Why Article Writing Can Do Double Duty

When I grew up, the chewing gum slogan of “double your pleasure” was the centerpiece of an advertising program for Wrigley’s Doublemint gum. Let me introduce you to how you can double your pleasure as a writer.

Learning to write articles develops an easily transferable skill.

Let the following examples stimulate you to think about how you, too, can double your pleasure as a writer.

Go Get 'EmConsider writing ad copy. A now successful fiction writer started her writing career by preparing a postcard announcing her availability as writer to local businessmen. She was soon busy putting her writing ability to work. The skills she developed easily transferred into winning fiction writing.

After we bought our first house in Wheaton IL I discovered I could write advertising copy for a local Christian ad agency to help with mortgage payments. All it took was walking into a local ad agency and introducing myself as a writer—and they needed one. I’d stop at the ad agency on my way home from my work as editor of a magazine for Christian booksellers, pick up my assignment, and that evening write the copy required. I delivered it the next morning on my way to work.

Consider writing the newsletter for a local non-profit. We had a home for children near us in Wheaton looking for someone to write their newsletter. My wife and I had been volunteering there, so it certainly doubled my pleasure helping them with a newsletter.

A writer friend moving to a new opportunity suggested I consider writing for an international mission organization. He introduced me to the director of the mission and I became the freelance editor for two mission newsletters. I became deeply involved in promoting prayer and financial support for missions on several continents.

Consider helping a friend or member of your community with their book project. A local businessman had written a book, but it needed a rewrite. A friend passed on my name and I had the unique opportunity of making a fine Christian businessman’s story more readable.

Consider your passions and areas of expertise. Some years later a friend introduced me to a Sunday school curriculum writing opportunity. With our son the same age as the students I would be writing for, it became a ministry opportunity.

Writing articles can help open doors for you as book author.

Acquisitions editor became part of my responsibilities when Moody Press hired me as editorial director. I had already written dozens of articles for Christian magazines, business magazines, and daily newspapers. Now I looked for book proposals by writers of articles because I knew they had been exposed to editors who had helped them upgrade their writing skills.

When Holly Miller accepted an assignment to write 12 articles on the new roles of women for Saturday Evening Post, she did a minimum of six interviews for each article. A book editor saw her article series—it piqued his interest. As a result she received a book contract from a major publisher. Not too long after that she became the editor of the magazine.

Some years ago Dr. Robert Lesslie came to tell me about his collection of stories. I had enough experience with publishers to know they considered collections of stories unmarketable. But when Dr. Lesslie told me he had been writing a column for the regional issue of the Charlotte Observer I decided his experience with article editors had helped him become a quality writer. Harvest House issued a book contract for it—then gave it the title Angels in the ER. They contacted Choice Books and soon the book was on racks in airports, hotels, supermarkets, laundromats. It also became a selection at Guideposts. By the time he finished his second collection, sales had reached several hundred thousand.

Even though today you may not see a similar opportunity, write articles, even if they are only for local consumption. Opportunity may be lurking around the corner for an article that could be God’s opportunity to give you the lift you need as writer.

 

Photo by Kyle Glenn on Unsplash.

2 thoughts on “Why Article Writing Can Do Double Duty

  1. Occasionally, I have to remind myself I am a writer. I am not a ____ writer. I would to think some see me as a writer of ____, but anytime I can string words together in the vaguest sembalance of sense, I feel writer is ap. More so than say, rope twiner. Though I’ve done some of that, too. Thank you for the humbling message, as well as your time thinking of others.

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