Writer's Digest Handbook of Magazine Article Writing (Paperback)

by Writers Digest (Editor) "The year was 1978..." (more)
Key Phrases: reprint cover letter, selling reprints, roundup article, Write Common Articles, Finding Markets, Finding Ideas (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
This highly anticipated update of the Writer's Digest Handbook of Magazine Article Writing builds off the excellent reputation the first edition enjoys with more of the great information readers have come to expect.

With original material as well as articles taken from the pages of Writer's Digest, the leading authority in the field, this book is the only resource readers need for all of their questions on how to:

* Brainstorm creative article ideas magazine editors will find irresistible

* Find the right magazine for their work

* Compose a professional, sophisticated query letter that catches the editor's eye

* Keep editors coming back for more (get repeat assignments from magazines)

This book is the writer's treasure map to the lucrative field of magazine writing!

About the Author
Michelle Ruberg is an editor for Writer's Digest Books. She has had many articles published and has done much editorial work.

Product Details

• Paperback: 256 pages
• Publisher: Writers Digest Books; 2 edition (December 26, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1582973342
• ISBN-13: 978-1582973340
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #10,866 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

93 of 93 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Essential resource for freelancers, July 4, 2006

By	H. Grove "owling6683" (Maryland, USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 100 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

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.

30 of 30 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Crammed, January 13, 2008

By	Tom Bruce (Brooklyn , NY) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Writer's Digest Handbook Of Magazine Article Writing: Handbook Of Magazine Article Writing (Hardcover)

I have developed a life-long habit of taking notes of every book I read. My bookmark is a blank piece of paper on which I write things of interest that strike me as I read along. Within a couple of pages of "The Handbook" I stopped taking notes. If I had continued, I would have had as many pages of notes as the book is long. This book is jam packed with very useful information for those thinking of a career as a magazine writer. I have just begun working in this field, and I must say that there is not an area not covered by the 56 contributors to this work. This is like a college course that instructs you on how to find ideas for articles, how to write a great query letter, the dollars and cents of running your own free-lance business, researching, interviewing, developing a style, it is all-inclusive. If you have thoughts of becoming a magazine writer, you can cut out a lot of the uncertainty, stress, waste motions, and rejections of this business by studying this book. I daresay I'll be turning to this handbook on at least a weekly basis. Thank you to the editor and contributors for a job very well done.

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good practical advice, February 17, 2008

By	E. Cottingham "liz_c549" (Missouri, USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

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.