Goal - Racing Sailplanes Article in Air and Space Magazine

[Snead1]

I have written a 3600 word article on the subject of Racing Sailplanes. The
intended audience for this article is pilots who do not fly sailplanes and/or
the general public. It is my goal to have the article published in "Air and
Space Magazine" or a similar publication. Alternatively, the article might be
used to produce a 30 minute TV program. The text will read in about 22
minutes. This would leave 8 minutes for commercials.

The purpose of this post is to seek help with this project. I do not plan to
seek any pay for my work on this project. Also, I do not plan to pay anyone to
work on the project.

Specifically, I see three areas where help is needed. First , images are
needed to accompany the text. Second, a more skilled writer than I could
certainly improve the quality of my text. Third, someone with contacts and
experience in getting the project published would be helpful in achieving the
goal of publication.

If you are interested in helping with this project , contact me and I will
e-mail you a copy of the manuscript. It is in Microsoft Word format.

Bill Snead

[Bob]

Snip
(Snead1) wrote
> I have written a 3600 word article on the subject of Racing Sailplanes. The
> intended audience for this article is pilots who do not fly sailplanes and/or
> the general public.
the article might be
> used to produce a 30 minute TV program. The text will read in about 22
> minutes. This would leave 8 minutes for commercials.
>

Bill

When you are ready to produce for television let me know. I have a
good friend who can help.

Bob

[John Seaborn]

Bill,

Here is what a Media Relations person would do - after the story is
ready to go. I am sure many on RAS will have additional comments.

Step 1. Identify the editor or reporter at the target publications.
This can be done by purchasing the magazines or through a commercial
(look in your library) source like Bacon's Magazine Directory. All the
publications have a web site so Google to find them.

Step 2. Call the publication and talk to the Editor to see if they
have any interest. This is a pitch that includes the What, Why and Wow
in relation to their readers. Why is it of interest to their readers.
Expect to lots of voice mail, e-mail and to be bounced around to
several editors and receive several, "sorry really does not fit us"
turn downs.

Step 3. Go to the US team Press Room and find the model Press Release,
Backgrounders, examples of prior media success and put together a
short media kit for your editor, along with a cover letter suggesting
what you want to accomplish and why their readers would be interested.
Include the web links to the team press room and the article on disk
in MS Word. Editors like graphics and images that are already
available in the quality they require.

The US Team Press Room is http://www.ssa.org/UsTeam/ust_press.htm

The US Team Press Room was developed with the goals of making the
sport and our soaring teams more accessible to the media while
providing an online resource that can be used by the larger soaring
community. Since the article is about competitive soaring it could be
posted in the Press Room I belive.

Some editors like everything by e-mail and the web and some like the
mail.

Step 4. Send the information along and then follow up. Editors of
popular publications receive over a hundred news pitches and media
kits a week so the stories that are well developed and easy to
implement (photos, backgrounders, illustrations, on the web on disk)
are more likely to be picked up.

Step 5. If your lucky the publication may want to arrange a glider
ride, take some pictures, interview a prominent glider pilot, attend a
contest and generally see what is going on for them selves. Or they
may just take your information and go with it.

The Editor is under zero obligation to run your story no matter how
close you get or who says what. The old adage is that with advertising
you pay and with media relations you pray.

I hope this helps,

John Seaborn




(Snead1) wrote in message >...
> I have written a 3600 word article on the subject of Racing Sailplanes. The
> intended audience for this article is pilots who do not fly sailplanes and/or
> the general public. It is my goal to have the article published in "Air and
> Space Magazine" or a similar publication. Alternatively, the article might be
> used to produce a 30 minute TV program. The text will read in about 22
> minutes. This would leave 8 minutes for commercials.
>
> The purpose of this post is to seek help with this project. I do not plan to
> seek any pay for my work on this project. Also, I do not plan to pay anyone to
> work on the project.
>
> Specifically, I see three areas where help is needed. First , images are
> needed to accompany the text. Second, a more skilled writer than I could
> certainly improve the quality of my text. Third, someone with contacts and
> experience in getting the project published would be helpful in achieving the
> goal of publication.
>
> If you are interested in helping with this project , contact me and I will
> e-mail you a copy of the manuscript. It is in Microsoft Word format.
>
> Bill Snead
>