Relative popularity of the main modelling gauges

[Steven.T]

 

If you don't send stuff about your layout to a magazine, how are they going to know about it? 

Forums like this one, Facebook groups etc? I just thought there must be people from magazines who look through forums etc for content? If they're struggling for content then you'd go looking for it kinda thing?

[Bealman]

Yes, I see your point, and as far as I'm aware, this forum is known to magazines such as Railway Modeller. However, they will rarely contact a person asking for a submission. Nemo of this parish, and editor of the NGS Journal asks for submissions in his editorials in the mag itself.

My own layout has been published by RM a number of times,  and I just bundled it up with some piccies and sent it off to them.

But that was before the days of Facebook and forums! 

[Les1952]

Will you be selling your surplus n gauge stuff on the N'porium ?

some to Bingham club members, some through the NGS, and some on eBay at the moment.  No hurry as there's not a lot out there to buy at the moment.

Les

[martyn]

If you don't send stuff about your layout to a magazine, how are they going to know about it? 

Forums like this one, Facebook groups etc? I just thought there must be people from magazines who look through forums etc for content? If they're struggling for content then you'd go looking for it kinda thing?

I think that Railway Modeller picked up James St at Warley, and asked for an article.

But all the subsequent articles on stock written by myself or Southerngooner, either as a joint article or individually, have been by submission. Not all have been about James St, indeed some of Dave's have been about his own layout.

This was the same some twenty five years ago when Dave and I did a series of articles which were published in the Journal and also the Modeller.

So if you have ideas, or a full article, write it, photograph it, and submit it. And has has been suggested, if you are a Society member, send it to the Journal editor as well. The trade magazines will accept such a pre-published article, but not something that has already been in another trade magazine.

Good luck.

Martyn

[Southerngooner]

I'd already spoken to the Modeller about JS before Warley 2017, and they put on a taster article using photos taken at Basildon show in the edition that was out at Warley. I contacted them with a draft article initially, so they could get a feel of the layout and decide if they wanted to publish it, they didn't contact us. However, BRM and Model Rail both contacted us at shows. The difference is that RM articles are mainly author led, while the other mags use their own staffers to write them.

Dave

[martyn]

I'd already spoken to the Modeller about JS before Warley 2017, and they put on a taster article using photos taken at Basildon show in the edition that was out at Warley. I contacted them with a draft article initially, so they could get a feel of the layout and decide if they wanted to publish it, they didn't contact us. However, BRM and Model Rail both contacted us at shows. The difference is that RM articles are mainly author led, while the other mags use their own staffers to write them.

Dave

I know we'd thought about an article, but couldn't remember the details!

Martyn

[Southerngooner]

I think my advice to anyone who wants to get an article into any publication, be it the Modeller or the Journal, is firstly is it newsworthy? It's better to have something a bit original to publish rather than something similar to other recent articles. Secondly, take a good hard look at some photos of whatever you want your article to be about and be self critical about what you see. Measure your work against other things you can see, and be prepared to be honest with yourself if it's not up to scratch. Thirdly, make your article interesting and concise. Too many articles ramble, or aren't clearly understood. If you can, get it proof read by someone who knows what you are doing, and be prepared to take comments on board. Don't just do it to get your name in print, make sure strangers will appreciate what you have taken the time to write about.

I personally just start typing on the PC when I think I have something that might make a good article, and spend time (often over weeks) adding, re-reading and modifying, etc before I get something that I think is OK. After sending it to whoever (in my case only the Journal and the Modeller) be prepared to chop it about if they ask you to. Usually it's to fit a certain number of pages. I think the guide is 500 words a page. If you can take your own photos then do so. I've done all of mine for recent articles (the J50 for example) on my iPhone. If you supply pictures the Modeller pays more than if you don't. Oh yes, that's the small payback for getting into the Modeller, who pay £35 a page I think without photos or £40 with. I know the J50 article ended up paying for the loco.

I'm always ready to help someone get things published do if you want any more help PM me.

Dave

[Newportnobby]

Day 11 of Rails Advent Calendar 2022 and there's only been one N gauge item. Just saying.

[Bob G]

Sounds like N gauge is more popular than all these esoteric OO models that no one wants.