So you want to be An Outdoor Writer

Q. I am good at bass fishing and would like to write about it. What does it take to become an outdoor writer? Surprisingly, this is the number one question I am asked when in the field or on assignment. The query is posed mostly by juniors, but a surprising number of veteran anglers seek similar answers. No doubt, many would appreciate a career fishing by day and writing by night. If only it was that simple. Making a living, or even supplementing income in the field of outdoor writing constitutes hard work for a meagre wage, especially in the South African market . . . and contrary to common belief, writing success has little to do with personal fishing ability. The focus of any new writer should be less about fishing and more about word skills. A good writer develops competence to tackle both familiar and unfamiliar subjects. Field experience can be an asset, but won’t land you a career job. A university degree in journalism, literature, English or other fields heavy in reading and writing will prepare an aspiring journalist for the future. A good outdoor journo must, at the minimum, understand rules of grammar, spell correctly, have a reasonable vocabulary, compose tightly, write in multiple styles, know how to interview and take great photographs. My good friend, Pete Robbins, senior Staff Writer for Bassmaster magazine, long-time blogger for the Yamamoto Company and successful freelancer began his career with a law degree from a prestigious American university. His skillsets, hard work and perseverance enabled him to prosper as an outdoor writer. Today, Pete’s byline remains in high demand. Older anglers who wish to throw a hat in the ring should brush up on grammar, spelling, read journalistic style books and other material that covers the mechanics of selling a story, including writer market manuals. Look at overseas markets if you want to earn a decent salary. Most of all, learn to write a great query letter. Modern outdoor writers need to be adept in front of and behind the lens. The letter, often called a ‘pitch,’ contains a well-focused story idea that fits the format of a specific publication and catches the attention of an editor. Yours may be one of a hundred an editor sees each month – make it count. If you can submit a few excellent, high-res teaser photos with the query, all the better. Expect rejection letters. It’s part of the process. Our experts this month are working outdoor journalists who offer golden words of advice. Ben Romans is the editor of a large, popular American fishing magazine and Eugene Kruger, Editor-in-Chief of this magazine, is a career South African journalist. American Angler Magazine Editor, Ben Romans. Ben Romans Editor - American Angler magazine Contributes to outdoor publications like Field & StreamAuthored the book Montana’s Best Fly FishingAmerican Freelance Outdoor writer Start Small—It might be your dream to write for a national (or international) publication, but don’t shoot for the moon out of the gate. Learn what you can, from anyone you can—some of the most abrasive editors and “bosses” I’ve ever worked with imparted invaluable lessons that I continue to revisit every day. Stay Focused—One common “theme” I see among new freelance writers is the lack of story focus—the scope of their idea is so large that it’s nearly impossible to give it any sort of in-depth treatment in the space allotted. For example, a 2,200-word piece like “Why I think bass are attracted to vibration and noise,” isn’t as appealing to me as 2,200 words on something like, “Rattles, Blades, and Chambers, Oh My!” A drilled-down study about the sounds and vibrations that are music to bass. Don’t be Passive—If you want a quick and dirty way to improve your writing, avoid passive voice (THE ELEMENTS OF STYLE writing guide by Strunk & White is your friend). If you can identify and use active voice, your writing will improve by leaps and bounds. Show, Don’t Tell—We anglers are an egotistical bunch. Too many “green” manuscripts contain a lot of “I” play-by-play statements. “I caught this, I went, I saw, I heard, I think,” and so on. That makes for a boring story (and often leads to passive voice). Honestly, readers don’t care what “I” does or thinks, they want to know what your story means to them. Try to remove yourself whenever possible. I commonly tell writers to “show, don’t tell.” Tip—If at the end of the first or second paragraph, a reader cannot figure out why your story matters to them, you’ve lost them. Hook’em up front by being creative—use a killer anecdote, paint a scene that climaxes quickly, summarize why it’s relatable, and “sell” what the next 2,000 words has in store. Write for the Audience—The best way to impress an editor is to study their publication. Take note of the style, length, tone, and structure of the pieces published, and tailor your story to their formula, and for their audience. A professional story is written “for the readers of the magazine”, not “for the writer.” Hit the Pavement— Learn how to conduct interviews and draw out concise information. Some of the best feature articles include more than one viewpoint. Including other “voices” via interviews, anecdotes, sources, etc., you’ll end up with a stronger, more “rounded” piece. Keep It Simple—Don’t use twenty-dollar words when two-dollar words will do. Write plainly, and explain things in a matter of fact, layman manner. Save creativity for novels, essays, or another outlet where it’s expected. Most magazine readers simply want you to get to the bottom line. Check your Ego—An editor’s job is to help you polish your writing so it’s the best it can be, and unless your last name is Twain, Steinbeck, or Hemingway, expect some constructive feedback. I prefer a collaborative approach. I review a manuscript, make changes as I see fit to improve grammar, story structure, flow and impact. If an author balks hard at any thoughts or advice, or rejects changes with attitude, there’s a good chance we won’t work together again. Don’t Pester—It can sometimes take weeks, or in worse cases, months, for an editor to read a manuscript. As a rule, I ask for 6 to 8 weeks to review a piece. That said, an easy way get on an editor’s bad side is continually asking for status updates. It shows you care more about a byline than producing a good product, and is a fast way to receive a rejection. Say Cheese—Good photographs are sometimes hard to come by, but if an author includes “good” images with a submission (especially if it’s an obscure topic), I am more willing to work with “poor” text. Learn to capture high-res images that support your story. However, know that an expensive camera doesn’t guarantee quality images. A camera only spits out what you put into it. The Bass Angler Editor, Eugene Kruger. Eugene Kruger Editor-in-Chief , All Lion Enterprises (Pty) Ltd. I cannot improve on what Ben Roman has provided. I will say however that the “Write for the audience” note in his contribution is arguably the most important piece of advice. I receive manuscripts that quickly reveal that the writer has no idea what the magazine is about (and too often an inability to put more than two legible sentences together!). Lots of self-study using successful publications is the very best way to get started, and lots of perseverance and patience is required as well.