The blog coaching 'experiment' has started!
Martin Heyn from Seattle has a dream of getting published in a diving magazine. For anyone out there thinking about writing for magazines this is a very realistic goal - the industry survives on freelance contributions and there is no reason why the next byline shouldn't have your name in it.
By using this blog and no other means I'm going to help Martin achieve his dream, which means you will be able to follow his progress and learn from his successes and setbacks.
Following on from the last Blog Coaching post Martin has asked a few good questions (my answers in blue, but bear in mind, there is no right or wrong in this field, just 'stuff' that works):
Question number 1.
To start small or go big? There is a local, Pacific Northwest publication that takes submissions from the general diving public. It mainly focuses on cold water, local diving but does often feature tropical trip reports. Going big would be trying to submit to one of the big print magazines we all know like Sport Diver, Scuba Diving, Fins and the like.
It's really up to you Martin - follow your dream.
What I would say is balance up the probability of getting published with your dreams - North West Dive News (is this the publication you refer to?) has been around for a while and although it doesn't pay, it is a magazine that would be good for your clip file.
In their Contributor Guidelines (I have a post in draft form on this publication) It has the message,
"At NWDN, we are ALWAYS accepting stories and photographs from non-professional writers."
I didn't put the capitals in 'ALWAYS,' they did - what does this tell you? And as you are from Seattle you are a local diver telling it as it is for the rest of the North West Diving community - ideal.
Question number 2.
Does it have to be Print Media only? Take Underwater Photography (UwP) the free online magazine for example. To me this would also fall in the category of going big.
Again - up to you, UWP magazine has been the springboard for quite a few photojournalists.
Question number 3.
To adapt one of the trip reports I have done recently or do something entirely new? Trip reports at my website are a little dry as their aim is to try to give people the "facts" about the location and dive operator. They are not really written to entertain.
Here's some feedback Martin - I found them quite entertaining, which is why I chose you.
Your write ups could be the foundation of some interesting articles - at all times written in the style of the target publication. Plus - the destinations you have visited are all accessible for west coast residents. In reaching this decision you might want to look through back issues - no matter how good your article is, if this destination has just been covered in the past year your chances of publication are slim.
However, it's often hard to completely change the style of an article, you might want to consider starting afresh with a local dive site or issue?
Looking forward to the journey.
Martin Heyn
Me too - should be interesting.
So, the first task is to pick a target publication.
Message for Martin, please remember to post your questions, replies and findings in the comments box.
Keep writing...
Brendan
Recent Comments