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Does anyone have any tips or tricks for getting published in magazines?? Or is there a thread on this anywhere, I couldn't find it. I'm wondering if it is just a game of keep trying, keep trying, KEEP TRYING??
Thanks a million!!
Does anyone have any tips or tricks for getting published in magazines?? Or is there a thread on this anywhere, I couldn't find it. I'm wondering if it is just a game of keep trying, keep trying, KEEP TRYING??
Thanks a million!!
There are a bunch of threads on it, but, I don't have any bookmarked.
However, yes: among other things, it is a game of persistence--more of your designs will be rejected than accepted--pieces are most often chosen on whether or not the meet the editor's specific needs (nothing personal, so don't be discouraged if it takes some time).
If you're willing to persist, you'll eventually have success. ;)
__________________ Julie Ebersole (JulieHRR once upon a time . . . )julieebersole.com"So shines a good deed in a weary world." -Willy Wonka
Yes, Julie said it all. It is a game of persistence. I just submitted 28 things to a magazine call, and only one got picked up. And it was my LEAST favorite thing! I am certainly thankful and excited but it is just weird! I find the things I don't really care for and don't really want to send in, those are the things that get picked up. It is truly weird, and you never know what they are looking for. Good luck to you!!!
__________________ Patter
Mom to Adult Identical Triplets--a police officer, 3rd year medical student, and special education teacher
Some of the publication links in my original message have become outdated, but the advice remains current.
Like identicaltriplets' experience above, I have found that they sometimes publish the cards I sent as "envelope filler" and not the projects that I liked the best or thought were the most appealing. It's subjective.
This may have been mentioned in the links shown above, but it pays to study the style of the cards shown in the magazine. Try to make sure the cards you send are similar to the styles they seem to prefer.
They also tend to publish the people that are active on their forums & blogs. It's all a big game.
I suppose it may appear that way, but, I truly don't believe that's how the editors operate.
What it basically boils down to is the editor's needs for any given spread or column or department of an issue, and whether or not they believe a given project will fit AND will appeal to their readers.
In part, it also often has to do with whether or not the editor believes readers would be able to duplicate the project, and at what level of ease.
According to Cath Edvalson, one of the editors over at Paper Crafts Magazine, this is why you almost never see anything "stampy stampy" (what we might call stamping "intensive") in Paper Crafts magazine; generally speaking their readers appear to consist of folks that tend to prefer using scrapbook type products to make cards, with perhaps the most simplistic of stamping techniques. BTW, that shouldn't be misinterpreted as a negative comment on my part; Paper Crafts was an offshoot of Creating Keepsakes magazine after all! ;)
The same could be said for Cards/Paper Trends, atho I think both magazines may be trying to feature more in depth stamping projects these days, than previously.
They also look at whether or not your project features current trends and up to date products that are readily available on the market because their readers are looking for the latest and greatest, not something from 2-3 years ago. This industry moves at a voracious pace, and it's not uncommon for a product to be retired after only a year on the market.
Another important factor is photography; if the publisher accepts jpg submissions and your photography doesn't really show your project off well, it will get by-passed for another that does.
There are literally so many factors involved, that I just wanted to emphasize that submission rejection shouldn't be interpreted as anything personal, or favortism extended towards certain individuals.
I'm not active on any of the magazine forums or blogs or whatever. I submit when I can, and sometimes I strike it lucky and more often, I don't. ;)
__________________ Julie Ebersole (JulieHRR once upon a time . . . )julieebersole.com"So shines a good deed in a weary world." -Willy Wonka
I sent a card to a UK magazine (Craft Stamper) about 14 months ago. I wrote out instructions etc and put them in the post and forgot about it. Last January I received a copy of the magazine through the post with my card featured in a 2 page spread. I haven't sent any others. Just got lucky I reckon. Here is a link to an ATC made in the same style. (I forgot to take a picture of the card before I sent it!)
Another point is to submit seasonal designs according to the publication's editorial calendar. For example, if the magazine works nine months in advance, you should be submitting Back to School and Halloween projects in January, not Valentine's Day ideas.
I suppose it may appear that way, but, I truly don't believe that's how the editors operate.
What it basically boils down to is the editor's needs for any given spread or column or department of an issue, and whether or not they believe a given project will fit AND will appeal to their readers.
In part, it also often has to do with whether or not the editor believes readers would be able to duplicate the project, and at what level of ease.
According to Cath Edvalson, one of the editors over at Paper Crafts Magazine, this is why you almost never see anything "stampy stampy" (what we might call stamping "intensive") in Paper Crafts magazine; generally speaking their readers appear to consist of folks that tend to prefer using scrapbook type products to make cards, with perhaps the most simplistic of stamping techniques. BTW, that shouldn't be misinterpreted as a negative comment on my part; Paper Crafts was an offshoot of Creating Keepsakes magazine after all! ;)
The same could be said for Cards/Paper Trends, atho I think both magazines may be trying to feature more in depth stamping projects these days, than previously.
They also look at whether or not your project features current trends and up to date products that are readily available on the market because their readers are looking for the latest and greatest, not something from 2-3 years ago. This industry moves at a voracious pace, and it's not uncommon for a product to be retired after only a year on the market.
Another important factor is photography; if the publisher accepts jpg submissions and your photography doesn't really show your project off well, it will get by-passed for another that does.
There are literally so many factors involved, that I just wanted to emphasize that submission rejection shouldn't be interpreted as anything personal, or favortism extended towards certain individuals.
I'm not active on any of the magazine forums or blogs or whatever. I submit when I can, and sometimes I strike it lucky and more often, I don't. ;)
Always so well spoken Julie- and I myself think it helps to scope out the mag- check out the style they publish-
Like Julie said, some magazines lean towards more scrappy styled card, utilizing the scrap booking elements more than the plain ol' stamps, ink, and paper.
They also tend to publish the people that are active on their forums & blogs. It's all a big game.
I tend to agree with that. In several industry mags, it's the same people over and over and over again and there's a lot of fresh ideas out there that are getting tossed into the trash. I'm 99.9% sure my publication in CARDS is a filler. I hated what I did so much that I didn't even put them on my personal website. I was so surprised and shocked when they picked these. Other times I've turned in fabulous cards that were raved about here only to have somebody slap a piece of paper on a card with a flower and get published. It's confusing, to say the very least.
They also tend to publish the people that are active on their forums & blogs. It's all a big game.
I guess everyone's experience is different but that hasn't been mine so far. I'm quite new to submitting but the couple of things I've had picked up have been by magazines whose forums or blogs I'd never been near (Crafts n Things and Papercrafts). One thing about checking out those blogs and forums though is that you're likely to be developing a more in-depth idea of the style and tastes of those publications which, as others have said, can be helpful when you're deciding what to submit.
I guess everyone's experience is different but that hasn't been mine so far. I'm quite new to submitting but the couple of things I've had picked up have been by magazines whose forums or blogs I'd never been near (Crafts n Things and Papercrafts). One thing about checking out those blogs and forums though is that you're likely to be developing a more in-depth idea of the style and tastes of those publications which, as others have said, can be helpful when you're deciding what to submit.
Good information here! I spend a ton of time on blogs, my blog, SCS, PCP!! I'm not sure I would have more time to spend anywhere else. So if it doesn't really matter in the end, I won't waste the time.
I tend to agree with that. In several industry mags, it's the same people over and over and over again and there's a lot of fresh ideas out there that are getting tossed into the trash. I'm 99.9% sure my publication in CARDS is a filler. I hated what I did so much that I didn't even put them on my personal website. I was so surprised and shocked when they picked these. Other times I've turned in fabulous cards that were raved about here only to have somebody slap a piece of paper on a card with a flower and get published. It's confusing, to say the very least.
I agree, it tends to be the same people over and over and sometimes I get discouraged for this reason! I've had the same thing happen. Great feedback on cards here or on my blog, but nothing as far as getting published. I know...confusing!
Getting Published?
