Newbie Asks A Question On What Sells
Moderators: Celeste Stewart, Ed, Constant
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jfmalewitz
- Posts: 24
- Joined: Sat Jul 28, 2007 1:18 pm
Newbie Asks A Question On What Sells
I suppose I could just do some research on what sells here, but you guys have been very helpful on the forums. I am still a newbie. More than half my articles submitted have been rejected. But, only one has sold. This was one i sold cheap because it was a reprint. My question is this: What are the top selling markets? I know a lot of family articles sell--or at least I think I know that. I was just curious if a few experts could say the articles they write which usually find a buyer. Like a top 3 or Top 4 topics that sell well. I am willing to do the research. I am a newspaper writer hoping to make the transition to freelance someday, and I realize, and read this a lot, that research is needed for many topics. I'm sorry if I took your time. Any advice would be great. If I can't get rich, could I borrow some of your money just as an advance on my top selling articles?
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Celeste Stewart
- Posts: 3528
- Joined: Sun Jan 08, 2006 5:28 pm
- Location: California
- Contact:
Hello,
Hot topics vary but many consistant ones as far as I can tell seem to be: lifestyle, real estate, parenting, finance, travel, computers, weddings. . . I'm sure I'm missing a bunch.
Some of these topics are influenced by requests so a spike in a certain topic is often related to a particular request. Last summer do-it-yourself topics were hot because of a certain customer's request for thousands of such articles. This summer, eek, I can't say exactly what's been hot.
You'll get a feel as you go as to which requested topics have a broad appeal -- that is, if it doesn't sell to the requester, does it have a broad enough appeal to sell elsewhere? If a requester wants an article describing various mortgage types, writing for that request may or may not result in a sale to the requester. If it doesn't, take heart - it's a popular topic and someone else will want it sooner or later.
My best advice is to watch the requests and recently sold sections. Try not to specialize too much -- answer requests that picque your curiousity and have enough appeal to them that even if the article isn't picked up by the requester, it has a chance elsewhere.
Try a few more specialized things too though because everyone has to carve out a niche somehow . . . just don't bank on those. Consider them more of an experiement and see what happens. Good luck!
Hot topics vary but many consistant ones as far as I can tell seem to be: lifestyle, real estate, parenting, finance, travel, computers, weddings. . . I'm sure I'm missing a bunch.
Some of these topics are influenced by requests so a spike in a certain topic is often related to a particular request. Last summer do-it-yourself topics were hot because of a certain customer's request for thousands of such articles. This summer, eek, I can't say exactly what's been hot.
You'll get a feel as you go as to which requested topics have a broad appeal -- that is, if it doesn't sell to the requester, does it have a broad enough appeal to sell elsewhere? If a requester wants an article describing various mortgage types, writing for that request may or may not result in a sale to the requester. If it doesn't, take heart - it's a popular topic and someone else will want it sooner or later.
My best advice is to watch the requests and recently sold sections. Try not to specialize too much -- answer requests that picque your curiousity and have enough appeal to them that even if the article isn't picked up by the requester, it has a chance elsewhere.
Try a few more specialized things too though because everyone has to carve out a niche somehow . . . just don't bank on those. Consider them more of an experiement and see what happens. Good luck!
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J. A. Young
- Posts: 249
- Joined: Wed Sep 14, 2005 1:27 pm
- Location: U.S.A.
Celeste is right on with her advice. And, eek, what a summer it has been. I long for the days of do-it-yourself articles. I know I had a lot of success in certain subjects early on, but I can't seem to move them this summer. But with any type of sales there are going to be hot and cold periods.
I only write for requests that interest me--but I have the luxury to be able to do this because of my day job. Otherwise, I just build up my repertoire now and then with articles that I like to research and write that will probably have appeal to a wide array of customers. Short of that, I wish I had a better formula for writing success...I'm still searching for it.
Good luck, JA
I only write for requests that interest me--but I have the luxury to be able to do this because of my day job. Otherwise, I just build up my repertoire now and then with articles that I like to research and write that will probably have appeal to a wide array of customers. Short of that, I wish I had a better formula for writing success...I'm still searching for it.
Good luck, JA