How to Sell Your Writing in 2025: Expert Tips for Successful Print and Digital Submissions
Inspire confidence in editors and publishers so you become their go-to writer
For decades, I have made significant money writing features, essays, news, and everything under the sun for major publications. I never miss a deadline. I get my share of rejections. But the revenue is consistent, and you can do what I do.
It's a pretty obvious strategy, but many writers don't take the time and effort to identify the right publication or magazine to write for. That's the secret to failure. Putting yourself in front of exactly the right publications is the difference between being a successful freelancer and a sadly disappointed writer.
Don't send your work out blindly. Carefully research publications that align with your writing style and target audience. Before you ever draft your piece, understand the pub's style, tone, and content. Read past issues—don't just scan the TOC—to grasp what they're looking for. Align your submission with their audience and editorial voice. Look at their advertisers for another clue to their philosophy. This takes time, and every minute of research has a big ROI.
Pay close attention to submission guidelines– they often include information on preferred word counts, payment rates, and submission formats. Many publications toss out any submission that does not follow guidelines. Guidelines are not suggestions.
Once you completely understand the publication and what they want from you, head for your keyboard.
Craft a killer query letter—You're invisible without one
Write a compelling opening line that grabs attention. Introduce yourself, highlight the relevance of your submission to the magazine, and provide a brief summary of your piece. Why are you the best writer for this piece? Be concise but engaging and authentic.
Now, show them what makes your story stand out. What unique perspective or insight do you offer? How does your story relate to popular topics but add something unique? What problem will you solve for readers? Editors are busy. Get to the point quickly and succinctly.
It always helps to find the name of the decision-maker. "Dear editor" is pretty lame.
Write and polish your piece, knowing that errors can instantly disqualify your submission. You'll hear some "gurus" say editors don't care about typos and mistakes. Bull. A clean, well-edited submission demonstrates attention to detail and professionalism. There are millions of writers—be the one that is worth paying.
Build relationships with editors and publishers
In the real world, think about attending writing conferences (yes, those exist in cyberspace, too!) Network with editors and other writers at industry events or online. Make yourself visible but not annoying. Demonstrate your expertise. Be real—nobody responds well to pseudo-intellectual nonsense. Sell yourself gently.
Subscribe to publications you're interested in and find ways to interact or engage. Show your commitment to their mission by becoming a subscriber.
Follow editors and publishers on social media. It's okay to engage with their content when you have something relevant to contribute—there may be opportunities to share your own writing respectfully. There is a fine line between spammy crash-marketing and showing your value. Do some reading about how to present yourself — find out what the 70-20-10 rule is and use it. It works.
Be patient and persistent—a challenging task
One writer claims he sent this to a publication, “Dear Editor, Thank you very much for your recent rejection notification. Unfortunately, I am unable to accept your rejection at this time. Please understand I receive a high volume of rejection notifications and must be highly selective in choosing those I'm able to handle.”
You will get rejections. I get them; Stephen King gets them; Louisa Alcott got them. Don't get discouraged by rejections; learn from them. They are a part of the writing and learning process. Pay careful attention to real responses from editors.
Consider the rejections carefully, and then keep writing and submitting. Don't dwell—a rejection is one person's opinion in a given moment. It's not a judgment of you as a writer or a person. The more you write, the better your craft becomes.
Don't send out one story, then sit back and worry until you get a response. Submit something to someone at least once a week, every week. Keep a record of where you've submitted and the status of each submission. If your writing is even competent, you will sell consistently if you submit consistently. Sitting moping and wringing your hands on Instagram does not move you forward.
Magazines receive countless submissions, so responses take time. If you don't hear back within the stated timeframe, a polite follow-up is acceptable.
Extra special secret bonus tip just to you from me—don't tell anyone!
In the digital age, magazines are increasingly dependent on rich multimedia content. In your query, offer to provide relevant photos, infographics, or even short video clips to accompany your submission if you can. You will significantly boost your chances of getting published. Visual elements make your piece more engaging and provide additional value to the readers—but the quality has to be top-notch.
If you have expertise in creating high-quality multimedia content, mention this in your pitch or cover letter. It can set you apart from other writers and show the editors that you are versatile and can contribute more than just words to their publication. This is the way to encourage an editor to want to work with you regularly—and that should be your goal.
Submit to the right publications—think magazines, newspapers, online publications, writing websites, contests, and anthologies. Consider starting with smaller, less competitive publications to gain experience and build your confidence.
Study my suggestions and follow them. Make sure you deliver on time and that you keep every commitment you make. I promise that you will increase your success exponentially. Consistency is the key.
Let us know what your best experience has been with submitting work—leave a comment so we can all learn together!
This advice is really valuable. I am working towards a goal of having one piece of writing published in a magazine and now I know which steps I should take first before I write anything. Thank you so much.
I forgot about adding photos and video offers in my subs! You are correct- I have sold a few stories quickly when I provided hand drawn art.