Freelance Writing: Nature Articles
Earn Money Writing Wildlife Articles for Magazines
Tips for writing nature or wildlife articles for magazine submission, plus freelance online writer resources.
If you love the outdoors, you might try your hand at writing wildlife articles. Besides being one of the most enjoyable kinds of writing, just spending time with Mother Nature will lift your spirit and liven your step. In addition, the following tips might help insure another benefit: the receipt of a nice check for sharing your wonderful experience with others.
Prewriting Experience
Some writers become "experts" on their topics by spending weeks, months, even years with their noses in books. This is not true for those who successfully write about wildlife. You must experience the outdoors firsthand, not only in observing the environment, but using all your senses to tune into the life energy of the plants and animals around you. This is not a time to struggle with spiral notebooks or nature guidebooks, but a time to begin to develop a personal relationship with the natural world.
Prewriting Research
To begin researching for writing, read at least one article from every wildlife magazine on file in the library. (Be sure to pull copies of regional wildlife publications since they are more receptive to local writiers.) When you find an article you especially like, make notes about its organization, length, style, and format. How does the author package the facts? How many references and resources were used to write the article? Scan the list of titles at the front of the magazine. What kind of articles does this editor like to publish? Make a copy of the article to include in your home file.
Decide What to Write About
Based upon your outdoor experiences, and the articles you have read, it's time to target a specific creature you would like to know more about. Also be careful to consider the predicted "appealability" of your chosen topic to the editor of the journal you have selected. Be sure and check the back issues of the journal and find out if other articles on this animal have been published recently. Study the topics that were accepted for publication. What percentage were articles dealing with mammals, birds, fish, etc.? In other words, what kind of articles are likely to win acceptance?
After deciding upon the perfect animal to write about, in terms of personal interest and marketability of the article, check out as many books as possible about that animal, beginning with books from the children's section of the library and a good encyclopedia entry. This won't take long and will give some good "starter" information for your article.
Some Techniques for Writing a Sellable Article
Having fascinating, unusual facts to share is a start, but the successful writer also knows how to add a bit of magic to the mix to make for a sellable article. Consider the following techniques:
- Use your own personal experiece to place the reader in a natural setting when opening and/or closing an article. For example, "Imagine yourself sitting on the edge of a small rippling stream at the end of a summer day..."
- Insert a bit of historical information to add a different slant to your article. For example, "Captain John Smith, leader of the Jamestown colony, was the first European to report the animal's existance." (See the online article on the opossum.)
- Use appropriate literary verse, quotations, or other popular references. For example, a story about bullfrogs might include a line in the introduction from Mark Twain's story, "The Celebrated Frog of Calaveras County." Use your imagination!
Proofread, Polish and Submit
After you have finished the article, sit in a comfortable spot with a highlighter and read it carefully. Highlight each and every word, punctuation mark, or paragraph that you think might not be viewed as perfect in the eyes of an editor. Some writers are very good at proofreading their own work, but others ask a second person to read through the first draft . After finding the writing errors, polish the article and get it in the mail.
Inspiration and Renewal
When the article is on its way is the time to plan your next outdoor trip. This time spent relaxing, rejuvenating, and getting back in tune with nature should become the most important part of your writing cycle. Writing comes from the heart and spirit, and meaningful creation demands periodic inspiration and renewal.
