How to Study a Publication

You'll increase your chances of acceptance if you study a publication before submitting our query letter, article, essay or short story to them. Keep reading to learn how to study a publication.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. Obtain at least three recent back issues of the publication to which you want to submit a story or article idea.

2. Sit down with those back issues with a notebook and pen. Study each issue to determine what sections are written by staff writers only (check the masthead, it lists the staff). In your notebook, write the title of the publication. Under the title, list the sections written by staff writers.

3. Record the sections not written by staff writers in your notebook. These will be the sections you'll have a better chance of breaking into since they appear to be freelance written.

4. Flip to the freelance written section you would like to see your article in. Check out the articles in that section for all three issues.

5. Analyze the section for style. You want to learn the publication's style to compose your article in the same style.

6. When studying the style, answer the following questions under that publication's title in your notebook:
   
   1. Are the articles written in first or third person?
   2. Do most of the articles include statistics?
   3. Do most of the articles include extensive quotes from experts?
   4. Are most of the articles "How To" articles?
   5. Do the articles include many sidebars?

7. Refer to the masthead to find out what editor covers that section. For example, if the section is health related, you probably want to address and send your submission to the health editor. Write that editor's name next to the section you just studied.

8. Browse the back issues for any pieces written by that editor. Study the editor's writing style. Take what you just learned and apply it to your query letter and article.

Tips & Warnings

• Before paying for back issues of print magazines, check with your local library to see if they have the magazines you're looking for.
• Many print magazines also have websites where they may display their content or a few articles from current and back issues that you can study.
• Don't forget to read the publication's guidelines thoroughly.

[chava812]

on 3/9/2008 Great How-To, Misti! I was going to ask how we get the back issues, but your tips covered that - woo hoo - is that knowing your audience and subject or what!?!!!