Budding Writers

[PhilR]

I don't think I've got a book in me, but I might be able to write an article or two for the angling monthlies. Anyone know what's involved?

[Cromcruaich]

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[Kleftiwallah]

To steal from one source is plagiarism, to steal from many is...... research. Spread it about a bit!

Seriously though, take a long hard look at a variety of articles similar to the type you wish to write and ask yourself, "What do I like and dislike about the way this article is presented".

Then get down to the wordsmithing keeping in the back of your head at all times - THE READERSHIP. This is the phrase used for the type of person you want to aim at, their competance/experience level. If it is an article on tackle making, you don't want to write it as a piece of work for "Chat" or "Big Nawks" mag's.....If there is going to be line drawings/photo's, ensure they are relevant to your project. Best wishes. Tony.

[Norm B]

I don't think I've got a book in me, but I might be able to write an article or two for the angling monthlies. Anyone know what's involved?

:sun:I take articles from up and coming writers and if they're any good we print them, then they get poached by the glossies so we wait for another newcomer to take their place, a bit like an apprenticeship really.:sun:

[TomBettle]

I am a "beginner" at the writing malarky and the first thing I need to do is get a better spell checker, but other than that it isn't too hard.

The mag I am writing in has a few contributions across all aspects of being on and around the briney and I, for want of better phrase, look after the boat angling section.
If you have any good copy that you would like to see in print then send it across along with your chosen pictures and I shall see if I can get it published. If it is good, there should be no problem.

....now getting rich from doing it is a whole new thing! Many are trying and few are succeeding!

Tom

[BillyFISHING]

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Well put http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/14/14_4_103.gif (http://www.smileycentral.com/?partner=ZSzeb001_ZNxdm824MXGB)

[Rob]

Moved from the archive by request.

[Beachcomber_Bar_Mojacar]

Norm B wrote.

I take articles from up and coming writers and if they're any good we print them, then they get poached by the glossies so we wait for another newcomer to take their place, a bit like an apprenticeship really.

I write fishing articles here in Spain for some expat magazines and on a couple of Spanish Internet sites. I dont consider myself a good writer and write "Warts and all" type articles and make mistakes in my fishing unlike many glossy article writers who are the ultimate experts while outragously advertising their various sponsered products.

Anyway after reading the post by Norm B I thought I would email him and ask what advice he might give me as a budding wiriter.

I have in the past written to a few editors of fishing magazines, carp fishing magazines, and basically they are pretty useless as are most of the carp fishing product manufaturers too. It seems they dont think its necessary to answer customer's general enquiries such as myself asking questions about their products and services.

Norm B not only read the article I sent but has printed it in his monthly free magazine, available at tackle shops around the coast.

The article on my fishing adventure to the Gambia can be found in the April edition of

http://www.seaanglingnews.co.uk

My article is not available to see on the net but only in the magazine and I havent managed to get hold of a copy yet as I live in Spain but have relatives all over the UK scouring tackle shops for one!

Thank you Norman B, you are a star as far as I,m concerned.

John Beachcomber.
__________________

[itshowifish]

I wrote and photographed for many travel and nature magazines in the US over the past 15 years.

It started when I wanted to write a book about one of my favorite places, I had bitten off more than I could chew, no way I could come up with enough text back then for a book so basically a friend suggested it became an article - I submitted it and sat back waiting for the phone to ring and that was that. Three months latter I received a cheque in the post and the following month my article appeared in the magazine.

Many years latter I have found this as the simplest method:

1) Phone the magazine you are planning to submit to, ask for the editor, and ask him what his 'submission guidelines' are

He will give you an answer along the lines of "2000 - 2500 words, lots of photos, lots of close ups, as much detail as possible and we'll take a look at it."
(This is not a commission to write for the magazine just a request for you to submit an article to them)

2) Plan your shoot and shoot your plan (as we say in the photography world) decide what or where you are going to write about, are you going to write about a specific place, a specific style of fishing or hunting a specific species? Do not make it a general about fishing article, make it as specialized as possible. Try hard not to generalize or go off tangent

(Side note) Do not go on about how you Ferrari rod and Rolls Royce reel are the muts nuts, no other angler cares to hear about how their gear is inferior to yours but do be specific on the rigs you use to target the area or species and perhaps some pics of the rig also?

3) Show the polished article to friends or family, and now the important part DO NOT TAKE IT PERSONALLY! Take on board their advice and make changes and alterations where required or where you agree with them.

4) Submit in both hard copy (printed on paper) and on a cd also (dont forget to add the original pics to the CD so their copy department has them) and also email a copy of the article to the editor, so he sees it at least twice and it gets his attention. DO NOT just send the article, remember a cover letter with your details, and follow up a couple of weeks latter with a phone call to check he received the package (You already know he did because you were smart enough to rend it registered mail)

5) If accepted be patient, it may not be the next issue, they may hang onto it for several issues down the road, and most publications are put together some 2 - 3 months prior to publication date. And almost all do not pay until the magazine goes to print (of course you don't care about the cash, your reward is seeing you masterpiece in print!)

I will also recommend the "Artists and Writers" year book, available from any good bookshop, lists all good magazines, addresses, staff names and usually a brief or submission guidelines.

Good luck with it I will keep an eye out for you in the glossies! :)

[sweeper driver]

I've got the best part of my book on hunting big eels finished now, so what's the next step in publishing it?

[sorry if I've gone off topic and knicked someone's post here]

[itshowifish]

I've got the best part of my book on hunting big eels finished now, so what's the next step in publishing it?

[sorry if I've gone off topic and knicked someone's post here]

I will leave the reprimand for thread jacking up to Phil.

Books is a whole other world to magazines.

Stage 1: Edit, edit and edit again, spell check the hell out of it and make sure that any local lingo you use has a universal translation also.

Step 2: Hit the local book store and check how many publishing houses have produced books on fishing, (you could also find this information on the net with a reasonable amount of homework on sites such as Amazon etc)

Step 3: Refrain from choosing one publisher over another on the grounds of which produces the glossiest fanciest books, at this stage every publisher that has published a book on angling is your friend, and don't forget publishers that have produced freshwater books, they may simply have not had book proposals on saltwater submitted yet. Do not forget to phone each publisher for a copy of their submission guidelines and also the name as to who you submit to - there is no need to talk to the person at this stage as you are still a no-one to them and they get these calls all day long, you only want a name for the follow up call after work is submitted.

Step 4: Submit a cover letter and a brief as to what your book is about, how many chapters pages photographs etc, do not worry about including information such as target readers and potential sales volumes etc as any publisher worth their salt knows these stats better than you. Along with your cover letter, include the Introduction and the first couple of chapters for the book (no need for the whole book unless you have completed it already) DO NOT forget some stunning photographs. Submission should be hard copy (printed out) and on CD also (DO NOT forget to make sure your layout is impeccable)

Step 5: Submit to every publisher you have on your list acquired from the book store or the net - send registered so you know who received it and who signed for it - follow up a couple of weeks latter to check that they received it (you already know they did) and to see if there is any further information required or any questions you can answer, waiting for a publisher is a waiting game, they receive several submissions per day on all varieties of topics so it could be a while before you get a yes or a no from them.

Step 6: Should you receive an offer be sure it is an offer you can live with, Publisher 1 may offer you a price tomorrow, yet Publisher 5 may take up to a year and come at you with an offer several times higher, so if you do decide to accept an offer make sure YOU CAN live with it.

Step 7: DO NOT forget to send a signed dedicated copy to the kind Jerseyman that gave you a tip or two!

Also once again the writers and artists year book is another great source of information and listings of publishers.

Good luck!

[Beachcomber_Bar_Mojacar]

I think being active writing articles for magazines and internet forums may help you get a book or part of one. It did for me and I have a chapter of up to 8000 words and three photos being published in June. I was asked to write only 3000 words but because I was writing about my fishing a particular river over a 24 week, two year period, I couldnt and with the publishers agreement I wrote as many words as I wanted and they would edit it down.

What hapened was some writers let the publisher down and some articles were not up to scratch and so my submission is going to be much bigger. (All 8168 words hopefully)

My writing has also had TV companies getting in touch with me on a couple of occasions and I did help make one programme for Channel 4 although my 15 minutes of fame was cut at the last minute.

I also helped someone who has since become a friend with one of his books. I had specialist information about a particular area of fishing and he has been approached on a few occasions by TV companies and again has passed on my details when its been appropriate.

The next book my friend is writing is coffee book type about sea fishing in Spain and he has asked for my help and hopefully I might be able to talk him into giving me a part to myself.

I havent got a whole book in me but am happy to share one and maybe this is a good way to go forward and other publishers may look at this approach. I hope so, best of luck with a book, John Beachcomber.

[MartynG]

Get yourself a good literary agent - problem solved :)

[Snakefish]

im surfishently inspsypired to giv it a go now., thos sergestions our certinlee most elpfool. All i nede now is a camrara and then Il send mee stuf to Normin for is advis eyve got loadsa pigtures of me in blac und wite and sum are wiv fihshis.:crazy:

[Beachcomber_Bar_Mojacar]

im surfishently inspsypired to giv it a go now., thos sergestions our certinlee most elpfool. All i nede now is a camrara and then Il send mee stuf to Normin for is advis eyve got loadsa pigtures of me in blac und wite and sum are wiv fihshis.:crazy:

Cant quite make out if you are just having a laugh Snakey or if you are a pi-s taking ar-ehole, lets hope its the former, John Beachcomber.

[fishyrob]

I don't think I've got a book in me, but I might be able to write an article or two for the angling monthlies. Anyone know what's involved?

In this age of the internet, if you want to publish your articles, just do itt! A web domain will cost you maybe £40 for two years, and you become instant editor. you will soon see if people enjoy your articls, according to the number of visits you get! If you mean writing for money, I think that you will notice even the most popular authors have day jobs, which suggests there perhaps isnt huge profits in it! Maybe Mr Gilbey is following this thread, and will come in here? As he is arguably one of the more popular angling journalists, I am sure his advice would be very valuable.

Ottherwise, take Norm up on his offer. Send him something to proof read. I have had two journalistic pieces in his fine publication, and look at my spelling....!!