To think I could make extra money doing stories for newspapers

[Whenisithometime]

Hi all,

I’m looking for a bit of extra cash to pay for some work I need done on my house and I am looking for ways to do it.

Call me ridiculous, but could I sell stories to the likes of tabloids like The Sun? I have their page liked on Facebook and they’re always posting the most ridiculous content that ordinary people like me must send into them.

AIBU to think I could make a little extra cash as a one off through this? What story could I even write about? Could I make stories up?

Writing for money? Good luck with that. Writing is an incredibly competitive field. You have far more chance of getting real money working at a minimum wage job.

It’s clear the OP isn’t talking about becoming a Sun journalist, but about being paid to submit a tip - which is something tabloids pay for. I don’t see an issue with this- go for it. However I would expect them to do factchecking.

Try women's magazines like take a break, bella etc. They normally pay for stories but not big money I think its about £50. They're particularly interested in cheating scandals, traumatic births and long lost childhood sweethearts reuniting. Some of them even offer cash for sending in a photo or cleaning tip.

The humorous irony if a red top lifted this story and based an ‘article’ around it 😂

Couple i used to know sold a fake story to something like chat or take a break about him being a serial cheat. Made a few k and paid for their wedding funnily enough

All these holier than thou posters who lack basic reading comprehension. The OP is talking about getting paid for a tip off, and you lot are bleating on about qualifications.

I also work in the profession (at a local level, not tabloid) and to be honest my company hardly pays us, let alone contributers

But with the Coronavirus causing havoc and all sporting events cancelled they might be interested in readers' articles? (Perhaps not paid for though?)

We're always being contacted by people asking to contribute crosswords and cartoon strips - they've obviously never read our very boring sensible community paper

Can you sell a story about sleeping with Mick Hucknell (think there’s plenty of reference material around for this one)

I think a few people on MN share your enthusiasm and test out their ideas on here.

The problem is for most of the stories they want pictures, and not just one picture, usually like 4-5 or more to fill one or two pages.

Maybe try submitting some tips or something.

A total lack of truth coupled with a hazy grasp of grammar and spelling are prerequisites of tabloid writing. I’d go ahead if I were you.

On a serious note, I wrote for a few magazines. I’m not a trained journalist but the woman who commissioned me was a magazine editor. It’s sad that so often it really does come down to who you know in this industry.