WPN Market Update – September, 2004

By Patricia L. Fry

Contents:
Going, Going, Gone – 9 more magazines are gone
Here’s What’s New – 9 new mags and a publisher
Opportunities for Writers — Get syndicated. Find a job. Earn extra $$
Contests for Writers — Enter a regional mystery, a mainstream spiritual piece
Opportunities for Authors – 5 publishers seek fiction and nonfiction books
Opportunities for Artists – A job and a newsletter
Research/Reference Site – Newspaperlinks.com
Tips for Authors – “How to Choose a Marketable Subject” from an article by Tom and Marilyn Ross
Writer Interview – Sandra Miller Louden, professional greeting card writer
A Request – How do you use the WPN Market Update?
Going Going Gone
Beckett Sports Collectibles
NLM Technical Bulletin’s Index Medicus
Best of Veggie Life
Plastic Canvas Home and Holiday
Just Write
World Press Review
Premium Crosswords
Birmingham Family Times
March Magazine.
Here’s What’s New
Emperor’s New Clothes Press
Life Magazine
FireSafe People
Suede Magazine
Hampton Family Life
Connecticut Cottages and Gardens
Lore, The Lives of Real Estate
Cottage Living
Columbia Magazine
RSPV
Opportunities for Writers
The National Writer’s Union
Are you interested in syndication? Contact John Austin at Hollywood Inside Syndicate with your nonfiction idea for possible inclusion in 40 newspapers. For more information, Hollywood@ez2.net or POB 49957, Los Angeles, CA 90049-0957.
Essence Magazine
 
Contests for Writers
Amy Foundation
The Erle Stanley Gardner Mystery Writing Contest
Opportunities for Authors
What is selling at the bookstores? Some report that the most popular books around today are juvenile titles, biographies, history and religion. So if you’ve been thinking about writing something for kids or pounding out a spiritual book, the timing might be right.
Robert E. Shepard Agency
Paperweight Books
Coastal Publishing International
Crane Hill Publishers
Ramsey Books
Union Square Publishing
Opportunities for Artists
Paperweight Books
Artists Helping Artists
Tips for Authors
SCOPING OUT A MARKETABLE SUBJECT
This month I’m publishing excerpts from an article appearing in a 2002 edition of SPAN Connection. The article was written by Tom and Marilyn Ross. It is with their permission that I quote from this article. For those of you who don’t know Tom and Marilyn Ross or who have lost track of them since they sold SPAN, here is their latest bio. The Rosses are coauthors of 13 books including the best-selling Complete Guide to Self-Publishing and the award-winning Jump Start your Book Sales. Through phone consultations and ongoing coaching, Marilyn empowers authors and self-publishers to realize their dreams. She can be reached at 719-395-8659 or Marilyn@marilynRoss.com. Visit their Web site at http://www.selfpublishingresources.com and sign up for their FREE monthly e-zine on how to make more money selling books—plus get your FREE downloadable copy of Smart Strategies for Self-Publishing Success. Order books by calling 800-331-8355.
In the two-part article called Scoping Out a Marketable Subject, the Rosses say, “The first and most important step any potential businessperson takes is to decide what product or service to offer customers. Whether you’re an author or publisher, you must determine your ‘vehicle.’ Some forms of writing hold more promise for commercial success than others. Many people dream of turning out a volume of poetry, writing a novel or telling their life story. They feel a deep passion for their project. If making money is their primary goal, however, they face an uphill climb”
I believe that this is the problem with many of our projects. We don’t think them through thoroughly enough. We just launch out, following our passion and trust that everyone will love our book as much as we do. I have no problem with an author following his/her passion. Write the book that’s in your heart. Enjoy the process. But if you hope to make money on that book, you must have a very different attitude. You must put away the heart thought-process and start thinking like a businessman/woman. And this needs to be done before your book becomes a book. It must be a marketable subject.
As the Rosses say, “A marketable subject is vital both for commercial publication and self-publication.” What makes a marketable subject? According to the Rosses, marketable books are “usually about hot, timely subjects and they’ve been aggressively promoted.” They say, “Choosing a marketable topic is the first step toward the bestseller dream to which all authors climb.”
They explain that nonfiction is most marketable because Americans are hungry for information. The Rosses say, “Nonfiction can take the form of a book that shows how to do or make something or gives a formula for self-improvement. Books that show readers how to be wealthier, healthier or sexier lead the pack.”
In order to write a book that’s hot and timely, you must stay alert. Here’s an example from the Rosses’ article. They talk about the first crock pot cookbook. “The author attended a trade show and noticed that several manufacturers were introducing these new devices. Presto! The lights flashed. Would cooks need new recipes and guidance on how best to use their new cookware? You’d better believe they would. Since Mable Hoffman’s Crockery Cookery came out in 1975, more than three million copies have been sold.”
They caution writers to try to differentiate between a fad and a hot topic. But I believe that even a fad can make you some money if you’re on your toes and bring it out at the right time. Of course, I would go along with the Rosses and advise focusing on a trend rather than a novelty. One way to do this, according to the Tom and Marilyn is “Ask yourself if a lot of people are likely to still be interested in it in a year or two. Think whether other ideas in this field have tended to flash and die or whether they’ve lasted at least long enough for a book on the subject to be written, published and find an interested readership.”
The Rosses offer a couple of topics that were hot two years ago and probably still are: spirituality and religion, money, diet and exercise. They say, however, “There are hundreds of books on these topics. It would make no sense to come out with another run-of-the-mill tome on jogging. If you are clever, however, you may find a new way to ride the wave of interest others have generated.” They also suggest books for the aging baby boomers—managing personal finances, volunteerism, aging gracefully, health and fitness, part-time self-employment, downsizing your budget and gardening, for example.
And here comes the advice that I and other professionals preach. You’ve heard it over and over again, but I’m going to repeat it here. Before going with your great idea, find out how many books there are already on that subject. The Rosses suggest, “Look closely at the competition. Do the existing books leave a gap your book could turn into a target? If your book is to stand out from the pack, it must have a fresh angle, offer a unique approach or information to persuade a prospective reader to buy it rather than one of the others.”
The Rosses suggest, “Ask a few bookstore buyers or managers how well your competition is selling. Find out what type of book is selling well and take a different approach.” And they have an interesting suggestion that we should all pay attention to. They say “Rather than writing for large general groups select a specific, clearly defined market. Write for dog lovers, organic gardeners, or parents of disabled children, for example.”
They urge writers to become “lurkers.” By this they mean, visit chat rooms, discussion groups, bulletin boards and find out what people are talking about, concerned about, wondering about. “When you see a pattern emerge, you’ve just learned about a need you might want to fill.”
They say, “As you climb the sheer cliffs of publishing, look for tiny crevices that have been passed over by the ‘big guys’.”
The Rosses go on to recommend that you position your product. “Give your book a competitive edge by making it different or special in some way.” Tie it in with a product, for example, add a workbook or offer a Spanish version.
There’s more to producing a book than just fulfilling your desire to write from the heart. In order to become successful, you must also engage your brain.
Research/Reference Site of the Month
Newspaperlinks.com
Interview of the Month
As promised, here is my interview with professional greeting card writer, Sandra Miller Louden.
 
Q: I stumbled across your Web site,
 
A: I actually started writing greeting cards professionally in February, 1986, so it’s getting close to 19 years that I’ve been in this business. I always wanted to be a professional writer and when my children were born, I was determined to stay at home with them. This meant, though, I had to find a way to earn money from home. I tried writing in various genres, but the constant interruption of a 4-year and a 1-year-old was not conducive to long passages that an article, novel or even short story required.
 
I was flipping through a mail order catalogue that sold greeting cards and studied one of their humorous lines. The writing was short, to-the-point and “do-able.” It struck me that this type of writing was perfect for someone with small children. I sent in a batch of ideas and within two weeks received an encouraging note from the editor to “try again,” even though I hadn’t sold anything that first try.
 
Within three months I had my first check and after that, I never looked back!
http://www.greetingcardwriting.com, yesterday and was highly impressed. You have been earning a living for 17 years writing for greeting cards? How did you get started in this field? 
Q: I tried writing for greeting cards once while attempting to establish my writing career. I think I stunk at it. What are some of the skills, talents needed in order to break in as a writer for Blue Mountain, etc.?
 
A: Although there are various types of verses present in today’s greeting cards, the basic skills for writing in this genre are the same. First, above all else, a greeting card verse must be “me-to-you.” Yes, it sounds so basic, but many aspiring card writers forget this fundamental tenet. One person (the sender) is picking up this card to send to another (the recipient)…a card whose verse should either commemorate, commiserate or congratulate!
 
This is, in fact, the only genre in which there is a three-person relationship. In every other genre, the writer writes and the reader reads what the writer has written. In greeting cards, the three people involved—the writer, the sender and the recipient—are all closely linked; YET, if the writer is doing her job correctly, once the sender decides to buy that card, she (the sender) has adopted the writer’s words as her own. The sender doesn’t want to send a card whose words are by “Sandra Miller-Louden”—she wants those words to become her own. The recipient as well, reads those words and feels they come from the sender especially with her (the recipient) in mind. People will pick up a greeting card for the artwork, but if the verse doesn’t say exactly what they want to express, back that card goes on the rack, in favor of a verse that comes directly from their heart. In other words, most people will “settle” on the artwork, but never on the sentiment.
 
The greeting card writer, then, must be able to come up with sentiments that others relate to as if they had written the verse themselves. I’m an only child, for instance; but I’ve sold many Sister/Brother Birthday cards, as well as Sibling Holiday sentiments. I’m not Jewish or Black, but I’ve sold Hanukkah and Kwanzaa sentiments. That’s because I’ve learned to make my greeting card writing “voice” one that is universal, yet personal…all-inclusive, yet equally private and reflecting that close relationship between sender and recipient.
 
Q: What would you advise someone who is interested in writing for greeting cards?
 
A: I’d advise them to read the racks and spinners—and not just the more obvious, well-known card companies out there. With a little digging, you can find tons of mid-size and smaller card company offerings in such non-card places as pet stores, florists, office supply places, “super” bookstores, gift boutiques, gas station convenience stores, etc. General stationery/paper/party stores usually always carry an eclectic greeting card mix. Many of these mid-size and smaller card companies rely 100% on freelance contributions. (With that first company I sold to, I later found out that even though their distribution was nationwide, I was one of only 15 regular writing contributors! Compare that with the thousands of submissions editors at magazines and newspapers must wade through!)
 
Listen to what people say—eavesdrop on conversations at the next booth over from you in the restaurant! Watch game shows, read newspaper headlines. Scan mail-order catalogues and page through idiom books. All these things are legitimate research tools for greeting card writing, as today’s verses are NOT the rhymed hearts and flowers so many people think, but rather they are mini-commentaries on where we are as a society in our relationships with others.
 
I’d also advise people to visit my website,
 
On the site, too, people can order my book, Write Well & Sell: Greeting Cards, now in its 5^th printing and soon to be going into a 2^nd edition. I also teach at three online locations (writerscollege.com, bizymoms.com and absolutewrite.com) and make myself available to questions and concerns that aspiring writers have. To round out my services, I offer a Verse Critiquing and Mentoring Service, specifically tailored to this unique, ever-changing genre. However, I want to stress that people have used the free tip sheet alone to get started writing and have sold greeting card verses based on the tip sheet alone.
 
Finally, I wrote two comprehensive articles on greeting card writing which I’m confident will help anyone wanting to enter this field. The first was an Insider’s Report for Poet’s Market 2000 (published by F&W Publications, Cincinnati—the Writer’s Digest folks), entitled “Poetry does not equal success when writing for greeting cards” and the second was a Feature Article for ByLine, entitled “Why Not Write Greeting Cards?” (September 2002). The ByLine article delved into the top three myths regarding freelance greeting card writing—persistent myths that hang on to this day. Both of these, I believe, are available as archives.
http://www.greetingcardwriting.com, and take advantage of my complimentary tip sheet and starter company names and addresses. I would have given my eye teeth in 1986 to have some guidance on how to proceed, but then, even more so than now, greeting card writing was almost completely overlooked as a creative genre. 
Q: What was your most difficult hurdle while establishing yourself in this business? And how did you overcome it?
 
I had to learn to deal with rejections. In the beginning, I’d sell two or three verses to a company and then would have six-to-eight envelopes in a row come back with No Sale! I started with 100% humor writing and, in the beginning, I often tended to write jokes/gags, instead of humorous statements on life that both the sender and recipient of the card could relate to. As I taught myself more about what went into a successful verse, I also expanded my writing repertoire to include softer contemporary prose and even some rhymed, metered verse.
 
One of the most difficult hurdles beside the rejection factor was one that many creative people don’t like to talk about. I loved what I was doing and when I’d share it with others, I received mixed reactions. People within my own family who I thought would be happy for me were less than thrilled as I continued selling my work and reaching new plateaus of accomplishment within my field. My working at home in those pre-computer days was often looked upon with suspicion or envy and definitely not taken seriously.
 
I had to learn to sort through other’s reactions to what I did and learn not to feel guilty because I was pursuing a creative life in which I was succeeding—not only financially, but spiritually—one that gave me fulfillment in a way that most other jobs I’d had never could. I also had to learn to take myself seriously—that just because I didn’t go out to a traditional, commuter job didn’t mean I wasn’t working.
 
Q: What is the most enjoyable part of your work?
 
A: I love words; I always have. I love the feel of a keyboard under my fingers and still, to this day, consider myself a typist more than I do a…”computerist,” I guess you’d call it. So, when I create a verse that just works, I’m still as thrilled as when I received that very first letter telling me I’d sold a verse.
 
I also have vicarious thrills. When students or readers tell me they’ve sold verses based on my advice in the book or my feedback in the classes I teach, I’m so happy for them, I almost feel as if I made the sale.
 
When I receive my printed cards in the mail, I’m like a kid. Since I don’t draw whatsoever, I hold artists and photographers in such high esteem—my words come to life because of their talents.
 
I’ve been published in both fiction and non and have also done other “offbeat” writing such as book reviews, quizzes, step-by-steps, eulogies, lists, etc., and even though any published work is terrific, I have to say, selling a greeting card verse still gives me quite a rush.
 
Q: I mentioned your Web site. It is a great site with generous offerings for anyone who wants to follow in your footsteps. Would you describe your site and tell us why you established it?
 
A: I established my website in December 2000 because I saw a need beyond what I was then currently providing. I taught the greeting card writing course I’d developed and authored at our local community college here in Pittsburgh and provided free tip sheets to anyone who would write me. However, I could tell that people wanted more. I’d written Write Well & Sell: Greeting Cards in 1998 and it was selling quite strongly; I felt a website was the next natural step in giving people a more broad-based background and glimpse into the greeting card writing life.
 
Q: You are also an author. Here’s your chance to talk about your book. (Describe it, where can it be purchased, etc.)
 
A: I’ve written two books and a number of booklets. The keystone and best seller is Write Well & Sell: Greeting Cards. People have consistently complimented me on its down-to-earth, conversational style. They appreciate that I’ve lived the greeting card writing life since 1986 and continue to do so. My second book, A Few, Choice Words: Short “Do-Able” Writing That Sells, went into its 2^nd edition in June, 2004. While there is a section on greeting card writing, it also takes a hands-on approach to other writing genres in which I’ve worked and been published, including quizzes, book reviews, eulogies, etc. Currently I’m in a transition period of closing out one publishing company and beginning a new one. Readers can always go on my site and order the book/s directly through me. Within the next week or so, A Few, Choice Words will also be available through Barnes & Noble’s website and I’m working on having it published as an ebook. Write Well & Sell: Greeting Cards currently is only available through my website and any updated news on availability as well as points of purchase will be put on the site as well.
 
Q: How many greeting card ideas do you come up with each week? What are the percentage that make the cut?
 
A: Besides writing actual verses, today my career has gone in many different directions, including line planning, mentoring, critiquing, writing articles about writing cards, etc. So, I’ll answer this question as if it were 1990 and my exclusive job was coming up with verses. Remember, these were the days before the Internet, email, home computers. Everything had to be typed by hand and sent via snail mail. At any given time, I would have approximately 200 ideas out the door and setting on various editors’ desks for consideration. As soon as one batch of ideas would come back, whatever was unsold, I’d put in another envelope along with any new ideas I wanted to send and immediately get the ideas out the door to another editor. (This routine was 24/7/365!) When I first started writing cards, I probably had about a 1 in 80 success rate. Today, I’d estimate I sell approximately 1 in 10 ideas—and the other 9, I tweak and rework and eventually, in some form or another, sell those as well!
 
Q: Can this be a lucrative profession? How lucrative? Can you give us an example of a good year? Month?
 
Q: Describe your typical work day.
 
A: My typical work day is, quite frankly, atypical of all other days. I’m Vice-President and Coordinator of the online classes at BizyMoms.com, so some days I’m working with potential instructors in all fields to write their courses. I also edit the ebooks for BizyMoms, so some days I wear an editor’s cap.
 
I’m in the midst of line planning for a card company—a line that will be soft, contemporary prose and am working with various writers, as well as coordinating appropriate art.
 
I teach online, fill book orders and of course, write! Sometimes something unexpected comes up, as when I was flown to New York City to appear on The John Walsh Show, on a segment about Moms Who Earn Money At Home. More recently, I received a phone call from the Valentine In The Morning Radio Show to teach Sean Valentine and his cohorts about how to write a card. I’ve been interviewed in a variety of venues, including the BBC and Voice of America, Christian Science Monitor, The National Examiner and Staples.com. Whenever one of these unexpected requests come up, my day is thrown in a tizzy as I usually have no more than an hour or two to prepare.
 
Believe me when I tell you that I never expected anything like this when I started typing greeting card verses on my dining room table with the same Smith Corona typewriter I used in school. In 1986, I wanted to stay at home with my children, I wanted to write and I needed to earn money. That was as far as my ambitions went.
 
Q: Please add anything you would like and be sure to include your contact information.
 
A: I’d like to remind your readers that greeting card writing is one of the most personal writing genres around. You (the writer) are saying something for someone else that s/he may be unwilling—or unable—to say for herself. Your words are present at life’s most basic events…wedding, graduation, retirement, birth, death. During holidays, when we’re festive, greeting cards are right there in the midst of our festivities; during times of tragedy or sorrow, greeting cards are there as well, helping to soothe the raw spots. People may not attend an event, they may not send a gift—they will, however, generally acknowledge the episode with a greeting card.
 
I’d encourage anyone who is interested in this genre to visit my website:
http://www.greetingcardwriting.com and feel free to contact me… Sandra@greetingcardwriting.com . I’d enjoy hearing from you. 
A Request
And WPN would enjoy hearing from you, too. I’d like to write a column featuring the ways members have been helped through the material in the WPN Market Update. Here’s your assignment: Send me a 1000 word or less (grin) essay or just a simple list telling me how you have been helped, inspired, encouraged, informed, educated, surprised, dazzled, entertained, delighted or even amused by something you read in an issue of WPN Market Update.
For example, were you rescued from possibly getting involved with a potentially disreputable publisher? Have you found an agent or publisher through the MU? Maybe you discovered a resource you weren’t aware of or entered and won a contest we announced.
Send a brief or lengthy rendition of your experiences to me at patricia@spawn.org during the month of September. I’ll compile the stories and write a juicy and telling column for the October edition.
 
 
A: I stress to students and readers that greeting card writing—greeting card writing alone—can make a very lucrative secondary income. I can’t give you a specific figure and I’m not being coy here. Since this isn’t a salaried job, one’s earnings are dependant on a variety of factors, not the least of which is tenacity and output. I’ll stress that again…output! A writer can’t submit a dozen ideas a month and expect to make much of anything. What I can tell you is that, per word, greeting card writing is the most lucrative genre around! I’ve worked for magazines like Biography, that have a very high pay-per-word rate and yet, when broken down, per word, greeting card writing beats out the mainstream magazine/newspaper competition, hands down. Payment today ranges anywhere from $25 per sentiment (considered low) to $200 per sentiment, with the average today running between $75-$100.
 
Two examples I love to give—for a beverage napkin assignment (although greeting cards are what we’re stressing here, there is a whole auxiliary writing factor that stems from greeting cards, including writing for sticky notes, mugs, beverage napkins, key rings, posters, bookmarks, gift bags, plaques, calendars, etc.), I wrote a nautical verse that contained five words and earned $125…$25/word. Several years after that, I wrote an Easter card that had two words (with a suggested tie-in visual) and earned $150, or $75/word. Yes, I use that for effect, but even with longer verses, we’re generally talking about no more than 40 words and most often, under 25 words.
 
You can see why, to this day, I remain excited about greeting card writing and its potential for aspiring writers—and even established writers, who want something really different to break up a longer, more tedious writing project they may be engaged in.
. I may have told you about Newspaperlinks.com before, but it is worth repeating. If you are not sending out press releases touting your latest book, you should be. And sites like this one make it super easy to do. Check this resource out at http://www.newspaperlinks.com.is a newsletter for artists. They offer activities and support. Find out more about them at http://www.artistshelpingartists.org. Subscribe to the newsletter by emailing newsletter@artistshelpingartists.org. produce games and cards. If you have a game idea or some expertise in designing board games or cards, contact this publisher at submissions@paperweightbooks.com. Or visit http://www.paperweightbooks.com. was also established fairly recently. They made their debut in 2002. Their audience loves words, thus they publish books on writing, words and language. They also publish autobiographies, biographies, cookbooks and self-help on subjects including anthropology, education, government, history, hobbies, music, philosophy, recreation, spirituality, sports and more. They publish fiction of all kinds. Submit your fiction idea relating to anything from westerns to sports to military/war and mystery. Contact Carissa Alden at carissa@cardozapub.com.is new—having been established in 2002. They publish 8-10 titles per year and all of them from first-time, unagented authors. They pay 10-15% royalties and also offer an advance of from $500-$2000. Do you have a book idea related to music/dance, songwriting, sewing, quilting, construction, home improvement or woodworking? Ramsey Books might be interested. They also publish fiction. They prefer receiving queries electronically. Send fashion and sewing ideas to Debi Williams at submissions@ramseybooks.com and all other ideas to Leon Portelance at leon@ramseybooks.com. http://www.ramseybooks.comin Birmingham, AL publish just 8-12 titles per year, but your chances are pretty good with them because, instead of receiving thousands of manuscripts per year like most publishers, they receive just 200-300 queries and 100 manuscripts. They invite you to submit your idea without the aid of an agent. What do they publish? Fiction, creative nonfiction and many nonfiction subjects. Their mission is to build a tradition of quality books that reflect the history, perceptions, experience and customs of people in regional locales around the U.S. Their subjects include Americana, art/architecture, cooking/foods/nutrition, gardening and travel. Contact them by writing to 3608 Clairmont Ave., Birmingham, AL 35222. They’ve been in business for over 10 years, so should be well established. was established in 2001 in Queen Creek, Arizona. (Anyone ever hear of Queen Creek?) They publish 4-6 titles per year in the realm of –WOW, practically every subject you could think of. They look at proposals on topics from New Age to photography and sex to agriculture. And they reward authors who work feverishly to promote their own book. No kidding! They give royalties of anywhere from 10% to 40%, depending on how much effort the author puts into promotion. Learn more at http://www.coastalpublishingintl.com. is a new independent publisher seeking fiction and non-fiction books as well as games that can be produced in book form for thinking people. Mystery espionage, science fiction horror, and humor are just some of the subjects they’re seeking. And they want authors to stay within 50,000 to 85,000 words. They also publish a variety of nonfiction titles on topics such as, cooking, games, puzzles, history, humor and biography. Go to http://www.paperweightbooks.com and click on “Submissions.” in San Francisco may be a good place to find representation for your nonfiction book. While some agents represent both fiction and nonfiction books, Shepard believes in specializing. He says that there is a big difference between fiction and nonfiction and a very different approach necessary when showing them around to publishers. According to Shepard, “The techniques agents use to sell each type of book are very different. We’ve chosen to specialize so that we can give authors of nonfiction all of the attention they deserve.” Contact the Robert E. Shepard Agency at http://www.shepardagency.com or 1608 Dwight Way, Berkeley, CA 94703-1804.is open to adults and high school students. This is an interesting contest, in that your entry must include references to historical buildings and/or people of the Temecula Valley, CA. The deadline is October 15. Learn more at http://www.temeculacalifornia.com/Erle_Stanley_Gardner/erle_stanley_gardner.html. is offering a prize of $10,000 for the best article published in a mainstream magazine this year. The catch is that the article must contain a Biblical passage. Deadline, Jan. 31, 2005. http://www.amyfound.org has job openings. They need a Health and Fitness editor, a sales manager and sales representatives. They are also looking for accounting help in the offices of the new magazine, Suede. Go to http://www.essence.com (click on “About Us” and “Jobs”) or go directly to http://www.essence.com/essence/jobs/0,16109,,00.html. is offering $10 off your dues for every new member that you encourage to join the union. Membership is $95 – $260 annually, depending on your level of writing income. http://www.nwu.org . Learn more at http://www.sv-pni.org or contact info@svpni.co.uk. is making some changes. Editor, Tim Hickey has informed me that they are going to focus more on the activities of the Knights of Columbus and their impact on the Church and society. They are definitely taking less freelance work and assigning more articles. I’d suggest getting your resume in pronto quick. Send it to Tim.Hickey@kofc.org. is new. While I failed to locate Editorial Guidelines, I did find their Web site. If you go there and click on “Share Your Ideas,” you will be whisked away to an email opportunity. I would take that opportunity to request a copy of their Guidelines for Writers. http://www.cottageliving.com is new and it’s for top real estate professionals whose annual income exceed $75,000. The editor is Steve Murray. Contact Anne Randolph at anne@loremagazine.com. Or visit http://www.realtrends.com. is coming this month. This magazine is for Connecticut’s most affluent residents in Fairfield and Greenwich counties. Contact editor-in-chief, Newell Turner at editorial@ctcandg.com. Visit http://www.ctcandg.com to view their editorial calendar. has been enthusiastically added to the growing list of regional magazines. This upscale magazine is designed for young affluent families living in the Hamptons. Tami Gross is publisher and editor-in-chief. You can visit their Web site at http://www.hamptonfamilylife.com, but there isn’t much going on there, yet. I’d say, give them a little time and then go back and check out their Submission Guidelines. is launching this fall. Known as the younger sister to Essence, this magazine is for women of color and will feature fashion, beauty and lifestyle. Suzanne Boyd is the new editor. While Suede has its own Web site, http://www.suedemag.com, you won’t find much there, yet. For more information, visit http://www.essence.com. is a new magazine for Southern California homeowners who live in fire zones. They need articles. Request a copy of their Submission Guidelines at info@peoplemediagroup.com. is returning after a 32-year hiatus. Well, there have been a couple of special issues of Life over the last few years. But now, Time Magazine Group is planning to bring this 68-year-old publication back to stay. It will be published at 6-week intervals as a newspaper supplement similar to Parade. http://www.life.com is a new Internet-based publisher of fiction. This company was founded last year by Olga Gardner Galvin for the sole purpose of publishing quirky, unusual novels. If you have written something that’s rather off-the-wall or politically incorrect, it might find a home here. There must be a lot of people out there with non-mainstream fiction because submissions are closed at Emperor’s New Clothes Press until mid 2005. Make a note to have something ready for them in June. Find out more at http://www.encpress.com. I suspect that 2-year-old March Magazine is closed. I sent a query letter to editor Adam Van Loon at the original address. The letter was returned with a change of address. I resent a query letter to the new address and it was returned with an “undeliverable as addressed” notice. I attempted to email Mr. Van Loon, but was notified that the email address is no longer in service. When I went to their Web site, I found a message there staying that their domain is for sale. I don’t know this for sure, but all signs point to the possibility that March Magazine has gone out of business. Can anyone confirm or discount my conclusion? will close after 125 years closed in June