Amanda Moon, Scientific American Books, (right) discusses how she works with writers as MSNBC.com's Linda Dahlstrom looks on.
By Carol Milano
Independent journalist
We love writers, declared all three panelists at "What Editors Wish Writers Knew," a well-attended freelancers' session, organized and moderated by Maryn McKenna, at Health Journalism 2011.
They shared some harsher facts, too. "I feel like what I do for a living is keep writers waiting," confided Sarah Austin, Self's news and health features director. With magazines' very long lead time, "You may work five or six months ahead, or 18 months for an investigative piece."
Have you ever wondered why mass market publications want seemingly endless rewrites? Austin wants writers to understand the details.
"Magazines have a complex hierarchical structure. The assigning editor has three top editors who have to approve an article, and love it. They're each asking questions like, ‘will this look pretty enough to publish?' They may have four different opinions, making it more challenging for both editor and writer." There may be too much top-editing, Austin added.
Each editor explained how to pitch her. Linda Dahlstrom, MSNBC.com's senior health editor, encouraged writers to "help me see your email by giving a catchy subject heading. Including "AHCJ" and "freelance pitch" should attract her attention. For health-related stories, MSNBC looks for news-oriented consumer-focused topics. "I want people-driven stories that surprise," she advised. For their blog, "Body Odd," they want quirky material, with a buzz. "If it's not right for us, we're glad to steer you elsewhere," she said.
A common theme was that writers have to pitch more than an idea – they need to research a periodical's audience or, for a book, the intended reader.
Womens' magazine editors feel their publications have a very particular tone, personality and targeted audiences, different from every other publication in the category. "The more you understand that, the more your editor appreciates your pitch," said Austin. Show that you clearly understand who the reader is, her age, "where she's coming from," and the tone that that magazine uses.
Amanda Moon, senior editor at Scientific American Books, doesn't require an agent to look at a proposal. "There's a huge difference between an article and a book, averaging 80,000 words," Moon observed. "Think about working on a book for two or three years – will this topic interest you for that long? I need to see that this is what you're passionate about, and will work with me for that long on it. It's like a marriage."
For a proposal, avoid suggesting an over-used title, says Moon. "Comparing your book to the best seller list is not as helpful as you'd think. I care more about your ideas, why you're the right person to write about this. I'll do my own research about a title." Be open to discussing your proposal with lots of editors. "We love brainstorming!"
Editors constantly get pitches from public relations firms. It's essential for writers to distinguish themselves from that deluge. Mention that your email is from a writer, the panelists suggested. They stressed truly wanting to work with writers and the collaborative nature of the writer-editor relationship. "We're all on the same page," was a key take-away from this panel.
