Getting Published in Magazines and Newspapers

I know there are many of you out there who would love to see your writing in print but you're not sure how to make it happen. Questions race through your mind: "Don't I have to be a journalist to write for newspapers and magazines, or don't I have to be an English major to write a book?" Well I guess it wouldn't hurt, but they are not prerequisites by any means. All you need is a topic, initiative and a little imagination.

The first thing to consider is the topic you want to write about. It should be something that you 1) are familiar with, which will help with the quality and substance, and 2) enjoy, since it is so much easier to write about things you like.

So now that you have chosen a topic - let's say for sake of explanation it the history of Barbie dolls - you should decide where you want to publish it. Writer's Market is a good guide for finding the right publications to target for your writing. For instance, there are a number of collector and doll magazines listed here that could be potential publishers of your piece. The only thing that might be a hindrance here is that many of these publications are looking for experienced writers and if you don't have published work samples it can be a bit difficult to sell your story. An easier option for someone starting out would be to pitch your story to a local community newspaper or magazine. They are often eager to work with local writers and it's a great place to get your work published to generate the clips you may need to show to larger publications for future stories.

Once you have sold the story it's time to begin developing a plan of action for writing it. A good way to start is by creating main subject areas that you want to cover in the story. For instance:

• How Barbie was created.
• How she has changed over the years.
• What about Ken
• Barbies of different color
• The (supermodel) figure issue
• How Barbie has endured for so long

I am sure there are plenty of other topic areas you can think of, and once you have the ones you want to cover you can begin developing questions. This is where it really helps to have interest in the topic. If you are curious about the subject you're writing about you will be more apt to ask more questions and more detailed questions. This will certainly help add flavor and depth to the story.

The best thing to do here is put yourself in the place of the curious reader. For example, when gathering information about the supermodel figure issue, you could talk with a therapist specializing to weight issues with girls and find out how the Barbie's shape shapes girls perceptions of themselves. You can even put yourself in the position of the young girl and ask the therapist, "Is this what I need to look like to be accepted in society?" or place yourself in a parent's shoes and ask Mattel: "This is a big concern among parents. What are you doing to help portray women in a more realistic light?"

You can also talk to the parents and children, and get their perspectives. And while you are getting answers to your questions, you should always be reaching out for that angle that will give your story personal substance. When you're talking with a mother and daughter, ask mom what she played with when she was a kid. Maybe she played with Barbie's just like her daughter. Maybe she played with Raggedy Ann. Maybe G.I. Joe. Whatever it is, the dialog opens doors to personal information and experiences that can really add texture to your story. So instead of leading with:

Barbie was a doll created by Mattel toy company in 1959, you could catch the reader's attention with:

Jane Doe remembers June 6,1968 like it was yesterday. It was the day she discovered that the hair she cut from her Barbie doll's long locks would never grow back.

So taking a personal experience like the latter and using it to lead your story will do more to draw readers in than the flat "facts only" former example.

That's all for now. And it's enough for you to chew on until next time. One important piece I didn't cover here is how to develop a story proposal (or pitch as it is known to professional writers) to present to a potential publisher. There are techniques and I look forward to sharing them with you next time. Now if you have any questions or comments, please feel free to leave them here or you can e-mail me at joe@starrwriter.com. I am more than happy to help you in any way that I can. Next time I will discuss pitch letters. Until then have fun with your writing adventures.

Joe Starr is freelance writer. Find out more at www.starrwriter.com.