One of the main questions I am often asked is: Exactly what is an editor looking for? Following are five things editors have told me that they look for in articles and stories.
1. Sharp Focus. An article should stay on target. In a previous column we talked about developing a good focus sentence. Make sure that your theme is developed throughout the piece and that you don’t stray from your focus. If your article rambles or deviates on a tangent, it will be rejected.
2. Clean Copy. An article should contain no errors. Magazine editors are extremely busy and are always working on tight deadlines. They don’t have time to rewrite your manuscripts. Make sure you have crafted each article as smoothly as you are capable and that you have checked the spelling, grammar, punctuation, and word usage for errors.
3. Appropriateness. An article should be appropriate to the readership of the magazine. Study the demographics of each magazine and take-home paper you are considering sending your manuscript to so you can get to know the audience. If you are writing an article on time management, your slant for parents of young children would be different than your slant for teens. Editors say that the number one reason they reject manuscripts is that the subject matter is inappropriate for their publication.
4. Pizzazz. An article should have pizzazz. Write on subjects you feel passionately about, and your emotions will come through in your writing. You must care about your subject for your reader to get enthused. You need to hold the reader’s attention for the article to be worthy of publication.
5. Reader Involvement. An article should involve the reader. Editors want to print articles that directly impact their readers. When a person finishes reading your article, will it move him to action or make him want to change his life in some way? Try to find a way to make the reader play an active role in your article.
Susan Titus Osborn has authored 29 books. This column, also published in The Christian Communicator magazine, is taken from Chapter 20 of her book titled JUST WRITE! An Essential Guide to Launching Your Writing Career. To order an autographed copy of this writers’ resource, send $12 to: 3133 Puente Street, Fullerton CA 92835 or e-mail: susanosb@aol.com.