Tag Archives: print writing

Print Writing: Improving Your Voice

By on May 7th, 2013

Writing for print is tricky in a number of ways, but one of the most important–and the most difficult–is having a strong voice and being able to adapt it to the style of the publication you are querying. Some writers may already have a voice that they use and are comfortable with. That’s a great thing, but there is typically one problem that goes along with that…they stop improving it. If you have a “voice” that you have cultivated, don’t assume that it will grow and develop on its own. You have to nurture it, and you have to allow …

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Posted in Magazine Writing |

Print Writing: Getting The Goods

By on May 8th, 2012

Today we have a few tips for “getting the goods” in print writing. Let’s begin with finding guidelines so you can craft a query… Getting The Guidelines When you are writing for print, the guidelines for the publication are the golden rule you need to follow. Problem is…not every magazine puts these on the web for you. So where do you find them? Here are the two things I do most often: + Send an e-mail and ask for them. Keep this simple. Don’t go on about yourself or send half-baked pitches. Simply request guidelines and thank the person for …

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Posted in Magazine Writing |

5 Great New Year’s Goals For Print Writers

By on January 7th, 2012

Happy New Year to all of you out there! May 2012 be fruitful! Today we’re going to talk about setting some goals that relate directly to a career in writing for print. Starting the NY off right can set the tone for the entire year, so it pays off to do a little “leg work” on the front end of things. Here are five great goals to pencil into January that will help you get set up: 1. Re-tool your resume(s). Freshen up all of your resumes and include any print writing credits you haven’t yet added from last year. …

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Print Writing And The Holidays

By on December 7th, 2011

If you are trying to break into print writing, the holiday season can be friend or foe, depending on how you use it. Over the years it has been my experience that trying to query in the period from Thanksgiving until around the Superbowl is a huge waste of time. That said, you can use that time to get your foot in the door if you are smart. This time of year editors tend to work ahead or put things off until there is more time. Queries move to the bottom of the “important” list, and your chances are not …

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Posted in Magazine Writing |

A Pep Talk For Print Writers

By on July 7th, 2011

Hello hello! How about some good news? Today, instead of telling you ten thousand things you need to make sure that you are doing, or emphasizing how difficult it is to break into writing for print, I’m simply going to encourage you. That’s right. Today is a pep talk! I was not a good writer when I began. Seriously. I was pretty average, used cliches, and I made a ton of stupid mistakes. Still, here I am, many years later. Writing. I’m stubborn and I wanted it badly. If you have tenacity and patience–I’m here to tell you–you probably can …

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An Introduction To Writing For Print

By on March 7th, 2010

First let me take a moment to introduce myself. My name is Catherine–and the plan is for me to share some information with you about my experience with writing for print. I have been a full-time writer for many years, and have had my writing published in national, regional and trade magazines, as well as newspapers, books and custom publications. I have also written text for calenders and planners. If it’s one thing I love it’s helping writers avoid making some of the mistakes that I did along the way. So why should you listen to me? I’ll give you three reasons: I …

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Posted in Freelance Writing Business, Magazine Writing |

How to Get Paid Well Writing for Trade Magazines that Don’t Pay Well

By on November 20th, 2008

Writing articles for trade magazines can be fun. In some cases, those trade magazines can pay very well, but in others (generally with smaller audiences) the pay can be downright dismal. After seeing a complaint along those lines yesterday on a writing forum, I decided to share a quick tip for how you can write for those lower-paying trade publications, and make out much better than the rates they advertise for freelance writers. The key is ghostwriting. Yes, I know not everyone is a fan of ghostwriting. I’m not always crazy about it myself, but given that I do a …

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Posted in Magazine Writing |