In re-reading many of the articles we’ve published this year for a 2018 feature that will compile some of the best ideas and insights from our 2017 stories, it made me again appreciate the willingness of researchers to share their knowledge with their peers and colleagues.
That openness has always struck me as a commendable hallmark of the industry, especially since those trading tips and best practices could easily be competitors fighting for the same jobs.
So what about you? Have you ever thought about writing for us? It’s easy. All you need are some good ideas and the ability to write!
I’m especially interested in having more client-side authors in our pages.
Many of our articles are written by those on the vendor side, as they are generally free to write more openly about topics (while still respecting confidentiality agreements, of course!) than those on the client side, and most have been understanding when I belabor the point during the writing process that their articles need to be as objective and non-salesy as possible.
But I would love to work those of you toiling away in the consumer-facing firms or B2B companies or non-profits, for example, to get your viewpoints in Quirk’s – though I totally understand it can be difficult to get your material through the PR/communications gatekeepers.
Still, you are our core audience, so please consider writing for us if you are in that camp!
In general, when it comes to article topics, the more hands-on and how-to, the better. Readers have told us they value content that gives them tips, insights and strategies for how to use (or use more effectively) any and all research techniques. Case studies of successful research projects (or unsuccessful ones, if you’re brave enough!) are always welcome as well.
Put it this way: If there’s a topic you’d like to read about, chances are there are other researchers who feel the same.
Here’s a snapshot of our 2018 editorial calendar. (I’ve omitted January since it will already be in production when this issue comes out and also September since that issue is taken up by our annual Researcher SourceBook.)
February: brand/branding research; Millennials/youth research
March: advertising research; pharmaceutical/health care research
April: B2B research
May: qualitative research
June: Research Technology Report
July: financial services; shopper insights
August: new product research
October: customer experience research; health care research
November: B2B research
December: qualitative research
Each issue has a particular editorial emphasis or two but we also include a range of articles that don’t fall under those categories so don’t worry if your idea doesn’t neatly fit into any of the topics listed. If you do have an interest, I urge you to reach out right away as issues often fill many weeks in advance and final manuscript deadlines are typically about seven weeks prior to the month of publication.
In a nutshell, magazine articles are a minimum of 1,500 words, though our Qualitatively Speaking and By the Numbers columns (focused on qual and quant, respectively) are usually 1,000 words or under.
For other types of shorter-form pieces, items that are closer to blog length, for example, our digital offerings (the Research Industry Voices blog and our e-newsletter) are other options for interested authors who may not want to crank out a full-fledged article. Those outlets are also perfect for more timely or time-sensitive articles, as items can be published at digital speed rather than having to go through the lengthy timelines of a printed magazine.
Drop me a note at joe@quirks.com and I will be happy to discuss your story ideas or send you a more complete version of our editorial calendar and our full author guidelines. I look forward to hearing from you!