Writing for ESL Markets

Most freelance writers don't know that ESL markets exist, which makes it a largely untapped source of income, especially if you are just starting out. Writing for ESL markets means finding paying publications that cater to ESL learners. In case you don't know, ESL stands for English as a Second Language, and is taught in schools and public courses all over America. ESL publications help foreign language speakers to pick up on English by rewriting popular news and feature stories.

Writing for ESL Markets: Why Types of Articles are Sought for ESL Publications?

On the surface, most ESL publications look very much like regular newspapers, magazines and books, but their contents are very specialized. An ESL magazine, for example, would normally contain all of the celebrity, glamor, news, human interest and how-to stories that a mainstream magazine would contain, but the articles written in order to help ESL students learn how to converse.

In addition to the mainstream articles, ESL publications also carry stories about how to interact, converse and relate to English speakers. For example a good article for Spanish ESL students might be "How to Compare English and Spanish Grammar". These articles help ESL students to adjust to life in America, or how to interact with Americans when they visit foreign countries.

Writing for ESL Markets: What Do ESL Newspapers Cover?

If you have a nose for journalism, you might want to pursue ESL newspaper writing. These particular newspapers look like what you might see on a stack of New York Times, but the content is different. Celebrity profiles, news bytes, travel tips and the like are very popular in these newspapers, but you'll also find things like ESL comics that help teach foreign language speakers how to communicate verbally with English speakers.

ESL newspapers also contain exercises for learning how to speak and write in English as well as crossword puzzles, word games and commonly used expressions.

Writing for ESL Markets: What Do ESL Magazines Cover?

ESL magazines are usually printed less frequently than ESL newspapers and contain fleshed-out articles of interest to ESL students. Many of these magazines have a specific focus -- such as pets, parenting, gardening or sports -- but contain articles that appeal to a more general audience. One common area of articles in ESL magazines are explanations for holidays and traditions, which are printed seasonally. You might find similar exercises and games to ESL newspapers in these magazines, but it will depend on the specific publication.

Writing for ESL Markets: How Can You Break Into the ESL Market

The best way to start freelancing for ESL publications is to get your feet wet by submitting an article on spec. Make sure you've studied the publication for several issues to get an idea for the voice, subject matter and flow, then write your own feature based on something you know. Don't forget to give the editor any credentials you might possess, such as teaching experience with ESL students or fluency in one or more languages.