How to Start an Advice Column

If you're the first one to offer your advice and opinions to others, you could start writing your own advice column just like Abigail Van Buren or Ann Landers. Writing an advice column could be a fun career choice, but it also comes with responsibility.

Things You'll Need

• Sample columns
• Press kit
• Thick skin

Instructions

1. Brush up on your grammar skills and edit and re-edit your work. A knowledge of Associated Press Style is also a plus since most newspapers use it.

2. Develop your expertise and decide if you want an advice column to be specifically geared toward etiquette, relationships, parenting or some other subject.

3. Ask your family and friends to propose questions for you to use to build samples to submit to editors. Take their questions and write careful, well-researched and concise answers.

4. Compose six to ten sample columns 700 to 1,000 words long.

5. Write a biography explaining why you are an expert in your advice-giving field. Perhaps you're a doctor, mother or expert in your field.

6. In your press kit, combine your sample columns, biography, synopsis of your column and your target readership.

7. Begin calling editors of the publications in which you would like to have your column run.

Tips & Warnings

• Be prepared to send the editors samples of your work along with your press kit.

• Follow up with the editors. They are very busy and sometimes don't call back. Don't be afraid to call them.

• Starting out with an online blog is also a good way to get your name out there.

• Don't be discouraged with rejection. Editors may tell you no for a variety of reasons. Perhaps your column isn't right for the publications or it may already have an advice columnist.

• Don't take your responsibility as a columnist lightly. You need to evaluate and research your answers before you publish them.