by Wendy Roltgen

Created on: June 27, 2009   Last Updated: June 29, 2009

Writers looking for a way to kick off their writing career should consider marketing their works to smaller circulation magazines. Magazines with smaller circulations may have a smaller reach, but still offer a wonderful opportunity for writers looking to break into the magazine market.

Smaller circulation magazines often have a limited amount of writers on staff and appreciate work from talented writers for inclusion in their publications. Some publications include over 50% of their featured articles from freelance writers, making this a great market for writers looking to get published.

Where to Find Smaller Circulation Magazines

To find small circulation magazines, a quick search on the internet will reveal some possibilities. For instance, if you enjoy writing about the environment, there are a number of smaller circulation magazines to write for. Earth magazine has a circulation of approximately 10,000 and positions the magazine as an essential source for the latest happenings in earth, energy and environment news.

Regional magazines often have smaller circulations, making them another good choice for new aspiring writers to get their work published. To find listings of magazines with smaller circulations, check references such as Writer's Market, American Directory of Writers Guidelines or the Writer's Digest web site.

How to Improve your Chance of Publication in Small Circulation Magazines

Although, smaller circulation magazines may not have the same prestige as top national magazines, they still offer an opportunity to get your work published.

Get to know the publication, either by subscribing or reading on-line. Look for features or sections of the magazine that are regularly written by freelance writers. These sections offer the best opportunity of having your work published in the magazine. Find their editorial calendar and write appropriate articles for upcoming features.

After researching some of the small circulation publications, find your niche and begin targeting some of appropriate magazines for your materials. Be sure to review the magazine's writer guidelines. Once you have your ideas for articles, write a compelling query to get the attention of the editor. Hopefully, before long you'll be collecting clips of your published works.

Payment may be less than what you would receive from a national publication, but consider your work writing for a smaller publication as a stepping stone to future success as a magazine writer. Some magazines may require you to write on spec, meaning you write the piece with the chance it may be featured in the publication. You may not get paid for your efforts, but it does give you an opportunity to prove yourself as a writer.

Writers looking for a new market and for ways to get more of their work published can find plenty of variety and opportunity in the small circulation magazine market. Get started by reaching out to those markets today.

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