Markets: Put Yourself Out There

As a new writer you may be wondering what publications are open to for you to submit your work. Well the short answer is - they all are. You can pitch with confidence to any publication you've set your sites on. If you have a great idea for, say, Travel + Leisure, write your pitch letter and send it off. Don't be intimidated because you never know if your ideas will generate a story. The moral of this post is: don't limit yourself. You are a traveler, seek some adventure in your ideas and queries.

Now you may be thinking, "but I don't have any clips." The advice I always heard at writer's conferences and through reading books on writing is to not mention your lack of experience to editors. Don't draw attention to what you lack. If you're portfolio is rather thin, beef it up by submitting to beginner-friendly markets (see previous posts for ideas). I jump-started my writing career by volunteering to write newsletter articles for an art museum. It gave me experience in reporting, meeting a deadline and seeing my name in print. Best of all it gave me a few clips.

There are many things you can do to break into bigger, better-paying markets. Don't let a lack of experience hold you back. Query large and small markets and find creative ways to get a few clips.