Magazine writing 211
- 1. Magazine Writing Chapter 3 The Portable MFA in Creative Writing Creative Writing ENG 211
- 2. Why Does a Magazine Writer Have to be a Reader? • Writing for a magazine is different because there will be a target audience, and if one is not a reader, he/she will not know: – what stories magazines publish. – who the intended audience is. – what ideas certain magazine would publish. – what a good magazine article looks like.
- 3. Magazine Articles General Information • There is a close connection between fiction and nonfiction writing. • Whatever they type of article that is written, the writer must write in a manner that is concise and economical due to space constraints format restrictions.
- 4. General Magazine Article Information Cont. • ―In order to write for a magazine, you have to know what they are, who they cater to, and why they exist.‖MFA pg. 142 • Many magazines are about fantasy as they play to what we would like to be instead of who we are.
- 5. General Magazine Information Cont. • In the magazine industry, there are demographics completed of the characteristics of the individuals who read a certain magazine, which also helps advertisers as well to know which audiences to target. • Often the cover reveals the typical audience of a magazine.
- 6. The First Step in Magazine Writing • Success will begin with an idea to write about. • Once the idea is formed and focused, match up that idea with the appropriate magazine and create a query letter to the proper editor.
- 7. First Steps in Magazine Writing Cont. • Most magazine companies want articles about subjects their readers would already be interested in reading. • They don’t often want articles on topics readers know nothing about.
- 8. First Steps in Magazine Writing Cont. • One of the best places to get ideas for articles is through one’s own curiosity. • Be leery though that once an idea hits the national media outlet, like TV, it is dead to a magazine unless a new spin can be put on old information.
- 9. First Steps in Magazine Writing Cont. • Often the best ideas come from something a writer does for a living, enjoys doing for a hobby, or a specific filed of study.
- 10. Parts of Magazine Writing • One of the first things a writer will need is a hook—something that draws the readers in and makes the story interesting. • There will also be what is termed lead time, or the time between when the when the writer is assigned the article and the time when it will be published.
- 11. Query Letter • In the query letter, you should: – Present your idea. – Make sure to write it like you are doing a sales pitch for you idea. – Convince the editor your idea is worth publishing and you are the writer for the job. – It should make a first good impression with the editor.
- 12. Query Letters Cont. • Query letters must be: – Well focused. – Well written and well structured. – Written in a style of the magazine to which they are addressed. – Clear as to the intent and leave nothing to the imagination. – Deliver on any promises made. – Have accurate facts.
- 13. Query Letters Cont. – No longer than a page and a half, single- spaced typing. – Not suggest word count length or delivery dates. – Find the correct editor for the delivery of the letter.
- 14. Writing a Query Letter • Be straight forward and get right into the topic of your article, or start off the query exactly how you will begin the article. • Most like them submitted by email.
- 15. Parts of a Query Letter • Lead: introduces to the editor the idea done in a preferably creative as to how you enter the query. • Give the intended information of the article once you have introduced it. • Give the specific of exactly what the article will be about—topic, where the information will come from, point of view, and fair representation of information. • Credentials—why are you qualified?