Have been a bit distracted this week following my technicolour appearance on Pitch Parlour and a flurry of ensuing comments emails etc. It’s nice to be noticed, and in exchange for my idea on restructring the blog, the ubiquitous Miss P. has also suggested some tweaks to my pitch letter. If this is bartering, I’m all in favour!
Meanwhile (how many posts contain a ‘meanwhile’ ?) and in between my musings on the attractions of writing fact or fiction, I remembered a short story I wrote recently which might just be suitable for a woman’s magazine. The magazine market is loved by writers because they Pay Good Money. The downside (for a writer, presumably upside for the readers) is that they are very exacting in their requirements. Evertything – content, style, tone, must be perfect – not to mention wordcount. And so I have been hacking whittling my offering down to a tidy 1000 words from what was around 1250. No mean feat IMO. Sadly only one magazine requires this length. The others in my sights are looking for 700, 1400 or 2000.
The thing is, once I have whittled, I find it somehow impossible to stick bits back on. Ah well. If it doesn’t find favour (and I fear it won’t) I shall save it for next year’s Short Short Story comp at Winchester. At least along the way I have found yet another Really Useful Blog with all kinds of advice on writing for this market.
Ali Bacon / Books and Other Things 
Very best with the mag piece. I was knocked sideways last week when I was actually commissioned to write something for a magazine – and then told they’d pay me for it as well.
Very best with the query letter. I have to say I felt your exasperation with you about the latest pitch.
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thanks, Dan and well done with the commission.
My ‘earnings’ from writing to date – one competition prize, one small fee in pipeline and some assorted bits of golf kit! Not too hopeful of my future as womag writer, but you never know.
AliB
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