The expansion of the European Union offers new openings for freelance writers. But, as always, there are problems when dealing with any foreign market.
There is a need to know the target requirements of any newspaper or magazine in the expanded market. There is a need to understand from the outset the terms and conditions upon which they accept your work and when they will pay.
It is essential to have a trusted agent on the ground to negotiate – and ensure you are paid.
My own experience of writing for foreign publications has resulted in my locating three agencies who can provide an efficient service.
The first is Miguel Rozas, IOJ member. He is based in Madrid and, among much else, handles the Express Group of Newspapers in London for syndication of articles. Photo stories are handled by a separate agency or directly by Express Syndication.
Miguel Rozas can be initially reached by email at
boris17@telefonica.net . A query letter is essential. He specialises in placing articles on a wide range of subjects. But they must be linked to a topical angle. And they usually must have a Spanish interest. Again, this requires an understanding of the market. Length: up to 2,500 words, but nothing under 1,000 words. Miguel is totally bilingual.
The major Spanish dailies – El Mundo, El Pais etc – all have London correspondents. So no point in culling a story idea from a London daily. Stories that reflect your own expertise have a better chance.
I write on intelligence subjects for El Mundo, an area they had not covered in terms of the international scene. The result is a steady stream of published articles – all placed and translated by the efficient Mr Rozas.
He takes 15 percent commission. But again: all Spanish publications are far slower in paying than the month-after payment schedule of UK publications. It can be up to three months before payment reaches your bank from Spain.
The emergence of an Eastern European market is one that should seriously be explored by all freelance journalists.
But again, there are cautions. In countries like Poland, Hungary, Bulgaria and the Czech Republic – the prime markets worth exploring – there are a number of matters to remember.
Forget the idea of cold calls on magazines or newspapers. They never reach the people who matter – editors who have a wider knowledge of the world beyond what was once a closed world.
You must have an agent who knows his way into a very complex market.
The one I can recommend is David Dastych at
davids@aster.pl and again, a query letter is essential. David runs a Warsaw-based agency that specialises in placing articles. Primarily he concentrates on the Polish market.
Over the past year, he has established me as a regular contributor to WPROST – the Polish equivalent of Time or Newsweek. This weekly has a large circulation and it pays top rates for Poland. Like all international news magazines, it has a number of specific sections and an English language site on the Internet.
David Dastych – also completely bilingual – himself a highly successful writer and journalist on the international scene is ready to advise on what will work in his markets. The usual high standard of research and writing is a given. But again, any submission must have a direct appeal to Polish or Eastern European readers. So that requires a strong news sense of what is happening in Britain which can interest markets on the far side of Europe.
It is a lot of hard work. And the return? Do not expect to be paid the same rates as UK publishers. WPROST can pay up to E1,000 for an exclusive article. But the usual figure is around the E500 level. This is for a 1,500 word report. Again, David translates the article. His inclusive fee is 20 percent for all placed work. He earns it.
Latin America is, on the surface, a difficult market. Countries like Colombia, Chile, Argentina and Panama – all of which I have tried – are a waste of time.
If you are lucky to sell an article the payment can be miniscule. El Tiempo in Colombia is a prime example. It has paid me, up to six months later, such sums as $100 for a page spread! Other newspapers on the Continent just ripped off my articles from my website (Globe-Intel.net). When I protested I was ignored.
So stay away from Latin America unless you have the luck to know an agent. I would therefore recommend Angelina Peralta at:
anperalta@att.net.mx who is based in Mexico City and concentrates on that country’s media. She has regularly placed my work in Mexico’s top publications, including La Reforma, a respected daily. She ensures that payments come promptly.
But a word of caution: she takes on very few writers – and none who do not have a proven track record. Again, the material must be exclusive to Mexico. If possible, it must also have not only a strong international appeal, but also one for Mexico. She arranges all translations. Her fee is 20 percent.
Payment follows within six weeks of publication. Unlike most agents, she sends copies of your published work.
My inquiries suggest that a freelance can earn between 50,000 – 75,000 Euros a year by carefully studying these markets. There is a genuine hunger in all of them to receive English-style articles.
And remember: you may well have already sold your work to British publications. So make sure you reserve the right to sell them to the markets I have indicated here.
Gordon Thomas, is the author of Gideon’s Spies: The Secret History of the Mossad, the new edition of which was published in January 2007. He specialises in international intelligence matters.
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