1 - Join a reading or writing group. Ask members to bring in their already-read magazines and have an exchange. Do the same with interest groups you belong to or know about - playgroups (parenting, home, cooking, family mags), business networking groups (entrepreneurs, home business, finances magazines), church (religious, devotional periodicals).
2 - Offer to take a friend to the doctor's office. Okay, that sounds goofy but I love taking my children to the orthodontist, pediatrician, and dentist offices so I can scan the table of contents and skim the articles in the parenting, children's, family, travel and money magazines. I bring a notepad and take plenty of notes. Find an article in an old magazine that would help your research? Ask the office to make a copy of it; offer to pay.
3 - Subscribe. Remember if you subscribe to a magazine that is for business purposes, you can deduct the cost of the subscriptions if you itemize your taxes. I am a food writer so I keep all receipts for food and writing magazines, and food and writing books to deduct as business expenses.
4 - Take up publishers on their free copy offers. It used to be that all magazines would let your send in a postcard and check the "bill me" square and you will end up with two or three issues before they cut you off for not paying. These days, we cannot even be inadvertently dishonest. I get mailings from magazines offering me one free issue. I will send in the postcard and usually have a bill to pay before I have read the free issue. I then can decide to subscribe or put the bill in the postage paid envelope and decline to pay.
5 - Look for the online issues of particular magazines. It is true that many use original content online (another good market to explore) but even the different content will show you what type of material the magazine is looking for.
6 - Read newspapers online. Do you want to write travel articles? Visit the major newspapers online. Most hire freelancers to cover a great deal of their special interest articles. Contact information for, in this example, the travel section editor will likely be available on the website.
7 ? Send for the writer guidelines. Look in The Writer's Market. If you are looking for parenting magazines and find one that sounds about right to you but you have never seen, send for the writer guidelines and request a sample issue. Double check the listing of the magazine to see if there is a reduced price or you have to send a stamped envelope to receive a free copy.
8 - Go to the library. This is so obvious! Make a bi-weekly appointment to go to the library and review the magazines you want to write for. Make notes. Use the library's copier to photocopy the table of contents, or an article or two to review at home.
9 - If your public library does not carry the magazines you want to know about, travel to a college library. They are set up for your kind of research. While most require student identification to use the reference materials, you can read the periodicals unimpeded.
10 - Bookstores! Grab a pile of magazines, buy that over-priced latte and carefully review the magazines you have found to study (remember, if you spill on it, you buy it!)
Terms of use ? This article may be used freely in online and print, newsletters and websites that do not charge a fee to readers. The resource box at the end must be included. The article may not be substantially edited but grammatical or typos can certainly be corrected. Thank you.
Pamela White is the publisher of Food Writing, an online newsletter and author of FabJob's guide to Become a Food Writer. Her newest book, Freelance Writing: Begin the Adventure is available at http://www.food-writing.com/pages/3/index.htm
cheap limo service Lombard .. Lockport Chicago limo O’HareListen, consider this scenario.You have a deadline to honour. Time... Read More
Creating written documents reveals so much about you and your... Read More
As one of those fabulous Baby Boomers, you now own... Read More
There's a little known secret we writers like to keep... Read More
You may not remember this, but in the early days... Read More
Freelance writer STANLEY BURKHARDT has a passion for animals. He... Read More
Pictures they say are worth a thousand words, but many... Read More
Sometimes a freelance writing career can feel very much like... Read More
Self-examination is brutally honest. Self-indulgence is brutally maudlin.Writing requires the... Read More
All Writers need the press, especially new writers. As a... Read More
No one is born a novel writer. But do you... Read More
The writing community is a strong one, with many new... Read More
The Blogfest 2005 Writing Contest has only been running for... Read More
"No one will ever know who I am, I'm a... Read More
The only way to become a writer is to write.... Read More
Working on my first humorous novel, I started with a... Read More
What possibly could I have to write about? I never... Read More
Choosing the wrong words can have a poor effect on... Read More
There is one key difference between reports and most other... Read More
Today Norm Goldman, Editor of sketchandtravel and bookpleasures is honored... Read More
It was reported that the great American author Sinclair Lewis... Read More
During the past few months I have received many questions... Read More
We've all heard a politician on their soapbox, pushing for... Read More
There are three ways to write a first draft. One... Read More
If you're targeting an educated, more affluent audience with your... Read More
limo O'Hare Glen Ellyn ..Creative Writing Tips ?Whichever theme you choose, all the elements,... Read More
Think you can't write a book that will sell? You... Read More
Arrogance has a bad rap. We think of arrogant people... Read More
The Internet has truly revolutionized the careers of writers worldwide.... Read More
You have a new website, or a new business, or... Read More
My bookcase take up one whole wall in the family... Read More
I do on occasion run out of ideas for my... Read More
Rejection. This scary word plagues virtually every writer this side... Read More
Sometimes a freelance writing career can feel very much like... Read More
Prolific authors write; they don't just dream about it. A... Read More
Do you consider yourself a storyteller? Do you consider yourself... Read More
Has the thought run across you mind that you might... Read More
Remember the days when we wrote with pen and paper?... Read More
Everyone has a book inside them, or so the saying... Read More
Many of us dream of writing a book. Why not.... Read More
Writer's block! Even columnist Dave Berry has it. He admits... Read More
The hardest part of nonfiction writing is finding a subject... Read More
There's nothing that kills a scene like hackneyed dialogue. Just... Read More
Right off the bat, I want to say that there... Read More
Most writers are familiar with first and third points of... Read More
To capitalize on ways to make extra income you can... Read More
Fiction manuscripts receive feedback that addresses and scores:? The theme... Read More
How long should your chapters be?I can't resist... I have... Read More
One of the best ways to blow someone's winning streak... Read More
As an editorial professional, I'm sure you're aware of the... Read More
Writing |