Writing for Magazines Flashcards
(13 cards)
pros
meet interesting people, go interesting places, do interesting things, get paid to write, explore interests, work from home, etc.
cons
low barriers to entry -> high competition, the internet effect -> declining ad rates, pressure on fees -> lower incomes
getting your assignment
- market research
- story design
- making the pitch/sale
getting your assignment -> market research
- 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
getting your assignment -> story design
- 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.
getting your assignment -> making the pitch/sale
- 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
preparation
- research/interview prep
- interview techniques
- lit tools
- managing key relationships
preparation -> research/interview prep
- 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.
preparation -> interview techniques
- 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)
preparation -> lit tools
- 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)
preparation -> managing key relationships (aka being easy to work with)
- 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
3 freelance commandments
- be on time (deadline-wise)
- be on word count
- be on topic (listen to editor’s initial requirements/ideas)
promoting your work
- tell all your friends what you wrote once it’s been published
- after publication, compile links to your articles on your website
