As a writer for magazines, you have the opportunity to learn about tons of different topics and write about them in an interesting way. You might also have the chance to meet celebrities and other fascinating people who are willing to share their lives with you.
The path to success as a writer for magazines can be challenging at times but it’s also very rewarding! We’ve taken what we’ve learned over years of writing for magazines and put together this guide so that aspiring magazine writers can know what to expect along their journey toward becoming successful professionals in this field.
| Takeaways |
|---|
| 1. Master the art of business plan writing for freelance success. |
| 2. Learn to avoid common pitfalls and secure magazine publications. |
| 3. Develop strong magazine writing skills with proven techniques. |
| 4. Understand the process of pitching and getting published. |
| 5. Embrace perseverance and handle rejection with resilience. |
Get An Internship
Internships are a great way to get your foot in the door, and they’re also a good way to get experience. They’ll give you the chance to see what it’s like working in an industry on a day-to-day basis and will give you an idea of what writing for magazines is all about.
Mastering the art of business plan writing is essential for any aspiring magazine writer. Learn how to craft a compelling business plan in 9 simple steps to boost your freelance career and attract potential clients. Check out our guide on how to write a business plan in 9 simple steps to get started.
Volunteer To Write For Local Magazines
Volunteering to write for local magazines is a great way to get your foot in the door of writing for publications. You can use your free time and experience as a volunteer writer at local magazines as a resume builder when applying for paid writing positions.
In addition, volunteering will give you practice and build your confidence so that when you’re ready to apply for paid jobs, it’ll be second nature.
Keep Reading As Many Magazines As Possible
One of the best ways to learn how to write for magazines is by reading them as much as possible. You should read every magazine that is similar to the ones you want to write for but also try reading some magazines from other countries and even fields.
For example, if you’re trying to break into writing about travel, it would be a good idea to read some of the best international magazines on travel such as National Geographic Traveler and Departures (both available online). These will give you an idea of what these publications value in their articles and help inspire your ideas.
Facing rejection is part of a magazine writer’s journey, but with the right approach, you can increase your chances of success. Explore our top 10 tips on what magazine writers can do to avoid getting rejected and pave the way towards getting your work published.
Study How Other Writers Are Writing For Magazines
If you want to be a writer for magazines, one of the first things you should do is study how other writers are writing for magazines. Study them closely! Read as many different magazines as possible and see how the stories are written. Learn from their examples what makes an idea compelling, fresh, and timely.
Look at how writers pitch their ideas to editors as well as how they write up their articles once they’ve been commissioned by them. Look at how writers approach different topics in different ways some write short snappy pieces, some go more in-depth with longer reads (I love long-form!).
Some may do something original by researching certain topics thoroughly or interviewing fascinating people who have amazing life experiences.
The key thing here is that all these approaches work because they make fantastic reading when done right!
Pitch A Story To A Magazine.
Start by writing a good title and a compelling lead. A good title will grab the editor’s attention, while a compelling lead will make them want to read on. Make sure your pitch is clear and concise; it should include all the information they need to decide whether or not they want to publish your story.
After You Write Your Pitch, Go Ahead And Submit It!
Tailor your pitch to the specific publication you want to write for.
When you’re looking at magazines, it’s important to keep in mind that there are two different types of publications: consumer and trade. Consumer publications are aimed at readers who want to learn about a certain topic or industry.
These include magazines like Food & Wine, Modern Farmer, and Popular Science.
Trade publications are geared toward professionals within a specific field (e.g., doctors, lawyers, farmers), and they’re often focused on business trends or industry news as opposed to general interest topics (e.g., “16-Year-Old Is First Woman To Win World Barista Championship”).
When you’re pitching yourself to a particular publication for the first time, it’s best not to take anything for granted you should research the magazine thoroughly and tailor your pitch accordingly so it fits with what they’re looking for at that moment in time!
Getting your work published in magazines requires strategic planning and effective pitching. Discover the secrets to successful magazine writing and getting published in our comprehensive guide, empowering you to achieve your writing aspirations.
Be Persistent In Your Attempts To Get Paid Work Writing For Magazines
When you start writing for magazines and other publications, it’s important to know that you will most likely get rejected. You might even get rejected quite a few times. That’s okay!
Keep at it! Persistence is key in this business. If you write an article and get rejected, don’t give up on it there could be something wrong with your article that needs addressing before submitting again (and again).
Ask someone who knows the magazine well what they think of your work before submitting; maybe they can point out what’s missing or help fix some typos or grammatical errors in advance so you don’t waste time waiting on feedback once more submissions are made.
If nothing else, remember to ask if there will be any room for improvement if your piece doesn’t cut this time around, whether through extra research into topics covered by different articles already published each month.
Reworking parts of the piece that didn’t quite meet expectations upon first reading them back from editors who may have had trouble understanding certain areas due to unfamiliarity with subject matter outside their expertise area(s).
Always Be Ready To Pitch Lots Of Ideas To Editors
Once you’ve got an idea in mind, it’s time to pitch it. The key here is to be ready to pitch lots of ideas. If you’re not a morning person, don’t worry you don’t have to wait until dawn for inspiration.
Having a notebook with you at all times will help you get into the habit of writing down ideas whenever they come up. Once the sun goes down and your brain stops processing information so efficiently, take out that notebook again and jot down any stray thoughts or observations before they’re lost forever!
If there’s one thing I learned from my experience as a writer for magazines, it’s that there are always stories just waiting for us out there we just have to stop being afraid of being boring and look around us more often! If we can’t see them ourselves (and sometimes this might be true), then we need someone else who can point them out for us.
Write Fresh, Urgent, And Timely Content That Nobody Else Has Thought Of Before
Writing fresh, urgent, and timely content that nobody else has thought of before is one of the most important challenges facing writers today.
Every magazine has a different audience, so your work should be tailored to fit that audience. For example, you might write about a new product like the iPhone X for iMore or Google Pixel for Android Central. If you’re writing for an electronics-based publication, consider writing about a new VR headset from Samsung or LG as opposed to Apple’s AirPods.
Enhance your magazine writing skills with these 15 invaluable tips. Whether you’re a seasoned writer or just starting, our guide on improving magazine writing will equip you with the tools to craft captivating articles that captivate readers and editors alike.
Don’t Forget The Basics Of Crafting An Article, Even When There’s A News Angle To It
You might be tempted to write a news story as if it were an opinion piece, but don’t do it. You still need a strong thesis and clear structure.
Your lead should be engaging and informative so that you can hook readers right away.
Your conclusion should restate your thesis and then sum up the points you made in the body of your article.
You’ll also want to make sure that your argument is clear—if readers don’t understand what it is, they won’t know why they should care about reading (or even finish reading).
Make sure you’re doing something interesting or something different when you’re out reporting on a story.
When you are reporting on the story, make sure you’re doing something interesting or different. Don’t forget that you have access to a lot more information than you used to as a magazine reporter in the past. Use it!
The basics of crafting an article still apply even when there’s a news angle to it: have some sort of hook, explain why this is important and timely, find someone who has an interesting perspective on what happened and get them talking about it (with attribution).
Don’t forget that you have access to a lot more information than you used to as a magazine writer, thanks to the Internet.
This can be a huge boon for your career as a magazine writer because now you have access to all kinds of information that might not have been as readily available in the past.
You’re able to find more people who are experts on certain topics and can talk about them from a unique perspective, which means you’ll be able to write more compelling articles.
In addition, accessing this info online allows you to avoid having to spend hours looking through books and journals at the library or other physical locations where they might be stored.
Since the Internet has become so popular, people who post content online have created websites specifically designed for writers who want some direction on how best their work should go.
These sites provide guidelines based on their experience working with magazines before giving any specific advice about how best one could go about getting published there but it will still help guide them along this path towards success!
Meet Your Deadlines And Keep Your Editor Happy By Submitting Stories Ahead Of Time If You Can Help It
The pressure is on literally. If you’re a freelancer, you have to meet deadlines and keep your editor happy by submitting stories ahead of time if you can help it.
That means no forgetting about an assignment or showing up late for work (or at all). It also means that if something comes up, like a family emergency or an unexpected move, you don’t just disappear: You let your editor know right away so they can adjust their plans accordingly and avoid having to find another writer in the middle of an issue cycle.
This may seem unfair and I’ll admit that sometimes it is but editors are people too! They have lives outside work too! When I’m working with a new writer, I typically expect some back-and-forth between emails and maybe even phone calls before we’re ready to go live with any given article.
The goal here is communication; both parties need to feel heard in order for things not only to go smoothly but also for everyone involved (including readers) to get what they want out of this experience as well.
Don’t expect that you’ll be able to just show up at someone’s door and ask them questions about their life if you don’t know them well already.
If you don’t know someone well, don’t just show up at their door and ask them questions about their life. It’s not that simple. And if you do have a good relationship with someone, there are still things to consider:
Keep your editor happy by making sure your assignments are submitted on time and as requested.
If you’re running late with an article, submit it ahead of schedule so that your editor has enough time to review it before the magazine goes to print or distribution.
Embark on a rewarding career as a magazine writer by mastering the art of freelancing. Our guide on becoming a magazine writer and landing freelance jobs unveils invaluable insights and steps to turn your passion for writing into a fulfilling and lucrative profession.
Write About Things People Like Talking About, Not Just Things That Interest You Personally
When you’re starting a magazine writing career, it can be tempting to want to write about things that interest you personally. You might want to write about your favorite sports team, or perhaps a hobby you’ve developed into an obsession.
But when you’re just starting as a writer, writing about topics that are only of interest to you will make it difficult for people who don’t share those interests to understand what’s going on in your piece.
This is why the best pieces of journalism are often those which take something common and turn it into something new by putting their spin on it.
For example, many people enjoy watching football but few could imagine enjoying watching football as much as Chris Connelly does! In “Football Season Is Over: Now What?” he explains why he loves watching football so much (it’s because he thinks all sports are metaphors for life), then goes on to give his readers tips for how they can get more out of watching games too!
Conclusion
Writing for magazines is a great way to make money, build your portfolio and get yourself out there in the world. But it can also be a lot of work! We hope this guide has given you some ideas on how to start writing for magazines, and how to keep doing it once you’ve made that first big leap into the field.
Further Reading
Indeed – How to Become a Magazine Writer: A comprehensive guide on the steps and skills needed to pursue a career as a magazine writer.
Practical Adult Insights – How Do I Become a Magazine Writer?: Practical advice and insights on the path to becoming a successful magazine writer.
Medium – How to Go from Complete Beginner to Writing for Major Magazines: Valuable tips and strategies to transition from a beginner writer to contributing to major magazines.
FAQs
How do I start my career as a magazine writer?
Starting a career as a magazine writer involves honing your writing skills, building a portfolio, and networking within the industry. Check out the provided resources to get started.
What qualifications do I need to become a magazine writer?
While formal qualifications can be beneficial, there’s no specific educational requirement to become a magazine writer. Focus on developing strong writing skills and a passion for storytelling.
How can I improve my chances of getting published in magazines?
Improving your chances of getting published involves understanding the target audience, researching magazine guidelines, and crafting tailored pitches that align with the publication’s themes and style.
Is freelance magazine writing a viable career option?
Yes, freelance magazine writing can be a rewarding career path, offering flexibility and opportunities to work with various publications. However, it requires persistence and continuous pitching to secure assignments.
How do I handle rejection as a magazine writer?
Rejection is common in the writing industry. To handle it, focus on learning from feedback, refining your craft, and persevering in your pursuit of publication opportunities. Remember that rejection is not a reflection of your worth as a writer.
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.
