April 4, 2002

By
Meg Weaver, Editor, mweaver@woodenhorsepub.com

Hi everybody,

I don't often include outside links in the News Alerts but here are two that I think deserve your attention:

Reader Bob sent this one to Wooden Horse. It's an article by New York Times, titled "Magazines Push Images Over Words." Writer David Carr describes how magazines have gone from 4,000 word articles to "McBite-size nuggets." Here's a quote: "It used to be that we used to have to fight with the writers and editors to get the pictures in," said one designer who has worked at a number of glossy magazines. "Now the design challenge is to take very little text and making it big enough to convey an editorial experience."

We've seen that phenomenon here in the Wooden Horse office, too. Ten years ago, when I started to keep magazine data in an organized manner (but far from the professional Database we have now), 3,000-word articles were the norm. Now, 1,800 is more like it. Sad.

The URL is:

http://www.nytimes.com/2002/04/01/business/media/01MAGS.html

So, if it's true that magazines publish fewer words, and writers are often paid by word, then we have to sell more articles, don't we?

Wooden Horse has something that can help: Our Special Report #4: How to Send 50 Queries Per Week. It's 15 pages of how I set up an efficient "production line" to produce quality queries that sell articles. It's $5.95 and is instantly downloadable from the website.

Check it out at http://www.woodenhorsepub.com/spreportssales.html.

Also, I ran across this speech made by Courtney Love in 2000. I was surfing the 'net one day looking for something else, landed here and kept reading. I warn you it's long but delivers some very interesting insight, not only of the music business, but of copyrights and work-for-hire and how musicians envy the "protections" we writers have. I thought you may find it interesting. You may have to paste to get the whole URL into your browser:

http://www.arielpublicity.com/ariel_publicity_site/resources/article_courtney_love.html.

These are stories we have just posted or are working on:

RED HERRING has a new editor.
LADIES' HOME JOURNAL is looking for a new editor-in-chief.
MORE has one - a new editor-in-chief, that is.
Spanish language PREVENTION, TEEN, DISCOVER, MEN'S FITNESS, and more, have a new owner.
US WEEKLY has a new managing editor.
UPSIDE is struggling. Writers beware.
CONNECTED HOME is new.
IN STYLE has a new executive editor.
PETITE is back.

The details are on the Home, Fast News, and Content Watch pages of the site at http://www.woodenhorsepub.com.

Just in:

ARISE Magazine has recently moved to 1533 41 Street, Sacramento, CA 95819, (916) 454-2781, (916) 454-2789, e-mail: arise@arisemag.com. The publication which is dedicated to the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgenders and same gender loving community, for people of color, covers health, wellness, travel, literature, the arts, entertainment, technology, professional growth, entrepreneurs and financial success. Each issue covers such departments as Book Reviews, Brothers in the Life, which examines the issues that black same gender loving men experience; Interior Style, which covers homes, quality of life, and style; Libation to the Elders, which covers the unique aspects of being a person of African descent and being gay; Men's Health, covering HIV/Aids issues, and other health issues, such as reducing stress, increasing relation, understanding that health is measured not only in the physical realm, but also emotional, mental, social and spiritual health; Money Matters, exploring the financial planning aspects of being black and gay; and other sections such as Next Generation, Passages, Pearls of Wisdom, Scene/Seen, The Spirit Reminds Us, Transformations, World Music, and Women's Health. Send queries for the publication to the publisher, Glenn Alexander.

NETWORK COMPUTING Magazine has announced that Rob Preston (rpreston@cmp.com) will lead the publication as editor-in-chief. He had been editor-in-chief of InternetWeek, where he launched new sections focusing on how enterprises are deriving tangible returns from their Internet technology lines, etc. Network Computing magazine defines the core issues facing people who manage technology in business and analyses the critical decision points in purchasing products, technologies, and services. Published bi-monthly, for 220,000 IT professionals who get their information to make the right purchase decisions. In addition to Preston, Jim Hutchinson (jhutchinson@nwe.com) is editor; Amy Lipton editor/operations,(alipton@nwe.com) with the following section editors: Julie Strasberg, features (jstrasberg@nwc.com); Lorna Garey, reviews (lgarey@cmp.com); Sarah Varney workshops (svarney@nwc.com); Patricia Thomas sneak previews, and new and improved (pthomas@cmp.com); Kelly Jackson-Higgins, centerfold (kjhiggins@aol.com); Judy Biener, buyer's guides, columns, and letters (jbiener@nwe.com). Also at Network Computing, Doug Barney will be publishing a new section called BuzzCut which will analysis the most important industry events, and tear through the hype and hyperbole, to bring readers the straight story. Network Computing is at CMP Media, 600 Community Drive, Manhasset, NY 11030-3847. Rob Preston's direct number is (516) 562-5692.

PHOTO TRADE NEWS has announced the promotion of Dan Havlik as editor of the magazine. He was recently managing editor of Studio Photography & Design, another photographic publication. One of his first duties as editor of PTN will be in guiding a top-to-bottom enhancement of the magazine to give the publication a bolder, cleaner, and more readable look, to complement a new shift in PTN's editorial content which will be a more hard-hitting imaging of industry news. The cover will be redesigned also. PTN, a hallmark publication within the photo trade industry for 65 years, reaches 13,000 imaging industry retailers, primarily through the photo specialty, minilab, consumer electronic, and computer channels. It covers product, tend and industry news to established and emerging photo, computer and electronics retailers, and is published 12 times year. It's owned by Cygnus Business Media, 445 Broad Hollow Road, Melville, NY 11747, (631) 845-2700, e-mail: Mike.McEnaney@cygnuspub.com.

SPORTINGKID is a new publication and website devoted to kid's sports. Their topics focus on the partnership of parents and sports, and how the two can come together for the betterment of the family. Founded by sports enthusiasts and parents Tina D'Aversa-Williams and Michael J. Pallerino, the stories feature information that analyzes youth sports trends and products. Their aim is to help parents play an active role in their children's athletic activities. They are interested in new products, new activities, programs, tips for watching sports and interesting summer camps. Information should go to Michael J. Palierino, the editor, SportingKid, 240 Prospect Place, E-l, Alpharetta, GA 30005, (678) 297-3903, fax: (678) 297-0704, e-mail them at: editor@sportingkid.com and check out their website: www.sportingkid.com.

At SUNSET Magazine, Sara Schneider has been made food section editor. The west coast travel and lifestyle publication is located at 80 Willow Road, Menlo Park, CA 94025, (650) 321-3600.

At FIRST FOR WOMEN, published by Bauer Publishing, Kate Keating is the food and nutrition director, with Mary Margaret Chappell her assistant. They seek food news, trends, and healthy living statistics for the publication which is published 17 times yearly. Also at the publication, Margaret Jaqua is their fitness editor, welcoming dietary and health information. Contact them at the publication, 270 Sylvan Avenue, Englewood Cliffs, NJ 07632, (201) 569-6699, fax: (201) 569-6264 or by E-mail with this formula: firstinitiallastname@bauerpublishing.com.

Just so you know: We migrate all these facts into the Wooden Horse database if you need them later (http://www.woodenhorsepub.com/search.asp).

Keep writing,

Meg

To subscribe to the News Alerts or unsubscribe, just e-mail Meg at mweaver@woodenhorsepub.com.

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