Do you know you may earn cash by discovering greeting card writing jobs? Listed below are 7 firms that pay freelancers.
Greeting playing cards, by their nature, are supposed to be displayed. A few of them function artwork so beautiful, you can put them in a body and grasp them in your wall.
So in case your visible arts talents are much less “Thomas Kinkade” and extra “juice-box-addled toddler who’s solely half being attentive to what he’s doing,” then it might not even have occurred to you that there’s a spot on your skills within the greeting card trade.
That’s the place you’d be unsuitable.
Even in case you suppose Adobe is a spice you purchase at Complete Meals, there are just a few greeting card firms that settle for work from freelance writers—no inventive skills wanted.
Our information under covers every part you’ll want to learn about freelance greeting card writing jobs, together with how a lot you can also make, which firms are searching for writers, the right way to land the gigs, and extra.
How a lot do greeting card writing jobs pay?
Whereas the checklist of firms actively soliciting copy-only submissions is brief, the stack of greenback payments you have got the potential to earn with these firms is pretty tall.
Among the many firms listed right here, pay could be $100 or extra for every accepted verse. So overlook in regards to the cents per phrase you may earn from an article—how about $5 to 10 USD per phrase?
On the excessive finish of the spectrum, Blue Mountain Arts pays $300 for the primary accepted verse (and much more for subsequent verses), however their playing cards function multi-line poems versus one-liners.
This pay is even higher when you think about there’s little to not one of the analysis, interviews, outlines, and all the opposite behind-the-scenes work that another types of writing contain. You simply want to talk out of your coronary heart, or, in some circumstances, your snark organ.
Will you make an enormous revenue writing greeting playing cards? In all probability not, however it may be a enjoyable supplemental strategy to generate profits writing.
How do you develop into a greeting card author?
The most effective issues about greeting card writing jobs is that the majority firms don’t care whether or not you’ve simply been nominated for a Pulitzer Prize or your mother’s fridge is the one place your writing has ever been revealed.
Simply present them your phrases. In the event that they like your verses, they’ll both put a number of of these precise verses of their playing cards or they’ll use your poetry as the premise to begin a working relationship, relying on the corporate.
If you wish to write greeting card verses, a very powerful factor to do is familiarize your self with the corporate’s work earlier than submitting.
You don’t need to ship jokes so filthy they’d make your grandma faint to an organization that publishes inspirational poems in regards to the nature of friendship. (Perhaps that earlier line ought to learn: “…jokes so filthy your grandma needs she’d considered them herself…” We don’t know your grandmother.)
Fortunately, getting a really feel for an organization’s type couldn’t be simpler, as just about each vendor has their full catalog proper on their web site.
One other tip, from Amy Smyth, co-owner of A Smyth Co.: “Be prepared to edit, change and write lots of strains to get to some good strains.”
Make sure you rigorously observe the submission pointers, which fluctuate wildly from one firm to a different. Some firms need you to allow them to understand how you think about the cardboard wanting, whereas others simply need the phrases, thanks, and so they’ll deal with the remaining in-house. A Smyth Co., for instance, desires submission concepts utilizing a Google Sheet.
As at all times, we additionally extremely suggest visiting the Freelance Writers Den, a wonderful useful resource for freelance writers who’re looking for methods to make more cash. The Den has over 300 hours of helpful programs and coaching supplies that present you the right way to run a hit writing enterprise.
Greeting card writing jobs you may pitch proper now
1. Blue Mountain Arts
Based by Susan Polis Schutz and Stephen Schutz, this firm publishes not solely greeting playing cards however poetry anthologies, calendars, framed wall prints, inspirational books and extra.
What they’re searching for: In accordance with their submission pointers, the corporate is searching for 50-300-word works of “modern prose or poetry…that displays the ideas and emotions individuals right now need to talk to at least one one other, however don’t at all times know the right way to put into phrases.”
Even with regards to oft-used themes corresponding to parent-child relationships, verses must be “refreshing and distinctive or…specific age-old sentiments in new and alternative ways.” The corporate’s don’ts embrace rhymed poetry, spiritual verse and one-liners.
In case your work is chosen for additional overview, you’ll hear from them inside eight weeks. As soon as a bit is chosen, it might be as much as two years earlier than you get closing phrase in your submission. In different phrases, don’t depend in your earnings from this firm to pay subsequent month’s hire.
In accordance with Ingrid Heffner from Blue Mountain Arts’ editorial division, they often look by means of writings beneath market overview for his or her greeting playing cards to search out materials that might work for an anthology venture corresponding to a calendar or guide. In that case, they’d purchase one-time rights for the piece.
Full submission pointers could be discovered right here.
Charges: In case your work is accepted for his or her greeting playing cards, you get $300 on your first accepted submission and much more for subsequent accepted work, as much as a most of $700; pay is $50 if accepted for an anthology venture.
2. Oatmeal Studios
In case you lean extra towards the sarcastic than the sentimental, this firm could be extra your pace.
What they’re searching for: Oatmeal Studios is searching for “humorous greeting card concepts that attraction to a variety of ages and pursuits.” Whilst you don’t must be an artist to undergo this firm, their pointers ask that you simply describe the art work you envision going along with your verse.
Their card classes are Birthday, Get Effectively, Retirement, Belated Birthday, Anniversary, Thanks, and Congratulations, however editor Daybreak Abraham says they use only a few from the final two classes.
“At prime political moments we think about political concepts that can be utilized for these events, particularly birthday,” she says, including, “we’re at all times wanting probably the most for birthday concepts, particularly ones that poke enjoyable at getting older.”
Oatmeal Studios’ author’s pointers could be discovered right here.
Charges: $100 per accepted verse.
3. Calypso Playing cards, Inc.
What they’re searching for: In accordance with their submission pointers, Calypso’s greeting playing cards are “subtle, modern and modern.” They need, “recent, unique art work that approaches the greeting card from a special approach.”
Their submission pointers could be discovered right here.
Charges: Calypso Playing cards, Inc.’s web site doesn’t point out how a lot they pay, and the corporate didn’t return emails in search of remark, however that is one other firm that in all probability received’t be supplying you with subsequent week’s grocery cash. “We overview a number of instances a 12 months, however a number of months can go by between critiques,” their web site states.
4. NobleWorks Playing cards
In case you make “that’s what she stated jokes” so usually that the phrase is embroidered on a throw pillow in your sofa…really, you may nonetheless be too tame for a few of this firm’s choices. “Though we inventory our share of conventional greeting playing cards appropriate for any event and even probably the most puritanical individuals in your checklist,” the corporate’s web site says, “NobleWorks actually stands out for humor playing cards that flaunt the boundaries of excellent style and civility.”
What they’re searching for: In accordance with their author’s pointers, which you may get by filling out a type on their web site (your title and electronic mail handle are all that’s required), the corporate appears to be like for “recent textual content and humorous, intelligent writing. We desire textual content that’s versatile sufficient for use with quite a lot of photos.”
NobleWorks publishes playing cards for all kinds of events, together with Christmas, Hannukah, Mom’s/Father’s Day, Anniversary, St. Patrick’s Day and extra, all listed on an annual schedule included with the submissions pointers. They ask for not more than 20 submissions per introduction.
Charges: In accordance with senior editor Kathy Krassner, “If we do choose and publish a card with a verse submitted from an out of doors author, we pay a flat price of $150 for that verse/idea.” There’s additionally the potential for a longer-term working relationship: “In case your writing type matches with ours, we could select so as to add you to our writers’ electronic mail checklist,” their submission pointers state. “We periodically electronic mail photos to writers and ask for copy to be written.”
5. Papyrus
What they’re searching for: With a slogan of “Categorical Superbly” and a web site that advertises that “you’ll at all times have subtle sentiments to share with people who convey pleasure to your life,” you may need to save that soiled one-liner on your partner’s boss. (Nope. Nope. Don’t try this, both.)
Info on the submissions course of could be discovered throughout the firm’s FAQ part. Papyrus accepts portfolios for overview by way of snail-mail. They ask for not more than 12 copy submissions at a time, together with a self-addressed, stamped envelope if you would like your work again. Ship them to:
Papyrus Portfolio Review240 Gateway RdWest Napa, CA94558
They ask that you simply enable a minimal of eight weeks for a response.
Charges: Their web site doesn’t checklist fee data, and so they didn’t reply to emails in search of remark, so in the event that they like what they see from you, be ready to barter a price.
6. Avanti
To be thought-about by Avanti, snail-mail samples of your writing to their editorial division.
7. Greeting Card Affiliation
In case you are up for some cold-contacting, the Greeting Card Affiliation is the place to be for card makers—company behemoths and unbiased, one-man/girl operations alike. Their member listing lists dozens of firms together with hyperlinks to their web sites, however most of them don’t actively search writers’ submissions by way of their web sites (therefore the cold-contacting).
Why write for greeting playing cards?
As a result of the market is so small, particularly amongst firms that actively solicit copy submissions, it’s unlikely you may feed your loved ones solely by writing greeting card verses. Simply as with poetry writing jobs, consider it as one strategy to generate profits as a author, however not your solely means.
However we predict it’s nonetheless price it to present it a shot.
Why?
For brand spanking new freelancers, it’s a good way to observe making contact with potential properties on your writing in an surroundings that might show rather less nerve-wracking than the normal pitching course of (with many of the firms listed above, you’ve already been invited to submit your closing product—no want to fret about whether or not your pitch will likely be accepted).
For established freelancers, greeting playing cards is usually a change of surroundings…a strategy to observe tightening your writing (whenever you solely have a 5×7 area, each phrase has to depend)…and a doable residence for that joke that might have slayed at your pal’s birthday celebration final week—in case you’d have considered it, you realize, throughout the occasion as a substitute of on the way in which residence.
By the way in which, In case you’re a multi-talented artistic sort who’s assured in your visible art work (think about Napoleon Dynamite’s voice saying, “Fortunate!”), many of the above-mentioned firms work with visible artists independently of their writing arm. Additionally try Amber Lotus publishing, Leanin’ Tree, Nice Arrow Graphics, Greetings Card Firm, and Design Home Greetings, in addition to wanting by means of the Greeting Card Affiliation’s Member Listing.
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Andrea Davis has spent a lot of her employment within the newspaper trade but in addition works as a contract author. She lives in a small Ohio city alongside Lake Erie together with her husband and two kids.
