promote

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:

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.

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!