I guess you would love to get a check for a thousand dollars. You are not the only one. An exciting challenge for freelance writers is entering high-paying writing markets. I don’t mean all the magazines that pay twenty or thirty cents a word. I’m talking about posts that pay a dollar a word and more.

A thousand words. One thousand dollars. That’s what you could earn if you sell your thousand-word article to the right posts. But before submitting that manuscript, there are a couple of things you should know.

First, most well-paid publications prefer to assign articles after receiving an inquiry, rather than receiving unsolicited manuscripts. Then you will need to sell your idea and your skill very well. Which brings me to the second point.

It is very rare that an unpublished writer enters the main magazines directly. These publications have built their reputations among readers over the years by publishing only the best writings. Editors are unlikely to give you the time of day if you’ve never published an article before. You need to work your way up.

As with many other careers, it is important to work your way up, showing your ability as you climb each step. So if you want to write for high-paying posts, plan your strategy. Start by creating a few clips with local posts. Next, work toward regional publications and mid-paying markets. If you already have your heart set on getting published in a particular magazine, try to identify local and regional magazines that provide you with appropriate and relevant clips.

Finally, when you’ve built a good portfolio of published clips and a reputation as a reliable, great-to-work writer, you’re ready to launch yourself into the editors of the well-paid marketplaces.

So which markets pay the best dollars? There are several examples here, and there are many more listed on my website.

AARP The Magazine, USA

AaRP was formerly known as the “American Association of Retired Persons.” Articles and departments in this magazine cover Finance, Health, Food, Travel, Consumerism, General Interest, Profiles, or first-person accounts of people who have made a dramatic change in their lives. The country has a minimum rate of $ 1 per contracted word. Guidelines: http://www.worldwidefreelance.com/i/61.htm

Boy’s Life, United States

A general interest monthly magazine published by the Boy Scouts of America. All articles must interest and entertain children from 6 to 18 years old. Major articles pay between $ 400 and $ 1,500 for 500 to 1,500 words. Departments are 100 to 600 words long; pay is $ 150 to $ 600. Department titles are science, nature, earth, health, sports, space and aviation, automobiles, computers, entertainment, pets, history, music, and others. The back of the book pays between $ 250 and $ 500. Short stories are between 1,000 and 1,500 words long and pay $ 750 or more. Guidelines: http://www.worldwidefreelance.com/i/62.htm

Coastal Life, USA

A lifestyle magazine for lovers of the coast. The content looks at homes, destinations, activities, and people along the coasts of the Atlantic, Pacific, and Gulf of North America, Hawaii, and Alaska. Also the coast of Canada and Mexico and the Great Lakes of the US Posted 7 times a year. The departments cover home, travel, lifestyle, and food and entertainment. Payment is usually $ 1 per word, plus reasonable charges agreed upon in advance. Guidelines: http://www.worldwidefreelance.com/i/63.htm

Enroute, Canada

Air Canada’s award-winning bilingual (English / French) inflight magazine. A luxury travel lifestyle magazine interested in everything from wine to design, popular science and pop music. “As many travelers’ first introduction to Canada, we are proudly Canadian, but never parochial about Canadian content.” Payment: The base rate is CDN $ 1 per word upon acceptance. Guidelines: http://www.worldwidefreelance.com/i/64.htm

Entrepreneur Magazine, USA

Magazine covering innovative methods and strategies to help readers improve their business operations. Also current issues and trends that affect entrepreneurial companies, as well as new ideas and business opportunities. The characteristics are 1,700 words. Columns (250-400 words) are paid at $ 1 per word in the following sections: Money, Marketing, Management, Technology, Point of view, Miscellaneous. Guidelines: http://www.worldwidefreelance.com/i/65.htm

These are just a few examples, but you should be able to find a lot more posts that pay high fees like these. I have listed quite a few more in a list at http://www.worldwidefreelance.com/onedollar.htm

If you plan your writing strategy carefully and strive to produce the highest quality writing, you could soon get a thousand dollar paycheck.