If gardening is your passion, the next logical step in your career may be to become a garden writer. Garden writers can write travel pieces on popular garden destinations, or they can write on a particular garden niche, such as organic gardening, flower gardening, farming or urban gardening. Garden writers share their expertise by writing for gardening magazines, newspapers, blogs and websites. There are many avenues to pursue if you're interested in becoming a garden writer.
Instructions
1. Start locally. Local markets are the easiest to break in to. Look for garden magazines from your hometown or home state. Check to see if your local newspaper has a gardening section, or suggest they let you add one. Local markets are a practical way to gain the experience and clips that major markets require.
2. Branch out to the Internet. Look for gardening websites or blogs that accept freelance content and pitch them ideas. Check freelance job boards for open garden writer positions. You can also start your own website or blog with fresh gardening content. See Resources for freelance job boards and popular gardening websites.
3. Query national gardening magazines. As a general rule, major national gardening magazines require you to have some experience and published clips before they hire you, but this is not always the case. If you have a strong query and a solid idea, they may take a chance on a new writer. You can also start with smaller gardening magazines with less circulation, such as trade publications or small press magazines, to help build your clips portfolio. Stay diligent---national magazines have a high rejection rate, even for highly experienced writers. It's a game of persistence.
4. Consider writing a book. If you have a wealth of specialized knowledge or a fresh take on the gardening scene, consider writing a gardening book. A book will increase your credibility and make getting other garden writing assignments easier because it frames you as an expert in the field. Look at your favorite gardening books to see who publishes them; then research their guidelines.
