Customer Reviews

Writer's Digest Handbook of Magazine Article Writing

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

The "Writer's Digest Handbook of Magazine Article Writing" takes information from a wide variety of highly successful freelance writers and edits it together into a seamless instructional manual. It starts off with a discussion of finding ideas that addresses more than inspiration--it delves into methods to find topics that will sell. "Querying" and "Finding Markets" teach you to pick markets for your work and get assignments from them. "Selling Reprints and Rewrites" and "Business and Rights-Related Issues" help you to understand what your work is worth to whom, and how to make sure it remains worth as much as possible to you.

"Researching" and "Interviewing" get you through the information-gathering phase, which can take longer than the actual writing. "Avoiding Problems" helps you to avoid accidental plagiarism and similar legal problems. "Writing Techniques and Revision" deals with general issues of writing magazine articles, while "How to Write Common Articles" delves into specifics on article types such as profiles, roundups, how-to articles, service journalism, art-of-living articles, and even pieces for children's magazines. "Working With an Editor" shepherds you through the relationships that will make or break your career.

Because the book gets into so many specifics (there's even a sidebar on writing book reviews!) regarding particular article types and so on, you're likely to find it useful even if you've already done some magazine freelancing. It's so helpful to know all the little rules of thumb and instructions regarding different types of articles, not to mention what editors are looking for and get the least of in their submission piles.

The chapter on working with editors presents particularly valuable information in a remarkably even-handed and balanced format. It presents a number of ways to maintain a good relationship with your editor, and these tips are useful and specific. A "damage control" section is included, since everyone runs into trouble now and then despite the best of intentions. There's information on "problem editors" to watch out for and how to best work with (or avoid) them, as well as types of writers that editors hate to find themselves working with and how you can avoid being one of these writers.

Quotes from freelancers and editors liven things up and bring a personal touch to the book. Clear, bulleted lists of helpful points are balanced by enough detail to make sure that you can figure out what you're doing in specific circumstances. The information presented is broad enough to be applicable to any sort of magazine freelancer, and specific enough to be applicable to every sort of magazine freelancer.

I had to purchase this for an online writing course. I didn't expect much. I have read about half a dozen other books on magazine writing that weren't required reading. But this book is really solid and doesn't meander aimlessly, like a couple others I've read. I'd first recommend Jenna Glatzer's book, but this is a good addition to your writing reference shelf.

The information covers the entire non-fiction magazine market, not just journalism. Includes the best ways to break into freelancing, and compares small and large markets. Creating a niche for yourself versus generalizing is also covered. Some writing tips are offered, as well, but the focus is on selling your work.

I am very pleased with this book, and I recommend it.

Granted, this is a few years old, but it was likely out of date even then. The information in this paperback is readily accessible online virtually anywhere-you aren't getting anything exceptionally helpful or detailed. The information is so general that one would suspect it of fitting in more with a high school English class than for a freelancer. Additionally, you aren't given the contact information as Writer's Market supplies.

A few things: plagiarism is covered in 2 or 3 pages. Not only is it very basic knowledge, but it doesn't even explain the different styles of citation. "Editor" tips are also basic...a little bit of time on Google and you'd likely yield more precise information from better sources.

Save your money....

This book is good if you already know how to write magazine articles. It gives a lot of information on the business side and getting them published. The actual writing section is not detailed enough, though and gives generic advice, such as to review it the next day with a fresh set of eyes.

I am established in my professional field and am looking into publishing articles in trade magazines, and Rubgerg's book makes an excellent primer. Every industry has its own habits and expectations, and that includes magazine publishers. I considered just picking up the phone and chatting editors up, and in hindsight, I realize how clueless (or borderline dumb) that would've been.

Handbook of Magazine Article Writing delivers on what its title promises, covering everything from brainstorming and finding markets to reprints and tax deductions. At the same time (and unlike most books in the field), it keeps its focus on magazines, not books and not prose. If this is what you're after, definitely give it a shot.

Although I felt there was a little too much time spent on other authors' personal experiences, overall the explanations of how to be a success in the magazine writing game were well written and understandable. This is a good source for the beginner and the experienced author alike. The Writers Market for the current year is an ideal companion to this book.

This book gave me even more valuable information than I anticipated. I recommend it for anyone who may want to write and get published in magazines.

I sometimes write for a local newspaper. I woke up one day and decided to broaden my horizons, to make the jump from newspaper writing to Magazine writing, and I found this book in Amazon. I feel like I have gone back to stage one, from the start, the book has shown me many superb tips. I recommend it 100%, you will not regret buying the book. Take a peak, buy it and enjoy it.

I like how it reads and makes sense. It's too soon to tell if it will help me produce sellable articles, but I'm hopeful.