Imagine you have a great idea for a story or article. The next step is defining your target audience. With a little market research, and some tweaking, the same basic idea can generate multiple sales.

While reading my local newspaper, I stumbled across an article about a teacher named Jo Waltz. Mrs. Waltz and her sixth-grade reading students had become first-time authors. Their book is called Write Out of the Oven! Letters And Recipes From Children's Authors. The book evolved like this: the students wrote letters to their favorite children's authors requesting a recipe. More than 50 well-known authors responded including: Judy Blume, Natalie Babbitt, Theodore Taylor, Karen Cushman, Brian Jacques, Meg Cabot, E.L. Konigsburg, Phillip Pullman, T. A. Barron, Cynthia Voigt, Richard Peck, and Will Hobbs.

Mrs. Waltz compiled the students' letters, the authors' responses, and the recipes into a manuscript which was published by Teacher Ideas Press in 2005. The net proceeds are donated to CLiF, a children's literacy foundation serving Vermont and New Hampshire. Copies of the book are available through Barnes & Noble Booksellers. What a great idea! Learning about this project made me wonder: who might be interested in an article based on this material? With a little brainstorming, I came up with:

1. Children's Authors. Many children's authors read the SCBWI Bulletin. I sent a query through the SCBWI website, [bulletin@scbwi.org], offering to write a book review. For this audience, I focused on the authors featured in the book. I quoted from the authors' letters and pointed out how they were helping a children's literacy foundation. The query was accepted, and I sold the review a few days later.

2. Other Teachers. Mrs. Waltz had a unique idea. I thought other teachers would be interested in how she fit this idea into the middle school curriculum. Teaching Pre K-8, became interested, but only if it was authored by a teacher. Mrs. Waltz had never written a magazine article. I had never been a writing instructor, but we didn't let that stop us. Together we crafted an article that was accepted by Teaching Pre K-8.

3. A Regional Publication. New Jersey students had published a book. That's big news if your child is one of the authors or if you know the participating students. I studied the website of a magazine called New Jersey Countryside, Every year they publish an article called "Six New Jerseyans We're Proud To Know." Through their website, I nominated Mrs. Waltz for one of the six awards by submitting a write up about the project. I was thrilled when she was selected to appear in the September 2006 issue.

4. A Children's Magazine. The children in Mrs. Waltz's class were heavily involved in the project. Perhaps other children would be interested in learning exactly what they did. I'm currently working on just such an article. For this audience, I'm focusing on the children's role. I am conveying how they learned to write persuasive letters, and research authors. I'm writing about how excited they were to become authors. I'm spicing the article up with quotes from the kids. Who could resist this quote from student Amanda Richelo? "It is the most wonderful feeling. I can say that I am in a book. That something I wrote is in a published book!"

5. A How-To Piece. If you're reading this, then I was successful in placing this idea with a publication geared towards offering advice to other writers. Magazines and e-zines to consider include: Children's Writer, Once Upon A Time, Kid Magazine Writers, the ICL Website, and my local SCBWI newsletter.

One Idea Five Markets

With only one idea, I've identified at least five markets. It all started with the question: "Who might be interested in this material?" The answer is: a lot of different people. It doesn't require much extra work to change an article's slant, and think outside the box. Give it a try next time you have an intriguing idea!