Aviation Journalists

[enigma]

Does there happen to be any aviation journalists on the boards?

Everyone here is an aviation journalist.


8N

 

[Timebuilder]

I haven't worked out the details yet.

If I do, I'll send you a PM.

 

[Publishers]

know

What would you like to know?

 

[Timebuilder]

My first published pieces came by request of an editor of a Philly newspaper, who had heard me on the air.

You could start by writing for your home town newspaper to get some experience, before you try and "go national".

 

[80/20]

There is a need and a market for aviation authors.
Magazines are always looking for relevant articles.
Publishers are constantly searching for new book ideas.
Training Organizations, Governments, Aerospace Manufacturers and Vendors frequently outsource authoring of public and internal publications.
We have many forum members with good potential here.....
Should I expand on this and write more about how to find authoring work?

 

[80/20]

Most common ways to get authoring work:
(1) Write articles for magazines
(2) Write book(s) for a publisher
(3) Self publishing of books.
(4) Contract work (outsourcing) books, manuals and ISD (Instructional Systems Design)


A few questions, to know what to focus further on:
How much time do you want to spend?
Just for fun or to make money?
Any special interest? For example technical, non-technical, people skills and so on.

 

[80/20]

Magazines
A goal for most magazines is to be the source of new ideas and information. They aim to give firsthand insight into how skilled pilots operate and how industry managers respond to demanding industry challenges and changes. They report on proposed regulations, leading research and its application in real organizations.

The best way to get a magazine interested. Is to pick a relevant topic and prepare a summary. It can be submitted by mail or electronically and should answer the following questions:
(1) What is the main point of the article you propose to write? What is new, useful, contrary to what one would expect or important about your idea?
(2) What are the real, practical implications of the proposed article? Can the main point be applied in flight or in aviation operations today, and if so, how?
(3) Who is the audience for your article? Why should a busy student, pilot or manager stop and read it?
(4) What kind of research have you done to support the discussion, argument, points or logic in your article?
(5) What academic, professional, research work or personal experience will you rely on to make your points convincing? In other words, what is the source of your authority? This can be measured in many ways, not just flight time, age or ratings. Just be creative and present your skills in an effective way!

 

[Broke in CVG]

You can email Chip Wright.... [email protected] I think it is. He is CRJ Capt at Comair and just had his second artlice published in Flying Mag this month.

 

[Publishers]

Writers

Most of the aviation publications have some staff writers and a group of free lancers who they assign topics or stories to.

The price for these range all over the place. $400 to $750 may be a range.

If you are not published where someone can see the work, send some samples to the editors of the publications and tell them where you feel you have strengths and interests.

 

[80/20]

Book writing for publishers
McGraw-Hill used to advertise for aviation authors with new book ideas some years ago.
Visit their web site for details: http://staging.pbg.mcgraw-hill.com/submission.html
Similar approaches as outlined at this website can be used with other publishers.

 

[bobbysamd]

Writing career starter

It's something like building a flying career. McGraw-Hill or Flying won't be especially interested in your work unless you have some experience. So, you need to build up a résumé.

Start small. Work up some pieces and see if your local pilot association will publish them in its newsletter. Don't expect any compensation. Then work your way up from there with the clippings file that you develop.

I second all the other ideas above, especially Timebuilder's.

Good luck with starting your writing career. But also keep flying on the front burner.

 

[80/20]

Who can become aviation authors?
Flying is a practical job, which requires experience (relevant operational flight time). Most airlines have a rigid seniority system that works as intended. Many pilots have so much respect for this philosophy that they apply it to non-flying tasks. We tend to believe that jobs such as authoring must be done by very experienced old-timers. Companies such as Boeing, Airbus and Jeppesen do however use many low and no-time writers.
Journalism is to collect and edit information. Does this also apply to aviation, or should aviation authors only write from personal experience? Is it only inventors like Frank Whittle and Han von Ohain who have the right to write about jet engines? What about those that haven't paid their dues and earned the right but still have the courage to say "I can do this"?

Should we pilots leave most non-flying jobs to others that believe they can be creative without expert knowledge in a particular field? Look at the best seller "How to think like a CEO" - the author, who is not a CEO, interviews successful managers and captures their experience. Good sources, a basic understanding and excellent writing skill creates a good result. Could Flychicaga do something similar in our industry?

Too many books are written by theoretical academic experts, with little practical background. The FAA's policy is to make their books as practical as possible. Other systems, such as JAA, are suffering from too theoretical books. I wish more pilots would dear to venture into aviation authoring. A CFI who have invested hundreds of training hours and possible armed with additional experience or knowledge, should not be discouraged from venturing into a suitable writing project.

There are professional pilots who have build up a second career and backup in authoring.

Present a good script and any publisher will be happy to run with it regardless of your background. It is wise to have realistic expectations, as Bobbysamd suggests, start smart and work your way up.

Some books for those that are interested:
"How to get your point across in 30 seconds or less", by Milo Frank.
"The Element of Style", by William Strunk
"Writing Successful Textbooks", by Anthony Haynes
"Successful Technical Writing", by Bill Wesley
"Write for Results", by Richard Lauchman
"On Writing Well", William Zinsser
"The Complete Self-Publishing Handbook", Tom and Marilyn Ross
"The Complete Guide to Self-Publishing", David Brownstone and Irene Franck

 

[JediNein]

Great information!

Thanks!!!!

Fly SAFE!
Jedi Nein

 

[Skygod]

1) Write article.

2) Send it in to magazine (one at a time, wait for rejection before sending to another magazine)

3) Cash check that arrives months after magazine is published.

Sound simple? (Or simple minded.) Yes (to both). But it will work if you write something that really fits the magazine, and has not been beaten to death. Then you can talk with the editor about other projects. I have done this several times, and have got lucky with a few magazines. Now I work mostly for one magazine, have a relationship that works for both of us.

The Internet allows us all to publish. So write away and publish on your own! (I'm at www.skygod.com) Then maybe move up to 'real' sites like AvWeb. A furloughed airline pilot writes really good stuff for Salon.com in an 'ask the pilot' column. Like this guy, you can make your own space for your words.

What I am trying to say, is that you do not need an English degree (my last English lessons were when I was 15) or special publishing inside contacts (I have never even met my editors). Write. Send. Repeat.

If you want to work full-time, then you will need to do more. But even then, having a few articles in print will be a good start. Good luck. I look forward to reading great adventures . . .



"Feathers shall raise men even as they do birds, toward heaven;
that is by letter written with their quills."

— Leonardo da Vinci


"Thousands of volumes have been written about aviation, but we do not automatically have thousands of true and special friends in their authors. That rare writer who comes alive on a page does it by giving of himself, by writing of meanings, and not just of fact or of things that have happened to him. The writers of flight who have done this are usually found together in a special section on private bookshelves."

— Richard Bach, 'The Pleasure of Their Company,' in 'Flying' magazine, April 1968.


"Or like a poet woo the moon,
Riding an armchair for my steed,
And with a flashing pen harpoon
Terrific metaphors of speed."

— Roy Campbell, 'The Festivals of Flight'