This is my third article on Freelance Writing for Popular Magazines. I have already given you ideas on What To Write For Publication. I have also written about How To Submit Your Stories And Articles To Popular Magazines. Now let’s get down to business and ask the question: How Much Money Can I Make From Writing Short Stories And Articles?

Payment for stories and articles varies considerable between magazines.

You can expect to receive £25 to £50 from a weekly mag for a short story or article.

Some magazines simply give you free gifts or free subscriptions. Do not discount these. You are getting your ‘name’ out there as a writer. Some magazines who offer only free gifts are well-respected and a story or article published there can be listed as a very relevant and authorative source on your ‘Writer’s Portfolio.’

The rate for a well-written story or article on a popular monthly magazine (and some weeklies) is usually around £100 for a 1,000-2,000 words story or article (and the limit will be the same word count, so there is no point in writing more in hope of receiving a bigger cheque - the article will be too long and will be rejected).

Popular magazines (including some weeklies) which publish ‘It Happened To Me’ stories, offer up to £250 for a story with pictures, but be careful with these - you need to get your ‘facts’ right (even if they are fictitious…).

It will be much more difficult to get a story or article published in the highest paying popular magazines, especially if you are a new freelance writer. Some, like ‘Cosmo’ will expect to see proof of your publications first. The ‘quality’ of their magazine depends on using well-known and respected freelance writers alongside their editorial staff. So try these when you are more established in the writing field.

The highest paying popular magazine which does consider new writers is Playboy. Playboy Magazine (US) publishes a wide range of stories and articles. These do not have to be adult in nature. In fact, a good thriller is often more likely to be accepted for publication. Remember, this is a predominantly male audience, so have this demographic in mind when you write. Playboy will pay up to several hundred dollars for a well-crafted story.

However, before you all start writing for Playboy, remember this is one of the hardest places to get your story or article published. Everyone wants to write for Playboy! They pay top rates, but in return they expect top stories and they have plenty to choose from…

Never reject the idea of writing stories and articles for low-paying weekly magazines. The story or article will take less time to write and is much more likely to be published. The editors of weeklies need constant written content and the turnaround (acceptance or rejection) is usually much quicker.

Ok, that should answer the question: How Much Money Can I Make Writing For Popular Magazines?

You have now submitted your story or article and you have a rough idea how much you are going to earn (or how much authority you can achieve) if your written work is accepted.

In my next post, I will tell you how to organise your written content and submitted stories and articles. It may be a drag, but every successful freelance writer must organise their work. I will show you how I manage this with minimum effort.