6 Ways to Find Writing Markets

Now that I have more time to focus on querying, I've been actively seeking out new writing markets, which is fun (and exhausting at times). Here are some of the search strategies I've uncovered:

1. Media Directories: I've used Bacon's in the past, but I recently got a free trial for Corner Bar PR. I found the different search functions a little cumbersome, so I just went to the page with every single magazine listed and plugged in keywords like "woman" and "career." This yielded me tons of new markets to try!


2. Renegade Writers Market Wiki: This is a great example of writers helping other writers. Basically, the wiki is updated by readers sharing their insights and contacts at different publications. Be sure to add your own info to promote positive writing karma.


3. Other writer's websites: I'm always interested in seeing where other writers are contributing. Often as I'm reading through their portfolio or list of publishing credits I'll uncover a new magazine or website that I've never heard of.


4. Del.icio.us: I could spend hours trolling around this site and uncovering new markets based on what others are bookmarking. This post offers more ways to use Del.icio.us.


5. Bookstores and libraries: I'm always on the lookout for obscure magazines. Bookstores are a wonderful research tool for recent magazine issues, then I head to the library to check out the archives.


6. New magazine releases: Magazine Yellow Page's New Launch section and Mr. Magazine's blog are two great sites for staying up on new magazine releases. It's often easier to break in when a magazine is just starting out because they don't have a full stable of writers already.

A note of caution: be careful dealing with brand new publications, because of possible financing issues. If you're being paid on publication and they can't give you a date when the article will run, I'd RUN in the opposite direction!

New Way to Research Magazines

One of my international freelance friends alerted me to a new feature on BarnesandNoble.com: digital magazine subscriptions. This is an awesome idea, because it eliminates wasted paper and space. Plus, you'll have back issues right at your fingertips for easy reference. Many magazines, including Cosmopolitan, Men's Health, PC World, and Business Week also offer single digital issues for purchase, too. For other ideas on finding magazines, check out my earlier post on Magazine Mania.

Magazine Mania

Conventional wisdom (and common sense) says that you should read the magazine before you query the editor. But at about $5 a pop, that can be a challenge for financially strapped writers like yours truly. Here are few ways I’ve gotten around this:

Subscribe. If it’s a magazine I want to read every month, I’ll find a cheap subscription online and pay about $12 for the year instead of $4 or $5 per issue. I have a separate business account for expenses like this so it doesn’t come out of my food-and-shoes fund (whether the IRS considers my Cosmo subscription a “business expense” is another story). If you’re really shameless, you can order a couple trial issues and then cancel before they bill your credit card. Not that I would endorse such a shady practice… or would I?

Keep your eyes open. Every time I go to the gym, the doctor or the hair salon, I’m constantly on the lookout for new and unusual publications. When I find one, I flip through to see what they cover and jot down their web address and the editors’ names for future research. When I clean out my magazine stash, I bring the old issues to the gym so that others can enjoy them (have you ever noticed how the gym and doctors’ waiting area have issues of Redbook from five years ago? Nobody cares when the magazine came out, they just want a quick read). I also sometimes exchange old magazines with friends.

Do your research for free. Nowadays lots of magazines have online archives, so you can read the articles for free (although I like seeing how the magazine is laid out, because it gives me a better sense of who the readers are and what they like). You can also browse back issues at your local library. If your library gives free access to Lexis Nexis or another newspaper and magazine database, you may even be able to browse from home.

If you must pay newsstand prices… I’m über-cheap, so I only do this under one of two conditions. If I get Extra Bucks from CVS, I’ll sometimes treat myself to a magazine (or use my card to earn more Extra Bucks). If I’m ordering from Amazon.com and just need to a few more dollars to earn free shipping, I’ll add a single issue of In Style or one of the other single magazines they carry so I can get my $25 order without going too much over the minimum (a mathematical impossibility under most other circumstances). Now my only problem is finding the time to read all the magazines I’d like to query! What’s your secret?