Does any one reading this forum have experience in getting an article accepted and published for caravan and or camping magazines? I read a lot of mags and it seems to be the same writers all the time having the chance to get an article published. Any hints on how to crack the ice, so to speak?
Hi Marnie, sounds easy, but in effect harder than you think. About 20 years ago, I completed a degree in travel journalism, however as I worked full time at the time, did not really get the time to practice the art.
Finally while on the road, back in 2012, I met Fred Wright, Editor of Caravan and Motorhome on Tour, who asked me if I could right, and asked me to send in a sample of my work. I had one story set to go, and sent it in to him. Eventually they got back to me, told me the words were great, but photos were lacking. Not lacking in quality, but lacking in what they want. Photos of caravan/motorhomes on the road, happy hour shots, great scenes, etc, about six categories, and about six photos for each. Also, had to send photos in RAW as well as JPG. So that meant purchasing a new camera capable of this facility. They also draw up a contract between you and them, in which you agree that "you will probably not make a living" out of the deal.
Eventually, I started having stories accepted, long wait between editions, but excitement all the same. They pay $600.00 for a story and pictures that spans around 9 pages. My biggest grudge was that Fred Wright was doing his tour in a whirlwind on the opposite direction to us, who travel rather slowly, so by the time I started my stories on Yorke Peninsular and Eyre Peninsular, and Nullarbor, and WA he had already done them. But now a bit of time has passed, my story on the Yorke appeared a few months ago, and I have one coming up in a few months on the Freedom in the Great Southern. (ED 202, on sale mid May)
Advice: buy magazines and study what sort of stories they are currently printing, what sort of pictures they are currently running. They do tend to change their "theme" from time to time, as quickly as they change their travel editor. Write to the current travel editor and send them a sample of their work. Don't be discouraged if they don't reply immediately. Just keep up the writing, it is good practice. Don't have a story that says "I started here and ended here".
Good luck, like is said, it sounds easy, but is not as easy as it sounds. PM me if you would like more information or help
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DUNMOWIN is no longer on the road and still DUNMOWIN!
Just as an aside to my controversial post regarding spelling and grammar, I used to proofread for a couple of periodicals and others, and I can attest to the fact that you will likely not get past first base if your spelling and grammar is not class A.
They will not waste their time if you haven't got this bit right.
I occasionally received items to proof that even had the publisher's name spelled incorrectly, and one author could not even spell his own home suburb properly.
The best (or worst) that I proofed was a submission by a large hotel chain to the Australian Hotels Association, they were referred to me by the printer who was attempting to typeset it and was confounded by the number of mistakes.
The authors had already had a number of their department heads read and correct the three hundred odd pages of the submission and were convinced that it contained very few errors.
When they received it back from me there were over 4000 corrections ranging from simple typographical errors to whole sentences that just did not make sense - not one page in the entire manuscript escaped some form of correction.
A Mechanical Engineering student's 80 page thesis that I proofed had just two errors in the entire document, and I think I was being a tad picky even with those.
Many employers these days, facing the very large lists of people submitting resumés, use spelling and grammar as the first hurdle for elimination of applicants.
The point is that the very first impression that you make on the publisher will be your resumé, get that right and you have a fighting chance, get it wrong and it could matter little the content of your article.
Hi Marnie, sounds easy, but in effect harder than you think. About 20 years ago, I completed a degree in travel journalism, however as I worked full time at the time, did not really get the time to practice the art.
Finally while on the road, back in 2012, I met Fred Wright, Editor of Caravan and Motorhome on Tour, who asked me if I could right ...
Did he ask you that in writing?
-- Edited by dorian on Wednesday 26th of March 2014 01:50:30 PM
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"No friend ever served me, and no enemy ever wronged me, whom I have not repaid in full."
Some years ago I submitted a computer program to a local computer magazine. When I examined the following month's issue, I found several errors which rendered the program nonfunctional. Apparently the typist who had been given the job of preparing my code for publication had chosen to transcribe my program by hand rather than simply cutting-and-pasting my email message into a word processor.
IMO one place where spelling and grammar errors are inexcusable is at the cemetery. When I visit my sister's grave, I pass by a granite marker with gold letters that announce the "Croation section". I then walk past several headstones with spelling and grammar errors. For God's sake, if you can't spell or construct a grammatically correct phrase or sentence, then engage the assistance of someone who can, for example the parish priest or pastor. Don't allow your ignorance to be hacked into stone for all eternity.
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"No friend ever served me, and no enemy ever wronged me, whom I have not repaid in full."
Hi Marnie, sounds easy, but in effect harder than you think. About 20 years ago, I completed a degree in travel journalism, however as I worked full time at the time, did not really get the time to practice the art.
Finally while on the road, back in 2012, I met Fred Wright, Editor of Caravan and Motorhome on Tour, who asked me if I could right ...
Did he ask you that in writing?
-- Edited by dorian on Wednesday 26th of March 2014 01:50:30 PM
LOL, Thanks for pointing that out Dorian, I must admit I don't pay as much attention to detail when posting on this forum, as I do when writing an article. Having said that, I do note the magazine I write for often has typos, both with grammar, spelling and typeset. If in one of my own articles, I always check back to see if it was my error. They have a lot to answer to, when they expect perfect work from their freelancers, then go and publish second rate quality.
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Pay it forward - what goes around comes around
DUNMOWIN is no longer on the road and still DUNMOWIN!
