| Whether you're a professional magazine writer | | | | "no." Whenever possible, include a sentence |
| with decades of experience or a | | | | in your query defining your focus or stating |
| not-yet-published freelancer, you are bound | | | | the main idea of the article. |
| to get rejection notes. Editors don't always | | | | |
| explain clearly why they're saying no. Some | | | | 5. You're trying to cover too much. Editors |
| reasons have nothing to do with you and | | | | know what can and can't be accomplished in |
| others have everything to do with you, while | | | | 700 or 1800 words or whatever length is usual |
| many other reasons rank between those two | | | | for their publication. Beginning writers have |
| extremes. | | | | a tendency to propose something that would |
| | | | need a book-length treatment to accomplish or |
| To succeed as a freelance magazine writer, | | | | that's way too broad for an article. To |
| you must do your best to optimize the factors | | | | prevent this reason for rejection, carefully |
| within your control. Then accept the | | | | study your target magazine to determine what |
| rejections that occur despite your efforts, | | | | a reasonable scope for an article is - for |
| as an inevitable part of the business. Use | | | | instance, "ways to help your child complete |
| this list of 10 common reasons for rejection | | | | their homework," rather than "ways to help |
| as a tool for crafting article queries that | | | | your child succeed in life." |
| make it hard for editors to respond in any | | | | |
| other way than "yes!" | | | | 6. Your focus is wrong for us. If you propose |
| | | | a profile when the magazine runs how-to |
| 1. We already did this topic. When a magazine | | | | articles, or vice versa, the editor will say |
| has its archives posted online, you should | | | | no. The same thing would happen when you |
| try to make sure this objection isn't the | | | | propose writing about a tragedy or outrage |
| case. However, sometimes you couldn't | | | | when the publication prides itself on |
| possibly know that your topic is already | | | | hopeful, upbeat stories. Research, research, |
| assigned to another writer or already set to | | | | research first! |
| appear in a future issue. Your idea being "in | | | | |
| the pipeline" is the quintessential reason | | | | 7. Your query is okay, but not exciting to |
| for rejection that you can't prevent. Oh | | | | us. Here the topic and focus may work, but |
| well! Just go on to the next idea. | | | | the writing lacks persuasiveness and pizzazz. |
| | | | Head off this reason for rejection by writing |
| 2. We're not ready to redo the topic yet. | | | | vivid, energetic queries in the style |
| Many magazines revisit some topics after a | | | | preferred by the publication. |
| certain length of time has passed or if | | | | |
| there's a compelling rationale for shortening | | | | 8. We're not convinced you can pull it off. |
| their normal repeat cycle. If your research | | | | Certain kinds of articles require |
| reveals that the publication has covered a | | | | journalistic experience, technical knowledge, |
| topic before, explain what's changed to | | | | contacts or unusual storytelling skills. Try |
| warrant another article now. For instance, | | | | to anticipate the fears editors might have |
| your article would focus on post-Big Dig | | | | about your abilities in reference to what |
| Boston. Or you'll cover the fertility | | | | you're proposing and explain what in your |
| treatments that have been discovered since | | | | background shows you can handle it. |
| their last discussion of the topic in 2006. | | | | |
| | | | 9. There are factual errors in your |
| 3. It's not relevant to enough readers. | | | | presentation. Always, always look up the |
| Forestall this response by making a strong | | | | spelling of proper names and check any facts |
| case in your query that your topic is either | | | | mentioned in a query. One of my writing |
| relevant or interesting to their target | | | | students showed me a query he was going to |
| market. For instance, editors at a men's | | | | send off that described a highway as going |
| magazine would most likely reject an article | | | | somewhere it didn't and put a tourist spot in |
| on eating disorders unless you cite | | | | the wrong state. These would have been deadly |
| statistics showing that it's rapidly growing | | | | errors. Editors hate working with writers who |
| or an increasingly serious problem for men in | | | | can't get details right. |
| the age group the magazine serves. | | | | |
| | | | 10. Your query is poorly written. Editors |
| 4. Your idea isn't focused enough. Very often | | | | also hate receiving assignments that need a |
| queries go in five different directions for a | | | | major rewrite, so they send queries |
| topic, so that the editor can't figure out | | | | containing mangled sentences, verbs that |
| what the article would really cover. If the | | | | don't match subjects and misused phrases to |
| editor can tell you want to write about | | | | the "reject" pile. Learn to write correct, |
| volunteerism in big cities but not what you | | | | competent English, and you'll ensure a fair |
| want to say about the phenomenon, that's a | | | | reception for your ideas. |