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Alison Biggar, Editor, San Francisco Chronicle Magazine
February 26, 2006
What she looks for in a personal essay:
Novelesque with good details and something that is bigger than just one thing.
Something that connects to a larger whole, that presents a larger world view.
A piece that shows a narrative arc.
And, importantly, an essay that brings things back into a circle, with a beginning, middle and end.
Think about the audience. Who will be reading it?
You need to appeal to a larger audience.
Will someone be entertained or excited by reading it?
Don't write something that is so bizarre that others will be unable to relate to it.
Be funny but not overly sarcastic.
Don't make writing so precious that only you care about it and others will not.
Anecdotes are great but only if well told and illuminate the piece so it connects to a larger idea.
Stay away from tired topics, such as breastfeeding, birth of children, death of parents, life-changing illness, childhood sports, uncool teenage years.
Caveat to the above: if you can write about these topics but do it in a way that is unique and different, then you have a shot.
There are 50 Back Pages a year. Alison receives about 30 a week and of those, approximately 15 are in her e-mail on Monday morning. Therefore, don't send an essay on Monday morning. Wait until Tuesday.
"Reading good writing will improve your writing," she said.
To encourage good writing she suggests reading The New York Times, The New Yorkerand the Atlantic.
Lead times are approximately one and a half months from acceptance to published.
Length: 900 words, but write your essay a bit longer so she can help with editing. Payment for a Back Page is $500.
On articles, she is open, in fact, in need of great ideas for articles. If you have them, e-mail her a query letter on the subject.
Alison's e-mail address is: abiggar@sfchronicle.com.
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