Handbook Of Magazine Article Writing   Nookbook

WRITER’S DIGEST HANDBOOK OF MAGAZINE ARTICLE WRITING ALL NEW SECOND EDITION! E DITED BY M ICHELLE R UBERG I NTRODUCTION BY B E N Y AGODA WRITER’S DIGEST BOOKS Cincinnati, Ohio www.writersdigest.com Writer’s Digest Handbook of Magazine Article Writing. 姝 2005 by Writer’s Digest Books. Manufactured in the United States of America. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means including information storage and retrieval systems without permission in writing from the publisher, except by a reviewer, who may quote brief passages in a review. Published by Writer’s Digest Books, an imprint of F+W Publications, Inc., 4700 East Galbraith Road, Cincinnati, OH 45236. (800) 289-0963. Second edition. Visit our Web site at www.writersdigest.com for information on more resources for writers. To receive a free weekly e-mail newsletter delivering tips and updates about writing and about Writer’s Digest products, register directly at our Web site at http://newsletters.fwpub lications.com. 09 08 07 06 05 5 4 3 2 1 Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Writer’s Digest handbook of magazine article writing / edited by Michelle Ruberg; introduction by Ben Yagoda.—All new 2nd ed. p. cm. Includes index. ISBN 1-58297-333-4 (alk. paper)—ISBN 1-58297-334-2 (pbk. : alk. paper) ISBN-13: 978-1-58297-687-7 (EPUB) 1. Journalism—Authorship. 2. Feature writing. I. Title: Handbook of magazine article writing. II. Ruberg, Michelle. III. Writer’s Digest Books (Firm). PN147.W67 2005 808⬘ .02—dc22 Edited by Michelle Ruberg Designed by Terri Eubanks Cover designed by Nick Gliebe at Design Matters Production coordinated by Robin Richie 2004043079 CIP FOREWORD BY KRISTIN GODSEY vii INTRODUCTION BY BEN YAGODA 1 CHAPTER ONE: FINDING IDEAS 6 Great Ways to Generate Ideas Idea Matrix The Art of Anniversaries Evergreen Topics Look for Ideas in New Ways Editors and Ideas 6 10 12 14 15 18 QUERYING 22 Know the Magazine Writing Effective Query Letters Other Query Considerations E-Querying Final E-Query Suggestions Take Cover Follow-Up Queries 23 26 29 31 35 36 40 SELLING REPRINTS AND REWRITES 44 Reprints Finding Markets for Your Reprints Sending Your Original Article Writing a Reprint Cover Letter Making Changes to Your Original Rewrites Looking From the Rights Perspective How to Set Yourself Up for a Reprint 44 45 47 47 50 50 52 53 CHAPTER TWO: CHAPTER THREE: CHAPTER FOUR: FINDING MARKETS 56 Magazines Most Open to New Writers A Growing Market Writing for Local vs. National Publications Markets to Consider Women’s Magazines 56 58 61 63 63 Trade Journals Travel Writing Custom Publications History Magazines Health Magazines Home and Garden Magazines In-Flight Magazines Ethnic Magazines Children’s Magazines E-Publishing CHAPTER FIVE: CHAPTER SIX: CHAPTER SEVEN: CHAPTER EIGHT: 66 68 72 73 75 76 78 79 80 84 RESEARCHING 87 Tackling Any Topic Finding Experts Making Your Research Go the Distance Organizing Information 87 89 94 94 INTERVIEWING 97 Interviewing Strategy Scheduling Interviews Conducting the Interview Handling Difficult Interviews E-Interviews Putting It All Together 97 98 100 104 109 114 AVOIDING PROBLEMS 115 Foolproofing Your Process Avoiding Plagiarism Libel Rules for Quoting A Final Check 115 118 120 121 123 WRITING TECHNIQUES AND REVISION 126 The Overview Focus and Struct