12
ESSENTIAL TIPS TO GETTING PUBLISHED IN
TOP-CIRCULATING MAGAZINES:
(If you
don't follow this advice, the pitch you just spent 3 hours on
will take all of 3 seconds to end up in the editor's trash.)
1.
Know the magazine's ins and outs. Before sending a query,
read as many issues of the magazine as possible--not just a casual
reading of one or two issues. Even women's magazine prides themselves
in the distinct tone or perspective that their magazine offers, so
don't just assume that you can write for a female audience and throw
a generic pitch to one of the editors. Take note of regular columns
and sections that span several issues, as well as recurring themes/topics.
Make sure you're not pitching an idea for a topic that's recently
been covered. This could be the first indication that you haven't
done your research, and no editor is going to trust you with researching
an entire article for their publication if you can't even flip through
their previous issues.
2.
Query the right person. Different editors edit different
columns and departments, and they don't always have time to re-route
your query to the correct editor. If you are ever unsure about who
to send your pitch to, just call the magazine's main line, request
to speak to an editorial assistant, and ask for the correct editor
to pitch, and how that editor prefers to receive queries--via fax,
email or regular mail with a self-addressed stamped envelope (SASE).
Please use your discretion when doing so, and above all--be respectful.
Don't
request to speak to the editor, it will likely be an extreme annoyance.
If you're going to follow up with a phone call, be polite to the assistant
you speak with; he or she is probably the person who read your query
first and made recommendations to the editor.
3.
Don't address queries to interns or editorial assistants. While
you may think it's flattery, your pitch will go nowhere. Always address
your pitch to the appropriate sections or department editor.
4.
Check your grammar and spelling once, twice. And then again.
There is no bigger turn-off for an editor than receiving a query with
her name misspelled or a query addressed to an editor who hasn't been
with the magazine for two years. The way the editor sees it, if you
can't find out the correct information for the query, it's questionable
that you'll be able to find out the correct information for the story.
Also
be careful about making last-minute changes to one or two sentences
in your query letter. You can sometimes mess up the flow or verb-tense
agreement of a sentence without realizing it. Be sure to read the
whole letter again before sending it.
5.
Keep it short and simple. The average time spent reading
a query is probably 30 seconds to one minute. Keep your query limited
to one page with your central idea easily identifiable. Explain what
you want to write about, how you plan to organize it (or what column
you suggest it for), who or what your sources might be and some specific
examples. Also, skip the decorative stationery. Some people may think
it makes your query stand out, but remember that what you really want
is for the editor to take your work seriously.
6.
Realize that most magazines have a formula. Many writers
send queries about ideas that may be great, but just aren't right
for the magazine. The best way to get published is to look at what
the magazine already does and put a new spin on it.
7.
Don't waste space by telling your life story. Editors don't
need to know that your mother-in-law's cousin once filed for Chapter
11 to see that you are interested in writing about financial budgets.
8.
Be as specific as possible. Editors get many queries that
cover vague ideas. For example, a query may state, "I want to
write an article about diabetes." What about diabetes? Are there
any new studies? How will this article be different from the other
five articles that we've run about diabetes in the past two years?
9.
Don't harass people. Keep in mind that each editor at a consumer
publication often receives more than 40 queries every day. It may
take anywhere from four to eight weeks for them to contact you. Calling
their assistant every week won't help you--it's more likely to annoy
them! If they're interested, they'll get back to you.
10.
List where you've been published before, but don't send every clip.
Select a few standouts.
11.
Start small. It is a lot easier to get an editor to take
a chance on you for a short item than for a big feature. And it can
be hard for an editor to brainstorm 4-5 ideas for certain columns
every issue. Help them out by pitching good, short pieces that can
be used for those sections.
12.
Don't get discouraged when you get rejected! Furthermore,
don't get discouraged when you are sent a form rejection letter. There
simply isn't time to comment on every query they receive. And remember,
as a writer, you open yourself up to rejection. Accept it and move
on.
-
Written with excerpts from Woman's Day writer's guidelines, but these
basic rules should be followed when querying all
publications.
