If you're thinking of
writing for magazines, then join the club. There are thousands of
freelance writers out there just waiting to get the nod from an
editor, and you'll have to make yourself shine out in the crowd.
Here's a few tips on how to pitch to a magazine:
1. Submit a proposal –
Let's face it, you don't have the time to write a spec piece of
journalism, and your editor doesn't have time to read a full article
in the hope it may be perfect for their mag. Perfect the art of the
short email, getting to the point quickly and succinctly, and giving
the Ed all the information they need to make a decision.
2. Have an angle –
Business books yell from the rooftops about having a USP – Unique
Selling Point, and you must have one too. What makes you the perfect
person to write this piece? What is so different about the article
that the magazine should snap your hand off to take it? It could be
something small like your red-hot writing style, or something more
professional, like your experience in the area. Get it in your pitch
and don't give them an excuse to say 'thanks but no thanks'.
3. Keep it short –
your pitch should fit in an email that will take less than a minute
to glance over. Keep it to around 150 words and structure it so your
main headline is at the front of the paragraph, grabbing the editor's
attention. Follow it up with how you are going to write it and what
the article is going to include.
4. Be professional –
No one wants to work with an amateur, so as far as anyone is
concerned, you are a professional writer. Get a business card printed
up – there, you're a writer now. Be business-like and courteous,
follow up the pitch with a friendly 'nudge' email a few weeks after
you submitted it, and no matter what you do, STICK TO THE DEADLINE.
It's there for a reason.
5. Ask for money –
The current climate means it is more common than ever to have writers
writing for free, but if you want to make some sort of career out of
this, then you need to be upfront and make sure that everyone knows
you intend to be paid for your work. Don't under value yourself
either, or you'll be setting a standard for the future and for your
peers.
6. Get social –
Twitter is a must nowadays, so you can network with editors from the
comfort of your laptop. Here is where you can keep in touch and
perfect the 140 character pitch!
* * *
Non-Fic is a series of
posts looking at the world of writing non-fiction and journalism.
image: http://www.sxc.hu/profile/loopack
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