Want to write an article for a magazine, but aren’t sure how to package it? Here’s help: brief definitions of eleven article formats, from round-ups to research shorts.

But first, a writing quip from guru Natalie Goldberg about writing discipline - because having the discipline to write is more important than learning these article formats.

“I hear people say they’re going to write. I ask, when? They give me vague statements,” writes Goldberg in Thunder and Lightning: Cracking Open the Writer’s Craft. “Indefinite plans get dubious results. When we’re concrete about our writing time, it alleviates that thin constant feeling of anxiety that writers have - we’re barbecuing hot dogs, riding a bike, sailing out in the bay, shopping for shoes, even helping a sick friend, but somewhere nervously at the periphery of our perception we know we belong somewhere else - at our desk!” 

To find the discipline to write, take Natalie Goldberg’s advice: Make a writing schedule, and stick to it. 

Okay, on the eleven types of articles to write for magazines - which I summarized based on info from Frank Peterson’s The Magazine Writer’s Handbook (click on the book cover for more info).

11 Types of Articles to Write for Magazines 

1. The How-To, such as “How to Become a Famous Freelance Writer” or “How Writers Earn a $100,000 Every Year!” Okay, I’m being a little facetious here - but how-to articles simply tell readers how to do something.

    How-to articles:

• Make a rousing promise of success
• Describe what you need in easy to follow instructions
• Give step-by-step directions (sometimes with subtitles)
• Include shortcomings or warnings
• Tell how to locate supplies
• Give proofs and promises
• Make referrals to other sources 

2. The Profile and the Interview, such as “The Real Natalie Goldberg” or “Anne Lamott Shares Her Secret Writing Tips and Tricks.” This category contains two types of articles.

    Profile & interview articles:

• Have different definitions. In a profile, you use additional sources, such as friends, family, kids, neighbors, colleagues. In a profile, you interview the source him or herself.
• Can have a theme or focus.
• Can be presented as a “Q & A” or a written article.
• Require strong interviewing skills for the “best” information 

3. The Informative or Service Article, such as “How to Write Query Letters for Magazines” or “When to Find an Agent for Your Book” or “Why do Editors Keep Rejecting my Pitches?”

    Informative or service articles:

• Focus on one unique aspect, or the “handle”
• Describe what-to, how-to, when-to, why-to, etc.
• Answer the journalist’s who, what, when, where, why, and how questions
• Can end with a “how-to” piece as a sidebar

4. The Exposé, such as “Stephen King’s Ghostwriter Reveals All” or “95% of Natalie Goldberg’s Writing is Plagiarized!”

The exposé article:

• Shocks or surprises readers
• Includes statistics, quotes, anecdotes
• Can range from how extension cords can kill to new info on Watergate 

5. Human Interest, such as “Anne Lamott Share Her Experience as a Single Working Writer” or “Mark Twain’s Great-Grandaughter Finds Her Writing Niche.” This type of article should interest most readers.

    Human interest articles:

• Usually start with an anecdote
• Are often chronologically organized 

6. Essay or Opinion, such as “What I Think of Natalie Goldberg’s Decision to Retire From Her Writing Career” or “Anne Lamott’s Writing Mistakes.”

    Essay or opinion articles:

• Usually revolve around an important or timely subject (if they’re to be published in a newspaper or “serious” magazine)
• Are harder to sell if you’re an unknown or unpublished writer
• Can be found on blogs all over the internet! 

7. Humor or Satire, such as “Ode to Stephen King’s Typewriter” or “What Natalie Goldberg Wears to Write.”

    Humor or satire articles:

• Usually have a specific audience, such as the readers of The Onion
• Are usually written on spec (that is, you submit the whole article before the editors or publishers will accept it) 

8. The Inspirational Article, such as “How You Can Change the World With Your Writing” or “How Books and Articles Make a Difference.”

    Inspirational articles:

• Describe how to feel good or how to do good things
• Can describe how to feel good about yourself - this type of article can work for anyone from writers to plumbers to pilots
• Offer a moral message
• Focus on the inspirational point 

9. The Historical Article, such as “The Typewriter Mark Twain First Used” or “How Freelance Writers Once Submitted Articles.”

    Historical articles:

• Reveal events of interest to millions (which means at least one of my examples wouldn’t work as this type of article)
• Focus on a single aspect of the subject
• Are organized chronologically
• Tell readers something new
• Go beyond history to make a current connection

10. The Round-Up, such as “10 Published Writers Reveal Their Freelancing Secrets” or “1,001 Types of Articles to Write for Magazines.” This is my favorite type of article to write.

    Round-up articles:

• Gather a collection from many sources
• Focus on one theme
• Offer quotations, opinions, statistics, research studies, anecdotes, recipes, etc.

11. Research Shorts, such as “How Alliteration Affects Your Memory” or “What Anne Lamott’s Writing Does to Your Brain Waves.”

    Research shorts:

• Describe current scientific information
• Are usually less than 250 words long
• Are often written on spec (at least by me)
• Are fast, effective ways to earn money as a freelance writer - if you can find the right markets 

That’s all I have! I’m sure there are more types of articles out there. If you have any comments or suggestions, please feel free to contact me or sign in below…