Anyone researching article writing on the internet will see a ton of pages linked to online writing, but very few for magazine article writing. It may sound a slightly old-fashioned mode of work, but there is still a huge demand for good quality journalism and this is a great opportunity for
work at home moms. If you want to start magazine article writing, how do you begin as a home based writer?
Since the publishing houses have good reputations to uphold, there are strict vetting procedures in place and your work will be carefully scrutinized against the Editor’s guidelines. Many years of review help them screen ‘the best from the rest’ and rejections abound. However, if you are patient
and carefully hone your skill, you can build a professional portfolio that will lead to an increase in opportunities and pay well into the future.
5 Steps Toward Writing Articles for a Magazine at Home
1) Review the magazine counter at your local shop. Select a number of magazines you think you would be able to contribute to and study the content. Which ones suit your taste and talent best?
2) Thoroughly read the magazine to get an idea of its literary style. Which particular niche are they aimed at? Serious publications use a very different language style from celebrity or women’s magazines, so you need to identify the essence of the magazine. Editors get extremely irritated by
submissions from journalists who have failed to do their homework and send in unsuitable content. It is up to you to make sure you have researched your niche thoroughly.
3) Choose your magazine carefully – the more prestigious publications are notoriously difficult to crack. You are aiming to build a home based business, so it might be wise to sink your teeth into the lower end of the market to gain experience.
4) Check out the Editorial page. This is usually the place to find a list of the production team and those responsible for the content. If the magazine does not accept unsolicited submissions, it should say so, but generally they do allow open contributions.
Find out the Editor’s name and submit your work to them.
5) Choose your topic. What is your area of expertise? What area do you have the best understanding in for magazine article writing? Use your research magazines to work out what the house style is. What are the general sentence and paragraph lengths? Approximately how many words are used in each
article? Using these simple research techniques will help you determine whether your 2,000 word article will get rejected in a 1,000 word article magazine and vice versa.
Like most things in life, magazine article writing is a competitive field. It is essential that you know how to market your skills professionally and quickly.
