Dire writing standards in GA magazines
Thread Starter
Not so N, but still FG
Joined: May 2000
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From: London, UK
Dire writing standards in GA magazines
Is there, in fact, just one bloke who writes all of the aircraft reviews in the GA rags? I picture him as a wearer of knobbly cardigans, and a smoker of pipes. His purple prose is illuminated by passages such as these, found in every review, of every aeroplane, in every magazine:-
"climbed like a homesick angel"
"I chopped the throttle and let the speed bleed off"
"push forward and the cows get bigger"
"floated over the numbers"
and, of course, the classic "trickle of power"
May I be permitted to say ARRRRRRRRRGGGGGHHHH?
"climbed like a homesick angel"
"I chopped the throttle and let the speed bleed off"
"push forward and the cows get bigger"
"floated over the numbers"
and, of course, the classic "trickle of power"
May I be permitted to say ARRRRRRRRRGGGGGHHHH?
Joined: Jan 2003
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From: SX in SX in UK
Wasn't it Adolf Galland who coined the phrase 'climbed like a home-sick angel' when referring to the Me 262?
Perhaps we could have a competition for the best spoof review which must contain as many cliches as possible.
'I chopped the throttle and the number of cows got bigger'
Perhaps we could have a competition for the best spoof review which must contain as many cliches as possible.
'I chopped the throttle and the number of cows got bigger'
Thread Starter
Not so N, but still FG
Joined: May 2000
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From: London, UK
Galland may well have said that of a swept wing super fast Ur-jet . Nowadays bloke in cardigan says it of some wheezy spamcan. What shall we offer as a prize for the contest? A homesick cow?
Joined: Oct 1999
Posts: 3,325
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From: UK
Na, FNG. If that was on offer, I'd be there first
The way it works (at least in my experience) is that you find yourself a ride in a Spit or a Yak, then you write it up and see if an editor wants to publish it. If it is well written, with good photos, the editor will buy. If it's a very interesting piece but not well written, the editor will edit it (maybe he smokes a pipe and wears a knobbly cardy??
).
If you owned a 2-seat Spit or tailwheel Yak would you give someone a free ride just so they could write up a mag article? If you do own such a machine, and you would like to see a write-up in one of the mags, PM me. I promise a cliche-free article
SSD
The way it works (at least in my experience) is that you find yourself a ride in a Spit or a Yak, then you write it up and see if an editor wants to publish it. If it is well written, with good photos, the editor will buy. If it's a very interesting piece but not well written, the editor will edit it (maybe he smokes a pipe and wears a knobbly cardy??
).If you owned a 2-seat Spit or tailwheel Yak would you give someone a free ride just so they could write up a mag article? If you do own such a machine, and you would like to see a write-up in one of the mags, PM me. I promise a cliche-free article
SSD
Joined: Jul 2003
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From: Reading
FNG, I agree with your sentiments. Especially the cardy wearing pipe smoker, possibly with sandals with white socks to finish the ensemble.
The other thing that I find incredibly annoying is when theres a review for an aircraft, and lo and behold, there it is in the classified ads in the back
The other thing that I find incredibly annoying is when theres a review for an aircraft, and lo and behold, there it is in the classified ads in the back
Joined: Oct 1999
Posts: 3,325
Likes: 2
From: UK
Boing_737, I think that happens because owners of unusual aeroplanes have no motivation to offer them to mag reviewers unless they wish to sell the aeroplane. If the reviewer is fair in their assessment, that shouldn't matter.
The same situation applies with the more usual source of flight test subjects; a dealer or agent for a current type offering it to a mag for flight test. The object here is to get the type onto the radar of the readers, some of whom may be potential purchasers of that type.
Same thing really; publicity.
SSD
The same situation applies with the more usual source of flight test subjects; a dealer or agent for a current type offering it to a mag for flight test. The object here is to get the type onto the radar of the readers, some of whom may be potential purchasers of that type.
Same thing really; publicity.
SSD
Joined: Aug 2001
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From: Edge of the fens
SSD - just out of interest, how does one go about offering a write up to the magazines? Are they receptive to cold calling? I ask, as I recently passed my Skills Test and got some good feedback from people on here and FlyPast who'd read it, some of who said they'd found it a useful read prior to taking their own ST. As I also plan to do my tailwheel rating later ths summer and have a habit of doing write-ups anyway, I'm just wondering whether my ramblings may be of interest to anyone?
BeauMan
BeauMan
The Original Whirly
Joined: Feb 1999
Aviation Qualifications: CPL
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From: Belper, Derbyshire, UK
Beauman,
Both Flyer and Pilot have info for writers; it's probably on their respective websites. Today's Pilot may do too; I just haven't written for them so I don't know. That'll give you an idea of what they want, length etc. You can either just send something to them (enclose SAE if you want it back), or phone first - I've usually found them pretty receptive to phone calls.
Both Flyer and Pilot have info for writers; it's probably on their respective websites. Today's Pilot may do too; I just haven't written for them so I don't know. That'll give you an idea of what they want, length etc. You can either just send something to them (enclose SAE if you want it back), or phone first - I've usually found them pretty receptive to phone calls.
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 125
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From: West London
SSD's right - if you think you can do better, write an article and send it in. I sent one 'cold' to all 3 mags and had it published in 'Flyer'. I found Nick Wall very helpful in explaining the tweaking he needed in order to publish (without resort to laywers) and I earned enough to buy a decent GPS. (Although I've since spent it on booze).
Looking forward to seeing your article...
Looking forward to seeing your article...
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The other thing that I find incredibly annoying is when theres a review for an aircraft, and lo and behold, there it is in the classified ads in the back
Nice plane though.
