Write for Magazine Publication #4

Writing for Magazine Publication is a great way to monetize your writing and test your topic for readership interest. This series offers tips and ideas for magazine publishing: a list of genres or categories and where we find ideas (posted 5.25.18), research tips (posted 6.25.18), standard templates for essay and article pieces (7.25.18), query letters (#1 8.25.18), formatting for submission, and copyright definitions.

An essay is all about the writer, but an article is all about the reader. An essay is an opinion piece: an analytical or interpretative composition with a limited point of view. However, an article is non-fiction prose that is based upon presenting information to the reader.

Today, let’s talk about the How-To Article and a query submission. 

Several years ago, I approached an Art Magazine Publisher with an emailed “cold call” query after studying their submittal requirements and locating the correct editor. I included several photos of the subject artwork along with my query letter.  A copy of the email correspondence follows.

Note: First, How-To Articles are a specialty and include more graphics than other types of articles. From the approach below, you will note the lack of formality. This first “sale”, that also made the cover, has been followed by four additional articles. I am confident you also have some How-To Articles just waiting to be written and submitted. Go for it!

Submission Sample
Initial Query for Submission Review - Value Study Portraits Article
Subject: Initial Query for Submission Review
Art Quilting Studio Submissions:
Thank you very much for the opportunity to submit my work and technique to Stampington’s Art Quilting Studio for consideration.  I am attracted to the Series Showcase feature of the magazine.

I am a portrait artist working in watercolor and textiles.  I paint with ink on fabrics such as silk and cottons.

My value study portrait series has been of great benefit to me as I work through values of black, white and gray.  Value study is one of the hallmarks of an artist’s journey through design development.  I have received good feedback and enthusiastic response as I have shown this series to the art groups I belong to.  I am sure your readers will be encouraged to experiment as well!

I have found that many quilt artists sense the benefit of working in a series, but are at a loss when it comes identifying where to start.  My value study article will inspire your readers to apply my simple method to create their own art piece or open the door to create their own series.

Each piece is a workable size of approximately 11” wide by 12-14” high.  I have attached jpeg photo files for your reference.

I suggest presenting my method per the following steps accompanied by high quality photographs:
·         Fabric selection
·         Drawing or picture selection
·         Pattern development
·         Initial steps to begin the piece
·         (2) Steps showing progression and painting
·         Final step of machine quilting the piece
·         Completed project photo
Thank you for your consideration.  I would love to hear from you soon.
Best regards,
deborah
Deborah Stanley, Artist

*************************************************
Subject: RE: Initial Query for Submission Review
Hi Deborah,
Thank you for contacting me and sharing your art quilts. Wow! These are stunning!

If your artwork is selected, it will be sorted into an article that will both explain and showcase your art, giving you full credit for it; I can also put it into consideration for the Series Showcase. You will be compensated (if chosen for an article) and be given a free copy of any issue your artwork appears in.

Each article usually focuses around a common theme regarding the look, design, or technique of the pieces. I feel your combination of watercolors and textiles into portraits would make for a fabulous feature. Here is our website that explains our submission guidelines: http://www.stampington.com/submissions/

The deadline for this round is Tuesday, January 31, 2012. Do you think you can send in your pieces by then? We prefer submissions of original art, as it aids us in selection, and gives you a better chance of being selected. However since we’re cutting it close to the deadline, I will accept hi-res digital images (300 dpi at 8½" x 10"). You can just email these to me. If your art is selected from the photos, we will probably eventually need your pieces in our offices to keep photography consistent throughout the magazine. You can also provide step-by-step photos like you mentioned.

What do you think?
Thanks,
Cynthia

******************************************************
Subject: RE: Initial Query for Submission Review
Cynthia, I’m delighted. 
Thank you very much for your quick and favorable response.  Yes, I can make the deadline of January 31.
I live locally, so I can easily hand deliver the art pieces.  I do have the equipment to provide the hi-res photos with 300 dpi as required.

I would like to double check with you on a few items as I prepare for the deadline. 
My submission package for January 31st will include:
•    Actual art work pieces
•    Photos of the Step-by-Step Process presented digitally (and hard copy if desired)
•    Photos of my watercolor paintings used as the reference for the quilt art pieces, presented as digital copies (I can meet with the photographer to photo the watercolor pieces but I won’t be able to leave them as they are due at shows)
•    Text introducing the project and walking through the steps (I use Word) as digital and hard copies
•    I understand from the submission guidelines that if selected, editorial assistance will be available
Thank you again!  Please let me know if I am on track or if I have missed something.
best,
Deborah
Website address:
Phone number:

Deborah Lyn Stanley is an author of Creative Non-Fiction. She writes articles, essays and stories. She is passionate about caring for the mentally impaired through creative arts.
Visit her web-blog: Deborah Lyn Stanley : MyWriter's Life .

Write clear & concise, personable yet professional. 
Know your reader. Use quotes & antidotes.

Write for Magazine Publication (1)

Writing for Magazine Publication is a great way to monetize your writing and to test out the marketability of various topics. This is the first of a series of posts investigating the components of writing essays and articles for magazines. See your work in print or live online in just a few months.

This series will offer tips and ideas for magazine publishing. Such as: standard templates for both essay and article pieces, a list of genres or categories, where we find ideas, research tips, query letters, formatting for submittal, and copyright definitions.

What’s the difference between an essay and an article? The essay is all about the writer. An article is all about the reader. An essay is an analytical or interpretative composition whereas an article is informational non-fiction prose.

Today, let’s consider genres and ideas.

The list of Genres/Categories for magazine writing is huge but here are a few for your consideration:

• Consumer topics
• Trends
• Local news, highlighting merchants or events
• Interviews with notable people in a field or industry
• True crime
• Sports
• Parenting
• Trade Journals
• Health & Safety, Alternative Health
• Aging, Seniors
• Retirement
• Travel
• Humor
• How-To
• Arts & Crafts
• Food & Cooking
• Personal Essays
• Writing to Inspire
• Business to Business
• Seasonal and Holiday pieces

Finding Ideas:
Write about topics close to home and away from home.

• Do you have a notable vacation spot in your area? San Francisco Bay Cruses, Catalina Holiday, Queen Mary Dining, Dana Point Harbor, San Diego Zoo, Bowers Museum, Balboa Island – All are a great places to research and begin an article.

• Do you like to Travel? Present a little known fact in your piece.

• Do you have specific or specialized knowledge for a certain topic? Write about it.

• Are you an Artist? Do you paint, work with textiles, jewelry, or clay? Write How-To technique articles for beginning artists and/or for artists experimenting with a new medium.

• Are you into car repair and maintenance? Write tips and money saving ideas.

• Start a clipping file of articles, columns, newspaper/journalistic reports that have captured your attention, interest, or imagination. 

Please add your ideas in the comment section below.

Deborah Lyn Stanley is an author of Creative Non-Fiction. She writes articles, essays and stories. She is passionate about caring for the mentally impaired through creative arts. Visit her web-blog: Deborah Lyn Stanley : MyWriter's Life .
“Write your best, in your voice, your way!"

Every Writer Must Be Passionate About Their Writing

By W. Terry Whalin

As writers, we hear the words “no, thank you.”  How rapidly you hear “no, thank you” (or some version of rejection), will depend on how often you are pitching your work to magazines, literary agents or book editors.
  
Some writers insulate themselves from rejection.They love to write for their blog but never get around to sending off their material to print publications or agents or book editors. Why? Because they don't want the rejection letters.

One of the most published works in the English language (outside of the Bible) is Chicken Soup for the Soul. What many people have forgotten about these books is Jack Canfield and Mark Victor Hansen were rejected over 140 times. Finally they found a small publisher in Florida to get their book into the bookstores. That is a ton of rejection. How did they handle these rejections? 

Jack and Mark learned to look at each other and say,”Next.” That single word (Next) is futuristic and looks ahead. You can use “next” when you get rejected to propel you ahead to the next submission. Mark Victor Hansen wrote the foreword of Jumpstart Your Publishing Dreams (follow the link to read the sample).

Writers have to be passionate about their work to find the right place to be published. It is not an easy process and if publishing were easy, then everyone would do it. As an acquisitions editor at a New York publisher, I tell every author that it is going to be 80% up to them to sell books. Why 80%? Because as a publisher, we can sell the books into the brick and mortar bookstore but if the author does not promote their book, then these books are returned to the publisher.

Even if you get a large advance from your publisher for your book (rare but still happening), that publisher will run out of steam about your book. It doesn't matter if you've written a novel or a nonfiction book or a children's book. Every author has to use the passion about their subject to continue to market and tell others about their book.

One of my passions as a writer is to help authors produce excellent book proposals. As a frustrated acquisitions editor, I've read many proposals which were missing key elements. I wrote Book Proposals That Sell to guide authors and the book has over 130 Five Star Amazon reviews. I discounted the book and have the remaining copies so buy it here.  Yet my passion for proposals is more than this book. I have a free teleseminar about book proposals. Anyone can get my free book proposal checklist (no optin). Every other month, I write a column called Book Proposal Boot Camp for The Southern Writer magazine. I also have a step-by-step membership course on how to write a book proposal. 

Also I created Secrets About Proposals. In addition, I often guest blog about proposal creation different places and write print magazine articles about proposal creation. I hope these examples show you my passion and how it has continued way past one book. You should be doing likewise for your own topic or subject area. It's more than writing. Use the passion that drove you to complete your book to continue to market it.  Why do I continue to display my passion and keep working at it? Because I want others to use this book proposal material for their own success—and I want each of us to be producing better submissions.

There is not one path to success in the book publishing business. Yet every author must channel their passion into the ongoing promotion of their book. It takes many forms such as magazine articles, guest blog posts, tweets and much more.

Tweetable:

Every Writer Must Be Passionate About Their Writing. Learn details here. (ClickToTweet)

W. Terry Whalin is an acquisitions editor at Morgan James Publishing.  He has written for more than 50 magazines and several of his 60 books have sold over 100,000 copies. Terry lives in Colorado and has over 183,000 followers on Twitter.