A cool editor asked me these questions.
1. Why approach a parenting publication? I HAVE A HEART FOR CHILDREN AND A PASSION FOR HELPING FAMILIES AND WANT TO BRING QUALITY CONTENT TO THIS MARKET. IF I'M BRUTALLY HONEST, I HAVE TO ADMIT A WEAKNESS FOR MAGAZINES! I'VE ALWAYS ALWAYS LOVED THEM AND WANTED TO LIVE INSIDE THEM.
2. What type of writing experience did you have? ACADEMIC RESEARCH PAPERS, PROFESSIONAL CORRESPONDENCE, AND SPEECHES.
3. What did you wish you knew when you started writing for parenting publications? IF YOU'RE PASSIONATE ABOUT THE TOPIC AND A DECENT WRITER, THIS IS HALF THE BATTLE. EDITORS WANT TO ACCEPT WELL THOUGHT OUT AND CLEAN SUBMISSIONS. THERE ARE ONLY A FEW SADISTS WHO WILL SAY YOU SHOULD JUST STICK TO BLOGGING.
4. What was hard to learn/accomplish/know when you first started writing for parenting publications? I AM ONE OF THOSE RENEGADE WRITERS SO NOTHING WAS HARD. WITHOUT A RULE BOOK OR JOURNALISM BACKGROUND OR MUCH EGO AT ALL (NO WRITING CLASS OR SEMINAR!) THERE WAS FREEDOM FROM 'HOW WE DO THINGS HERE.' I'M AS SHOCKED AS ANYONE BY MY SUCCESS.
5. Did you look for or ask for writer's guidelines? INITIALLY I DID BUT ONLY A FEW WERE OFFERED. THE PAY IS SO LOW FOR THE PIECES I WRITE THAT IT DOESN'T MAKE GOOD FINANCIAL SENSE TO TAKE THE TIME TO READ GUIDELINES, CHANGE FORMATS...I THINK GUIDELINES TURN MOST GOOD WRITERS OFF UNLESS THEY HAVE TONS OF FREE TIME ON THEIR HANDS.
6. What information could we provide to help you? IF QUALITY, THOUGHT PROVOKING CONTENT IS THE ULTIMATE GOAL THEN A STYLE GUIDE IS NOT WHAT WILL ATTRACT STRONG WRITING. IT'S FREEDOM AND CREATIVITY WHICH FUEL MY PROCESS. FOR HO HUM CHEAP UNIMAGINATIVE FILLER, LOTS OF FORMULA ORGANIZATION MAY BE KEY. BUT READERS ARE BUSY AND DON'T HAVE A GREAT ATTENTION SPAN AND WILL SKIP OR SKIM REGARDLESS OF STRUCTURE...UNLESS...WE MAKE THEM CARE WITH STRONG EVOCATIVE WRITING.
7. What other publications/organizations do you regularly write for? ABOUT 60 PARENTING PUBLICATIONS, ADVERTORIAL, GHOSTBLOGGING, AND PRESS.
8. What tips could you share that have helped you work with those publications/organizations? RESPECT AN EDITOR'S TIME. IF YOU BELIEVE IN YOUR IDEA OR SUBMISSION, EXPRESS THAT PASSION AND BACK IT UP IN A FEW SENTENCES, NOT PAGES. READ YOUR PIECE OUT LOUD FOR FLOW AND CLEAN IT UP BEFORE CLICKING 'SEND.' DON'T BOTHER ANY PUBLICATION WITH MEDIOCRITY OR A SLIGHTLY TWEAKED RECYCLE. BE CLEVER. BE GREAT. BE KIND. GIVE THE BENEFIT OF THE DOUBT, AND YOU WILL DEVELOP AN ATTRACTIVE REPUTATION AS A FREELANCER AND SEE MORE PIECES ACCEPTED.
9. What do you like about writing for a parenting publication? EVEN IF IT'S NAIVE, I BELIEVE THERE IS HONOR IN SHARING WHAT I KNOW, RAISING AWARENESS. EDUCATING, AND ENTERTAINING PARENTS (WHO HAVE THE TOUGHEST JOB ON EARTH AND DESERVE THOUGHTFUL WRITING).
10. What do you not like about writing for a parenting publication? IF I THINK TOO HARD ABOUT THE MONEY I EARN PER HOUR WRITING PARENTING STUFF AS OPPOSED TO OTHER STUFF, IT DEPRESSES THE HECK OUT OF ME. WHY ISN'T THE EFFORT AND THOUGHT MORE VALUABLE IN THE MARKETPLACE? AT TIMES I BECOME PARANOID THAT I'M INVISIBLE AND NO ONE READS THE ARTICLES. ALSO IN LAPSES OF SUPERFICIALITY, IT'S TOUGH TO IMPRESS ANYONE AT A DINNER PARTY. PEOPLE WANT TO HEAR 'TIME' OR 'NEW YORKER' WHEN THEY ASK WHO YOU WRITE FOR. SO I HAVE TO PUT EXTRA EFFORT INTO HOW MY HAIR IS STYLED BEFORE THOSE GATHERINGS.
11. Main profession/occupation? CREATIVE WRITER.
