How to Get an Article Published

Getting an article published is not the easiest thing to do but, when you accomplish this goal, it's a feeling of success.

Things You'll Need

• Computer
• Publication's submission guidelines

Instructions

1. Pick out a magazine that you regularly read and look for the target audience and demographic information. This way, you will be able to figure out the type of topics that this magazine would be interested in.

2. Look for the submission guidelines in the magazine to find out whether the magazines accepts unsolicited articles. Certain magazines only work with their internal staff while others embrace outside freelance writers.

3. Submit a query letter or the full article (depending on what the magazine specifies) promoting the article that you'd like to write. Include your credentials, the point of the article, and why this magazine should publish it.

4. Provide a SASE (self-addressed, stamped envelope) so the magazine can respond.

5. Keep track of each magazine that you send query letters to. You never want to send a duplicate letter to the same company.

6. Wait. This is the hardest part about submitting queries or articles to a magazine. A magazine can accept, or reject, your article idea in weeks, months, or the magazine may not contact you at all. That's the reality of publishing. Lean towards magazines that will accept simultaneous submissions and queries (meaning that you have sent the query and/or the full article to another magazine for consideration) and won't lock you down to their publication.

7. Submit article ideas to other magazines but not the same ideas. If the original magazine that you submitted the idea to gives you the opportunity to write the article, it is unprofessional to reject them and say that you found another magazine to buy your idea. It will also make this magazine lose interest in your work. Why should they give you a second shot if you might do the same thing again?