Writing for Children's Magazines

One of the worst parts (in my opinion) of submitting work is writing a cover/query letter. You have so few words and yet have to convey so much. The first time I wrote one I was following a sample provided by a professor. I got through the first two paragraphs and was ready to write the third one when I discovered I was supposed to list my publishing credits. That was going to be a problem. Why? I didn't have any (unless being published in the high school anthology counted, which I decided it didn't).

So what are you supposed to do if you don't have any publishing credits? Get some. I know, you're thinking that is stupid advice. Just hear me out. Every author has at some point had no publishing credits. Sure, it might be easier to get past the first reader if your cover letter shows that you have been published successfully many times, but not having any publishing credits doesn't make it impossible. Once you've been published once, you can start listing those credential, which might not only make you more attractive to publisher, but also make you feel more confident.

Magazines are a great way to begin getting some credits. There are a wide variety of magazines that publish both fiction and nonfiction for a wide range of age groups. Each of these magazines has to put out an issue every month or so. That means there are quite a few spots available for stories.

The best advice is to do your research. If there is a specific magazine you are interested in go to the library and read as many issues as you can find. If the library doesn't carry the particular magazine, contact the publisher to see if you can get a back issue (many publications offer this for writers). In addition, look into the way you are expected to pitch your story. Many magazines, like Cricket and Spider, require you to send a full story with a cover letter. Others, like Cobblestone, prefer query letters for stories. If you don't have any publishing credits, it will be easier to start with one where you send your whole story in. This allows your writing to speak for itself. You should also look to see whether there are any upcoming themes that you might be able to write to.

There are many market research guides available to help you find potential publishers. The Children's Writer's and Illustrator's Market (released each year) has a special section that lists magazines.

There are some major benefits to writing for magazines as opposed to writing books. First, the process is often a lot faster. While getting a book published after its been accepted can take upwards of a year, magazine pieces often run sooner. Another advantage is that you often receive payment upon acceptance, instead of waiting. Sure, you won't make as much off one article as you could off of one book, but you can often crank out multiple magazine type stories in far less time.

Before submitting, make sure to edit your story thoroughly. Magazine editors will not usually accept work that needs a lot of polishing.