Become a Magazine Writer from Scratch
It is possible to become a freelance magazine journalist despite your educational background, provided you have just the right balance of skills, drive, creativity and desire. It also helps to have a profound love of writing, an ability to observe details, and an understanding of how to step into other people's shoes and see things from their points of view. And it helps a lot to be determined. If you think this sounds like you, then read on for the start of your magazine writing adventure.
Steps
- Harness your natural talent and creative flair. If you don't have these traits naturally, take a short course or even a degree and develop them.
- Become obsessed about magazine style writing. Get old copies of magazines of all different styles from secondhand stores and read through the different writing styles. Make notes on style techniques, quirks and interesting angles.
- Find your niche. Through the previous step you should be able to determine your favorite type of publication (art, fashion, trade, etc.)
- Try to focus on your favorites, it's easiest to write about things you actually have an interest in.
- Create an extensive database of magazines and their publishers. You can gather this information from the masthead or in some instances, through researching online.
- Prepare samples. Most editors are going to want to see clips or sample pieces. Since you are starting from scratch, you will need to create up to three brilliant articles that you don't intend ever having published. These will serve simply as a reference of what you are capable of.
- Contact the editors. Using the information you've gathered from mastheads, mail or email editors with your details. Be sure to address them directly by name to show that you are familiar with their publication. Politely ask them for "Submission Guidelines" and include the sample work you concocted earlier. Make sure you spell well and use perfect grammar.
- Keep approaching magazines/editors while waiting for responses. Provided you have the talent, skill and tenacity, eventually someone will bite.
- Don't expect to be paid for your first few pieces and be sure to communicate that with the people you are contacting. The pieces you publish will begin your clip book that will help you acquire paid assignments in the future. For new writers, published clips are like gold, so don't ever be bitter about working for free (in the beginning).
Tips
- Search postings seeking writers on websites like Craigslist.
- Learn how to create an excellent query letter.
- Start by contacting smaller independent magazines, then larger companies.
Warnings
- When contacting magazines via internet, never mass email. Send each correspondence individually.
Things You'll Need
- a notepad and pen
- a computer with basic writing software (i.e. a word processor such as Use OpenOffice.org Writer)
