Dos and Don’ts of Magazine Article Writing

“Me, write for magazines? Never. I barely have the energy or expertise to write my book, let alone write for a publication. I am still re-learning paragraph structure, verb tenses and comma placement. I can’t even think about writing for a magazine.”

My entire attitude changed after attending the Blue Ridge Mountain Christian Writers Conference. I learned that there are thousands of Trade publications, children’s magazines and online companies looking for writers like you and me. The good news; we don’t have to be English teachers or New York Times Best Sellers to get published. We just have to be persistent.

Here is a short list of Do’s and Don’ts to get you started:

Do

Pray- God knows your writing style and will guide you to the perfect magazine that needs your talent. He will even help you pick the topics.  He may want you to write for Cat Fancy or National Geographic. Whatever the magazine, God will equip you for it. You may or may not write for a Christian publication.

Brainstorm. Make a list of topics to write about. You know more than you think. List jobs, classes, and previous education. Have you taken a specialized class? You can write about that. In my next article I will give you resources and ideas to find writing jobs.

Research Magazines– What magazine do you want to write for?   Study the magazine.   Research which editor to contact.   The more you know the voice of the magazine, the more likely you are to see your article in that magazine.

Learn to write a Query letter-A query letter is a formal, one-page letter, to propose writing ideas. It could also be called your pitch. There are many great free resources online to learn how to write a good query letter.   To get you started, check out www.freelancewriting.com.   A good Query letter will get you noticed, so do take the time to write it well.

Enjoy the process– The thought of writing for a magazine overwhelmed me. Am I good enough? Do I have anything to say? So far, the process has been amazing. I have met new people who have helped me and encouraged me.

Don’t

Get stuck in the learning process– Cecil Murphy and Jerry B. Jenkins are well-known award-winning writers. They are constantly striving to be better writers by reading books on writing and talking to other writers. Imagine if they’d waited until they thought they’d perfected the skill of writing?

Focus on weakness– We all have areas in our writing that are weak. Work on those areas; don’t be so consumed by them that you overlook your strengths.

Say no to an offer– You may be asked to write about a subject you know nothing about. With the World Wide Web at your fingertips you can research the topic. That is what I did for this article. It was fun and well worth the time.   The only time to say “No” is if it goes against your belief or you truly cannot do the topic justice even after researching.

Give up- The writers who succeed are not necessarily the best writers, but they are persistent. You will receive many rejections. Don’t take them personally. It is a business decision, not a personal attack. Some of the best article writers have a drawer filled with rejection letters.

Having your work in a magazine is an obtainable goal. In the next few articles we will discuss “How to write a Query letter”,” Resources to find writing jobs” and “Social Media tips for the Writer”