Count it!
Quick addendum to the recent posts about writing for magazines:
A number of you have e-mailed me asking how long a typical personal essay is. I say it depends on the publication, but generally they run between 1,000-1,500 words.
How do I know?
I count.
I don’t count every word in every article I read, but every few months I like to check in. If I’m going to pitch a new publication I definitely hunker down and count me some words.
Magazines change. They give less space to features (or more). They allow the short stuff in the front to grow longer, or they keep things extra tidy with “charticles.”
It’s possible to write for a magazine you don’t read. It’s also possible to write for a magazine you read, but don’t really understand. But you’re most likely to write for a magazine that you both read and understand.
One way to understand a magazine is to sit down and count words.
Magazines assign copy based on ad sales. More ads, more copy. Fewer ads, less copy. So ignore that letter from the editor about what the magazine cares about these days. If you really want to peer into a publication’s soul, count how they spend their precious words.
Yes, exactly the discovery of an apprentice. The “New Yorker” and “Vanity Fair” aren’t out there drooling to possess that 8,000 word masterpiece you’ve just spent three months researching, interviewing and pouring your vital organs into. (Although the literary reviews will often give it a good look–but you won’t get rich.)
I’d add that shorter is often better when it comes to internet-based magazines.
I’m going to start looking around.