Writing a letter to a magazine or newspaper is often the way in which writers first see their name in print. You might even get paid for it, or win a ‘star letter’ prize, although part of the fun is seeing it published at all.
I’m not the only writer who gained confidence and learned to be concise by writing letters, and subsequent opinion pieces. I know of one writer who used to cover the cost of writing conferences solely by what she earned from published letters, many in newspapers who paid for them.
Over the years, I’ve had many letters published in diverse publications, winning a hand-held blender along the way, as well as the occasional payment. I also wrote several ‘First Person’ viewpoints in the old Evening Times newspaper, as well as a few for The Lady magazine ‘Viewpoint’ when those columns were available.
As we know, many markets for all types of writing have dwindled, yet there are still opportunities. I don’t seek these out but I do read various magazines and tend to reply to editors’ letters or an article I’ve read if it sparks such a response, or if I have a strong opinion about a topic being discussed.
In the past few years, I’ve had the lead letter in Reader’s Digest, for which I was paid, plus a letter in Radio Times, two in Sainsbury Magazine (one in the current edition), and a photo letter with a haiku I wrote in the current issue of Psychologies magazine.
Even my husband has discovered how satisfying it is to put his opinions in letter form. As a former travel manager and expert on railways, he was delighted (as was I) when two of his letters were published in recent issues of Rail Magazine, both as the lead letter.
So, if you’re not in the mood for longer work, why not hone your skills by writing a letter or two to a favourite publication. It could be in praise of something you’ve read, an opinion, or a photo, or even a poem for some magazines. It’s a good idea to respond to a magazine you normally read and enjoy as you’ll already know their style.
If you don’t normally read magazines or newspapers but want to have a go, The Oldie is open to letters, articles and opinion pieces for their ‘rant’ column. I once had an article published in the magazine but haven’t tried anything else there so far, but there’s still time!
Good luck. Let me know if you’ve had success with letters.
Rosemary
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