Guest Posting 101 — How to Be Read by the Masses
What every editor wants, and how to give it to them
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Do you ever dream of making it big as a writer one day?
Would you like to see your book become a New York Times Bestseller?
I would, too!
We all have our favorite celebrities. Comedians get their big break when they appear on the Tonight Show. Musicians get exposure when they’re a guest on Saturday Night Live. If you’re a business writer, you want your work in Forbes.
Do this kind of thing often enough and people will start remembering you and following you.
What publications want from you
Publications are businesses. So are websites. They have costs they want to cover, but more than that they want to make a profit.
They don’t do that by taking stupid risks.
It’s hard to build a following. Chances are the founder of the publication you want to be in got on some bigger stages along the way. Maybe she worked at another magazine and learned the ropes there. Whatever the case, she won’t publish just anyone.
So you’ve got to make an appealing pitch.
Here are a few things you must remember:
Make sure your message aligns with theirs.
It’s not all about you.
You’re given the spotlight so you can shine a light on the mission, advance the cause, and stand beside the heroes the publication celebrates.
If you play your hand wisely, you’ll become a hero, too.
I’ve had people send me inquiries to my blog asking to write about consumer products, how to get a better job, even furniture.
I reject them all.
The first thing I ask myself is, “Did they even read any of the posts? Can’t they see the tagline? We write about writing here. Our mission is to help writers engage readers, sell their ideas, and build their tribes. What the hell does furniture have to do with that?”
