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Topic: mentioning competitors
| Author | Message |
| bread'n'butter | Posted – 11/23/2008 3:06:46 AM | show profile As a freelancer, when you pitch to a publication, do you mention that you have already contributed to other publications of the same genre, even if they are competitors? in other words, if you are pitching to Cooking Light, do you mention that you work appeared in Food and Wine? thanks!! |
| marketer | Posted – 11/23/2008 2:31:41 PM | show profile I was reading the Everything Guide to Magazine Writing, by Kim Kavan yesterday; it indicates that, no, you do not mention the competitor. I'm waiting with interest, to hear some replies from writers, here. |
| bread'n'butter | Posted – 11/23/2008 3:08:10 PM | show profile that would be my feeling but at the same time the fact that you have worked for competitors also indicates that you know what you are doing... ideas? |
| WritingEd | Posted – 11/23/2008 5:38:03 PM | show profile A few years ago when I was developing relationships with editors at Good Housekeeping and Cosmo, they were very explicit in saying that they didn't want to work with writers new to them UNLESS they had already written similar types of articles (topics) for their direct competitors. |
| abqwriter | Posted – 11/23/2008 5:53:31 PM | show profile Of course you would include the listing of clips from competitive magazines. It shows your ability to pitch, write and get published in the same arena. |
| Linda F | Posted – 11/23/2008 7:32:46 PM | show profile I have to disagree with the Everything Guide. I always mention competitors and send clips from them when I pitch a new-to-me consumer magazine. It shows that I have experience writing in the same area. I think someone from, say, Good Housekeeping would be very interested to know that I've written for Family Circle, Redbook, and Woman's Day. Good luck! Linda -- Phone mentoring for writers: http://www.lindaformichelli.com/writers/#mentoring |
| bread'n'butter | Posted – 11/23/2008 8:57:04 PM | show profile thanks everybody for your input! i very much appreciate it. will go pitch my story now... |
| Marie | Posted – 11/24/2008 12:34:20 AM | show profile Linda F. is right. Of course you would mention that you'd been published in similar magazines, which are inevitably competitors. Otherwise how would the magazine know you could handle those types of articles? They'd likely recognize your byline anyway. I can't imagine who gave the bad advice not to mention them. |
| mamakind | Posted – 12/13/2008 4:24:51 AM | show profile | email poster As an editor for the #2 mag in my genre, it was always an added bonus to have, not just good writers, but ones that have worked for the competition. Not only does it tell me that they probably know what they're doing, but I'll freely admit to a certain amount of glee-- like I poached one of the Big Guys' game. I especially loved it when I'd get contributors who had made their fortune with the competition, only to run to me because they hated working with them and want to "teach them a lesson". Their loss, my gain! LOL It certainly doesn't hurt a lesser-known publication to have contributors who the reader is already familiar with. |
