Glossies and trade mags are all well and good, but there are other things you can do if you want to get published in the print industry. Here is a list of some of them to help inspire you:

Greeting Cards

Got a knack for delivering a message? You may want to try your luck at greeting cards. Although this won’t line your pockets with the big bucks, it can be a great way to make some extra dough. Birthday cards are always in demand, but there are also markets for holiday cards, anniversary cards and others. Why not try it out? Brainstorm some ideas and jot them down to smooth out and work through. It can be a fun change of pace.

Calendars

Some calendars have text instead of photos–or in addition to them. Again, this may not make your car payment, but it can round out your monthly bottom line.

Newsletters

Some businesses hire professional writers to author a newsletter for one reason or another. Sometimes it is an in-house deal, while other times it is more promotional.

Brochures

Marketing copy is another area you may want to consider. Brochures, press kits and other “collateral” as it is referred to in the industry is always in demand.

Custom Publications

Not quite a trade mag, custom publications are usually those written by a particular organization. Sometimes they are produced by the group itself, but they are just as often outsourced to a custom publisher to handle. Prove yourself here and you could make some nice money.

So how do you get into this stuff? Per usual, Google is your best friend here. Google “writers guidelines, greeting cards” or a similar phrase and dig in. It really is that easy–and that difficult. You’ll find you have to really target your pitch and make sure you position yourself properly to get a response. But if you do–you can really find yourself in a nice spot. These markets are generally not as competitive as the magazine industry, precisely because:

A. People don’t think to try them, and

B. They aren’t as prestigious

I have actually done all of the above in my career and have found some really rewarding jobs in the process. And made some pretty good money too.

A few last words on the topic…

For newsletters and marketing materials, you’ll have to work a little harder than just using Google. Think local. See what companies and marketing/pr pros you have in your area and either call or drop an e-mail. (I’d actually suggest doing both.) Make sure you have a solid pitch ready, and some work to show them should they ask.

Has anyone else out there made some money in one of these arenas? I’d love to hear about it!

Website: www.writershairclp.blogspot.com

Specialty: Nonprofit and Business Copywriting

Rates: .50 per word

My background includes writing communications material for nonprofits and businesses. I have been published in newsletters from World Vision, Tacoma Community House and Math Science Learning program. I have a monthly column in At a Glance Magazine covering nonprofits. I also blog about businesses and business professionals I meet. For businesses, I have wrote web, newsletter and promotional content. I am a compelling igniter writer because I ignite passion in people to care about things they wouldn’t otherwise care about.

Website: http://jennifervacchio.writersresidence.com

Specialty: writer

Rates: .50 per word

I have been a professional writer for over 15 years and have worked for various corporations in various industries. My writing portfolio includes venues such as magazines, newspapers, websites, brochures, newsletters, email campaigns, catalogs, advertisements, advertorials, and video and documentary scripts.

I generally perfer to write short-form, punchy content that requires a bit of flare, but am open to anything.

Website: http://melissasouza.webs.com

Specialty: Writing

Rates: 50 per hour or project rate

Melissa Souza writes regularly for examiner.com as the L.A. Horse Examiner. She has contributed to the Nashville music scene through various press releases, written several articles for eHow.com and freelances as a copywriter. A dash of prowess, a heaping handful of zeal and a pinch of talent, Melissa composes a wide variety of materials: turning drab copy into caliber marketing material for a medley of pieces a client may need to sparkle in their industry.

Website: www.wordmistress.com.au

Specialty: Internet copywriting

Never underestimate the value of professional copywriting. Your business’s credibility could be on the line! Writing your own content to save money could be false economy. Put my experience and understanding of the Internet to work for you.

Contact me for a content makeover! You’ll be delighted with the results …

I specialise in website content and keyword articles but am also proficient in producing quality newsletter and blog content, plus proofreading, editing and re-tweaking.

Make the most of the opportunity to hit the mark with your readers …

You’ll identify value in my keyword articles, and the effort I apply to balancing keyword concentration with reader-friendliness. I’ve written on topics as wide ranging as little black dresses, DNA paternity testing, low rider cars, sushi, river kayaking, epoxy floor coverings, awnings and keeping tropical fish. Try me with your topics!

Based in Brisbane, Australia. Happy to write using American spelling as well, I will treat your business as my own.

It goes without saying that writing content for newsletters is a bit different than other projects, such as sales letters, features, etc. That being said, they do share some components that should help you along the way.

Here are a few questions to ask yourself if you are interested in writing newsletter content:

1. Who are you writing for? You need to get with your client and decide who the audience is going to be. Do they send the newsletter to their clients? Do they send it to prospective buyers? Do they send it to others in the industry? Believe it or not, I work for many companies that send out several different newsletters every month. It is very important to know your target market before getting started.
2. How much space do you have? The size of a newsletter can range from one page to many pages (16 or more in some cases). With a shorter newsletter you will have to condense all the content and avoid longer pieces. If your client doesn’t mind many pages you have more freedom as to what you can write.
3. What does your client want you to include in the newsletter? This has a lot to do with point number one. Before you can ever discuss the content to be included, you need to decide who you are writing for. Some clients only want me to include basic industry related information. For instance, a travel agency would ask for content on choosing an airline, hotel, etc. On the other hand, there are some who ask for interviews, more in-depth pieces, including quotes, and much more.
4. What tone are you to use? This may be the most important question that you ask before getting started. Generally speaking, there are two tones that are used in newsletters: sales and informative. Are you trying to sell something to the reader? Or are you simply trying to inform him?

There are many companies that hire freelancers to work on their newsletter. Are you interested in working for them? If so, be sure to become familiar with the four questions above.

I mentioned on Twitter that integration would be a nice feature, and the folks at Feedblitz looked into it and made it happen. The result is their new Feedblitz Member Mail WordPress plugin.

When you activate the plugin, users will have a checkbox on your registration page for WordPress that lets them agree to signup for your Feedblitz newsletter or email subscription at the same time. They check the box. They register. And then you’ll see them in both your Feedblitz and WordPress member lists–incredibly simple.

So if you want to put together a similar setup with your blog, now you can!