After nearly a decade of writing for children, I’ve learned that children’s magazines are a great way to gain money and exposure for your work. Parents and librarians still buy plenty of fodder for their hungry young readers. Perhaps this is why children’s magazines tend to pay quite well (by fiction standards) and have a large circulation.

Children’s magazines come in all shapes and sizes, targeting all ages—from babies and toddlers to middle graders. Some are literary, focusing on fiction and poetry; others are educational, centered around a broad topic like science or history. Many are all-purpose, accepting fiction, nonfiction, poetry, puzzles, games—anything that might appeal to a young audience. A few worth exploring are Highlights, Cricket Media, The School Magazine , Aquila, and Fun for Kidz.

These are some of the most well-paying markets I’ve found, and the most established, but new markets pop up every day. The Children’s Writer’s & Illustrator’s Market is a good resource for finding new publications. It also contains many niche magazines. A quick glance at my sales reveal topics from high school theater to horse care to Baha’i religious principles. These markets tend to get fewer submissions as well, so they’re always on the hunt for writers with a background in their niche.

Much of my early kidlit training happened in the children’s section of my local library, perusing the magazines on the shelves, seeing what kinds of ideas made their pages and how the authors crafted words for a young audience.

In the fiction realm, I found folktales a great way to break in. Children’s magazine editors love folktale retellings, especially of lesser-known stories or from non-western cultures. Folktales were also easier for me when I was first learning to write for children, before I got the hang of plotting short stories. Folktales came with plots ready-made, so all I had to do was flesh out the setting and bring the characters to life. My first-ever children’s publication was an Irish folktale about the giant Finn MacCool, who scares off a much bigger giant by dressing up as a baby.

For nonfiction, I found it easier to break in when I could demonstrate expertise. When I started pitching, I had no experience writing nonfiction for any age, so children’s magazine editors weren’t keen to take a chance on me. So I decided to make up for my lack of writing credentials with other credentials. Leveraging my day job as a materials engineer, I broke into Ask with an article on how the same material in sapphires and rubies is used to make prosthetic joints. Once I had this clip under my belt, it was easier to land articles on other topics.

I’ve since learned to keep my eyes peeled for child-friendly ideas. Sometimes it’s mining my own experience, whether from work, hobbies, or travel. Sometimes it’s trips to zoos and museums, where informational plaques tell quirky tales that I can turn into an article—like the bizarre true story of three ibex that were smuggled from Italy to repopulate the Swiss Alps, which I’m working on now.

Writing for children is a great way to diversify your freelance portfolio, gain exposure, and make extra income. Plus, it’s fun. Where else can you find feuding giants, gemstone joints, and stolen ibex all in the same place?

Bio:
Rachel Delaney Craft writes speculative fiction for children and teens. Her work can be found in publications such as Cricket, Spider, Ask, and Cast of Wonders, and she recently won third place in Voyage’s Lucky No. 7 Flash Fiction Contest. She lives and writes in Colorado with her partner, two dogs, and a succulent collection that is slowly taking over her house. Find her on Twitter @RDCwrites or at racheldelaneycraft.com.

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