| Mini-articles, sometimes called 'briefs' or 'short takes' | | | | what editors like and will increase your success rate. |
| can be anything from 200 to 500 words long, and they | | | | * Stick to the article's focus. Make sure each word |
| bear close similarity to everyday fillers, being both easy | | | | deserves its place in your manuscript. Go through with |
| to produce and very rewarding if published. This is | | | | a highlighter pen, marking essential pieces and looking |
| what you need to know to generate regular income | | | | for any that might be deleted. |
| from writing mini-articles. | | | | * Avoid all unnecessary duplication. Look for related |
| * Writing mini-articles is a good way to get yourself | | | | facts - similar or opposing - which might combine to |
| known to editors who may commission you for longer | | | | form one sentence. |
| features later. | | | | * Make your lead as strong as possible. Try including |
| * Begin by writing about subjects that interest you in | | | | something to shock readers or search for odd and little |
| magazines you read yourself. | | | | known fact about your subject. Anything to attract |
| * Watch out for special sections in some publications, | | | | and retain reader interest. This is what will compel the |
| where editors invite features on a common theme, | | | | editor, and ultimately his readers, to finish reading your |
| sometimes a recipe or poem, frequently complaints, | | | | work. |
| and so on. | | | | * Try to get on as many press release mailing lists as |
| * Anniversaries and celebrations are ideal subjects for | | | | you can. Press releases are an invaluable source of |
| you to concentrate on. Christmas, historic events, | | | | ideas for all kinds of manuscript. To illustrate, I recently |
| celebrity birthdays, make popular fillers for most | | | | received a press release from Dog's Trust, formerly |
| publication types. | | | | the National Canine Defence League, telling me that a |
| * Sentences and paragraphs should be short and | | | | new NCDL site was being opened close by. Celebrity |
| punchy. Longer sentences and paragraphs look out of | | | | Loyd Grossman was opening the event. From this tiny |
| place and make hard work of reading these shorter | | | | scrap of information I received several commissions to |
| pieces. | | | | report on and photograph the event for dog lovers' |
| * Try to be different. Even if the subject is common, | | | | magazines. |
| look for an unusual feature or aspect to focus on. | | | | * Don't combine two or more subjects, albeit related. If |
| Make it one that readers can relate to and make sure | | | | you have too much material, save some for a future |
| nothing similar has featured recently. | | | | article on the same subject. |
| * Start by listing all main points you might include in your | | | | * Don't pad your work. If you don't have enough |
| mini-article. List these in order of importance, from '1' for | | | | material for an article in your target magazine, rewrite |
| most important down to however many points there | | | | your work for another magazine or research for |
| are. This is usually the order they will take in your | | | | further information. |
| finished piece, but not always, and some editors favour | | | | * Do not use long, complicated words when everyday |
| keeping the most important, sometimes second most | | | | words will do. Articles should be easy and enjoyable to |
| important piece to close the feature. Careful market | | | | read. |
| research of your target magazines will help you spot | | | | |
