An Offer You Can’t (And Shouldn’t) Refuse – Contributing Bylined Articles to Print Media

By Melissa Sileo

There is a promotional trend shaking things up in the media realm, and that is a growing need for article contributions for both print and online publications. As media outlets have downsized as a result of the recession, they have begun to solicit more freelance work. Thus, a new way for authors to get their foot in the door has been created. Article submissions provide a great opportunity for you to expand upon a topic, issue, or idea related to the book you are currently promoting.

So what is a bylined article, anyway? The rules are simple: name and article title goes in the byline, word limit is 800 to 1,000 words, and you must support your opinion with facts and statistics. There is one cardinal rule, however, that authors sometimes find difficult to swallow: a bylined article cannot serve as a two-paged persuasive essay on why readers should by the book – the editor just won’t have it.

Instead, a byline provides authors with an opportunity to showcase their expertise. Editors will likely include the book title in the bio, but that’s it. They are looking for a showcasing of your expertise outside the book you wrote. Although the body of the article in most cases has no direct reference to the book, a bylined article placed in just the right publication and market will reinforce your credibility and ultimately provide secondary, but very effective, “backdoor” promotion for the book.