5 Secrets to Getting Published in Magazines

Here are five tips to help aspiring writers publish magazine articles. You don't have to be a famous author -- or even a brilliant writer -- to write for publication.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Concord, NH, (PRWEB) November 22, 2005 -- Who wouldn't want to see their name under the headlines in magazines like Family Circle, Men's Fitness, Reader's Digest, USA Weekend, or Cosmopolitan? The good news is, you don't have to be a famous author to make money and have fun by writing for magazines.

"Magazines hire regular people just like you and me to write their articles," says Linda Formichelli, a freelance magazine writer and co-author of The Renegade Writer: A Totally Unconventional Guide to Freelance Writing Success. "You just have to know the basics of breaking in."

Here are Formichelli's secrets for selling articles to magazines.

1. Study, study, study. Go to the bookstore or library and gather up an armload of the magazines you'd like to write for -- then examine them like you're studying for a final exam. See what kinds of articles they run: Do they prefer lots of anecdotes, how-to articles, short pieces, long pieces, profiles? These are the types of ideas you want to come up with.

2. Brainstorm. Good ideas are everywhere. Do you have kids? You probably have a wealth of ideas for parenting magazines. Did you just go through a difficult period in your life? Maybe you can help others who are experiencing the same thing. Likewise, mine your job, hobbies, and education for salable article ideas.

3. Sleuth them out. The next step is to find out which editor at the magazine you need to send your article idea to. Writers Market, which you can get online (http://www.writersmarket.com) or at the bookstore for under $30, is a directory of hundreds of magazines and their contact information. Even better, call the magazine's editorial department and ask who handles ideas like yours.

4. Shoot the query, dearie. "One mistake new writers often make is to write an article and send it to magazines," says Formichelli. "Editors want to see something called a query letter, which is a sales letter describing your idea." To learn more about how to write a query letter, check out Lisa Collier Cool's book How to Write Irresistible Query Letters. In addition, Formichelli offers a free packet of 12 successful query letters that you can learn from; just send a blank e-mail to queries@renegadewriter.com and you'll receive your packet within minutes.

5. Go pro. Sometimes it pays to get professional instruction. Many community colleges offer night classes in magazine writing, or you can seek out an online course that will let you learn at your own pace. Formichelli offers an eight-week e-course on getting published in magazines that includes personalized e-mail support. For more information, visit http://www.lindaformichelli.com/course.

Linda Formichelli is a freelance writer located in Concord, NH. She's written for more than 120 magazines, including Family Circle, USA Weekend, Fitness, Writer's Digest, and Men's Fitness. She's also the co-author of several books, including The Renegade Writer: A Totally Unconventional Guide to Freelance Writing Success (second edition, Marion Street Press, 2005). Formichelli offers an eight-week e-course on breaking into magazines. For more information, visit her Web site at http://www.lindaformichelli.com/course.

CONTACT:

Linda Formichelli,

603-715-2244

###