How important are photographs when trying to sell a magazine article?

How important are photographs when trying to sell a magazine article?

How important are photographs when trying to sell a magazine article?

Good photos can make or break a deal. Photographers who don't write and writers who do not capture great photos have a long row to hoe when it comes to getting most magazine articles published.

It is possible to use stock photo agencies to illustrate an article.

Some writers and photographers team up from time to time to get published.

Ideally, you should learn to do your own photography and writing if you want to have repetitive sales in the major magazine markets.

Dodge

Manuscript Checklist

QUICK MANUSCRIPT CHECKLIST FOR AUTHORS

Please check your manuscript for all of the following before mailing.

 1. The Author’s name as it should appear in the book, address, telephone, email and fax should be included.

 2. You must obtain all permissions for copyrighted material. See the sample permissions letter on http://www._____.com.

 3. Your text manuscript and artwork should be separate. Most popular software programs are acceptable.

 4. Supply one set of printed text manuscript.  Print on one side, double-spaced, to allow for publisher’s editing process.

 5. Supply an electronic disk with your printed manuscript if possible. The two versions must agree in all respects. If you update your disk, update the printed version. (Minor corrections clearly written in are acceptable).

 6. All disks/CDs must be clearly labeled with author name, book title, chapter number and title, file contents, and the operating system and software used.

 7. Text manuscript should contain consecutive manuscript page numbers.

 8. All figures should have figure numbers (e.g., Fig. 1-1), be numbered consecutively, and mentioned explicitly in the text.

 9. All tables should have table numbers (e.g., Table 1-1), and should be numbered consecutively.  When you start chapter 2 the first table will be, Table 2-1. Include tables in the text, not separately with figures.

 10. Original printed and electronic art should be submitted separately from the text.  It should not be embedded in the text.

 11. You are required to provide reproducible originals for each figure in your manuscript. Your electronic art must be accompanied by a printed version, preferably 600 dpi or higher. If possible, create the figure in the size you envision it will appear in the finished book. Do not supply photocopies.

 12. Electronic art submissions must be in .TIFF or .EPS formats only. If you cannot supply art in these formats, we will scan your clean printed originals. Printed originals should not include gray-scale screens or tints. They do not scan well. Cross-hatching is an acceptable substitute. This book will be printed in black and white so avoid color illustrations. If we receive color illustrations, they will be converted into black and white; and because the artwork is converted to black and white some details could be lost.

 13. Original photographs should be crisp and supplied in black and white. Avoid color originals.

 14. Submit Figure a Legend list on a separate sheet, including figure numbers in consecutive order. In general, all figures require a caption. Do not embed figure captions in the text or print them on the art. Label lightly in pencil on the back.

  Refer to Publisher’s Guide to Authors for more details.

Creative Writing

Creative Writing: Copyright © 2011, R. Dodge Woodson.  All rights reserved. Except as permitted under the United States Copyright Act of 1976, no part of this publication may be reproduced or distributed in any form or by any means, or stored in a database or retrieval system, without the prior written permission of the author.

Disclaimer

Information contained in this work has been obtained by R. Dodge Woodson (herein referred to as “the company”) from sources believed to be reliable. However, R. Dodge Woodson, Roger Woodson, authors, employees or freelancers of the company do not guarantee the accuracy or completeness of any information published by the company. R. Dodge Woodson, authors, employees and freelancers of the company do not guarantee any work offered by the company to be free of any errors, omissions, or damages arising out of the use of the information. All work is published with the understanding that R. Dodge Woodson, authors, employees and freelancers of the company are supplying information but are not attempting to render advice or professional services. Anyone requiring services or professional advice should seek such services and/or advice from qualified professionals who offer the advice or services being sought. The publisher and all its associates hereby state that they are not offering tax or legal advice. R. Dodge Woodson is not providing legal, tax, or other professional services as a result of this work.

Any comments or questions can be directed to rw@rdodgewoodson.net.

Creative Writing

My experience has shown that most creative writing fails to pay the bills. I cannot offer much advice about fiction, poetry, or other forms of creative writing. What I can say is that nonfiction work usually sells easier. There are, of course, exceptions. You could hit the jackpot and retire in comfort. That is not likely to happen with nonfiction. On the other hand, if you are going to share what you know, work a regulated scheduled, and invest in finding suitable publishers, you can make a good living as a nonfiction writer. You probably won’t get rich. I sure haven’t, but I did earn a good living for a long time writing about what I knew.

What do you like to do other than writing? Is it gardening? There is a strong market for this in the publishing world. Do you thrive on fishing? Hey, that’s another strong market. Can you tell fly fishermen how to tie flies and when and where to use them? You could be a mega star if you can. Are you a remodeling contractor, a plumber, a remodeler, or something along those lines? Consumers are hungry for this type of information.

Based on my personal experience over the last 20-25 years, I have to say that nonfiction work is the monthly paycheck. I have tried my hand at novels. Many people say I am good at it, but I don’t feel it. It should be stated that I have never signed a contract for a novel, even though I have been sought after for the job.

Ghostwriting is another option that can be profitable. Generally, you will probably have to travel to be a successful ghost. I choose not to. My decision has cost me jobs and some pretty good money, but it was my decision.

I know a lot of people love to write and read poetry, but I do not know anyone who makes any significant money from the effort.

Experts and business owners who write books can profit twice. They can be paid for what they write, gain expert status, and use it to promote their consulting practices and other business, not to mention their academic standing.

Over the years I have worked with all sorts of nonfiction writers as a book producer. Presently, I concentrate on chemists, chemistry, pharmacology, toxicology, homeland security, electrical engineers, and similar experts. If you fall into this category and want to write a book, please contact me at rw@rdodgewoodson.net.

The publishing world is changing. I have written over 110 books, but each year brings different circumstances. For instance, the last six writing projects I have had required videos to promote the projects. As a pro photographer, this was not difficult for me, but be aware that it might come up.

If you want to make a living as a full-time writer, the deck is stacked against you. It probably always has been, but I have seen it get worse over the years, and especially since 2008. Think about it. How many brick-and-mortar bookstores still exist? The digital age has hit us old dinosaurs. I guess it is to the tar pits for me, but I will not go without a rumble.

At R. Dodge Woodson, Publishing, (www.rdodgewoodson.net) I still have a few major publishers looking for real books. The market shrunk since 2008, but it is not dead. If you have something valuable to say, there may be someone who will pay you to say it.

Dodge

Writing an article query

Writing an Article Query: Copyright © 2011, R. Dodge Woodson.  All rights reserved. Except as permitted under the United States Copyright Act of 1976, no part of this publication may be reproduced or distributed in any form or by any means, or stored in a database or retrieval system, without the prior written permission of the author.

Disclaimer

Information contained in this work has been obtained by R. Dodge Woodson (herein referred to as “the company”) from sources believed to be reliable. However, R. Dodge Woodson, Roger Woodson, authors, employees or freelancers of the company do not guarantee the accuracy or completeness of any information published by the company. R. Dodge Woodson, authors, employees and freelancers of the company do not guarantee any work offered by the company to be free of any errors, omissions, or damages arising out of the use of the information. All work is published with the understanding that R. Dodge Woodson, authors, employees and freelancers of the company are supplying information but are not attempting to render advice or professional services. Anyone requiring services or professional advice should seek such services and/or advice from qualified professionals who offer the advice or services being sought. The publisher and all its associates hereby state that they are not offering tax or legal advice. R. Dodge Woodson is not providing legal, tax, or other professional services as a result of this work.

Any comments or questions can be directed to rw@rdodgewoodson.net.

Writing an Article Query

 Writing a query to sell an article is about the same for a print magazine as it is for an online source. Potential authors have only moments to capture, and hold, the attention of decision makers. There is not a lot of time or room to make a long, slow pitch. You have to put all you have into the first paragraph. Many editors will not read much past this point.

The use of bullet lists that following your opening paragraph is a nice touch. This keeps the query open and easy to scan. Dense text with your excellent idea hidden in it is not as likely to sell.

A lot of rookie writes run out and join as many organizations as they can find. This may be helpful to you in some fashion, but it will mean little to a publisher. Unless you are in a “gated community”, like American Society of Journalists and Authors (ASJA) or The Writer’s Guild.

Don’t make the mistake of trying to dress up your letterhead or correspondence with the word writer or author. This makes you appear inexperienced. Focus of what you want to sell, which is a terrific article that your audience will want to buy.

Online articles are often only 500 words in length. Magazine articles tend to run closer to 2,000 words. There are plenty of exceptions, but this is a good rule of thumb.

Open your query with the first paragraph coming from your story. Don’t brag about who you are or what you have done. Sell the article first. Use up to two paragraphs to lead into your bullet list.

The bullet list should outline key elements that will be covered in the complete article. Most magazine queries are only two pages long. You don’t have a lot of space or time to sell your idea, so sell it well and sell it fast.

Write a paragraph about yourself to follow the bullet lists. Play up your credentials for writing the article. For example, if you are writing an article on photography and happen to teach photography at a school, make this known. Now is the time to blow your own horn. Maybe the article is about making crafts and you have spent years making and selling crafts. This could be your strength as an author.

The next paragraph should provide specifications on the article. How many words will the article contain? Will you be providing photographs? What type of illustrations are needed and will you supply them? How much time do you need to deliver the work? What program will the article be written in? Flesh out as many details as an editor will need to make a decision.

If you have samples of your work, include them for editorial review. In the old days these were clippings or photocopies of published pages. In today’s world it can be an electronic file.

Don’t be afraid to present queries if you have not been published. Once you find the right idea to match your credentials and a suitable outlet for it, you will get published. Being able to provide your own high-quality photographs will give you a definite edge in many types of articles that range from how-to subjects to travel topics.

A lot of people are working hard to get published. Many of them will give up before they make it to the big leagues. Those who don’t quit always have a chance. Today’s online article could lead to a print article that will take you down the path to writing a complete book.

Try to pick topics that you enjoy writing about. The enthusiasm will show in your work. Keep the queries flowing and you will get published. Don’t write entire articles and then try to sell them to the print media. You will do far better with a quality query in that market. Now stop reading and start writing!

Dodge