As an English major and professor, I’m familiar with the different forms of literature. You have your academically-accepted forms such a poetry, novels, short stories, dramas, and novellas. But there are other forms that I think have yet to be accepted by the academe – such as greeting card writing.
Yeah, I’ll go out on a limb and say that greeting cards count as literature. My fellow professors may not agree with me, but I stand by that appraisal. Greeting cards, no matter how short the text contained within, perfectly capture all the functions of literature. They clearly communicate something, and endeavor to make the reading feel something. So yeah, literature.
One of the greatest things about greeting cards is that they’re pretty democratic; anyone can be a greeting card writer. Greet card copy (“copy” is a term we use for the text inside a card) is by necessity short and concise. Don’t get me wrong - writing something snappy and concise comes with its own set of challenges, but writing a greeting card isn’t as daunting as, say, writing a mammoth literary novel.
And I meant it when anyone can try to write greeting cards. A company called Oatmeal Studios is open to unsolicited submissions. It’s a great way to earn, and to test whether your writing skills are up to snuff.
If you ever fancied yourself a writer, read on for my Oatmeal Studios review!
About Oatmeal Studios
At first, I thought Oatmeal Studios was a brand of artisanal, single-source oatmeal. But Oatmeal Studios is greeting card company based in the United States. They’ve been around for 40 years, so we know they’re definitely now fly by night.
They specialize in cards that come in colorful and happy motifs – no snarky or ironic messages here. The company produces an enormous amount of cards for many occasions, specifically birthdays, anniversaries, and retirements. They also produce Get Well Soon and Thank You cards.
Because of the sheer amount of cards the produce, they’re open to submissions. This increases their chances of creating a hit card. What this means to you is that you can try flexing your creative muscle.
How to Earn on Oatmeal Studios
In a nutshell, you earn when you greeting card idea is chosen! Before we get to their guidelines, I need to mention that they’d like a fully-formed idea. That includes having actual copy and, if possible, directions on what the artwork will be like. Simply saying “I’d like to pitch a greeting card for new moms!” won’t cut it. You’ll have to write down the actual text that you want Oatmeal Studios on the card.
There are also a few guidelines you will still have to keep in mind before putting pen to paper. I’ll be listing them down in the next two sections.
1. Submission Guidelines
Keep the following items in mind when writing down your ideas:
Talk It Up - Since cards are sent by one person to another, the tone and language of the card needs to be conversational.
Make It Funny - Humor is always a plus. Take note, cards don’t necessarily have to have jokes to be considered funny. A humorous observation or snappy quip will also work - basically, anything that will make the recipient smile.
A Picture Is Worth A 1000 Words… But You Don’t Have To Draw! - If your idea of the card is visual, you don’t have to actually draw it. A written description would suffice - but make sure you make it as clear and understandable as possible.
A Reason To Send A Card - Oatmeal Studios’ existing cards were created for specific occasions – the card you pitch will also have to have a particular events and motives in mind. Some of these include: birthdays, belated birthday greetings, anniversaries, thank you, weddings, new weddings, congratulations, and retirement.
2. What Not To Submit
Like I mentioned a while ago, Oatmeal Studios makes fun and wholesome cards. So you’ll have to tweak your ideas accordingly. They outright reject the following:
- Puns (puns are too passé)
- Hostile messages
- Long poetry
- Overly specific ideas (for example, cards for pregnant mothers scheduled to give birth on a January)
How to Submit Your Card Idea to Oatmeal Studios
Their submission process is pretty easy. Simply email your ideas to [email protected], or you can send it via snail mail to:
Editorial Dept. ,
Oatmeal Studios,
PO Box 191,
Rochester, VT 05767
If you go for the latter option, make sure you send a self-addressed stamped envelope along with your submission.
Here are a few more submission guidelines:
- Use the label “O” to indicate which part of your idea is for outside, and “I” for ones that go inside.
- If you’re sending via email, keep the file size of the attachment 1 mb or less.
- As always, include your name, contact details, and address (postal and email) on all your submissions.
Earning Potential with Oatmeal Studios
If your idea gets chosen, you may get paid around $75 to $100 for the idea. There are conflicting bits of info online, but I think a safe bet is within that range. I think creative work can sometimes be undervalued, but I think Oatmeal Studios knows the value of good work.
It’s a pretty good amount, even if just one of your ideas gets chosen! And who knows? There might be a full-time career waiting for you in the greeting card-writing industry.
The Verdict: Legit or Scam?
Oatmeal Studios is legit! The pay is great, but I think the best part of this is that it gives a great creative outlet for people who may not have considered earning from creative endeavors.
I don’t think a lot of people have ideas for a novel - but many of us can think of funny or creative greeting cards. Thanks to Oatmeal Studios, we have the potential to earn from those ideas!
Oatmeal Studios Screenshots
Your Turn
This is my review of Oatmeal Studios. Now it’s your turn to share! Have you tried submitting to the company? What were your ideas, and did any of them get chosen?
Let’s hear your stories!