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Topic: NY Times Magazine submissions
| Author | Message |
| RichC | Posted – 4/14/2008 9:50:03 PM | show profile | email poster Does anyone have submission guidelines for a regular piece (not the Lives section) for the NYT Mag? The e-mail address for the asst to the editor, Priyanka Motaparthy, (whose name comes back on the generated nyt email list) gets rejected. thanks much |
| peyton | Posted – 4/18/2008 1:55:21 PM | show profile i'd like to hear too. |
| recovering_jersey_girl | Posted – 4/18/2008 3:15:02 PM | show profile ...Sometimes the Times' email system will kick me back error messages when the recipient actually *did* get the message. This has happened to me a few times over the past week or two. Best bet might be to call and verify...or if you don't want to do that, wait a few days and she if she responds anyway. |
| candylilacs | Posted – 4/19/2008 5:58:44 PM | show profile Thanks for asking my question from last week! I wanted to know of anyone's experience working with them. (And no, I'm not asking for anyone's e-mail, I have my own contacts at the Times, just not the magazine.) I have an idea for a story that's awesome, but I'm not quite sure what the payments are, or how much they pay for expenses. That kind of of thing. Thanks for asking! c. ------ http://www.mswritesguide.blogspot.com |
| arewrites | Posted – 4/20/2008 4:08:00 AM | show profile They pay comfortably. I'd be far more worried about selling the pieceto them, however "awesome" it is,than what they pay for it. They have plenty of "awesome" sources for "awesome" stories and they've got "awesome" writers on hand to write them. |
| candylilacs | Posted – 4/20/2008 4:38:23 AM | show profile Wow, arewrites, sorry you haven't gotten a bite from the mag, either. My story/pitch is indeed awesome and I'm thankful that I can be an "awesome writer" too, but the magazine is a different animal than the daily. c. ------ http://www.mswritesguide.blogspot.com |
| Team America | Posted – 4/20/2008 10:00:26 AM | show profile NYTM pays $2/word. They have been professional, polite, responsive, vigorous fact checkers, pay immediately and pretty much a pleasure to work with. The class act you'd expect. |
| eriksherman | Posted – 4/20/2008 12:41:35 PM | show profile | email poster I don't think that arewrites was being bitter or even nasty. I read his point as "awesome isn't nearly enough," and with that I would agree. For example, I've been turned down a good number of times since the one story, and I know a highly accomplished writer writer friend who had 15 years go by between two pieces she could sell to them. If someone pitched an idea, no matter how good, that would normally get covered by one of their regular contributors, I get the sense that they'd probably not assign it to the freelancer. Also, if you aren't one of the long list of contributing editors, it can be very tough to get an idea in, no matter how good it is. You're largely at the whim of perceptions of what is most news worthy at any given time, and that doesn't necessarily coincide with what *is* really new. In many areas of journalism, there's a dark joke that often you know a story is old when it finally makes its way into the Times. Some editors are more responsive than others. I have found myself having to chase down a rejection, and yet on the piece that I sold to them, I had a response within two hours of submitting the pitch. The experience working for them can swing wildly. I did a piece a few years ago and had a relatively easy time of it, other than going through copy editing to chop it down to a last-minuted diminution in length. But I remember moderating a panel once on non-fiction narrative that included a NYTM editor who mentioned once seeing an article go through 15 significant drafts. That $2/word can become relatively low pay, when compared to the time you invest. That said, it's a great credit, even if you do have to share copyright and find yourself not getting a penny for other uses. ------ Free writer resources: http://www.eriksherman.com/WriterBiz |
| arewrites | Posted – 4/20/2008 1:58:16 PM | show profile FWIW, I *have sold to the NYTM. As has Erik. |
| candylilacs | Posted – 4/20/2008 2:01:33 PM | show profile Cool, thanks. I was curious about copyright, too. Erik, I see you're a business writer, any luck with Portfolio? c. ------ http://www.mswritesguide.blogspot.com |
| candylilacs | Posted – 4/29/2008 2:27:06 AM | show profile OK, arewrites, do you two hang out? Secondly, you're not the only writer here with street cred. Personally, I have no idea who to send a pitch to at NYT Mag and was looking for help in that respect. No e-mail addresses, just who to send a pitch to. Either way, I guess you can decide to be helpful or decide to denigrate other writers. c. ------ http://www.mswritesguide.blogspot.com |
| Thabit | Posted – 4/29/2008 8:03:22 AM | show profile one-hit wonders at Times Erik, It was reassuring to hear about your experience, and your friend's, at the NYT. I had one long story published about a year ago but since have barely been able to get any emails answered. There were no major problems with it and no corrections, I would agree that getting in once isn't as hard as developing a long-term relationship. |
| HisGirlFriday | Posted – 4/29/2008 11:25:22 AM | show profile For those who have sold to the NYTM: What do you think the chances are for a pitch from a writer who isn't a well-known published author, pals with an editor, etc (no matter the awesomeness of said pitch?) Did you know someone or did you pitch totally blind? Does it help your chances if you've written for another NYT section? If a subject has been covered to some degree in another NYT section, do you think the magazine will steer clear? |
| Marie | Posted – 4/29/2008 1:32:11 PM | show profile If they really like the idea and your presentation, and it fits in with their plans for a specific issue, they'll likely get in touch with you, whether they know you or not. Whether they ultimately give you the assignment is anther matter. I actually think it's pretty easy to find an editor to send your pitch to if you pick up the phone and stop stewing on this board. |
| eriksherman | Posted – 4/30/2008 7:11:54 PM | show profile | email poster >> Erik, I see you're a business writer, any luck with Portfolio? << I had been holding off pitching them until things seemed a bit more stable. However, I am going to look at the web site and contact someone over there, because I hear the rates aren't too shabby, particularly as it's online. >> What do you think the chances are for a pitch from a writer who isn't a well-known published author, pals with an editor, etc (no matter the awesomeness of said pitch?) Did you know someone or did you pitch totally blind? << I didn't know the person to whom I pitched. However, I've found editors at times saying that they were familiar with my work, which feels a bit strange. In this case, I have no idea whether the editor knew me from Adam or not - my guess would be no. I think i'ts more coming across an idea that happens to fit in with the way they're going and for which there isn't a currently contracted writer who knows the topic. >> What do you think the chances are for a pitch from a writer who isn't a well-known published author, pals with an editor, etc (no matter the awesomeness of said pitch?) Did you know someone or did you pitch totally blind? << Great advice, and I would agree. In general, the fastest way to get the name of the write editor is to call and ask. ------ Free writer resources: http://www.eriksherman.com/WriterBiz |
| candylilacs | Posted – 4/30/2008 9:43:32 PM | show profile Someone I know is making her bread-and-butter there freelancing so it has to pay fairly well. I'm just debating whether or not to send my "awesome" pitch there or the NYTM, it's kind of a mixture of business and entertainment. Either way it's an expensive proposition, which is why I was asking about expenses. Anyway, I should bite the bullet and send it to whomever. I'm been too namby-pamby lately. Gracias! c. ------ http://www.mswritesguide.blogspot.com |
| Village Gal | Posted – 5/1/2008 10:41:55 AM | show profile Paying fairly well is relative. What you need to figure in is the amount or revisions requested and the possiblity of the piece being killed. I know numerous writers who freelance regularly for the NYT but not for the NYT magazine. It's much harder to crack. |
| candylilacs | Posted – 5/1/2008 11:55:08 AM | show profile I know. I write travel and biz for them already. c. ------ http://www.mswritesguide.blogspot.com |
