Five Tips for Submitting Your Article to a Magazine

By: Scott D. Noble

When I first saw the “slush” pile I had agreed to tackle (and to continue to maintain from that day forward), I was more than a little reluctant. The stacks of manuscripts and envelopes spread across more than one table, some of the stacks about ready to collapse from their own weight. Yet, there was a certain thrill in getting to read what people spent hours, sometimes weeks, putting together to submit to one of the largest religious magazines in the world.

I discovered early on, however, that no matter how much time and energy someone put in to a proposal or article, that not following several simple, easy steps could get their hard work rejected, no matter how good the writing might be.

Here are five quick and easy things for writers to consider before sending their manuscripts to magazines. These tips will not ensure your article gets accepted, but they will ensure that your work is given thoughtful and careful consideration and make your manuscript rise above many of the others in the competitive world of magazine publishing.

Submit a Clean, Typewritten Copy

It always surprised me to see how many people submitted their articles on notebook paper, or on copy paper with writing on both sides of the paper or even handwritten. And, many of these submissions were lengthy, so the author devoted considerable time to writing the article but little time to determining the appropriate manner in which it was submitted. 

Most magazines prefer double-spaced copy on one side of the paper, with your name and address on the top on each page, as well as the total word count for the article listed at the top of the first page. This might vary a little with each magazine, so it’s always important to read the guidelines of each magazine in which you submit an article.

This might seem like an obvious suggestion, but you would be surprised at the number of people who regularly avoided applying this bit of advice.

Know the Types of Articles Each Magazine Accepts

At the magazine where I worked, we rarely (if ever) accepted unsolicited Bible study articles. These articles were nearly always solicited. However, that did not stop many potential authors from submitting their work on significant biblical topics. Yet, their work was always in vain, as we did not accept these unsolicited articles.

As a writer, with limited time available, it’s important you are familiar with each magazine’s guidelines, so you don’t waste time soliciting material that the magazine does not accept. If the magazine says they do not accept poetry, then don’t send them your 10 best poems, even though you might think you are the next T. S. Eliot. The magazine won’t accept and possibly won’t even read your submission much past the point where you mention the word “poems.”

Know the Seasonal Needs of Publications

Most magazines publish seasonal pieces (Christmas, Easter, Father’s Day, Mother’s Day, etc.) By being aware of the needs of magazines and their timing, you can jump ahead of many other potential writers. 

We normally worked seven months ahead of time on the magazine. So in January, we were already working on the July issue of the magazine; in June, we were working on the Christmas issue.

Each magazine works on a different schedule, but by being aware of these general guidelines, you can present your article on Mother’s Day at the most opportune time, thus giving your article a better chance at acceptance. 

Give the Reader Something to Take Away From Your Article

Editors love the takeaway value of articles. In fact, editors have meetings where takeaway value is discussed prominently. By takeaway, editors are referring to something tangible that the reader can gain from your article—something they can take away from the article and apply in their lives, in their writing, in their faith walk, etc.

It’s not uncommon for editors to receive many articles over the course of a year that are well-written, interesting and even related to a topic the magazine feels is important. However, if the article leaves the reader with nothing in which to take away, the article most likely will quickly find its way to the rejected pile.

So, while writing your article and definitely before sending it to a magazine as a proposal, be sure to re-read the article with the mind of the reader, making sure there is takeaway value in what you have written. If not, then re-write the article with this in mind.

Be Prepared to Work With Editors

In the hundreds (or thousands) of articles submitted to various magazines each year, many times a few will catch the eye of an editor for its potential. Not all articles are “ready to print” after arriving at the magazine. Oftentimes, an editor will like the writing style of an article and its topic, but will find the application or some other component lacking.

So, an editor may contact you with a suggestion to re-write the article (or parts of the article) with these suggestions in mind. If you are eager to be published in that particular magazine, then it’s important for you to work with that editor in making your article work for them

And, editors have long memories. If you worked well with them on a revision, then the next time they see your name on an article submission, the editor(s) will have a positive working experience with you in which to encourage them to work with you again. And, if an editor gives you a deadline for your revision, stick to it. This too will remain in the mind of an editor and cause you to have a positive reputation among the editor(s) at this particular publication.

Publication in a magazine is never an easy task.  Some people work years on getting something published. There are no magic formulas available for writers, but by following these tips, you can make the process a little easier and hopefully increase your chances at getting published. 

Scott Noble is a former assistant editor at Decision magazine. He is now the president of Noble Creative, a full-service communications agency located in St. Paul, Minnesota (www.noblecreative.com).

Copyright 2006 Noble Creative. All Rights Reserved.