Forum Advice

[Kevin Perkins]

Ashe
How to become a recognised author – would you want too? I feel that the restrictions placed by weekly/monthly deadlines and/or editorial influence may conspire to produce articles, which are to an extent, censored. Whilst educational/informative articles will almost write themselves, (descriptions of rigs/methods, how to etc.) sitting down to pull a 1500 word piece (that is readable!) off a blank page is a completely different matter. We may all have one or two ideas that we can cobble together, but just writing them down doesn’t convert them to ‘articles’ that would be considered by the angling press, let alone printed. Just try writing to their ‘letters’ page and see how you fare. In general they have tame, recognised authors, and launching an unknown would be see as a huge gamble, as well as losing advertising space (revenue!) For my part I see FM as a perfect opportunity to present my ramblings to Graham for consideration. The rewards are not fame and fortune, but the opportunity for us ordinary mortals to have something read by fellow anglers (and commented on!) is something we have not had before. By all means submit to the angling press – but don’t give up the day job! (Damn – 205 words!)

 

[GrahamM]

Today, most articles you see in angling newspapers and magazines have been commissioned, ie, by invitation. Most have a team of regular writers, unlike 15 years and more ago when an angling writer could freelance.

The advantage for the publisher and the reader is that you know what you're getting and the publisher can set schedules that fit in with review gear, etc. The disadvantage is that new writers rarely get a chance.

Kevin is right about writing for FM, as he knows from first hand experience. And apart from the satisfaction you get there is always a chance of getting 'noticed'. Several newspaper and magazine writers you may have seen made their debut on FM.

 

[Ashe Hurst]

Thanks for your addvice.
I,ve writen several letters over the last few years to CF and AM, also a few responses om FM.A few got published and i recieved some goodies.Must addmit, i was shocked they got on the letters pages.
How many methods and rigs are out there?
Every week we see articals full of rigs and suggestions on every type of tackle.Are we just going round in circles and recycling the old stuff by jazzing things up?
As an all round angler,although not able to get on the bank as often as i used to,I still keep an eye on whats going on.

Some,including myself may say I have a lot to say and some radical idears.It dosn't mean i agree with what i may say,but feel by putting across a point of view it will stir up others oppinions,is a good thing?

By creating such activity we have a base to build on.Adding idears and removing others so as to streamline things.
Angling is a fragmented sport/past time.a lot of anglers out there are unaware of whats going on.
I feel that FM, CF, AM along with other publications maybe do a lot more than others to promote angling and educate anglers.
It would be great to see our governing bodies doing a bit more in the national press and TV medium, along with angling celebs and those people we see on our TV,s who fish.

This i feel would bring about greater awarness of what angling is about and what benefits angling creates to the public at large.

 

[Paul Williams]

Another must to write for the anging media is the ability to take or have took some decent photo's and many's the time in conditions like to day that i can't be ar**d to get the camera out!....believe me theres more to writing and holding down a few time job than meets the eye!
Some mags will give newish writers ago..eg, although i don't like all they print, the Midland angler carried an exellent article by our own Dave"coops" Cooper.....and i know he had to put a lot of time and effort into it.
The Sheffield star also seems to give anyone a shot......even some off this site!!..sorry Ron couldn't resist it! ;o)

 

[Kevan Farmer]

I would have thought that in angling, as in other disciplines, there are golden rules for writing articles. They do not have to be short or long but of the correct length to hold the reader's attention. Stick to the point don't wander off onto another topic that is exactly what it is for another topic equalling another article. The writer also needs to be aware of basic grammar - though all articles are edited it can be a pain I would think for an editor to have to put a lot of work into a submission.


Kevan

 

[Frank Curtis]

I've been trying to write an article about fishing the florida keys but after nearly a month and countless amendments I'm no where near to finishing it.
It's not easy.

 

[DAVE COOPER]

Blimey, a compliment from Brummie! It must have been alright! (Only joking Paul, much appreciated.)

Having written that article for Midland Angler I do have first hand experience now at doing soemthing for a professional paper and I can assure you that, unless you have a natural talent for writing, it isn't easy.

I have said to Graham that I don't envy him the challenge of having to come up with a readable article for CF every month to a deadline. It's not something you can pick up and put down, you have to be there and there must be considerable pressure to do so. And if Midland Angler is a standard the monetary reward is not that good either compared to the effort involved.

 

[andrew jackson]

Can members post images and gifs e.t.c within their posts, to make them a little more interesting. [image]http://www.andyjackson.freeservers.com/images/fishleap.gif[/image]

 

[andrew jackson]

I guess thats a no. If not I have done it wrong.

 

[GrahamM]

Andrew, no you can't post images on the forum but you can embed a link to an image on another site, ie, your own home pages, which is what you tried to do but used the wrong code.

The trouble now is that if I use the correct code to show you it won't appear here as code but as a live link. BUT, take a look at the email notification of this post and the correct code will show there.

<a href=http://www.andyjackson.freeservers.com/images/fishleap.gif>fishleap</A>

 

[GrahamM]

If the end of the code appears as so: fishleap & l t ;/A> in the email notification it should be: fishleap < / A > But without the spaces.

And ignore the email notification from this (pre-edited) post as it will show the end of the line as reading the same.

(Difficult this, due to the server converting code so it doesn't appear as it was typed).

 

[Ron Clay]

Paul Williams,

You mention that Angling Star will often give budding writers a chance.

This is very true and I have encouraged a few of you (Sedge especially) to have a go. By the way Paul I have been writing for Angling Star virtually since it's inception in 1995. Prior to that I wrote for Angling Telegraph from 1962 to 1974.

Graham will remember the old Angling Telegraph. He also did many pieces for it. The Angling Telegraph was the vehicle that launched some well known names in the 60s. Ray Webb, Barrie Rickards, John Neville, Steve Crawshaw, Graham Marsden and a few others I could mention.

Another publication I did a great deal of work for was the Angler's Mail. Can any of you remember the "green issues"?

 

[GrahamM]

Almost right Ron. My first article in the 60's was for 'Fishing' magazine, an Angling Times publication, which was edited by Roy Eaton.

They were the days when you could send an article on spec. That first one, the first one I ever attempted to write, was called 'The Cotton Wool Menace of the Meres'. It took me 6 months to write it, off and on, before I was happy with it.

I have written thousands of articles since then, many of them on spec, and am pleased to say I have never had one rejected.

 

[Ron Clay]

The only official rejection slips I ever had were from the "Field & Stream" in USA. However I did get a couple of articles published in this mag way back

 

[Mike Parker]

Ron
Ray WEBB, Barrie RICKARDS, John NEVILLE, Steve CRAWSHAW even I remember, but whos this Graham MARSDEN?

 

[GrahamM]

Crap angler, but he's handsome, debonaire and sophisticated.

 

[Ron Clay]

By the way the USA mags are well worth sending unsolicited articles. However if you do make sure that you translate English English into USA English.

They do not know what multiplying or fixed spool reel are for example, and they have never heard of a "buzzer".

 

[Ron Clay]

And did you know that "Graham Marsden" is actually a pen name used by Herman, of Herman and his Hermits who converted from pop singing to angling in the 60s.

LOL

 

[Cakey]

Yeah but what happened to Brian Poole

 

[Chris Bishop]

The web gives loads of opportunities to showcase your work if it's never appeared in print elsewhere.