If there’s one thing editors like writers to have, it’s access to the subject they’re pitching. For Alexis Adams, it was her experience living in a Greek village that helped her query about horta, an ingredient used in many Greek foods, transform into a 500-word piece for the travel pub Afar.

“She was pitching from first-hand experience and had already done significant research. And she laid out, in detail, the elements that would go into the story, whereas many writers simply pitch a concept,” said Derk Richardson, AFAR senior editor. “Moreover, there was an underlying sense of passion and curiosity, which is important when it comes to writing about food and essential when writing about anything for AFAR.”

THE PITCH

Dear Derk:

Paring knife in one hand, empty plastic bag in another, I am following my friend Lakis as he climbs a narrow goat path through thorny brush to a meadow he promises will yield tasty results. We are high on a mountain plateau on the eastern Peloponnese Peninsula in Greece, and we are in search of “horta,” the wild greens prized by Greeks for their health benefits and flavor…

Read the rest in Pitches that Worked: AFAR. [subscription required]

At Afar, editors are seeking stories of travelers who like to juice the place they’re visiting for all it’s worth — interacting with the locals, going off the touristy trail to shop in real marketplaces, and eating indigenous, authentically prepared meals.

Although their median income hovers just above the six-figure mark and they enjoy all of the earmarks of luxury, the mag’s readers like a real-life experience with their vacationing. With that in mind, aspiring Afar writers need to bring their A-game (think affluence and authenticity) to snag an assignment.

“There’s a real emphasis on giving readers a deeper dive, a sort of street-level view of a place,” editor-in-chief Julia Cosgrove explained.

Find out which sections are ripe for input in How To Pitch: Afar.

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.

For its “Spin the Globe” column, Afar sends its writers, even the famous ones, to far off places at random and tells them to chronicle their experiences. In the March/April issue, it was actor Andrew McCarthy in Lalibela, Ethiopia.

After enjoying the local cuisine and witnessing an exorcism (seriously), the Brat Packer found himself arrested by an “Ethiopian Lee Marvin” for trying to attend a church Mass service without a ticket.

“I glanced over my shoulder at Lee Marvin, his gun pointed at my back. I thought his reaction to my offense was extreme; I tried to say as much. He grunted something in Amharic and prodded me with the tip of his rifle. I turned quickly back. I figured I wouldn’t be shot as long as I had a child by my side — I engaged the boy in animated conversation.”

Silly Andrew. It’s Bernie who keeps you out of trouble. Cheap shot, we know.

Related: How To Pitch: Afar

Although it may seem like a crazy time to launch a magazine, travel pub Afar, which debuted this summer, proves that it can be done — and done successfully.

Today, the magazine’s publisher, Afar Media, announced it was raising the title’s rate base by 50 percent to 75,000 readers, starting with its March/April issue.

Along with a rate base increase, it seems like Afar is doing some staff restructuring as well. We noticed in today’s announcement that founder Greg Sullivan was listed as editor-in-chief, a position formerly held by Susan West. Folio reports today that West has left the company, along with founding publisher John Sheehy, whose position has been eliminated.

Although today’s rate base announcement didn’t mention those staffing changes, it did highlight some of the other restructuring and promotions going on at the fairly new company. Executive VP and managing director of digital operations Dan Orum has been promoted to president of Afar Media, co-founder Joe Diaz (pictured) is taking on the role of VP of sales and brand development and Derek Butcher has been named chief architect and chief technology officer. Afar is also bringing on consultant Dawn Drew, a former National Geographic Traveler publisher, to develop the magazine’s brand across platforms such as digital, products and live events.

Update: A spokesperson told us West’s departure was part of the magazine’s restructuring and Sullivan, Afar‘s founder and editorial director, has taken on her responsibilities.

Full release after the jump

Read more: Editor, Publisher Out at Afar Amid Restructuring –Folio

How To Pitch: Afar

Previously: Afar Names Susan West Editor-in-Chief, Afar Publisher John Sheehy: Downturn Is Actually Helping Travel Mag Launch

Read more

FishbowlNY editor Amanda Ernst visited the mediabistro.com Morning Media Menu podcast today, joining hosts Jason Boog of GalleyCat and AgencySpy‘s Matt Van Hoven to discuss the biggest media stories of 2009.

On Amanda’s list: stories about layoffs and magazine closings, but good news of circulation revenues climbing at places like The New York Times. Also, announcements of new magazine launches, like Afar and new Web sites, including Atlantic Wire, Mediaite and HollywoodLife.

Also discussed: the biggest stories of the year covered by the media — Balloon Boy, Michael Jackson and Tiger Woods among them — and how the media’s coverage has changed.

You can listen to all the past podcasts at BlogTalkRadio.com/mediabistro and call in at 646-929-0321.

News of magazine closures was, sadly, pretty prevalent throughout 2009. But, although 428 magazines folded during the year, according to MediaFinder.com, 275 launched.

Launching a magazine or Web site in the midst of a recession is never an easy task. But we think there are a few new pubs on the block that will be around for awhile. Even mediabistro.com got in the launching spirit, debuting four new blogs this year: WebNewser, MediaJobsDaily, BayNewser and eBookNewser.

As the year closes out, here’s a look at some of the biggest launches in print and online.

Magazines
Much-anticipated travel magazine Afar celebrated its launch in August with an opulent party, pretty unheard of these days.

Get Married proved that there is still room in the bridal magazine market, despite the closure of Modern Bride and Elegant Bride this year.

And Modern added another design magazine to the mix.

Cookie may have crumbled, but Bonnier Corp. successfully split its parenting magazine into two editions, Parenting Early Years and Parenting School Years, later raising the rate base of School Years.

Other notable launches: Children’s Health, Organic Beauty, Women’s magazine VAIN and two Reader’s Digest Association launches, DIY mag Fresh Home and Rick Warren‘s Purpose Driven Connection, which folded later in the year.

After the jump, online magazine and blog launches

Read more

With the print industry hurting so badly this year and magazines shuttering left and right, it’s a Christmas miracle that any new publications were launched at all. minOnline took a moment today to celebrate its favorite print launches this year — ten magazines that have managed to weather the economic climate while even venerable titles like Gourmet closed.

min’s favorite magazines range from animal-focused (Cesar’s Way) to experimental travel (Afar), to the Flair-based Vintage, which reminded us that excess is not always a bad thing.

We were also surprised to see a Time Inc. title on the list, what with all the cutbacks the company has had to make of late, but the idea behind Mine was to compile the best articles from the publishing house, so why buy the individual issues when you can have a printed RSS feed?

Of course it’s not all good news: Reader’s Digest Association managed to launch the religious Purpose Driven Connection by megapastor Rick Warren in January, only to have the print publication go online only by November.

Read More: min’s Exclusive 2009 Launch Review –minOnline

Previously: Time Inc. To Let You Make Your Own Magazine, New Magazine Pays Homage To Old Magazines

Folio: Mr. Magazine names his most notable magazine launches of the year with Food Network Magazine taking the top prize. Other noted launches include Afar, Prestige and another food mag Sandra Lee’s Semi-Homemade.

New York Observer: New York Times writer Jodi Kantor used her Sunday magazine story about to the Obamas’ marriage to score herself a seven-figure book deal.

Nieman Journalism Lab: The now-defunct newspaper The New York Sun, is slowly mounting a comeback online led by editor Seth Lipsky.

paidContent: The New York Times is phasing out its Times Extra aggregation tool.

TV Guide magazine: It looks like Aaron Sorkin is plotting a return to TV, and he’s planning to write another series taking place behind the scenes of a television shows, much like previous shows “Sports Night” and “Studio 60 On The Sunset Strip.”

Poynter: “Daily Show” producers are serious about creating real media criticism along with the fake news.

Updating its numbers from a few months ago, Mediafinder.com, an online database of American and Canadian periodicals, reports that more than 100 magazines have folded in the past three months, bringing the total number of pubs tracked by Mediafinder that have been shuttered this year to 383.

These latest numbers do not include the four magazines folded by Condé Nast last week, but they do include Nickelodeon and Nick Jr., and Time Inc.‘s Style & Design and Southern Accents.

However, in the last three months, 72 new magazine have launched — including titles like Afar.

The numbers also show that regional magazines are closing more frequently than other categories, but they are they most frequently launched types of magazines as well. This is the same news that came out of Mediafinder back in July — so it appears that 2009 overall has been a big year for regional mags. Business-to-business magazines have also been in flux, accounting for 75 of the new launches since January and 130 of the closures. (24 b-to-b mags also went from print to online only in 2009, Mediafinder said.)

As the number of shuttered mags add up, we can be heartened by the fact that some pubs are taking a chance and launching in this harsh climate. They’re just simply not launching as quickly as they’re folding.

Earlier: More Evidence That The Magazine Industry Is In Trouble

FishbowlNY caught up with executive editor Julia Cosgrove at Afar‘s launch party in New York City to find out more about freelance opportunities.

Last week, we brought you the news that travel magazine Afar bucked the trend and actually made it to the presses despite the economic downturn. Afar officially hit newsstands Tuesday, so we checked in with executive editor Julia Cosgrove for the inside scoop on getting published in the newly minted paper-and-ink pages. Cosgrove says they’re relying heavily on freelancers, so what are you waiting for?

For the down ‘n’ dirty pitching details, check out the full How To Pitch: Afar article.

Craving more video? Go behind the scenes at Food Network Mag with editor Tracy Saelinger.