Writing for the magazines

[Pronto]

Here's one for the magazine editors (and their contributors) who frequent this Forum.

Do you usually expect to receive a proposal for an article beforehand, or do you expect a potential contributor to research and write an article and then submit it "blind". The drawback to this latter approach being that the hapless contributor won't know what other articles the editor is currently considering so there's a possibility of duplication.

Assuming that you do welcome proposals, do you always reply and what do you expect to see in the proposal?

P

[skydriller]

Pronto, have seen the reply from Flyer Ed on the other Mag article thread here (http://www.pprune.org/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=118547&perpage=15&pagenumber=2)

Give them a call and ask, best of luck with it.

regards, SD..

[KCDW]

When I did my article for Flyer, I sent in a very short precis and some sample photos (photos are very important I think). They wanted to see more pics. I sent them, and then they said write it up. Suggest you do this, rather than write up and get disappointed.

They gave me an indication of the number of words they were looking for, but left the rest up to me. 99% of what I wrote remained in the final article, so I was very pleased.

Didn't ask for or get any reimbursement ;) , would have thought it was worth a year's free subscription or something, but there you go. Some have hinted on these forums that it might be worth asking....

[Whirlybird]

KCDW,

You should get paid for articles. Some mags are very slow with payment, and it can even get forgotten, but I'd suggest you phone or email and ask.

[formationfoto]

Approach the relevant editor with a clearly thought out idea and treatment. You need to demonstrate that you can write informatively and interestingly and you also need to have considered how to illustrate the article.

The editors tend to get quite a bit of stuff on spec and dont always get time to read it all. What is really important to them is that you can deliver quality, on time, to a clear brief.

You should also expect to get paid if your articles are good enough. Certainly the mag I am involved in does not engage in vanity publishing and will only publish material which creates interest for the reader and therefore is worth paying for.

So in summary:

Find an interesting article

Write it well and to the spec agreed with the ed

Make sure you have good pics

Get paid

Dont expect to live on the proceeds unless you can keep delivering the goods.

[Timothy]

Flyer, who I write for from time to time, pay on invoice. I think they take the attitude that if you don't send an invoice they assume that you don't want paying (a thoroughly reasonable attitude, prevalent in business.) They have a rate of so much per 1000 words and so much per piccy, so it is easy to calculate what the invoice should be.

And I reiterate the comments above. Send them an eMail saying what the article is to be about and they will yeah or nay in principle, reserving the right to nay if they are not happy with the final result.

It is a long while since I wrote for anyone but Flyer, so I can't speak for any others, but Ian Seager (and Nick of happy memory) are/were jolly nice chaps and are easy to approach.

[jumpseater]

I've written a couple of articles for non aviation hobby mags and illustrated them with photos too. They have paid around £25 per page, so it may well get you a few beer tokens for your trouble.

Another criteria they look for is an enthusiasm for the subject matter so the article is readable by all the purchasers, and not too 'dry'. I also found that if the editors like what you write, and your style, they will readily accept other work for consideration. They will have a programme of articles already, so if your articles about winter flying for example, time its submission so they can get it into the magazine schedule. I have had work published within two months of submitting it, and requests, (note, not commissions) for similar articles.

[KCDW]

I'll send them a note then!

[Fly Stimulator]

I've just had my first article published in one of this month's mags. That came about after chatting to the magazine's staff at a fly-in and asking if they'd be interested in a trip I was about to do.

They said yes, as long as there were lots of usable photos to go with it. As KCDW says, pictures do seem to be vital; leaden prose can always be edited, but it's harder to conjure pictures out of thin air.

[Whirlybird]

FS,

And an excellent article it was too, if it's the one I think it is. :ok: