Finding Sources for Articles
How to Locate Experts for Your Articles Online
Finding reputable sources can be the difference between a publishable article and one that sits in an editor's slush pile. Here are some places to find credible sources.
The internet can be a useful tool for writers looking to get in touch with experts to serve as sources for their articles. However, it can be equally frustrating if you don't know where to look. Here are three tried-and-true ways to find potential sources and experts to interview for your article:
Craig's List. It seems like you can locate just about anything and anyone you're looking for by making a quick visit to Craig's List. This site is especially useful for locating expert sources in a particular area of the country or part of the world.
The downside is that Craig's List is not regulated, so anyone can claim to be a lawyer, a doctor, a yoga instructor or a math tutor without any real accreditation. It is vital to do some background checks on anyone you think might be a potential source for your article before you take their quotes as a credible expert.
If the posting contains a lot of information such as name, phone number and/or website, this is a good sign that the person is who they claim to be. However, proceed with caution when following up on any Craig's List ads that are vague and do not contain any names of contact information. This can be a sign of fraud.
Yahoo Groups. Regardless of what kind of background your article source must have, there is a strong likelihood that you will find a group for them on Yahoo. The Yahoo Groups are all organized in a user-friendly forum format and you usually need to be accepted into the group by a moderator before you can begin posting.
Once you are a member of the group, you can post your question. Politely introduce yourself and explain as specifically as possible the scope of your project and what kind of experts you are looking for. Be sure to provide a link to your website (if applicable) as it makes you look more professional and increases the likelihood of receiving responses from interested sources. Also include your email address in your posting and encourage members to contact you directly, as opposed to simply responding to your post. This will save you time, since you won't have to constantly check each Yahoo Group for responses to your post.
Profnet. Profnet is a free service available to anyone who is a member of the media (including freelancers). You have to register to use their services, but once you are signed up the process is generally simple. You sign in as a journalist and post your request for sources, experts and interview subjects and then the experts get back to you via email. Keep in mind when you are posting your request to include an "end date" as this will keep you from being bombarded by experts long after your project is complete.
Finding legitimate experts and sources for your article doesn't have to be difficult if you know where to look.
