May, 2008:

More magazine writing tips dear writers!

A magazine article doesn’t have a certain structure, like a news item and its upside-down pyramid. But there is also some work to do.

• Once a topic is chosen, and you’ve listed all possible sources, it’s time to use them.
• People can also be sources. Arrange appointments with those who interest you, and prepare questions concerning your article. Don’t forget to take notes.
• Write a heading that is both informative and catchy.
• Create a motivating topic sentence;
• Show, not tell – this is the golden rule of all writers;
• Stay firmly on your writing goal and don’t get carried away from your researches and topic while writing;
• No matter how narrow, your topic still has to have several subtopics that you will develop in your body paragraphs;
• Think about illustrations. Usually, professional photos are obtained from agencies such as AP. But the subscription costs quite a lot. At the same time, illustrations are a good way to get attention. So, if you are writing about dog parks, why not take a camera and go there for some original pictures?
• Inexperienced writers sometimes feel tired after writing few paragraphs. This is not the proper time for challenges. Put your article aside, and have some rest. You can not only prevent yourself from making a poor job just to get rid of it, but come up with a fresh look on a specific issue you are writing about.
• When you finish writing, put it aside for some time. Let your mind cool off a little, and then try to take an independent look at what you have written. If you can’t, ask your family member/friend/anyone whose opinion you value to read your article and give feedback.
• A journalist has to be flexible, especially an inexperienced one. If a qualified person tells you that some things have to be rewritten, do it. Later you will develop your own intuition for correct writing, but for right now – learn. Do not be offended by criticism.
• The final step is to submit your material to a publication. Send an article to the editor. In your cover letter to the publication, explain your familiarity with the magazine. It shows that you did some researches, and that your writing most likely corresponds to the demands of the magazine.
• Scanning Google for related topics can also be a good idea. You can find really interesting materials that can be added to the article. Additional materials always make articles look more professional.
• Be creative. Don’t put yourself into a box of writing rules and regulations, and don’t be afraid to open your mind and feelings. Readers appreciate it.
• After your article is written, read it aloud to see how words fit together.

from custom-writing.org

Terry Whalin shared the basics of magazine writing that would be very helpful to individuals aiming a career magazine writing. Here’s some of the necessary wisdom he shared in magazine writing:

Getting over the Hump
Ideas for magazine articles are everywhere and the places to write are just as plentiful. Maybe you have an interesting personal experience story that you can capture? Or if you don’t have any material from your own experience to write about, consider interviewing some interesting people around you and writing their story for publication.

The first question to ask is: who is my audience? What publication will use this article? The possibilities are end-less: adult, women, men, children, teenagers, or youth. Are they in a specialized occupation? Are they a certain age? The important thing is to be sure to target a specific audience.

Every writer meets with rejection and projects which are never published. In fact, I have files of material which has circulated and never been published. I caution you that rejection and unpublished articles is a part of the writer’s life and the road to consistent publication.

Increase Your Publications Odds
The bulk of my magazine writing is done on assignment. How do you get an assignment? Which magazines do you read on a consistent basis? Your familiarity with these publications and the types of articles that they publish, gives you some needed background.  Pull out the magazines that come into your home. Organize them with several months from the same publication. Then study the contents. What types of articles do they publish? How-to articles? Personal Experience?

After you have studied the publications, then write the publication for their writers guidelines. Almost every magazine has guidelines for their author. After reading through the guidelines, you will have some additional information. Does the publication accept query letters or prefer full manuscripts? Some magazines have a query only system. This means that you have to write a query letter and get a letter of request from the editor, before sending the full manuscript.

After Deciding Your Topic
You’ve decided what publication and what type of article you are going to write. What next? Research. One word of caution about research. Make sure you have a specific ending to your research. Some writers spend huge amounts of time in research and never sit down and write the article. How will you collect the information for your article? Will it come from your personal experience? Will you need some stories from other people? Will it involve library research for statistics? At your local library, make friends with the local librarians. They are a gold mine of information and resources.

After the Research
If you’ve written a query letter, then you’ve already written the opening for your article. Otherwise, the first step in the writing is to create a motivating opening story. The key phrase is to make it motivating. The opening has to propel the reader into the rest of the article so they can’t stop reading.

After writing the opening for the article, how do you continue? If you’ve done your research for the article, you will not write 2,000 words for a publication that only takes 500 word articles. So you will have a target length for your article. This word count helps give some definition to your plan.

Also if you’ve done your research, you’ve thought about the article and focused it. Can you summarize the point of the article into a single sentence? Complete the sentence: My article is about _____. After you’ve written this sentence, never wander away from this goal. Sometimes in articles, I saw at Decision, the author would begin well then wander around and finally conclude. The articles lacked focus and the sentence statement will help you keep the article on track.

Also be realistic with yourself and your writing life. Can you only write for thirty minutes a day or maybe it is only ten minutes? Are you motivated to write the entire article in one session? Possibly you write only one point from your outline during a session. Whatever your writing goal, the point is to write consistently and keep moving the article toward completion.

After you’ve written the article, put it away for a period of time. If you are on a tight deadline, that might involve eating lunch and then returning to it. If you have the time, it might involve several days or a week. When you return to your article, read it out loud. The ear is less forgiving than the eye. Reading it out loud, will point out areas for you to revise and rewrite.

Good writing is rewriting
Here are some questions to consider: Does it make sense? Are there areas that are missing? Can you tell some of the stories with more detail and emotion? Is the article focused and targeted for the assigned publication? How about the ending? As a reader, how do you feel about it? Try to look at your writing through objective and impersonal eyes. Consider the purpose of your article. Was it to motivate readers to action? Did it achieve its purpose?

Sweep through the article and check it for spelling and grammar mistakes. You’d be amazed to know how many articles are submitted for publication with typing errors and simple grammatical mistakes. As a writer, you want to present the best article possible. Give it an additional check.

If you have the opportunity, you might want to allow a friend or a fellow writer to read your article and give you feedback. One caution about this process. Ultimately you are in charge of the contents of the article that you will submit. Don’t soak up criticism like a sponge but consider each comment. Does it have validity? If so, change it and if not, ignore it.

The final step is to submit your material to a publication. In your cover letter to the publication, explain your familiarity with the magazine. If you’ve been taking it for years and faithfully reading it, say so. Don’t exaggerate but this familiarity shows your professional stance. Also express your willingness to make changes in the direction and make revision. Maybe an editor will like your opening illustration but have a completely different direction for the article. If you’ve expressed willingness to revise, you will have an opportunity for publication. If you’ve said, I wrote it and this is it, then you’ll miss that opportunity. The professional stance is to show flexibility to the direction from an editor.

____________________________________________
See more about Terry at:www.right-writing.com/whalin.html.