Esther Chilton

Ever thought about writing a true-life tale for one of the women’s weeklies?

Many writers cringe when it’s suggested they consider writing a true-life feature for one of the women’s weeklies. Take a look at the cover of some of them and it’s easy to see why. ‘Gunned down by her mum’s gold digging  killer’, ‘My fella was a secret porn star’ and ‘He stole my heart and then my kidney’ are just some of the eye-catching headlines. Most writers tend to think that a) their life isn’t as dramatic as that and b) even if it was, they wouldn’t want their story to be sensationalised in a magazine akin to the tabloid press.  

So it’s easy to put this market to one side and to overlook the numerous opportunities which come under the umbrella of the true-life story.

There’s a reason why the most shocking stories are headlined on the front cover. There’s intense competition between the women’s weeklies. When readers are deciding which magazine to buy, they often go for the one with the most unbelievable stories. So placing outrageous headlines on the front cover helps to sell more copies. But open any of the magazines and you’ll soon find that not all stories are of the jaw dropping variety.    

Nonetheless, they’re unlikely to print a story about the close relationship you have with your best friend or how you love animals. Most of us have a great relationship with our best friends and love animals so there needs to be more of a story for it to stand out. Going back to friendship, a story about running into your best friend from primary school 30 years later and picking up where you left off makes a touching story and one that readers will be interested in. Similarly, readers would love to hear about a dog that rescued its owner.

Most of the women’s weeklies have health pages, which feature readers’ stories about illnesses and operations. Though, it’s no good writing about your verruca or latest bout of bronchitis. An unusual allergy, a bad reaction to an operation or triumph over a life-threatening illness are all stories that an editor will snap up.   

Travel articles for the women’s weeklies used to be written mainly in-house, but now many of them have opportunities for readers. Some are looking for a double page spread of your holiday story while others just have a small slot on your favourite holiday destination.

A lot of the usual touristy spots such as Rome and Benidorm have been used before so if you have been somewhere a little different, you’re likely to catch the editor’s eye. A lot of the magazines now seem to feature a lot of destinations in the UK, especially in the current economic climate. 

Market research is very important. All the true-life feature opportunities differ from magazine to magazine. New slots are opening up all the time, so study the market carefully and share you story. 

***