Every time I run a course on Freelance Writing, students who have had some success, ask the same question -- Why have the jobs dried up?
This is what happens: A writer has been doing very well and the majority of queries sent to particular magazines have generated commissions. Even articles sent to publications on speculation have normally had a good success rate. And then success turns to rejection.
Here are four suggested causes:
Magazines must keep up with trends in both advertising and content and editors make subtle changes in almost every issue.
Writers need to make sure they pick these up and make the necessary changes to their material.
You may have built up a very good relationship with one particular editor and when that person moves on, you must once again build rapport with the new editor. This is compounded when the new editor has a different style that he/she has been asked to introduce into the publication.
Now you have two problems -- A new editor and a different style.
Barb Clews is an award winning journalist with nearly 1,000 published articles to her credit. She has been a writer and editor for 15 years and is the author of "Article Writing for Freelancers" and "20 Tips to Increase Writing Skills" Visit http://www.bcabooks.com/ to subscribe to "Words that Work", Barb's monthly ezine packed with tips for writers.