By 
For many people, approaching a national newspaper or magazine can be a harrowing experience, and something they only do once in their lifetime. It could be that they suddenly find themselves at the center of a great story with reporters camped outside your front door. And they don’t know which way to go. They may want to expose an injustice or get press coverage in a newspaper, magazine, or television for their business or charity. Or maybe they just want to earn some extra money. They have read real life stories in newspaper and magazine magazines and wonder if they, too, could make some money selling their story.
So what are the different ways you can sell a story to the press? And how do you know if your story is interesting enough to sell?
First of all, unless you are in the middle of a media storm (more on that later), the only way to know if your story can be featured in a newspaper or magazine is to get it published.
Your options are:
Sell your story directly to a newspaper or magazine.
There is nothing stopping you from approaching an editor. Just call the publication of your choice and ask who the best person is to submit your story. Most news and feature desks will prefer that you email a short synopsis of your story. Keep it short, just a few paragraphs, as editors are busy people and they won’t have time to read much more. You must include the basic points of your story. For example, if you want to sell a relationship story, say so. “My husband left me for my best friend” is better than starting all over again and going through so many details that the editor needs to read reams before getting to this. Then be sure to include your name and a contact number. A small photo is also a good idea.
If your story is of interest, you can be sure that you will receive a phone call quickly. If not, it may be worth sending a follow-up email or phone call. But if after a couple of days you still haven’t received any interest, then you can assume there probably isn’t any. In this case, just try the next newspaper or magazine on your list (remember to find the right person to send your story to again).
If an editor is interested, great! Just make sure they put in writing how much you will be paid for your story and what they expect from you. For example, will you need to pose for a photo? Can they sell your story to any other publication and when will they pay you? (Usually it is a few weeks after posting.)
Sell your story through an agent
While it is possible to sell your story to a newspaper or magazine yourself (and be very happy), many people now prefer to pass as a media agent to sell my story. A major media agent will be selling stories daily to magazines, newspapers, and even television. He or she can win you multiple deals and even start a bidding war between magazines and newspapers (which will earn you more money or more publicity). It will also be able to give you a good idea of how much your story is worth and be able to properly market it to make it solid and salable.
Some agents will simply broadcast your story to a newspaper or magazine, get you a deal (for which they could charge a fixed fee from a publication or a pre-set percentage of your fee), and then speak directly to a staff reporter.
Some will also write your story for you (get paid to write it) and will also negotiate a separate newspaper or magazine fee for you.
Whichever agent you choose (and only approach them one at a time, as only one can sell your story) ask to see newspaper or magazine clippings with your signature on them. A good seasoned agent and journalist should have a lot! Lastly, if you find yourself in the middle of a media storm, the best advice is to find an agent. Again, ask that broker for cuts or what other clients he has recently represented.