Will you get rich as a greeting card writer? If you browse through the many cards you find in gift shops Cheap Torrey Smith Jersey , you may think so. You may tell yourself, "I could have totally written that card." Even though it is possible to jump in the market, it is not an easy task. You must study the industry and learn about the markets that take writer submissions. You also have to compete among a see of other talented writers that are seeking their pot of gold.
There are 7 billion dollars made a year in the card industry. The companies that hold the largest market share, 85 percent to be exact Cheap David Mayo Jersey , are American Greetings, Hallmark and Gibson Greetings. Only a tiny portion of the billions made in this industry actually go toward paying freelancers. Most of that money goes into paper costs, paying artists and printing costs. Those numbers also include the holiday card shopping spree that many of us do. These companies count on printing the same holiday greeting cards year after year. They do not have to hire new freelance writers to write new greetings. The odds are stacked against you to sell a new idea to the three large greeting card companies. In fact, Hallmark and American Greetings do not even accept submissions that are unsolicited. Anyone trying to enter this market will soon experience fierce competition Cheap Greg Van Roten Jersey , especially in the higher paying arenas. If you are set on writing greeting cards for any of these companies, your chances of garnering a staff position are higher than getting a freelance submission approved. Check each company's website page and check their careers tab. You may find something that you are interested in.
This is not to say there aren't other companies that you can submit your work to. There are places that do accept freelancer submissions, and these places are great opportunities for creative professionals. If you are artistic, your chances have just doubled or tripled. Most of the money spent in this industry is spent on paying for artwork Cheap Devin Funchess Jersey , not for writing. The GCA (Greeting Card Association) estimates there are more than 1,500 publishers of greeting cards. This is a huge number. The industry has changed a bit since the internet. Now, many people send greeting cards online. The user can select pictures, sounds or animations to go with his or her message. Some online cards have pre-written greetings that the user can edit or make personal. Some are free and some require payment.
Yahoo recently incorporated Hallmark's electronic card website into their network. Another company Cheap Shaq Thompson Jersey , Outpost Network, lets users select or write their own greeting card as well as stationary and addresses. The postal service then delivers the card to the recipient. Another electronic card distributor, Greet Street, has been covered in the news recently for entering into an agreement with Gibson Greetings. The financial agreement says Gibson Greetings will provide content for Greet Street's online selection of greeting cards. This shift to the electronic card arena may have an impact on the industry itself. Writers may find some opportunities online Cheap James Bradberry Jersey , rather than with the print divisions of these companies. It could also change the way submissions are handled. Normally, print greeting card submissions are sent on index cards that contain versus. This could change to an email submission format. That has not happened yet as the majority of submissions continue to be handled the way of the index card.
How to Submit Your Verses to Greeting Card Publishers
Each greeting card publisher has a different set of guidelines for submitting verses. some require that each verse be submitted on an index card. Others prefer that several verses be printed on standard-size paper. For most companies, you will need to mail a self-addresses stamped envelope to the company requesting their guidelines. Then you'll have to wait to receive them. Some companies are speeding up the process by allowing freelancers to request the guidelines via email.
Some publishers ask that you submit a batch of ideas, ideally 10 ideas per batch Cheap Taylor Moton Jersey , and that each idea be featured on an index card. Each of these cards should be type and double-spaced. The writer's name and address should always be on the index card, usually in the corner on the upper left-hand side. As with most submissions, you should enclose a self-addressed stamped envelope. You may also include suggestions or notes about artwork or other details at the bottom of each index card containing verse. This, however Cheap Christian McCaffrey Jersey , is usually not a requirement for most greeting card publishers.
Requirements for each publisher may differ greatly so it is a good idea to ask for guidelines from each publisher you are interested in submitting to. Follow each company's guidelines to the letter. The annual Writer's Market publication contains listings and brief descriptions for about 40 greeting card publishers. Pay in this field can vary greatly. Some companies may pay $20 per approved submission while others may pay up to $150.
What Information Can I Find Out Online?
Finding information online can be a huge asset when trying to break into the greeting card industry. You can use the Web to look at each publisher's catalog and get an idea of what types of verses they are publishing and looking for. You can also find information on requesting guidelines. Company information is also readily available, usually through press releases or blogs. You can find statistics about the industry and publisher links at .