Although I had received an MA in English through this same university, this particular course did more to help me understand newspaper and magazine publishing than any class I'd ever taken before.
The professor was a great, affable guy with a lot of publishing creds under his belt. He had a bulletin board called the Wailing Wall where he posted rejection letters, including his own. He started the first class with a quote from Samuel Johnson: "No man but a blockhead ever wrote, except for money." Since, except for my paying gig, I'd only done academic writing up til then — the kind that only other academics read when they needed some footnotes for their own papers — the idea of getting a byline and getting paid for the effort was a new venture for me.
We were taught how to research a publication we were interested in by requesting a media kit (meant for potential advertisers), which would give us inside info about the publication's demographics, philosophy, and other nuggets of wisdom so that we could determine if our piece or idea would be a good "fit" for that particular publication. This was crucial, since one of most newbies' biggest mistakes is submitting a piece or idea to an inappropriate market, wasting their precious time as well as the editor's.
I learned that for nonfiction work submitted to newspapers and magazines, the professional writer will often submit a query letter rather than the entire manuscript. This letter gives the editor a little tease — telling them what the author has in mind in brief and an idea of their style, as well as the author's qualifications for writing the story, their previous publishing experience, if any, and other info. From there — especially if one has composed a killer query — one may get an invitation from the editor to submit the proposed piece for publication.
The prof granted an automatic A to anyone who could get an acceptance from a paying market. I submitted three queries. One of these was to the late, great Spy Magazine. I received a personal reply — not a form rejection letter — that said something kind about my submission, but regretted that they could not use it. I can't remember anything about the second.
Article comments
1 - Matthew T. Sussman
Good to see you found your niche. But I'm living proof that it works the other way around, too: blogging can lead to freelance opportunities. I was actually approached by an editor to write sports columns for a weekly tabloid. It was a direct result of Futon Report -- he liked it enough to give me a shot.
It also helped that there's not a big market for Toledo sports blogs. (There may not be another active one out there).
So Elvira, you were sure lost in the pond when trying to make it as a freelancer in the NYC market. Yeesh. I would have given up sooner than you.
2 - Elvira Black
Matthew:
Yes, it's really exciting to know that you CAN do it the other way around--and sometimes both ways!
I didn't really give up once I got established, since I was doing pretty well--I just finally quit in part so I could try to have some sort of a life. Deadlines at my nine to five job, then more deadlines with my freelance stuff--but I did have a load of fun, and I'm sure I can always go back to it (gulp) if I ever felt the overwhelming need to do so.
Congrats on your success--it is great to have a niche! Tres cool.
3 - Chelsea Snyder
I have a "success" story similar to Matt's -- I got freelanced after an editor found my blog, here on BC, actually. I think the road to success is different for everyone. Some people take route like you, Elvira, others go the route Sussman took, and others, like me, just kind of stumble into it. But hey, whatever works, right?
4 - Elvira Black
Chelsea, that is awesome! I think BC is a great place for writers to showcase their work. That must have been so wonderful to just have an editor approach you rather than vice versa, which is much more humbling and stress inducing--lol...
5 - Matthew T. Sussman
At first you think you get the e-mail by mistake.
6 - Chelsea Snyder
Yeah, I ignored the e-mail from my editor at first (sorry Lori!) just because based on the subject line I figured it was just another mass email sent to all the journalism students! Glad I finally got bored and opened all my email!
7 - Elvira Black
Matthew:
I can just imagine how it must have felt--when I had my first piece published I was walking on air for days, if not months...better than the best high...lol...
8 - Elvira Black
Chelsea:
That is so ironic but in the best way. I did something similar but for totally different reasons. I was so eager to get published and so tired of rejection letters that sometimes I'd get a response in the mail and wait a day or two to open the letter because I hoped it would be good news and I didn't want to be disappointed too soon. Sad but true...
9 - Sam Jack
I'm still in high school, but the one freelance type thing that I've done resulted in a successful story for the now-defunct New York publication The Black Table. I should see about getting into the fray again, it's a lot of fun.
Good article, Ms. Black!
10 - Elvira Black
Sam:
That was a great, funny story! Any state that originated something as incredible as White Castle is ok by me...lol...
Anyone still in high school who's getting their articles published in journals and writing for BC seems virtually destined for some pretty successful times ahead. Congrats!
11 - Berry
This post is right on time for me. Another one in the hole for you!
12 - Elvira Black
Hey Berry:
Thanks! I'm glad you liked it...I tried to click on your link but couldn't connect...
13 - susan shapiro
Thanks so much for mentioning your good luck in my class! (It came up on a google search.) Check out my new book ONLY AS GOOD AS YOUR WORD: WRITING LESSONS FROM MY FAVORITE LITERARY GURUS (Seal Press.) I have upcoming events 9/19, 9/26, 9/28, 10/2 all listed on my website susanshapiro.net