Favorite animal-writing markets?

[awatkins]

Hi all,

I thought it might be interesting to see which publications we've found to be the most receptive, easiest to work with, most freelancer-friendly, etc. Can anyone recommend markets that are willing to work with new writers? Which publications are quickest respond to queries/articles? Which animal-specific magazines do you write for that you'd like to recommend? Any input will be helpful.

Who wants to be first?

Edited to add: These publications do not have to be limited to traditional pet markets. Any market that accepts articles/stories/essays about animals would be nice to hear about.

For instance, I once had a story about hummingbirds published in Angels on Earth magazine. A totally rewritten version of that piece appeared in a Chocolate for Women book (that's the story that will be in SoS.)

Looks like I went first.

 

[Rose]

Good animal pubs for new writers:

All of these pubs were very receptive to my queries right from the start -- a real plus since I'd had less than a year of freelancing under my belt when I submitted the queries:

Fido Friendly (www.fidofriendly.com)

Spot Magazine (p 6-7, www.spotmagazine.net/Spot_September2005.pdf)

Boise Weekly (www.boiseweekly.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A6423).

Urban Dog (www.urbandogmagazine.com)-- they paid on acceptance and hopefully the article will appear in the next issue.

 

[Susie]

I think Cat Fancy magazine is very good. Here's their direct writer's guidelines link.

http://catfancy.com/catfancy/detail.aspx?aid=6158&cid=3674

Very nice of you to start this thread. Thanks much, Anne! and thanks much Rose for the links.

 

[awatkins]

Thanks so much, Rose and Susie! You guys are great.

 

[Susie]

You're great for sure. Thanks so much! Here's a link I found that lists other animal magazines with direct links. Hope it helps.

http://www.world-newspapers.com/animals.html

 

[awatkins]

Thanks for the link, Susie!

I recently sold a piece to Bird Times. According to a note from the editor, they're always interested in species profiles.

Want to pitch to them? Look at the tables of content from past issues (you can find them on their homepage), then come up with an idea that hasn't been covered recently. Here's where you can find info:

Guidelines: http://www.petpublishing.com/birdtimes/guidelines.shtml
Home page: http://www.petpublishing.com/birdtimes/

 

[Reece10]

Hi Everyone,

I like working with Cat Fancy, BUT! They only accept submissions during the first quarter of the year -like between January to May and then that's it until next year. Plus they pay REALLY well!

I Love Cats (www.iluvcats,com) is another good place to work. The editor lets you know what's happening quickly and is open year round to submissions .

Reece

 

[awatkins]

That's interesting about CAT FANCY's submission policy! Thanks for the tip, Reece. I'm sure it will be helpful to cat writers (and their human companions, too. )

I've heard good things about I LOVE CATS. Thanks for the link!

 

[Rose M]

Does anyone know if you can submit stories about animals that will appear in a book, mine, before the book is published? I have stories of cats and dogs, but they are incorporated in the book I am writing.

 

[awatkins]

Hi Rose,

Funny you should ask that. I was going to suggest that you try submitting some of your stories to magazines.

Study the magazine guidelines to see exactly what they require, then either send a query or the entire story. You might want to mention that the stories are part of a book that you are writing, but that is not published yet. You'll also want to retain your rights to any stories you sell to magazines so that you can include them in your manuscript when you are ready to submit it to publishers.

Hope this is helpful! Feel free to ask other questions if you wish.

ETA: I forgot! There's a thread stickied at the top of this board with links to all sorts of animal/pet magazines and their guidelines. Maybe you'll find something there you'd like to send queries to.

 

[rodentone]

I'm working on a compilation of rat oriented stories. Being a real rat helps. I write only true stories out of the Rat Archives. It's a collection of true stories from long before you oafs dropped out of the trees to scramble for bugs in the undergrowth. He, he, just kidding.

What did it was a chigger epidemic about a half million years ago. Humans found they couldn't scratch, eat, and hold on a the same time. So they came down to the ground where us rats helped them acclimate. We gave you guys gifts of the wheel and fire. What did you do? Why, you burnt the wheel to roast marshmallows.

I have to admit you've come a long way since then. The marshmallows are better.

Anyway, I figure if I write enough of those true stories I can eventually publish a book of them, telling the true story of Ratkind.

Oscar Rat

 

[awatkins]

Welcome, Oscar Rat! I'm so pleased you've found our corner of the Cooler. Do post again soon! I've truly enjoyed 'meeting' you. I hope you don't mind if there are a few feathers in here; my parrots hang out by the big bay window.

 

[rodentone]

I get along with most parrots. There's one downstairs at the Ratskellar Animal Bar in my building though. It never shuts up and is so selfish. Junior, that's his name, has to take up five seats at the bar. He keeps spreading his wings at the most inopportune moments as he preens itself in the bar mirror. Any smaller animals around him get shoved off their stools and have their drinks spilled.

Oscar Rat

 

[GHF65]

Rose, for what it's worth, whenever I sell a story to an anthology, I make sure the contract reads that it's okay for the same story to appear in a book of my collected work or in a magazine that has a different readership base. A story about my daughter's cat, "Max", appeared in a onlline writer's magazine, an anthology of stories about women, and on a coffee can label . . . and I still own the right to put it in a book of my own if I ever get around to doing something like that. The articles from my horse-humor/how-to newspaper column are in my book. The papers only bought a single-use for one month's duration. After that the rights reverted entirely to me. I made sure the Finnish publisher who's bringing the book out there got only Finnish-language rights and only for publication in Finland. You have to be very specific or you may wind up losing the right to do what you plan, which is reprint the stories in a book of your own work.

You should be able to make the stories work for you before you publish your book. Just make sure the contract doesn't say that you have sold them all rights or exclusive rights to the story. Don't forget that all of the amazingly prolific Dave Barry's work and much of Isaac Asimov's work sppeared in newpapers and magazines before being collected into books.

Good luck!

 

[lrs]

The editor at WildBird magazine is really nice and receptive, but it takes forever to get published! I sold them a species profile and it took a year and half to get published and to get paid. The pay for a species profile was $250 for about a thousand word article, although that may have changed by now.

 

[SHBueche]

My favorite pet-related magazine to write for and favorite pet-related magazine editor (he's a gem), is Just Labs magazine, editor Jason Smith. Check out the guidelines at: justlabs.com.

 

[Fern]

Rose, many times a writer that has a book in the works will publish a chapter, or an excerpt, short story, etc. from the book in a magazine. They are able to get a plug in for the book at the same time. Just stay on top of the "rights" issue.