writing

If you’ve been following start-up culture and are looking to break into business magazines, you might find a home in Inc.

While Inc. occupies the same shelf space of other business publications like Entrepreneur, Fast Company and Forbes, the magazine has a distinction that separates itself from its competitors.

“We are a magazine about people who are incredibly passionate and have the will to start a business from scratch,” said Alexandra Brez, Inc.‘s managing editor. ”We are different because of our sophistication, as well as our connection to and interest in community events. And we are a very likable brand. People are proud to be featured by us.”

For full pitching guidelines and info on the best sections to shoot for, read How To Pitch: Inc.

This article is one of several mediabistro.com features exclusively available to AvantGuild subscribers. If you’re not a member yet, you can register for as little as $55 a year and get access to these articles, discounts on seminars and workshops, and more.

This glossy prides itself on being the only American mag that speaks to a key demographic: wives and moms, women who want to celebrate — not just survive — the young family years. So editors are looking for service-y pieces to guide these women in their 30s and 40s through a “happy but hectic life stage.”

That includes a wide variety of topics, like health, money and food, along with features on marriage, relationships, family and amazing ‘real woman’ stories. And freelancers get full rein of the the majority of the glossy, including a philanthropy page titled ”Be Part of the Solution.”

For editors’ contact information and more details, read How To Pitch: Redbook.

This article is one of several mediabistro.com features exclusively available to AvantGuild subscribers. If you’re not a member yet, you can register for as little as $55 a year and get access to these articles, discounts on seminars and workshops, and more.

If you’ve been staring at a blank screen unable to think up fresh ideas and innovative angles to pitch, a cure may be as simple as taking a hike. Exercise is scientifically proven to help you focus. And, you know, there’s that whole helps-you-live-longer thing, too.

“There’s something about getting out of my well-worn paths that helps me see things differently, so I like to hike a different spot each time so I don’t get stuck in a rut there, either,” said Denene Millner, author of 19 books, including three New York Times bestsellers. “I find exercise of some kind, even if just walking around the block, does wonders when I get too wrapped up in my head.”

Check out more tactics in How to Conquer Writer’s Burnout and Get More Creative and share your own suggestions in the comments.

This article is one of several mediabistro.com features exclusively available to AvantGuild subscribers. If you’re not a member yet, you can register for as little as $55 a year and get access to these articles, discounts on seminars and workshops, and more.

If you’re wondering why your article is generating zero buzz online, you might want to rethink its format.

Even the most compelling piece of copy will be lost on readers if it’s presented as a giant block of text. So whether you use a list, bullets or just subheads, avoid the chunky five-paragraph essay you learned in high school.

“You’d be surprised how many websites and bloggers will write blocks of copy that might include the best information you’ve ever read,” said Jorden Beatty, social media manager and chief blogger at Miami advertising agency LGD Communications, “but you won’t read it, because it’s simply too challenging for the human eye to follow.”

For eight more tactics on promoting your work online, read 9 Ways to Get More Comments, Tweets and Likes for Your Story.

The worst thing a freelancer can do is mass-mail the same pitch to a bunch of magazines — and editors always know.

“I can tell the difference between a genuinely thoughtful pitch and just the mass pitch that a writer is sending everywhere,” says Jet‘s editor-in-chief Mitzi Miller. ”I’m a huge proponent of helping writers and giving people opportunities. But if you just send me whatever and it’s not very well thought-out and it makes no sense for my magazine, you’re wasting my time. And I remember that.”

So with this one opportunity to make an impression, get to the point of the story succinctly and swiftly. “Make it impossible for me to say no,” Miller stressed.

Get more details on which stories this news-based pub wants to hear in How To Pitch: Jet.