Heightened demand from women's magazines and national newspapers for human interest stories means there is now more scope than ever before for people to earn a profit by selling their real-life stories.

And, aiming to bridge the gap between the media and those individuals with a story to tell, a former Daily Mail journalist has launched TalkToThePress.com.

Founder, Natasha Courtenay-Smith explains,

“Story-selling isn’t limited to just the ‘kiss-and-tell’ market as you might imagine, in fact, newspapers are increasingly seeking genuine case studies to illustrate the latest trends such as cosmetic surgery, as well as topical issues like MRSA and the credit-crunch.

"Women’s magazines continually hunt for inspirational tales from ‘normal people’, ranging from surviving an affair to dealing with addiction.”

“The market for honest stories and authentic case studies is continuing to expand,” continues Ms Courtenay-Smith, “but many people don’t know where to begin when it comes to talking to the media."

TalkToThePress.com will advise people on whether they have a story which may be of interest to the national media, help them decide which publications to aim for and manage all their contracts and fees.

"Some people talk to more than one publication, in fact I know of one woman who’s been a mistress for the past decade and has talked about it to numerous magazines – and why not?" asks Ms Courtenay-Smith.

Since launching TalkToThePress.com in January, Ms Courtenay-Smith has successfully placed a variety of stories in the national press, including: a woman trying to find a sperm donor; a man who has survived breast cancer; a woman who discovered she was the secret love child of a sixties rock star; a wronged-wife who underwent £5,000-worth of cosmetic surgery after her husband left and a self-confessed sex addict. All received payment for their interviews.

"Some people talk to more than one publication, in fact I know of one woman who’s been a mistress for the past decade and has talked about it to numerous magazines – and why not?" asks Ms Courtenay-Smith.

"She has a fascinating tale to tell and magazines are willing to pay her to talk about her experiences which will doubtless be of interest to their thousands of readers.”

Ms Courtenay-Smith estimates that the savvier story-seller can top up their income by as much as £5,000 per year if they appear in just one magazine or newspaper per month.