Anybody ever wrote a guest article for a local newspaper?

• Jul 23, 2010

• #2

Ron

Structural

Sep 24, 1999

16,336

US

Write the article, then shop it. Start with the highest circulation (local newspaper) then go down from there if rejected. I've published in statewide targeted technical newsbrief-type papers, national technical magazines, journals and other publications. Most of it is luck...does your article fit the publication's needs at the time...

Good luck and don't give up on the first rejection. It is a good way to get your name out there.

 

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• Jul 24, 2010

• #3

berkshire

New member

Jun 8, 2005

4,429

US

Get with a reporter from the local paper.
Get them to write the article/story, press release, see if you can get a picture or two as well.
You stand a better chance of it getting into print If one of their guys/gals does it, than if you just submit an article.
B.E.

 

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• Jul 25, 2010

• #4

eyec

Industrial

Oct 25, 2003

422

US

if you have a website, write the article(s) and post them on your website. that way you maintain exclusive rights to them. then get a friendly reporter to write a story about you/your article or website.

i wrote a piece and did just that - it was picked up by an editor for publication and i got paid for it!

with newspapers, if you shop it to more than one then they will give you the line that it is not exclusive and they only accept original exclusive submittals.

good luck and like Ron said - don't give up.

 

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• Jul 25, 2010

• #5

TheTick

Mechanical

Mar 5, 2003

10,194

US

Write an abstract and shop it, then write the article specifically for whoever is interested in picking it up. Different publications will have different needs for content, length, and audience demographic.

 

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• Aug 9, 2010

• #6

kalens99

Mechanical

Aug 5, 2010

13

US

Are there audience demographics you can find? I am not sure but if so I would try to find them. Circulation rates should be easy to find.

Kalen Smith
Engineer-a-Business

http://www.engineer-a-business.com

 

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• Aug 10, 2010

• #7

glass99

Structural

Jun 23, 2010

944

US

My experience with the trade media at least is that they are desperate for good content. They all have small budgets, and they will eagerly pick up on content. It obviously can't be too overtly advertising-y.

 

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• Aug 27, 2010

• #8

abusementpark

Structural

Dec 23, 2007

1,087

US

Mike,

Please share the article if/when you write it. It sounds interesting.

 

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• Aug 31, 2010

• #9

moltenmetal

Chemical

Jun 5, 2003

5,504

CA

A friend of mine is friendly with a local radio home reno advice columnist. As a consequence he gets mentioned frequently when the advice given is "you need the help of a structural engineer", and the phone rings off the hook. The newspaper article could work the same way for you.

 

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