You’re writing your novel, and it’s a long process. In between your WIP you can build your audience by writing for periodicals.

Writing Tip for Today: Here are some tips on how to write and submit to periodicals:

Be an Expert

You may not think of yourself as an expert, but you probably know a lot about something. Whether it’s parenting, gardening or astrophysics, you can draw upon your interests to find material for articles or essays. When you’re starting out, it may not matter if this area correlates to your novel. Just find a topic you’re sure people are hungry to know more about, and dive in.

Periodicals include newspapers, magazines, ezines and newsletters. You might also add in short essays for anthologies or contests. The purpose of producing short work is to get your author credits started as you erect a platform or sphere of influence.

The more people who regard you as an expert on dogs or cars or dental hygiene, the faster you can build a followers list. But how does this apply to your novel?

Borrow Your Theme

If you’re like many writers, your interests will show up in your fiction. Why not borrow a theme or some aspect of your novel and apply it to a nonfiction piece?

You might draw upon your WIP novel’s overall theme of say, finding love, and write essays or articles about the state of dating today. If your novel has a dog or a cat character, translate that into a piece that appeals to dog or cat lovers. You could write about the novel’s setting, the culture of that setting or how a certain place influences the inhabitants.

The point here is to use short pieces for periodicals to cultivate potential readers for your novel. In today’s publishing world, writers need thousands of followers to interest trad publishers. You can start building that list by getting your name out there with a topic that your novel echoes. I often refer this idea as being like Russian nesting dolls—your novel is the biggest treatment of your theme, and the smallest represents short pieces derived from the larger idea.

Borrow some aspect of your novel and use it to write articles or essays for periodicals. 

Look for Markets

Assuming you’ve polished and revised a short piece, how do you get it in front of that potential audience? These days, writer’s markets are easily located online. Some are paid; others are free. Be careful, though. Scams abound, so if possible, study the actual publication to get a feel for the editorial needs.

Compile a list of at least ten possible markets. Start with the largest or most prestigious, and if you get a rejection (or these days, more likely a “no-jection,” meaning you just never hear back), move to the next one on your list. Many larger markets call for a query letter or pitch before you send the actual copy. Pay attention to all guidelines.

Writing short articles or essays can also extend to anthologies. Think Chicken Soup for the Soul—although many more might exist for niche markets such as inspirational or fanzines. Contests can also be a landing place for your work—but again, be careful. I would never enter a contest where the entry fee is really high, or the prize is a self-published volume. As you write toward the finishing line on your novel, make time in your schedule to work on short articles or essays that you can submit (paid or not) to periodicals. Publishing these short pieces can help you build that platform and followers list.