Break into Magazines by Breaking the Rules
Insider Advice for Writers from Renegade Writer Linda Formichelli
Dec 9, 2008
Linda Formichelli writes for Health, USA Weekend, Fitness, Women’s Health, Multi-Channel Merchant, Target Marketing, Writer’s Digest, and more. Linda co-authored The Renegade Writer: A Totally Unconventional Guide to Freelance Writing Success and The Renegade Writer’s Query Letters That Rock.
In the interview that follows, Linda offers insider tips for breaking into national periodicals and shares what led to her wildly popular books, The Renegade Writer and The Renegade Writer's Query Letters that Rock:
Suite 101: What advice would you give writers trying to break into national magazines?
LF: While it can be tough to break in, don't be discouraged.
The true competition isn't that great: One editor told me that only 10 percent of the writers she's worked with hand in readable articles on deadline. So if you're one of the few who can write fast and well, you'll have a definite edge. I've had editors express glee over the fact that I turned an article in on time -- as if that wasn't one of the basic requirements of the job! If you're professional and persistent, you can make it work.
LF: Don't skimp on info.
You want to give the editor a good idea of the article you envision, so write a lede that looks like a lede you'd use in an article, give stats, examples, and quotes in the body, and end with whatever credits you have, whether it's credits in magazines or an expertise in the subject of the article. And of course, keep in mind that this is just the way *I* write query letters, and it works for me. As you gain experience, you'll find out what makes sense for you. For example, I know some writers don't include expert quotes in their queries, but instead say, "I'll interview experts X, Y, and Z." Whatever works.
LF: Don't be a perfectionist.
I know it can be scary to pitch the nationals, and some writers are so afraid of sending in an imperfect query that they never get their ideas out the door. That's a mistake! There's no such thing as a perfect query. Every editor is different, and every editor has different likes and dislikes. All you can do is write the best query you can, proofread it, close your eyes, and hit the SEND button. Remember, my co-author Diana Burrell and I have both sold queries that had words missing in the very first sentence!
LF: Tell the editor what you CAN do, not what you CAN'T.
Many new writers spill their guts to editors in their queries, saying, "I haven't been published yet, but..." or "I've never written on this topic, but..." or "All my clips are from local magazines, but..." Don't give the editor a reason to say no. Just state what you will do for the editor, and tell her why your idea is right for the magazine and why you're the best person to write it.
LF: Do pitch smaller magazines as well so while you're shooting for the stars, you're also gaining experience and clips.
LF: Avoid ideas that are too broad.
I teach an 8-week e-course on breaking into magazines, and one of the biggest mistakes I see people make is choosing ideas that are too broad. "The Bride's Top 10 Problems -- Solved" is too broad. "The Bride's Top 10 Money Problems -- Solved" is better. Take your idea and see if you can make it more focused by honing in on just a part of it, flipping it on its head and pitching the opposite (like "Bad Foods That Are Good for You," which I wrote for Oxygen), or offering a unique packaging like a Q&A, quiz, or chart.
Suite 101: What led you and co-author, Diana Burrell, to write The Renegade Writer: A Totally Unconventional Guide to Freelance Writing Success and Query Letters that Rock: The Freelance Writer's Guide to Selling More Work Faster? What did you learn from the experience?
LF: I was complaining to an editor of mine about how all the writing books insisted that writers submit one-page query letters, even though longer ones worked better for me. He said, "You should write an article on that." I thought, "Or even better -- a book!"
I roped Diana in to the idea. I sent the proposal to a dozen publishers, and it was rejected by all of them. Then, an editor I used to write for at a printing trade publication e-mailed me and said that he was now the owner of a publishing company that published books for writers, and did I have any ideas? I sure did! I sent him the proposal, and he quickly accepted it. At the time, it was called "Spilling the Beans," but the publisher was afraid people would make fart jokes about it. So Diana, our husbands, and I had a brainstorming session, and Diana's husband came up with the name The Renegade Writer.
Thank you for sharing your experience with the readers of Suite 101.
To learn more about Linda and the writer services she offers, visit www.lindaformichelli.com and The Renegade Writer blog.
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