Skydiving Magazines

Writer's Credentials: What To Do If You Don't Have Magazine Clips

"Query with clips." The feared line in magazine submission guidelines and for new freelance writers, but even though the magazine states clips are required no clips doesn't necessarily mean "no assignment, " however. You may have something even better: Credentials.

1. Education. Do you have a degree, or some other form of educational qualifications, in the field you wish to write about? If you wanted to write for a nutritional magazine, for example, a degree in biology might be enough to convince an editor to take a chance on you. Educational credits needn't always be formal degrees, but should be sufficient to establish you as an "expert."
2. Work experience. Let's say you're a nutritionist, and knew exactly what advice to offer to do-it-yourself dieters to help them avoid failed attempts at losing weight.
3. Personal expertise. Your hobbies may also give you the edge you need to impress an editor. For instance if you have gardening experience a piece on when to plant certain types of flowers during the year might be sold to an editor.
4. Personal experience. Don't overlook "what you did on your vacations "as a source of article ideas. Experiences from your everyday life can provide the foundation for an assignment-winning query. Sometimes, simply having "been there, done that" is enough to make you an "expert." (Just make sure that your "experience" is sufficient to set you apart from the crowd; offering a parenting article simply on the basis of "being a parent" isn't likely to impress many editors.)
5. Access to experts. Even if you're not an expert yourself, you may be able to sell an article based on your ability to contact an expert for an interview. Be sure to list the expert's credentials -- and be sure you really can get the interview if you get the assignment!