What are the challenges of writing for the NT market?

Cathy C · Dec 22, 2006

I haven't attempted to query any NT magazines or ezines and, in fact, hadn't previously considered them as a viable market before this room started to be discussed, so I'm wondering. Is there a higher standard of fact required in an article when publishing an article in a magazine geared towards skeptics (thinking of The Skeptic or Skeptical Inquirer?) I enjoy reading both magazines and find that I, myself, tend to read with a critical eye. To me, it's the difference in reading an article about hairstyles versus a legal brief.

If so, what methods have been successful for some of you that have succeeded in getting pubbed in this market?

Thoughts? Discussion?

Higgins · Dec 22, 2006

NT market as all markets

Cathy C said:
I haven't attempted to query any NT magazines or ezines and, in fact, hadn't previously considered them as a viable market before this room started to be discussed, so I'm wondering. Is there a higher standard of fact required in an article when publishing an article in a magazine geared towards skeptics (thinking of The Skeptic or Skeptical Inquirer?) I enjoy reading both magazines and find that I, myself, tend to read with a critical eye. To me, it's the difference in reading an article about hairstyles versus a legal brief.

If so, what methods have been successful for some of you that have succeeded in getting pubbed in this market?

Thoughts? Discussion?

Suppose you had something of an NT nature to say. I would think (by logical definition and not by market definition) it would be publishable almost anywhere.

Or to put it another way, most people would say that most of the time most of their experiences are not direct experiences of the inmost workings of the Mind of God (which I would assume would be a theistic experience), therefore most experiences for most people most of the time are considered NT experiences. Since writing is a matter of comparing or exhibiting or elucidating or analyzing or simulating or inducing experiences, most NT approaches ought to be fine in most markets most of the time.

veinglory · Dec 22, 2006

I am a long time reader and in most cases the writing ranges from good to barely adequate and borderline amateurish. It is more a matter of writing the desired content and angle than any higher or lower standard. I suspect that many draw on a very small pool of writers.

nancy02664 · Dec 22, 2006

These are things I've been wondering about for a while as well. I haven't started to query these markets yet either, but I will start to in 2007, and would also love to know if anyone has any special insight.

For what it's worth, I'm guessing that veinglory is right--that there is indeed only a small group of writers who contribute to these sorts of pubs. (My research so far indicates that very few of these are paying markets, so this could be a contributing factor.) In fact, I have yet to find a NT pub that does pay contributors. (I'll keep looking, though. And when I find one, I plan to barrage the editors with my ideas... hehe...)

veinglory · Dec 22, 2006

I don't mind the Skeptical Enquirer, but all of these 'skeptic's' magazine tend to cross the line into debunking. That is, an unsympathetic or condescending tone combined with being more 'scientistic' than scientific.

But then I am a bit sensitive on the issue of people making the scientific methid into a cross between the Bible and a Emperor's new clothes. There was a recent piece on ghost sighting that went to ridiculous lengths to make them all optical illusions, Occam would be rolling in his grave.

And this from a paying customer LOL.

What are the challenges of writing for the NT market?

Cathy C

Ooo! Shiny new cover!

Higgins

veinglory

volitare nequeo

nancy02664

Baby Name Maniac

veinglory

volitare nequeo