Magazine Guide #9: Vogue

Publication: Vogue (Australia)
How Often Does It Come Out: Monthly
Distribution: National

Contributors vs Staff Writers:
Don't get your hopes up too high -- although there is a fairly even split between staff writers and freelancers, The Australian Writer's Marketplace entry for the mag warns they are interested in hearing from "experienced writers with a strong publication record". Balls.

Target Audience:
Age: Around 20-50.
Gender: Female
Interests: Luxury fashion and beauty, with a smattering of travel, lifestyle, health, relationships and culture.

Topics and Themes:
Profiles on and interviews with resurgent and new designers and brands are heavily represented. There is also analysis of romance, divorce and whether to age gracefully or fight nature in this issue. "Help Me Help You" is an article on mentoring, using the Zimmermann sisters' mentoring relationship with the design team behind Romance Was Born as a prime example. Articles on perfume, fake tanning and female balding round out the selection.

Length of Features:
Usually 1,000 - 2,500 words.

Tone and Style of Writing:
Short, plain-Jane titles are the way to go. Articles tend to feature plain text without subtitles to break it up, with break-out boxes used sparingly. Interviews are occasionally Q&A-style. The language is serious, but readable, and at times semi-academic in tone. Experts such as English professors, cultural analysts, CEOs of companies, medical practitioners and presidents of nation-wide organisations are quoted. Vogue is not afraid to cover well-trodden magazine fodder (eg romance), but take it to some depth and analyse it in terms of contemporary culture.

About How Many Features:
Fifteen.

Fabulous Fridays: 7 January 2011

In this first week of January, I've taken a fair stab at writing full-time, intermingled with a lovely little holiday with Adam. We stayed overnight at the Jacob's Creek Retreat (aka Moorooroo Park) and it was just glorious -- time to explore, drink wine, visit the famous Maggie Beer farm shop and enjoy meals from fresh local produce. Back at home, I've prepared some links for you...

• I'm not opposed to a spot of museum-going, especially if we're dropping into these.
• Bag a bargain at Portero Luxury. This may be just what the designer doctor ordered!
• Yes, I'm a total ballet tragic and I hear a new movie is coming out, Black Swan. Digging the resurgence of dancer chic (as if it ever left).
• Not only is it Gaga, it's pink. And perfect. Do want.
• I'm temporarily morphing into a grandma to make some plum jam. Can't wait to try it!
• So we're clear, I have desperate, immediate need of an hilarious "Bless This House" cross-stitch. No, I haven't taken to tedious traditional tapestry. Check out Regretsy for this and more Etsy items to blow your mind.
• OMG, OMG, OMGGGGGGGGGGG!!! The Burlesque movie is HERE!
• I've endured lawyer jokes. Will I soon qualify to be offended by these?
• That's the sound of the girl... working on the chain... yeah yeah. Learn to crochet. It's on my bucket list.
• Although this was hyped quite a while ago now, this guy's a legend and the book is unputdownable -- One Red Paperclip.

So far with this writing lark, I'm not enjoying my mother's scoffs at the thought of writing professionally and insistence that I am unemployed. She even asked yesterday how Adam and I are managing financially. AFTER ONE WEEK. The debt collectors are sure to be knocking on our door any second. Totally.

Aside from this, I am pleased with my progress and my lists of magazines to tackle. I've fired off three query emails to magazines so far, with two more in the works today. Now to entice at least one of them to say yes!

Until next week... 

Personal Goals 2011

To continue my spate of sharing my 2011 goals, here's my personal ones. Notice from the first category that apparently to me, fun = travel and yes, my writing goals are incorporated here. Am fatty boomba also. 

Fun and Relationships

·         Organise trip to Kingston/Naracoorte/Mount Gambier with Adam

·         Organise trip to NZ with Adam

·         Organise mega overseas trip with Adam to Paris/New York/London/anywhere awesome!

·         Go on a girls’ trip away... somewhere.

Health

·         Lose weight so I am less than 70kg.

Finances

·         Visit financial planner.

·         Maintain decent income while freelancing.

Career

·         Get agent/publisher for book proposal.

·         Vastly improve magazine writing portfolio.

Perhaps I should look into diet airplane food...

I'd Like to Write For...

Here's some magazines I'll be pitching to in the near future -- both practical and pie-in-the-sky!

First magazines to tackle:

• Yen
• ABC Unleashed (online)
• The Adelaide Review
• Frankie
• SA Motor
• Virgin Blue Voyeur
• Jetstar Magazine
• Dance Australia
• SA Life
• Women's Health and Fitness
• Wellbeing
• eBaylife

Dream magazines:

• Vogue
• Marie Claire
• Cleo
• Cosmopolitan
• Shop Til You Drop
• Madison

Wish me luck!

Writing Goals For 2011

Welcome to my year of full-time freelancing!


After some soul-searching, I've set my two main goals for 2011. With the success of The Tiffany Challenge in 2010, I'll issue myself new challenges with designer prizes to help motivate me. The goals and the steps to achieving them are below. I'm hoping to polish these off by the close of January and set new ones. How far do you think I'll get? ; )


1.   Grow a Freelancing Portfolio of High-profile Magazines

• Print out and re-read my notes from the Sydney Writers' Centre freelancing course.
• Write an average of one pitch email per weekday, mostly ones from my "First Magazines to Tackle" list and follow up by phone a couple of days later.
• Scour blogs of established freelancers to find more "First Magazines to Tackle".
• Create a list of pitches and ideas so I can keep track of them and reuse unsuccessful pitches for other magazines.
• Keep adding to the magazine guides on Becks and the City (Yen, Dance Australia etc -- "First Magazines to Tackle").
• Notify Sydney Writers' Centre of my successes.

The Alannah Hill Challenge

You may have gleaned from previous posts that I have a major crush on Alannah Hill's cutesy cardies, frilly frocks and alluring accessories. The challenge, if I choose to accept it, is to compile an impressive freelancing portfolio. My reward will be running free in the Alannah Hill Rundle Street store and picking out a cardie or equivalent fashion delight. Excitement!

2.   Get My Non-Fiction Book Published

• Write another blog post on my other blog, I LOVE WINNING.
• Amass 200 Google followers on that blog.
• Print out my book proposal and sample chapters.
• Finish sample chapters.
• Update proposal with 2010 media training and appearances, plus freelance writing, and check comparisons with other books etc are still up-to-date.
• Create ordered list of agents and publishers to whom I'll send my proposal.
• Select first round of agents and publishers to send to and check their guidelines.
• Send out proposal/cover letters to first round.

The Marc Jacobs Challenge

Obsessed. Love these mouse flats, which have been released in a dazzling array of colours and styles. If I snare either an agent or publisher for my book, I'm treating myself to an adorable pair. White or black patent? Decisions, decisions!

Keep a watch out for frequent updates on my sure-to-be-stellar progress!