How the Web Helps You Break into Fitness Writing

Editor Lisa Tant's blog post over at Flare magazine got me thinking about when I was first trying to break into writing health and fitness articles for pay.

It seems easier these days to connect with editors (and hopefully charm them with your brilliant ideas and pithy writing). Plus, with today's web tools, you can put your writing in front of an audience any time you want to--no need to wait for an article assignment.

Here are three ways to use web technology for breaking into writing fitness articles that pay.

Blogs. Way back when--like, you know, 5 or 10 years ago--if you wanted to prove to an editor you could write, you had to first somehow get published in the print media. Then you'd photocopy your prized article and snail mail it around.

Now blogs let you create your own publishing platform and, if you go about it the right way, an audience of interactive readers.

Of course, blogging isn't a direct money-maker for most people. But if your posts are decent, they make good writing samples that could lead to paid assignments in magazines, on websites, on other blogs and even--and here's where you've got to be a real superstar--a book deal.

Plus editors have blogs too! You can and should read editors' blogs and comment on posts--it helps build a friendly rapport and keeps you in the loop about what's on their minds, which could help you write more targeted queries.

Web Exclusives. Magazines used to simply throw whatever articles were in the print magazine onto their website. Now a lot of big-name magazines are developing web-exclusive content--articles you can only find online, not in the magazine.

Sometimes you can sell an article to a magazine's website even when you're not having any luck with the print mag. (Did I mention I recently got my first assignment at More.ca?)

The downside for writers is that web-based articles generally pay less than what you can nab for a print article. BUT ... a lot of editors offer this silver lining: The editing process is less "picky" with web exclusives.

For one thing, there are no revisions as far as I can tell, so the per-hour rate is pretty decent. Count me in for more web exclusives!

Twitter. I love that I get a glimpse into the personal and professional lives of editors through their Twitter updates. I love that I can find out what stories a magazine is working on from an editor's tweet looking for sources. I love that I can @mention or direct message (DM) editors, engaging in a funny discussion or sending a friendly hello. And I love that editors respond on Twitter!

Have any of the above tactics worked to help you network with editors and/or score writing assignments? Write a comment to share your experience.

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For more info about breaking into writing for magazines and websites, check out How to Write Winning Queries: Get your articles published for profit and promotion as a health/fitness writer and expert.

How to Find Ideas for Blogging, Writing Articles and Publicity

Looking for something to blog about, write an article about, or use as a hook to get publicity in your local newspaper?

Cite this new study that suggests walking roughly 100 steps a minute - or pretty much to the beat of the Bee Gees song Stayin' Alive - keeps you moving at a moderate-intensity pace.

Apart from being an excellent news hook (I've already hammered out several queries that make use of the study), these findings are a simple way to demonstrate to your clients what moderate-intensity exercise feels like.

In fact, after strutting around my living room to Stayin' Alive, I bet a lot of fitness clients would be encouraged to know they can hoof it a lot faster than the song's beat! Move over, John Travolta.

Here's an audio summary of the study with lead researcher Simon J. Marshall, Ph.D. of San Diego State University. (Audio courtesy of medpagetoday.com.)



Source: Marshall SJ, et al "Translating physical activity recommendations into a pedometer-based step goal: 3000 steps in 30 minutes" Am J Prev Med 2009.

How to Pitch a Major Women's Magazine

The featured editor in this video, Courtenay Smith, first contacted me when she worked as the fitness editor at All You. Now Courtenay is the Executive Editor at Prevention. See what she says about how to break into that major magazine.

Even if you don't have your sights set on Prevention magazine, consider also watching this second clip to learn more about the process of pitching health-related ideas to editors in general.

Expert Sources

Promising to Quote Experts in Your Queries: Is It Necessary?

Below is a great question from one of my clients about approaching editors with a story idea (i.e., a query).

Q: Do you have to have an "expert" for every article you query?

A: Nope. You don't even have to use an expert in the article if your own fitness expertise can back up your points. But if you are writing on a topic you don't know much about, then letting the editor know in your query that you plan to use one or more experts helps give the proposed piece more credibility.

For example, I just finished a piece on fitness bootcamps for a women's magazine. Although I teach many of the moves mentioned in the article in my traditional group exercise classes, I also interviewed and quoted a personal trainer who has actual experience organizing and leading bootcamp workouts.

In general, editors at bigger magazines usually want me to cite an expert even if the fitness info I am writing about is stuff I know because of my fitness background. An exception to this would be if an editor assigns a piece to you specifically to highlight your own fitness expertise and exercise suggestions.

If you feel that your piece doesn't need an expert, there's no reason to promise one when you query. If the editor likes your idea but feels you need to quote one or more experts, he or she will ask you to do so when assigning the piece.

Learn more about the art and science of selling your article ideas to editors: How to Write Winning Queries online workshop.

Get Published

Your 30-Second Shot at Getting Published This Year

Thirty seconds. That’s the average time editors spend reading a query (i.e., article pitch).

How can an editor tell in half a minute or less if your big idea is worth publishing? Sometimes they can’t. It’s how you present your idea that makes the difference.

The more expertly “packaged” your idea is, the better your chance of stretching those first 30 seconds into 60 seconds, then 90 seconds, then several minutes or more. The longer an editor spends with your query, the greater your chance of turning that article idea into a published piece – and a paycheck.

So think about a query you’ve written recently (or want to write). What would reading it for 30 seconds project about you and your idea?

Would an editor be impressed because you nailed the voice and style of the magazine? Bored by your writing? Excited that your idea is so unique? Confused because your proposal is sparse on details?

Learn more about how to make the most of your 30-second shot at getting published this year (for the first time or more frequently) with my How to Write Winning Queries online workshop.