There's a big secret about magazine writing (or any kind of competitive writing job) that nobody will ever put in a writing textbook.
It is an unavoidable part of our job, something that is at once troubling, annoying, and inspiring: in order to make it as a writer, you need to be friends with other writers and editors.
Without a community of writers, nobody will ever edit your work, pass your name on to an editor, or support you when you need the help. Don't try to make it all by your lonesome!
This Urban Muse interview with author Louise Sloan lays it out pretty clearly.
"Well, I got both my first major magazine assignment (back in 1993) and the book deal last year because I made a personal connection to an editor and followed up on the opportunities that created for me. So I’d have to say, network, network, network! Get out there and meet people in the field, and then keep up with them. It doesn’t come naturally or easily to me, but the older I get the more I understand how essential it is."
Comment Preview