Making the Most of the Magazine Market

Today on Brenda Novak's Expert Friday, we welcome Julie Rowe and Phylis Warady, two writers who've made the most of the magazine market.  First Julie gives us ten reasons writers should approach these markets, then Phylis tells us where to start.

10 Reasons Why a Fiction Writer Should Write for Magazines by Julie Rowe

1.  The magazine market is huge.  Much bigger than the novel market, so your chances of getting published are much better.  (I sold my first article to the first magazine I queried!)

2.  A pay check--You can earn $1+ per word writing for the big magazines.  The very first piece I sold was a personal essay to a parenting magazine.  The essay was about true events and was about 750 words long.  I was paid $650.00 for it.  The most per/word I've been paid was by Reader's Digest (Canada), who paid me $200 for a 53 word funny story.

3.  Experience working with editors.  (Their job is to help you produce the best writing you can.  So be prepared to have revisions requested and rewrite, even if you think it's perfect.)

4.  Experience working within deadlines.  (This is a necessity.  Magazines, like any other publisher, have deadlines that MUST be met.  Practice writing within a time limit is invaluable.)

5.  Experience dealing with writer's contracts.  (Magazine contracts are usually less intricate than book contracts, but this is a good place to get used to the language and ask questions.)

6.  Experience dealing with rejection and the value of persistence.  (I sent one magazine several queries before I got a phone call rejection from the editor I targeted.  She told me she loved my query letters but that my ideas weren't quite what she wanted.  I mailed another query two days later and within a week got the "I love it and want to buy it" call.  Never give up!)

7.  Experience researching topics.  (You never know when you'll come across that interesting tid-bit of information that spawns a fiction plot or character.)

8.  Experience with editing your own work for publication.

9.  Publishing credits to put in your fiction queries.  (This tells fiction editors and agents that (a) you're a professional, (b) your writing is good enough to publish and (c) your writing is good enough to be paid for.)

10.  Provides a forum for publicizing your fiction writing.  (Marketing can make a huge difference to your fiction publishing success.  Now you'll know where, when and who to tell about your fiction as it's published.)

Where to Begin:  Advice and Inspiration from Phylis Warady

Creating Writing wasn't an elective at my high school.  Journalism was.  So I enrolled and learned the basics.  Post college, I yearned to write.  Just never did.  Until, with three kids under age five, I agreed to write a column for the local weekly newspaper.  I was paid by the inch.  Free foolscap was my sole perk.  Decades later, my non-fiction multi-published articles have been widely published in the USA and Canada.

Nowadays, I mainly write traditional regency novels.  But, on occasion, I revert to my journalistic roots to write non-fiction articles.  Most deal with either the writing craft or some other aspect of the writing life.  Some are fashioned to appeal to all writers.  Others are tailored to a more specific audience.  For those of you tuned in to The Fog City Divas on this particular Friday, I urge you to submit a non-fiction article to either Romantic Times, Romance Writers Report or Novelists Inc.  Chances are you already read two of these three potential markets each month.  Which heightens the probability that you are already subconsciously aware of their needs.  Besides, all three are always on the lookout for fresh material and willing to offer suggestions to help you tailor your article to suit their audience.  I can't speak for RT, but RWR and NINK are paying markets.  True--not a fortune.  Enough, however, for a romantic dinner for two.  Plus--all three venues provide name and current book title exposure as well as a writing credit.

What should you write? Consider what you've got going for you already:

• You've given a writers' workshop locally or at a regional conference.  You have either a handout or written notes that just need a bit of tweaking.
• You teach writing and have samples to use as examples as to how to fix glitches.  Or you wish to highlight your trials and triumphs as a teacher.
• You've just finished a novel and need a change of pace.
• You've an appealing idea to share with other writers.
• Your novel's pub date is months away.  You need to keep your presence visible.
• You desire to time the publication of an article to coincide with an upcoming newest release.

Contact information:

RT www.romantictimes.com

• Either buy a copy from the nearest newsstand or subscribe to it.
• Read several issues from cover to cover.  Go to the RT site to ascertain the correct editor to contact and download their guidelines.
• Did you notice the bulk of material in each issue is already spoken for--either as reviews of current book releases or as monthly columns such as Under the Covers where Flavia addresses one and all as 'Darlings'?
• A current RT issue features by-lined interviews of Lora Leigh and Catherine Coulter--plus a backstage view of the famed Carnegie Hall and a tribute to Jane Austen.  Meaning four free-lancers did their homework then scored a sale.

NINC (www.ninc.com)

Current editor is Lorraine Heath (lorrainw-heath@sbcglobal.net). Query her with an article proposal and/or guidelines.

RWR

Current editor is Kathleen Adey. Either query her first or submit your article to her at (rweditor@national.org)

Thank you to Phylis and Julie for visiting us at the Fog City Divas! These ladies got me so excited about the opportunities available in the magazine market, that I, too, submitted to the RWR (for the first time) and have an article coming out in the August issue. I approached RT BOOK Review Magazine with a different idea, and they called me just yesterday to tell me it's a go. What is it exactly? It's the first part of a short story I wrote as an introduction to the new series I'll have coming out this summer (The Last Stand series. Part of the short story will appear in the June issue, along with a $1.00 off coupon on TRUST ME, the first book, and the rest will appear on the RT Web site.

Now, let's give my two wonderful friends an enthusiastic Diva welcome!

Comments

[Dianne Gerber]

Ladies,

Thank you so much for the advice. I never gave much thought to writing for magazines until recently. A RWA chapter member told me she made $825.00 last year from doing so. I've got to tell you, my eyes popped. I thought if I could do as well, the money would help pay for my expenses to RWA National which I love to attend.

I'm in process of polishing an article now and writing another, but I have a question.

Are query letters to magazine editors different than to novel editors?

Thank you, di

[Terry Odell]

What about fiction magazines -- I totally agree about the 'palate cleansing' of writing something different between major works, and I've done short stories for an e-publisher, but the last story that emerged from my keyboard was a totally different genre (police procedural, straight mystery). I'd love to see it somewhere, but other than Ellery Queen or Alfred Hitchcock, I don't know where to go, and I doubt they'd take my first venture into the field.

[Janice Lynn]

Great blog post. I've sold a couple of articles to the RWR and find Kathleen to be wonderful to work with!

[Kellie Finley]

Excellent information, ladies, thank you!

Julie, I know you teach a great online course in writing magazine articles--will you be offering it again soon?

[Julie Rowe]

Hi Dianne,

Great question! In a query letter to a magazine editor you're selling a specific idea, told from a focused point of view or angle. Your query should reflect that by telling all the major points you plan to cover in your article and why YOU are the best person to write it. The more info you can get into the query the better! I'll post an example in a minute. :-)

Terry, have you tried Woman's World magazine? They publish one romantic short story and one mystery short story every week and pay very well!

Janice, congrats on your sales to the RWR! You're right it's a great magazine to write for. :-)

Cheers, Julie Rowe

[Julie Rowe]

Query letter example. This query sold a 300 word article to Canadian Living magazine:

Dear Canadian Living Editor,

What do diaper rash, chapped skin and sunburns have in common? All can be treated with zinc oxide cream, otherwise known in my house as ‘baby bum cream’. Zinc oxide, found in the ‘baby’ section of any drug or grocery store, is commonly used to treat diaper rash. But, it has also been used for years by surfers as a water-proof sunscreen and by mountain climbers as a treatment for chapped lips and exposed skin. I discovered zinc oxide when my children were babies, but as my children grew, I discovered many other uses for this ointment. Dry, chapped and cracked skin quickly returns to its normal healthy condition when zinc cream is applied. Zinc can be used as a sunscreen on the youngest of babies because there are no toxic chemicals present. I’ve used zinc to help heal cuts on my hands and sunburns on my face, leaving my skin feeling as soft as a baby’s bottom.

I would like to share this information with Canadian Living readers in a short health brief called BABY YOUR SKIN suitable for your Health Notes column.

I’m a stay at home mom, writer and I’m never without a tube of zinc oxide cream. Published clips of my work are included.

Ms. Canadian Living Editor, ‘as soft as a baby’s bottom’ is an old and respected adage. Why not treat the rest of your children’s skin (and yours too!) with the same tender loving care? I thank you for your consideration and look forward to your response.

Sincerely, Julie Rowe

[KateMoore]

Julie and Phylis, Welcome to the Divas blog. Thanks for the information and enthusiasm for this market. Your blog has started some ideas to buzz in my brain.

[Julie Rowe]

Hi Kellie,

Thanks for stopping in! I'm teaching my magazine course for my local college starting next month, but I'm not currently scheduled to teach my magazine course online anywhere.

Cheers, Julie

[Brenda]

Julie has promised to meet with me at national and give me some one-on-one tutoring. Although I don't have a lot of time to chase some of the ideas I have for magazine articles, I think there's great potential for cross-promotion.

I recently did a relationship article, which I worked to get published in as many places on the web as possible. I wanted to see if that increased traffic to my Web site. While I've received *some* added traffic because of this, I don't think it's been significant. So I probably won't bother with that again. The good news is that I used it for my February newsletter, so it wasn't a waste, either. :-)

Thanks for joining us Julie and Phylis!

Brenda

[Brenda]

By the way--thanks for posting the sample query, Julie. That was very helpful. Can you please tell us where some of your other articles have appeared? If I remember right, it's an impressive list!

Brenda

[Julie Rowe]

Thanks, Brenda! I'm glad you found the example helpful. :-)

My articles have appeared in Today's Parent, Canadian Living, Reader's Digest (Canada), What's Up Kids magazine, the Canadian Writer's Journal, the RWR, Writer's Digest and Taste of Home magazine. My preferred topics are parenting, cooking, health and writing.

Cheers, Julie

[Lynne Marshall]

What an informative blog! I made my first sale to Woman's World, and recently was lucky enough to get an article in the RWR. One thing I'd recommend, though, is for writer's group members to get their feet wet by writing articles (no pay) for their local chapter's newsletter. Though you work for free, it is also great exposure and wonderful practice for the big magazines out there!

thanks!

[Julie Rowe]

Lynne, you are sooooo right! Writing for your RWA chapter newsletter can be a great way to develop your article writing skills. :-)

Back when I was just getting started, I made a commitment to write an article a month for a year for my local chapter's newsletter. All that practice really made a difference to my article writing. :-)

Cheers, Julie

[Brenda]

There's definitely an art to keeping it short and punchy--and leaving a lot of white space on the page. It's a challenge for someone who writes LONG, like me! LOL

Brenda

[Brenda]

By the way, Phylis just e-mailed me to say she can't join us until 11:00 pacific time, so she'll be here in a couple of hours. Meanwhile, Julie's doing a great job of holding the fort!

Brenda

[Anna]

Thanks so much for the information! I have to admit, I've never really considered I have anything to offer magazines, but after reading your suggestions and reasons, it's something I plan to look into. You can never be "too published", can you?

Thanks ladies!
Anna

[Dianne Gerber]

Julie, Thank you for posting a copy of your query letter and for all the great advice. di

[Robin Haseltine]

Wonderful and informative offering today. Before I turned to fiction writing, I cut my teeth on nonfiction articles and columns. It was the best education I've received on how to write succinctly and pack power into a few short phrases. Writing for magazines outside of romance, especially if these areas are part of your romance writing, can also help expand readership.

[MonicaMcCarty]

Julie and Phylis,
Welcome to the blog and thanks for all the great tips. I've never really thought about submitting an article for publication, but you guys make a great argument for doing so. Congrats on the articles, Brenda!

[Brenda]

Great point, Robin. I think that's what caught my attention--wondering if it might help grow my readership.

Lynn--Sounds like you've made a number of sales to Woman's World. How wonderful! What were the topics?

Brenda

[Allison Brennan]

GREAT advice!! I've written an article for the RWR and just pitched another idea. Writing short is NOT easy, but it's GREAT practice!! :)

[Brenda]

Thanks, Monica. I haven't had the time to approach it wholeheartedly, but I'm excited by the little bit of success I've had.

Brenda

[Karin*]

Great info, ladies! I'm saving this post.

[Julie Rowe]

Ooh! I forgot to mention that I've donated a mentoring package to Brenda's Diabetes Auction. The winner of the package will get three months of one-on-one instruction, coaching and encouragement from me on writing for magazines. Check it out at:
http://tinyurl.com/2kf79q

Cheers, Julie

[Brenda]

Shhh...Julie! I was going to bid on that myself!! LOL

Actually, I'm just kidding. You guys should definitely mark that item on your Watch List. Julie really knows what she's talking about.

Brenda

[Phylis Warady]

For anyone interested here are my credits, mainly those concerning writer's life or craft articles:
Romance Writers Report: 4 articles, most recent article being Why Write a Snyopsis. Others include The Penwoman, Nink, The Writer Magazine, Writer's Digest, Fellowscript, Candian Writer's Journal, Authorship, The Regency Plume, Writer's Journal, Working Writer, The Inkling, Freelance Market News, Dabbling Mum & The Writing Parent.

On other topics: Babytalk, Baltimore's Child, Sacramento Bee, Bibliphilos, Flash in the Pan & Northwoods Journal

[Julie Rowe]

Phylis, you go girl!!

This is what's so great about writing for magazines, there are so many out there. Opportunity abounds!

Cheers, Julie

[Phylis Warady]

Terry,

Welcome to the club! Although formerly a member of MWA I never scored at either Ellery Queen or Alfred Hitchcock either.

However, have managed to get my mystery stories & horror published in other venues such as the Dan River Anthology 2008, my latest credit for See Dick! See Jane! See Spot!

I'm convinced that part pf my success in getting my short fiction published is because I belong to a free daily service that informs me of current contests plus literary journals & guilds, etc. looking for material for annual anthologies. While these markets don't pay especially well, I manage to garner 1st place ribbons around 4 times yearly for either short fiction, essays or light verse and the checks for these help augment my income, in addition to being prestigous.

So don't give up on your mysteries stories. Trust me, persistent pays off.

[Barbara Freethy]

Hi Julie and Phyllis - Great info! I was wondering if you write the article before you query or the reverse? Years ago I did some writing for our local free parent magazine and it was fun and I got a little cash, but I haven't done anything in awhile.

Are there any mags outside of the usual Writing ones that stand out in your mind as being great to approach?

Thanks!

[Julie Rowe]

Hi Barbara,

Unless it's a personal essay I'm writing, which is a true story re-told from my own life, I write the query first and the article AFTER I've recieved the go ahead from the editor. The reason for this is that magazine editors often have a lot of input on content and specific professionals to go to for quotes.

Writing a personal essay is the easiest way to break in to many magazines, since you're writing about you!

The best magazines to approach, in my mind, are those you read yourself. :-)

Cheers, Julie

[Bella Andre]

Great info, ladies! Thanks for joining the Divas and sharing this fantastic information. I had thought about freelance writing a few years ago--I would have loved a blog like this!
best,
Bella

[Brenda]

Hey, Phylis made it! So glad to see you, Phylis. And what an impression list of credits. You're amazing!

It sounds to me like networking and becoming familiar with various editors would be a real boon. What do you think? Have some editors become familiar enough with you that they come to you when they need something written?

Brenda

Brenda

[Candice Hern]

Great blog, ladies! Thanks for visiting us today. It's a timely topic for me. I have just pitched an article idea to VICTORIA magazine. :-)

[Brenda]

Oooh, Candice. That sounds like a perfect fit for you! Good luck with it!

Brenda

[Phylis Warady]

Barbara,

Query first or send in the piece cold? Kinda' a lady or the tiger dilemma, If you thoroughly know the publication, then I'd opt for sending in the completed article.
Mind though that even if the editor is interested he/she may want changes. For instance, well aware that Adey at RWR is always looking for material I sent it my article on networking at writers conference electronically.

She replied promptly informing me I'd submitted it too late in the year (natioal hold a conference yearly and I'd missed the deadline for that year. She'd already purchased an article on it. However, she pointed out kindly, she'd need another article on this subject the following year. Only she wanted it more slanted toward her audience, i.e, romance writers as opposed to a more general article geared to networking at a more general writing conference.

So then what did I do. I calendared myself to produce an article and submit same the following November and then sought out my peers at the Reno conference asking requesting a paragraph or two as to what they gained from going to the national conference that offset the expensive of it. I deliberately chose authors at different stages of their careers. And they obliged with some great mini takes on the same conference.

So I came away with a great article tailored specifically to the RWR audienc. And my contributors gained as well as it never hurts to have you name mentioned in place that will either help your career in general or increase your readership.

So Kathleen snapped it up and also bought my article, Why bother writing the synopsis, which she said she'd save for when she found a hole in a particular issue and as it happened it was published the following month after my article: Power Networking in Atlanta was featured.

I might mention here that certain subjects are ;surefire sales here. Each year just before the national conference, trust me, there's a brand new article encouraging members to attend it and not just attend but get the best use of it by having particular goals and also minding their manners. And ever so often there's an article on writing the dreaded synopsis by a different author with a slightly different take on that subject as well as other craft topics.

So I encourage all taking part here to try their hand at writing one. As you see, Adey took time to explain what tact she wamted me to take and also forgave me initially for sending in an article at the wrong time of the year. Incidentally, I sent it to her in November assuming it would appear in the June Issue of RWR. However, October would be better. But she still bought it and ran it in the July issue because it was still in time for last minute stragglers, since it's mailed out to members the last of the previous month, giving readers who plan to attend to plan their strategies.

I might add here, that my original version of the
Adey bought entitled Power Networking at Writer's Conference sold to Fellowscript (Canada) and also that I'd initiall submitted that version to Writers Digest who rejected it. But lo and behold, months later an assistant editor requested permission to life 40 words from that article and paid me handsomely for same.

Thus from the same idea, I managed to make 3 sales.

The point here being that all these markets are dying for material and, in general, their editors are easy to work with.And in a sense all writing credits have value to their author even if her main goal is writing and selling her novels.

That said, Barbara, I've just returned from a writers conference and am quering several publishers. In this case I'm gathering a wealth of info on electronic publishing opportunities and plan to write several articles, geared to different markets.

[Phylis Warady]

Brenda,

So far none have approached me with an assignment. But the editor of Writer's Journal rejected an article, but took the time to explain exactly what he objected to.

So I thought what the heck and rewrote and resubmitted it and he snapped it up immediately. Now before going to the EPICon conference, I queried him and got some feedback as to want he's interested in for his magazine, plus the length. Which will help with the tailoring to that market.

For Terry,

I think your remarks hinted a fear of submitting to either Ellery Œueen or Hitchcock for your first mystery story. Go for it! In general, always always start at the top. Then if you don't score there, it's time to search for other markets.

And best of luck!

[Brenda]

Great advice, Phylis. Do you find that editors of magazines are good about responding? I submitted something to one of the writers magazines--not Writer's Digest but The Writer (I believe) and never heard anything in response. Made me feel as if some of these e-mails go into a black hole, which puts them under the "waste of time" category for me. If they'd given me SOME feedback, I couldn't decided how to make the most of it, you know?

Brenda

[Julie Rowe]

Brenda, I've submitted to The Writer and never heard a word either. :-) Some magazines only respond if they're interested.

I generally give everyone a month to six weeks to respond, if they don't, and I'm still keen to write for them, I send a status request letter. If I'm no longer so keen, I decide it's a "dead" query and move on to the next magazine.

Cheers, Julie

[Phylis Warady]

Brenda,

I've managed two sales to the Writer but recently I noted they want to email queries to simply their email address for queries. I did query them their before the Epicon conference and received no response. So I'll go back to queries directly to the editor: Jeff Reich.

While is actually my fav writing magazine, I must say they are quite slow in responding and at times don't run at tight ship. If you don't here from promptly, contact him again and gently complain. That should at the very least gain his ear.

Actually I made my first national non-fiction sale to the Writer decades ago, titled: New Directions in Confessions. At the time the owner-publishers were Sylvia & Abe Burack. Abe bought it, but then he died leaving Sylvia at the helm. She never bought a single article that I submited there. However, she couldn't resist enclosing a detailed critique every time.

So while I never ever sold her anything, I used her critique to rewrite her rejects and then managed to sell it elsewhere. Heck one of these rejects has to date sold 10 times and several are approaching that figure. So, while Sylvia never bought anything I submitted to her over the years, in retrospect she did me an immense favor. For certain with her aid I became a better writer.
LOL

[Phylis Warady]

Geez. I really should proof my remarks better. I ask blanket forgiveness for all the typos.

[Terry Odell]

Thanks for the advice and encouragement. I guess I need to bite the bullet with my little mystery.

[Kathleen]

Welcome to the blog Judy and Phylis! Thanks for the great blog!