special report

GL
Girls’ Life Magazine
October/November 2008

From the website:

Girls’ Life first hit the newsstands in 1994, but they’ve seen quite a few changes since then. Girls’ Life says that they guide “girls through the growing-up years—without making them grow up too fast.”

To understand how to break into GL, they have a great “How to Pitch” article courtesy of MediaBistro (PDF) -- which includes tidbits such as

“The kind of story topic that is popular with the Girls' Life reader runs more to advice on what to do when you come to school and everybody has decided you're kicked out of the lunch table or how to deal with getting your period or finding the right bra.”

Also, unlike magazines like Discovery Girls and American Girl, GL has lots of content about boys though without the overt sexual content of older teen magazines. Beauty and Fashion is normally written in house. And be careful not to sound like a parent.

GL readers also love quizzes: “"I could give our girls everything in quiz form and they'd be happy about it." The also do “as told to” articles which are written as if the young girl is doing the talking, but which is really written by a freelance writer from interviews with the girl. And quizzes can be sent on spec rather than needing a query first.

For fiction: Most stories center on a friendship, a family situation, or a crush, but the magazine has published some wildly original pieces as well. Fiction should be completely self-contained short stories up to 3000 words with a clear plot arc, not a chapter from a novel. NO POETRY. Not every issue contains fiction.

Writer’s Guidelines are available online, they respond to email queries in 90 days, and they buy all rights.

Submit to:

Mandy Forr
Associate Editor
Girls' Life magazine
4529 Harford Road
Baltimore, MD 21214

Query Associate Editor Mandy Forr.

From the Masthead:
Publisher: Karen Bokram
Associate Editor: Mandy Forr
Assistant Editor: Katie Abbondanza
Senior Online Editor: Andrea Thompson

ANALYSIS OF SPECIFIC ISSUE

GL
October/November 2008

Note: No fiction in this issue.

Find Your Perfect Pen Pal: Directions for taking part in GL’s pen pal service (costs $20).

You Said It: Reader mail references past articles on being yourself, references to a past cover with the Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants girls, the new “cute and cheap” fashion section, an article on being more outgoing, and an article on sexually transmitted diseases.

GirlsLife.com: Highlights new content on the website.

GL’s October 2008 and November 2008: A calendar with new give-away contests for each day.

Dear Carol: Advice column covering questions about friends who like the same guy, fighting, friends drifting away, embarrassing situations, parent squabbles, stress, cutting, drugs, and whether to stick with a potentially abusive boyfriend.

GL Fashion: Coming Up Roses – flower inspired jewelry.
GL Fashion: Cute and Cheap – focuses on purple things.
GL Fashion: Best-Ever Boots
GL Fashion: Jet-set styles – Q-and-A with a girl who has a unique sense of style.

GL Beauty: Best New Trend: Eyelash products, including false eyelashes.
GL Beauty: Your Perfect Shade: Lipstick, dark colors.
GL Beauty: Twisted Tresses: Curly Hair

GL BFF: Too Close for Comfort (Patricia McNamara) How to avoid being too dependent upon a single BFF. Also includes a small box of quotes from teens on the question of what to do with a BFF cheats.

GL Body: Q-and-A – Reader questions and answers about losing hair, shaving, sleep, and cell phone dangers.
GL Body: What’s Up Down There? Possible concerns and responses about private areas – discharge, smell, looks/shape, and periods. Also has a small sidebar on when you need to see your gynecologist.

GL Guys Q-and-A – Two guys answer reader questions about how to deal with guys.
GL Guys: Unplug Your Flirt Strategy (by Rara Wahlgren) how to use the internet to connect with your crush.

GL Life: Be the Girl Who Has It All – Six tips for being a totally together girl.

GL What’s Hot: Celebrities, movies, music, books, television.

Miranda by Vicki Arkoff. Celebrity profile of Nickelodean actress.

Karen, the Editor’s Page: On her birthday, the editor things about things she’s learned about friends, boys and self-image.

Get CoZy: Fashion, sweaters.

Oh, the Horror! (by Lisa Mucahy) How to keep your dream date from turning into a total nightmare. Reader questions and answers about dating and boys.

What’s Your Secret Learning Style: Multiple choice quiz on learning styles – visual, auditory, hands-on, and self-taught.

Strict-ly Business – Questions from readers and answers about parents and rules.

Is Your Sisterhood Straight-up? (by Lisa Mucahy) Multiple Choice quiz about whether you’re honest with your friends.

The Gov’s Girl (by Tara O’Malley) An as told to profile of the daughter of the Maryland governor.

GL Special Report: Fierce Competition (by Kate Abbondanza) Sports injuries and girls.

GL Beauty Notebook: Five Fresh Looks for Your Fall Dance – make up and hair tips.

G-Life: Health tips on eating, exercising, motivation, and bras.

GL Star Signs: Astrology

And How Was Your Day? Embarrassing reader moments.

This page last updated on 01 November 2008