15 Tips For Better Magazine Writing

I’m a writer, and I’ve written for magazines for more than 15 years. When it comes to writing magazine articles, I’ve learned a lot of lessons, many of which are things that you probably know already.

But not all writers are lucky enough to have been taught by someone who’s spent decades learning how to write better and neither are you! In this article, I’ll share 30 tips on how to improve your writing skills and make your work stand out.

Writing Tips : How to Make a Magazine Table of Contents

Takeaway
1. Develop a compelling hook to capture readers’ attention from the start.
2. Craft a clear and engaging headline that reflects the essence of your article.
3. Know your target audience and tailor your writing to resonate with them.
4. Incorporate relevant and credible sources to support your points.
5. Use descriptive language and vivid imagery to create a captivating narrative.
6. Structure your article with a logical flow that guides readers through the content effortlessly.
7. Pay attention to grammar, punctuation, and spelling to maintain a professional appearance.
8. Edit and revise your work to ensure clarity and coherence.
9. Inject your unique voice and personality into the writing for authenticity.
10. Avoid excessive jargon and use language that is accessible to a broader audience.
11. Create a powerful conclusion that leaves a lasting impact on the reader.
12. Seek feedback from peers or editors to gain valuable insights for improvement.
13. Stay updated with the latest trends and developments in magazine writing.
14. Continuously challenge yourself to experiment with different writing styles and formats.
15. Embrace perseverance and dedication, as writing for magazines requires persistence and hard work.

Table of Contents

Spend Time With Your Sources

When you’re working on a story, it’s important to spend quality time with your sources. You should talk to them for as long as you can and get to know them their backgrounds and personal motivations will inform how they feel about the topic at hand.

Ask questions that get at the heart of what they do, whether it’s “What are the best and worst parts of your job?” or “How did you get started in this line of work?” This helps create a connection between writer and subject.

It’s also helpful to ask people about themselves: their families, their hobbies, and even their jobs outside of journalism (if applicable). This helps reveal more about what makes them tick—and by extension, how they’ll react when they read your article!

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Go To The Source

The best way to get good quotes is to interview the people who are directly involved with your story. This may sound obvious, but it’s true: If you’re writing a story about a new product from Apple, talking to employees of Apple will provide you with better quotes than talking to other tech companies.

If someone isn’t directly involved in your story (and there are many reasons why that might be), then he or she probably doesn’t have anything useful for you unless you can find someone who has an opinion on the topic that hasn’t been covered yet by similar articles. If this person doesn’t say anything interesting, don’t use him or her as an interview source!

Know What You Want To Write Before You Write It

Know what you want to write about before you start writing.

Know what you want to say before you say it.

Don’t waste time writing about things that don’t matter to you or that don’t hold your interest you can always come back to them later if they do.

Don’t spend time with people who don’t know anything.

Don’t spend time with people who don’t want to talk to you.

Don’t spend time with people who are going to be hard to reach, or who refuse interviews altogether (or worse, only want their bulls*** published).

Do ask questions that help you get an idea of what the person is talking about before you start writing it’ll save tons of time, and it’ll keep things accurate!

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Write It Down. Write Down Everything

You will be surprised how many things you can write down. Write down all the facts, figures, and statistics you can. Write down all the quotes you can. Write down all the thoughts you can. Write down all the ideas you can. Write down all the questions you can.

And then write out any answers that come to mind as well, even if they’re not fully formed yet (because sometimes they get there).

Start With A Premise, Not A Story

What is the premise of this story?” It’s a good question to ask when you’re in the middle of a project, but it’s also a question that can help you get started on one.

Start with your premise and then fill in the details as you go along. A premise is simply a statement about what your story is about the theme or topic of your piece. For example: “This magazine article will help people make healthier choices by explaining how food affects their brain.”

A premise doesn’t have to be long; just give yourself enough room to include all the information from which people can draw conclusions and take actions (i.e., tips).

Read Books On Magazine Writing By Real Magazine Writers

Read books on magazine writing by real magazine writers. To be a better writer, you need to read good writing.

To know what good writing looks like, you can’t just read the articles you’re assigned: you have to explore magazines on your own time and pick out articles that appeal to you personally. (For example, if a piece on global warming interests me because I am interested in climate change science, then I’ll probably find it easier to pay attention when reading.)

Find books written by the people who inspire your work and read those instead of their competitors’ stuff if they’re worth their salt as professionals then they’ll have plenty of good advice for budding writers too!

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Make Sure Your Sources Understand Why You’re Asking The Questions That You’re Asking.

Some people you interview will be able to explain their answers easily. Others may need a bit of extra help putting their thoughts into words. If you’re having trouble getting your source to understand what you’re asking and why to try asking them some questions that are easier to answer:

What Do You Think About The Topic At Hand?

What’s one thing that comes to mind when I say “X”? (For example: “When I say ‘journalism’, what’s one thing that comes to mind?”)

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Try Not To Be Boring

This is a big one. You have to make sure that your writing isn’t boring. And by “boring,” I don’t mean “dry and factual.” I mean, “boring” as in people will want to throw themselves in front of a truck rather than read another word of your article.

I’ve had this happen before and let me tell you, it’s no fun at all when someone reads something you wrote and then immediately dies of boredom. It can be embarrassing for everyone involved (including the person who died).

The best way to avoid this situation is not simply by making sure that everything is interesting but also by trying out different angles and approaches with each sentence or paragraph until it becomes clear which one works best for your audience

Ask Yourself Why This Story Matters And Why Someone Should Read It

The first question to ask yourself is: Why should someone read this story? It’s important to consider what your audience will find interesting and relevant. As a writer, you have a responsibility to tell stories that matter.

If you’re writing an article for a magazine or newspaper, ask yourself whether your story has something new or different to offer. If it doesn’t, then why should someone bother reading it? Is there something unique about your story that other writers haven’t covered yet?

Be sure to think about how timely the subject of the article is both in terms of when it was published and how long ago it happened (if applicable).

For example, if yours is an old-fashioned story about how today’s technology makes life harder rather than easier because everything runs more slowly than before (and therefore makes us all miserable), then perhaps wait until another day before publishing but only if there isn’t anything else on hand that feels fresher off the presses! Otherwise, go ahead.

If you’re writing about something that’s happened in the past, get the material first and then write about it second. Otherwise, your story will be stale.

You should always get your material first and then write about it. I know it sounds obvious, but this is one of the biggest mistakes that writers make.

If you don’t research and gather information, your story will be stale by the time you’re done writing it. The more time that passes between when an event occurs and when you write about it, the harder it will be to find sources who are still willing to talk about their experiences for publication purposes.

When we started working on our story about [event], there were still people around who had been there; anyone who was involved in the event would have been willing to talk with us at that point because they were still in the thick of things and holding onto vivid memories of what happened back then.

As time went on after [event], though, some of those people retired or moved away from where they used to live so they wouldn’t have been as accessible if we had waited until after everything happened before starting our reporting process!

The same goes for writing about current events or people if a celebrity has just won an award or experienced something big recently (like having their TV show debut), then there’s no reason why anyone shouldn’t be able to speak freely with them now because everyone knows how busy they are right now!

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Conclusion

Being a great writer is not just about knowing how to write, it’s also about knowing how to tell your story. We hope these tips have given you some new ideas for how to make the most out of your next story!

FAQs

How can I improve my writing skills?

Improving writing skills involves consistent practice, reading diverse materials, seeking feedback, and identifying areas for improvement. Consider taking writing courses or workshops to enhance your abilities further.

What are some effective writing techniques?

Some effective writing techniques include storytelling, using descriptive language, structuring your content logically, and adopting an active writing voice.

How can I become a better content writer for magazines?

To become a better content writer for magazines, focus on understanding your target audience, researching topics thoroughly, and adhering to the publication’s guidelines and style.

How do I maintain consistency in my writing?

To maintain consistency, create a style guide for yourself or your team, pay attention to tone and language choices, and proofread your work meticulously.

How can I overcome writer’s block?

Writer’s block can be overcome by taking breaks, freewriting to generate ideas, changing your writing environment, and seeking inspiration from different sources.

Costantine Edward

Costantine Edward is a digital marketing expert, freelance writer, and entrepreneur who helps people attain financial freedom. I’ve been working in marketing since I was 18 years old and have managed to build a successful career doing what I love.