Writers Wanted

[journal_south]

deleted

[tinknal]

Why limit yourself to the south? This is a subject area that spans the continent.
I would write if it were topical for my area.

I would love to do a "rednecks corner"

I could write about my homemade smokehouse, my cobbled up chicken equip, etc.

[ak homesteader]

Originally Posted by tinknal

Why limit yourself to the south? This is a subject area that spans the continent.
I would write if it were topical for my area.

I would love to do a "rednecks corner"

I could write about my homemade smokehouse, my cobbled up chicken equip, etc.

Tinknal, you haven't visited our site yet, have you? We're working on a new magazine called Alaska HOMESTEADING Journal. It's geared more toward northern climates. Sounds like you cobble things pretty much the way we do it on our remote Alaskan homestead in the bush. Would love to read about your smokehouse. Folks up here smoke lots of things, then dry for jerkey. Many of us don't have electricity, so that's a great way to keep meat and fish. With your beautiful Minnesota summers, and the cold winters, you could write for both We're looking for writers and advertisers.

Journal South, wish your magazine had been around back when I was in the Deep South. Sounds good! We wish you all the best!

Mrs. AK Homesteader
Alaska HOMESTEADING Journal also check out Homesteading
magazine@AlaskaHomesteading.com

[Cygnet]

Just FYI, you do NOT want to know the opinion many "real" writers have of publications that do not offer at least a token payment to their writers. Even if it's just five bucks, you'd be better off paying your writers. You'll get better writers -- professionals or serious amateurs -- if you offer at least a token payment. (A lot of writers will send a ms to a semipro market offering a token payment; they'll dismiss you as a complete amateur if you don't offer any payment at all.)

As far as rights go, if someone gives you something to publish, you HAVE to address rights and have a contract. Do you want to reprint the 'zine later? You need to address reprint rights. Put things online (archive)? Electronic media rights. Sell your 'zine overseas? Foreign media rights. Print an anthology later? ... etc. You need to address this or you may end up owing a LARGE chunk of change to a po'd writer or paying through the nose for something you really want years down the road. Think this won't happen? I'm fairly active in the writing community and I've seen a pro go after semipro 'zines with gusto because he sold the zine a little story years ago, then got famous, and the little 'zine decided to reprint the story by the pro who now has a recognizable name ... and didn't pay the pro for the reprint and the little 'zine didn't have reprint rights. (If the 'zine had approached this particular pro, he probably would have happily granted permission, but they didn't, and he viewed it as a case of "... on general principles ...")

And as far as "keeping stories on file" ... NOT! If you reject something, REJECT it. If you're keeping it on file for later use, BUY it. Do not leave the writer in limbo. Because if the writer submits that story to another 'zine and then you decide to print it, and the other 'zine accepts it, it leaves the writer in the awkward position of saying 'no' to someone ... and if they chose the second 'zine to say no to, it can look like to the other zine that they sent multiple subs at the same time which is a BIG nono and may get them blacklisted from publication at that second zine forever.

*shrug*

I spend waaaay too much time in the writing community sometimes. If you want to find out more information about the ins and outs of publications, try fmwriters.com. They'll set you straight on what you need to know.

Leva

Originally Posted by journal_south

I don't feel that I am 'limiting' myself, it's more of a specialization if you will. I am from the 'south', born and raised and it's what interests me. My goal is to create something that appeals to those of us who live in the south. It's not that I have anything against people in the North East, Mid West, or Western US, quite the contrary. But things are done differently in different parts of the country. Planting schedules and methods, historical topics, animal husbandry and homesteading in general can be greatly varied depending on climate, up bringing, topography etc. And as I stated before, I am concentrating on the 'southern' way of life.

In my opinion, Countryside offers a wider geographic opportunity. Great magazine, but I want to do something different.

I really was in a quandry over this for awhile because it seems when southern culture is 'singled out' it's usually portrayed as some Gone With The Wind antebellum KKK type thing that excludes everyone else, but that's not what I'm going for here. Anyone from anywhere is welcome to write, I just prefer topics that are about the south(history for instance-we're not just Confederate flags and rednecks) or topics that can relate to this part of the country method wise, spiritually, or something else.

[Jim in MO]

Too bad It looks like it could have been an interesting topic. I'm sorry I missed it before it was deleted.

[ak homesteader]

Journal South, we're sure sorry you deleted your messages. Even though Alaska is now my home, I grew up in the Deep South and it really sounds like you're going to have a fine magazine. We're new at this too, and can't pay. We're not looking for professional writers. We're looking for folks who just have a good way of doing things ----- things that work for them on their homesteads or farms. People who are willing, out of the goodness of their hearts, to just help other folks out. My husband grew up in the mid-west. You are so right about things being done differently in different parts of the country. I read about the way Southerns do things, and sometimes we dream about moving back south. Don't think we ever will, though. Like you, we welcome articles from folks all over. The focus is on homesteading. But, we have challenges in places with cold winters, like Alaska that are unique to cold climates, so we encourage folks to share their successes, and failures with others. It's a great way to encourage folks who are just making the break from the big city, still there but learning to be more independent, already been living in the country or Alaskan bush forever, or just anyone who enjoys reading things like that.

No, we're not "professionals", and no we are not even dreaming of competing with the big "zines". We're homesteaders. That's it. We want to start a magazine to help folks. We need to break even, and a little profit would be very nice. We may fall flat on our faces. We may get burned. We may never get any "professional" writers. That's fine. I've read lots of books and booklets and articles by "professional" writers who knew very little about their topic. It may have been professionally written, but it was useless!
Journal South, if you're still reading this thread, I hope you keep working on your magazine, and I hope it works. I'd sure like to see it when you get it published. Let us know if you're at all interested in Alaska HOMESTEADING too. When our little journal gets off the ground, we'll send you a copy if you like.

Mrs. AK Homesteader

Homesteading and Alaska HOMESTEADING Journal
magazine@AlaskaHomesteading.com

[BamaSuzy]

I AM a professional writing and I do agree that paying writers will get you quality work...You also MUST address rights, etc.

Starting a quality newspaper or newsletter means you have to be really serious about your craft. Even if it's just a small community paper you must abide by the laws (including postal laws which are generally a pain in the butt!), copyright laws, and so much more!

I am in the deep south and would have loved to learn more about this if everything hadn't been deleted!

I would love to see the Alaskan Journal!!!

[BamaSuzy]

Oh---and COUNTRYSIDE is an exception to this rule bECAUSE they have been around so long (as far as paying writers)