You're a band-new writer.
How do you convince editors to commission you?
You create writing samples, and send these to editors along with your proposals. Published writers send clips of their published work, but writing samples are better, because they show an editor that you understand HIS publication.
So how does this work for you?
Here's the scenario. You're Donald New-Writer, and you've just been downsized from your job as the marketing manager at the Three-Different-Kinds-Of-Chocolate Company.
Here's how to proceed, Donald:
1. Decide what kind of writing you want to do. Donald's decided he wants to write for magazines.
2. He buys a collection of the magazines he'd like to write for.
3. He studies the magazines.
4. He writes a sample article for each magazine.
5. He writes several article queries --- proposals --- of ideas he's had which would work perfectly for each of the magazines.
6. He sends the material to each magazine: an article proposal, accompanied by a writing sample.
7. He repeats the process.
