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Writing for the Other Parenting Magazines
By Renee Roberson
Like many aspiring writers, I sent off a few article ideas
at the beginning of my writing career via snail mail to the
big parenting publications like BabyTalk, Parents and Parenting.
For the most part, I never got any responses back, except for
one horribly photocopied stock rejection letter from American
Baby that almost crushed my dreams of writing about parenting
forever.
However, I took some of those same queries and sent them out
to a few local regional parenting publications, and within a
few months, had made several sales. Regional parenting
publications may have a much lower pay scale than the nationals
($25 to $300), but most writers have a better shot of getting
published in these magazines, and if you market yourself
properly, you can generate a steady reprint income.
Look Outside Your Coverage Area
The most recent version of The Writer's Market includes a
good list of regional parenting publications in the "Child
Care & Parental Guidance" section. But not all of the magazines
that are members of the Parenting Publications of America (PPA)
are listed there. If you visit the PPA Web site
( www.parentingpublications.org
) you can register your name
and areas of expertise (child development, teens and tweens,
family health, etc.) in the member database for a $35 annual
fee. In return, the organization will provide you with a roster
of the more than 100 participating publications (a $50 value).
Do Your Research
Most of the Web sites for these magazines have writers'
guidelines available that state whether or not they are
looking for articles only tailored to their geographic region,
or if they will accept reprints that quote sources from outside
markets. Read these guidelines carefully and only send in the
type of queries and articles the editors are asking for to
build up a good reputation. Editors in these markets appreciate
it when you write up your article and send it on spec, as they
are often time-crunched and would prefer to see a whole piece up
front if you already have it.
Brainstorm Ideas, and Don't Forget the Evergreen
Unlike national parenting publications, many regional
parenting publications have editorial calendars they repeat
each year, with just a few minor tweaks here and there. For
example, you can expect most editors to put together summer
and day camp themed issues in early spring, and they are
always looking for fun, seasonal holiday article ideas in the
fall and winter months. August is almost always focused on
back-to-school. Do not fear pitching an evergreen topic,
because many times this is just what editors are looking for.
They plan out their content several months in advance, although
not quite as far out as Parents magazine. For example, if you
have any good holiday idea articles it's not a bad idea to
pitch them as early as July or August.
Negotiate Rights
If you sell an original article idea to a regional publication,
negotiate local rights only so you can have the option to
reprint the piece in a non-competing market in the future.
Negotiating these rights will serve you well, especially with
evergreen topics. When pitching a reprint to a different market,
you can always offer to localize it with an expert source or
relevant sidebar for a few more dollars, or just to finalize
the sale.
Parenting has provided me with the ultimate inspiration for
expanding my career, and it has also helped to support my
family as well. With these tips, hopefully it will do the
same for you.
BIO
Renee Roberson is a North Carolina-based writer who has
penned hundreds of parenting articles in regional parenting
publications and Web sites such as
www.babyzone.com and
www.iParenting.com . Her article,
"Alternative Treatments for
Autism," received first place in the magazine feature article
category of the 78th Annual Writer's Digest Writing Competition.
Visit her Web site at
www.FinishedPages.com .
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