special report
Girls’ Life Magazine
Readership: Girls, 10 - 15
Girls’ Life (or GL as the magazine is labeled on the cover)
first hit the newsstands in September of 1994 and it’s definitely an
established force in teen/tween magazines. It’s a tough market.
If you haven’t read Girl’s Life lately, they have a new look –
much more teen, much more trendy. GL has always had a hip voice but now
it’s matched with a hip look. Still, don’t be fooled. It may look like
the other magazines for teen girls but GL still knows much of its
readership is on the younger end of the scale. There’s still room for tweens to be girls here – not women. So where some teen magazines seem
to assume their readership is involved in physical relationships – GL is
still looking at the first blush of dating and boys.
SUBMISSION SPECIFICS from their
guidelines
- GL prefers queries with resumes and published samples over
unsolicited manuscripts.
- GL does NOT accept poetry submissions.
- GL will accept queries and manuscripts through email (query
first, please) – attach the manuscript (use Microsoft Word, and
Palatino 12-point font).
- GL wants full sources – including phone numbers/contact
information for fact checking.
WHAT THEY WANT:
They are especially interested in more nonfiction features and more
short pieces for GL fun. GL does buy fiction. Content needs to be fun
but purposeful – GL’s goal is to help girls navigate through the tough
tween and teen years with the information they need to make good
choices. Don’t nag; inform.
Pays on publication. Prefers ALL RIGHTS. Pays from $500 – 800 for
features, $150 – 300 for departments.
Send query letter with detailed story idea (s). Include resume and
published writing samples. Include both your address and a daytime
telephone number. Send submissions to:
Lizzie Skurnick
Associate Editor
Girls’ Life
4517 Harford Road
Baltimore, MD 21214
ANALYSIS OF SPECIFIC
ISSUE
Contents:
GIRLS’ LIFE
August/September 2005
From the Masthead --
Founding Editor: Karen Bokram,
Executive Editor: Kelly White
Editorial Assistant: Jasmen Davis
Find Your Perfect Pen Pal Explains GL’s pen pal service – it
costs $10 but they send the names of five girls in the US and Canada
with similar interests.
Karen the editor’s Page The “letter from the editor.” A nice
chatty letter about the editor’s nervousness over an award she might
win.
We’ve Got Mail Letters from readers are great for showing us past
articles and how the readership felt about the topics – articles
included subjects like body image, interviews with celebrities, and
cleft palate.
ShortStuff This department is filled with little bits, most
around 100 – 200 words:
- “Sign on the dotted line” [Jenn Fisher] a program collecting
signatures from kids – each signature means $1 in school funding.
- “The Universal Language of Art” [Rachel Hercenberg] A program
sending kids’ art on the theme of peace to children across the
world.
- “Take Notes” [RH] Musicians touring schools to bring awareness
of the importance of art/music programs in schools.
- “Be a hollaback girl!” [Carrie Foster] A backpack with a
security system that can be used if a child is accosted.
- “Makin’ Cents” [Katie Blaha] The importance of financial
literary in schools.
- “Look Who’s Up to Bat” [CF] Batgirl comes to the cartoon The
Batman.
- “Rah-rah-sis-boom-huh?” [KB] About a bill in the Texas
legislature punishing sexually suggestive cheers. Looks like it’s
part of a regular feature of “Boo Hiss” for things not right.
- “Spanglish” [Lisa Sussman] An 18 year old who stated a free
English tutoring program.
Dear Carol [Carol Weston]. Advice column – friendship, new
school, crushes, boyfriends, parent issues, sibling issues, school
questions – also kids wondering how to know if you’re gay.
BFFs: Surviving Separation Nation [Lisa Susman] A regular
feature dealing with best friends dilemmas. This one was about how to
keep close to a best friend when you don’t share any classes. Also a
little mini contest (for watches) and feedback from teens and tweens on
the question of what do when your best friend never wants to do what you
want to do.
GL Friends: Um, Hello? [Maureen Dempsey]. Another department on
friendship. This one features what to do when your friend only has eyes
for her boyfriend.
GL Beauty Top 10 10 hair decorations, where they can be purchased
and how much they cost.
GL Fashion Top 10 10 backpacks/totebags, where they can be
purchased and how much they cost.
GL Body Q&A: Dragon Breath [Kristen Kemp and Margaret Gelbwasser].
Health/body questions and answers: bad breath, teeth whiteners, when is
best to exercise and whether looking at the sun really makes you go
blind.
GL Guys Q & A: Shallow Gal? [Bill and Dave] Girls ask questions,
guys answer with unusual perspectives: A girl remarked the she liked a
guy but his weight bothered her – both of the guys told her she was
being shallow. Considering how guys feel about chubby girls, I found
that…interesting. Also questions about note passing, a first boy-girl
birthday party, and having a friend ask a guy out for you.
GL Guys: Heartthrob or Headache? [Amanda L. Southall] The pros
and cons of liking older guys.
GL Ask Lucky: In left-out field [Laura Sandler, 19] A teen
answers questions about how to handle a friend’s popularity with guys,
how to get mom to listen, how to handle a new school, and whether it’s
okay to hang around with boys instead of girls.
GL Life: Stress Much? [Roni Cohen-Sandler]. Handling stress.
Article uses numbered headings to break up and organize points.
GL Fun – This is an area editors mentioned having a real need for
items.
- “Too-Cute Tote” – fairly skilled sewing to make a cute
pattern-less tote bag with wooden handles. Fairly lengthy with a
list of “What You Need” and 11 steps to the process.
- “Go Thrifty” – National thrift shop day.
- “Be Creamed” [Leah Kershaw and Lauren Hitt]– Very simple snack –
cookies with ice cream between, rolled in sprinkles.
Girls’ Life Top 10 Tube Blurbs about TV, movies, music, and
books.
GL Spotlight [Kelly White] Short piece on Annasophia Robb, the
star of Because of Winn Dixie, mostly talking about her role in
Charlie
and the Chocolate Factory.
GL Cutie [Kelly White] Short piece on.Jackson Rathbone, who is in
the ABC Family series Beautiful People. Talks about his first on-screen
kiss.
The Very Fortunate Hilary Duff [Jodi Byson]. A feature where the
magazine arranged a psychic reading for Hilary Duff and gives both the
psychic and Hilary’s input.
Seven Minutes in Heaven with Jesse [Kelly White] Seven things
about Jesse McCartney.
Back to… Retro and vintage fashions.
Rev Up Your Rep [Lisa Mulcahy] A numbered list of ten tips for
changing your image.
GL’s Brutally Honest Guide to the Totally Confusing Things Guys Do
[Jodi Bryson] Looks at lots of things boys do and some reasons why.
Things like baggy pants, boob fascination, not calling, etc.
Make This School Year Your Best One Yet! Tips from GL readers.
The Silent Scream [As Told to Sandy Fertman Ryan] Written in
first person, account of a girl who cut herself, includes a sidebar on
getting help if you self-harm.
Find Your Perfect Back to School Sneaks More fashion shoes/ costs
and stores.
Hit the Books With the Looks [Jasmen Davis] Make up and hair and
how to get the celebrity looks.
Artichokes Unite [Marticia Heaner, M.A. M. ED.] How to go
vegetarian and stay healthy.
Cut the Clutter A bedroom makeover with a focus on organization.
GL FICTION: Surviving Silverlake [Apryl Lundstein] A story about
survivng both parental divorce and entering a new school – relatively
light, with happy ending. Has a slightly hip chic-lit voice.
GL Star Signs Monthly Horoscopes.
And How Was Your Day? Readers’ embarrassing stories.
This page last updated on 01 October 2005
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