The Smithsonian has one. Good Housekeeping and Redbook,
too. It's the back page article, a one-page piece that adds a touch of
humor, opinion or information before the final close of a magazine's
cover.
Back page articles provide excellent break-in
opportunities for writers eager to place their work in major markets.
Written with a slant towards essay or opinion, these last words are
often the first published pieces for freelancers not (yet) listed on
the magazine's masthead.
Like "shorts", which are mostly found in
front, back-page pieces can be an overlooked opportunity to get
published. The Smithsonian's appropriately titled Back Page is humor
with a genial tone according to its guidelines, a funny what-happened-
to-me essay that relates to the writer's own experiences. Good
Housekeeping's Blessings is another true experience story complete
with the realization there was a blessing tied up in the event.
Redbook's Red Letter Day details a day where everything comes together
to give the writer new insight. The Sun (literary journal) prints
Sunbeams: readers' written quotations grouped with more famous
witticisms, and Jane's Back Stories showcase essays on a variety of
topics of interest to young, hip women everywhere. These are but a few
of the back-of-the-book publishing opportunities to be found. And
unlike shorts, you get more words to express yourself: up to 800 on
average.
Here are some tips to help you successfully navigate
through the back page and into that major market.
KEEP THE THEME ALIVE
Sometimes a back page topic seems to veer off the
publication's theme, but at second glance you'll see it's still
connected to their core philosophy. Better Homes and Gardens, known
for decorating tips and show-how pictures, printed "Snow
Day," a nostalgic essay tucked in back about the good old days
when being snow bound was an opportunity for family fun. The BH and G
profile in Writer's Market might not mention that an essay on being
stuck at home due to inclement weather would be acceptable to a
magazine with headlines boasting the latest in garden trends, but the
concept of home and hearth is important to Better Homes. So the story
was still in sync with their theme.
Research and read what your favorite markets are
printing in back, then make a list of topics you might contribute. One
of the best ways to find a magazine's theme and target audience is
through their ads. Are the advertisements parading new cars and other
products of affluence? Are they promoting techno gadgets or
do-it-yourself aids? I once landed an anecdotal article about my
80-year-old mother's decision not to drive-and the benefits thereof-in
the back pages of a publication serving the senior community. Their
ads ran heavy on healthy lifestyle products and alternate modes of
travel (shuttle services, for example) making my article a seamless
addition to their content. Had I offered this same piece to Car &
Driver I might not have been so lucky.
MAKE A GUEST APPEARANCE
You may notice a back page piece is actually a
recurring column that not only sticks to a theme but stays on topic,
such as Writer's Digest's Postscript (authors' accounts of life after
publication) or Jane's "It Happened to Me," stories centered
on a writer's unusual or life-changing experience.
If that's the case, check the byline to see if the
magazine uses a rotation of contributing writers. Next, study the
style, format and, most importantly, the intent of the column. Then
write a piece to add to the ongoing conversation. Balance your witty
writing style with their editorial needs to keep the column on point;
structure the length and format to fit, then send a sample column to
the appropriate editor. Check your favorite market directory to see
what your target market is looking for in columns open to freelancers,
and offer to be their guest.
Newspapers have many back pages to fill and are
often dependant on contributors to add to the hundreds of articles run
daily. The next time you're reading your morning newspaper with that
essential cup of tea, skip the front page news and flip towards the
back. There you'll find various "lifestyle" columns and op/ed
pages that are filled with copy provided by non-staffers. As with
magazines, read to gain a sense of style and tone; note what the
section editor has selected for publishing.
Newspapers have editors assigned by section but each
editor may have a slightly different mailing address. If the
information isn't listed, call to find out which editor handles
submissions for your selected section. Be prepared to describe your
idea or essay if you're fortunate enough to be asked, "What's the
article about?" Many articles have been sold with just a minute's
investment of a single phone call.
Another good thing: Newspaper websites often provide
a wealth of content information. So with Internet access you're not
limited to your neighborhood papers, although those are a good place
to begin. One of my articles appeared in back of a regional newspaper
covering areas in and around Springfield, Missouri while my tea and I
remained in Southern California.
WRITE AND GO SEEK
While back page articles offer good publishing
opportunities, they're often a hidden market just by their nature.
There's rarely a cover headline to announce their presence, nor will
there be much reference to them in market directories beyond
"accepts personal essays" or "columns open to
freelancers." While these hints are helpful to gauge a
publication's style, tone and audience, the critical details are best
discovered by having the magazine in hand.
To cut costs, take advantage of the stacks of
magazines available in your library or doctor's office. Often a
medical office will let you take the magazine if you ask. Review the
magazine's masthead to gather editors' names.
I subscribe to four magazines. After studying and
reading the latest issue of each, I exchange them for other magazines
on display at my local hair salon - with their permission, of course.
Many magazines offer free issues if you're willing to consider
subscribing. However, you can get your hands on one, turn to the back
and seek what treasures ye can find. This is one time you will want to
read the last page first.
PITCH, PITCH, PITCH
Once you've studied the back pages, analyze the
magazine's theme and readership. Collect several sample articles, file
them with the magazine's guidelines and study them for format, tone,
and category (humor, op/ed, anecdotal, informative). Now you're ready
to target the publication with your own idea and polish your prose for
public viewing.
When ready to make your pitch, you can do the usual
query letter, but since your submission is only one page, send the
complete manuscript with a catchy cover letter instead. Mention in the
letter (keep it brief!) that you've noticed their publication often
adds a personal essay or opinion piece and you think your article
would fit right in. You might also suggest that your article would be
in line with a future topic you've seen on their editorial calendar -
one of the best resources, by the way, to gauge editorial needs.
(Editorial calendars can often be found on a publication's website.
Check out the "media contact" page.)
Often a market's guidelines say no unsolicited
manuscript submissions but I've yet to be arrested for it and editors
may read these anyway. Who knows? She might even ask you to develop
the idea into something a little more feature-sized. You just want
your foot in the door - never mind it's the door in back.
GET CLIPS
Once published, a back-page item can become
front-page news in your clips file. You'll be able to say "I've
written for (mega magazine)" or "I've been published in
(lofty literary journal)." Add that credit proudly to your
website and make color copies for your clips pile. Your published
one-pager is a valuable credit, and if anyone says, "It's all the
way in back, I nearly missed it!" just say, "Of course it
is. They saved the best for last."
BACK PAGE BEST BETS
Markets use their back pages in a variety of ways
but many make room for essays and one-page articles on a regular
basis. Check out these other back-of-the-book sections to find
first-rate publishing opportunities:
Smithsonian:
"Back Page" - Essays with a
humorous tone
Good
Housekeeping: "Blessings" - Essays of a person or an
event that proved to be a blessing
Redbook:
Red Letter Day - Essays on a day of revelation
The
Sun: "Readers Write" - Essays on a topic suggested by
The Sun, and "Sunbeams" - readers' quotations
Jane:
"Back Stories" - Personal essays on a variety of topics,
and "It Happened to me" - column entries highlighting a
reader's unusual or uncommon experience
Family
Circle: "Full Circle" - Essays centered on family life
Barbara Neal Varma is an award-winning writer who
has written for Image, ByLine, Savvy Women.com, Kaleidoscope, and
various other magazines and literary journals. Her essays have won
awards from Writer's Digest, the National Writers Association and
Anthology magazine.
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