I have designs or craft-related articles in five magazines currently available on the newsstands. That's a record for me. How did I do that? Believe it or not, I go through the same submission process as everyone else. Here's what works for me:
While you should always send your best work, I've found it helpful to send varied designs—maybe a combination of bracelets, earrings, and necklaces or just two necklaces with very different styles. Even though I've been doing this for a few years, I'm always surprised
by the designs that are chosen—and those that are not. (Remember how I
told you that the "ugly" earrings my friend didn't like were picked for a "Best of"
special issue?)
Multiple Submissions
If a beading or jewelry magazine will
accept more than one submission at a time (and many will), take
advantage of that policy. But don't push your luck. If they say they want
attached JPGs, don't send them a link to your website and except them to
hunt around for your designs. If they say don't send more than 4
necklace submissions, don't send 48. You will be remembered, but probably not for the reasons you'd like to be.
Rejection
Editors are looking at the big picture. They not only have to
consider your design (Is it well made? Is it unique? Does it use
new/interesting materials?) but they have to balance the entire magazine.
Look at it from their viewpoint: You're an editor and you open your
inbox to find the 97th pearl necklace that you've seen that
month. Are you going to accept this one? What about the other 96?
A
rejection doesn't necessarily mean that your piece wasn't well done.
It doesn't mean that another magazine won't take it. It sometimes means
that unless they are working on a magazine called "Pearl Necklaces"
that they are overloaded with a particular type of submission.* And
even then, magazines must stick to certain page counts. When they're
full, they're full. It costs money to add additional pages and rarely
happens.
More Good Advice
There are some wonderful blog posts on this topic, showing the many different paths to publication. Here are a few of my favorites:
- Lori Anderson talks about her experience with Creative Jewelry and offers four terrific tips on getting published.
- Kathryn Bowman's experience with publication began with a trip to the Tucson bead shows.
- Jane Dickerson and I talked about How to Sell Your Projects to Creative Jewelry when we were both editors at Interweave.
- Danielle Fox, editor of Stringing magazine, shares her publication tips.
- Jen Judd Velasquez discusses why getting published is cool and shares her own tips. (Insider alert: I published one of Jen's first projects when I was the editor of Beading Daily. It tickles me that she's had so much success since then!)
- Lisa Liddy found her path to magazine publication via the Bead Star contest.
What are you waiting for? Go for it!
* Please don't take me literally and stop submitting pearl necklace designs. It's just an example. I could have easily said red bracelets or crystal earrings or necklaces made out of used chewing gum wrappers.