How's it going for those of you who write for mags.?

Nancy

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I'm happy for those of you who are having success writing for content sites, blogs and Examiner. But I was wondering how those of you, like me, who write primarily for magazines are doing?

I've been somewhat sidelined by a family member's illness since Jan., so haven't pitched much outside of my comfort zone/reliable repeat editors.

How are you guys doing?
 

MamaLou

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If I can sell an article, I get paid fairly on-time, but I'm having problems getting responses to pitches. I am primarily a travel writer, which was really good for me a year ago, but with all the print edition lay offs, I think the market is getting glutted with freelance writers right now. I figure it'll take a few more months to separate the wheat from the chaff.

(Meaning, as freelancers, we're all used to picking up work where we can whereas people who would normally work for a newspaper might not be able to "stick it out" when it comes to irregular paychecks and they will be leaving the freelance market for more timely paychecks.)

Also, I was contacted by a place in West Virginia that needs a sports writer for a new website devoted to high schools and their sports programs. I took this as a good sign that my name is getting out there enough to be noticed by a high school in West Virginia.
 
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twnkltoz

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I'm doing OK, but I mostly write for small regional mags. Most of my work is for mags that assign me regular work, but I'm getting a query accepted here and there. I don't send out near enough!
 

JenNipps

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I'm getting ready to send in my on-spec article for WRITERS Journal. Other than that, I have a lot of queries out, but not much coming in yet. I'm going under the assumption that no news is good news. :)
 

dwrite

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Hi, All:

Ever since the middle of last year, I've struggled getting pitches accepted. I specialized in writing about residential real estate, and many, many of my steady clients in this field have either gone out of business or gone solely to in-house writers.

That said, I'm still plugging away, though I find that I'm turning more frequently to lower-paying jobs -- and just doing more of them -- than I've had to do in the past.

Dan

Content Writing Madness -- my newest blog! Just started today!
My real estate blog
My Examiner (yes, me, too) page
 

Ken

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... doing okay. The mag I write for depends a lot on ads for revenue and that's been a bit unsteady, lately. So there were 2 issues this year I wasn't in. Editor is really cool, though, and has been giving me all the work he can :)
 

Manderley

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I don't write for mags at the moment, but I keep my ears to the ground and rumours has it that one of my previous clients are closing down all together and another one is cutting down on their freelance budget. Both are in the 'women 40+' market.
 

MamaLou

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I kind of feel like everyone is re-evaluating their magazines, etc. Even though the economy is starting to show signs of recovery (I say seems because it could tank tomorrow...) and I feel everyone is scared to trust it. I DO know my home went up in value this year, not based on the assessor's office but on our homeowner's insurance company, who does comps...

I think if the economy steadies out, people will start to spend money again. To be sure, the publishing industry has taken a hard hit this past year. I live in terror of my favorite editors leaving the magazines I do the most work for... If they leave, I'll have to contact them another way for work. I hate breaking in a new editor! LOL
 

Nancy

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Oh, I know what you mean about breaking in new editors! I'm so lucky to have good relationships with the ones I have now. It takes work, though, and trust to maintain these.
 

MamaLou

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Nancy, I just noticed you're from "rural OH". Where in Ohio are you from? I was raised in Southern Ohio not too far from Dayton. I now live in Arizona (which I hate! I can see no good reason for rattlesnakes at all) and long to return "back East".
 

Nancy

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I'm out in Northwestern Licking County, where you're suspect if you don't have a pickup (I do) with a gun rack ( I don't).:D

Hey, I'll trade you weather about now. It's either 70 and sunny or 36 and snowing. Sick of winter...
 

zoomusic

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Licking County...Dayton...it's all coming back to me... I grew up north of Cincinnati--in a town called Springdale.

I'm really glad to see this thread...I've been getting mega distracted by content writing, and I think part of that is that I feel a little discouraged by the state of mags/print of late...wondering if it's even worth trying to break in. But then I was at Barnes and Noble last night, looking through the (numerous) mags, and it made me feel all excited about article writing again, about giving it a try.

Eh, I'll never know unless I try. Lord know, I'm used to irregular paychecks and rejection, lol...I'm finding my main enemey lately is distraction, with a capital D.
 

Nancy

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Hi Cindy:

As Catmuse (Dawn) often reminds us, most of her work comes from word-of-mouth. That's been my experience, too. Networking is critical since we work in such isolation. Shameless schmoozing pays off, too.

But glad to hear you were inspired by looking at all the mags. at B&N. That usually gets me going, too.

Love Cinci! My husband took me to the Maisonette on one of our first dates (for you non-Ahians, that was the only 5 diamond-rated restaurant in OH) - talk about impressive. Great zoo, too.
 

miles111

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I now live in Arizona (which I hate! I can see no good reason for rattlesnakes at all) and long to return "back East".


Guess this is what makes for close elections. I'm presently living in southern New Mexico in a town far too small for my liking. And I can't wait to move back to Arizona. I Loved living there (Tucson for 5+ years).

Yes, it's nice there, and the rattlers taste like chicken -- at least, that's what I've heard. : )
 

zoomusic

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Thanks, Nancy...that's a good point about the networking...I'm going to maybe start a new thread on it, if I can't find anything in the stickies. You know, just basically, how people do that, in general, when it comes to writing...how to go about networking.

And, yeah, I haven't been to Cincy in years, but I miss that zoo. They used to have concerts there at night, which I loved b/c all of the animals got activated (thus, my membername)...

I gave myself a kick in the butt today and made a list of 5 ideas (which I've been kicking around in my head the past couple months)--I committed them to paper--and then made a list of at least 10 markets, both local and national, that would be open to these 5 ideas.

It's funny...I stopped in a different B&N today to check out the mags again, and there was a woman looking at the same mags as I was, with a notebook, jotting things down. I was a little slow on the up-take, and then I was, like, duh! She might be researching the same thing I am. But she had walked away by the time I figured that out.

So I think that was, um, probably a missed opportunity for doing some networking, maybe. ;)
 

MamaLou

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I pitch to AAA every year and intentionally pitch articles that will give me the chance to go home. I was there twice last year for articles for AAA. This year I pitched Southern Ohio on a budget - The Air Force Museum, the Newport Aquarium, King's Island (which is no longer Paramount but owned by Cedar Point) the Ceasar's Creek Flea Market (which sound hinky if you've never been there. REALLY good food.) and COSI in Columbus. ***fingers crossed they go for that one***

But, I also pitch "around Ohio" too so I can still see my peeps even if it's just for a day or two. I miss Ohio...
 

ColleenNyman

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Newbie here, and really enjoying reading this WHOLE thread. I don't have anything to add as I'm just sending out my first query letters ever. Great to hear I'm doing that when the industry is crappy. :S
Anyway, I'm chuckling at myself, MamaLou, to see that you have some of the most dignified and literary Stephen King quotes out there. Unlike myself. ;)
 

Nancy

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:welcome:Colleen:

This is the best place to learn the ropes. And sending out that first query is a big event!

Good luck,
 

twnkltoz

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One of my magazines closed its doors recently...I have to say, though, that I wasn't surprised. It was a new publication--they only got two issues out--and the publishers didn't seem to know what they were doing. Multiple errors in the first issue, etc. A couple of horse magazines have folded...one actually closed the print shop but is launching a huge website so I actually got quite a bit of work from them, which was nice.
 

MamaLou

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I think I'm FINALLY about to sell an article to a local Atlanta magazine. I kind of had to bribe them a little in setting them up with some free VIP passes to a race there this weekend. I'm going to call AAA Monday to see what, if anything, they're taking this year. I'm dreading this phone call, too, because there's a chance they're taking nothing at all, which means I suck... (Didn't I just go through this a month ago? LOL)
 

Skyraven

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Mamalou - hang in there doll! :) As for me, my writing has come solely online though I want to write for magazines. Just scared at the process of pitching and writing. Sometimes I like to write first then pitch, but I know it is much harder to place already written work. we'll see how the rest of the month pans out.