The Art of Changemaking

Thanks to DJ Vince Golangco (a.k.a. Deejay Vince) of Mellow 94.7, I had the opportunity this morning to talk about one of my ultimate passions: writing. His Sunday-morning programming usually involves a segment called “Edumacate Me”, and my task was to “edumacate” his listeners on how to get published in magazines.

Ana Santos, Nikka Sarthou, and me (Nina Terol-Zialcita) of Writer's Block Philippines with Mellow 94.7 DJ Vince Golangco | Photo by Ena Terol

Freelance writing for magazines isn’t as easy or as difficult as it first appears to be. Depending on one’s exposure, experience, and connections, it can be as easy as downloading a free iPad app–or it can be as daunting as  preparing one’s own multi-country travel itinerary from scratch (both of which, by the way, I have found myself preoccupied with as of late). Regardless of the level of difficulty, however, writing is very often a fulfilling and exhilarating process, and for freelance writers the kick that one gets out of seeing one’s byline immortalized on print can be quite addictive. I, for one, will never tire of seeing my name on print.

To help the budding writer make sense of the process, I’ve summarized here some of the key points that DJ Vince and I have talked about this morning:

1. First things first: know your medium.

During this morning’s show, I first mentioned that those aspiring to write for magazines should, first of all, get to know the publication they want to write for. (I failed to consider that freelance writing can also take the form of writing for television, radio, or the Web, so here I’m editing myself and saying: first, know thy medium.) What does that entail? Study the medium’s format and tone, the audience it’s trying to reach, its contents, its overall messaging.

Does it come across as wholesome or edgy? Mass-based or niche market-driven? Upscale or budget-conscious? Is it writing with an authoritative tone, or is it trying to be your best friend? What are its sections? What kinds of subjects are usually discussed there? Does your writing style fit in with it?

2. Next: develop your topic.

Just the fact that you’re interested in writing for magazines means that you have an idea of what you want to say. When I started contributing for an upscale lifestyle and fashion magazine, I knew that I wanted to channel my interest in arts & culture and pop culture into something that would eventually build my portfolio as a credible writer. I started by writing book and music reviews. Then I started featuring visual artists and art exhibits. Soon, I was making a name as an art writer, and I thoroughly enjoyed attending and writing about exhibit openings, artists, and artworks. I was by no means an art critic and had no Fine Arts background whatsoever, but because I enjoyed all forms of art and was open to immersing in it, I soon became comfortable with my “beat.”

Your own experience might be different, but it should start with a focus in mind. What is it that you want to say? Who or what will your subjects be? What is the point you are trying to make? Why will the readers of that particular publication be interested in your story, and why should the editor decide to publish it? How is it in any way relevant to the brand and the message that the publication is trying to build and protect?*

3. Pitch your story to the magazine’s editor.

Once you’ve figured out enough about your preferred medium and the story you’d like to share, then comes THE PITCH. This is the process by which you introduce yourself to the editor and try to sell your story for them to publish. Undoubtedly, this can be the most intimidating and challenging part of the writing process, as it takes your idea right out of your hands and onto the territory of somebody else. You might be in love with your story idea, but the editor you’re pitching it to might not be so convinced. Or, someone else may have already written a similar story–thereby rendering your pitch useless.

There are many factors that affect how–or if–a story eventually sees print, and it helps to take note that, whatever the outcome, it is usually nothing personal. I myself have gone through A LOT of rejected pitches, and it’s often just a matter of angling your story idea another way or developing a new story altogether  to get yourself back on track.

*If these questions sound daunting, don’t worry. Writer’s Block Philippines holds regular workshops on freelance writing, and we’ll take you through different topics such as writing features, the art of the interview, building your own brand as a freelance writer, practicing your pitch, and other topics that will help you build a career (and make more money) out of freelance writing. Check out our website for workshop schedules.

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Vince and I also talked about travel writing, and I confess that I missed out on some key points here as I was trying to compress so many ideas in just a few minutes. I’ll save my thoughts on that for another blog post, BUT I will share with you something we’re cooking up that promises to be fun and exciting for travel bugs and aspiring writers alike:

On Saturday, June 19, Writer’s Block Philippines will be teaming up with Manila’s favorite tour guide, Carlos Celdran, for a writing tour called “Walk Write This Way.” We will be touring Intramuros on foot and rediscovering bits of Old Manila’s glorious past, and then we will take you through lectures on feature writing, travel writing, writing for the arts & culture, and an intro to travel photography–all to help you turn your travels into stories that editors might be willing to pay for.

We thought of this as a way to introduce travel writing even to amateur writers and travel bugs who might not yet be experienced travel chroniclers, but who would like to get their feet wet and have that travel writing experience for a very manageable time frame and budget. The half-day tour should be enough to whet your appetite to explore the city (or the outside world) a bit more, and the half-day lectures should also be enough to give you an overview of what’s needed to break into travel writing.

So there goes PART 1 of this morning’s summary. If you have any questions, feel free to ask them here, or follow me or Writer’s Block Philippines on Twitter.  To reserve slots to Walk Write This Way, CLICK HERE.