Edit post

Edit your reply below.

Post Body
Enter your post below.
[quote]QUOTE: Originally posted by potlatcher I have written three articles for the mainstream railfan press, all of them focused on shortlines. Here's what I think I've learned so far. My first two articles were published in Railfan & Railroad, and they followed the same basic format you have outlined. The editors made few, if any changes to my manuscript. I thought the articles were great, and several of my friends who had similar interests in those lines thought so too. But after several years of subscribing to R&R, I realized that they publish an awful lot of these articles, and frankly, many of them bored me to tears. Looking back at my articles, I realize that I probably put more than a few readers to sleep too. My third article was published in Trains. The first manuscript I submitted was more of the same. The editor politely told me that I would need to find some element of the shortline's story that would have a broader appeal to readers nationwide. He explained that a nuts-and-bolts article might be very popular among railfans already interested in that region. But a wider audience will want to know about something new or different that the railroad in question is doing to set it apart from other shortlines. Fortunately in my case, I was able to tell about some specific marketing techniques the railroad's management was using to revive rail traffic along its line. After a few more revisions, my article was accepted, although the final version that hit the newsstands was heavily edited to put more of a "spin" on the storyline. Writing these articles was a lot of fun, and I hope to have similar opportunities in the future. It's a great learning experience as well. So . . . If you want to write about this line, GO FOR IT! Just realize that there are some magazines that may not buy it without what they perceive as a strong story with a wide appeal (after all, they need to sell magazines). Editors are always looking for fresh viewpoints, and they are usually pretty willing to help you focus your article on the railroad's key elements. Don't be afraid to re-write your manuscript a few times too, trying to squeeze as much information into as few words as possible. And no matter to which magazine you submit your article, you owe it to your reader to tell an interesting story. An interesting story will triumph over ALCO's every time [/quote] Potlatcher- Can you give me any idea what sort of article length I should be aiming for? I could probably write a book if I am left alone long enough. My Conductor's coffee runs could easily be a page or two long...lol... LC
Tags (Optional)
Tags are keywords that get attached to your post. They are used to categorize your submission and make it easier to search for. To add tags to your post type a tag into the box below and click the "Add Tag" button.
Add Tag