Writing for Magazine Publication: It Isn't Impossible

Writing for magazine publication can seem like a daunting task. Whether you write fiction, nonfiction, poetry, or other, there's a lot of competition out there. And every magazine only has so many spaces to fill every year.

But, while getting something you've written published in a magazine can be a challenge, it isn't impossible.

Know What They Want

Sending a story or article to a magazine when there's no chance they will actually publish it is a waste of time and money (postage). Before you send a manuscript to a magazine, find out what that magazine wants. Then, you'll at least know what you send them stands a chance.

You can find the writer's guidelines for many publications online, either at the magazine's website, or in a writer's guideline database.

You can also send for writer's guidelines by mail. Just address your letter to the submissions or manuscript editor, and include a self-addressed stamped envelope with your request.

Read the Magazine

Reading writer's guidelines is a good start. But they don't always give you the complete picture. The guidelines might say a magazine will accept movie reviews. But only by reading the magazine will you get a feel for the tone and style the magazine is looking for. Do they want serious, formal reviews? Or do they prefer more informal, humorous reviews?

Visiting a magazine's website will give you an idea of the kind of material they publish. But you should also try to read a recent copy of the actual magazine.

If you can't find a magazine at your local newsstand, you can often request a sample copy from the publishers. For some sample copies, you'll have to pay the postage, and maybe the cover price of the magazine. Other sample copies won't cost anything but the price of the stamp on your request.

Write for Free

Some magazines don't pay contributors. Instead, you might receive copies of the issue your story or article appears in.

While writing for free might not seem to make much sense, it's often easier for writers to find success with these non-paying markets. And later, when you send submissions or query letters to paying markets, the fact that you've been published in other magazines will work in your favor.

But even non-paying publications receive plenty of submissions, and you'll still be competing against plenty of other writers. So, you should still put your best foot forward when making a submission to these magazines.

Writing for magazine publication is definitely a challenge. But if you learn the tricks of the trade, you will drastically increase your chances of finding success.