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Growing a Career in Garden Writing
by Cindy Kerschner
"The most noteworthy thing about gardeners is that they are
always optimistic, always enterprising, and never satisfied.
They always look forward to doing something better than they
have ever done before."
This quote by Vita Sackville-West explains the need for garden
writers. According to the Garden Writers Association Foundation,
garden writing offers a niche market estimated at targeting 74
percent of American households. That's a lot of green.
The market for garden related articles goes beyond garden
magazines. Gardeners span all ages, abilities and incomes. An
article on container gardening can appeal to several specialty
magazines at the same time. The easy care aspect can interest
people with special needs (Special Living Magazine
www.specialiving.com ), children
(Highlights for Children
www.highlights.com ) or busy lifestyles
(Recreation News
www.recreationnews.com ).
I'll let you in on a secret. You don't need to be an authority
on plants to be a garden writer. There is a wealth of experts
at your fingertips. Best of all, this information is free for
the quoting. You can contact your local County Cooperative
Extension office for interviews, trends, current insect
problems and general garden information. This office is
backed by your state agricultural college. Local botanical
gardens and garden centers are staffed with knowledgeable
people ready to answer any garden questions. Landscaping and
nursery associations are another great source for information.
There are several ways to get your foot through the garden
gate. Don't rule out local newspapers. I wrote as a contributor
to three local papers and amassed over seventy clips, free
subscriptions and exposure to over 100,000 people.
Newsletters are another avenue for garden writers. Local
garden clubs, plant societies and garden centers all need
to keep members abreast of member news as well as new products
and trends. Create a standard newsletter with seasonal
information and a section tailored for an individual
organization's news. Explore creating both print and online
versions.
Garden writing is different than most nonfiction writing
since the seasons dictate your topics and available materials.
Seasonal lead time averages (check individual guidelines)
3 to 6 months beyond the standard magazine requirements for
reviewing submissions. Some magazines require queries a year
or more in advance.
It can be hard to think about planting trees in January. One
thing to remember is that garden topics run on a seven year
cycle. To get a feel of what to submit for an upcoming issue
you may only need to go online. Major magazines like
Horticulture ( www.hortmag.com ), Fine
Gardening
(
www.taunton.com/finegardening/pages/ ) and Backhome Magazine
( www.backhomemagazine.com/ )
have online versions where you
can check the back issues table of contents and also look for
additional content.
A garden writer's secret weapon is photos. Take pictures of
the good, the bad and the ugly. Gardeners are not only
interested in the beauty of a new floral species. Photos of
insects, plants ravaged from disease or cultural factors rank
high in demand. If photography is not your forte, there are
sites that offer free photos in exchange for giving photo
credits.
Consider adding garden writing to your resume since as sure
as spring follows winter, there will be a need for garden
writers.
Free expert advice:
USDA Plant Database - www.plants.usda.gov
Agriculture Information Center- www.agnic.org
Cooperative Extension by state-
www.csrees.usda.gov/Extension/index.html
Free articles and photos:
Scotts - www.scotts.com
Pro Garden Biz Magazine - progardenbiz.com
USDA agricultural research image gallery -
www.ars.usda.gov/is/graphics/photos/
Bio:
Cindy Kerschner is a Master Gardener and member of the Garden
Writers Association of America. Her articles have appeared in
national publications including Mother Earth News, Backhome
Magazine, Clamor, Inscriptions, Relish and Parenting Humor.
You can reach Cindy at
cindykerschner@gmail.com .
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