It is important to note up front that few people are able to sustain lucrative writing careers by writing personal experience pieces alone. Magazines which accept this type of writing are slammed with hundreds of submissions a week, and the more popular ones get hundreds every single day.
This means you will need to be very persistent and patient. Writers with successful writing careers tend to do other types of writing while submitting their personal pieces.
The following steps will show you how to go about finding magazines actively seeking this type of material and how to increase your chances of seeing your name in print.
#1: Research Possible Markets
Utilize online directories of print and internet based magazines, or browse through the Writer's Market book at a local library. You are interested in magazines and even literary journals (often run by universities) that accept "creative nonfiction," "personal narratives" or "personal essays."
#2: Analyze Specific Magazines of Interest
Once you find some magazines that accept this type of material and in which you feel your stories might fit, get copies of the magazine to get a feel for the overall tone and style of material they prefer. You can usually order back copies through the magazine's website, or popular sources can be found at local bookstores.
#3: Determine Submission Guidelines
Go online and find the submission guidelines, paying attention to open reading periods. Most magazines only accept unsolicited submissions during those reading periods, so if you send it at other times you will waste your time and money. Pay attention to all the other small details, noting whether they prefer you send queries with your idea of full pieces for consideration.
#4: Brainstorm Ideas
Now that you have an idea of the magazines you are targeting first, start writing down ideas for your personal experience pieces. Give yourself free reign to write down ideas that may be crazy or far fetched as those will often lead your mind into ideas that really work. Remember, be provocative and interesting. Reveal secrets. Get personal. Put it all on the line. These types of writer's jobs require you to be bold.
#5: Send Full Pieces or Queries
It is finally time to either craft well organized queries that highlight your best ideas or start writing your original personal stories, depending on the guidelines for specific magazines. Remember, grammar must be flawless and structure must be suiting to the topic before you send it out.
#6: Be Productive While Waiting
It usually takes some time to hear back from these magazines, especially the ones that pay the most for their content. While waiting, continue researching other magazines and writing more queries and fresh material. The more you write and send off, the higher your chances of getting accepted.
#7: Tweak and Resend
When you receive a rejection note, tweak that piece and send it right out to another suitable magazine. The process repeats over and over even for those with the most respectable writing careers.
