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PUZZLE YOUR WAY INTO PRINT

The name under a puzzle may not look as "glamorous" as the byline under a short story or full-length article, but consider. Most children's magazines use from one to five each issue. Only a limited number of writers submit puzzles. Editors come to know puzzle constructor's names and become receptive to other genres of well-crafted writing.

Getting the urge to do some pencil work? Below are a few tips to help you start.

The prime requisite for constructing puzzles is to like working them. You may even have the best luck with puzzles similar to the type you like to solve. I say "may" because my own favorites, acrostics, are tricky to construct. I simply couldn't master construction when I started so I backtracked to children's puzzle types. I eventually did construct successful acrostics, but by that time I was hooked on puzzles for kids. Truth is, children like things that are new and different. So do I. So do children's magazine editors.

In the beginning, it's best to master the puzzle formats already in magazines, but it's when you come up with something new and different that your puzzles really begin to sell. A circle puzzle I came up with during my second or third year still outsells every other format I do.

Reference books are mandatory. Amass regular dictionaries, specialized dictionaries, crossword dictionaries, synonym finders and other word books (library book sales are good places to get these at little expense). I also like "Chases Calendar of Annual Events, holidays-around-the world books, quote books, odd fact books and historical chronologies. Since at least 90% of my puzzles are aimed at religious publications, I constantly use The Comparative Study Bible, which contains King James, Amplified, New American Standard and New International versions. I also keep The New Revised Standard, The Word, Good News, the Book of Mormon, a Bible concordance, Bible dictionaries and numerous Bible studies, Biblical quotation directories and histories.

Most magazines have detailed writer's guidelines available for SASE or online. Multi-Media had a book, "Creating Word Puzzles." I'm pretty sure it's out-of-print so look for it at used book stores (check amazon.com and other online stores.)

If you construct crosswords, word finds or other "general" puzzles, topical sells-Baseball, dance, holidays, disciples, women of the Bible, etc. Compile word lists you can use again and again. For religious markets, learn which Bible translation is preferred.

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