These men and women read hundreds - perhaps thousands - of ideas every week, and can spot a “steal” a mile off.Īll an editor really wants is a fresh, funny gag with a surprising punch line and a definite “me to you” feel. (Forget the “knock-knock … who’s there?” gags.) And don’t try “lifting” lines from one company’s cards and selling them to another firm. Nothing will turn them off faster than hackneyed, stale ideas. Try to avoid the I-me-my pronouns, if possible, and focus on the card’s intended receiver (the “you” in your messages).Ībove all, remember that greeting card editors are experts in their field. Keep your jabs gentle and good-natured.īear in mind, too, that many cards are sent by couples. The majority of card buyers are female and are likely to be turned off by insults (and other similarly aggressive ideas). If your gags (or verses) lack this quality, editors won’t buy them no matter how funny (or sentimental) they are.Īlong the same lines, try to avoid the “direct slam” type of greeting, in which the card’s recipient is made the butt of the joke. (This is partly because many people - myself included - use greeting cards as substitutes for letters.) You should strive, then, to give your ideas what card publishers like to call sendability. You’ll notice that the most effective cards - regardless of what category they fall into - have a strong “me to you” or “us to you” message. These cards are your competition … so learn all you can from them. If you think you’d like to try your hand at this unique craft, start by studying the cards at your local drugstore or gift shop. The pay for sentimental verse is not so good … about $1.00 per line. I happen to belong to that group myself.) (There are people who - whether they believe their rhymes or not - simply can’t write this kind of card, try as they may. Here, editors are looking for four, six, or eight-liners with rhyme and meter … and the end result must be believable. Then there are the sentimental cards (you know, those syrupy-sweet things your grandmother sends on your birthday). Frankly, I don’t care how my ideas are classified as long as the checks keep rolling in. (Note: There’s also a cute card, which is softer and more feminine in its approach than either the studio or the humorous.) Sometimes, an editor at a large company may decide that your studio idea would be better as a humorous, in which case you’ll probably be paid less. Really big outfits–like Hallmark?can afford to (and do) fork over $50 or more, while smaller companies pay as low as $10.Īnother type of greeting - similar to the studio, but a bit smaller in size and more overt in its humor - is the humorous card. You can write to the various companies to learn their requirements.Īlthough most card firms pay around $25 for a studio idea, the rate of remuneration varies. Some publishers read seasonal (holiday) ideas year round … others have a definite schedule. There are studio cards for all occasions: birthdays, friendship (almost anything goes here), get well, anniversary, holiday greetings, etc. Nowadays, only a few companies actually solicit bawdy gags … the rest - if they use such material at all - want it to be subtle and “in good taste.” Originally, the studios were aimed at a somewhat sophisticated audience, meaning that quite often the greetings were rather risque. The best money is in studios (those long, slim cards that pack a humorous hello). (The money’s not that good.) Still, the constant flurry of $10, $15, and $25 checks you’re likely to receive as a part-time card poet can pay the rent (and then some), if you’re able to churn out fresh ideas regularly. I don’t know anyone who’s become rich - or even comfortably well-to-do - as a freelance greeting card writer. Please let me qualify that statement about the “good pay” just a bit.
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