A Chat with Freelance Writer/Author Jenna Glatzer

by Jennifer Minar

An award winning freelance writer, Jenna Glatzer has written hundreds of articles for publications such as Physical, Prevention, and Woman's World. She's also a contributing editor at Writer's Digest, columnist at Match.com, and the author of several books, including Outwitting Writer's Block and Other Problems of the Pen (The Lyons Press, fall, 2003) and Words You Thought You Knew: 1001 Commonly Misused and Misunderstood Words and Phrases (Adams Media, fall, 2003).

Writer's Break recently had the privilege of talking with Jenna about writing, some rewarding and challenging aspects of being a full-time freelance writer, and her most recent book, Make a Real Living as a Freelance Writer (Nomad Press, spring, 2004). Here's what she had to tell us.

You recently published the book, Make a Real Living as a Freelance Writer: How to Win Top Writing Assignments. What inspired you to write this book?

A breakthrough in my career. I had been following all the much-repeated advice I read in other books and on writers' sites and although I was getting published, I wasn't getting the prime, high-paying assignments I wanted. I was stuck in the 10- and 20-cent-a-word markets, and I didn't know why.

Then I began making up my own rules. I took much bigger risks and learned more of the "insider secrets" about the ins and outs of magazine freelancing. I was still the same writer, but I had learned how to get past the gatekeepers, figure out what it really meant to "study the market," negotiate, and present myself as a top writer.

My career exploded and suddenly I was able to pay all my bills with money to spare. Somehow, though, I felt a little guilty -- there were plenty of other writers who were just as good as I was, but not making the kind of money I was or getting attention from the "good" editors. I started sharing advice on AbsoluteWrite.com, got amazing feedback from writers who appreciated it, and realized I had to write a book so I could give them the whole scoop.

What have been the most rewarding aspects of being a full-time freelancer? The most challenging?

It's an exciting field, that's for sure. Seeing your byline in a great magazine just never gets old. It's always a thrill. And I love, love, love the fact that I get paid to learn about things that interest me and talk to interesting experts and celebrities who would never give me the time of day if I weren't a writer.

My biggest challenge used to be money -- making sure I had a steady stream of checks month after month -- but that's not really a problem anymore. Now my biggest challenge is just the pressure of deadlines. I haven't yet mastered time management... I want to get to the point where I take two days off each week and work fairly normal hours. I have a tendency toward workaholism and I want to ease up a little and spend more time with my husband!

What do you think are some misconceptions "want-to-be" full-time freelancers have?

First, that you need to write for Cosmopolitan or The New Yorker to make a decent living. There are so many good-paying magazines you'll never find on a newsstand. In my book, for example, you'll see that I interviewed the editor of Workforce Management. Ever heard of it? Or course not. It's a trade magazine, it's open to new writers, it's nowhere near as competitive as major women's magazines, and it pays a respectable rate -- if memory serves, $.75 a word. There are thousands of trade magazines and custom publications that aren't hard to write for and can earn a writer solid, steady assignments.

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