Writing a nonfiction column can provide a consistent way to build up your credits and possibly a regular income, or a way to highlight your expertise in a given field. Your column's frequency depends on three main factors: how often the publication is printed; the frequency the column is featured; and whether or not there are rotating columnists on the same topic. The information contained within this article presumes you've assessed your desire to be a writer, your time schedule, and that you know what frequency (quarterly, monthly, bi-weekly, or weekly) you'd like to write a quality column. If you haven't thought about those areas, you'll want to do so before you go any further so you can make the most informed choices.

First, figure out what you can offer a readership on a regular basis. Outside of the writing field (though this may ultimately be your strong suit), what do you have a strong background in, and more importantly, what do you enjoy doing with your time? Whether it's what you do as part of your regular job, or a topic you really enjoy as a hobby, both these areas are valid to explore for column ideas. In theory, your column can even focus around something you regularly research, but if what you write is rooted in what you passionately enjoy, your enthusiasm will shine through and entice prospective editors and readers. In my case, I write articles geared to non-artists (writers and production personnel) in animation. Not only have I grown up an animation fan, my professional work includes non-artist production jobs on animated series for Sony Pictures Family Entertainment and Nickelodeon Animation Studios.

Next, discover which markets can use your information, regardless of whether they are print or online publications. It does little good to submit to a publication that doesn't cover your field, already has an established columnist, doesn't carry columns at all, or whose writer's guidelines clearly state they don't accept queries for columns; it's a waste of your time and theirs. Having said that, don't be put off by publications that don't cover your specialty but seem open to queries. It may be that they just haven't found someone to cover it yet, or haven't thought of expanding into that area. Your query could be the very thing to change the publication's mind! The worst they can do is say 'no.' I ended up writing for both Suite101 and Digital Media FX by asking if these publications were open to an area (animation resources for non-artists) that was not previously covered, yet in the scope of their offerings, since both have resources that target animation art and artists.

If you're not sure what markets are available to you, start by browsing the magazine racks in a local major bookstore. This not only lets you know where possible niches are, but also exposes you to the look and feel of the publication to see if your style may be a good fit. If you are open to publishing on the Internet, use major search engines (Google and Yahoo! are examples) to locate information. Input keywords--such as your field of interest and 'magazine,' 'journal,' or 'publication'--and see what you can find.

There are also directories sold through bookstores (such as *Writer's Market* from Writer's Digest or *The Canadian Writer's Market* from McClelland and Stewart) that list companies you can approach about your column. The advantage of the guides is that they may inform you about publications not available in your area or region that may be open to column submissions. Instructions are usually included in each company listing as to how to obtain a sample issue, which is in your best interest for the same reason as browsing in a store--to see if your slant and style fits the publication.

Some people suggest that doing articles for Internet sites is ill-advised, either due to poor pay or the short lifespan of these types of publications. While I do have to agree that there has been a fair share of poor-paying or non-paying sites, and that more than a few online publications have faded away, bear in mind there have been Internet publications that have endured with strong reputations. The weekly online periodical *Inscriptions* (a cost of $5 per year to subscribe, via PayPal) and the *Writer's Digest* Top 100 list can be good places to start to find out what regarded Internet publications are. An Internet market may be the only venue in which a topic gets any coverage, and could be the way to get your viewpoint out there while reaching a global audience. Be sure to compare payment with other journals; offers vary widely. For example, you may find taking a flat fee for publication of the column would exceed what you could even dream of making if people came to read your column each time someone clicks to read it.

Regardless, online publication builds up a history of articles that can later be resold or syndicated, and expands your credits. Just be prepared to move to another site; be on the lookout for publication possibilities in case the unexpected happens, and definitely consider maintaining your own separate mailing list for your readership to let them know of your projects elsewhere or if your column moves. Even if you decide to go the print route with your column, setting up your own personal website and mailing list connected to it can be good public relations and a way to get feedback from your readers.

While I certainly do not want to dissuade you from shooting for a national print publication, odds favor that, particularly for newer writers, the niche you can fill will be at the regional or local level if your heart's set on the print route. That said, it might not even be your own regional or local level. The region or locality may even be in another country; there should be opportunities for success if you can convince a foreign publication that your column provides a viewpoint their readers will benefit from.

A tough consideration comes when selecting paying versus non-paying markets. If you are a writer with substantial previous paid credits, it probably doesn't behoove you to write for a publication that pays in copies or is completely free; an exception might be that your passion falls in an area of focus that currently has no paying markets. Alternatively, if you are a newer writer, publication with a lesser-known but reputable site to build up your credits may be the way to go. However, in the case of selling to publications based outside of your home country, be aware that payment methods may vary and can sometimes take longer. For example, a publication's overseas writers may be paid quarterly by international money order or wire transfer, while local writers are paid monthly; be sure to check the publication guidelines. Some online publications offer online gift certificates to stores related to the subject matter they cover as an alternative method for paying international writers; others have started using online payment services such as PayPal for domestic and foreign payments.

The annual directories usually provide basic guidelines, but some publishers will request that you send an SASE for complete guidelines. Likewise, the mastheads of most magazines and journals offer an address for guidelines and queries. If you know that a publication that interests you maintains a presence on the Internet (either as the actual form of publication or as a supplemental resource to the print magazine) a copy of the guidelines often can be accessed there, which saves you postage and time, particularly if you want to target foreign publications. In the case of an Internet publication, the guidelines often appear on the site, along with an email address for complete information and for queries.

Another nice thing about print magazine websites is that often you can find extensive listings for a fair number of back issues, making it easier to find out if your column topic gets semi-regularly in as feature articles. Don't be discouraged if your focus area regularly shows up as feature articles; it might just be that no one has approached the publication to do a regular column and they're meeting the demand by running a lot of features. Alternatively, don't be surprised if they write back telling you they feel the publication currently covers that topic sufficiently. At least you take an informed gamble.

Pay attention to article rights. Are you selling all rights, or just partial rights? If partial rights, is it First Serial Rights or regional rights, such as North American Serial Rights? How long does the publication retain the rights to your column, and are you comfortable with the arrangement presented? I've written columns for publications that purchase exclusive rights from three months to a year, after which I can sell the column as a reprint while the publication maintains a non-exclusive right. That said, when I first started writing a decade ago, I relinquished all rights to some of my early writing work, but that publication was so niche the odds of being able to reprint were few. In today's market, the ability to re-sell an article, even one originally written for a column, appears to be strong because of the explosive growth of markets--largely on the Internet--over the past decade. Decide what rights you are willing to give up in exchange for credits and exposure, and only do what you feel is reasonable for you. Something to consider later is once you've built a backlog of columns and a reputation, and you have reprint rights, you can then syndicate the reprints to a wide variety of publications on your terms. Or, if you're more established as a writer, you can hit the ground running and syndicate from the get-go using the research you cumulated while deciding what markets were right for your topic. Ultimately, this is your work and you must decide how much of the rights you are willing to relinquish.

With your focus determined, and knowing what the general article length is for the markets you want to target, start writing. Write three articles centered on the area you want the column to cover. Make sure that any examples you cite will be relevant to the readership. This is toughest in Internet columns, where you must be clear that examples pertain to your home country and are not any sort of blanket advice, but rather an illustration to give an idea of what the reader should look for locally. Why all this work up front? There are multiple reasons. The most important is to prove the viability of the column to yourself and the publication that acquires it. If you can present three finished columns upon request, it shows a market you're serious about writing and gives a glimpse into your column's possibilities, while reassures you that the column's focus isn't too narrow. If you have little to no prior publication credits, it gives you ready samples to show off your abilities. Also, it's possible the first column article may need to be submitted as part of an application, which did happen to me and ultimately was used with no compensation, though I did get compensated for subsequent articles. In hindsight, I'm not sure I was comfortable with that arrangement but it did help get me a big break.

Now that you know what publications to target, and your first articles are ready, work up a precise, to-the-point pitch tailored to the specific publication, detailing what you can bring to their magazine. Unless your upfront goal is to establish a widely syndicated column, target only one publication at a time, since multiple submissions usually are not preferred. Whether or not you should include samples of previously published work, or URLs to those works, should be decided by the publication submission requirements. If you don't have any other published works, quote the lead of your first column as a teaser and offer to send additional materials if the publication is interested, unless the guidelines specifically state otherwise. If the submission guidelines say not to include samples, do not send anything else along, and indicate that you have samples available if the publication shows interest. Ultimately, let the writer's guidelines dictate what you do.

If a market rejects your column but gives feedback, do at least consider what has been said. Granted, sometimes the opinions of one person can boil down to their personal tastes, but if several markets reject you for the same reasons there may be areas that you need to finesse in your proposal or your articles. Also, keep in mind that someone else may have already queried a similar column, and just beat you to the punch. Passing you over may be as simple as that, and not a reflection on your work at all. Press on and keep trying.

Alternatively, if your column is accepted, you may still be asked to do some reworking, which is not necessarily a reflection of your abilities. Some of it may be just minor wording, or possibly an adjustment of the slant to better fit the publication; if the latter, be sure that the slant still reflects something you are able to speak about with conviction. If someone's willing to buy your work, but what is desired comes far afield of what you can do, bear in mind the goal isn't a one-time sale. You will be asked to generate similarly toned articles time and again. If you can't maintain what the publication needs, it may just be better for all involved to look elsewhere.

Once you've been accepted to launch your column, the continuing challenge is finding ways to keep your information fresh and interesting. Strive to cover very focused subtopics, instead of broad sweeps of information. That way you can return to these general areas later to cover other aspects and get more mileage out of your column. If the publication allows, consider occasional mini-interviews with professionals in the field; either highlight an individual or focus on a question and compile the responses of several professionals. In my experience, readers like hearing the viewpoints of others, though you benefit from their appearance under your byline.

If there's a niche you can write about passionately, and you know you can commit the time, I challenge you to see if you can share your knowledge with others and turn it into income and credits for you along the way. Most importantly, I encourage you not to give up finding a home for your column. Depending on the subject you want to pursue, it may take some time to find the market that has a place for you, but when you do, the rewards should be well worth it.