A Guide to Writing for Magazines

A Guide to Writing for Magazines

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A Guide to Writing for Magazines

Writing for magazines, whether print or on-line has certain rules you need to follow. This short guide is designed to give you the basics for understanding how to write for magazines.  It is ideal for both ghostwriters wishing to write articles for their clients and for stand-alone, freelance writers. 

By the end of the guide, you will have a better understanding of:

·       The practical and commercial considerations of writing for both print and digital magazines.

·       Where ideas for features come from and how to outline and structure them.

·       The different types of ‘leads’ and conclusions for magazine features.

·       How to research and write the magazine feature article.

·      Other types of magazine writing, such as short fiction, opinion pieces, columns, blogs and reviews.

There is a huge diversity today in the range of magazines published all over the world, especially since online publishing, including blogging or self-publishing means that anyone who can ‘write’ can find a space to share their views, news and interests. We can find magazines catering for every conceivable interest from Archery to Zoology.  The magazine industry is constantly evolving and new titles spring up in response to new trends; old titles get shelved or merged; and new technology makes production cheaper, resulting in the expansion of titles, styles and formats.

A 2014 a UK survey on digital magazine readership carried out by YouGov found that the expansion of the tablet (iPad, Android) market had resulted in an increase in digital reading.  The survey also found that the desirability of digital texts was based on their interactive and social natures. Much of the value from magazines such as timely, directed editorial, is moving to web media, including blogs and special interest sites.  The issues of personalization, socialization and recommendation have consequences for the practice of writing for digital magazines, or e-zines. To write for the media now means you, the writer, need to think beyond just ‘pure text’. Interactivity and multi-media are now key concepts for you to add to your literary palette

The Purpose of Magazine Articles

Newspaper and magazine features are similar in structure but different in purpose and intent. First let’s look at what they doshare:

·       They are both organized pieces of flowing facts and ideas.

·       They are both well researched and well written, giving a sense of conviction.

·       They both use quotations and narrative description.

·       They both range in length, from a few hundred to a few thousand words.

·      Digital features are always instantly available, portable and searchable.

Now let’s look at how they differ:

·       The main difference is the characterof the magazine feature. While newspaper articles are newsworthy stories based upon objective facts and figures, magazine features tend to take a subjective point of view, opening up and developing factual topics.

·       Whereas straight news stories are told from the third-person point of view, it is not uncommon for the magazine feature to be told in the first person. The writer will often detail his or her interactions with interview subjects, making the piece more personal.

·       Feature stories are descriptive and full of detail and generally have a strong story driving the narrative.

·      Feature articles combine facts and opinion with a focus on the human- interest angle of the story.  While they can report news, the news content is not of primary importance.

Another major difference in magazine articles is the paragraphing and page layout.  In general, magazine paragraphs are longer and more formal than those found in newspaper features, which tend to be shorter and punchier. This can be different in on-line magazines, however, where speed reading, attention span and format can necessitate shorter writing.  Magazine leads also tend to be longer than newspaper leads, taking more time to get to the crux of the story.  They are usually meant for leisure reading, to entertain and inform. The magazine feature still needs the necessary ‘hook’ to lure readers in, of course, but it has more time to ‘tease’ readers and in print format has the added advantage of vivid photographs to accompany them.

Feature ideas: where do they come from?

An idea is a specific angle or approach to a subject and garnering ideas is one of the most important jobs of the magazine features writer. Ideas should be both creative and original; no editor is interested in predictable, rehashed, stale ideas. You should carry a notebook around with you for jotting down those all-important ideas – or use the ‘notes’ app on your phone. Interestingly, writers will often find that their ideas reflect their interests, which is great for freelancers wishing to write for niche magazines. Many publications hold ‘think tanks’ where staff writers are encouraged to brainstorm ideas, find links and add value to stories.  However, you may find that you have to depend upon yourself for ideas.

A common dilemma for freelancers is: should I get an idea first and then find the market? Or should I find the market first and then get the idea? Whereas many new writers tend to get an idea first, more experienced ones should be able to source and research information for any publication on demand.  Staff writers should source ideas from the news and features that their readers are currently interested in. No matter how experienced you are as a writer, it’s always essential to keep up with current affairs, read the news, watch television, listen to the radio, surf the internet, note conversations, observe events, read reference books and use libraries.  The world is full of ideas and you should keep your eyes and ears open. To help the germination of ideas take place, ask yourself the questions: why? who? where? what? when? and how? You could try twisting the questions around too: why didn’t I? when did I? what if?

Topicality and timing are crucial in getting a feature article published, so it is important to know the magazine’s lead time – that is, the time it takes from inception to publication.  In general, a well-established monthly magazine will have a lead time of at least six months, sometimes eight.  Lead times are much shorter for weekly magazines, perhaps only one or two months.  When planning ideas around anniversaries, commemorations, seasons, national events and so on, you should allow plenty of time between researching, pitching, writing and publication date.

Several features can often be developed from one single idea and so you need to think broadly and creatively. One issue, piece of information, event or commemoration etc. can inspire a myriad of ideas that would appeal to a broad spectrum of magazines and their readers. It’s important not to jump straight into writing the first ideas you discover but to allow time for them to breathe and develop. Sometimes, what may seem to be a brilliant idea one day may seem faintly ridiculous the next.

If you want to test the viability of your magazine feature idea, think about:

·       The scope of the idea and its broadness or narrowness.

·       The freshness of the idea, or your ability to update an existing idea.

·       The appeal of the idea to the target audience.

·       The clarity of the theme, angle, and point of view.

·       The significance, importance, relevance and timeliness of the idea.

·       Any potential libel, legal or ethical considerations.

·      How much the feature will cost you in money and time.

You might also be inspired by articles you have read in other magazines and re-write the idea, giving it a different spin, outlook or argument. There is no copyright on ideas, but you should never steal the words of another writer and attempt to pass then off as your own. If you do, you will soon find yourself and the publication you are writing for, in big trouble.

The Writing Process

The priority for you as a feature writer must be immediate communication. Writing should be simple, direct and vivid.  You must have a solid grasp of your intended message and the purpose behind that message.  Ask yourself: is your message intended to entertain, to persuade, to argue, to inform, to shock or to provoke?

The essentials of good magazine writing are to:

·       Begin with a lead that hooks the reader in and keeps them.

·       Choose the right word, but remember that precision takes time and effort.

·       Be simple and concise; simplicity is the key to all effective messages.

·       Use the familiar word rather than the unfamiliar.

·       Avoid jargon unless necessary for ultimate understanding.

·       Use the concrete rather than the abstract and create involvement rather than theorizing. Be specific as well as general; give facts as well as figures.

·       Avoid using clichés. They are lazy journalism and usually consist of overworked metaphors.

·       Be honest and positive but beware of giving a story more attention than it deserves by exaggerating events. Equally, avoid getting bogged down in euphemisms and political correctness.

·       Write as you speak.  Try to avoid pomposity, peachiness and ostentation.

·       Vary the pace and rhythm by writing sentences of varying lengths.

·       Avoid unnecessary adjectives and adverbs – they are often the first to be blue penciled by an editor, and the mark of an amateur writer.

·      Look for and avoid irrelevancy, digressions, self-indulgent writing, superfluous modifiers, circumlocutions and tautologies.

If you are writing for a digital magazine it’s important to consider how hypertexts might be used to create a strong sense of interactivity. The following may also be considered for styling your writing towards e-formats.

·       Think about using a form of ‘collaborative patchwork’, where you can expand the text to which readers contribute.

·       Use animated texts as poems or word art, so that words can morph and move onto the screen.

·       Use multimedia so that text combines with sound and moving pictures.

·      Use digitized audio or video of the text being read or performed.

Structuring the Magazine Article

By the time you have done all the necessary background research for your feature article you will be left with an overwhelming amount of information to work with. Your next task is to then take all this material to plan the structure of the article. Structure is a ‘blueprint’ or map that gives both the writer and the reader a direction to follow.  In general, you will need to develop between two and four main points or threads, depending on the length of the article. In turn, these points will be supported by quotations, facts and figures, anecdotes, case histories and other material. Some writers argue that over-planning makes for a dull story and destroys creative inspiration.  However, if you as the writer do not know what your main points are, then neither will your potential editor. Some articles need little outlining, such as a how-to-story; others such as in-depth informative pieces, require serious thought and planning.

You should begin the plan or outline of your feature with the working title.  This should be followed by the storyline (theme/idea) and lead (hook).  From here you should launch into your main points, supported by any back-up material. Finally, you should finish your outline with the story’s ending. The article itself should begin with the most important point and work downwards in logical relevant importance – with each point flowing naturally into the next.

Longer features require more complicated outlines. These should include at least three main points, each followed by at least one sub-point which is substantiated by facts, figures, quotations, background information, interviews and so on. If the outline appears top heavy with main points or bottom heavy with too many supporting points, then you need to re-think the outline.

A typical outline for a magazine feature may look something like this:

Storyline (theme)

This is the ‘big idea’, the driving force of the article.  It should allude to what the writer wants to say.

Lead

This is the opening paragraph and should include the ‘hook’ to draw the reader in effectively.

Main Point 1

This is the most important subject of the article.  It should explore what is involved, by whom, where and when, along with questions of how and why.

Sub-point(s)

Facts, figures, quotations, interviews, anecdotes and any other supporting evidence to back up the main point.

Main Point 2

This evolves from main point 1.  It is of secondary importance, yet crucially develops the article’s narrative.  It may bring into question an ancillary topic or subject (person).

Sub-points(s)

Facts, figures, quotations, interviews, anecdotes and any other supporting evidence to back up the main point.

Main Point 3

This evolves from main point 2.  It is of even less importance, yet develops the article’s narrative in a further direction. It may bring into question yet another ancillary topic or subject (person).

Sub-point(s)

Facts, figures, quotations, interviews, anecdotes and any other supporting evidence to back up the main point.

The rules for the outline are not set in stone. You can vary them to avoid conformity and add vitality, but your decision must still lead to an organized and flowing narrative. The article must sound as if it grew organically, not a cobbled together set of points, views or instructions. You can achieve this by linking paragraphs with transitions – those words and phrases that alert a reader to a linkage. Examples include ‘meanwhile’, ‘at the same time’, ‘consequently’, ‘in addition’, ‘also’, ‘but’, ‘firstly’, ‘secondly’, ‘finally’, ‘however’, subsequently’. These transitory words allow the article to read as a succession of related thoughts packaged into paragraphs, each paragraph expressing and expanding on a single thought.

Writing the Lead

The lead is designed to hook your reader in: to attract and to hold. The opening lines are the most important and a deciding factor as to whether your reader will choose to carry on reading or discard your article and move onto something more interesting.  The lead is a promise of what is to come and you must not let your readers down by breaking that promise. Think of your lead as like an audition: you are showing your audience the best you have and you want to be ‘called back’ for the starring role.

There are many different types of leads to choose from but you must select the most appropriate for your story, its purpose and its theme and tone. The most common types of leads include:

·      Question and answer. This begins the article with a question, but must answer it either immediately afterwards or at some time in the body of the article. Question and answer leads should be short, snappy and strike at the heart of your reader’s interest.

·      Case histories. These are specific stories that will add the human touch to the article and help to illustrate the main points. Any case histories chosen must be relevant to the main message of the article.

·      Narrative description. This lead presents itself as a narrative or story, usually told in the third person.

·      Narrative description in the first person. This is used for immediacy and draws the reader into the article.

·      Comparison and contrast. This type of lead is effective at hooking the reader. It can compare the way things used to be with the way things are now or the way we used to think with the way we think now.  It can rely on binary oppositions; for example, good versus bad, beauty versus ugliness, health versus illness. 

·      Historical comparison and contrast. This takes a notable moment, event or person from history and then contrasts it with the way things are now.

·      Literary reference. This begins with a literary quotation, idea, reference or fact to highlight the message of the feature article.

·      Figure of speech or play-on-words. This begins with a pun or ‘verbal joke’.

·      Prose poetry. This waxes purple in its allusion to something dear to the reader’s heart.  Borrowed from the novelist’s craft, the prose-poetry lead is used to set the tone or mood of the article.

·      Dialogue. This creates a situation or establishes character.

·      Teaser.This is provocative and exciting.  It engages the reader with tight wording and graphic images.

·      Delayed.This withholds identification of the person, group, event or place that is central to the story.  Identification is usually delayed for only a few paragraphs but can sometimes be suspended until the end of the article.

·      Descriptive. This is like the narrative lead in that it simply paints a picture of a person, place or event.  The description lead is sometimes called a situation leadif a scene is set or an ‘atmosphere’ is created.

·      Direct address. This talks to the reader by addressingthem as ‘you’, designed to involve the reader in the story without introducing the writer.

·      Expression. This uses aphorisms, proverbs, mottoes or other traditionally well-known illustrations of basic truths to introduce the article.

·      Prediction. This predicts a situation or issue soon to arise based on forecasts from reputable sources.

·      Relationship. This describes cause and effect and how one event triggers another.

·      Surprise. This is also known as the punch leadand is intended to shock the reader.  It should be used to lead the reader astray initially, but, like any good lead, should tease, promise and deliver.

·      Summary. This sums up the essence of the feature article in a few sentences or a couple of paragraphs.

Writing the Ending.

Unlike news stories which can just stop, feature articles usually have a definite ending.  You could consider the idea of a circular narrative where the article can begin and end with the same idea or indeed the same question – what has moved on is your reader’s understanding of the subject.  As such, the ending can be just as important as the lead. Think of the ending as a story loop which ties up all the loose ends and leaves your reader satisfied.

When you begin to craft your ending think about how it:

·       Echoes or answers the introduction and fulfils the ‘promise’ in the title of the article.

·       Has been prepared for, or foreshadowed by the preceding thematic statements.

·       Contains a final epiphany or peak experience for take-away value.

·      Is expressed via an open or closed manner.

Your decision to use an open or closed ending is important as it will affect the overall feel of your article. You should consider an open ending if you want to leave your readers guessing or pondering on their truth, or a closed ending if you want to resolve the topic or theme of your article. You should also consider a closed ending if your aim is to satisfy your reader or entice them to think in a certain way.

You should craft your ending carefully and not be tempted to just tack it on as a swift conclusion. Your ending should be relatively short, with one or two paragraphs and tightly written. As with leads, there are several endings to choose from, ranging from a single word to something more descriptive and evocative. Other endings can include the:

·       Straight question

·       Rhetorical question

·       Onomatopoeic ending

·       Play-on-words

·       Summary quotation

·       Echo conclusion (echoing something written in the lead or the body of the article)

·       Twist

·       Stand-alone quotation

·      Statement ending (the writer’s final perspective on the situation)

Researching and Writing the Feature Interview

You will find that magazine interviews are often more thorough than newspaper interviews because the writer is not subjected to harsh deadlines and has more time to research and organize the detail of the interview. You can conduct an interview personally or by Skype, by e-mail or by telephone. But it is important that personal interviews should yield good quotations, accurate descriptions and insight into the person being interviewed or the issues being addressed. The main disadvantage of the personal interview is that it takes time to arrange and often time to gain the interviewee’s confidence. The telephone interview is usually used for re-interviewing primary subjects or for garnering extra information.  The main disadvantage of telephone interviews is that you cannot see the subject and therefore are unable to comment on body language, setting or environment.  It’s also difficult to establish rapport.

Once you have decided who to interview, the next step is to ask for the interview. You should explain quickly and simply who you are, why you want to interview that person, which publication you are writing for, the idea behind the interview and how much time it will take. You must be honest about the intention of the interview and never try to mask the true agenda behind it, otherwise you will lose trust and your reputation as a serious writer may be damaged. 

Once the interview has been granted, you will need to research both the interviewee and the type of interview you aim to conduct. Your research process may include trawling through newspaper archives, websites, city or academic libraries, electronic databases or film archives. You will need to begin the planning of the interview armed with detailed information about your interviewee.  In this way, you can spend more time asking the interviewee more interesting questions which in turn will hopefully impress them.

Asking Questions

Many writers, both new and established, write down the questions they want to ask the interviewee beforehand.  That said, you should be prepared to deviate from the planned questions if the need arises. Flexibility can lead you to some exciting places. Following the interviewee’s lead can enable spontaneity and open new, perhaps better, angles to pursue. You must be able to think on your feet.

Questions come in a variety of styles, each with their own purpose and effect.  Below are some of the most common and useful types:

·      The open question allows the respondent to answer in a variety of ways. It allows the subject to open-up and expand on an idea or issue.  For example: What’s your opinion of using a ghostwriter to craft a celebrity memoir?

·      The closed question requires a more narrow and focused reply.  For example: Where do you spend most of your working day?

·      The probe question asks for clarification or amplification of an incomplete answer. For example: What is it about your work that you particularly enjoy?

·      The mirror question repeats part of the interviewee’s answer. Consequently, the interviewee is forced to amplify and expand on their answer which can often elicit more interesting information.  For example:

Writer:

Why did you choose Wordshaker to ghostwrite your collection of business books?

Interviewee:

Because they’re the best.

Writer:

You say they’re the best but how do you think they are helpful to business people wanting to communicate their company histories?

Use mirror questions sparingly.  Their purpose is to slow down the pace of the interview and to clarify quotations.

·      Hypothetical questions should also be used sparingly.  Their purpose is to allow the respondent to think about or comment on developments or issues.  For example: It’s been suggested that electronic books will do away with the need for traditional publishing altogether. What’s your view on this?

There are three types of questions that you should avoid.  These are:

·       The yes and no question. This allows the respondent to answer either ‘yes’ or ‘no’. As they fail to yield a detailed answer, they are useless for magazine interviews.

·       The leading question. This can be unethical because it suggests a rightanswer. For example: Everybody in this town that I’ve spoken to suggests that the proposed new library is an excellent venture.  What’s your opinion?

·      The loaded question. This is designed to provoke a respondent.  Loaded questions can be divisive and manipulative. For example: You are a successful writer, but most people are not interested in white, middle-aged writers anymore and suggest that the field should be left open for younger, more energetic writers. What’s your opinion on this?

Be sure to ask interesting questions that add value when you interview. Your readers will not want to read the same old churned out information. You may have to ask your interviewee some difficult questions at times, but don’t be offensive.  The most difficult interviewees are those that don’t have a great deal to say; they can be hard work.  Their anxiety can sometimes get in the way of their ability to say what they want to say and the result is that they fail to do themselves justice and you are left with little to work with. One solution is to chat about everyday matters before the start of the interview so that your subject feels more comfortable and confident.

Tips:

·       Be prepared to change your mind about your interviewee and assume nothing.

·       Keep your ego out of the interview and recognize that you are not the subject.

·       Actively listen and don’t be ashamed to say that you don’t understand something.

·      Remember that nothing is really ‘off the record’ unless you have promised before the interview that something isoff the record and will be excluded from the written interview.

Formats for Feature Interviews

Once you have researched and conducted your interview, you can begin to write it up. Begin by ordering the material so that it achieves clarity and maximum impact. This means that you may not follow the logical order of the questions but you should still aim for a narrative that appears conversational and not fragmented.

There are two main formats for magazine interviews:

1.   The Q @ A

2.    The narrative

The Q @ A is used more often for serious debate leaving out personalities but making sure that the interviewee remains centre stage. Some popular magazines use Q @ A format for fast moving, concise accounts of a person’s point of view. Some interviewers use Q @ A to get closer to the subject with the interview feeling more like a dialogue in a play with feelings exposed.

The narrative interview reads more like a story and uses some of the techniques of traditional storytelling. No words should be wasted and each word used should move the story along, interspersed with quotations and interesting insights on the subject.  These insights may be the results of the environment, the subjects themselves, their body language, dress or behavior.  When you write up the narrative interview you do not need to tag every question with ‘I asked’ or ‘he said’, or even place your own questions in speech marks.

Marketing the Magazine Feature

You should always sell your idea or proposal first rather than any fully pre-written article.  This is because magazine editors may not be looking for that topic at that moment, or have already covered it in a recent edition. Feature editors buy ideas rather than finished articles. You are advised to pitch several ideas at once to any features editor rather than just one and preferably by e-mail. It’s important to state your ideas simply, your reasons for suggesting the proposed articles and an indication of why you are the best person to write the articles; perhaps you have experience of the issue or are an expert on that topic. Once you receive the commission you need to establish the word count and deadline. Deadlines are extremely important and you must make sure you deliver your article on time. You will also need to decide about sourcing any photographs that will accompany your article. Photographs are your responsibility not the publications.

The basic rules for manuscript presentation are that they should be:

·       typed

·       double-spaced

·       presented with large margins on either side for edits (3-4 cm)

·       in Times New Roman, Arial or Courier

·      at least 12pt.

Before you send out your manuscript, consider the following simple questions:

·       Will the readers of this publication find this article interesting?

·       Has anyone read the article critically and suggested improvements?

·       Has the article been proofread carefully?

·       Have the basic rules of presentation been followed?

·       Does the manuscript contain a name, address and e-mail?

·       Does the manuscript state the word count?

·       Are the enclosures or attachments such as photos with captions complete?

·       Is the editor’s e-mail address correct?

·      Is there an opportunity to suggest further article ideas?

The following quotations from magazine editors collected for this e-book usefully highlight common ‘hates’ about freelance writers. If you want to impress any commissioning editor, read, digest and avoid.

·       Ignoring the brief and not bothering to read the magazine.

·       Sending articles without bothering to check if we have already published a similar article on the same subject in recent issues.

·       Poor writing technique.

·       Long CVs included with their work and lengthy, involved letters.

·       Freelancers who promise features and then sell them to competing titles.

·       Freelancers who lecture me about how I should do my job and freelancers who acquire my home telephone number and then call me in the middle of the night ‘for a chat’.

·       Not knowing who they are writing for.

·       Failure to deliver or not delivering to the agreed brief.

·      Missing deadlines and exceeding word count limits.

When the same editors were asked what they thought made a good freelance features writer, their common responses were:

·       Ideas.

·       Well-researched articles.

·      The ability to write well and deliver on time.

Other types of Magazine Writing

If you want to branch out from writing feature articles and interviews, you could consider writing columns, opinion editorials (‘op-eds’), reviews or short stories.  Reviews and short stories provide you with a market but most columns and op-eds are written by magazine staff, including celebrities, opinion leaders and experts. An editorial represents the views of the magazine and is usually written by the editor of the magazine or one of the staff writers on their behalf.  Editorial columns also feature other people’s opinions on the same or similar subjects. These are known simply as ‘columns’.

Editorial pieces have an introduction, which should state the problem to be addressed; a body, which should express an opinion; a solution – to the problem; and a conclusion which should emphasize the main issues addressed. As well as having a timely news angle, they must also offer a subjective explanation of an issue, especially if that issue is complex. Editorials can also include opinions from the opposing viewpoint that directly refute the same issues that the writer is addressing.

Good editorials engage issues not personalities and refrain from name calling and other tactics of petty persuasion. Anyone can gripe about a problem but a good editorial should take a positive approach to making the situation better by using constructive criticism and offering alternate solutions.  Finally, an effective editorial should end with a concise conclusion that powerfully summarizes your opinion with ‘punch’.  Editorials fall into four types:

·       Editorials of argument and persuasion:take a firm stand on a problem or condition. They tend to attempt to persuade the reader to think the same way as the writer. This type of editorial often proposes a solution or advises taking some definite action.

·       Editorials of information and interpretation:attempt to explain the meaning or significance of a situation or event. There is a wide variety of editorial types in this category, ranging from those that provide background information to those that identify issues.

·       Editorials of tribute, appreciation or commendation: aim to praise a person or activity.

·      Editorials of entertainment: can be a short, humorous treatment of a light topic, or a slightly satirical treatment of a serious subject.

Writing a Column

The regular column is always popular with magazine editors because they provide security, depth and perspective to the consideration of issues or events. They aim to provoke, amuse, entertain, annoy or inspire readers.  Columns can range from lifestyle pieces to the deadly serious and can fall into four main types:

1.   The world at large

2.   Lifestyle

3.   Argument and provocation

4.    Humour, parody and fantasy

Columns may fall under different categories but they have one thing in common – they are alive to the writer’s voice and are often instantly recognizable to the reader.  Celebrities or well-known figures often write columns, highlighting the editor’s desire to have a ‘brand image’, attached to their publication. It’s therefore highly unlikely that a well-established magazine will commission a regular column from a new writer, but publications such as local, county and student magazines may.

If you are ever lucky enough to get a column writing gig, then be sure to have a wealth of ideas and know the publication you write or intend to write for inside out.

Writing Reviews

The main problems with reviews, whether of plays, music, books, film, television or exhibitions, is that there are production schedules, particularly on monthly magazines.  By the time the magazine gets published, the thing to be reviewed is past its sell-by date – which is where on-line publishing has a clear advantage. Books present the least problem as copies or proofs are sent well in advance for review before their own publication. Television shows are particularly difficult because there may be only one opportunity for viewers to see the programme – though recording and streaming opportunities after broadcast help negate this. More broadly, there is ample opportunity for new writers to review local theatre, film, art, books, cultural events and so on for local magazines. The pay is measly, often consisting of a free ticket for the event reviewed or a free book, but the writing is fun – and a free ticket to anything is a bonus.

Reviewing is like giving ‘facts’ to a potential audience. You should consider the following:

·      What is it (the artefact) called?

·       What is the genre? (Literary novel, or thriller tragedy or comedy, art-house or blockbuster?)

·       What is it about? What does it mean? What does it represent?

·       What is it like?

·       Who created it?

·       Who produced/directed it?

·       Where is it showing? Where can you buy it?,

·       When and where does the action take pace?

·       Why was it written, painted, composed?

·      How much is it?

The most interesting part of the review comes from your (the reviewer’s) actual engagement with the thing being reviewed. Readers enjoy being given not only information but also personal reactions that might inspire them to see, buy or engage with it.  So, it is important to offer evidence to substantiate your thoughts and feelings. Ask yourself:

·      What are the work’s merits/defects?

·      Is it worth the time and money?

·      Did you like it?

·      Will you like it?

·      What sort of people will like it?

·      Is it informative/inspiring/interesting/entertaining?

·      What are the significant elements and how do they compare generally with other works in the genre (plot or characters, well-made play or postmodern experiment, message or slice of life, melody or in the raw)?

·      How does it compare with other works by this creator/producer/director? What about with contemporaries’ work? What about work of a similar kind in the past?

·      How far does the creator succeed in achieving what they set out to do?

·      How well has the work been served by interpreters involved: actors, directors, set designers, musicians and so on?

·      If known – how did the audience react to the work?

Writing the Blog

The emergence of blogs is leading to a new genre of journalistic writing, one that offers features with a narrative style characterized by personalization, with an emphasis on non-regulated status, more audience interaction and content creation.  Consequently, it is a form of journalism that appeals to the feature journalist and editorial writer.

There are literally millions of blogs on-line, most of which offer personal opinion, subjectivity and little fact checking. The process of storytelling is slowly changing – blog features are less didactic and more conversational in tone. The audience becomes co-creator rather than passive recipient of content and the story form itself changes from that expected of traditional feature writing. Rather than a constructed format (i.e. the inverted pyramid), the blog story is more fragmented, incomplete and open, with added hyperlinks for interactivity. Though ‘open’ in style, there are still some rules to follow:

·       Decide who your readers are and find your focus.

·       Hone in on your niche category and become the ‘expert’.

·       What sets bloggers apart from regular magazine writers is their ‘voice’.  Content should draw the reader in, but your ‘voice’ should encourage them to carry on reading. Be relatable and be yourself.

·       Use links to other websites and blogs.  This will increase your clicks and the blog’s search engine ranking.

·       Include images to make your posts visually appealing.

·       Break up the text, to make it less daunting. Keep the blog relatively short and don’t ramble.

·       Remain ethical.

·       Respond to blog comments.  This is your opportunity to connect directly with your readers.

·       Keep your posts positive and upbeat, your paragraphs short and avoid grammatical errors and typos.  Your blog posts should be as professionally written and presented as any other form of media writing.

·       Check your facts.

·       Edit, edit, edit.

·      Update your blog regularly and consistently. Post it to social media sites such as Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and anywhere else you can.

Writing Short Stories for Magazines

There is still a strong market for short stories in women’s weekly consumer magazines and digital magazines but it is competitive. The prevailing style of the short story is light-weight and formulaic: romantic, aspirational, domestic and so on. A short story is not a smaller version of a novel; there are set guidelines for structure and sometimes even the topic. If you are interested in writing short stories for magazines it’s important to check the magazine’s on-line guidelines for writing and submission.  The short story is an illustration of one aspect of human nature or the human condition.  The story does not have to explain the meaning of life but it should show how a character alters in some way or undergoes a change in attitude to life or a problem. The short story shows the development of the character in some way towards or away from a pre-established goal. The framework of the short magazine story relies on limited exposition, limited scenes, a short time span and few characters. However, like the novel, the magazine short story must still contain an element of conflict.  Something or someone must interrupt the protagonist from reaching their goal – which the protagonist usually overcomes in the story’s resolution.

Conflict can come in several forms.  The most common is between two characters or ‘man versus man’, as in boy meets girl, boy loses girl, boy gets girl back. Short stories do not have to rely on romantic conflict: the conflict can be between neighbours, siblings, colleagues or even big business versus the little man (the David and Goliath scenario). 

Conflict with circumstances is where life is going wrong for the protagonist; it may or may not be their fault. Inner conflict is where the character is fighting with themselves, perhaps trying to overcome a flaw in their character or battle with their conscience. 

Conflict with the elements usually includes a strong character battling with the environment in some way.  Perhaps they are struggling to sail across the Atlantic in a storm or are in danger of being eaten by lions.

Some stories contain a mixture of these types of conflict; they are not exclusive. Short stories for magazines should contain:

·       a plot.

·       believable characters.

·       some dialogue.

·      a satisfying ending.

To summarize, a short story illustrates one facet of human nature, illustrates a moment of change, has a type of conflict at its core and makes direct links between the conflict and the moment of change.

I hope you have found this short guide to Writing for Magazineshelpful and are enjoying your journey as an article writer – whether a ghost or a stand-alone. 

There are two more e books in this series, both of which are downloadable as PDFs.

Writing for Public Relations

Writing Copy for Advertising

Please feel free to contact me at info@wordshaker.netfor any information or advice. I shall do all I can to help.

Thank you for reading and best wishes,

Sandra Cain

About the Author

Sandra Cain was a senior lecturer in media and creative writing at Bournemouth University in the UK. She is a member of the Society of Authors, a member of the Chartered Institute of Public Relations, a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy and a member of the National Association of Writers in Education. She holds a Masters degree in creative writing and her PhD thesis was entitled: ‘The Art of Enlightentainment: Narratology and the MBS Genre’. Sandra has published fourteen titles, including fiction, non-fiction, academic and fiction for children and young adult. ‘Media Writing: A Practical Introduction’, 2nded, co-authored with Dr Craig Batty was published in 2016 by Palgrave Macmillan. She has designed, written and managed both undergraduate and masters degrees in creative writing for several universities, including, Southampton Solent, Bournemouth and the Open University. She has previously judged short story competitions for the BBC, Radio Four, Fresher Publishing and NYC Midnight. Sandra manages the ghostwriting agency, Wordshaker, based in Los Angeles, California and Hampshire, UK. www.wordshaker.net.