Write to the Top: Writing for Corporate Success

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You’re finally going to do it; become a writer. A successful one. What will make you a success? It’s a term you need to define and then strive to achieve.

What makes a writer a success? Writing something he or she is passionate about? Earning a pay check large enough to be able to retire from the day job? Have a byline (even if it comes with no remuneration)? Having a print (or online) forum in which to share your words? Define that and you are well on your way to writing success.

Now that you’ve given thought to what medium you’d like to see your name attached to, you need to build the momentum to reach that goal. Whether it’s baby steps toward publication or whether you throw yourself into pursuing that dream full time, here are a few pointers to get you on the path:

1. What is your forte? Are you a natural born storyteller in a particular genre and do you dream of writing a novel? (keeping in mind that publication of a novel can be a long process) Do you have a knack for decorating? Are you the go-to person when it comes to your particular industry? Are you the king or queen of the grill? Where do you want to see your work? Newspaper, magazine, on-line, company newsletter?

2. Study the market. Read what you want to write about. You can’t send an article off “blind” or the editor will spot you as an amateur immediately. If you submit an article on Top 10 Tips to Lose Weight and the magazine published that topic one month ago, the editor will know you haven’t done your research. Want to get your words out on the worldwide web? Pull up Google and do a search on the topic on which you want to write, go to the sites and see if they accept submissions. Be sure to check out article writing sites as a source for your submissions as well.

3. Once you’ve found the publication in which you want to see your byline, the deep research begins. In what format does the editor accept submissions (hard copy through the mail, electronic); do they accept queries or will they only consider complete pieces? Check the publications’ website or a “Writer’s Market” type book to determine how the editor accepts submissions. Don’t bypass the submission guidelines – they are there for a reason and the editor expects them to be followed.

4. Put your best foot forward. Make certain your query or article is error free and polished.

5. Don’t sit back waiting to hear back from that one publication, continue to research the markets, query publications and write your way toward success.

Being a “successful” writer is a very subjective term but to be published at all, you need to send your articles to publications and continue to develop your skills so that you become a go-to writer when an editor has a project in mind.