Circulation: 2.5 million
Frequency: 10 issues a year; January/February and July/August are double issues
Special issues: None
Background: Even though things rarely stay the same in magazine publishing, many people were surprised to learn that, after purchasing Shape magazine from American Media, Inc. (AMI), media conglomerate Meredith Corporation decided to shutter longtime rival Fitness. While it was a move that seemingly diminishes the amount of healthy-living content for active women, Pam O’Brien, the former Fitness editor who has now moved over to Shape as deputy editor, assures readers that the opposite is true. Fitness mainstays like the “I Did It” weight-loss success column and the quick-but-effective “Express Workout” will now be featured in Shape‘s pages. “So you will get the Fitness feeling in Shape,” says O’Brien, “but it will very much be Shape, in the sense that it’s for women who are active, healthy and who make being fit and living their best life a priority.”
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And from a competition standpoint, O’Brien notes that the absorption of some of Fitness‘ content and staff further differentiates Shape from titles like Women’s Health and Self. “We have more of an emphasis on being fit and active, and more workouts in our pages,” she says. “[The Shape reader] is a woman who’s already very healthy, and she’s fit and she’s loving this life. And every month she turns to our pages to get more advice and new ideas to keep doing that.”
What to pitch: In addition to the editors who made the transition from Fitness to Shape, freelancers who have regularly written for both magazines will be sticking around, too. The good news is that editors are always on the lookout for new writers and new voices, especially when it comes to health and nutrition content.
The “Live Healthy” section is fertile ground for pitches covering the latest in health news and trends. While O’Brien notes that it may be difficult to come up with a novel spin on tried-and-true concepts for readers who are already up on the latest in healthy living, those writers who can are sure to score an assignment. “Think about what’s in it for the reader, what is she going to learn from this and what new thing is this teaching her,” says O’Brien.
Features in “Live Healthy” average two to three pages and 750 to 1,000 words in length, as do the stories in the “Eat Right” section of the magazine, which is also prime for pitching. There, content should focus on new research in nutrition and how women can power-up their diets to best fuel their healthy lives.
What not to pitch: The “Beauty” section is written by staffers and is primarily closed. And while great fitness and workout ideas will be considered if they’re strong enough, there are two fitness editors on staff who write content for those sections, so landing a byline there will be very difficult.
What publicists should pitch: First and most important, says O’Brien, is to look at the masthead and make sure you’re sending your pitch to the right person. Then be sure your pitch doesn’t highlight something Shape has already covered. “Highlight what’s fresh and new and why it’s relevant to the reader,” O’Brien says. And don’t send product to the offices unless requested, as there simply isn’t enough space for it.
Percentage of freelance content published: About 25 percent
Percentage of freelance pitches accepted: Because the Fitness and Shape merger is still fairly recent, O’Brien says it’s too early to gauge the number of pitches editors receive and the number that will be accepted. But, again, editors are always looking for new writers.
Recent freelance stories pitched and published: As mentioned previously, it’s too early to tell, as O’Brien has yet to accept a pitch for this newest iteration of Shape.
Etiquette: Ultimately, says O’Brien, a creative idea is paramount, and a working hed and dek helps editors get a quick feel for the concept. It’s also important for writers to have a smart concept for packaging the story, as well as clear understanding of the service element for the reader. Finally, says O’Brien, be sure to highlight any new research that’s relevant to the story and include links to clips or a personal website so editors can see what other publications you’ve written for.
Lead time: Current lead time is five to six months, as Meredith is still working out the kinks with its newest publication. The ample time also allows editors to plan for the biggest get-in-Shape packages of the magazine that usually run at the beginning of the year and in the summer.
Pay rate: From $1.50 to $2 a word
Payment schedule: On acceptance
Kill fee: 25 percent
Rights purchased: All rights
Contact info:
Shape Magazine
805 Third Avenue
New York, NY 10022
www.Shape.com
Twitter | Facebook
Email format: FirstName.LastName@shape.com
Direct pitches to:
For “Live Healthy” articles, health editor Mirel Ketchiff: MIREL dot KETCHIFF at SHAPE dot COM
For “Eat Right” articles, nutrition editor Marnie Soman Schwartz: MARNIE dot SCHWARTZ at SHAPE dot COM
EDITOR’S NOTE: Though we’ve updated this article recently, the speed at which things move in media means things may have already changed since then. Please email us if you notice any outdated info.
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