JPF Home Page Forums Creative Arts Forums Creative Writing Forum Finding Publishers 101

Oh-- and PS-- thank you for your patience, and I'm glad to answer. Glad you don't mind piecemeal, either!
They're good questions, and I'm sure you're not the only one who'd like the answers.

Onward!
Question #2:
"Regarding the "letter/query" page to the editor. I have read that it's helpful to include a brief description of what you plan to write....this way, if they like the tone/idea/timing, etc, you can proceed with the article, and if not, you haven't wasted any time. My problem is that I tend to just write an article in the general 750-1000 word ballpark, and send it out as is. Do the publishers pooh-pooh this approach, as it makes it harder to edit a completed piece? I would think either they'd like it or not, and if they did, it would just be a little tweaking...."

A:
Here you're asking more about nonfiction article writing, which I have less experience with than the fiction market. But from what I understand, those short articles you're talking about can MOST LIKELY just be sent out as-is.

It would probably be sad to spend, say, 40 hours researching and writing an article on pumpkin carving for a big-name magazine that you haven't even queried yet. They may have someone else doing their annual carving deal already, or want a different angle than you took, or whatever. That's the kind of thing you really, really want to query about before diving into the work that will be involved.... you want it pre-sold to make sure it will be worth your efforts. I just wouldn't send out a 5,000 word article (or more) with no idea whether the target magazine even needs anything on the topic. But you're talking about something different.

It's my understanding that most commercial magazines REALLY need short filler pieces to take up that blank white space staring them in the face. This makes your SHORT, 100 to 1000 word pieces very appealing and much easier to sell. I've also heard a thousand times over that "HUMOR SELLS!" so if you can write funny, short and to the point you should have a good shot at getting it out there. And you're right--they will either like it, and have a spot for it, or they won't. Easy.

Another small point--you can mail up to 5 pages plus SASE for one first-class stamp in a #10 (long) envelope. This works out to a cover letter and 4 MS pages (1000 words, give or take), so you're not spending a lot of postage mailing them out.

Then it's just a matter of matching up what you're already writing to a viable victim... uh, I mean... candidate... for publishing your work. You know, don't bother sending your inspirational Christian piece to Atheist Weekly. Grin.

Linda

PS: I also understand that, if you have any skill in photography and a decent camera, sometimes sending photos with your articles can be helpful. I don't know much about that, though. Someone on the Photography board might know more. Just a thought!