Writing for Magazines

Question 1

pros

Answer 1

meet interesting people, go interesting places, do interesting things, get paid to write, explore interests, work from home, etc.

Question 2

cons

Answer 2

low barriers to entry -> high competition, the internet effect -> declining ad rates, pressure on fees -> lower incomes

Question 3

getting your assignment

Answer 3

1. market research
2. story design
3. making the pitch/sale

Question 4

getting your assignment -> market research

Answer 4

• reading magazines and mastheads, looking for senior editor, assistant editor, assigning editors and approach them with ideas
• understand mandates and audience (read ads to understand audience)
• in-house vs. freelance
• build a market profile
• understand the magazine value chain

Question 5

getting your assignment -> story design

Answer 5

• understand your offer/what you bring to the table (ie. languages you speak, where you’ve been, etc.)
• refine your ideas: inspiration/curiosity -> what motivates me?; “the peg” -> why do we have to talk about this now?; do-ability -> who do I need to talk to? Where do I need to go?; final assessment -> do you have the 3 above parts? Is there a market for your idea? etc.

Question 6

getting your assignment -> making the pitch/sale

Answer 6

• understand that the editor has a ton of stuff to think about (budgets, ad sales, legal issues, assigning stories, production schedules, etc.)
• recognize where you stand
• pitch techniques: active openings (start in scene), use of authority and quote to establish why article is relevant, match tone of publication, article’s vital states (how many words, timeframe, etc.), clippings/links of previous work, show them why you’d fit in

Question 7

preparation

Answer 7

1. research/interview prep
2. interview techniques
3. lit tools
4. managing key relationships

Question 8

preparation -> research/interview prep

Answer 8

• know where you’re going, have maps, guides, etc.

- read every other interview about the person, know what questions they talked about and which ones they shut down, etc.

Question 9

preparation -> interview techniques

Answer 9

• be nice, but not ridiculously gracious/obsequious (they have something to gain from this too)
• choose location carefully (create safe space)
• don’t agree to show questions in advance or answers afterwards
• ask about taping before you start taping (let them know they’re on the record)
• be relaxed and conversational
• don’t fill in every awkward silence
• ask off-topic questions to get them going
• talk about yourself to prompt them to talk more about themselves (ie. Truman Capote and Marlon Brandeau)

Question 10

preparation -> lit tools

Answer 10

• character (chosen vs. given qualities)
• setting (political and cultural atmosphere, mood, sensibility, attitudes)
• style of magazine (ie. New Yorker has different style/tone than Vice)
• active beginnings (characters in a simple situation, character + desire + obtacles = stakes, uncertainty, reader tension)
• critical scenes and capsize moments (arrive somewhere/accomplish something - Mark Twain, contribute to understanding - Ursula LeGuin)
• narrative shapes and forms (ie. Freytag’s pyramid)

Question 11

preparation -> managing key relationships (aka being easy to work with)

Answer 11

• editorial: get stories in on time
• art: respond promptly
• fact-checking: give them transcripts and notes to facilitate their job
• legal/accounting: sign their agreements

Question 12

3 freelance commandments

Answer 12

• be on time (deadline-wise)
• be on word count
• be on topic (listen to editor’s initial requirements/ideas)

Question 13

promoting your work

Answer 13

• tell all your friends what you wrote once it’s been published
• after publication, compile links to your articles on your website