How to write an article for a magazine? Well, these important tips will help you with everything you need to know along with some much-needed confidence to start writing articles for magazines, submit letters and queries to editors, and get your writing published without any hassle. Even if your aim is not to become a freelance writer, these simple yet important tips will help you enhance your writing for a magazine.

Anything here is not a “SECRET” of how to get your writing published in a magazine – but the motto is to let the information reach you so that you end up doing everything swiftly. Writing for a magazine is much simpler than you could imagine. But simple does not mean “easy”. The tips below have helped many writers who were about to start freelancing including me and it’s been a decade since but they are still useful.

Let’s begin with something easy, a foundational tip for how to write a memorable article for a magazine. Tip: “Don’t tell, show”. But why is it a foundational tip? Well, because most of the writers don’t do that! More than half of the writers just want to put their emotions and feelings forward or want to express how much they know(or they think they know) about a certain topic.

If you are among those few writers who simply put the facts in a catchy, intriguing, and plain way, you already know half of how to get started with magazine article writing. As we are proceeding further, another tip, never to dictate to the reader how they should think about someone or something.

“Tell them all the wonderful things but never tell them that something is going to be wonderful” – says a professional writer. “Just put forward the facts and let the readers be “WOW” how wonderful that would be!” Here, the writer means that you should not incorporate commentary if you are writing for a magazine. In blogs and other articles, you can tell the readers about your thoughts but when it’s a magazine, your focus should be just the facts.

So what did we learn?

• “Just the facts, honey.”
• Don’t tell, show.
• Don’t opine, explain.

How To Write An Amazing Magazine Article

1.  Understand The Difference Between The “Story” And “Subject”

The fact that two well-known authors wrote a book that focuses on “writing” is a subject. How those two writers fought in order to publish their books is a story. What is the point of difference when it comes to story and subject? Suspense, Problems, Conflict, Drama, and Growth. Let’s look for another example: “The rabbit is sleeping on a mat” is a subject – a fact. The story comes in when we say “The cat and the rabbit both are willing to sleep on the mat.” A clear understanding of the difference between the subject and story is one of the most essential tips to enhance your magazine writing. Even if you are considering non-fiction, there too you’ll find a touch of story.

2.  Learn To Find Stories

To become a magazine writer, another essential tip is to be able to gather interesting stories to write about. The easier way to do so is by starting working in some office or a coffee shop. Interaction with common people will let you know what people are interested in talking about.

By being in a place full of people, you’ll see normal people helping you in writing different stories, good enough to be published in a magazine. Before stepping into freelance writing, writing articles for stories is an easy way to bear your expenses as well.

According to a general overview, writers are more creative when they put their laptops aside for a while, they come out with better ideas, find better inspiration, and even end up planning different pivots and career moves.

3.  Focus On Research – Try To Do It As Better As You Can

Not just at the beginning of your magazine writing career, detailed research is an essential aspect for professional writers as well. Do as much research as you can to gather information so that you can include more and better facts in your magazine article. Below are the two reasons why:

• Even if you don’t use all of your research in the piece, it will help you write better (a writer should never include all their research in a single magazine article)

• Your research can be used in a different magazine article. If you don’t toss away your extra research, it won’t be squandered. Don’t try to pack all you’ve learned into your essay. Select the most relevant facts to improve your piece; preserve the rest for a future magazine article, blog post, or media outlet.

The more time you give to practice writing a magazine article, the better you will understand how much research is “enough” for the job.

4.  Calm Down, There Is No Single “Right Way” To Write A Magazine Article

While the fact remains intact that there is no right or wrong way of writing a good magazine article, it’s essential to know that the beginning plays the most important role. The beginning of an article can be more time-consuming and frustrating than rest and that’s an undeniable fact. The start and the end of your article are two crucial parts. Why?  Because they play an extensive …

1. How do I submit my first magazine article?

You have two options.

“On spec”: The first method is to write the article, and then e-mail the piece with a cover letter to the features editor of a magazine. You can find his or her details on the masthead page in a magazine where the staff members are listed.

When you send a completed article, it’s known as “submitting on speculation” (or “on spec”). This method works well if you’re a novice writer and need a foot in the door with a magazine.

The editor can immediately assess the quality of your writing and if it will fit with the style and tone of the magazine.

Remember, you will need to study the magazine carefully before you even start writing. Requesting the magazine style guide from the features editor is another way to tune in to the type of reader the magazine is targeting.

“Querying or pitching”: The other option is to pitch your idea straight to the features editor in a query letter, and see if the editor is interested in your proposed article.

If the features editor likes your idea and gives you the go-ahead to write the article, then you simply need to deliver the piece to deadline. This method works well if you’ve written for the magazine before, and the editor trusts that you will produce what you have promised in your query letter.

2. What makes for a good magazine journalist?

 

Surprisingly, good journalism is not just about fine writing skills. Editors emphasise these five key habits of their star journalists:

1.    Their writing captures the unique tone, style and content of the magazine – and fits with the needs of the target reader.
2.    They can stick to deadlines.
3.    Their facts are accurate; their research is sound and thorough.
4.    Their work is not “shoddy” – meaning that spelling, grammar and punctuation are correct, and sentences are carefully crafted.
5.    They behave professionally, from their well-written cover letter to their invoice.

3. How much money can I make as a magazine writer?

Regardless of how many years you’ve worked in the industry, your income as a freelancer depends entirely on how hard you’re willing to work, how well you can write, the thoroughness of your research and your general professionalism when dealing with the publishing houses.

Rates vary depending on the country and the magazine’s circulation. Best is to find out the rate by phoning the magazine and speaking to the features editor. Here are some rough guidelines.

Per word:

Most often you are paid per word. The recommended going rate for beginner journalists is 60 c per word in New Zealand and Australia (70 p per word in the UK, and R2.00 upwards per word in South Africa). Specialist writers can get double that amount per word.

Per month:

Considering that most features are 1500 words in length (2200 words at most), do your sums to work out your income per article. And then, remember, you’d still need to pay up to 25 % tax on that income.

Seasoned journalists write about 13 pieces per month (this can include columns, advertorials and other business writing).

4. When do I get paid for articles?

Some publishing houses pay upon publication, i.e. the month-end following when your article appeared in the magazine. But what few know is that magazines work 6 to 12 months in advance, so the fee for the piece you sell today could only appear in your bank account a year later!

A few publishing houses pay upon acceptance of your piece, which means roughly one month after acceptance.

5. How do I get paid for articles?

As a freelance journalist, you are in charge of your own “small business”. You are responsible for invoicing the publishing houses.

The features editor will let you know when you need to e-mail your invoice – either upon acceptance, or upon publication of your article to the accounts department.  You are usually paid by electronic transfer directly into your bank account.

6. How much scope is there for work in the writing industry?

There are hundreds of publications and speciality publications looking for freelance contributions. Apart from shelves loaded with consumer magazines, there are trade magazines and inflight magazines that offer outlets for freelancers, although they may pay slightly less per word.

Furthermore, we have thousands of reputable webzines and paying blogs online. Many of these publications don’t pay for writing, but for those that do, you generally get paid a flat fee for a 300- to 500-word article.

7. How do I get commissioned to write an article?

Once an editor knows you and likes your work, it won’t be long before you receive your first commission.

What is a commission? It’s when the editor asks you to write a piece on a particular topic, and gives you a brief to follow. You need to follow the specifications in the brief – and deliver to deadline. It’s easier to work this way, rather than go through the more work-intensive process of querying or writing on spec, but you first need to build a good relationship with the editor.

8. What skills do I need to increase my chances of making it in the magazine journalism industry?

Apart from the essential skills already mentioned under question 3 above, you will also need:

• Networking ability (just

…

Writing articles for magazines is definitely a dream for a lot of writers. This is because the pay is usually huge. Not only that, it can also offer exposure that can lead to more article writing projects. Below are the things that you need to learn in order to write amazing articles for magazines:

1. Make sure to choose a topic that you’re an expert on or you feel interested in.

You’ll most likely to produce high quality magazine articles if you choose topics that are included in your areas of expertise and areas of interest. Publishers always look for articles that contain in-depth information or those that are very authoritative. I would recommend that you list down all the things that you feel you’re very good at. Then, choose those ones that you can easily sell to different magazines.

2. Choose interesting angles.

You have better chances of getting your articles published if they’re very interesting. Study your chosen topic carefully and figure out the angles that were not yet discussed before and those that will grab your target audience by the throat. Also, make sure that you do not write about general topics. Publishers in general do not like articles that contain too many information that are not really useful or beneficial to their clients.

3. Research.

Even if you think that you know your chosen topic inside out, I am sure it wouldn’t hurt if you conduct research. This will surely allow you to get more useful and fresh information that can make your articles more informative and more valuable to the eyes of your target audience. Read relevant resources and if needed, interview other experts.

4. Create an outline.

Next step is to create a structure that you can follow when writing your articles. This must contain the ideas that you’re going to discuss on your introduction, article body, and conclusion. Decide if you’re going to add images, testimonials, and graphics.

5. Write your articles.

Unlike when writing news articles, you’re not required to follow specific structure or format when writing your magazine articles. You can be as creative as you want to be. To hook your readers, I suggest that you write using their language. It will also help if you strive to sound upbeat and warm all the time. Remember, your readers are reading magazine articles not just to get informed but to be entertained as well.

6. Check out the style sheet or guidelines of the magazines where you would like to submit your articles to.

Every magazine has its own list of instructions about the subjects, approach, and tone that you need to use. If these are not published, I would recommend that you read all the articles that were used by the magazines where you would like to submit your copies to. Doing this will surely give you a clear idea as to what exactly they’re looking for.…

Techniques for writing a news article differ from those needed for academic papers. Whether you’re interested in writing for a school newspaper, fulfilling a requirement for a class, or seeking a writing job in journalism, you’ll need to know the difference. To write like a real reporter, consider this guide for how to write a news article.

Choose Your Topic

First, you must decide what to write about. Sometimes an editor or instructor will give you assignments, but you’ll often have to find your own topics to cover.FEATURED VIDEOhttps://imasdk.googleapis.com/js/core/bridge3.504.0_en.html#goog_16431158870 seconds of 2 minutes, 24 seconds volume 0%02:18 How to Write Your Own Feature Article

If you get to choose your topic, you might be able to pick a subject related to your personal experience or family history, which would give you a strong framework and a dose of perspective. However, this route means you must work to avoid bias—you may have strong opinions that could affect your conclusions. You also could pick a topic that revolves around personal interest, such as your favorite sport.

Research for Your News Article

Even if you end up with a topic close to your heart, you should begin with research, using books and articles that will give you a full understanding of the subject. Go to the library and find background information about people, organizations, and events you intend to cover.

Next, interview a few people to collect more information and quotes that give perspective on the topic. Don’t be intimidated by the idea of interviewing important or newsworthy people—an interview can be as formal or informal as you want to make it, so relax and have fun with it. Find people with backgrounds in the topic and strong opinions, and carefully write down or record their responses for accuracy. Let the interviewees know that you will be quoting them.

Parts of a News Article

Before you write your first draft, you should be aware of the parts that make up a news story:

Headline or title

The headline of your article should be catchy and to the point. You should punctuate your title using Associated Press style guidelines unless your publication specifies something else. Other members of the publication staff frequently write the headlines, but this will help focus your thoughts and maybe save those other staffers some time.

Examples:

• “Lost dog finds his way home”
• “Debate tonight in Jasper Hall”
• “Panel chooses 3 essay winners”

Byline

The byline is the name of the writer—your name, in this case.

Lead (sometimes written “lede”)

The lead is the first sentence or paragraph, written to provide a preview of the entire article. It summarizes the story and includes many of the basic facts. The lead will help readers decide if they want to read the rest of the news article or if they are satisfied knowing these details.

The story

Once you’ve set the stage with a good lead, follow up with a well-written story that contains facts from your research and quotes from people you’ve interviewed. The article should not contain your opinions. Detail any events in chronological order. Use the active voice—not passive voice—when possible, and write in clear, short, direct sentences.

In a news article, you should use the inverted pyramid format—putting the most critical information in the early paragraphs and following with supporting information. This ensures that the reader sees the important details first. Hopefully, they’ll be intrigued enough to continue to the end.

The sources

Include your sources in the body with the information and quotes they provide. This is different from academic papers, where you would add these at the end of the piece.

The ending

Your conclusion can be your last bit of information, a summary, or a carefully chosen quote to leave the reader with a strong sense of your story.…

Magazine writing is a craft that stands apart from the kind of writing you might encounter in a newspaper, journal, essay, or full-length book. Even within the broader landscape of magazine writing, many subgenres demand different styles and skills—you’ll approach a long feature article differently than you would a human interest story; tackling an investigative exposés requires a different skill set than writing reviews and cultural criticism. So while your approach to magazine writing will vary depending on the publication and the nature of the article itself, you’ll still need to master the skills that set magazine writing apart from other types of writing.

6 Tips for Writing for Magazines

If you aspire to write for magazines, you’ll have to adapt to a medium that’s been rapidly transformed by digital technology. Many of today’s magazines are primarily consumed online, either in web browsers or in apps like Apple News. Some famous weekly magazines now come out monthly or even quarterly. On the other hand, new online publications sprout up constantly and many are seeking new writers who have a great story idea to pitch. Here are some writing tips to help you break into the world of magazine writing.

1. Target your pitches carefully. Freelance writers typically have to pitch stories via a query letter before being given an assignment. Be judicious when you pitch to editors. Anna Wintour isn’t going to publish a dissection of the Cincinnati Bengals’ run defense in the pages of Vogue, so don’t waste her time with a query letter on the topic. Even if your pitch isn’t accepted, by engaging with a magazine you’ve begun a relationship with its staff, and you always want to impress them at every encounter. Make sure you follow a publication’s submission guidelines when you approach them with article ideas.

2. Become a specialist. Today’s media world values specialization. ESPN’s Brian Windhorst was well-versed in all professional sports, but he strategically chose to hone in on basketball when he began penning articles for ESPN: The Magazine. He credits it for his rise within that company (even though the magazine itself no longer exists). If you have specialized know-how in a particular discipline (such as medicine, music, or mobile computing), lean into it. The best stories you pitch will likely tap into your personal experience and specific knowledge base. Specialization can help you breakthrough as a new writer.

3. Do more research than you think you need. It’s always better to have more sources, quotes, and statistics than you can use in your story. Often times a magazine writer’s document of notes will be longer than the first draft of their story. If you have a great article planned, the urge to start writing immediately can be intense. But before you begin, make sure you are truly overloaded with the substantive facts that will populate your story.

4. Consider the magazine’s target audience. A magazine’s most important relationship is with its readers. If you meet those readers on their terms, you could have a long career in magazine journalism. For instance, if you’re writing pop astronomy articles for national magazines like Wired or Discover, you cannot weigh down your prose with technical jargon that interferes with your storytelling. On the other hand, if you’re writing for trade magazines in the telescope industry, you should absolutely pepper your article with tech specs. It’s what your readers want.

5. Keep track of personnel changes among magazines. Editors frequently leave one magazine and join a new one. Your connection to such people is ultimately more important than the company they work for. Even if you think you have the perfect story for Rolling Stone but you don’t know anyone there and you do know the managing editor at Pitchfork, you’ll have a much better shot with the latter. Study a magazine’s masthead and article bylines to learn who’s working there. Online resources like LinkedIn can also provide this information.

6. Be flexible. Flexibility is one of the greatest writing skills a journalist can be endowed with. Even with the greatest degree of planning, the writing process can lead journalists in strange directions. You may find that your planned 1,000-word article needs 10,000 words to do its subject justice. Conversely, you may find that what you thought would be a voluminous feature should be far more succinct. Writing is hard work even when everything goes as planned. If your story demands a different approach from what you’d originally expected, embrace flexibility. It will make the revision process all the more pleasant.…

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Want to know what types of magazines are popular on the internet?

If you’re planning to start a new magazine site, then knowing about profitable niches would help you make a right decision.  

Online magazines are simply magazines published online with regular and fresh articles and illustrations. Nowadays, almost every magazine company publishes their magazine in digital or online form.  

In this article, we’re about to discuss different types of magazines to publish online. We will also talk about how you can easily create a fantastic magazine.  

Table of ContentsHide

• Types of Magazines to Publish Online in 2021
  • 1. General News Magazines 
  • 2. Cooking Magazines 
  • 3. Art Magazines 
  • 4. Fashion Magazines 
  • 5. Tech Magazines 
  • 6. Health Magazines 
  • 7. Children’s Magazines 
  • 8. Business Magazines 
  • 9. Travel Magazines 
  • 10. Cultural Magazines 
  • 11. Rider and Driver Magazines 
  • 12. Pet Magazines 
  • 13. Sports Magazines 
  • 14. Entertainment Magazine 
  • 15. Wild Magazines 
• How to Create an Online Magazine in 4 Simple Steps? 
  • Step-1:  Choosing the Website Platform for Your Magazine 
  • Step-2: Choosing a WordPress Magazine Theme 
  • Step-3: Installing ColorMag Theme and a Starter Template 
  • Step-3: Customizing the ColorMag Theme 
• Wrapping it Up 

Types of Magazines to Publish Online in 2021

Can you believe that magazines already existed in digital forms around the time the internet was just born?

Yeah, people shared magazines using floppy disks back then. But now, the internet is here, and everything happens online.  

And it’s easy to confuse online magazines with digital magazines. They are similar in many ways, but the key difference is that digital magazines are often digital editions of hard copy magazines.

Most of the time, they exist as: 

• Digital Replica of Magazines 
• PDF Form of Magazines 
• Magazine and Subscription Apps 

However, an online magazine is published online and mainly exists in soft copy versions on different websites. And we’re about to see some incredible types of magazines your online audience will love. Let’s get right into it. 

1. General News Magazines 

People often think magazines are similar to newspapers. In a lot of ways, they are. An online magazine about general news is a good idea as it’s easy for the audience to reach the magazine.  

This type of magazine is suitable for many audiences because you’re not targeting a single niche. Also, if you publish news regularly, the audience is going to be loyal and engage more. 

Finding content is not hard either. You can talk about significant events like the Covid pandemic, the Australian Bushfire, the stock market crash, etc., or some recent happenings. Further, trying a new perspective for presentation can help as well. 

The New Yorker, The Week are some excellent examples of this type of magazine. 

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2. Cooking Magazines 

If you know quite a lot about cooking and creating recipes, publishing a cooking magazine is the best option. Everyone is looking for something delicious to eat, and a cooking magazine will bloom beautifully among those people. 

Most of the time, cooking magazines are about recipes on cooking something tasty and introducing a good meal of one’s culture or place. Thus, it’s an art that everyone needs and loves.  

But you don’t always have to publish recipes. You can write about the ingredients, the nutritional value in them. Or, you can post about different cooking tools and styles.  

Food and Wine, Bon Appetit are some popular cooking magazines. 

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3. Art Magazines 

Art is an inseparable part of a magazine. There’s hardly any magazine without a picture. And there’s hardly any person that doesn’t appreciate good art. So an article about art is a great idea. 

This type of magazine generally sees famous paintings, fantastic music and dancing styles, incredible sculptures, and many other art forms. You can also publish the news about art and artists.  

Moreover, art magazines can have tutorials about how to draw, paint or sketch. They can also be about music theory and musical instruments. The point is, art is broader than many people assume it to be, and art magazines are great. 

Check out these art magazines: Art in America and The Art Newspaper. 

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4. Fashion Magazines 

Fashion Magazines are a huge part of the magazine world. We wake up to new makeup products, clothing styles, and fashion trends every day. And long as humans exist, fashion won’t ever fade away. 

So, if you’re into fashion, clothing, and similar stuff, fashion magazines are an excellent option. ‘What did a celebrity wear on the Red Carpet?’ Or ‘What brand is taking over the market?’ There are so many things to talk about.  

These types of magazines are also a great way to promote your product if you own a brand. It also works if you’ve created an online store to sell clothes, makeup products, and likewise. 

Some examples of Fashion Magazines? How about Elle and Vogue? 

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5. Tech Magazines 

Technology is taking over the world. We must defend ourselves. And a tech magazine shall be the medicine that immunes everyone from ignorance about technology. 

Serious note, if you’re the tech-loving guy, a tech magazine can be your type of magazine. And the audience is only increasing. Because new tech gets built every day, and everyone wants an upgrade. 

Also, in a tech magazine, you can talk about new computing processors, hackers, security tips, gaming consoles. Moreover, you can also write on online applications like Netflix, Internet Service Providers (ISP), and more. 

Want to look at some tech magazines? Check out PCMag and Macworld. 

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6. Health Magazines 

Health …

Washington — A few days away from the office may help clear your head and leave you feeling more positive about work. But how long does that positivity last once you return? Not long at all, say about two-thirds of respondents to a recent survey conducted by the American Psychological Association.

Researchers at APA, as part of the association’s annual Work and Well-Being Survey, examined responses about time off from 1,512 adults who reported being employed either full or part time, or were self-employed.

Among the results:

• 68 percent said their mood was more positive after vacation.
• 58 percent said they felt more productive.
• 57 percent said they felt less stress.

However, 42 percent of workers said they dreaded returning to work after vacation, 40 percent said the positive effects of vacation lasted only a few days, and a quarter said the effects disappeared immediately upon returning to the job.

“Unless [employers] address the organizational factors causing stress and promote ongoing stress management efforts, the benefits of time off can be fleeting,” said David W. Ballard, who heads APA’s Center for Organizational Excellence. “When stress levels spike again shortly after employees return to work, that’s bad for workers and for business. Employers can do better.”

Additionally, 59 percent of workers reported that their organization’s culture does not encourage taking vacation time, and 62 percent said the same about their supervisor.

“When an organization’s culture encourages time off, employees are more likely to benefit from vacation time and those benefits last longer,” a June 27 press release from APA states.…

Global health workforce urges action to avert health catastrophe

Countries must set ambitious national climate commitments if they are to sustain a healthy and green recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.

The WHO COP26 Special Report on Climate Change and Health, launched today, in the lead-up to the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26) in Glasgow, Scotland, spells out the global health community’s prescription for climate action based on a growing body of research that establishes the many and inseparable links between climate and health.

“The COVID-19 pandemic has shone a light on the intimate and delicate links between humans, animals, and our environment,” said Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General. “The same unsustainable choices that are killing our planet are killing people. WHO calls on all countries to commit to decisive action at COP26 to limit global warming to 1.5°C – not just because it’s the right thing to do, but because it’s in our own interests. WHO’s new report highlights 10 priorities for safeguarding the health of people and the planet that sustains us.”

The WHO report is launched at the same time as an open letter, signed by over two-thirds of the global health workforce – 300 organizations representing at least 45 million doctors and health professionals worldwide, calling for national leaders and COP26 country delegations to step up climate action.

“Wherever we deliver care, in our hospitals, clinics, and communities around the world, we are already responding to the health harms caused by climate change,” the letter from health professionals reads. “We call on the leaders of every country and their representatives at COP26 to avert the impending health catastrophe by limiting global warming to 1.5°C, and to make human health and equity central to all climate change mitigation and adaptation actions.”

The report and open letter come as unprecedented extreme weather events and other climate impacts are taking a rising toll on people’s lives and health. Increasingly frequent extreme weather events, such as heatwaves, storms and floods, kill thousands and disrupt millions of lives, while threatening healthcare systems and facilities when they are needed most. Changes in weather and climate are threatening food security and driving up food-, water- and vector-borne diseases, such as malaria, while climate impacts are also negatively affecting mental health.

The WHO report states: “The burning of fossil fuels is killing us. Climate change is the single biggest health threat facing humanity. While no one is safe from the health impacts of climate change, they are disproportionately felt by the most vulnerable and disadvantaged.”

Meanwhile, air pollution, primarily the result of burning fossil fuels, which also drives climate change, causes 13 deaths per minute worldwide.

The report concludes that protecting people’s health requires transformational action in every sector, including on energy, transport, nature, food systems, and finance. And it states clearly that the public health benefits from implementing ambitious climate actions far outweigh the costs.

“It has never been clearer that the climate crisis is one of the most urgent health emergencies we all face,” said Dr Maria Neira, WHO Director of Environment, Climate Change and Health. “Bringing down air pollution to WHO guideline levels, for example, would reduce the total number of global deaths from air pollution by 80% while dramatically reducing the greenhouse gas emissions that fuel climate change. A shift to more nutritious, plant-based diets in line with WHO recommendations, as another example, could reduce global emissions significantly, ensure more resilient food systems, and avoid up to 5.1 million diet-related deaths a year by 2050.”

Achieving the goals of the Paris Agreement would save millions of lives every year due to improvements in air quality, diet, and physical activity, among other benefits. However, most climate decision-making processes currently do not account for these health co-benefits and their economic valuation.

Notes to editors:

WHO’s COP26 Special Report on Climate Change and Health, The Health Argument for Climate Action, provides 10 recommendations for governments on how to maximize the health benefits of tackling climate change in a variety of sectors, and avoid the worst health impacts of the climate crisis.

The recommendations are the result of extensive consultations with health professionals, organizations and stakeholders worldwide, and represent a broad consensus statement from the global health community on the priority actions governments need to take to tackle the climate crisis, restore biodiversity, and protect health.

Climate and Health Recommendations

The COP26 report includes ten recommendations that highlight the urgent need and numerous opportunities for governments to prioritize health and equity in the international climate regime and sustainable development agenda.

1. Commit to a healthy recovery. Commit to a healthy, green, and just recovery from COVID-19.
2. Our health is not negotiable. Place health and social justice at the heart of the UN climate talks.
3. Harness the health benefits of climate action. Prioritize those climate interventions with the largest health-, social- and economic gains.
4. Build health resilience to climate risks. Build climate-resilient and environmentally sustainable health systems and facilities, and support health adaptation and resilience across sectors.
5. Create energy systems that protect and improve climate and health. Guide a just and inclusive transition to renewable energy to save lives from air pollution, particularly from coal combustion. End energy poverty in households and health care facilities.
6. Reimagine urban environments, transport and mobility. Promote sustainable, healthy urban design and transport systems, with improved land-use, access to green and blue public space, and priority for

…

Most content screams into an empty universe.

It’s nice to create content with the intent of reaching a broad and targeted audience, but it’s becoming harder and harder to do this. No matter how good the content is. Yes, the best content always rises to the top, but when the amount of content being produced rises exponentially and is being published at a frenetic pace, it becomes a lot harder for individuals to filter the signal from the noise. It’s a challenge that many of us lamented as Blogging became that much more prevalent and commercial in the early 2000s, and it’s becoming an even bigger challenge in a world where content is created in channels like Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Google +, LinkedIn and more.

Content is short. Content is long. Content is text, images, audio, and video. Publishing content is free.

It has come to the point where it’s no longer about publishing on a topic that no one else has covered (because it seems like every topic has been covered), but it’s now a world of perspective. What a grand world this would be if I was the only one Blogging about New Media, Marketing, Advertising, and Communications. What you get here is, simply, my own take on specific topics (and if you’re hungry for others, just look to the left and click on some of the links in my Blogroll or check out Ad Age Magazine’s Power 150).

This means two big, important things:

1. Making money with content is very hard.
2. Making your content resonate for a long period of time is very hard.

Being a publisher is very hard.

The Wall Street Journal published a fascinating article yesterday titled, Content Deluge Swamps Yahoo, that focused on how Yahoo (and other big online publishers) struggle to make money because, “As Web traffic explodes, Internet companies are struggling to profit off ads shown next to the articles, videos and other content offered to viewers. It’s a simple rule of any market. The more information that is created, the more the value is reduced. And despite attempts to woo spending with bigger, bolder, and more targeted ads, services that help consumers navigate that content, namely search, remain the big money makers online.” Strangely enough, I was reading this article at the airport having just attended Yahoo’s upfront event. What was Yahoo’s response to this challenge of more content equaling a reduction in value? Why, more content, more channels, and more content, of course. Don’t take this as a slight against Yahoo (it’s not), but this is how publishers (and this includes some Bloggers that I know, as well) react to this value reduction. They publish more in hopes of capturing or maintaining the audience that may be slipping away into other channels and – without really thinking about it – are simply adding more value reduction to all of their inventory.

Beyond the value, we’re not spending a ton of time with all of this content, either.

A friend of mine has been grappling with a conundrum: should they release their next book with a publisher or simply give it away as a free e-book? If you sell a book, this immediately limits the ability to get the story to spread, but if they publish it for free – in a world where free content is everywhere – will that guarantee that their thoughts will be valued, spread, read, and really thought about? It’s a serious challenge for many people who create content. The HubSpot Blog published a post yesterday titled, Shelf Life of Social Media Links Only 3 Hours, that looked at a new report issued by the URL shortening service, bitly. Here’s what they uncovered: “generally, links shared on Facebook, Twitter, and via direct sources like email or instant message have a shelf life of about 3 hours. This excludes YouTube, where people remain interested in links for more than twice that – 7 hours! And while you can expect that the majority of links will only remain interesting for less than 2 hours, others can generate a lot more interaction and clicks, lasting for more than 11 hours.” For a great visualization of this, get ready for your head to spin: Business Insider – Chart of the day: The Internet Has A Short Attention Span.

You’re doing great if your content can last 12 hours. How depressing.

Bloggers already know this. They post something that they think is ground-breaking, earth-shaking, and game-changing and everyone is talking about it everywhere… for a couple of seconds… for a couple of hours… and then everyone is on to the next thing (and that Blogger is already on the next blog post). It’s hard going if you’re really looking for your content to make an impact. We’re learning (as the world of content evolves) that it’s hard to create value for content when it’s not a scarce (or limited) commodity, and that most content has but a fleeting moment of time to get any true attention.…

Transference: Works by Jo Victoria and Robyn Campbell

Integrating glass and porcelain is a passionate focus of my art practice, so writing about two artists who are exploring these exquisite materials, each requiring challenging processes of making, is an exciting task. However, discussing art objects that I have not experienced in ‘real’ life and time is unfamiliar, although 2020 is a year for unparalleled experiences. The art world must move forward by expanding its virtual engagement so artists, writers, galleries and their audiences remain connected, enabling forms of physical distancing to reboot our lives. Fortunately, I have walked around, touched and engaged with Jo Victoria and Robyn Campbell’s earlier work during exhibitions and studio visits. Memories of haptic body and object interactions—gliding fingers across clay surfaces and soaking up the three dimensionalities of an object whilst sharing the same space – seem more crucial now than ever before.

The exhibition titled Transference—the action of transferring something—encapsulates Victoria and Campbell’s shared enthusiasm for light in action. Both artists engage with porcelain and glass forms to activate reflections, shadows, glints, shimmers, flickers and transience. Within bodies of porcelain, light animates a soft white translucency, and in bodies of kiln cast and slumped glass, light radiates a crystal-like transparency.

As demonstrated by the artists’earlier work, form is realised in very distinct ways. Victoria deconstructs the solidity of form by allowing light to pierce through fragmented or perforated slip-cast segments and organic burn-outs. Campbell reinforces shape and form by attaining a continuity of surface across planes of porcelain, glass and enclosed structures. For Campbell, this approach encourages reflected light to transit smoothly and quietly across open vessels and enclosed objects that are nestled within.

Sharing an enthusiasm for the natural environment, Victoria’s porcelain forms echo the fragility of disintegrating organic matter or fractured shells found at the edge of oceans. Reflective high gloss glazes and aquamarine kiln slumped glass capture the transitory and fleeting ocean light that is so fundamental to her practice.

Campbell’s glass and porcelain pieces reconfigure patterns and shapes experienced during nature walks, as essential and simple material manifestations. The interplay between open and enclosed organic forms, intensified by fleeting light and shadow, transmits a visual narrative that speaks to protection, shelter, containment, calmness and tranquillity. Pool and Echoin particular visualises the interrelated natural world in a refined and sensuous manner.

Transference is an exhibition that foregrounds the capacity of light to activate inanimate clay and glass forms and suggests the beauty and transience of the natural world. This show presents a collection of stunning pieces and given the opportunity, audiences would marvel at their beauty, strength, vulnerability and obvious dedication to craftmanship. On the other hand, Transference may also allude to the act of sharing material knowledge, skills and different responses to the world of nature. Trained as a glass artist, Robyn Campbell suggests the quiet beauty of landscapes with the interplay of light and relational porcelain and glass forms. Trained as a ceramics artist, Jo Victoria captures and reflects light through the fragility of porcelain and glass forms to advocate for the transcendence of seascapes. Transference is the end result of a collaborative narrative between the artists that encapsulates a passion for porcelain, glass, light and the natural world that they occupy.

A Common Thread: Works by Harriet McKay and Sam Gold

Touch and haptic are fundamental aspects of material and process-oriented art practices. Intimacy between bodies and materials during long periods of repetitive physical engagement engenders artwork that is guided by the procurement of material knowledge and processes that activate relational and often cathartic experiences. Sam Gold and Harriet McKay explore these processes of connectedness, a common thread aligning their distinct approaches to making. 

Gold draws attention to the labour of hands that manipulate threads of clay. Repetitive movements conjoin body, material and mind to form voluminous structures that lay bare the rhythms of making. McKay’s intensive processes of layering threads of naturally dyed felt, calico and raw canvas, form rich and worn textured surfaces. McKay’s fibrous collages disclose the reiterative hand and material interplay. 

Time is fundamental to Gold and McKay’s individual practices because both artists embrace repetitive crafting, as does Adelaide textile artist Sera Waters who refers to her own practice as ‘using time to make time …’ Waters describes a repetitive body and object interaction as opening space for thinking about the world in a different way. Therefore, immersive making may be understood as activating an interconnection between body, material and mind. As philosopher Maurice Merleau-Ponty argues, all our senses are connected, both body and mind are needed to form experience. 

From the perspective of the viewer, art objects that reveal enduring acts of making can trigger a prolonged moment of consideration. The duration of the making and the artist’s time is often noticeably apparent, and the viewer reciprocates by spending time with the work as its fullness unfolds.  

Gold’s groupings of stoic, bulbous forms emanate a silent strength. The viewer is able to glimpse inside these vessels, through mostly small openings, that provide access to a hidden, mysterious inner space. For Gold, the vessel’s interior holds significance. Her new series ‘takes inspiration from seeds, what emerges from the internal space, what could grow from within…’.   The simplicity of Gold’s forms also allow for a greater consideration of the exquisitely coloured clays, oxides and traces of finger marks imprinted within each coil.  

Form and colour are …