It's not about the money

I recently received a free 'Moleskine' notebook after getting a letter published in Writers Forum magazine. It's amazing how excited I was to get that through the post, as it was still a reward for getting something out there and published.

Writers Forum do not pay for letters to be published but this is such an incentive to put pen to paper and a great start to see your name in print in a major writing magazine.

Strangely enough on the same day I received an email from my local newspaper to say they are interested in a pitch I sent them for an article, they too can not pay me but somehow, it doesn't matter on this occasion, I feel that I would happy to 'donate' my work if they are willing to publish it.

It's a great experience for me as I have never had anything published in a newspaper and the original article was written with a magazine in mind so it takes on a different style. I am now trying to re-write the article in a more factual 'Newspaper' style. I never noticed that until I started my journalism course. I am guilty of being too descriptive and almost flowery sometimes, especially if I am writing about a subject that I am really passionate about. I tend to ramble on with my magical thoughts and descriptions forgetting that not everyone wants to read that sort of thing.

It is a great discipline to change your style, I am going to give it a go and fingers crossed, I may have my first newspaper article published in the next few months.