Writing and Publishing News

Does it seem as though there are more and more magazines coming on the scene that don’t pay freelancers? And many of us are supporting this practice. Are you noticing that older magazines are using fewer submissions—relying more on staff?

As some of you know, I supported myself from what I earned writing articles for magazines for many years. I still sell an occasional article. But I choose not to write for mainstream magazines that sell advertising and subscriptions and do not pay their contributors. And most professional freelance writers follow suit.

Yes, I give a lot of my articles away, but I do so in order to support newsletters and enewsletters which are circulated free to authors and writers. These articles also serve to promote my books and services through exposure.

Some writers, though, just want to get published so they give their work away for the privilege. Others provide freebies as a way to get their foot in the door. Many new magazine publishers promise to start paying contributors once they get more established. That is doubtful. If they can get quality contributions free, why start paying for material? I haven’t heard of a writer who, after working for free for a few years, was suddenly offered meaningful payment for their work. Have you?

Why do people start up magazines? I think that most magazines develop from a hobby or a passion rather than business sense. Someone loves potbelly pigs, woodworking or fashion, so they launch a magazine featuring that topic. An entrepreneur might create a magazine to fill a niche in their community—senior health resources, parenting tips or a local entertainment/shopping guide, for example. Numbers of such magazines came into being just this year. And, I would say, that most were not set up to accommodate working freelance writers. Most were started without a budget for writers, yet some of them actually welcome and encourage submissions. They say, “We can’t pay for submissions, yet. But hang in there with us and we may be able to do so at a later time.” And what are they going to pay you “later?” A penny a word?

Most magazines go out of business before they ever get to the point where they can pay freelance writers—especially in this economy and especially with so many people relying on the internet for their entertainment.

Despite this dismal report, there are still many magazines out there that do pay good money for good material. And I echo other professionals who say that if more freelance writers would reject non-paying markets, up their game and approach paying magazines with a professional persona and really good material, they would be doing themselves and all other freelancers a big favor.

If you want to write for free, share it with your church bulletin editor, launch your own newsletter, start a blog, write letters to servicemen, write on important topics to your congressman, submit letters-to-the-editors, write letters to friends, keep a journal, write books and give them away… There are many ways to express yourself through your writing and even to be read. If you want to establish yourself as a freelance writer, do it with grace and gumption. Learn to write well. Learn how to enter into the competitive freelance writing field.

If your writing needs work, join a writers’ critique group and listen to what others tell you.

If you need help establishing a freelance writing business, sign up for my online, on-demand article-writing course.
http://www.matilijapress.com/course_magarticles.htm

The course runs for 6-weeks and it is $125. With the material offered in this course and my one-on-one guidance, you should at least double this amount with your first writing assignment.

According to Meg Weaver, in her Wooden Horse Magazine News, the magazine industry is bouncing back.

Are you experiencing it? Are you getting more articles accepted? Are you being paid closer to on time? Is the pay scale going back up? Are the magazines you work for still in business or have they returned? Are the working conditions better—better communication, less flaking?

What about your competition? Have the newcomers and those simply hoping to make a buck in this field gone away? Is the field clear for those who are serious about article-writing and who know how to approach it as a professional?

Do you finally feel as though you can sigh a sigh of relief after a rough few years of trying to maintain your article-writing career?

To those of you who can answer, “YES,” I offer my congratulations. Good for you for staying true to your profession. Those of you who were forced to drop back to part-time—who had to get regular work to sustain you and your family—hopefully, you’ll be earning your living through article-writing soon again.

I had to supplement my article work by getting a regular job once many years ago. Probably like you, I spent every spare minute writing and submitting articles to a variety of magazines and doing freelance work on the side until I had built my business to the point where I could quit the job. That took about eight months. And I have been supporting myself through my writing ever since.

Today, I’m going to take time away from revising my book on book marketing and write the SPAWN Market Update. This is a newsletter that is posted in the member area of the SPAWN website every first of the month. You might be interested in the content. First, let me say, for those who don’t know, SPAWN is Small Publishers, Artists and Writers Network. We are a networking organization and resource center for anyone who is interested in or involved in publishing (whether books, articles, stories or art). I include a lot of information in the Market Update about the magazine industry, magazines that are seeking articles and art, new magazines, etc. And our archives go back some ten years. For those of you who do not write articles, but who have books to promote or are seeking a publisher for your manuscript, we have your back, as well. The bulk of the 10 to 14-page newsletter is definitely directed at authors and article-writers. Ask for a sample and I’ll send it to you: PLFry620@yahoo.com

Learn more about SPAWN http://www.spawn.org

In the meantime, let me know how you’re going as a professional article-writer. I’d like a feel for what’s going on in the industry from your perspective. Leave your comments here.

Visit my websites:
http://www.patriciafry.com (sign up for a free book.)
http://www.matilijapress.com

I often create articles out of my blogs. Today, because of a humungously busy workload, I’m turning one of my articles into a blog. I hope you like it.

How many different types of articles can one write? The answer hovers somewhere around a dozen. There’s the essay, opinion, bulleted piece, how-to, informational/research piece, Q & A, article with expert quotes, interview article, photo feature, review, book excerpts, profile piece and the personal experience article, for example.

But which article types are most popular? And which style should you choose for your subject? You can take almost any topic and create a valid article using any one of these styles. Of course, your choice should reflect the needs and requirements of the magazine you wish to write for. You’re not going to offer a magazine that thrives on hard news an article featuring your viewpoint. Nor would you submit a personal experience piece to a magazine that publishes only how-to and research articles. So, before you write that article, be sure that you are writing the right piece for the right magazine.

So which article types are the most popular; the most often used? I suggest the following:

1: How-to. We all want to learn new things—as long as the learning process isn’t too complicated. You’re reading this article in hopes of learning how to write the types of articles that will sell.

A how-to responds to readers’ questions about a physical process or a thought process and guides them in how to accomplish or achieve something. Not everyone can write a successful how-to. It takes someone with a rather organized mind—who can sort out and explain the various steps to a process clearly and logically.

Start by listing the steps you want to cover. And then note the points you want to make within each step. String these together with carefully chosen words and separate the points with numbers or bullets, such as I have done here, and you have a useful how-to.

2: Research piece with Expert Quotes. This is another popular type of article. This piece is generally formed through research and interviews. The article typically consists of facts and information with quotes from experts in the field to validate the material.

3: The Profile piece is not the same as one in which you quote experts. A profile piece features usually one individual related to a specific aspect of his or her life. You might profile a celebrity who owns several dogs for a dog magazine. So your focus will not be her celebrity status as much as it will be her interest and interaction with her dogs. Perhaps you’ll profile the head of a major company on the topic of management for a business management magazine or on his thoughts about working past retirement age for a senior magazine.

The key to writing a good profile piece is to interview the individual extensively and long enough in order to get some quotable gems. It may take many more questions than you expect and 45 minutes to finally get that lead quote from him.

4: The Personal Experience piece. We all like to talk and write about ourselves. This is an easy, slam dunk sort of article to write. But make sure that your experience is truly worth writing about and that it fits with your target magazine’s theme. The Personal Experience article should be interesting to read, have a point and possibly teach a lesson.

5: The Essay or Opinion piece. We all have opinions. I love to write the essay—there’s no (or little) research involved. You don’t have to conduct any interviews. It’s strictly your thoughts—your words—your perspective. And many magazines publish essays or opinion pieces on the topics of their publications.

The key with the Essay or Opinion piece is to write skillfully, make it interesting, stay on topic without too many sidebars and leave the reader with something to think about.

Don’t avoid submitting articles to certain magazines because they want article types that you are not familiar with. Practice writing the How-to, Profile piece or Expert Quote article, for example, and you will expand your earnings considerably.

Check out my offerings for authors and freelance writers at my website: http://www.matilijapress.com

Do you have a favorite writing topic? Maybe it is a pet rant, something you’re passionate about, something you know well or would like to know more about. Most writers, especially when starting out, write about something near and dear to them. And this is a good idea for many reasons.

• It’s easier to write about something with which you are familiar.
• You can more readily come up with new angles for stories.
• You have already done some research on the subject.
• You have material on the topic.
• You know who the experts are and how to reach them.
• You know people to quote on this topic.
• You’re familiar with appropriate publications for your articles.
• You know what else has been published on this matter.

I once heard someone say that he never ever had one of his articles rejected. And I maintain that is because he wrote only on the subject of his expertise and interest and he submitted his pieces only to known and appropriate publications.

It is true that you will have a better chance at being published if you write about what you know. This might include:

• Your line of work.
• A hobby you’ve pursued for many years.
• An affliction you’ve lived with all of your life.
• Something you’ve studied in depth.
• Something related to a life experience.

The subject might be flying light planes, caring for Alzheimer’s patients, being a twin or triplet, living with a speech impediment, making wooden toys, gardening, raising feral kittens or using make up to enhance the confidence level of cancer patients.

Writing about what you know is a good idea for most beginning writers. Some topics can be expanded, dissected, minced, sliced, enhanced and redesigned over and over again and earn you thousands of dollars over time. But, if you want to establish a career as a freelance writer or an author, at some point, you’ll probably want to expand your horizons and write about things outside of your realm of knowledge. In this case you will need to:

• Determine what other topics are of interest to readers and editors.
• Look at subjects that are timely and pertinent today.
• Conduct new research.
• Locate new experts.
• Find new appropriate publications.

There are two types of freelance writers. One focuses just on what he or she knows and never
steps outside those boundaries. The other one, reaches out, stretches and embraces new themes and ideas in order to sustain his freelance writing business.

Which freelance writer are you? Will you stay focused on your one topic forever—or until your well of ideas and opportunities runs dry? Or will you expand your horizons and get involved in other subjects in order to keep the income flowing your way?

For more on how to start and operate a freelance article-writing business, sign up for my online Article-Writing Course.
http://www.matilijapress.com/course_magarticles.htm

Sign up this month and receive a copy of my book, A Writer’s Guide to Magazine Articles. (For US residents only.)

Remember, article-writing is also an excellent way to promote your published books.

I received some articles this week from someone who wants us to publish them in one of our SPAWN newsletters or at the website. Of course, they were designed to promote a book. But they were quite poorly written—needed editing. And they were off topic for SPAWN—so not appropriately targeted.

I’m sure that my regular blog followers do not make these mistakes. You make sure that your articles are polished and you submit them in the required manner and to the appropriate venue.
If not, you, too, are probably receiving those dreaded rejection letters or, worse yet, you are being ignored. (Don’t you hate when that happens—not EVEN a rejection note or email….)

Hey rejection happens. I received two rejection letters from publishers with regard to my revised edition of Over 100 Good Ideas for Promoting Your Book, just yesterday. The publishers just didn’t feel as though they could sell enough copies of a book on this topic to chance investing in it. I understand. In the meantime, another publisher asked to see the completed manuscript and is reviewing it now.

Okay, but let’s talk about those articles of yours. I suggest that you use magazine articles to promote your book. But let’s be real!

• They must be interesting/of some value to the reader.
• They must be relevant to the publication.
• They must be timely.
• They must be fresh/not be run-of-the-mill pieces.
• They must be carefully edited.

Think about it, if you needed (I mean really needed) an editor for your book manuscript, you probably need an editor for your articles. If you didn’t hire an editor for your book, maybe you don’t know what editorial problems may lurk within the pages of your memoir, novel or nonfiction book. And if your articles are continually being rejected, maybe it is because you need an editor.

Most editors (like myself) will edit articles as well as book manuscripts. I just finished working with a gentleman on an article he is going to submit to a contest. I think he is happier with it now—I know it has a much better chance of winning.

When I wrote my rejection to the author who sent those articles to SPAWN yesterday, I offered my services (at $50/hour) to edit his articles so he’ll have a better chance of getting them published.

Some writers don’t even know what an article actually consists of. They don’t give it a beginning, middle and end. They just ramble or pull something from their book and call it an article. Most book excerpts need some work in order to turn them into an article.

You’ve never thought of submitting book excerpts to magazines in order to promote your book? There are lots and lots of magazines in every category that use book excerpts. In fact, this is one of the themes for the SPAWN Market Update to be posted in the member area of the SPAWN website April 1. Join SPAWN here http://www.spawn.org

A more economical way to get your articles edited and to LEARN editing techniques for your articles is to SIGN UP for my online article-writing course. Sing up today and bring your article-writing skills up to par: http://www.matilijapress.com/course_magarticles.htm

Contact me to edit your next article. I’ll give you a discount if you’ll mention it in your email: PLFry620@yahoo.com.

Monday (March 15) is the last day that you can order Catscapades, True Cat Tales without paying shipping.
http://www.matilijapress.com/catscapades.html

One more thing—Amazon is ordering quite a few copies of The Right Way to Write, Publish and Sell Your Book. Thank you for placing your orders! And I’m sure that you, like so many other authors and hopeful authors, will thank me for writing it, once your project starts to take off.

One of my former students recommended my online courses at her blog site today:
http://lgburns.livejournal.com

I’ve also had my articles published in three different writing/publishing magazines and newsletters this week. I know I’m popular because I have two cats sparring over my lap this morning. Sigh! One is a 6 pounds kitten and the other is a 15 pound grumpy old cat. Usually, the kitten wins—Lily is more cunning and charming than Max—and she’s more ardent. He’s easily intimidated by her cunning ways.

Speaking of being popular, I had a telling email from a friend and colleague this morning. We were having an email conversation about the state of the freelance article market. She made an interesting point. She is a freelance writer and she says she is getting quite a bit of work. She thinks it’s because editors are being inundated with material from so many “amateurs” that they recognize and appreciate queries from obvious professionals.

Hey, if you are interested in making a little (or a lot of) money writing articles for magazines, this is valuable information and insight. If you want to improve your standing with magazine editors, here are my recommendations:

• Read my book, A Writer’s Guide to Magazine Articles,
http://www.matilijapress.com/writingpage.html

• Sign up for my online article-writing course:
http://www.matilijapress.com/course_magarticles.htm

Don’t just rush in with what you believe is a good idea. You need to understand and follow submission protocol. For example, find out if this is a topic your target magazine has covered recently. Editors do not like to be bothered by writers who have neglected to do their homework.

Don’t assume that the editor will fall in love with the article theme you present. Spell out your vision for the article and make sure it fits securely with the particular magazine’s format.

Don’t send original photographs, bios of half dozen potential experts for your piece, the article outline, your 6-page resume and testimonials from everyone you know related to your expertise in this topic. Study each magazine’s submission guidelines and send each editor what they require and request. Generally, this is a one-page query letter (instructions for writing succinct query letters in the book and as part of the course).

Don’t bother an editor with something you think they should publish even though it is way different than anything they have published in their 25 year existence. If they don’t use fiction, they don’t use fiction, don’t try to bully them into publishing your special piece of fiction. If they don’t publish essays, they don’t publish essays and your beautiful essay probably won’t change this fact.

Don’t glorify your potential article with a lot of obscure words and phrases. It is what it is and it should fit the magazine’s specifications.

Most of all, don’t make a sloppy presentation. Editors are either extremely busy or quite disorganized and they do not relish trudging through something that looks like the dog ate it and then regurgitated it. Be neat. Be succinct. Be explicit. Be professional.

Beginning freelance article writers often set out to establish a niche. They believe that they must choose a topic or area of interest and stick within those bounds. Most of them focus on the things they enjoy, the things they are involved in, the things they know. And this isn’t a bad place to start. But it can be so limiting.

It is also typical for a new writer to get stuck in her own world. She can’t see a story beyond what she has experienced or what she knows. And if her world is rather small—if she lacks imagination—she won’t be able to produce many articles of any real interest or merit.

For example, let’s say that you love to run and you just ran a marathon. You decide that’s what you want to write about. Good start. Only who is going to be interested in your story? What is the appeal? What makes this a good story? This is the place where most writers get stuck. Here are a few ideas:

• Maybe this is your first marathon. Write from the perspective of a beginner. Everyone was a beginner once and this might be a refreshing point of view for a magazine that uses essays or, perhaps, humor pieces on running or sports/fitness in general.

• If you learned a lot on that first competitive run, create a how-to article for new runners.

• Maybe you are in your 50s or 60s or you have a disability—a piece featuring running tips for the older runner or those with handicaps might appeal to an editor.

• What were some of the special challenges of this marathon? Did it take place in a much higher altitude than you’re used to? Was the terrain particularly rugged? Maybe the weather was extreme. Do some additional research and present an editor with a piece on preparing for altitude changes, preventing altitude sickness, training for uneven terrain or dealing with weather changes, for example.

Now this is just a start. What will you write about next? Here’s a hint. Since you’ve done the research on altitude sickness, for example, glom onto this topic and start molding it to fit other types of magazines—parenting (how to help children deal with altitude changes), travel (preparing for altitude change), health (symptoms of and how to treat altitude sickness), horse and rider (caring for a horse in higher altitudes), pet (what about dogs and altitude?) and so forth.

Take your first-time runner piece, slice and dice it to fit other activities—how to develop a competitor’s mindset, tips for shutting out the competition and concentrating just on your personal best, the joy of good sportsmanship, how to make friends with competitors, the psychology of competing…

By taking your topic in new directions like this, you will more readily develop the skill for recognizing article ideas even outside your realm of expertise or interest. In fact, article ideas may occur to you while conducting research for an article and while observing others. The sportsmanship piece might evolve into one for a youth sports magazine, for example. And that might lead to a piece on preventing sports injuries in kids, how to determine when your kids are ready for competitive sports, tips for making youth sports a good experience for your child, etc.

Certainly, write about what you know and what you’ve experienced. But open your mind to article possibilities beyond the obvious. As a freelance article writer, you should:

• Look at an event or circumstance from a variety of angles.
• Stretch your mind and imagination.
• Reach out for additional facts and other information.
• Be highly observant.
• Use creative thought rather than staying stuck in total reality.
• Develop the ability to see beyond what is.
• Know what the reader wants/needs.

I’d like to hear how you used this lesson in your freelance article work. PLFry620@yahoo.com

I Teach an Article-Writing Course
I’m starting a new Article-Writing Course February 24, 2010. Sign up today at
http://www.matilijapress.com/course_magarticles.htm
It’s only $125 for 6-weeks and you get my personal attention and feedback during that time. This is worth around $600, at least.

For Cat People
My latest book, Catscapades, True Cat Tales is at the printer. Order your copy NOW and pay no shipping. You’ll also get a free gift. This offer good through March 15, 2010. Check it out here!
http://www.matilijapress.com/catscapades.html

This is excerpted from my online Article-Writing Course. http://www.matilijapress.com/course_magarticles.htm

Most editors don’t want “all about” articles. They may publish articles on a wide array of subjects, but the individual article must have a specific purpose. Aspen Magazine, for example, publishes essays, articles on new products, historical pieces, articles on environmental issues and most any topic that relates to Aspen, Colorado. But you’re going to have a better chance of being published in Aspen if you submit an article that is narrowly focused. For example, they would probably sooner accept your piece featuring a local artist who has made it big than a piece about the variety of art pursued in Aspen or one all about your appreciation for Colorado art.

Woman’s World frequently publishes articles on how one woman made a difference. But they wouldn’t be interested in your piece on why some women are altruistic and some aren’t and what happens in people’s lives to make them want to reach out to others. A psychology or religious magazine might be willing to publish this piece.

Below are examples of 4 broad subjects each followed by possible pointed or more narrowly focused article ideas:

Showing horses as a hobby.
Tips for winning in the show ring
How to choose the right riding master for your child
Grooming techniques for a show horse

Flying kites for fun
How to make a box kite
Tips for flying stunt kites
The best kite-flying exhibitions in Southern California

Wedding planning
Go Hawaiian: How to present an authentic luau wedding reception for 200 guests
Great gifts for your wedding party
How to overcome pre-wedding jitters

Gardening
Container herb gardening for apartment dwellers
How to integrate art into your garden
Easy to install water features for your garden

It may help you to narrow your focus by studying regular columns in the magazines (or newspapers) you want to write for. The general topic might be foods, beauty, home and garden, parenting, seniors or spirituality, for example. Read several columns and observe how the writers narrow down their focus. Most magazine websites list the table of contents for several issues. Read the story titles. Study technique and you’ll soon get the idea.

It may take some brain-storming to find your article focus. See if this helps:

• Of course, you have already studied the magazine’s Guidelines for Writers.

• You’ve looked at the magazine (or at least their website) with an open mind in order to see what they typically publish.

• You’ve set aside your attachment to your article written the way you want it and containing the material and stories you want to share.

• Now write down topics within your main subject.

• Narrow the focus of each topic down even more.

As an example: your subject might be fishing. Possible topics might be:
Fishing in Alaska
How I love fishing
Fishing in Mexico
Lake fishing

Now focus:
Which lure catches the most trout in Cachuma Lake?
How to survive cold water fishing trips.
Where do they catch the big ones in Mexico?
How to instill the love of fishing in your child.

And folks, if you promise the editor a “how to,” make sure that it is a how-to with a real self-help element and not an essay describing your decision to go fishing, getting dressed and packing for the trip, driving to the fishing hole, etc.

Learn more about the process of, technique and psychology of article-writing by signing up for my on-demand, online article-writing course. http://www.matilijapress.com/course_magarticles.htm
The course runs 6-weeks, includes 6 lectures and assignments, and you get to work with me on your first article. $125.