After reading your local paper and scratching your head you tell yourself that you could do as well or better than the featured
columnists. In fact, you've discovered your local paper is missing out on your area of expertise. You decide you want to become a
local columnist, but don't know how to get started. You're in luck! You’ve come to the right place.
I’ve been a newspaper columnist for four years, and have picked up some pointers along the way. Follow the tips in this article,
and you could be writing your column.
What Do You Have To Offer?
The first step, in determining if you have what it takes to become a columnist for your local newspaper, is to ask yourself the
following questions:
- Can you meet deadlines on time, every time?
Most publications are either weekly or monthly. To stay ahead of the game, some
columnists write a month's worth of columns in advance. Others wait until just before deadline because they want their columns to be
current with the times. It's a good idea to have a mixture of the two strategies.
Write fresh columns each week, but have a few generic columns as backups, just in case you have a personal emergency that prevents you
from meeting your deadline.
- Do you have an area of expertise?
Ann Landers and Abigail van Buren are known for their advice columns. Dave Barry and Erma
Bombeck became famous because of their humorous take on life. What specialty will you offer your readers?
There are many potential types of columns, such as:
- finances
- parenting
- inspirational
- political
- humor
- dating
- health
- fitness
- gardening
- sports
- music
- book reviews
Avoid topics that have been done to death. If you have an area of interest, but are not an expert, it will take you longer to write your
column. Not only will you spend extra time interviewing others, but you will have to do additional research for each column. Because of
this, most columnists write from personal knowledge, in essay form. Since words just pour out on the screen, it takes columnist little time
to write a quality piece. Once the rough draft is written, the columnist can finesse the rough draft and produce a column ready for print.
If you are unsure of your area of expertise, consider your passion. Having a passion for your topic will make it easy to come up with
new ideas for each column. Having a passion also allows you to have a long-term interest in your column. If you are not passionate about
the topic or your audience, you will burn out quickly and/or have difficulty writing each column.
- Can you develop a readership?
Make sure your topic is of interest to your readers. Columnist need to keep their readers coming back for more. If your topic is
boring or uninteresting, your editor will stop carrying you as a columnist. Editors look for columnists who give readers a reason to buy
their papers because a higher circulation helps sell advertising. (Side Note: When readers clip your columns to share with friends or
put them at their work station, you know you've made it as a columnist!)
- Do you have the skills necessary to make it as a columnist?
It is essential that you can bring a unique twist to a common topic or editors will not be interested in you. Editors want something
fresh to offer their readers. What can you bring to the table?
How To Get Started As a Columnist
Once you've determined you have what it takes to be a local newspaper columnist, it's time to take the necessary steps towards success.
- Step One: Seek out local newspapers, regional papers, freebie papers, and specialty newspapers (parenting, Christian, farming,
etc.). Read their current columns. See if they need the type of column you can offer. Do they buy syndicated columns? If so, they might
be interested in the local flare of your column. (Side note: I was able to place my weekly inspirational column in a local paper because
they were not getting much positive feedback from the devotional they were purchasing from a syndication.)
- Step Two: Send a query letter and clips to the editor. In your query, paint a word picture of your column. Explain why
you are the best person to write the proposed column. Tell the editor about your background experience and training. Mention any awards
you've won or recognition you've received regarding the topic of your proposed column. In short, sell yourself first.
- Step Three: Be prepared to write a few sample columns for the publication. Some editors use sample columns as a test
market before they make a commitment to carry your column on a regular basis. These editors look for columnists who can deliver
quality columns on deadline―every time. Once you prove you can do that, you can make a business deal with the editor regarding pay,
deadlines, and word count. Therefore, it's best to include 4 to 6 sample columns with your query letter.
- Step Four: Approach several publications at once. Freelance columnists rarely sign an exclusive deal with just one publication,
so you are free to market the same column to other newspapers. The only way to make money as a columnist is to have your column in
several papers each week.
Once you begin your new career as a freelance columnist, you'll discover both benefits and challenges of writing a regular column.
They are:
Benefits
- For most, the first benefit is name recognition. Not only can name recognition open career doors, it can make you feel like a local
celebrity. Signing checks at the local store becomes a treat when the clerk recognizes you as her favorite columnist.
- The second benefit is the ability to use your columns as a way to diversify your income. Newspaper columns become great fodder for
books or speeches: a collection of columns can become short chapters for specialty books. And event planners will seek you out to be a
featured speaker for their events.
- The third benefit is the ability to add clout to your resume. Other newspapers, magazines, and book publishers will give your resume
a second thought because of your experience as a columnist. The fact that you are able to meet deadlines for a local newspaper speaks
highly of your dependability.
Challenges
While challenges vary from columnist to columnist, these are the most common challenges new columnists face:
- You will get very little feedback from your readers. Because of this, you won’t know for sure if your columns are on target.
- It is difficult coming up with new material. You will need to keep a notebook of potential column ideas, and find new ways to stay
creativity fresh and not sound like a broken record. One way to make sure your material is fresh is to stay current and relevant.
- There is very little pay as a columnist, so you'll need to market yourself to several publications and consider reprints.
- Keeping the same tone or style is difficult to accomplish throughout the career of a columnist. But it's important to stick to one
style: whether it be humor, satire, opinion, information, etc.
- Being a regular columnist requires commitment, skill, dedication, and discipline.
How do you know you've reached success?
When your column appears in more than one paper.
About The Author:
Kathy Carlton Willis is best known as speaker/singer, freelance author/columnist, and specialist in women's & children's
ministries. Living Out Loud Communications encompasses all of her interests. Read her blog at
I'm Living Out Loud.
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