering a big move back to the East Coast.

Freelancing gave me the freedom and liberty to work remotely from anywhere in the world, as long as I had a reliable internet connection. When I left my desk job, I wasn’t tied to working in the Great Plains anymore.

Earlier this year, I moved to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania because when you’re a freelancer, you can live anywhere. However, I failed to realize how many of my freelance journalism  connections tied me to Nebraska.

Editors loved the stories I covered in the Midwest because most writers were from major coastal cities. When I moved to Philadelphia, I entered a much more competitive media market.

Plus, the cost of living — and income taxes — were higher in Philadelphia compared to Omaha.

My income wasn’t meeting my expectations, so I decided to apply to desk jobs.

Returning to the 9-to-5 again

I accepted a full-time job working in corporate communications a few months after moving to Philadelphia in one of the largest buildings in Center City.

I enjoyed the structure of my schedule. When you’re self-employed, it’s difficult to adhere to such a strict schedule. After coming home from work, I continued to freelance part-time, clocking in hours at night and on the weekends.

However, after two months, working two jobs became exhausting. As you’d expect, when I came home from my full-time job, all I wanted to do was crash, eat dinner and fall right to sleep.

The last thing I wanted to do was write. Freelancing became a chore. I started turning down assignments.

I also wasn’t producing the work that required more time, such as reported stories. I stuck to mostly web copy. Although both are sustainable sources of income, they don’t reflect my passion for writing.

Fortunately, I was saving half of my paychecks the entire time, so I quickly considered returning to full-time freelancing.

Going full-time freelance for the second time

I ended up leaving that job.

I missed being self-employed. I hated waking up early to commute to work. I hated wearing business formal. I hated being cooped up in a cubicle for eight hours a day with the exception of a half-hour lunch break.

Most of all, I hated being managed by someone else. I’m a self-starter, which is why being self-employed fits my professional style.

By this time, I’d been living in Philadelphia for seven months. I had the opportunity to network with local editors and other types of writing clients. Again, editors were coming to me for stories, so now I could finally start saying yes to accepting the work.

Goals I’d wish I’d adopted the first time around

The second time around, I have two different goals for myself, that would’ve benefitted me the first time I went full-time freelance.

1. I’m focusing on anchor gigs

According to Funds for Writers, anchor gigs are “businesses or individuals with whom you have an ongoing relationship and a steady flow of projects and income.” In other words, these are recurring people you can count on for work.

Don’t just secure one anchor client, but secure many.

When I started freelancing, I had one consistent client that paid extremely well. This worked to my advantage starting out, but when I relocated to Philadelphia, the freelance budget had been cut significantly.

Now, I work with four different anchor clients. Together, these four clients go towards paying the bills. Two are publications, the others are small marketing agencies. That way, if one client has their budget cut, I have three others to rely on.

2. I’m consistently building a pipeline

This means I’m always networking with new potential clients and marketing my services across the board, no matter how much work I already have scheduled out.

The reality is, I’ll eventually need new work, and you never know who that next client will be.

You need to be proactive with how you sell yourself to those you come across in professional spaces.

Whether you’re currently freelancing full-time, or are working towards one day making that transition, it’s important to figure out where your income is coming from. It’s also incredibly important to constantly curate an editorial calendar, so you’re never going without work for a long period of time.

Although it requires much more effort than working a traditional 9-to-5 desk job, writing full-time for myself is far more rewarding in the long run.

What do you wish you would’ve known the first time you first transitioned to full-time freelancing?

As a young writer, the application alone was a big enough barrier to scare me away from life-changing opportunities and thinking ahead in my writing career. For many writers like myself, it’s easy to fall into a hole of self-pity and invalidate our own personal achievements.

Luckily, the application process doesn’t have to be this way.

To learn some strategies about applying to residencies and fellowships, I reached out to a handful of writers who have been accepted to and completed prestigious opportunities. Here are their tips.

1. Communicate clearly in your application

Mailee Hung, a 2017 Bitch Media Writing Fellow, stresses the importance of effective communication in your letter of intent.

Your statement should “clearly outline what your project is, how you’re going to do it, [and] why that particular residency/fellowship is the best venue to do it in,” she says. “You need to state your claims early, if only to show that you’ve thought about it seriously and you know how to build an argument.”

Overall, you need to be ready to sell your best self.

Articulate why your work is particularly unique and special. Poet and former Artist-In-Residence at the Everglades National Park Miriam Sagan even recommends addressing some weaknesses.

“I heard through the grapevine I was once rejected for a residency because I asked for ‘too short” of a stay,” she explains. “From then on, I addressed my need for short stays directly.”

2. Understand your needs

Poet and teacher Laura Wetherington, who participated in residencies at the Vermont Studio Center and the Centre d’Art Marnay Art Centre, recommends writers begin their program search by identifying their own artistic needs because, as you’d expect, programs can be very different from each other.

“Are you looking for a place to collaborate with other artists and feed off the collective energy, or are you looking for a solitary, quiet situation?” She says. “Do you need the internet, access to the post office or to bring a bunch of books with you?“

Knowing the answers to these questions will strengthen your statement of intent, because it provides you with a stronger connection to the program and its accommodations.

3. Go abroad

Sagan has completed more than a dozen residencies and fellowships, both domestic and abroad.

She says international residences are far less competitive compared to those within the United States.

“[International programs] cost about the price of a Motel 6 daily or less and tend to be government subsidized,” Sagan explains. “If you need funding, look at short-term Fulbrights for artists and other exchange programs. Look at your city’s Sister Cities too.”

For potential funding opportunities as a Philadelphia-based writer, I can look into my city’s affiliate Sister Cities, which include Tel Aviv, Israel; Florence, Italy; and Aix-en-Provence, France.

4. Fundraise as needed

“The slightly funded residencies are much more competitive,” Sagan explains. “Go for unfunded ones as well.”

Sagan recommends pursuing crowdfunding if you’re pursuing an unpaid residency and all other funding opportunities fail. “A GoFundMe campaign can get you anywhere,” she says.

She also adds to keep your expenses as low as possible. Minimize your luxuries by cooking on a budget rather than eating out, for instance.

Also, remember to maximize your time and use it to the fullest if offered the opportunity. Take advantage of the financial investment (especially if the program isn’t funded) you’re making.

After all, it’s unlikely that you’ll fit that much writing into your regular schedule without a residency or fellowship.

Think about what you can do with sustained time that you can’t do on your regular writing schedule, and prioritize that,” explains Gemma Cooper-Novack, a writer with a CV of over six residencies including the Betsy Hotel Writer’s’ Room in Miami, Florida.

5. Just do it

But most of all? “Don’t get discouraged!” Mailee adds.

Most writers will be too intimidated to even consider applying. Slap on some imposter’s syndrome and the application process becomes a nightmare. However, it’s important to just do the thing and at the very least submit an application.

The worst that could happen is, well, you won’t get an offer.

“Some of my most devastating rejections have led me to make the best decisions of my life,” she elaborates. Apply to anything you’re excited about, and know the value of your own work. There are a lot of reasons for rejection beyond “you just weren’t good enough.”

Plus, applying to programs gets easier over time.

“If it’s at all possible, I strongly advise taking the first residency you’re accepted to, even if you have to put down some money, get into one however possible,” stresses Cooper-Novak. “I do think that after I got my first residency [at Can Serrat in El Bruc, Catalonia, Spain)], other residencies started to look at me more closely.”

As you can tell from these writers’ advice, applying to a residency and/or fellowship doesn’t have to mean beating imposter syndrome. The process may still be a little intimidating, but not so much that it prevents you from actually submitting your application.

Take it from the experts: apply and apply again until you’re accepted.

However, local publications are often much smaller and might not have as quick of a response time. That’s why the first pitch is so important.

After freelancing for almost a year, I finally broke into an independent regional magazine.

Now, I regularly contribute to city-specific publications, including an alternative weekly and hyperlocal, neighborhood-specific news blog.

In addition to discussing my experiences, I reached out to a few editors and writers about breaking into local publications for the first time.

1. Find a local angle

You may be tempted to pitch a national story to a local newspaper or magazine, but think again.

Although national issues affect the smallest of towns, you need to find a hook to make them locally relevant.

“Do look for local angles on national stories,” explains Ken Schlager, editor of New Jersey Monthly. “Don’t pitch the obvious, like a review of a new restaurant. Do pitch local trend pieces that might not be obvious to the average observer.”

For instance, in February, some local punk bands hosted a benefit show for a 24-hour LGBTQ suicide hotline. Although the story began as timely coverage of an event, the story was an opportunity to localize transgender rights and discuss bathroom bills in different states.

“Get a good sense of what’s been done already and try to find uncharted territory, or perhaps a different angle on a story that’s already been told,” says Lindsay Lennon, who regularly contributes to regional publications. “If there’s a seemingly great story that hasn’t been covered yet, try to get the scoop on why.”

2. Always look for stories

If you’re truly committed to telling your community’s stories, try adopting a new mindset. For every event you attend, remind yourself that you are the storyteller in the room and rock it.

“Walk your beat,” Lennon stresses. “Talk to people. Go to local government meetings. Pick up the phone. Do not just send out emails. Sit down and have a chat with the mayor or the town supervisor or anyone who is considered a local magnate.”

While many journalists and writers search for sources on social media, especially those in the millennial generation, Lennon prefers to stay within her own network. When you’re working with strangers, including those you’ll never meet face-to-face, credibility could be taken for granted. That’s why she prefers to only interview those she knows.

Personally, I have used the internet to get connected, but I usually try to contact sources to verify their interest in going on the record before pitching a story.

3. Pitch far in advance

Especially for print publications, you want to give editors a lot of leeway when it comes to timeliness.

For example, in February, I pitched a local print magazine editor June, July and August stories.

“A lot of times, local magazines have annual themed issues — top doctors, best & worst surveys, best new restaurants — and you can easily find out what month those issues come out, so you can time your pitches,” explains freelance writer Kate Andrews, who has been reporting on local issues her whole career and currently contributes to several publications specific to Richmond, Virginia.

Andrews recommends pitching magazines three months ahead of time, as well as looking over the submission guidelines. “Of course, read the publication thoroughly before pitching so you know what they cover and know what they have written about recently, so you can avoid pitching the same story,” she adds.

4. Know your competition

If your community has multiple publications dedicated to local stories, it’s best to familiarize yourself with all of them. Likely, they’re all competing with each other.

As a freelance writer, you might not have to commit yourself to one, but reading different publications helps you understand the tone and style of each one.

“If there’s a competing publication, pay attention to what they are writing about, so you don’t pitch that story to the first publication,” Andrews mentions. “I guarantee the editors for both are paying attention to the other one. That’s not to say you can’t write for both, but it’s probably smarter to pick different subject areas so one publication doesn’t feel ‘robbed’ if you write a story for the other one.”

The writing world is a small one, especially when it comes to local publications.

“Be aware that if you’re in a smaller or midsize city/region, most of the editors/staff at local and regional publications know each other,” Andrews adds. “So, if you burn bridges in some dramatic way at one place, word will travel and you may not get any work. On the other hand, if you have a good reputation at one publication, you may get work at a second place.”

5. Emphasize your familiarity with the area

Show the publication you’re an expert, and make a personal connection.

Shoshi Parks, a contributor to Hoodline who lives in San Francisco, contacted the publication first with her qualifications. In her introduction email, she explained her familiarity with the neighborhood —in addition to having lived there for a decade, she owns a small business in the city and is active in a few local nonprofit organizations. She also included a writing sample.

“Your perspective on your city is valid and unique,” Parks elaborated. “Think about what’s in your world and use it to convince editors that you have a valuable point of view. Having a writing sample or two is also helpful, even if it’s self-published, so that editors can see your skills for themselves.”

When reaching out to local publications, you should take pride in where you live. Promote yourself as a local authority who is qualified not only as a writer, but an expert, to report on regional issues that matter the most to the surrounding community.

“I find writing for local publications to be so fulfilling as both a storyteller and a consumer of information and lore,” Lennon adds. “Having a sense of place is one of the warmest and most oddly comforting phenomenons I’ve experienced in my life, and I think writing about a place and its inhabitants only enhances this sense.”

Challenge yourself as a writer to find interesting stories through events, people you know, and of course, everyday life. Ask yourself what your community needs to know through local journalism, using your insight as a community member.

Chances are, you probably have a lead under your nose to break into local publications.

The apps use customer relationship management (CRM) to track analytics for the emails I send.

Major companies like Uber and Yelp use email tracking to improve their interactions with customers. The same concept can be applied for freelance writers working with clients or pitching new outlets.

For instance, the apps notifiy me every time a recipient opens my email. They also tell me which type of device the recipient used to open the email.

These apps tell me which editors who don’t reply to my pitches actually do open my emails.

If a specific pitch is opened with radio silence, even by editors who would typically respond, it likely needs to be honed and revised.

Email tracking also tells me which editors never open my emails at all.

Tired of wondering if your query fell into the email abyss? Here are three email-tracking apps to consider incorporating into your pitching routine.

1. MailTrack

“I’ve been using the Chrome extension of MailTrack and having a love/hate relationship with it,” explained freelance writer Ama Scriver.

“Since it’s the basic version, it embeds oddly into my email and leaves huge spacing issues,” she explains. “Or I want to take out the ‘tracked by…,’ but [the signature is] embedded in the bottom of each email. Sometimes, [it’s] in weird places that I haven’t been able to find it and sent with it on, which is frustrating.”

“Obviously, this is more user-error because I like how the tool works otherwise,” she said. “I will say this much: It’s not 100 percent accurate. Either way, it helps a lot.”

Price: Free for basic version; $4.12 per month and up if you want to remove the “tracked by” signature.

2. Streak

Streak offers more complex features compared to MailTrack, because the app was originally created to increase sales. For instance, Streak offers custom templates to automate replies and the ability to share your inbox with colleagues.

“Streak is invisible and unlimited, or close to it,” explained independent journalist Ryan Lenora Brown. “I previously used Boomerang for read receipts, but it had a monthly cap on messages you could track.”

Similar to MailTrack, Streak also added an unappealing signature to the bottom of sent emails. “[Boomerang] also placed a piece of text in the bottom of the email telling the person it was tracked and that they could opt out,” Brown added.

Price: Free for the basic version that allows 200 tracked emails per month; additional features beginning at $19 per month.

3. Yesware

Like Streak, Yesware was created for sales and content management professionals. However, this particular app provides real-time analytics within your inbox, similar to a blogging dashboard.

Writer Meryl Williams uses Yesware because, ”it’s nice to see when things get opened.” The app allows her follow up with a current editor or decide to move on to another.

“It’s also a double-edged sword,” she adds.

There’s a lot of anxiety associated with who opens your emails and who doesn’t, especially when editors open your emails multiple times without replying.

Price: Starts at $15 per month.

Why some writers hate email-tracking apps

Williams isn’t the only one concerned with the extra anxiety email tracking apps can attract. Some writers stay away from email tracking apps intentionally.

“As someone with anxiety, I would never use it,“ said writer Shannon Luders-Manuel. “After all, it feels better to think something didn’t get placed because it got lost in a sea of messages than because an editor opened it and didn’t think it was worthy of a response.”

Additionally, at Contently, Julie Schwietert Collazo touches upon how these email tracking apps can do more harm than good: “While Streak may take away some of the mystery of what happens once a freelancer hits ‘Send’ on a pitch, it doesn’t do anything at all to promote a response, which is, after all, the ultimate end game.” She seems to lean toward the argument that ignorance is bliss.

How to use email trackers wisely

Undoubtedly, these tools are best used from a business lens.

It’s important to consider how often you’re pitching new-to-you editors. If you’re in frequent contact with a steady list of clients, you likely won’t need an email tracker.

In the end, you don’t need these apps to be a successful freelancer. However, it can come in handy if you’re curious to know if new editors ever open your emails.

Sometimes, I cold-pitch to larger, more mainstream outlets without any reply. Later, another publication will pick up my story. If my pitches are later getting accepted by other publications, I know they’re worth reading. The radio silence isn’t personal.

If an editor doesn’t respond to your pitch in a reasonable amount of time, consider bumping them further down on your list of places to pitch. Alternatively, pitch to a different editor at the publication if possible, preferably a deputy or managing editor.

Many editors are overwhelmed with other pitches and submissions, even from freelancers they already know and have previously worked with. Don’t take it personally; it’s not always the pitch itself that forces your email into a black hole.

Do you use email trackers? Do you recommend them to other freelance writers?

Now, it’s major hub for social journalism.

Although it began more like a blogging platform, the site has expanded to feature various types of content. Medium soon began to acquire publications of its own.

In fact, many well-known publications, such as the Billfold and Pacific Standard, have made the move to Medium. Rather than being paid by Medium directly, writers are compensated through prospective publications.

Here are nine paying markets that live on Medium.

1. Matter

Matter is one of Medium’s first in-house publications, focused on long-form journalism. SELFIE, a seven-chapter installment by writer Rachel Syme, is a great example.

When Matter launched on Medium, the site charged users $0.99 per story for an ad-free reading experience. Its content is now free to the public.

Rates are not public, but pitching guidelines are available.

2. Backchannel

Backchannel is focused on tech journalism. The publication seeks original, engaging, conversation-starting pitches about technology. To learn more, check out its pitching guidelines. Rates are not public.

3. The Hairpin

With the tagline “Ladies first,” the Hairpin publishes essays and reported pieces with a feminist angle.

Humor is encouraged. For example, writer Rose Lyster contributed a story called The Best Time I Pretended I Hadn’t Heard of Slavoj Žižek that tempted readers with the snippet, “One weird trick to frustrate the hell out of a Marxist bro.”

Payment starts at $125.

4. The Billfold

The Billfold focuses on personal finance and hopes to spark honest, thoughtful and difficult conversations about money. One of its most popular pieces is A Story of a F*** Off Fund, in which writer Paulette Perhach discusses how she saved half her paychecks to escape toxic men in her life. The ode to women’s financial freedom went viral hours after it was published.

5. The Development Set

The Development Set focuses on global health, development, and social impact. Writer Beejoli Shah contributed a touching piece on a non-profit school for blind women in India. Most stories have an international lens.

Payment isn’t mentioned, but the publication is funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

6. Femsplain

Femsplain is an inclusive community for trans/cis women and gender nonconforming individuals. The site exclusively publishes personal essays.

Every two weeks, Femsplain publishes an essay prompt based on a theme. Writers are invited to respond to themes with full drafts. For instance, one of its July 2016 prompts focused on Black Lives Matter. In one response, writer Jocelyn Walker contributed an essay about sexual assault in the black community.

To learn more, visit Femsplain’s writer guidelines. Payment is $25 per essay.

7. Bright

Bright is a publication focused on innovation in education. It regularly publishes “engaging, relatable” content on teaching, educational technology, parenting, education reform, and more. In May of 2015, writer Jessica Sutherland contributed a personal essay on student homelessness.

Bright is looking for topical, attention-grabbing, novel, and participatory pitches on education. It seeks photo essays, comics, opinion pieces, reported stories, and other forms of content.

Like the Development Set, payment isn’t mentioned, but this publication is also funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. To learn more, check out its pitch guidelines.

8. Serious Eats on Medium

Serious Eats focuses on “impressive, audacious, inventive, well-made, or just seriously delicious” food.

While the publication still publishes through its original domain, it also offers a paid subscription model through Medium. According to the site’s announcement, Serious Eats at Medium (or SE@M for short) offers weekly, exclusive content to subscribers not available on SeriousEats.com.

SE@M is looking for 800 to 2,000-word essays related to food, cooking, and eating with a rhetorical position.

For more information, view its submission guidelines. Payment is $100 per essay.

9. Pacific Standard

Pacific Standard concentrates on tackling society’s biggest problems. Its sections include elections, economics, education, the environment, and social justice. Like Serious Eats, this publication still has its own website in addition to its Medium presence. It also publishes a bimonthly print magazine.

Pacific Standard is looking for feature stories, photo essays, and more. For more pitching information, check out its contact page. (It even has a list of what it’s not looking for.) Pay per word is negotiable.

If you’re not on Medium yet, consider signing up before pitching a publication. It helps to build a presence on the site as a writer, even if you’re re-publishing content from your blog.

Even if you’re not writing, creating a Medium account engages you as a reader. If you aren’t registered, can’t recommend or comment on stories.

Have you ever pitched a publication that uses the Medium platform? What was your experience?

In college, I wrote for free for the student newspaper, a few travel blogs, and Thought Catalog. I had a ton of experience, but it took me a while to figure out how to get paid for my work.

I didn’t understand what my writing was worth until this past January. Since I wasn’t thrilled with my day job, I decided to commit to freelance writing as a side hustle in 2016.

Luckily, I was already in supportive writing communities. I also found invaluable online resources to help me pitch my ideas.

Last month, I left my marketing position to pursue freelancing full time.

The following five steps helped me manage the jump from part-time to full-time freelance writing.

1. Find a system to track your income

Tracking your income from the beginning is incredibly important.

It helps you keep a record of your work. It helps you track down any delinquent clients that haven’t paid you. It also shows your progress as you accept more assignments at higher rates.

To this day, I still use a Google sheet. As an extremely organized person, it works for me. I break columns down by headline, publication, rate, date published, date paid, date hired, date invoiced, and published link.

Before I found this method, I was writing everything down in a notebook. Tracking dates helps me understand how quickly (or slowly) a publication completes edits, adds my story to their editorial calendar, and pays me.

As your business grows, consider using more professional services, such as Freshbooks or Quickbooks. You might even want to outsource your accounting altogether, or maybe hire a virtual assistant to manage your finances.

2. Create income goals

I started with a freelance writing goal of earning $1,000 a month. Although I didn’t meet that goal in January, I exceeded it in February.

But I found myself working too much in certain weeks, while other weeks, I’d hear crickets from my clients.

Then, I set a weekly goal of $400. That first week, I remember only making $12 until Thursday, where I was hired for a $1,250 assignment over the next two months.

By this point, I was focusing on developing steady relationships with editors (more on that below). Rather than cold pitching editors constantly, I pitched ones I previously worked with. Additionally, I wasn’t afraid to pitch higher-paying publications.

My day job was a safety net if I didn’t meet my weekly goal. I also live in an area with a low cost of living, so my expenses are fairly minimal. However, I usually met my goal.

3. Build an online presence

During the last week of December, I created a free website with Wix. I published it on New Year’s Day.

I also focused on improving my social media following, focusing on growing my Facebook writer page. Even today, I’m constantly inviting new friends to like my page.

On Twitter, I started participating in Twitter chats. Once you’ve participated in one for a bit, consider finding out how to host or moderate it. Or even create your own! There are also hashtags worth following like #writing #amwriting, #writingcommunity, #instawriting, and #writinglife.

Social media is crucial for writers because creating a platform for an audience to follow you helps clients find you.

The larger your following is, the more potential you have to connect with future clients online — because you never know when someone who follows you on Twitter or Facebook might need a writer.

4. Schedule your time strategically

If you work a traditional 9-to-5 job, determine possible times of day to work on freelance projects. Are you a morning or a night person? Can you dedicate your lunch hour to freelancing? Consider working over the weekend if you don’t have plans.

Within those time blocks, prioritize timely tasks over others, and don’t cram in too much. Your quality of work might suffer.

I use a Passion Planner to schedule my days. I’m also a fan of basic yellow pads for to-do lists. I’m constantly writing down things to do and remember. Likewise, I prioritize the most important and timely tasks.

Fortunately, my day job had flexible hours. If I had a larger assignment that required more time, I could leave work early to go home to work on it.

I may not have been able to do this if my job weren’t so relaxed. However, before transitioning to full-time freelancing, it was sometimes difficult to balance time. I typically worked over the weekend.

5. Foster relationships with previous clients

If you’re pitching publications, focus on editors you’ve previously worked with rather than cold-pitching new ones. If you were successful with the first assignment, previous editors will know your work and trust you for future assignments.

Not only are you more likely to receive a response, but you’re also more likely to be hired.

The more you write for a publication and build a rapport, the more likely they’ll start turning to you for a more permanent role. Maybe they’ll come to you with a timely assignment. Maybe they’ll consider you for a regular contributor role.

Once you’re more in tune with your earnings, scheduling, and clients, you have a better understanding of improvements need to be made.

Have you made the leap to full-time freelancing? How did you set your financial goals?

I didn’t know much about how to make it in this field. I needed every piece of advice I could find!

Although I’m close to my first anniversary as a paid writer, I’m still constantly searching for these resources.

I’ve compiled a list of resources that have benefited me professionally for other novice freelance writers looking to improve their skills.

1. Your dream publication’s website

This seems obvious, but it’s so-often overlooked.

Sometimes, publication editors offer specific directions on how to pitch to them, such as Jessica Reed from The Guardian and Rachel Krantz at Bustle. Although these editors can be specific, the basic principles apply to others.

You might be making some mistakes these editors don’t like, and guess what? If both The Guardian and Bustle don’t like it, chances are other editors won’t, either.

2. Jessica Reed’s Pitch Clinic

Every week, Guardian editor Jessica Reed reviews a pitch submitted by a freelancer to Medium. If you want to someday score a byline in the British publication, pay close attention.  Reed breaks down each pitch and provides critical feedback section by section.

At the end, she’ll grade the pitch from A to F.

If you’re interested in submitting a pitch you’re working on, you can email her — your query will remain anonymous.

3. BinderCon

BinderCon is a professional-development conference for women and gender-nonconforming writers. Its nonprofit, Out of the Binders, holds conferences twice a year in New York City and Los Angeles, offers workshops, and hosts a podcast, The BinderCast.

At the first BinderCon ever, held at NYU’s campus in Manhattan, I signed up for speed-pitching sessions with prestigious editors at The Atlantic and Guernica. It was my first experience pitching an editor, and it happened to be in person.

As expected of a newcomer and a college senior, I completely flunked both opportunities. But, I received some critical feedback I likely wouldn’t have gotten over email.

To better understand BinderCon’s sessions, check out Women Who Pitch: Freelancing In The Digital Age on Medium. It’s a recap of a freelance writing panel from the most BinderCon in Los Angeles in March 2016.

4. Morning Coffee Freelance Writing Newsletter

Although this isn’t exactly a pitching resource, it’s an easy way to find and score freelance gigs to supplement your income. If you’re lucky enough to land one of these side jobs, the experience will likely benefit you as a novice freelance writer.

The newsletter recently experienced an ownership change. Curator Brian Scott, who recently revived Online-Writing-Jobs.com, has passed the torch — and while there are some changes, you can still expect to learn about paid opportunities.

In between jobs last fall, I responded to a Morning Coffee listing for a fashion blogger.

Although I already had solid blogging experience, I wasn’t well-versed in fashion. But the site invited me on as a contributor based upon previous writing samples. I’m paid a small fee, and my posts go through very little revision and editing.

It’s an excellent source to create my own passive income, based upon however many posts I decide to publish.

5. Poynter Institute

The Poynter Institute is a journalism education nonprofit located in St. Petersburg, Florida. Its News University offers training, both online and in-person, at varying prices.

However, there are a ton of free webinars available with a free membership.

I started listening to free webinars while completing homework in college.

By day, I work as a copywriter for a real-estate marketing firm. I’m attracted to real estate-based webinars like How to Use Your Housing Data on Your Beat and How to Cover Housing Stories in Your Community. Because of Zillow’s sponsorship, these replays are available free of charge.

6. Pitching Shark

A college friend who also happens to be a freelancer shared this email newsletter with me early on in my freelancing career. It’s written by Sulagna Misra once a month.

Last fall, I reached out to Sulagna about a pitch that was rejected a dozen times: A few months prior, I interviewed a woman tribal activist while studying abroad in India. She provided me a few tips, but it wasn’t until her next newsletter that I found the biggest advice: She introduced The Establishment’s call for pitches.

Based upon what I had learned from this newsletter and its creator, I honed my pitch and sent it over to an editor at The Establishment. Despite previous rejections, my story found a new home with a warm welcome. It took me ten months to find a home for this one!

7. The Freelancer by Contently

Alongside The Write Life, I started following Contently’s blog, The Freelancer, when I started my career. The site’s articles constantly help me improve how I pitch stories.

I frequently find fellow freelancers covering topics I never considered, such as the best email subject lines and why an editor isn’t responding to my pitch.

Here of some of my favorites.

• Editors Tell All: What Subject Lines Work the Best?
• 8 Reasons Your Pitch Got Rejected and How to Fix It, According to Top Editors
• Why Isn’t Your Editor Answering Your Pitch? It’s Complicated
• 10 Brutal (and Real) Pitch Rejections

Contently also offers an online portfolio system to compile your writing samples.

What other resources would you recommend a novice freelance writer?