Tapping into the school market can be tricky. First, you must study the state standards for the grades you are focusing on. This is essential, for markets typically zone in on subjects kids are expected to learn about. Second, you must research thoroughly the subjects you want to write about — and that research must be up to date and reliable. Third, you must find publishers who have gaps that you can fill.
Ideally, writing for the school market will involve assignments. I wrote about fifty articles for Current Health 1 (younger kids) and Current Health 2 (older kids). The subjects were assigned and could cover anything from replacing a lost tooth to bulemia. Sports articles and articles about good sportsmanship are also popular, as are pieces that talk about peer pressure and how to settle arguments.
The magazines I wrote for wanted nonfiction written with fiction techniques. In other words, I created characters who had problems, interacted with each other, learned new information, and felt better about themselves as a result.
If that sounds like a story line . . . it was. Sharing facts through story telling makes it easier for kids to absorb important information.
If you are thinking of writing for this lucrative market, remember those three rules: (1) know your subject; (2) research until you really know what you are talking about; (3) look for gaps that you can fill. Before long, you will be in demand as an expert on writing articles that fill requirements of state standards, and the checks will will come rolling in!
