Sell Your Story

Thinking about selling your real life story to the national press, but don't know where to start? Are you reading articles about people in magazines and thinking 'That could be me?' Do you want to earn money from your real life experiences? Here's how to do it.

Steps

1. Decide what the story is you are trying to sell.
2. Decide what sort of publication you would like to appear in?
3. Write a brief summary of your story.
4. Gather together all relevant information, proof and photographs.
5. Get in touch with a publication that you'd like to appear in.
6. Remember, staff at such publications are extremely busy, and you may find it useful to contact an agency that specialises in brokering deals between national publications and ordinary people with stories to sell. Examples include www.contactpress.co.uk , www.talktothepress.co.uk, www.publicityagent.co.uk, www.cash4yourstory.co.uk, www.featureworld.co.uk or www.nationalstory.co.uk
7. Sit back and let the agency raise interest and start negotiations for your story.
8. Be prepared to attend a photoshoot, or have a photographer come to your home to photograph you.

Tips

• Always be sure of the reason you are selling your story. If you are clear on this, you are more likely to gain an outcome you'll be happy with. There are a huge range of reasons why an individual might consider selling their story. Here are a selection of them:
• To gain a sense of closure or achievement on an event that has happened.
• To help and inspire other people who might be going through an event, or illness that you have survived.
• To raise awareness of an issue, charity or project.
• To pay tribute to someone who has died.
• To name and shame an organisation, medical establishment or individual.
• To share what you have learned from a particular event in your life.
• To apply pressure to an organisation, body, or individual.
• For financial reward, either for yourself, or for a charity.
• Because the media are camped on your doorstep and you feel as though talking is your only option (incidentally, it is not)
• To set a record straight.
• To promote a product.

Warnings

• Remember, if you are selling a story of a highly personal nature, your friends, family and employees might not approve. Don't rush headlong into speaking publicly without considering the consequences.