Trade Magazines: A Lucrative Niche for Freelance Writers

Many freelance writers dream of their articles being published in the glossy, national magazines. But the competition is fierce in these markets. The editors of these well-paying consumer magazines are usually inundated with queries and letters of introductions from inexperienced and professional writers alike. This is not the case with the trade publications that cater to specific industries and are written for people who work in these areas.

Editors of these narrowly-focused trade newsletters and publications rarely receive queries for story ideas because many freelance writers mistakenly believe that they have to have experience in a particular industry to write for trade magazines. This is not the case. All editors, whether of trade or consumer publications, want well-written articles that provide important information for their readers.

If you have a freelance writing business and can do research, write clearly, and meet deadlines, you can get writing assignments with trade publications. A good book on this subject is “Writing for Trade Magazines – How to Boost Your Income by $200 to $500 per Week” by Kendall Hanson. This 200+ book is available both in hard copy and electronic formats. It is a great introduction on how to break into freelance writing for the trade publications.