My Three Secret Steps to Getting Published

To date, we have had the honor of being featured in twelve different publications, six National and six Regional. All of which have had repeat features, our Interior Design projects have been showcased in over 70 issues, with five designs making the COVER! And, I truly believe that the three steps that I will reveal below helped us do so. Recently, our designs have graced the pages of five different magazines simultaneously! We are so excited to share!!

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TBD Project Features in Spring 2022 Publications: ‍

Bellingham Alive/March, Washington State Magazine/March, Furniture, Lighting & Decor/March, Kappa Delta Angelos/April and Bellingham Alive/April.

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The first question I believe you need to ask yourself if you are either preparing to be published or wanting your work featured in a magazine, is WHY? I found that when you really drill down and spend the time understanding why you are wanting to be published, the road to getting there is so much clearer and the result is oh so satisfying!

I spent years researching, reading and networking, and realized I wanted to align with both National and Regional publications when sharing my work to achieve the goal I was after. I also understood that there needed to be a mutual benefit and was determined to figure out who in the industry was best to pitch my niche. So, I sought out to find those key magazines and ahhhmazing editors where I felt my projects would not only be accepted but also be cover-worthy! 

During my journey, and now looking back to the last ten plus years in business I have narrowed down my three secret steps to getting a Cover Story published in an Interior Design Magazine.

1. Relationships

Building trust, showing up with your authentic self and being consistent are all valued traits when establishing a relationship with a business partner. And, many of the magazines that I have either been featured in or have contributed to, have been partners for years. A matter of fact, I have been providing content to one publication for over ten years! What I have found to be the most successful result of these true relationships is the ability to understand the editor's process and expectations. Through years of watching, learning and listening, I have worked very hard to perfect my pitch. When I submit a project, I make it my job to make their job easier. I ask myself the questions needed first so they don’t have to! [Again, LIVE EASY is my mantra, right!] I now know what ‘i’s to dot and ‘t’s to cross, you might say. What these relationships look like today is, having access to their editorial calendar, knowing deadlines and having the ability to anticipate what to prepare as they are needing it.

2. Meaningful Story

Have you ever sat down to watch a movie and you see ‘based on a true story’ flash by at the beginning and you say “uummmmmmm” with excitement? And, then at the end of the show they run the credits along with photos and captions that really bring the real story to life? [So awesome!] THAT is what I am talking about when I say, have a story that means something, that will move people and really resonate with your readers. And, when you have a project or an event or something that does just that, make it relatable. Tap into what is current, what is of interest and ensure your story tells a tale that could be told over and over again. That makes for a great feature!!

3. Documented Process

Along with that story that is going to reach out and grab them, I recommend having the goods to back it up. And the best way to do that is to have your entire process documented with how to’s, how’d you do it, what’d you spend, who was involved, before photos, sketches, drawings, material sample pics, super deep descriptions of each and people and faces enjoying every step. Then, of course, the perfectly styled, hi res after photos, shot with the ideal light in the most attractive angle. Oh, and don’t forget to include your WHY! Now, depending on the magazine, they may be taking their own photos, but those first impression images are everything - make em count! And, have a lot. Don’t leave any corner out!