How to Get Paid for Writing Greeting Cards

Cynthia Myers reports:

"Writing for the greeting card market requires the brevity of a poet and the knack for tapping into popular culture and ideas. Every card company has its own style and looks for cards that set it apart from the competition. Study the market and follow submission guidelines for individual companies to get paid for writing greeting cards...A visit to the greeting card section at your local supermarket or discount superstore will give you a good idea of what's on the market. Study styles of cards you like and check for the names of companies on the back of them. Note that some companies specialize in funny cards, [and] others go for more serious messages, while still others focus on religious messages. Some companies want rhyming poetry, while others prefer short, pithy sayings...Research the guidelines for companies you'd like to write for. Visit company websites for submission requirements. Determine the types of cards the company is looking for – funny, serious, rhyming or not – and the themes they most need – love, birthdays, cards for men. Some companies accept submissions only via email or an online form, while others will only accept snail mail submissions...Writers create the messages on both the outside and [the] inside of the card, while artists create the illustration and other elements. A writer's job is to come up with messages that convey the feelings people have trouble putting into words themselves. Because companies publish thousands of cards each year, strive for uniqueness and avoid clichés. You may need to brainstorm and write many ideas before you find the ones that will appeal to card companies...Card companies pay from a few dollars to a few hundred dollars for card ideas, but they discard many more ideas than they use. To make money writing for greeting cards, you have to be prolific and persistent. Most successful greeting card writers submit ideas in batches and target several companies. Once you become a regular contributor to a card company, it may solicit new ideas from you."