Sell story frequently asked questions

Sell story: How much money can I really earn through selling my story?

Most women’s magazines and national papers will pay around £200-£500 for a story which makes a two-page feature. But this can go up to £1000 or even £2000. In generally, the bigger your story, and the more relevant it is to the news at this very moment, the more you’ll be paid.

If you’re actually caught up in the news, top fees from newspapers can be as high as £10,000. When a story is really good we can sell it two or three times too, which means you can double or triple your fee. So if you earn £500 three times, that’s £1500 in your pocket for just one interview! Many of our clients get asked to appear on television as well, which earns them even more. In certain instances, payment for a story is not possible due to legal reasons, which will will talk to you about if your story falls into this category.

Sell story: Who do we work with?

We sell stories to national newspapers and magazines, ranging from the Daily Mail, The Sun and the Mirror to magazines such as  Woman’s Own, Woman, Take a Break, Real People, Bella and Best. We also work with television chat shows such as Daybreak, LK Today and This Morning.

Sell story: What should I consider before selling a story?

Please see the considerations page our website which details all the things you must think about before selling your story.

Sell story: Why shouldn’t I sell my story direct to a newspaper or magazine myself?

Simply because it’s not a straightforward process and you don’t want to get burned. You need to know exactly who to talk to and what sort of deal to negotiate. Unless you’ve had experience within the media, it’s unlikely you’ll end up with the best deal if you try to sell your story yourself. Also, it’s important to remember that most publications are bombarded by letters and emails from people wanting to sell their stories. Most commissioning editors don’t even have the time to read through even half of them. Even if you have the best story in the world, it may get lost amongst the chaos. And if you don’t present your story in the manner commissioning editors expect, then it just might not catch their eye.

Sell story: How will this agency protect me?

The last thing we want is an unhappy customer. We protect you in the following way.

1) If you request, we can read back the copy prior to filing it to the publication in question, allowing you to make any changes you want. We don’t automatically do this as it isn’t always necessary – just ask.

2) If you are not familiar with a publication interested in your story, we request that you buy yourself a copy before making your decision. Not every magazine or newspaper is to everyone’s taste.

3) We are not psychologists and ultimately, whether to sell a story or not is a decision that you are responsible for. But if we feel that selling a story is not in your best interests for any reason, we will advise you against selling your story. If you still wish to go ahead with selling your story, you will have to use a different agency.

4) If we are contacted by a teenager, we insist on talking to their parent/legal guardian before even considering placing their story in a newspaper or magazine.

Sell story: Who pays Talk to the Press?

Not you. We negotiate a separate payment from the magazine or newspaper in question for the writing of your story. We are journalists, so we get paid for writing your story.

Sell story: What about contracts?

Most newspapers and magazines will want you to sign a contract to confirm you are selling your story to them. It will set out your fee, but usually the most important part of a contract involves you agreeing ‘exclusivity’ – ie, to not sell your story to rival publications until your story has been published.

We will also ask you to sign a contract with Talk to the Press. This will permit us to handle all your interviews and all your contracts with individual publications. We’ll do all the hard work for you.

Sell story: Who will interview me and write my story?

Most stories accepted by Talk to the Press are written in-house by one of our team. We don’t want you to deal with journalists you don’t know or trust unless a publication is insistent on interviewing you themselves. When your story is written, we can read it back to upon request you to make sure you are happy with it. That way, you’ll know ahead of time what is actually going to be submitted

Sell story: What happens if I refer a friend to Talk to the Press?

You could earn yourself £50! In order to payment to go ahead, the story your friend sells has to be published.

Sell story: Are there any potential pitfalls to selling my story?

Usually, the answer is no. For most people, selling a story is a positive experience. However, in certain  instances there may be potential ramifications for your family, friends and career. Please talk to us about any concerns you have about selling a story, as there are various ways we can work with you to limit any negative consequences.

Sell story: Do I have to pay tax on my earnings?

Whether or not tax is due on your earnings depends on your individual circumstances. Your fee from selling your story does count as ‘income’ and tax may be due. Before we pay you, we ask you to sign a form that shows you understand this fact.

Sell story: How do I get in touch?

You can fill out the sell my story form to your right, or email us on message@talktothepress.com.