Right From The Editor's Mouth: What She Wants

Of course we spend time thinking about how to make articles more appealing to editors. Common sense (and a thousand writing books) say to write to the interests of imagined "readers," or on topics and in styles requested by publications.

But the email I received today from the editor of a regional parenting publication suggests a whole different criteria for how to pick good-selling article topics:

"Articles that lend themselves to being a "sell-around" for advertising are usually of greater interest. So, anything that would generate a business to advertise on an adjacent page would be great. An example may be a Tutoring Center, Children's Book or Craft Store, etc. for the article you will be sending." 

I'm not suggesting anybody should write articles simply to sell advertising space, and am not sure how I feel about this editor asking for articles in this way...but do appreciate her honesty. And also wonder now:  how many publishers of these RPP's and other publications don't say anything, but also look for topics that will appeal to advertisers?

If I have a helpful and informative article, and adding in a related sidebar or paragraph to sell ad space makes it more tempting to business-savvy publishers, I'm okay with that.

How about you?

Linklove,
Colleen

Related Posts:

My Emails With An Editor
Writer's Agreement (aka, They Want The Article!...Now What?)
Avoid Turning Off A Busy Editor
Tip:  A Simple Way To Start A Relationship With An Editor

Publication is Like Dating...

Writer Carolyn See didn't let rejections stop her from submitting multiple pieces to the same editor. At one point, the editor hand-wrote a note back to her to the effect, "I think you've sent us everything but the family photos." And so, she sent those next! The result of their playful exchange?

See got a face-to-face meeting with that editor in NYC. Courtship, but of a different kind.

This is a great attitude to hang onto when the rejections roll in: it's not the end of a publishing opportunity, but the beginning of a courtship.

When my brother in-law was trying to win over my sister, he put single red roses on her windshield, befriended my younger sister and I - heck, he even got a job at the same place she worked.

They've been happily married for 7 years now.

Now let's say an editor turns down a piece. In dating terms: the editor's just waiting to see what's next, just needs to be "won over". It's not so much a no, as a "not yet." So keep sending those "roses" and maybe they'll accept your proposal.

Tip: A Simple Way to Start a Relationship With an Editor

Today an editor emailed me with a simple question. At the end of the email, she included her phone number and said I could call her if I preferred the phone to email.

While my instinct was to email her so I wouldn't bug her with a call, my freelance writing mentor Linda suggested that I call instead. That way, the editor would hear my voice, and our relationship would form quicker. (I ended up getting her voicemail. But hey - she still got to hear my voice)

Linda's tip: be friendly, but keep the call under 5 minutes.

Avoid Turning Off a Busy Editor: Ask These Questions Before Sending That Email

When is it okay to ask for an editor's time and help? Below are questions I've used to reduce my 'nuisance' levels and determine the difference between:


Being a nuisance and turning off a busy editor
vs.
Being a professional and following up


If I do nothing, could the ball be dropped?
Let's say you fax something and don't hear back for several days. While following up to confirm that a fax has been received is adding to an editor's call volume and could be considered a nuisance - in general, it's just good business to make sure the ball hasn't been dropped on either end.

Can I find this info somewhere else, or is the editor the only person who can fully answer it for me?
Some might question how wise it is to ask newspaper editors for overlapping readership info, since it requires work on the editors' end and writers can find some of this info online. However, there's no way a writer can be 100% certain of what readerships overlap. Editors should already know this information and be okay with sharing it in order to ensure that they maintain exclusive use in their region.

How can I save the editor extra work?
Can things be done to save the editor additional emails or phone calls? For example, when confirming the fax was received, forego the phone call and sent a quick confirmation email instead. Ask the editor to respond only if she didn't get the fax, piece, etc.

My Emails with an Editor

It's one thing to read about setting prices and granting rights. It's another thing to actually deal with an editor. Suddenly a dozen small questions cross your mind. Some of those questions are answered by my below email exchange with an editor. Responses are based on advice from Linda, a freelancer who's written for regional parenting magazines, Family Circle, Women's World, and others.

Hi Colleen, These are some cute ideas! Thanks for sending them. How much would you charge to reprint this piece? Would you grant web-posting rights as well as print rights? I might be interested in publishing it in a future issue. Best,
If the editor asks what you charge, acknowledge budget issues and ask what their standard rate is. Once she'd been writing articles for awhile, Linda started asking what the "high end" of their budget was.

Hi Susan, Great! Both print rights and nonexclusive web rights are available. I realize you're working on a budget, and hoped you could give me an idea of your standard pay range. Thanks,
She used my first name, so I used hers.

Thanks for getting back to me. For something this length, we’d usually pay $35, payable on publication. (i.e., if we were not able to run this, I would not purchase it.) Would we be able to get geographic exclusivity in the north/central region? Let me know your thoughts! Thanks so much. Best,
Ask editors if they have overlapping readership to ensure you don't make a mistake and send an article to regionally close publications.

No question, you would have geographic exclusivity; I haven't submitted to any other publications in the state to ensure there is no overlapping readership. If you end up publishing the article, I'd love it if you could let me know what overlapping readerships you do have. Your usual payment is in line with my standard pay rate. Of course if the piece doesn't run, I wouldn't expect payment. Thanks,

At this point, I'm hoping the editor will let me know if/when she's going to use it. They may  just print it and send a check. That works, too. :)

Writer's Agreement (aka They Want the Article!...Now What?)

You're sitting there on the sofa, dutifully copying writer's guidelines of regional parenting magazines off the net and pasting them into your word document when the phone rings. At the other end of the line is a real, live editor interested in your article (yippee!). You know that she's already got your name, address, phone and email info. Isn't that it?

In fact, there's this form she needs filled out before she can print your article. It looks like this:

In order to use a freelance writer's work, we must have a copy of this writer's agreement on file. Please complete this form and return it.

Complete: Name; Mailing Address; Telephone; Email; Social Security Number

All articles submitted are subject to editing for style, clarity and space considerations.

In purchasing North American serial rights, we reserve the right to publish a piece one time in the publication and on our website, now and in the future.

If a piece is posted on our website, it will appear during the month the article is published.

By signing this agreement, you are giving us exclusive rights in the county market to the articles we purchased and thus, you will not be able to sell the same article within 6 months to any other local, free magazines in the county area.

Writers will receive a tear sheet and check upon publication of your work.

Writer's signature & date:

Note: the editor said they don't need my social security number, and the freelancer I've been working with said she never gives it out until her article is accepted, even when they specifically ask for it on submission forms.