How to Become a Huffington Post Blogger

Posted on by stilllearning2b

In the last few weeks, I have been receiving quite a few inquiries about how I started blogging for the Huffington Post.  The short answer?  It was a combination of daily work and luck.  Here are my tips for those of you who are interested in getting your writing out on the big stage:

Image representing Huffington Post as depicted...

1) Read the Huffington Post.  Daily.  You don’t have to read the entire site, just focus on the sections which are of interest to you and are similar in topic to your writing.  You won’t know what they are looking for if you are not familiar with the material on the site.  I find that it is easiest to subscribe to my sections of interest  in my RSS reader so that I get a notification when a new article is posted.  That becomes especially important with tip #2.

2) Comment on articles and blogs.  Take the time to craft well thought out responses that add to the post or provide an alternate view in a respectable tone.  The best comments provide some information while hinting that you have more to say on the topic at hand.  Leave them wanting more.  You can link to your blog or your other writings on the topic.  This is where the work comes in; I spend thirty minutes or so a day reading and commenting on appropriate articles.

3) In the meantime, work to create a body of writing if you have not already.  This shows your writing style as well as demonstrates that you have a unique view or story to share.

Writing

4) Keep this up for a while and you may get lucky and have an editor contact you with a blog idea.  If this doesn’t happen, then proceed to #5.

5) On the “Contact Us” link on Huffington Post you will find a link to submit a pitch for a blog.  They give you the option of submitting the full text or just a description of your blog idea.  I have not gone this route, but I would recommend submitting the entire post so that your ability to craft a quality product is not in question.  Also, write about an area where you are passionate; it will show in your writing and will pull others in.

I wish everyone the best on their writing, whether you keep a private journal, a public blog, or are working to become a published author.

You can find my Huffington Post submissions here. My book is available on Amazon and you can read about my experiences with publishing here and here.

Huffington Post also led to my appearance on The Jeff Probst Show!

When Can I Call Myself a Writer?

Posted on by stilllearning2b

penulis = writer

Labels are such interesting little buggers.  Those simple words, either self-applied or applied by others that seem to form our self-concept and either expand or limit how we see ourselves.

I recently had someone refer to me as a writer. It gave me pause, as I have not thought of myself that way.

Until my husband left, I never wrote anything that wasn’t assigned by a teacher or professor. I suppose I was okay, but I never felt compelled to write and certainly never had a passion for it. As soon as he left, I purchased a spiral notebook and a green pen (the green was very important at the time). And I began to write. The writing was purgative, words never meant to be seen by another. However, I was putting pen to paper under my own volition. Is one a writer by act regardless of purpose or intended audience?

Was I a writer then?

In those early weeks, as I saw the shock and interest in the faces of the police and attorneys, I realized that this story needed to be told. The writing left the spiral notebook and went on a pilgrimage to the computer, where it began to be crafted into a book. Those words were only shared with a select few and were never fully formed into finished chapters. Is one a writer when crafting for an audience, even if imaginary and existing in some ambiguous future?

Was I a writer then?

Almost two years went by without much progress on the book. As I felt driven to write again, I decided to start this blog. Apparently people read it. Did I become a writer when my words were posted in the public domain?

Was I a writer then?

Now, I have been published in the Huffington Post. Let me pause here for a brief interlude. Oh. My. God. I am in the Huff Post. Deep breath.  So.  Freakin.  Surreal.  Okay, now I can continue. Does being asked to contribute to a major publication make one a writer?

Am I a writer now?

At some point, I would love to be paid to write. Is receiving remuneration for authorship services required of one who is designated as a writer. In other words, does the IRS need to see me as a writer in order for me to qualify?

Will I be a writer then?

How about when my book is completed and published (hey, now, I’ve got to dream big!!)?

Will I be a writer then?

It is strange how writing has permeated my life these last three years when it has been all but absent for the previous 31 (okay, so I actually couldn’t write for the first few of those…). I spend time every day mentally composing and then crafting posts. I enjoy the process of writing and I love hearing feedback from those who read my words. Writing has become a way to reflect and to share.  It is now both purgative and restorative.  At this point, it has become part of who I am.  I feel like I’ve embodied its spirit to the point where I cannot imagine its exit from my life.  I think that is what makes me a writer.