Write for online magazines
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Writing for the online market requires very different skills to writing for print publications, as Nick Clarke, the founder and editor of online design, style and luxury magazine Gunpowder, explains.
Having started my professional freelance writing career at the very beginning of the recession, it made sense to write for websites and online magazines.
I surfed the web to see what online magazines I could find. At the time, there weren’t too many - the surge in online magazines has only happened within the last two years or so. After a spot of Googling, I stumbled across AskMen.com - a men’s magazine I have now been contributing to for the best part of three year.
Many writers don’t even bother applying to online magazine because they don’t consider them as serious or as significant as writing for a print magazine. They are, however, increasingly essential to any writer’s portfolio; with print magazines seemingly closing down by the day, the future of secure, stable publishing is online, and if you refuse to transfer your talents to the Web you’ll go down with a sinking ship, I’m afraid.
Plus, online magazines seem to give more of a chance to wannabe freelancers - I would never have got a look in had I applied to one of Conde Nast’s big-boys, for instance.
Years later, having AskMen.com on my CV is still opening many doors and its regular invoices are still paying bills. Most recently, being a regular contributor to its travel section has secured me a two-month placement on the travel desk at Wallpaper* - a placement most writers would kill for, especially as I will be published in at least two issues.
So online magazines shouldn’t be dismissed just because they aren’t printed on glossy paper and don’t appear on the newsstands every month; they are an integral part of your freelance writing career, and the sooner you realise that the better.
How to approach an online magazine
Many writers make the mistake of not making the same effort with an online application as they would a magazine with a hard copy to its name. The medium is irrelevant; writers should apply with the same enthusiasm and professionalism as always. They can smell laziness a mile off.
The application processes vary enormously depending on the particular online magazine you approach. Some, including AskMen.com, have rather gruelling demands, ranging from a preliminary ‘test’ paragraph on their particular subject to a 2,000 feature. In the case of AskMen.com, I was asked to write a paragraph on men’s fashion (I knew nothing about it as this point, but was prepared to do half-a-day’s research just to make sure I got it right), followed by a more extensive ‘test’ travel feature of 1,500-2,000 words.
Many writers would flinch at the thought of giving up words for free, particularly with no promise of a commission at the end, but it has to be done. Ultimately, we are in a profession that requires a hell of a lot of freebies before you start seeing the big bucks; you can’t expect to waltz straight of university and into the fold of a big-name magazine without toughing it out a bit first. It’s like hazing; publications want to see what you’re made of, and if you really want it. All you have to do is show them that you do.
So I did, writing a well-researched ‘test’ paragraph on the importance of wearing good shoes to impress women followed by a hypothetical featuring on blowing $50,000 in Moscow in three days. Ironic, considering the current financial climate, but it was a roaring success and snagged me a contract as a regular contributor to AskMen.com. It was a huge stepping-stone, as this was my first high-profile gig as a writer.
Key difference between online and print media
So how does writing for an online magazine differ to that of a print magazine? There is so much written on this and I am by no means an expert, but I do know the basics and what I look for in contributing freelancers.
Be keyword savvy
For a start, many online magazines will ask you to include keywords for search engine optimisation; these can seem a little forced at the beginning, but you’ll soon learn when and where to introduce them into your copy.
For instance, an article about photography may require you to include the words ‘photography’ and ‘photographer’ more than you would do normally; a good writer will weave them seamlessly into the text, while one who hasn’t had much experience with online publishing will make keyword integration seem clumsy.
More often than not, however, large-scale online magazines like Askmen.com will have specialist editors who’ll include keywords for you once the final draft is received. That way you don’t have to worry about it, and go about writing your feature as normal.
Consider readers, search engines and social media
Remember, though, that when you’re writing for a print magazine you are writing for one audience; a demographic that will be detailed by the magazine you are writing for. When it comes to an online magazine, you are not only writing for that magazine’s specified readership but you are also writing for search engines and social media. With this in mind, you have to learn how to craft your article so that it is appealing to all three.
In general, online readers tend to be younger and more media-savvy than those reading print magazines; they will expect your articles to be accompanied by visually-arresting photos, videos and sound files, and, as a freelancer, it may be up to you to source these. Even when I find an amazing story that’s suitable for Gunpowder, if I can’t find gorgeous photography to back it up I won’t publish it; it’s as simple as that.
Keep your readers engaged
Secondly, it is important that freelancers understand how their online audience reads differently to their print audience. Online text is more difficult to read, and because of such writers need to find a way of keeping readers engaged for as long as possible - particularly if you’re producing quite a wordy feature.
Many online magazines produce features in the format of lists to do this, with bullet points, bold headers and numbered titles to visually break up the article. That said, if an article is interesting and entertaining people will continue to read, whether it’s formatted well or not.
Check your facts
Bear in mind that your facts still need to be razor sharp; just because you are writing for a medium that can be edited after print with the click of a button, it doesn’t mean you can slip into sloppy journalism. Readers have a wealth of information at their fingertips, and you can bet your bottom dollar that they’ll go out of their way to check your facts and, ultimately, prove you wrong (trust me, I’ve learnt this lesson the hard way).
Stay ahead of the curve
When approaching online magazines for work, freelancers need to be more ahead of the curve than ever before. I spend my day sourcing the newest trends, and it’s sometimes hard to keep up because there is so much information being produced all the time.
Freelancers can’t come to me with something they’ve been working on for a week, because by the time it goes to print it will be out of date. They need to come to me with an idea they sourced that morning, and have it ready to go by the end of the day. That way it is a fresh and an appealing commission. Not all online magazines are as time-sensitive as this - it’s just that Gunpowder relies on the hottest news, as and when it happens, and I need my freelancers to be one step ahead of me.
By no means in this article extensive, but I hope that it gives you a little insight into writing for online magazines and just what’s expected of you as a professional freelancer.
For more on Nick Clarke, please visit www.gunpowder-magazine.com, an online magazine dedicated to design, style and luxury.
DISCLAIMER
Neither the author nor EssentialWriters.com are responsible for any loss of business or profits arising from action followed due to this advice. This article is intended for general guidance only and professional assistance should be sought based on your particular circumstances.
