The Market Search

Focusing the search for the perfect market. Every day, you scour the internet and market guides for the perfect market that will work for you. It may be a newspaper for an article a magaine or online e-zine for that short story or poem you wrote. Then there is the type of search that you don't know whatg you want to write yet, but are looking for something to grab you. Something to jump out at you and say write about this.

These kinds of searches can be long and tedious especially to the beginning writer. You don't know what you kind of market you are looking for. You flip through the pages of your market guide. You can do something to make your search run faster and more smoothly. Before sitting down to look for that perfect market, sit down with a pad and paper. Make a list of the subjects and topic areas that you know enough about to write about them comfortably. Look back towards your interests, hobbies, and education. What was your major in college? What types of classes did you enjoy writing for? What kinds of things do you like tgo discuss and are passionate about?

This list of topics can be varied. Everything from animals to computers and cars. Whatever it is that gets you going is something to write down. Once you have your list, you can go to your market guide or to your online resources and begin to look through the markets available. Read about their guidelines. what does it take to write for this market? What are they looking for? As you look through the markets, jot ideas down. Once you are done, look through the ideas and go pick one or two to focus on. These are the ideas you will write about. Do your research, and start putting together a submission.

This week's market and contest of the week are:

Market of the Week
Editor: Thomas J. Hubschman
Website: Gowanus
Email: tom@gowanusbooks.com
What do they publish: Both fiction and nonfiction about life where you are. Between 1200 - 4000 words.
Payment: Between $15 - $25
Contact: Send submissions to the email above in plain text format.

Contest of the Week
Winchell Contest
Guidelines: Poem(s) may be on any theme, in any form, maximum 40 lines. All poems submitted must be the original, unpublished work of the submitting poet. Each poem must be clearly typed, single-space on one white, 8 x 11 inch sheet of paper. Clear computer printouts or clear photocopies are acceptable.Send TWO (2) copies of each poem. On one copy type your name, complete address and telephone number in the upper right corner (no onionskin, no address labels). The other copy should bear no identifying mark. A maximum of five (5) poems may be submitted.

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