How to Write for Magazine Markets

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How to Write for Magazine Markets

Posted on May 7th, 2009 in Writing Business by Athlyn Green

Steps to take before submitting a story or an article to a magazine.

If you want to write for magazine markets, you may wonder how to get started.

Many people dream of breaking into print, actually writing for magazines.

There’s nothing quite like receiving an acceptance letter and seeing your article in a glossy magazine. But how do you go from wanna-be to magazine writer?

Getting Started Writing for Magazine Markets: Basic Steps

If you want to write for magazine markets, you will need access to a computer and a printer, and you should set aside time to write regularly

You’ll need a working knowledge of Microsoft Word, the word processor of choice for the writing industry

Image via Wikipedia

You’ll need a good dictionary (these can be found online). Onelook dictionary gives you a comparison across a number of dictionaries.

You should know how to run the spell-checker

If you are writing for magazines, you’ll also have to know how to calculate word counts (Word offers this function)

Image via Wikipedia

How to Write for Magazine Markets: Doing a Market Tester

Obtain copies of the publication you would like to write for and study these magazines carefully. You may be able to obtain back issues at a reduced cost.

Look inside the front cover or first few pages to see what percentage of freelance material is accepted; alternatively, check the blurb with each article because it may state that the article is written by either a freelance writer or an expert.

Study the advertisements to gauge what readership the magazine is targeting. This is the readership you will be writing for.

Study the article titles and note how long or short they are.

Check the style of writing. Is it conversational? Is it humorous? Is it reflective or informative? Is the writing in first, second or third-person? Stick to this when creating your story or article.

Pay special attention to the articles written by freelance writers and try to create an article or story that is similar to these.

Before Writing for a Magazine . . . Important Reminders

You’ve Written Your Magazine Article . . . Now What?

Once you’ve written a story or article, let it rest–then come back and polish it. Make sure it is free of errors. Editors can spot weak writing a mile away. Make their job easier by editing your piece. Some writers feel that it is their job to write and an editor’s job to edit. Don’t fall into this mindset. Anything you do to make a busy editor’s job easier is a mark in your favor and may lead to your piece being accepted. A well-crafted article presents a professional picture. Rule of thumb: if you want to be treated like a professional, act like a professional.

A Word About Online Submission for Magazines

Online submission has revolutionized freelance writing. It is much easier to target and submit your writing to magazine markets that allow for this. Online submission saves on the cost of large envelopes, paper, printer ink, postage, a SASE, etc. As well, submitting your work electronically is much faster. Writers usually receive a response within hours or days, over waiting months to hear anything.

It may be advisable for newer freelance writers to target publications that take unsolicited submissions, over those that accept queries. Many newer writers aren’t clear on what a query is.

Do not send your work to publications that only take solicited submissions.

A Word About Cover Letters

Part of knowing how to write for magazine markets means knowing how to write a convincing cover letter. This should accompany your story or your article. I will write a future article discussing how to do this–but in the meantime, get busy writing your first article for your chosen magazine.

Magazine Writing Tip

Pet magazine editors often accept reader stories or general care articles. If you want to write for magazines, pet markets may be a good starting point.

Questions? Contact me via my Triond profile or at Write and Earn a Living.

Writing Resources:

Magazine Markets:

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21 Responses to “How to Write for Magazine Markets”

Luffy12
May 7th, 2009 at 4:17 am

good article
Glynis Smy
May 7th, 2009 at 4:20 am

Interesting, informative and useful. Thanks
kate smedley
May 7th, 2009 at 5:53 am

Excellent article Athlyn, in the UK we have the Writers and Artists Yearbook which lists every single publication in the UK and whether they accept freelance work with contact details/editor’s names etc. I’m not sure if you guys have a similar publication but it’s an invaluable source for anyone wanting to write for magazines and is updated every year.
clay hurtubise
May 7th, 2009 at 6:14 am

Thanks! I’d like to turn one of my stories into a magazine article: this willl help me.
Clay
Athlyn Green
May 7th, 2009 at 8:13 am

Some people choose to obtain a copy of Writer’s Market. This lists the different markets.

You can also do a search online by typing in “magazine markets” or “paying magazine markets” in your browser.
Annie Hintsala
May 7th, 2009 at 1:45 pm

I always get such good info with your articles. Thanks!
OhSugar
May 7th, 2009 at 1:48 pm

I would love to write more than just poems, but I don’t have my courage to attempt a different venture. Maybe someday I will do it.. I enjoyed reading your article.
Momma Tells
May 7th, 2009 at 4:13 pm

Thanks for the info, Athlyn.
Michael Eboh
May 8th, 2009 at 12:16 am

Thanks for educating me
Athlyn Green
May 8th, 2009 at 8:14 am

Once you get a story or article in with a magazine, it is a good idea to submit another. The editor knows you can write to their preferences and it may be easier to get a second piece published with them.
nutuba
May 8th, 2009 at 8:53 am

Athlyn, excellent advice! This is a well written, comprehensive, and informative article. Nicely done!
Susan Keeping
May 8th, 2009 at 11:00 am

Great stuff as usual. I have thought about writing for magazines and just haven’t given my self the push to submit to them. Thanks for the advice.
Athlyn Green
May 8th, 2009 at 11:44 am

A market tester is one of the best methods to target a magazine and helps you to craft an article that sells. Following writer’s guidelines is key to success.

Newer writers may choose to write for non-paying markets, thus obtaining publishing credits, which pave the way to paid publication. Often, you receive copies of the magazine where your work appears. These can be used for tear sheets, when a publication requires published clips.
Dee Gold
May 10th, 2009 at 10:55 am

useful
NYCbabe
May 13th, 2009 at 7:14 pm

Very Informative!
jay mccaffery
May 18th, 2009 at 12:33 pm

Good stuff – will be having a go at magazine writing, armed with your good advice. Thanks.
swatilohani
May 19th, 2009 at 4:13 am

highly informative
Athlyn Green
May 19th, 2009 at 9:48 pm

Thanks everyone. Don’t be afraid to try your hand at writing for magazine markets. If you study the magazine you are targeting and determine the percentage of freelance material accepted, you stand a chance–especially if you have previous publishing credits and/or write well.

While writing for magazines isn’t usually as quick a process as writing for online sites, the pay can be quite satisfactory.

Some writers do both, writing for online gigs, while keeping their hand in by submitting to print publications.
Brian Stankich
May 20th, 2009 at 1:33 pm

Athlyn’s info is so accurate. She is so right when she speaks of the joy in receiving an acceptance letter from a publisher. The big cash payoff helps too. The struggle for me is in taking the time to obtain the guidelines, research the magazine, and craft an intelligent cover letter. But she’s right in that the Net has made these steps a whole lot easier than even ten years ago.
Athlyn Green
May 20th, 2009 at 3:46 pm

Hi Brian,
Yes, writing for magazines, while a longer process, is lucrative. Probably the best rule of thumb is to engage in online writing and in writing for traditional publications.

If you can get your foot in the door, it generally becomes easier to publish with the same publication–and going to the mail is like Christmas! You see a large envelope and you know it either signals that your manuscript has been rejected and returned to you or . . . there’s a check inside, along with your work in a magazine!

It;s always a rush to see how your articles is formatted and presented.
CutestPrincess
May 29th, 2009 at 12:28 pm

interesting subject and that’s a good idea…