In a previous post, Yolander Prinzel mentioned selling freelance writing work to overseas markets. But how exactly do you DO that? It all starts with a good story idea, and here are five you can adapt and pitch to overseas editors:
—Write destination travel pieces for European magazines on stateside destinations
–Pitch overseas magazines on expat topics such as getting American work visas, immigration issues and how to stay legal while in the USA.
–Write comparison/contrast articles on the diversity of American cuisine compared to overseas fare, diverse or homogenous.
–Do some research and compare a common experience such as going to the theater with the same experience in a foreign country. For example, in certain parts of Iceland, movie theaters have an intermission for every film because small theaters don’t have multiple projectors. Contrast that with rural “dollar theaters” and the massive 25 screen cineplexes..amazing!
And finally, compare old, famous travel writing with your experiences or those of someone you can interview. Think Orwell’s Down and Out in Paris and London, and compare notes with the modern-day equivalent. It’s both literary and hip, sure to please a well-read editor.
Actually, I find it much simpler than this. The same industries here are also overseas (or across the border) as a finance writer, I am often found by clients in other countries and hired to write the same issues I write about here (mindful about differences in laws and regulations). Easy as pie 🙂 So whether you’re a financial writer like me or an education writer, you can approach the same types of clients as you do here.
Education may not fare as well as finance, depending on the country. Although educational principles seem to be fairly standardized on the surface, there is actually a good deal of variety in how different countries approach teaching in the classroom, and what they value in the educational system.
In addition, grade levels don’t always mean the same thing from country to country in terms of where students are at. This can make it difficult to stay on the same page as a client.
Good advice here is to try and match yourself with countries that have educational systems that are similar to the U.S., or whatever country you live in.