how to write for magazines - FishbowlDC

Land $2 a Word at Prevention

Mona Zhang — Fri, 26 Apr 2013 17:14:56 +0000

Prevention is known for being on the cutting edge of breakthrough science and alternative and complementary medicine, and its commitment to quality reporting is known as the Prevention Pledge: “The reader can count on the recommendations that they find in the magazine to be checked very, very thoroughly for accuracy,” said executive editor Siobhan O’Connor.

No sections are closed to freelance pitches at this health-minded pub, and those writers with a knack for translating science into accessible prose are good candidates for the mag. Even if your pitch doesn’t get the green light, you may be on your way to landing assignments from the editors. Plus, the pay isn’t shabby either.

For more info, read How To Pitch: Prevention.

The full version of this article is exclusively available to Mediabistro AvantGuild subscribers. If you’re not a member yet, register now for as little as $55 a year for access to hundreds of articles like this one, discounts on Mediabistro seminars and workshops, and all sorts of other bonuses.

New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.

Travel Writers Wanted at Mariner

Guest — Thu, 18 Apr 2013 10:50:35 +0000

Although the primary goal of Mariner is to generate buzz for Holland America Line cruises, the magazine also aims to provide material on par with other consumer travel publications. ”Mariner engages Holland America Line’s premium and returning passengers with a mix of cruise line service information, alongside literate travel narrative, world-class photography and high-level design and production,” said editor-in-chief Chuck Thompson.

A lot of the magazine’s success, evidenced by several awards including the Custom Content Council’s Pearl Award for Best Overall Editorial in 2011, can be attributed to the the editors’ strong relationships with freelancers, who supply the vast majority of the magazine’s material. Thompson said that his team is looking for any material that inspires wanderlust. “Travel pieces need not be cruise-based; in fact, most are not. Rather, we publish destination-based travel stories with strong angles,” he explained.

For the whole story, including which sections are ripe for pitches, read How To Pitch: Mariner.

– Nicholas Braun

New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.

Writers Can Pitch Any Section at Journey

Guest — Tue, 16 Apr 2013 12:20:27 +0000

Journey is a bimonthly magazine that covers travel, both between states and international, in a manner that appeals to residents of Washington and other Northwestern states. With 75 percent of its content penned by freelancers, the pub is always looking for writers who can identify with the AAA publication’s readers.

“There are certain angles that make sense for a Northwestern audience and others that don’t,” explained editor-in-chief Rob Bhatt.

However, you don’t have to live out West to make the cut. Journey editors are also looking to beef up content about cool things to do beyond the Mississippi River, particularly on the East Coast and in the Southeast and Midwest. He also stressed that the publication likes destination pieces that don’t leave anyone out on the fun. ”We’re more of an experiential market than a luxury, high-end shopping audience,” he said.

For more details, read How To Pitch: Journey.

The full version of this article is exclusively available to Mediabistro AvantGuild subscribers. If you’re not a member yet, register now for as little as $55 a year for access to over 150 ”How To Pitch” articles, hundreds of articles on journalism and media jobs, discounts on Mediabistro seminars and workshops, and all sorts of other bonuses.

New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.

Cover LGBT Legislation at Instinct

Guest — Tue, 09 Apr 2013 14:26:06 +0000

Instinct, the bimonthly magazine for gay and bi-sexual men, is always on the hunt for quality content from freelance writers.

Editor-in-chief Jeff Katz told Mediabistro that he appreciates writing that has a casual but personal voice. “Our tone is approachable and fun. We want to say the things you’d hope your best friend would tell you, so we’re also a little bit sassy, sometimes a little provocative,” he added, “but we’re honest.”

Katz is also looking for stories that pertain to issues facing the LGBT community. “As gay rights change and people are getting married and adopting children, we want to continue to reflect those stories. In the upcoming issue, we’re doing a piece on finances to discuss how marriage laws play into power of attorney,” he said. “I don’t think that’s a story that would’ve been done 10 years ago, but it’s a nice change.”

The best part? 30 percent of all pitches are accepted. For more, read How to Pitch Instinct [Mediabistro AvantGuild subscription required]

– Nicholas Braun

New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.

Fly Your Byline to a Global Audience

Mona Zhang — Thu, 28 Mar 2013 13:00:33 +0000

Tyler Brûlé, founder of Monocle, first got the idea for his global pub from observing consumers at airports. “It was frequently Wallpaper* and The Economist. I decided to merge elements of the two but refine the package,” the journo/entrepreneur/publisher told Mediabistro.

Although the pub’s staffers are likely to be seen reading The Financial Times and The International Herald Tribune, editor Andrew Tuck says Monocle has its own definition of what’s newsworthy. “We think that a lot of news organizations, especially [those committed to] daily or weekly news, tend to run around in a herd,” he said.

Monocle also strives to take care of its writers. “If a writer goes on a story for us, they will have a water-tight itinerary, they will travel with a reasonable airline, and they have my mobile number and know that if they want to give me a ring at midnight if anything has gone wrong, that’s what I’m here for,” said Tuck.

Got an idea that’s perfect for the pub? Read more in How To Pitch: Monocle. [Mediabistro AvantGuild subscription required]

New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.

Score Up to $2 Per Word at the New Redbook

Mona Zhang — Tue, 26 Mar 2013 15:07:59 +0000

The 110-year-old Redbook is getting more than just a redesign. “I think it’s better to call it a complete re-imagination of the brand or a total brand reset,” said editor-in-chief Jill Herzig. “There are redesigns and there are redesigns, and this one not only changed how the magazine looks, but how it’s focused.”

With the change in focus comes new opportunity for freelancers. The women’s glossy is beefing up its fashion and beauty coverage, so editors are on the lookout for new writers who can cover those topics. The sections that cover personal finance, health and entertaining are also ripe for pitching, and the whole book is sprinkled with intimate personal essays.

Get more info at How To Pitch: Redbook. [Mediabistro AvantGuild subscription required]

New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.

Cover Politics and More at Uptown

Guest — Wed, 13 Mar 2013 15:36:36 +0000

Freelancers looking to reach successful and ambitious African-Americans can pitch any section of UPTOWN. Current editor-in chief Isoul Harris loves pieces that tap into black Hollywood, but he is also looking for material that will help beef up the bimonthly publication’s coverage of politics, as well as investigative and research articles that explore country-wide issues. “Especially with the re-election of Barack Obama, I think it really said a lot about this new America that we live in, and I want to the magazine to be reflective of that.” he said.

Although all of the printed content is eventually posted at uptownmagazine.com, editors are also looking for originaly, buzz-worthy articles for the website, as well.

For more, read How to Pitch: UPTOWN [Mediabistro AvantGuild subscription required]

– Nicholas Braun

New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.

Score $1 a Word at Cosmopolitan for Latinas

Mona Zhang — Tue, 12 Mar 2013 11:22:25 +0000

Launched in May of 2012, Cosmopolitan for Latinas bills itself as “the spirit of Cosmo with a Latina sensibility and the Latina voice.” Although half of the pub is freelance-written, editors say they would love to receive more ideas. ”At this point, [I] haven’t received a ton of pitches,” said managing editor Jessica Rodriguez.

Anything with a unique angle will catch the editors’ eyes, and a good example from the latest issue is a piece called “I Won’t Date a Latin Guy.” “That’s an actual real topic that a lot of Latinas discuss, and it’s sort of an unspoken, but never really verbalized or articulated idea… We’re really trying to bring those issues to the table and really have an honest conversation about them,” said Rodriguez.

For more, read How To Pitch: Cosmopolitan for Latinas. [Mediabistro AvantGuild subscription required]

New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.

Freelance Assignments Flow at Canoe & Kayak

Mona Zhang — Tue, 05 Mar 2013 14:15:34 +0000

No sections are off-limits to pitches at Canoe & Kayak, where 60 percent of the content is freelance written. Though the editors have a stable of writers they assign to, they are always on the lookout for new voices and ideas — just make sure they’re original.

“Please don’t come to us with an idea that we’ve heard before,” said editor Jeff Moag. “Don’t send us the same queries you send the Sunday Travel section. You’ve got to have an angle, and it’s got to pertain to canoeing and kayaking.” The editors themselves are canoe and kayak enthusiasts and take to the field as much as possible, deadline permitting.

For more info, read How To Pitch: Canoe & Kayak. [Mediabistro AvantGuild subscription required]

New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.

Editors Are Hungry for Pitches at Relish

Mona Zhang — Tue, 26 Feb 2013 14:33:10 +0000

Half of all freelancer pitches get the green light at Relish, and editors are always hungry for more. Launched in 2006 to celebrate America’s love for food, the pub enjoys a large readership thanks to its status as a newspaper-distributed magazine.

Now that its parent company has a new CEO, “We are looking towards being a total multimedia company, not just print,” said editor-in-chief Jill Melton.

Relish tells stories of the people, places and things behind the food, and editors like queries with national appeal and a good sense of place. Think you’ve got a great idea? Get more details and editors’ contact info in How To Pitch: Relish. [Mediabistro AvantGuild subscription required]

New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.

Girls’ Life Wants Writers With the Right Voice

Mona Zhang — Thu, 21 Feb 2013 12:37:40 +0000

When EIC and publisher of Girls’ Life Karen Bokram was working for Seventeen, she approached her boss to suggest that the magazine add a section for younger teens. Many girls younger than the pub’s targeted audience wrote in, but the EIC wasn’t into the idea: “We make magazines for advertisers, not readers,” she told Bokram. So she struck out on her own and founded the Baltimore-based tween mag Girl’s Life, which has been going strong for almost 20 years.

What types of articles keep tweens coming back for more? “Girls are always going to get their period, girls are always going to be freaked out by bras, girls are always going to think their parents are embarrassing and girls are always going to be confused by guys,” Bokram said.

Get more guidelines in How To Pitch: Girls’ Life. [Mediabistro AvantGuild subscription required]

New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.

All Sections of Ebony are Open to Pitches

Mona Zhang — Mon, 14 Jan 2013 12:41:32 +0000

Historically, most journalists writing for Ebony have been black, but it’s not a requirement to score a byline. The pub has recently run stories by writers who aren’t black, and also hopes to reach beyond the black community by tackling key issues from a wide variety of viewpoints.

The magazine is enjoying the fruits of a well-executed redesign spearheaded by editor-in-chief Amy DuBois Barnett, who works with CEO Desiree Rogers and Chairman Linda Johnson Rice. Barnett told NPR she’s working to balance fashion, entertainment and news that is empowering “and also still very rooted in the coverage of social issues and political issues that Ebony has always done so well.”

Bonus? Over 50 percent of the pub is written by freelancers. Find out how you can win over the editors in How To Pitch: Ebony. [Mediabistro AvantGuild subscription required]

New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.

Educate Teachers With a Scholastic Byline

Mona Zhang — Wed, 05 Dec 2012 12:15:25 +0000

Eighty percent of Scholastic Instructor is freelance-written, which means there are plenty of opportunities for writers to help a teacher learn. The pub as been the go-to resource for teachers since 1891: a place for pedagogues to find practical teaching ideas, education news and innovative lesson plans.

Its sister mag, Scholastic Administrator has similar solution-based content but is aimed towards superintendents, chief technology officers and other district-level “cabinet members.” “Our audience is acutely familiar with the many problems facing K-12 education today, and they are eager to learn how to overcome challenges from their peers,” said Administrator‘s executive editor Wayne D’Orio.

Got an idea you think would resonate with Scholastic readers? Read How To Pitch: Scholastic Instructor and Scholastic Administrator. [subscription required]

New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.

Write for The Intelligent Optimist

Mona Zhang — Wed, 28 Nov 2012 12:40:57 +0000

Formerly known as Ode, The Intelligent Optimist just wants to make the world a better place. The San Francisco-based mag, which started as a Dutch publication, is wide open to freelancers with the right ideas.

“[The magazine] is about positive news, about the people and ideas that are changing our world for the better,” said associate editor Elleke Bal.

Its reader base includes a community of people who are passionate about innovative technology, sustainability, health and spirituality, nutrition and personal growth. Bal explained, “We tell the stories that need to be heard, because they are improving our world.”

For more info, read How To Pitch: The Intelligent Optimist. [subscription required]

New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.

Land a Feature Byline in Women’s Adventure

Donya Blaze — Wed, 21 Nov 2012 13:57:30 +0000

Sixty percent of content Women’s Adventure is freelance-written and landing a byline isn’t just a one-time gig. “Being a small staff, we aim to build long-lasting relationships with freelancers so that the job of writing and editing is easier for all of us,” said assistant editor Jennifer Olson.

The pub, which underwent a redesign last year, targets active women of all ages who pursue a lifestyle of adventure. Whether it’s mountain climbing or base-jumping or health issues, tailoring your pitch towards the mag’s active audience will surely catch the editors’ eyes.

“Our goal is to authentically appeal to women who find solace and energy in the outdoors,” explained Olson.

Read more in How To Pitch: Women’s Adventure. [subscription required]

New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.