|
The Shy Writer: An
Introvert's Guide to Writing Success - trade paperback and ebook -
receive TOTAL FFW subscription with paperback purchase of SHY. |
Our newsletters
are delivered via Aweber.com, a reliable, spam-free newsletter service. If you
are considering a new newsletter host, please click above, and tell them Hope
sent you.
Your ad placed here. See the
Ad Rates page for both
the web site and newsletter rates.
Contests, grants, markets that
pay writers may list at no charge. Send to
Hope.
The service Hope has used for her ebooks for
years.
| |
Writing Real-life Stories For the UK Market
By Sally Aquire
In the UK, real-life stories are big business. There are a vast
array of magazines which publish nothing but real-life stories.
Added to that, plenty of women’s` magazines also publish a select
few real-life stories every month. With payment ranging from £100
to £1000, depending on the nature of the story and the publication,
you can see why getting into the real-life story market could be
a lucrative experience.
Where can you find ideas?
Real-life stories are everywhere. The chances are almost everyone
you know has a story of some kind to tell. Out of all these stories,
some of them will be of the truly great variety magazines seek.
What makes a great story?
So what kind of stories are they looking for? Interesting real-
life stories are unusual, tragic, quirky, sexy, freaky, spooky
or downright unpleasant (think gory for this last one, with
graphic photographs if possible!) . Stories involving love
triangles, love rats, financial hurdles and triumph over adversity
are popular. A lot of the stories I’ve written have been health-
related.
They must be exclusive.
Real-life stories should never appear in directly competing
publications. Editors understandably want first dibs on the story.
Most magazines won’t touch a story if it’s already appeared in a
competitor, but you can always resell to one that isn’t a direct
rival. In the UK, direct competitors in the real-life story market
include Take a Break, Pick Me Up, Full House, Love it! and Real
People.
Before you start writing, ask your interviewee to confirm that
they haven’t previously sold the story or are in contact with
another competing publication. Make sure that they are happy to
be named and photographed. Real-life stories are enhanced by
plenty of photographs.
Writing a real-life story.
The key to writing a real-life story is to give it plenty of color.
Offer plenty of dialogue. This makes the piece similar to a short
story. Like a short story, you must have a beginning, middle and
end. The beginning tends to set the scene, outline the problem and
give the reader background information. The middle tells the story,
and the end ties events together and shows how the situation was
resolved. Most real-life stories end on a positive note, hence the
popularity of triumph-over-adversity stories.
Note that the dialogue should be along the lines of: “Hurry up!”,
my sister shouted, rather than : “Melanie’s sister told her to
hurry up.”
Different magazines will obviously have different guidelines to
follow, but there are a few general tips you can follow:
Write in the first person - you’re telling someone else’s story,
not writing a feature.
Use plenty of dialogue to recreate the atmosphere of the situation.
The opening scene must relate to readers.
Choose your words carefully - every sentence should carry its weight
and propel the story or you risk losing the reader (and the editor).
Real-life stories are often looked on as “soft journalism” but
writing quality real-life piece can enhance the important aspects
of writing for any genre.
Markets
Closer - True Life stories
Closer - Endeavour House
189 Shaftesbury Avenue
London WC2H 8JG
Pays: Up to £500
Email: closerstories@emap.com
Phone: 020 7859 8427
Fax: 020 7859 8600
Website:( http://www.closermag.co.uk)
A weekly magazine covering celebrity gossip, Closer can be pitched
via post, phone, fax or email. Stories must be exclusive.
Full House
Freepost Full House
Pays: Up to £500
Email :
features@fullhousemagazine.co.uk
Phone: 020 7406 1506
Website: (http://www.fullhousemagazine.co.uk)
A weekly real-life magazine, Full House accepts submissions via post,
email or over the phone. Send relevant photos along with your pitch.
Stories must be exclusive.
Love It!
2 Chelsea Manor
Chelsea
London SW3 5PN
Pays: Up to £500
Email: pilar.canas@newsmagazines.co.uk
Another weekly real-life magazine, Love it is receptive to pitches
via post or email. Stories must be exclusive.
More - Endeavour House
189 Shaftesbury Avenue
London WC2H 8JG
Pays: Up to £100
Email: more.reallife@emap.com
(http://www.moremagazine.co.uk)
A weekly magazine which covers celebrity gossip, More receives
pitches via post or email. Stories must be exclusive. Their target
audience are in their 20s.
Pick Me Up - True Stories
King’s Reach Tower
Stamford Street
London SE1 9LS
Pays: Up to £500
Email: pickmeup@ipcmedia.com
Website: (http://www.pickmeupmagazine.co.uk)
Pick Me Up is a weekly magazine full of real-life stories - the
more sensational the better for them. They accept submissions via
post and email. Stories must be exclusive.
Real People - True Life
33 Broadwick Street
London W1F 0DQ
Pays: Up to £500
Email:
features@realpeoplemag.co.uk
Website: (www.realpeoplemagazine.co.uk)
Real People is a weekly magazine which publishes real-life stories
from normal people, just like you and me. They accept submissions
via post and email. Stories must be exclusive.
Take a Break
Pays: Up to £1000
Website: (www.takeabreakmagazine.co.uk)
Another weekly, Take a Break likes to receive submissions via an
online form on their website. Stories must be exclusive.
BIO
Sally Aquire is a freelance writer specializing in health and
fitness and sports writing. She has written for Hot Psychology
and Australian Tennis magazines and is currently a regular
contributor to Handbag and Ivillage. Her website is
http://sallyaquire.tripod.com
or you can contact her at
sally_aquire_1987@hotmail.com
| |
 Tweetebooks!
Mini-ebooks of niche markets for $1.99.
|
High Hope for the Freelance Writer