11 Types of Magazine Articles You Should Be Writing

Magazines have quite a lot to offer for readers and therefore, the writers as well. Many people mainly see magazine articles as a general field and rightfully so but from a writer’s perspective there are so many types of magazine articles.

All of them pass a certain message across but the format is what differs. According to the specialists from izood, the different types of magazine articles include profiles, round-ups, ‘how to’ articles, and research shorts and are a great way to get your creative juices flowing as a freelance writer and to get as many different assignments as possible. They are in different niches including finance, science, religion, technology and more.

How-to Article
As the name suggests, these articles tell people how to do things. They offer readers instructions that they can use on their own to complete a certain task. The reader needs to know, from the onset, what the article will help them do and they need to be sure that it will work.

Make the instructions short, precise and easy to follow. If the reader will require any supplies to complete the task give them directions to where they can find them. Remember to include any warnings or shortcomings in performing the task. You can even include references from other sources that you consulted while writing these types of magazine articles.

Interview or Profile
An interview entails getting information about a subject directly from him/her. A profile contains similar information but can include information from additional sources such as friends, family and colleagues. You will need a certain focus or theme for the article and your interview skills must be top notch to get correct information. You can write it out as continuous prose or a “Q&A”.

Informative or Service Articles
These maintain their focus on a unique aspect, also known as the handle. They answer the who, what, where, when, how and why questions that a journalist may have. They give a detailed description of why-to, when-to, what-to and can have a how-to piece at the end just as a sidebar.

Exposé
This is one of those types of magazine articles that usually surprises or shocks readers because of what it reveals. It may contain quotes, statistics and even anecdotes pertaining to the subject matter. The subject matter is not limited and can range from how a microwave can slowly kill to the secret life of a celebrity.

Human Interest Articles
More often than not, these start with an anecdote. The events in the article are also arranged according to the time they occurred. They may be of particular interest to a certain group of readers of a specific magazine.

Essays or Opinion Articles
They usually talk about a timely or important subject, especially if they will be published in a serious publication or newspaper. You can give your opinion about a certain subject but people may want to know you first before they can read such a strong piece from you. That makes it a little harder to sell them if you are unpublished or unknown because who wants to read content from a stranger?

You have to start from somewhere though so start by making yourself known to the world when writing for all types of magazine articles.

Humor or Satirical Pieces
These can be rather difficult to sell! People have differing senses of humor and the editor may not always see the humor in your story yet someone else thinks it is quite hilarious. For this reason, editors prefer that you send the whole article in before they can agree to publish it, as opposed to just doing a pitch. These target a specific audience.

Inspirational Articles
The aim of these pieces is to stir up people’s emotions in a positive way. The reader needs to feel good about themselves or learn how to do things well. They give a moral message to the reader and cut across the board so they can address writers, doctors, brick layers, divorced mothers, single fathers and even pilots. They are among the types of magazine articles that instill positivity and inspiration.

Historical Articles
These take on things that happened in the past and connect them with current happenings and occurrences. The focus is usually one facet of the subject and the events are organized in a chronological order. They may also tell the reader something new.

Round-up Articles
These feature a collection of information gathered from different sources. The information focuses on a single theme and could give statistics, quotations, research studies, opinions, recipes and even anecdotes.

Research Shorts
These are short (about 250 words) articles that give current information on scientific issues. They among the types of magazine articles that can earn you money fast if you find the right audience and market for them.

Writing any type of article requires discipline and a strong resolve. If you truly want to start writing seriously, start now. Stop postponing it until you have everything in place because a good opportunity may just pass you by as you wait.

Author’s bio: David Hoang works as a copywriter for the homework writing service. He used to be a web designer, but he decided to change his career. In this case, David has an opportunity to tell others how to create a perfect website design.