http://www.writers-online.co.uk APRIL 2020^21MAGAZINE JOURNALISM
the numbers and types of fish imported
each year into the UK. Pitch me that as
the basis for an infographic. My readers
would love it, and even if the wordcount
isn’t high, you’d be generously rewarded
for the work involved.
Note that in any specialist magazine,
it is almost certain that the editor knows
more on the subject than you do. My
own background includes studying fish,
running public aquaria, running several
aquarium stores, being a lecturer in the
subject, and moving on to be an author
and eventual editor of the subject. Be
upfront about how much you do know
about the subject you are proposing to
write, because within one phone call we
can gauge exactly how much you don’t
know about it.
Getting your information
There has never been such an
incorrect source of information
on fishkeeping as the mainstream
internet. Social media fares little
better, and while it has uses as a tool,
it should not be relied upon for data.
When writing about fish, there
are few trustworthy sources of
information, and fewer second-hand
sources. Aim for the primary sources
where possible. I’ve written many
stories in the past where I’ve gone
to ichthyologists directly, and found
that what they tell me in person
contradicts the information being
virally regurgitated online.
Your first ports of call when writing
about fish are the websites fishbase.
org, seriouslyfish.com and Eschmeyer’s
catalog of fishes (https://writ.rs/
eschmeyer). Between them, these sites
contain limited but accurate information
on most fish species, and from these
you can start on a web of investigation.
If there’s something unique about the
habitat, or the food the fish eat, the
seasons where they live – any of these
could be a stronger hook to the story.
The last of these, Eschemeyer’s,
is valuable when trying to find the
correct name for a fish (fish taxonomy
is somewhat fluid and amorphous)
as well as the most recent scientist to
work with that fish. This person, if
you can speak to them, is the golden
ticket to your feature. Editors love
authorities.
Authorities are your friends, and
social media can be a great help in
locating them. Many ichthyologists
have accounts to communicate with
hobbyists, and are delighted when
someone takes an interest in their
work. It can be harder to get a fish
scientist to stop speaking than it is
getting them to open up.
If you manage to harvest an
authority’s knowledge, then quote
them heavily, and correctly. This
will add intellectual weight and
authenticity to the writing.
Referencing is entirely unimportant
for Practical Fishkeeping – the
publication isn’t an academic journal- though if a publication requires
it, more editors than not seem to
favour the American Psychological
Association (APA) method.
Note also that Google Scholar is a
great source of new information on
old subjects, as well as introducing
author names that may not show up
on the above websites.
The voice of fishkeeping
Gauging how much of yourself to
put into a feature on fishkeeping rests
heavily on how much of the experience
is your own. In the sidebar are my own
preferences to read in submissions.
If you’re writing first-hand about a
breeding or keeping experience, then the
reader will expect a first-person narrative
throughout: ‘I got the fish to breed
by...’ and so on. This also works well
for some tangible DIY pieces.
For news pieces and instructional
DIY, create something Vulcan-esque,
emotionless and technical: ‘On
Thursday of last week, the Chinese
paddlefish was declared extinct inHOW A SUCCESSFUL
PITCH SHOULD LOOK- Be formal. Start with either Sir, Madam,
or the name of the person you’re
pitching to. Get an up-to-date copy of
the magazine and check in the masthead
panel. If the team is small like mine,
maybe four of five in total, pitch directly to
the editor. If the team is large, pitch to the
second in command – usually the deputy
editor or features editor. - Explain who you are and any relevant
history. If you’re a seasoned seahorse
breeder, or a close friend of a prominent
aquarist, get this in early on. If you are the
story’s hook, then I need to know that. - Sum up in a single sentence exactly
what you want to submit, and a
wordcount. For example: ‘I want to
write 1,600 words on my experience
breeding pygmy seahorses and raising
the young to adulthood.’ No paragraphs
of preamble, just tell us concisely what’s
being offered. - Write a few sentences on how you
think the feature will be constructed,
noting the key points. For example: ‘I
shall explain how to sex a pair, how to
set up the aquarium for them, the water
requirements to trigger spawning, the fry
foods required and how to raise them,
and the different sizes at which fry should
be separated.’ Never use ‘etc.’ in a pitch as
this suggests a lazy or unsure writer. - Explain in what format the work will
be delivered. Will it be one solid block of
run-on copy? Will it be divided into box-
outs, graphs and charts? Will you provide
annotations for pictures? This will help
the editor plan where your work will sit
within a completed magazine. - Offer a specific timescale for completion
of the work. - If you have any writing already published
(especially online) then offer a link to your
best work at the end of the feature. Don’t
broadside the editor with hundreds of
links, as they won’t be opened. - Sign off formally. Use ‘sincerely’ or ‘regards’
as opposed to something like ‘cheers’.
TOP TIP!For any hobby title, write
positively. Nobody buys
a magazine to feel bad
or be told that their topic
of interest makes them a
terrible person.