Help-need to write some magazine type articles

[Maggi315]

hi
I have been asked to write some magazine type articles for local parenting magazines. It's a great opportunity, I will be writing about childbirth, breastfeeding, homebirth, stuff like that.

But, I am frozen. Like, really, I have no idea how to write a good magazine article. I have done the research part and have lots of info but unsure how to organize this all into a good article.

Anyone out there have tips, resources? I know I can do this, all that boring writing I did during nursing research, but just feeling a bit overwhelmed right now.

Thanks!!!!

[BelovedK]

Hi Barb

Can you start by writing of your own personal experience? I'm thinking creative journal entry. That might get you moving in a more creative fashion. You can then interject all of the researched items. Write what you know, you can make it personal and interesting.

Other ideas for Barb??


BTW, that is GREAT! congratulations

[ceilydhmama]

I look through magazines for stories that I really like and use those as models. I would also look through the mag you are writing for and check their editorial style.

Things you need to know
1) Word count - parenting stuff is often in the 800 word range often with a narrative beginning followed by a point form information section.

2) Style - there are service articles (briefly described above) and essays (your personal story which illustrates a point or tells a specific story.

3) First person vs third person - are you writing from your perspective or in third person. Many parenting articles are third person and these tend to show a subject in a more neutral way - opinions in thses come from expert quotes.


I am currently writing a service piece on Breastfeeind for a local mag. My word count is 700 words.

For that many words I need a really tight article so I use this phrase "I am writing a story about breastfeeding, with a focus on the benifits of nursing into the second year and beyond." The key is to beable to break your story down into one phrase. For a longer story you may say "I am writing a story about x with a focus on 1 and 2"

For today's story I can mix first and third person so I am starting with a brief personal narrative about the challenges with starting nursing then moving on to a point form section on extended nursing benifits with quotes from an LC.

For mothering I have written longer more introspective pieces that are essays - those are more fufilling to write in some ways.

btw if you want feed back I'm happy to help

hths
Diane

[marsupial*mama]

Diane offered some fab suggestions. In addition, there are other interesting formats that parenting magazines might consider interesting and readable. All depends how grass-roots the magazine is.

What about diary/journal entries (eg, count down to birth, launching my breastfeeding career) or a letter (eg, letter to my midwife/obstetrician, letter to my unborn child). You can include your researched facts in the body of the document.

Or you can start with a short quote or piece of poetry that summarises your theme for the article.

Sometimes I find starting with a catchy title gives me the impetus to start writing. Finding a new or different perspective from which to write always gets the juices flowing for me.

[nyveronica]

congrats!

I write free-lance for a parenting journal and it is kinds overwhelming to get cooking when it's not a regular thing. That said, some things that really help me are to:

1-Immediately set my page up in column format (whether or not that's the way the article will be published. It gives me more structure, arbitrary or not, it's structure!

2- I free write the first sentence, just let it run on like mad until the flow stops and from there I can usually pick out a good opening line and then use the rest as an outline of sorts

3- If you have free reign on your article topics you must NARROW down your opinions and focus. I almost like it better when I'm assigned something (imagine you are doing a research paper on just one nursing intervention for one symptom of ibs, not for the whole disease process)

Have fun and congrats again!

[travelinmom]

You might try just a basic journalism outline, the pyramid forn to at least give you focus. Start with an intro paragraph, something to set the stage, draw the reader in. Then generally a synopsis, basically what the whole point, basic facts, a overview. Then a quote to lead in to more detail. Detail, supporting facts after that. It is supposed to be so that the reader can get the general idea of the story in the first 5 paragraphs. Although for magazine article you don't really need to follow but it will help tighten things up and get rid of unnessary information.

[Maggi315]

hi,
just wanted to update everything...thanks for the advice and support, I got my article done! I am hoping to tweak it a bit and submit to some other venues...it wasn't nearly as hard as I thought once I got started. I also started a blog to practice writing daily and get into the habit. Hey, this is fun, maybe I'll be around this forum more...

thanx again!