Disappointing Magazine articles
The Original Whirly
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To any magazine, flying or otherwise:
Always send a SAE, asking for return of your material. Then if you don't hear anything, you can phone and ask if they're thinking about it, or planning to send it back.
Sometimes they're busy, or confused, or plain incompetent. It doesn't necessarily mean they don't want your article. I phoned several months after sending my last one to Pilot; the editor wanted it, and thought he'd told me, and thought I'd been paid. I hadn't heard a thing. Eventually, after another phone call, I got paid, and the article was eventually published nearly a year after I sent it.
I've had automatic acknowledgements, and then never heard anything ever again. One thing you can do is send a stamped postcard with the rest of the material saying: Article and photos received safely on .... That way at least you know they got it.
I've had efficient and inefficient responses/dealings with both the main flying mags, and other mags too. It seems to depend on what else is going on, how busy they are, all sorts of things. But they do get a lot of stuff sent on spec, so unfortunately your precious article is only that important to you. Unless you've been commissioned or done something really unique, I suppose - I wouldn't know about that.
Always send a SAE, asking for return of your material. Then if you don't hear anything, you can phone and ask if they're thinking about it, or planning to send it back.
Sometimes they're busy, or confused, or plain incompetent. It doesn't necessarily mean they don't want your article. I phoned several months after sending my last one to Pilot; the editor wanted it, and thought he'd told me, and thought I'd been paid. I hadn't heard a thing. Eventually, after another phone call, I got paid, and the article was eventually published nearly a year after I sent it.
I've had automatic acknowledgements, and then never heard anything ever again. One thing you can do is send a stamped postcard with the rest of the material saying: Article and photos received safely on .... That way at least you know they got it.
I've had efficient and inefficient responses/dealings with both the main flying mags, and other mags too. It seems to depend on what else is going on, how busy they are, all sorts of things. But they do get a lot of stuff sent on spec, so unfortunately your precious article is only that important to you. Unless you've been commissioned or done something really unique, I suppose - I wouldn't know about that.
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My real bone of contention is the lack of accuracy, knowledge, checking, background that seems to be endemic in these articles.
I think it's great that people send in unsolicited articles- if only to reduce the density of stuff from 'the usual suspects' but the quality of this stuff is so poor that it beggars believe!!
Take the latest issue of Flyer (just for the sake of argument - it could actually be any of them)
The 'flight tester' (or do I mean free ride blagger?), compares the directional stability of the aircraft (a Hornet Moth) with a Sopwith Triplane!!!!! What!!!!
Then there is an article extolling the virtues of 450kg microlights, actually largely the reason I picked up the magazine. The 'technical data' boxes have a variety of data - none of it the same and some of it 'the authors estimates'. but of course none of it useful for any level of comparison.
Then to compound the idiocy it completely fails to mention that these aircraft are subject to a compulsory 5 year re-weighing requirement which for several of the types will be extremely difficult for them to meet. (At least two of the type prototypes weighed in at 1 kg under the maximum legally allowed airframe weight). Given the inevitable weight growth of aircraft, these types are likely to have real problems in the future - and this is completely ignored!!!!
What hapened to articles that actually had an element of usefulness / trustworthiness etc???
I think it's great that people send in unsolicited articles- if only to reduce the density of stuff from 'the usual suspects' but the quality of this stuff is so poor that it beggars believe!!
Take the latest issue of Flyer (just for the sake of argument - it could actually be any of them)
The 'flight tester' (or do I mean free ride blagger?), compares the directional stability of the aircraft (a Hornet Moth) with a Sopwith Triplane!!!!! What!!!!
Then there is an article extolling the virtues of 450kg microlights, actually largely the reason I picked up the magazine. The 'technical data' boxes have a variety of data - none of it the same and some of it 'the authors estimates'. but of course none of it useful for any level of comparison.
Then to compound the idiocy it completely fails to mention that these aircraft are subject to a compulsory 5 year re-weighing requirement which for several of the types will be extremely difficult for them to meet. (At least two of the type prototypes weighed in at 1 kg under the maximum legally allowed airframe weight). Given the inevitable weight growth of aircraft, these types are likely to have real problems in the future - and this is completely ignored!!!!
What hapened to articles that actually had an element of usefulness / trustworthiness etc???
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What hapened to articles that actually had an element of usefulness / trustworthiness etc???
There is almost never any meaningful criticism (which might jeopardise the chance of a jolly in the wonderplane that someone else is trying to flog), and absolutely never any discussion of ownership issues - maintenance problems, AD's, availability of spares, etc.
As for the 450kg microlight "tests", they are a bit of a joke. Pilot has someone who likes having goes in them when he goes on holiday, but sometimes he clearly gets no more than a 30 minute demonstration. There's never too much embarassing discussion about the weight issue (usually it's a comment about how it's soon going to be possible to certify it at 560kg (in America....)), or analysis of the reasons why these machines so rarely seem to be certified in the UK.
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Interesting point there - does a magazine publish the unvarnished truth and never sell any advertising or get access to an aeroplane again, or do they publish only what the salesmen want to see and let their readers down.
Similarly, look at the websites for the C42 and Jabiru, the companies decline to state the actual take-off distances, just the ground roll. So the author has estimated values - should he not do so, and instead state "not available"?
Does either the editor or writer want to get sued for pointing out that the Jabiru and CT may well be grounded after 5 years due to being overweight, yet the price is potentially bland prose.
Who knows
P
Similarly, look at the websites for the C42 and Jabiru, the companies decline to state the actual take-off distances, just the ground roll. So the author has estimated values - should he not do so, and instead state "not available"?
Does either the editor or writer want to get sued for pointing out that the Jabiru and CT may well be grounded after 5 years due to being overweight, yet the price is potentially bland prose.
Who knows
P
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Well...
It's getting late, I'm tired and I probably shouldn't be writing this..but hey...no point in having a magazine if you can't have a bit of fun from time to time...
If a couple of you out there want to see what life on an aviation magazine is like then why not spend a day or two with the team in the (Bath) office? Drop me an email and I'll arrange something.
[email protected]
Ian
PS I'm away for most of the next two weeks, so if it isn't all arranged in that time please don't complain too much
If a couple of you out there want to see what life on an aviation magazine is like then why not spend a day or two with the team in the (Bath) office? Drop me an email and I'll arrange something.
[email protected]
Ian
PS I'm away for most of the next two weeks, so if it isn't all arranged in that time please don't complain too much
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The problem with aviation mags in this country is that the vast majority of the content is produced by amateur writers. I've lost count of the number of times I've started reading some article, only to lose interest by the second paragraph.
Pilot recently made some attractive changes to its appearance, but still persists in filling up space with long rambling accounts of PPL trips abroad. Quality of writing within the US magazines is far superior.
Pilot recently made some attractive changes to its appearance, but still persists in filling up space with long rambling accounts of PPL trips abroad. Quality of writing within the US magazines is far superior.
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Hmmmmm well writing eh? Funny game...
The fact is that due to time or other constraints of the features I write in a year and there are a lot of em (let's see Rimmer News, Rimmer American News, Rimmer European Airport News, Rimmer UK Airport News and Rimmer American Airport News). I dunno off the top of my head hmmm ok let's say...oh... eight to ten a month (which dosent sound like much but then theres news and interviews and what not)
I'm probably really truly happy with no more than four or five...a year. Which either means I'm really not very good at it or I have high standards...I'm not sure which ...but guesss what when I talk to colleagues and the wine is flowing that's pretty much what everyone says...
Here's another thing...
In defence of the GA colleagues I have the advantage of having a readership base witha a fairly uniform knowlege level - so there's no need to explain things to those that need it at the risk of hacking of those who already know it. The same cannot be said of a newstand/general public based readership and that needs to be taken into account.
and another...
Folks submitting articles....it's like this... most people think they can write - most people are wrong. Writing is a craft like any other and has skills which have to be learned. Honestly, some of stuff we get is appalling beyond belief. In fact if one of our folks produced it would be frank chat with NO biscuits time. (no matter HOW much weapons training they've had WO79 ...ya havent got yer SA80 now and I'm not scared of your exploding sandwich either).
Moving on, just because you send something in (OK it's different if it is comissioned) you are in effect touting for business in the same way that a mailshot or an insert in a magazine is after your business. You don't reply to mailshot unless they want to buy right? Why should this be any different? (actuallly I don't think the "but I worked really hard on this" arguement stands up here since the mailshot folks work really hard on their fliers too).
Finally...
I read and enjoy ther three main GA rags and there isa good stuff in all of them - of course not all of it is interesting to me but I accept that
Ref Flying yeas there is some really excellent stuff in it - in many ways It is a benchmark but I can't help thinking that it takes itself just a wee bit too seriously and as a consequence tends to be almost without humour (Ahhh Bax where are you now?)
Ah well chunter over back to writing
The fact is that due to time or other constraints of the features I write in a year and there are a lot of em (let's see Rimmer News, Rimmer American News, Rimmer European Airport News, Rimmer UK Airport News and Rimmer American Airport News). I dunno off the top of my head hmmm ok let's say...oh... eight to ten a month (which dosent sound like much but then theres news and interviews and what not)
I'm probably really truly happy with no more than four or five...a year. Which either means I'm really not very good at it or I have high standards...I'm not sure which ...but guesss what when I talk to colleagues and the wine is flowing that's pretty much what everyone says...
Here's another thing...
In defence of the GA colleagues I have the advantage of having a readership base witha a fairly uniform knowlege level - so there's no need to explain things to those that need it at the risk of hacking of those who already know it. The same cannot be said of a newstand/general public based readership and that needs to be taken into account.
and another...
Folks submitting articles....it's like this... most people think they can write - most people are wrong. Writing is a craft like any other and has skills which have to be learned. Honestly, some of stuff we get is appalling beyond belief. In fact if one of our folks produced it would be frank chat with NO biscuits time. (no matter HOW much weapons training they've had WO79 ...ya havent got yer SA80 now and I'm not scared of your exploding sandwich either).
Moving on, just because you send something in (OK it's different if it is comissioned) you are in effect touting for business in the same way that a mailshot or an insert in a magazine is after your business. You don't reply to mailshot unless they want to buy right? Why should this be any different? (actuallly I don't think the "but I worked really hard on this" arguement stands up here since the mailshot folks work really hard on their fliers too).
Finally...
I read and enjoy ther three main GA rags and there isa good stuff in all of them - of course not all of it is interesting to me but I accept that
Ref Flying yeas there is some really excellent stuff in it - in many ways It is a benchmark but I can't help thinking that it takes itself just a wee bit too seriously and as a consequence tends to be almost without humour (Ahhh Bax where are you now?)
Ah well chunter over back to writing
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Apart from when i am really bored at the flying school I don't read them. Much prefer a new Scientist.
Reason:
I am the worlds worst spotter. if i haven't flown it I don't have a clue what the type is or what it does. Apart from making educated guess as to if it is going to be slower or faster than me and what the wake turb is going to be like.
During bad wx I sat down and read 1985 through to 1990. All the articles today just seem to be reruns of the articles in those 5 years. GPS have a few more buttons to push. John Farley is a bit more weathered but at least produces original interesting articles.
Readership is always going to be cyclic with people dropping off as the topics get recycled
So now I read John Farleys words of wisdom and see if the free landing vouchers are worth using and thats it.
MJ
Reason:
I am the worlds worst spotter. if i haven't flown it I don't have a clue what the type is or what it does. Apart from making educated guess as to if it is going to be slower or faster than me and what the wake turb is going to be like.
During bad wx I sat down and read 1985 through to 1990. All the articles today just seem to be reruns of the articles in those 5 years. GPS have a few more buttons to push. John Farley is a bit more weathered but at least produces original interesting articles.
Readership is always going to be cyclic with people dropping off as the topics get recycled
So now I read John Farleys words of wisdom and see if the free landing vouchers are worth using and thats it.
MJ
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I can't remeber which magazine it was a few months ago had a statement on the front cover along the lines of "Financing your Training". I was in a rush and just grabbed the magazine off the shelves, paid and ran for my train.
I was very disappointed to find the title referred to one letter on the letters page where the response had been about where to get a career development loan.
I found that most disappointing as the header on the cover implied that there would be an article, or at least some useful information to utilise/resaerch. My cynical side wonders how many magazine were sold on the basis of this header as wannabe's continually search for the answers to their problems. I shouldn't need to flick through a magazine to see if the heading relates to an article or just a few words of an answer to a letter.
Rant over
Obs cop
I was very disappointed to find the title referred to one letter on the letters page where the response had been about where to get a career development loan.
I found that most disappointing as the header on the cover implied that there would be an article, or at least some useful information to utilise/resaerch. My cynical side wonders how many magazine were sold on the basis of this header as wannabe's continually search for the answers to their problems. I shouldn't need to flick through a magazine to see if the heading relates to an article or just a few words of an answer to a letter.
Rant over
Obs cop
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Obs cop, I know exactly what you mean!
On a similar note, one of the mags is advertising that in next month's issue there will be an article on becoming a professional pilot. Finally - all will be revealed
Edit: Obs cop, now I come to think of it, I know the one you're talking about and if I remember rightly, I too was intigued by the headline only to be disappointed.
On a similar note, one of the mags is advertising that in next month's issue there will be an article on becoming a professional pilot. Finally - all will be revealed
Edit: Obs cop, now I come to think of it, I know the one you're talking about and if I remember rightly, I too was intigued by the headline only to be disappointed.
Last edited by No. 2; 5th Sep 2003 at 18:35.
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The problem seems to be that there is a limited amount of (recycled) information available for articles - or is there?
I first got into writing by thinking exactly the same - all the existing articles are boring and I could do better. So I wrote a few and they were all rejected - however I came up with an idea that was slightly different to the norm, it was accepted and I've had a few different articles printed since. It also pays to see what's topical at the moment.
I agree with some of you in that a lot of writing can be bad and editors can't get through all the stuff they're sent - however if you can come up with an original idea, speak to the editor first and they can give you help and advice.
A good original idea and you should be laughing and helping improve the mags!
I first got into writing by thinking exactly the same - all the existing articles are boring and I could do better. So I wrote a few and they were all rejected - however I came up with an idea that was slightly different to the norm, it was accepted and I've had a few different articles printed since. It also pays to see what's topical at the moment.
I agree with some of you in that a lot of writing can be bad and editors can't get through all the stuff they're sent - however if you can come up with an original idea, speak to the editor first and they can give you help and advice.
A good original idea and you should be laughing and helping improve the mags!
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I subscribe to both Pilot and Flyer and enjoy both. If I had any real complaints, then I would no longer be a subscriber. I think that's the key point here. If you don't like what a magazine has to offer, or feel that it is misleading you in some way, then don't buy it.
Leaving aside stating the bleedin' obvious, I do have one minor gripe. There isn't enough opinion, or enough writers who are opinionated. I suspect that it amounts to the same thing. A bit of controversy; a smidgen of confrontation; a soupcon of provocation; something that stimulates lively debate - these things give a magazine more of a pulse. Imagine how dull PPRunE would be if every thread discussed what a lovely day it is and just how great aeroplanes are. More establishment-bashing would suit me just fine.
Leaving aside stating the bleedin' obvious, I do have one minor gripe. There isn't enough opinion, or enough writers who are opinionated. I suspect that it amounts to the same thing. A bit of controversy; a smidgen of confrontation; a soupcon of provocation; something that stimulates lively debate - these things give a magazine more of a pulse. Imagine how dull PPRunE would be if every thread discussed what a lovely day it is and just how great aeroplanes are. More establishment-bashing would suit me just fine.
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The PFA and BMAA bi monthly magazines are available to members of those organisations and BOTH are a very good read - techie stuff, real life stories, affordable classifieds.
Great stuff
Great stuff
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I find it interesting that our UK magazines are called Pilot, Flyer and Todays Pilot. For me that suggests lifestyle magazines e.g. Woman, Elle etc (the implication of the title, not content that is.)
The one I read is from the US and is called Flying. That to me suggests an activity based title - ie read this and learn about aviating.
I've no beef with IanS or any other of the publishers since they obviously understand the formula that works for their titles, but the UK mags just don't do it for me, so I don't buy them anymore.
The one I read is from the US and is called Flying. That to me suggests an activity based title - ie read this and learn about aviating.
I've no beef with IanS or any other of the publishers since they obviously understand the formula that works for their titles, but the UK mags just don't do it for me, so I don't buy them anymore.
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I take back everything I said!
Following my earlier posts, I had an e-mail from the editor of Flyer apologising for not replying and offering to re-read my article. He then followed that with an intelligent, thoughtful and extremely helpful critique offering suggestions for revision and an informative Editor's perspective.
So the moral of the story is, Nick Wall is a top bloke and Flyer makes the other GA mags look like TV Quick.
PS The latest issue is on the shelves now and it's a corker. Available from all good newsagents and even some bad ones.
Following my earlier posts, I had an e-mail from the editor of Flyer apologising for not replying and offering to re-read my article. He then followed that with an intelligent, thoughtful and extremely helpful critique offering suggestions for revision and an informative Editor's perspective.
So the moral of the story is, Nick Wall is a top bloke and Flyer makes the other GA mags look like TV Quick.
PS The latest issue is on the shelves now and it's a corker. Available from all good newsagents and even some bad ones.
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PS The latest issue is on the shelves now and it's a corker. Available from all good newsagents and even some bad ones.
Well, my subcription copy of Flyer hasn't arrived yet...... I thought subscriber's were supposed to get theirs before it appears in the shops?
There isn't enough opinion, or enough writers who are opinionated. I suspect that it amounts to the same thing. A bit of controversy; a smidgen of confrontation; a soupcon of provocation; something that stimulates lively debate - these things give a magazine more of a pulse.
This seems to be typical of the PC times we live in, especially where mags are owned by mega publishing corporations. When James Gilbert owned and published 'Pilot', he was his own boss and held strong opinions - which often came through in the mag. It wasn't everyone's cup of tea, but it sure was mine.
SSD
Well, my subcription copy of Flyer hasn't arrived yet...... I thought subscriber's were supposed to get theirs before it appears in the shops?
There isn't enough opinion, or enough writers who are opinionated. I suspect that it amounts to the same thing. A bit of controversy; a smidgen of confrontation; a soupcon of provocation; something that stimulates lively debate - these things give a magazine more of a pulse.
This seems to be typical of the PC times we live in, especially where mags are owned by mega publishing corporations. When James Gilbert owned and published 'Pilot', he was his own boss and held strong opinions - which often came through in the mag. It wasn't everyone's cup of tea, but it sure was mine.
SSD