3 Types of Magazines: How to Write for All Types of Magazines

A magazine is a collection of writing and images that is published periodically. Magazines are often organized around a theme or subject area. Magazines can be hard copies on newsstands or available online in digital form. Subscriptions, newsstand sales, and advertisements typically fund the printing and distribution of magazines.

Magazines are periodicals with text and images usually in color and bound in softcover. Consider how the form has changed throughout the years:

• The first magazine: First published in 1663, the German periodical Erbauliche Monaths Unterredungen is generally considered the first magazine. Its name, which translates to “Edifying Monthly Discussions,” gives a good indication of its literary and philosophical content.
• The Gentleman's Magazine: This monthly publication, which began in 1731, was the first general-purpose magazine. It covered various topics and is the first place where the word “magazine” was used to refer to the form. The word “magazine” derives from the Arabic word “makhazin,” which translates roughly to “storehouse.” A magazine is an ever-expanding storehouse of certain types of information and images.
  
• Mid-nineteenth century: Magazine publication saw a significant expansion in the mid-to-late-1800s when growing prosperity in some countries and improvements in printing technology began to flourish. In the United States, journals like Harper’s and The Atlantic started publication and continue today.
• Twentieth-century: Magazine publishing spread worldwide throughout the twentieth century, covering more topics and appealing to larger target audiences.
• Print media decline: After the turn of the century, forces of change in media and technology led to a decrease in print media.

There's a wide variety of magazines, from general lifestyle publications to business-to-business journals. The following is an overview of magazine categories:

1. 1. General interest: General interest magazines, also known as consumer magazines, are periodicals that aim to appeal to a wide range of readers with information and opinions on a wide range of topics. General interest magazines often include articles or essays on diverse areas of interest, such as travel, cooking, or politics. Some may have a central focus, such as news magazines like Time or fashion magazines like Vogue. Magazines like The New Yorker, People, and the New York Times Magazine focus on appealing to a broad swath of the general public.
2. 2. Special interest: Special interest magazines include periodicals with a narrower range of information than general interest magazines. These magazines aim to appeal to a relatively narrow, specialized readership by focusing on a single topic, such as sports magazines, business magazines, gardening magazines, cooking magazines, health magazines, music magazines, or entertainment magazines.
3. 3. Professional: Professional magazines are for professionals in a particular field. These magazines have a narrow focus range, like special interest magazines, but appeal to a niche group of pros. Professional magazines—including trade journals (also known as trade magazines and trade publications) and scholarly journals—cater to people in a particular field or industry, such as defense, automotive, agricultural, or aeronautics.

If you have an interest in writing for magazines, the following steps can help you improve your skills and find employment in the magazine industry:

1. 1. Come up with a compelling story idea. This could involve investigating a topic or trend. Perhaps you have a scoop on breaking news or a unique angle on a trend. Draw on your personal experience when brainstorming article ideas. This keeps your writing compelling and it can help ward off writer’s block.
2. 2. Pitch your idea. Contact a wide array of magazines, including popular and specialty publications, and follow their submission guidelines. In most cases, you’ll submit your idea in writing. If you have the opportunity to include a cover letter, do so. It is likely that new writers to a publication will not receive a response to a publication.
3. 3. Accept rejection. Remember that freelance writing is hard work. You may have to adjust your vision of how this career will work for you. This means pitching a story idea to all sorts of different magazines—even ones you might not have heard of. Be prepared for many rejections.
4. 4. Ask for feedback. Always ask editors for feedback on your idea. While it’s true that some won’t have time to give you in-depth feedback, others will. Use their feedback to amend your pitch, and keep what they say in mind for the next time you need to write and submit a pitch.
5. 5. Once your pitch is approved, get to work. Make sure you balance the house style of your publication with the voice that makes you unique as a writer. Great magazine writers are distinctive in their writing, and they’re able to balance their personal voice with the basic structure expected in magazine articles.
6. 6. Consider trade magazines as a way to get published. Many unions and guilds publish their own magazines, and these can be a good way for a writer to refine her writing skills and get a byline before scaling up to national magazines.
7. 7. Opt for a digital commission. Remember that many publications have online articles that don’t appear in the print issue. Getting these writing assignments can sometimes be easier. The work can also be simpler; sometimes you’ll be asked to provide short commentary or write how-to articles, rather than take a deep investigative dive (such as is often required in feature articles).

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