Over the age Ive spoken to a figure of authors who add they aspire to inscription a syndicated column. Getting syndicated is a abundant abstraction, albeit a challenging one. If youve anticipation of this no suspect most (if not all) of your competition has too. But dont let this discourage you, while syndication may booty a while, its still worth pursuing.
There are a figure of tried and accurate ways you can enter this marketplace, there are again a few back door methods that might assignment equally as acceptable. The aboriginal affair youll charge to accomplish however is amuse to apperceive your competition. For this I recommend that you amuse a copy of The Editor & Publisher Annual Directory of Syndication. Sometimes you can amuse this in bookstores but Id recommend aloof ordering it online at www.editorandpublisher.com. Analyze this book carefully and youll acquisition that syndicated columns are listed by both the syndicated service that offers them as able-bodied as their topic. This will accord you a acceptable starting point in your research and since most newspapers any more accept on-line archives, youll be able to analyze former articles and beam how these topics differ from your own.
Once youve explored this, define for yourself how your topic/angle is altered from the ones you activate during your research. Then once youve defined this, you can alpha targeting papers or syndication services with your affair letter and specimen articles. This is the traditional road of entering this marketplace. For most it can be continued and tedious and you might acquisition that without prior clippings to action them, the action takes even longer. In that vein, Id recommend that you ace shot offering your column locally aboriginal or to one paper at a age but not in a syndication deal but as a filler, newspapers will be a lot quicker to booty filler items than to analyze syndication options with you. By offering them consistent filler content (and saving those admired clippings) youll alpha to abound your akin of acquaintance, youll body a reputation with the editor or editorial staff and youll activate to amuse a sense of what does and doesnt assignment with printed media. An associate of mine did this, not with a local paper but with a paper shed been offering her articles to, after about two age of consistent submission she may be in line to fill the shoes of their in-abode syndicated columnist who is retiring.
Once you accept body some exposure for yourself and gathered clippings of your assignment, then its age to alpha pitching your topic to syndicated services (some of them are listed below) or regional newspapers. For this youll charge a abundant affair letter establishing your credentials and explaining why your abstraction is altered from the others they might be considering, youll charge some specimen articles (other than your clippings) and maybe some letters of reference from some papers youve worked for. Submit this packet to newspapers or syndicated services that might be adapted to your topic and then accumulate acceptable records and accomplish your chase-up aloof according to you would if you were pitching the media on anything else. The selfsame rules apply really, pitch and chase-up and stay on their radar screen.
So, at the borderline of the day when you acquisition yourself successfully syndicated will you amuse paid for all your adamantine assignment certainly! What youll amuse paid varies depending on how abounding papers aspect you and whether you are working buttoned up a syndication service. Syndication services are abundant but they will typically booty 40 to 50 percent of your sales. If you self-syndicate you amuse all the proceeds. While its abundant to accomplish this, accumulate in apperception that youll charge to accept acceptable tracking systems in abode once your column takes off.
As an already published author, syndication can be another abundant road to advance you and your book. Your book will lend you the credibility you charge to amuse that column and from this ongoing printed exposure some lucrative publishing deals could chase suit. Syndication may not be an accessible road but if tackled correctly, can be a abundant road to boost your promotion, expand your platform and amuse the affectionate of exposure you alone ever dreamed of!
Above syndicates check online for their submission guidelines
Copley Statement Service
http://www.copleynews.com
Baron Features
http://www.kingfeatures.com
Universal Press Syndicate
http://www.amuniversal.com/ups/index.htm
BONUS TIP: If youre trying to chase the comings and goings of syndicated writers, Editor and Publisher (www.editorandpublisher) is a abundant resource for that. Check out the Departments tab on their interlacing site for the latest statement on columns that might be coming available!
About the author:
Penny C. Sansevieri
The Cliffhanger was published in June of 2000. After a strategic marketing campaign it quickly climbed
the ranks at Amazon.com to the ##1 ace selling book in San Diego. Her most recent book: No Added Rejections. Amuse Published Today! was released in July of 2003 to rave reviews. Penny is a book marketing and media relations specialist. She again coaches authors on projects, manuscripts and marketing plans and instructs a array of coursing on publishing and promotion. To apprentice added about her books or her promotional services, you can appointment her interlacing site at www.amarketingexpert.comTo subscribe to her chargeless ezine, send a blank email to: mailto:subscribe@booksbypen.com
Copyright ã 2004 Penny C. Sansevieri
Originall posted November 7, 2012
